Vitamin D deficiency is independently associated with mortality among critically ill patients

OBJECTIVE: Studies suggest an association between vitamin D deficiency and morbidity/mortality in critically ill patients. Several issues remain unexplained, including which vitamin D levels are related to morbidity and mortality and the relevance of vitamin D kinetics to clinical outcomes. We conducted this study to address the association of baseline vitamin D levels and vitamin D kinetics with morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. METHOD: In 135 intensive care unit (ICU) patients, vitamin D was prospectively measured on admission and weekly until discharge from the ICU. The following outcomes of interest were analyzed: 28-day mortality, mechanical ventilation, length of stay, infection rate, and culture positivity. RESULTS: Mortality rates were higher among patients with vitamin D levels <12 ng/mL (versus vitamin D levels >12 ng/mL) (32.2% vs. 13.2%), with an adjusted relative risk of 2.2 (95% CI 1.07-4.54; p< 0.05). There were no differences in the length of stay, ventilation requirements, infection rate, or culture positivity. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that low vitamin D levels on ICU admission are an independent risk factor for mortality in critically ill patients. Low vitamin D levels at ICU admission may have a causal relationship with mortality and may serve as an indicator for vitamin D replacement among critically ill patients. .

Diretrizes para manutenção de múltiplos órgãos no potencial doador adulto falecido: parte II. Ventilação mecânica, controle endócrino metabólico e aspectos hematológicos e infecciosos / Guidelines for potential multiple organ donors (adult): part II. Mechanical ventilation, endocrine metabolic management, hematological and infectious aspects

A atuação do intensivista durante a manutenção do potencial doador falecido na busca da redução de perdas de doadores e do aumento da efetivação de transplantes não se restringe aos aspectos hemodinâmicos. O adequado controle endócrino-metabólico é essencial para a manutenção do aporte energético aos tecidos e do controle hidro-eletrolítico, favorecendo inclusive a estabilidade hemodinâmica. A abordagem das alterações hematológicas é igualmente importante considerando as implicações da prática transfusional inapropriada. Ressalta-se ainda o papel da ventilação protetora na modulação inflamatória e conseqüente aumento do aproveitamento de pulmões para transplante. Por fim, assinala-se a relevância da avaliação criteriosa das evidências de atividade infecciosa e da antibioticoterapia na busca do maior utilização de órgãos de potenciais doadores falecidos.

The role of intensive care specialists in the maintenance of deceased potential donors is not restricted to hemodynamics. Appropriate endocrine-metabolic management is fundamental to maintaining energy support and hydroelectrolytic control, which cooperate for hemodynamic stability. Hematological changes are also important, especially considering the issues caused by inappropriate transfusions. In addition, this article discusses the role of appropriate protective ventilation to prevent inflammatory responses and to provide more transplantable lungs. Finally, judicious assessment of infections and antibiotic therapy is discussed.

Política de prevenção da disseminação de germes multirresistentes no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre / Policy for prevention of transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

O aumento da incidência de germes multirresistentes (GMR) e a falta de opções terapêuticas a curto ou médio prazo representam um grande desafio aos hospitais no que se refere à prevenção da disseminação destas bactérias. Para a prevenção da transmissão de agentes infecciosos no ambiente hospitalar é preconizada a adoção de medidas de bloqueio epidemiológico. Essas políticas de bloqueio devem estar claramente estabelecidas, divulgadas aos profissionais de saúde e adotadas por estes a fim de minimizar a incidência de GMR. Revisamos aqui a política de prevenção da disseminação de germes multirresistentes no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre.

The increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and the lack of therapeutic options in the short and medium term pose a major challenge to hospitals with regard to preventing the spread of these bacteria. Infection control measures are recommended to prevent transmission of infectious agents in hospital settings. These infection control policies should be clearly established and disseminated among health professionals in order to minimize the incidence of MDROs. We reviewed a hospital policy for prevention of transmission of MDROs at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, southern Brazil.

Política de antimicrobianos do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre: 2010 Comissão de Controle de Infecção Hospitalar / Antimicrobial stewardship program Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre: 2010 Infection Control Committee

Programas de controle de antimicrobianos (PCAs) têm o objetivo de promover o uso racional de antibióticos. O uso racional de antimicrobianos melhora a eficácia do tratamento, reduz os custos relacionados aos medicamentos, minimiza eventos adversos, e reduz o potencial surgimento de resistência bacteriana. A estrutura destes PCAs foi publicada pela Sociedade Americana de Doenças Infecciosas. Uma combinação de educação, formulários de restrição de prescrição, auditoria prospectiva em antimicrobianos, feedback ao corpo clínico, são formas de estabelecer um programa de sucesso. A adesão por parte dos médicos da instituição é fundamental para o bom andamento do programa. Os PCAs devem atingir a todos os médicos na instituição independentemente da função ou experiência do profissional. Para tanto, uma diretriz de uso de antimicrobianos deve ser criada para servir de embasamento para as condutas estabelecidas e os médicos devem ter acesso a estas diretrizes. Descreveremos, a seguir, a política de antimicrobianos do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre para o ano de 2010.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials. The appropriate use of antimicrobials has the potential to improve efficacy, reduce treatment-related costs, minimize drug-related adverse events, and limit the potential for emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The structure for antimicrobial stewardship programs has been published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. A combination of education, formulary restriction and pre-authorization, prospective audit with intervention and feedback are forms of establishing a successful program. Gaining physicians acceptance is crucial and ASPs must apply to all physicians irrespective of experience or function in the hospital. An evidence based antimicrobial guideline must be constructed with hospital leaders and accessed by all physicians to help to disseminated antimicrobial policies. We describe Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre antibiotic policies for the year of 2010.

Comparison between human immunodeficiency virus positive and negative patients with tuberculosis in Southern Brazil

The objective of this study is to determine the different characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive and negative patients treated for tuberculosis (TBC) in a tertiary hospital in Southern Brazil. We conducted a retrospective cohort study over a 5-year period, from January 1992 through December 1996. We reviewed medical charts of patients from our institution who received TBC treatment. We reviewed 167 medical charts of patients with confirmed TBC. HIV positivity and negative patients in sex and age. HIV-infected patients showed significantly more signs of bacteremia than HIV-negative patients. Extra-pulmonary TBC was present respectively in 13 (17.6 por cento) and 21 (22.6 por cento) HIV positive and negative patients. There was a significant difference between chest radiograph presentation in HIV positive and negative patients. There were significantly lower hematocrit, hemoglobin, leukocyte and lymphocyte levels in HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative patients. Outcome was significantly different in the two groups with a death rate of 36.5 (por cento) and 10.8 (por cento) in HIV-positive and in HIV-negative patients. The difference between HIV positive and negative patients may have importance in the diagnosis, managemento and prognosis of patients with TBC.

Effects of octreotide in experimental acute pancreatitis

O octreotide, um analogo sintetico de longa duracao da somatostatina, foi avaliado na prevencao e tratamento da pancreatite aguda experimental induzida pela tecnica da alca duodenal fechada. Quarenta ratos machos da raca Wistar (peso medio de 361 g) foram alocados em quatro grupos. Nos grupos nao-tratado (2), tratado (3) e profilatico (4), induziu-se a pancreatite aguda atraves da tecnica da alca duodenal fechada, enquanto que no grupo controle (1), o procedimento cirurgico foi...