Role of de-escalation strategies in the treatment and prevention of chronic critical illness / 中华胃肠外科杂志

ABSTRACT

De-escalation strategy is the gradual transition of various complex, expensive, high-risk but effective treatments for critically ill patients to simple, safe, physiological but still effective ones. Chronic critical illness refers to patients suffering severe disease or surgical hit who later shift into a chronic state of relapse or even aggravation and stay in the intensive care unit for extended period. Risk factors for surgical related chronic critical illness include advanced age, malnutrition, multiple organ dysfunction and multiple hits. During the treatment of critically ill patients, the strategy of de-escalation therapy should always be implemented, including rational use of antibiotics, de-escalation of liquid therapy (i.e. de-resuscitation), timely removal of ventilator, rapid introduction and with drawal of continuous renal replacement measures, parenteral + enteral nutrition support therapy and timely cessation of sedation.