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Background: Optimal supportive care which includes adequate nutrient delivery remains the cornerstone in managing critically ill patients with COVID-19. Nutrition guiding principles for critically ill patients with COVID-19 strongly recommend providing early enteral nutrition (EEN) within 24-36 hours of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) or within 12 hours of placement on mechanical ventilation (MV). Moreover, data show critically ill COVID-19 patients have negative alterations in their gut microbiome which is attributed to many factors including insufficient EN and fiber provision. The success and tolerance of EEN with a prebiotic formula in patients with COVID 19 is unknown. Here we aimed to assess, before and after implementation of an enteral feeding protocol, the achievement of EEN, estimated energy goals, and tolerance of a prebiotic formula in MV patients with COVID-19. Method(s): Data were collected and analyzed retrospectively from June 2020-May 2021 and prospectively from June 2021-January 2022. A protocol to promote EEN and improve nutrition delivery with a prebiotic-containing formula to patients within the seven days of ICU admission was created and implemented in June 2021 in the Medical ICU. Time to start EEN following invasive MV was assessed. Feeding adequacy over the first seven days of ICU admission was calculated by dividing the mean total calories of formula infused over the first seven ICU days by the estimated goal calories/day. The average number of bowel movements (BM) over the first seven ICU days was used to evaluate feeding tolerance. To determine the impact of inflammation and co-morbid conditions on feeding adequacy and tolerance, admission C-reactive protein (CRP) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were trended with feeding adequacy. The Institutional Review Board approved the study. Result(s): A total of 343 patient records were analyzed with 203 patients in retrospective (R) and 140 patients in prospective groups (P). The post- MV feeding initiation time was shorter after implementing the feeding protocol (Mean 45.2 vs 33.8 hrs, and Interquartile Range (IQR) of Median (hrs) (18, 51) vs (16, 43) for the R and P groups, respectively (p = 0.04). Achievement of feeding goal rates were similar between groups (30.0 % vs 29.5%) (p >0.05). A prebiotic-containing formula was received in 36.2 % of patients in the R group versus 43.4 % in the P group. Providing a prebiotic formula had no impact on achieving goal nutrition in either period. In the R group, patients receiving the non-prebiotic formula had a higher total 7-days BM occurrence compared to the prebiotic formula group (8 vs 5.9 BMs/7 days, p = 0.03). In the P group there were no differences in the number of BMs between non-prebiotic and prebiotic formula groups (5.3 vs 5.0 BMs/7 days, p >0.05). Higher admission CRP and CCI values trended with higher incidence of inadequate feeding. Mean CCI was 4.42 and 4.17 for patients who received less than 25% goal feeding compared to those who received >80% of their goal feeds, respectively. Mean CRP was 12.3 and 11.4 for patients who received < 25% goal feeds compared to those who received >80% of goal feeds, respectively (p > 0.05). There were no differences in overall ICU length of stay between the R (11.7 days) and P (11.1 days) groups. (p = 0.34) Conclusion(s): EEN protocol implementation decreased time to EEN initiation in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients but did not affect patients in achieving goal nutrition in the first week of their ICU stay. Furthermore, COVID-19 patients tolerated EEN with prebiotic containing formulas. Further research is warranted to determine the impact of EEN with a prebiotic formula on the gut microbiome in critically ill MV patients with COVID-19.
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Many bacterial, viral, and fungal co-infections have been reported with COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Invasive Aspergillosis has been described with COVID-19 ARDS. However, it continues to evade diagnosis in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The difficulty is discerning an actual infection from colonization. Unfortunately, a timely diagnosis is crucial since COVID-19-associated pulmonary Aspergillus (CAPA) has high morbidity and mortality. We present three ICU cases of CAPA to illustrate the difficulty in diagnosing and treating the disease. We hope to bring awareness and improve patient outcomes of CAPA.
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INTRODUCTION: The use of ketamine as a sedative agent has increased dramatically in patients who are mechanically ventilated (MV) due to COVID-19 in intensive care units (ICU). Ketamine primarily acts as an NMDA receptor antagonist that blocks the excitatory effects of glutamate. In comparison to other sedatives, ketamine has a more favorable hemodynamic profile and does not produce significant respiratory depression. The study sought to analyze the impact of initiating ketamine continuous infusions for sedation in MV patients on co-sedation dosing. METHOD(S): This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study. All MV patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit from October 1st, 2019 to October 31st, 2021 who received ketamine continuous infusions for sedation for more than 12 hours were be eligible for inclusion. RESULT(S): Of 167 patients identified, 76 (45.5%) patients were included. The average ketamine infusion rate was 0.65 mg/kg/hr and average duration was 3.9 days. At the start of ketamine, 74 patients were on fentanyl, 27 (36.5%) of those patients were successfully weaned off fentanyl (10.8%) or had a decrease in infusion rate (25.7%). A total of 47 patients were on propofol, 39 (83%) patients were successfully weaned off propofol (55.3%) or had a decrease in infusion rate (25.7%). Seventeen patients were on midazolam infusions, of those, 12 (70.6%) patients were successfully weaned off (52.9%) or had a decrease in rate (17.6%). There were 15 patients on dexmedetomidine, 6 (40%) patients were successfully weaned off (20%) or had a decrease in infusion rate (20%). At the start of ketamine, 71 patients were on norepinephrine + vasopressin + epinephrine. Of the 71 patients, 48 (67.6%) were able to wean off vasoactive agents or had a decrease in rate. Twelve patients had documented emergence reactions or adverse reactions during infusion. CONCLUSION(S): Ketamine continuous infusion as an adjunct analgosedative agent resulted in successful weans off co-sedative agents or in decreased infusion rates. It was particularly impactful on propofol and midazolam continuous infusions as more than 50% of patients on these two agents were successfully weaned off.
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INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic created major barriers to communication with patient families, impacting patient care and staff satisfaction. We surveyed an interprofessional group of medical intensive care unit (MICU) stakeholders to identify their concerns surrounding family communication and solicited recommendations for performance improvement. METHOD(S): An anonymous survey was distributed electronically to 260 MICU physicians, advanced practice providers (APPs), nurses, and physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists, with a 1 week reminder. The results were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULT(S): Thirty-nine participants (response rate 15%) completed the survey, providing 95 unique comments. Major themes included challenges created by visitor policy restrictions (providers unable to connect well with families by phone;families not understanding how to work video platforms;frequent misunderstandings);medical system distrust (antivaccine and overall hostility, unrealistic expectations, challenging treatment decisions);trainee communication concerns (lack of communication training, not seeing the "big picture", nurse not knowing whether families were contacted/what was discussed), and A2F bundle failures (F component not organized, family updates too infrequent, distorted messages). This feedback prompted a quality improvement initiative to strengthen our family communication process. The responsible resident or APP is now encouraged to use a "Get to Know Me Board" to structure the collection of relevant social history with patient and family on admission, establishing an initial relationship and line of communication. Our rounding template was modified to discuss the family communication plan each day using a tiered structure (brief summary/introduction on admission;update;serious update/acute event;goals of care;transition to comfort) and clarify which team members will be present for the conversation. Afternoon rounds were also modified to routinely confirm successful family contact and address any concerns. CONCLUSION(S): We describe the results of our interprofessional survey to define the barriers to family communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, and process improvements in our MICU to make daily family involvement and contact feasible and efficient within our daily workflow.
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Background and aim. The SAVE-MORE study showed that the early start of treatment with the IL-1alpha/beta inhibitor anakinra, guided by suPAR (Soluble Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor) >=6ng/mL, in patients with moderate or severe COVID-19, significantly reduced the risk of worse clinical outcome at day 28. With press release 665 of 28/09/2021, AIFA has approved the inclusion of anakinra in the 648/96 list for the treatment of hospitalized adults with COVID-19 and suPAR >=6ng/mL. However, suPAR methods are not widely available, which hinders the prescription and clinical use of anakinra. Aim of this study was to identify a panel of biochemical tests as a surrogate marker of suPAR positivity (>=6ng/mL). Methods. The study included 456 (median (IQR) age: 75 ys (60-83);M: F 54:46%) hospitalized patients in the Infectious Disease Unit (n=124) and Medical ICU (n=332) of the Maggiore Policlinico Hospital of Milan with molecular diagnosis of COVID-19. suPAR was measured at admission by suPARnostic TurbiLatex kit (Vendor: ViroGates A/S, Denmark;Italian distributor: B.S.N. Srl) on Roche Cobas c702. Results. Median suPAR was 7.6ng/mL (4.8-10.8), with 63% of patients displaying suPAR >=6ng/mL. At the univariate logistic regression analysis, suPAR was found to be associated with age (p<0.001), WBC (p=0.002), #NE (p<0.001), Hb (p<0.001), CREA (p<0.001), LDH (p=0.005), FERR (p=0.006), CRP (p<0.001), Fib (p=0.005), DD (p<0.001), but not with sex (p=0.943), #LY (p=0.444), #MO (p=0.233), PLT (p=0.064), ALT (p=0.238), TBIL (p=0.534), TnT (p=0.153) and TSH (p=0.970). However, at the multivariate analysis, only age (p<0.001), Hb (p=0.043), CREA (p<0.001), LDH (p=0.021), CRP (p=0.005) and DD (p=0.004) were found as independent predictors of suPAR positivity. Percentage of correct classification (< vs >= 6ng/mL) and AUC of the multivariate model were 75.1% and 0.83 (95%CI 0.80-0.87). Conclusions. suPAR is independently associated with age, Hb, CREA, LDH, CRP and DD. Due to the moderate % of correct classification of the multivariate model (75%), we conclude that this combination of blood markers cannot be used as a surrogate of suPAR for anakinra prescription. Further clinical validation is needed to assess a possible role of the model in predicting COVID-19 severity and mortality.
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BACKGROUND: While chloride (Cl) is the most abundant anion in the serum, it is unfortunately one of the most commonly disregarded laboratory test results routinely drawn upon admission into the medical intensive care unit (MICU). We aimed to investigate the relation between in-hospital mortality, different pathologies requiring admission to the MICU, serum Cl levels, and other biochemical tests in a tertiary center. METHODS: The prospective study included data from 373 patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary care center between 2017 and 2019. Data of patients under 18, pregnant patients or patients who were in the MICU for under 48 h were excluded. Comorbidity status, complete blood count, biochemistry tests, and blood gas analysis results of all patients included in the study were collected and recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with the obtained data. RESULTS: : Of the patients included in the study, 158 (42.4%) were discharged, and 215 (57.6%) died. In the receiver operator characteristics curve analysis performed to determine the discriminating power of Cl levels with a cut-off value of >98 mEq/L in relation to mortality, its sensitivity was found to be 84% and specificity 60%. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis results, mortality rate was higher (60% vs 46%) and survival time was lower (19.0 ± 1.46 vs. 23.0 ± 4.36 days; p = 0.035) in the patient group with high Cl levels compared to the patient group with normal or low Cl levels. In the Cox regression analysis, it was found that the survival time of the patients hospitalized in the MICU was associated with the variables of Cl, presence of cancer diagnosis and pCO2 (hazard ratio: 1.030 (1.008-1.049), 2.260(1.451-3.500), and 1.020 (1.003-1.029); p < 0.05, respectively). DISCUSSION: Mortality in MICU patients were found to increase in association with higher Cl levels at admission, presence of cancer disease, and higher pCO2 levels. In addition, it should not be ignored that there may be an important relationship between renal failure and hyperchloremia in MICU patients.
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Critical Care , Water-Electrolyte Imbalance , Humans , Prospective Studies , Prognosis , Intensive Care UnitsABSTRACT
SESSION TITLE: Late Breaking Pulmonary and Education Topics Posters SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 01:30 pm - 02:30 pm PURPOSE: Healthcare professionals working in intensive care units (ICU) report high burnout levels, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents are particularly at risk for burnout and sleep deprivation, associated with increased medical errors. However, the relationship between sleep, burnout, and psychomotor vigilance has not been extensively studied in residents working in the medical ICU. METHODS: Fifty residents rotating in the ICU at an academic, tertiary care center were recruited for a prospective controlled trial during a consecutive four-week period from August 2021 – May 2022. Study parameters for two weeks in non-ICU rotations were compared with two week during ICU rotation. Residents wore a wearable sleep tracker for two weeks before and during their ICU rotation. ICU rotation dates were randomized based on a fixed annual schedule. Residents ranged in post-graduate training years one through four. Specialties included internal medicine, transitional year, emergency medicine, anesthesia, and medicine/pediatrics combined residency. Data collected included the Oldenburg burnout inventory score, Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), a computer-based psychomotor vigilance test, American Academy of Sleep Medicine sleep diary, and wearable sleep tracker data. Statistical analysis was performed in Excel and R statistical software. RESULTS: Total sleep minutes detected by the wearable sleep-tracker decreased from 402 minutes (95% CI: 377-427) before ICU to 389 minutes (95%CI: 360-418) during ICU (p<0.05). Residents overestimated the amount of sleep they obtained via their validated daily log at 464 (95% CI: 452-476) minutes before ICU and 442 (95% CI: 430-454) minutes during ICU, which reflected a decrease in sleep of 22 minutes (p<0.02). ESS increased significantly from 5.93 (95% CI: 4.89, 7.07) before to 8.33 (95% CI: 7.09,9.58) during ICU (p<0.01). Oldenburg burnout inventory scores significantly increased during ICU by 8.30 (p<0.001). The total score before ICU was 34.50 (95% CI: 32.87-36.15) and after was 42.82 (95% CI: 40.65-44.98). Exhaustion and disengagement sub-scores significantly increased during ICU (3.94, 4.64, respectively;p<0.001). Interestingly, psychomotor vigilance testing scores showed no significant difference during ICU. CONCLUSIONS: ICU rotations are associated with significantly reduced sleep as objectively measured by sleep wearable and decreased self-reported sleep minutes. Residents overestimate the amount of sleep they obtain. Significant worsening of ESS was noted along with increased burnout in residents working in the ICU. Interestingly, the psychomotor testing remains unchanged. Further research is needed in this area to better understand this phenomenon. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Residents may benefit from increased mandatory wellness events or days off to combat burnout and fatigue while in the ICU. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Varun Badami No relevant relationships by Danielle DeCicco No relevant relationships by Abhinav Mittal No relevant relationships by Christopher Pham No relevant relationships by Steven Sagun No relevant relationships by Sunil Sharma No relevant relationships by Robert Stansbury No relevant relationships by Jesse Thompson
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SESSION TITLE: Pneumothorax, Chylothorax, and Pleural Effusion Case Posters SESSION TYPE: Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/17/2022 12:15 pm - 01:15 pm INTRODUCTION: Chest tube placement is generally done to drain air (Pneumothorax) or fluid (Effusion or Hemothorax) from the pleural cavity. The incidence of complications related to such intervention varies between 1 to 6 percent (1), and includes but not limited to malposition, injuring chest wall structures, injuring intrathoracic structures, bleeding, and infection. In this case we present an unusual complication to surgical chest tube placement. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient is a 59-year-old male, long term resident of a nursing facility with past medical history of alcohol use disorder in remission, alcoholic cirrhosis, seizure disorder, protein-calorie malnutrition and a recent COVID-19 infection. He presented with worsening shortness of breath and was admitted with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Initial CT scan showed fibrotic, reticular and cystic changes, traction bronchiectasis and diffuse bilateral ground glass opacities. He was admitted to the medical ICU;he was treated initially with broad spectrum antibiotics and diuresis with minimal response. Eventually steroid therapy was started for Covid related organizing pneumonia, and he improved. Later in his hospital state he developed bilateral small pneumothoraxes that enlarged overtime and a surgical chest tube was placed on the right side. Post procedure chest x ray showed that the tube was kinked, and the pneumothorax was still present. A follow up CT chest confirmed the presence of an extra-pleural hematoma with the tube kinked inside it. CT angiography of the chest was done and showed active extravasation of contrast into the extra-pleural space likely from the intercostal arterial branches. Interventional radiology took the patient to see if they could cauterize the bleeding vessel but they were unable to identify the source of bleeding. Thoracic surgery was also consulted and was planning to take the patient to the OR, remove the tube, evacuate the hematoma and control the bleeding. However, the patient opted against this. DISCUSSION: Extra-pleural hematoma is a rare complication of surgical chest tube placement. It is usually seen after blunt trauma or rib fracture, but can still occur after subclavian vein central line placement or chest tube placement. Bleeding is usually arterial in origin and treatment is often surgical. Radiological characteristics include biconvex shape and the extra-pleural fat sign (2,3,);hypodense rim medial to the hematoma due to the inward displacement of the extra-pleural fat by the hematoma. CONCLUSIONS: Chest tube placement remains a routine procedure that is done in emergency departments and hospital wards. Generally, a safe intervention but clinicians should be aware of the possible complications and their management including extra-pleural hematomas. Reference #1: Pleural procedures and thoracic ultrasound: British Thoracic Society pleural disease guideline 2010 Tom Havelock1, Richard Teoh2, Diane Laws3, Fergus Gleeson4 on behalf of the BTS Pleural Disease Guideline Group. Correspondence to Dr Tom Havelock, Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK;t.havelock@soton.ac.uk Reference #2: Journal of Trauma and Injury 2017;30(4): 202-205. Published online: December 30, 2017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20408/jti.2017.30.4.202 Traumatic Extrapleural Hematoma Mimicking Hemothorax Yong Seon Choi, M.D., Soon Jin Kim, M.D., Sang Woo Ryu, Seung Ku Kang Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Mokpo Hankook Hospital, Mokpo, Korea Correspondence to: Soon Jin Kim, M.D., Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Mokpo Hankook Hospital, 483 Yeongsan-ro, Mokpo 58643, Korea, Tel: +82-61-270-5574, Fax: +82-61-277-0199, E-mail : innocent-blood@hanmail.net Reference #3: The Journal of Emergency Medicine Volume 51, Issue 2, August 2016, Pages 159-163 Nonoperative Management of a Large Extrapleural Hematom after Blunt Chest Trauma LuisGorospe MD, María Ángeles Fernández-Méndez MD, AnaAyala-Carbonero MD, AlbertoCabañero-Sánchez MD, Gemma MaríaMuñoz-Molina MD, PhD DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Ahmad Allaham No relevant relationships by Elyce Sheehan
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SESSION TITLE: Actionable Improvements in Safety and Quality SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Original Inv PRESENTED ON: 10/17/2022 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm PURPOSE: The overall mortality rate for patients ‘transfered’ to the medical intensive care units is thought to be significantly higher than the mortality rate amongst those admitted directly. (1) It has also been suggested that uninsured critically ill patients have a higher probability of being ‘transferred’ to other hospitals as well as a higher mortality rate. (2, 3) We aim to determine whether insurance coverage impacts the transfer of critically ill patients. METHODS: This study was conducted at a quaternary care hospital which is also a regional transfer center. We accessed the public data for the year 2020 through our institutions Transfer Center Dashboard, System Analytics. The two aspects of transferred patients we focused upon were: 1) Hospital service (subspecialty care required) and 2) Financial class. Major subspecialties included in the study were: Pulmonology, Internal Medicine, Neurosurgery, Cardiology, and Neurology. Our study was a patient safety project, hence it qualified for IRB exemption. We classified the percentage of transfers as ‘Accepted’, ‘Declined’, or ‘Canceled’;and determined the insurance status of the patient. RESULTS: We found a total of 3552 patients transfers were initiated. 31.9% (1136) transfer patients were accepted, 46.79% (1662) transfers were declined, and 21.23% (754) were canceled due to reasons including unsafe transfer, acceptance at other institutions, or death prior to transfer. Major categories for transfers were Pulmonology (16.1%), other Internal Medicine related diseases (15.3%), and Neurosurgery (11.8%) were the subspecialties with the highest rate of transfers. In terms of financial class, we determined that 44.81% (n=509) of the ICU transfers had no insurance, 27.81% (n=316) had Medicare support, and 17.81% (n=202) had managed care through a health maintenance organization (HMO);the remaining 9.59% had other insurance plans. We used a binomial test to determine the probability of a transfer under no insurance (p) with the formula p + q=1, across the total number of transfer requests (n). K was the number of actual transfers that occurred. Total transfer requests were n=3552, actual transfers were k=1136 and transfers without insurance were 509/44.8%, converted into p=0.45 with a resulting q of 0.55.For z-test, we used the formula z = ((K - np) +- 0.5) / √npq = 15.58. Our one-tailed probability of exactly, or fewer than, 1136(K) out of 3552(n) was p <.000001. Our study was limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic occurring in the same year. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, we conclude that the ‘uninsured’ patients are more susceptible to getting transferred to other institutions. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Critically ill ‘uninsured’ patients are selctively subjected to be transfered to other hospitals for higher level of care. These transfers may have significant health implications thereby resulting in higher morbidity and mortality in unisured populations. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Joodi Akhtar No relevant relationships by Sahar Fatima Advisory Committee Member relationship with Astra Zeneca Please note: 24 months Added 03/16/2022 by FAISAL MASUD, value=Honoraria Advisory Committee Member relationship with Teleflex Please note: 12 months Added 03/16/2022 by FAISAL MASUD, value=Consulting fee Advisory Committee Member relationship with La Jolla Please note: 12 months Added 03/16/2022 by FAISAL MASUD, value=Consulting fee No relevant relationships by Iqbal Ratnani No relevant relationships by Salim Surani No relevant relationships by Anza Zahid
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SESSION TITLE: Quality Improvement SESSION TYPE: Original Investigations PRESENTED ON: 10/17/22 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm PURPOSE: Prone positioning has been shown to improve survival in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Moving patients from prone to supine position and vice versa adds significant labor for nursing staff, who are already under great stress during the COVID 19 pandemic. We designed a nurse-driven protocol that enables nurses to identify prone intubated ARDS patients who meet criteria to be turned supine and independently implement the change in position. In order to evaluate whether this protocol reduces stress, we surveyed nurses before and after implementation. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team of critical care physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists designed a nurse-driven protocol for supine trials for prone intubated ARDS patients in a medical intensive care unit (MICU). We designed an anonymous survey to gauge nurses’ awareness of which patients would be turned supine that day, level of difficulty planning their day, and stress level related to supining of a prone ARDS patient. We sent the survey to the nursing staff before implementing the protocol, and again one month after implementation. The survey was sent by professional email and via a private group on social media. Halfway between the surveys, a PDSA cycle was used to modify the protocol with the feedback from nurses and respiratory therapists. RESULTS: Of 82 MICU nurses who received the surveys, 42 (51%) responded to the pre-implementation survey and 33 (40%) responded to the post-implementation survey. Nurses were asked to rate how often they knew at the beginning of their shift whether their prone intubated ARDS patient would be turned supine that day on a 5 point Likert scale (5 indicating “almost never”). Nurses who rated 4 or 5 decreased from 55% (23) pre-implementation to 18% (6) post-implementation. Nurses were asked to rate the difficulty of planning their daily work with a prone intubated ARDS patient on a 5-point Likert scale (5 indicating “most difficult”). Nurses who rated 4 or 5 decreased from 52% (22) to 27% (9) post-implementation. Nurses were asked to rate stress associated with “flipping” their prone intubated ARDS patient on a 5-point Likert scale (5 indicating “most stressful”). Nurses who rated a 4 or 5 decreased from 67% (28) to 36% (12) post-implementation. CONCLUSIONS: A collaboratively developed nurse-driven protocol for supine trials in the prone intubated ARDS patient can improve clarity of the plan of care, facilitate planning the day’s work, and reduce stress amongst Medical ICU nurses who manage these patients. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Institutions can assemble a multidisciplinary team to create a nurse-driven protocol for supine trials to potentially empower nurses in the care of their patients with ARDS. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Daniel Ahle No relevant relationships by Francisco Barrios no disclosure on file for Jaclyn Boozalis;No relevant relationships by Paul Harford No relevant relationships by Shailaja Hayden no disclosure on file for Jessica Ybarra;
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SESSION TITLE: Actionable Improvements in Safety and Quality SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Original Inv PRESENTED ON: 10/17/2022 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm PURPOSE: Ventilator alarms are an audible and visual safeguard within a system which alerts clinicians to potentially critical changes within the patient or ventilator unit. They are a crucial aspect of patient care;however, not every alarm that is generated by the ventilator will provide actionable information. Unfortunately, this can contribute significantly to the overall alarm burden in the intensive care unit. This has been especially true with the marked increase in ventilator use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The individual impact of each alarm can easily become dampened due to the sheer quantity of alarms, ventilator-related and others. Excessive alarming may lead to cognitive overload and alarm fatigue for providers, and eventually, adversely impact patient outcomes. This potentially can lead to missed life-sustaining interventions and medical errors. METHODS: As part of a quality improvement initiative, we evaluated ventilator alarms through the month of October 2021 in the medical intensive care unit within Bellevue Hospital Center in New York City. Respiratory therapists recorded ventilator parameters and extracted alarm data daily from every ventilator within the medical intensive care unit. Ventilator logs were exported from each individual Servo-U ventilator unit in use onto a USB flash drive and the captured data was uploaded to a secure network for review. For each ventilator, data regarding specific alarm type and priority as defined by the manufacturer, as well as time, frequency, and duration was obtained for review. RESULTS: From October 4, 2021, to October 31, 2021, a total of 30,230 ventilator alarms were initiated over 672 hours in the MICU. This provided an approximate mean of 45 alarms per ventilator hour. Data was collected daily from all MICU ventilators in use which averaged about 12 ventilators per day (between 6-16). The top four alarms as defined by the ventilator were “airway pressure high,” “respiratory rate high,” “PEEP [positive end expiratory pressure] low,” and “expiratory minute volume low.” 18,451 alarms over the month were “airway pressure high.” 3,982 alarms were defined as “respiratory rate high.” 2,220 alarms were “PEEP low” and 2,041 alarms were “expiratory minute volume low.” CONCLUSIONS: Ventilator alarms, both nuisance and actionable alarms, contribute significantly to the alarm burden in the medical intensive care unit. Dedicated research is necessary to ensure safer alarm practices. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Evaluating baseline alarm data allows for assessments as well as analyses of trends and patterns that are contributing to the excessive noise within the intensive care units. This gives hospitals an opportunity to provide targeted multidisciplinary educational initiatives and create standardized protocols to enhance the quality and safety surrounding ventilator alarms within intensive care units. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Kerry Hena No relevant relationships by Charmel Rogers no disclosure on file for Amit Uppal;No relevant relationships by Tatiana Weinstein
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SESSION TITLE: Biological Markers in Patients with COVID-19 Posters SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 01:30 pm - 02:30 pm PURPOSE: In December 2019, a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) resulted in a global pandemic. The literature has been slowly growing in the subgroup of pregnant women but the metabolic derangements of pregnancy and SARS-CoV-2 have not been well described. METHODS: In this case series, we review 9 patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 infections admitted to the medical ICU at a single institution between 2020-2022, during the delta variant wave. RESULTS: Of the nine critically ill patients, the mean age was 32 ± 6.4 years with fetal age on admission of 27 ±2.81 weeks and 29 ±2.91 weeks at delivery. Average CRP of 114 ± 25 mg/L. In eight of 9 patients (89%), there was an anion gap metabolic acidosis (AGMA) on admission. The average albumin-corrected anion gap was 18±1.93. 75% of patients had mild ketonuria based on urinalysis. However, 50% had documented symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. While betahydroxybutyrate was checked in 2 patients, neither were abnormal. One had lactic acidosis, but none required vasopressors at time of identification. No renal failure or diabetes was noted and only two had abnormal glucose tolerance tests. At delivery, average PEEP was 10± 4 cmH2O with an average respiratory rate of 28 ± 4 breaths per minute. All patients with AGMA delivered early resulting in preterm delivery. 75% of the fetuses showed signs of distress at the time of delivery, which was the primary indication for delivery in 37.5% of deliveries. 37.5% of deliveries were due to significant maternal hypoxia. The only patient without AGMA did not deliver early. CONCLUSIONS: After excluding renal failure, toxin ingestion, and lactic acidosis, only ketosis can weakly explain the AGMA. There have been several studies that highlighted the association between COVID and ketone production. In pregnancy, placental production of glucagon and human placental lactogen and subsequent insulin resistance increases susceptibility to ketosis. A recent study posited that COVID could cause placental abnormalities. Therefore, pregnant women may be more susceptible to significant ketosis because of COVID infection. In one of our cases, the combination of hypoxia and acidosis could not be managed safely by the ventilator and resulted in early delivery. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Ketosis and an elevated anion gap could be a marker for more severe outcomes in pregnant patients with COVID. This case series highlights the challenges of managing the metabolic demands of critically ill pregnant patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Calli Bertschy no disclosure on file for Joey Carlin;No relevant relationships by Jessica Ehrig No relevant relationships by Shekhar Ghamande no disclosure on file for Jordan Gray;No relevant relationships by Abirami Subramanian
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SESSION TITLE: SESSION TYPE: PRESENTED ON: PURPOSE: Critical Care Medicine (CCM) patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) but receiving ongoing care in the Emergency Department (ED) while awaiting an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed has been a growing area of concern. This has occurred more frequently during the COVID-19 global pandemic and resultant surge conditions at many hospitals. METHODS: This project presents a retrospective chart review and analysis, inclusive of 455 patients admitted to the medical ICU but receiving initial care while in the ED at Cleveland Clinic Akron General between October 1st 2020 and January 1st 2022. Linear regression analysis was performed to compare the association of boarding time (in total minutes after CCM assumed care,) ICU length of stay, and total ventilator days. Logistical regression analysis was used to investigate the association between boarding time and in-hospital mortality. Patients were further stratified into a subset of those with a diagnosis of Acute Respiratory Failure (ARF) in the setting of COVID-19 positivity. RESULTS: The total number of patients admitted under the ICU service was 454 (n=454). The total number of patients in a subset with ARF in the setting of COVID-19 positivity was 275 (n=275). Median age was 62.8 +/- 16.9 years. Mean ED boarding time was 462 +/- 1108 minutes. There was a statistically significant association between boarding time and ICU length of stay and boarding time and ventilator days. Linear regression analysis showed the variance between the ED boarding time and length of stay to be 0.024% (p-value 0.0116) and with ventilator days to be 0.023% (p-value 0.0401). Logistical regression analysis investigating an association between boarding time and in-hospital mortality did not reveal any significant relationship between these two variables. For the sub-group of ARF and COVID-19 positivity, there were no statistically significant associations. CONCLUSIONS: The overall impact of boarding time on ICU length of stay and in-hospital mortality was rather small, yet statistically significant: for every one additional minute of boarding time, ICU length of stay increased by 0.024% and ventilator days increased by 0.023%. Forthcoming analysis will stratify patients based on acuity and risk-adjustment metrics, in order to further eliminate confounding factors which may influence boarding time. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The question of ED-CCM boarding is worthy of further examination in the setting of new and increased demands and strain on the national Critical Care Medicine infrastructure, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This project aims to characterize the problem further and explore associated outcomes. This may provide the basis for further investigations, or targeted interventions, around the issue of EM-CCM boarding. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Amit Diwakar No relevant relationships by Zachary Jerusalem No relevant relationships by Palak Rath No relevant relationships by Sterling Shriber
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SESSION TITLE: ECMO and ARDS in COVID-19 Infections SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Original Inv PRESENTED ON: 10/17/2022 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm PURPOSE: The use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) has been trialed in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) to decrease patient–ventilator desynchrony, decrease work of breathing and improve oxygenation. No consistent reduction in mortality or ventilator free days has been demonstrated. The use of NMBA’s can be associated with neuromuscular weakness and adverse cardiovascular events. The use of NMBA’s increased significantly in our ICU after the advent of COVID-19, partly related to the increase incidence of ARDS observed, but also because of the seemingly increased ventilator asynchrony seen in this patient population. Our group evaluated the use of NMBA infusions in our medical intensive care unit (MICU) and subsequently implemented a “Paralytic initiation decision bundle” to decrease the frequency (and duration) of NMBA infusions by optimizing conditions before initiating an NMBA. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort evaluation of the pattern of NMBA usage in our MICU from December 2020 to May 2021 at the Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center. Patients were excluded if they were on ECMO or if the NMBA infusions were initiated at an outside hospital. We then started an NMBA initiation bundle to decrease the overuse of this intervention. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were initiated on an NMBA infusion during the preintervention period (average 7.3 patients/month). This cohort included 63% males, an average age of 59.7 years (SD +/- 13.3), with 81.8% diagnosed with COVID-19. 54.5% were started on a paralytic drip <24 hours after intubation, 11.4% between 24 and 48 hours and 34.1% were started on a paralytic drip >48 hours after intubation (mean 7.5 days;range of 3-15 days). 27 patients (61.4%) were noted to be on an NMBA infusion for greater than 48 hours. The average duration of continuous paralytic infusion in this group was 5.2 days (SD +/- 3.1;range of 3-16 days). After a paralytic bundle was implemented, the use of NMBAs dropped significantly (2 patients/month) with an average infusion duration of <48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: The use of NMBA’s for greater than 48 hours in patients with ARDS is not currently recommended. The extended use of paralytics is seen often in COVID-19 ARDS patients. The implementation of a paralytic bundle with alternatives for sedation, optimization of alternative ARDS treatment strategies and a mandatory stop (or reevaluation) of NMBA after 48 hours resulted in a reduction in paralytic use at our institution. Limitations of this study include the decrease in COVID-19 cases during the intervention (hence restricting the evaluation of the tool). We plan to continue to investigate the intervention and add to our current data. Further studies are also needed to investigate the optimal use of paralytics in COVID-19 ARDS. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The use of an NMBA bundle in patient’s with ARDS can help reduce the overuse of this intervention. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Jennifer Cortes No relevant relationships by Kimberly DSouza No relevant relationships by Galyna Ivashchuk No relevant relationships by Ruckshanda Majid No relevant relationships by Zachary Pinchover No relevant relationships by Oriana Salamo
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SESSION TITLE: Studies on COVID-19 Infections Posters SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 01:30 pm - 02:30 pm PURPOSE: COVID-19 infection has a wide spectrum of clinical presentation ranging from asymptomatic carriers to severe critical illness associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although severe COVID-19 disease is associated primarily with pulmonary dysfunction and hypoxemia, many patients with lung disease can be supported by invasive mechanical ventilation allowing for other causes or complications to be the primary factor leading to death. The contribution of pulmonary dysfunction to the primary cause of death is not well-described. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) admitted to the MICU at Los Angeles County + University of Southern California (LAC + USC) hospital from April 2020 to December 2020 with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia associated with documented in-hospital death. Data including baseline patient characteristics, primary cause of death and/or circumstance prior to withdrawal of care, and disease course were collected. The primary organ system responsible for death was defined as the organ dysfunction that most directly resulted in the patient’s death or impacted the decision for withdrawal of life support with details adapted from Ketcham, et al (Crit Care, 2020). RESULTS: We identified 86 patients who were admitted to the ICU that met inclusion criteria for review, of which 75% were male and 93% were Latino/Hispanic. Mean age on admission was 64 years. Of the 86 patients, 47 (54%) died from a primary pulmonary cause, 28 (32%) died from sepsis, 5 (6%) died from neurologic causes, and 4 (5%) died from either renal or hemorrhagic causes. Of the 47 patients who died primarily from pulmonary causes, 34 (72%) died from hypoxemic respiratory failure, 8 (17%) died from hypercapnic respiratory failure, and 5 (11%) died from combined respiratory failure. Of the 28 patients who died primarily from sepsis, 13 (46%) died from pneumonia, 7 (25%) died from fungemia, and 3 (11%) died from bacteremia with an identified source. Overall, 58 (67%) patients had multi-organ failure at time of death. Mean time from symptom onset to death was 27 days. Of the 69 patients who were intubated, mean times from admission to intubation and intubation to death was 4 and 19 days respectively. Only 1 patient who died underwent tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS: We found that pulmonary dysfunction was the primary cause of death in the first year of the pandemic in our patient population at our single center MICU. Future studies are needed to further evaluate the primary cause of death in COVID-19 infection throughout the pandemic as medical management evolved and virus variant changed with time. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our study confirmed that a majority of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia died from hypoxemic respiratory failure. Further studies regarding COVID-19 interventions should focus on therapies to improve oxygenation. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Christopher Do No relevant relationships by Luis Huerta No relevant relationships by Janice Liebler
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SESSION TITLE: Challenging Cases of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Case Reports PRESENTED ON: 10/19/2022 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm INTRODUCTION: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare syndrome involving pathologic immune activation that is often fatal. The link between the cytokine storm related to COVID-19 and development of HLH has been reported since the onset of the pandemic, but little is known about clinical manifestations of HLH, thereby delaying treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50 year-old male presented with a several day history of progressive weakness in the setting of missed dialysis session. Medical history was significant for ESRD on dialysis and diastolic heart failure (EF 35%). Initial vitals were unremarkable. Physical exam was notable for peripheral edema bilaterally. Laboratory studies were consistent with hyperkalemia, elevated ferritin (28,383) and elevated liver function tests. COVID-19 PCR was positive upon admission. Chest x-ray, CTA chest and a right upper quadrant ultrasound were unremarkable. He was admitted to the medical ICU for emergent dialysis. Soon after arrival to the ICU, he became lethargic and confused with increasing oxygen requirements and a subsequent a code blue was called. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was immediately initiated, with a first rhythm consistent with ventricular fibrillation. He was shocked and placed on an amiodarone infusion with return of spontaneous circulation. TTE revealed a severely reduced EF <10%. Despite initiation of advanced COVID-19 therapies with Solu-Medrol and tocilizumab he remained ventilator dependent. Due to hemodynamic instability and persistent metabolic acidosis, he was transitioned to continuous renal replacement. Further blood work showed worsening inflammatory markers (ferritin 33,500, LDH 6981). Because of the significantly elevated ferritin, there were concerns for possible HLH. Triglycerides and IL-2 receptor were 395 mg/dL and 9300 pg/mL respectively. Total NK cells were decreased to 1.2%. He remained persistently unstable despite aggressive measures. He suffered a second cardiopulmonary arrest, which was unable to achieve return of spontaneous circulation and he ultimately passed away. DISCUSSION: HLH is characterized by uncontrolled activation and proliferation of benign macrophages in reticuloendothelial organs. This results in histiocytic hemophagocytosis, worsening peripheral blood cytopenia(s), cytokine storm, and cytokine mediated biochemical alteration ultimately culminating in multiorgan dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Although a distinctive constellation of features has been described for HLH, diagnosis remains challenging as patients have diverse presentations associated with a variety of triggers. CONCLUSIONS: As HLH is a medical emergency with poor prognosis, prompt recognition and early treatment is crucial for improving clinical outcomes. We hope this case will create increased awareness and timely diagnosis of cytokine storm syndromes in patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Reference #1: Meazza Prina M, Martini F, Bracchi F, Di Mauro D, Fargnoli A, Motta M, Giussani C, Gobbin G, Taverna M, D'Alessio A. Hemophagocytic syndrome secondary to SARS-Cov-2 infection: a case report. BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Aug 13;21(1):811. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06532-7. PMID: 34388982;PMCID: PMC8361241. Reference #2: Schnaubelt, Sebastian MDa,*;Tihanyi, Daniel MDb;Strassl, Robert MDc;Schmidt, Ralf MDc;Anders, Sonja MDb;Laggner, Anton N. MDa;Agis, Hermine MDd;Domanovits, Hans MDa Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in COVID-19, Medicine: March 26, 2021 - Volume 100 - Issue 12 - p e25170 doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000025170 DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Garrett Fiscus No relevant relationships by Niala Moallem No relevant relationships by Resham Pawar
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SESSION TITLE: Shock and Sepsis in the ICU Case Posters SESSION TYPE: Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/19/2022 12:45 pm - 01:45 pm INTRODUCTION: Nocardiosis is a rare bacterial infection, which frequently affects immunocompromised patients. It can present as an acute, subacute, or chronic pulmonary infection with non-specific symptoms, such as fever, cough, dyspnea, weight loss, and hemoptysis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old female with a history of chronic granulomatous disease and hidradenitis suppurativa on adalimumab presented to the ED with fever, shortness of breath, and productive cough of 2 days. Her vitals were T 101F, BP 66/48, HR 148, RR 42, and SPO2 94% on room air. On exam, she was cachectic, with bilateral crackles and rales in the right lung base. Extremities were cold, with trace pitting edema was present on bilateral lower extremities. COVID-19 PCR was negative. Despite fluid resuscitation, she remained hypotensive and was started on norepinephrine. Blood cultures were collected, and broad-spectrum antibiotics and an antifungal agent were initiated. Chest CT demonstrated bilateral multifocal consolidation with surrounding ground-glass opacities and complete consolidation of the right lower lobe. Due to worsening respiratory distress and tachypnea, and lack of improvement with non-invasive ventilation, she was intubated, placed on mechanical ventilation, and admitted to the Medical ICU. On hospital day 1, due to the patient's immunosuppression, unresolving shock, and radiographic findings, a bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed. On hospital day 2, a transthoracic echocardiogram showed LV ejection fraction of 20-25% with severe global hypokinesis of the LV. ACS workup had been unremarkable, with mildly elevated troponin and no ischemic changes on EKG. She was initiated on cardiac inotropes. On hospital day 3, BAL culture revealed Nocardia cyriacigeorgica. TMP-SMX and ceftriaxone were started for severe pulmonary nocardiosis. On hospital day 11, she was liberated from mechanical ventilation, and by hospital day 14, she was weaned off all pressors and inotropes. Approximately 4 weeks after admission, repeat TTE showed recovery of LV ejection fraction (55-60%) and she was discharged with a prolonged course of TMP-SMX and IV ceftriaxone, with duration to be determined at outpatient infectious disease follow-up. DISCUSSION: We discuss a unique case of severe pulmonary nocardiosis, presenting with ARDS and cardiogenic shock. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a patient with pulmonary nocardiosis presenting with stress cardiomyopathy reported in the literature. While the pathophysiology is not well understood, theorized mechanisms include catecholamine excess, coronary artery spasm, microvascular dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the need for a broad differential diagnosis in patients presenting with ARDS and cardiogenic shock and illustrates the value of clinical bronchoscopy in patients with unique presenting features. Reference #1: Lerner PI. Nocardiosis. Clin Infect Dis. 1996 Jun;22(6):891-903;quiz 904-5. doi: 10.1093/clinids/22.6.891. PMID: 8783685. Reference #2: Wittstein IS, Thiemann DR, Lima JA, Baughman KL, Schulman SP, Gerstenblith G, Wu KC, Rade JJ, Bivalacqua TJ, Champion HC. Neurohumoral features of myocardial stunning due to sudden emotional stress. N Engl J Med. 2005 Feb 10;352(6):539-48. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa043046. PMID: 15703419. Reference #3: Park JH, Kang SJ, Song JK, Kim HK, Lim CM, Kang DH, Koh Y. Left ventricular apical ballooning due to severe physical stress in patients admitted to the medical ICU. Chest. 2005 Jul;128(1):296-302. doi: 10.1378/chest.128.1.296. PMID: 16002949. DISCLOSURES: no disclosure on file for D. Clark Files;No relevant relationships by Nisha Patel No relevant relationships by Meehir Shah
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SESSION TITLE: COVID-19 Case Report Posters 1 SESSION TYPE: Case Report Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/17/2022 12:15 pm - 01:15 pm INTRODUCTION: Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a rare cause of acute respiratory failure. AEP has been reported in association with smoking, drugs, and infections. Very few reports of AEP accompanied by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) exist in current literature. Here we describe a case of AEP in association with COVID-19. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old female, non-smoker, with no medical history presented to the emergency room with fever, cough, and shortness of breath for 10 days. She received two doses of vaccine against COVID-19. Her vital signs were notable for oxygen saturation of 56% on room air and respiratory rate of 35 breaths per minute. Her physical exam was notable for distress, tachypnea, and diffuse rhonchi on lung auscultation. Her chest x-ray showed multifocal bilateral peripheral and basilar airspace opacities. A respiratory pathogen panel detected SARS-CoV-2. She was admitted to the medical intensive care unit and suffered worsening acute hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring intubation. She was treated with dexamethasone 6mg for a 10-day course with gradually decreasing oxygen requirements, and she underwent tracheostomy on hospital day 11. Despite this, she continued to deteriorate clinically. Review of laboratory results showed significant eosinophilia of 15.6% on her complete blood count upon withdrawal of steroids. A CTA scan of the chest showed no evidence of pulmonary embolic disease and demonstrated bilateral extensive dense consolidations. A diagnosis of acute eosinophilic pneumonia was suspected. Fungal cultures and stool ova and parasites were negative. She was started on methylprednisolone 1mg/kg and a bronchoscopy was performed with bronchioalveolar lavage (BAL) samples showing 4% eosinophils despite high dose steroid therapy. She was continued on high dose steroids with rapid improvement in her oxygen requirements. DISCUSSION: AEP is an acute febrile illness that can lead to acute respiratory failure. The presence of dense infiltrates in the early stages of COVID-19 and elevated inflammatory markers and reticence to perform bronchoscopy can delay making a diagnosis of AEP in a patient diagnosed with COVID19. The diagnostic hallmark of AEP is the detection of > 25% eosinophils in BAL samples. While this patient did not meet that criterion, she received high dose corticosteroids which may have suppressed pulmonary eosinophilia. A high index of suspicion for AEP should be maintained in patients with COVID-19 with evidence of eosinophilia and clinical deterioration, given that AEP improves rapidly with the appropriate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: AEP is an uncommon cause of respiratory failure that should be considered in patients with unexplained worsening respiratory status and evidence of eosinophilia. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage should be considered early, even in the setting of COVID-19 in patients without risk factors who develop severe disease. Reference #1: De Giacomi F, Vassallo R, Yi ES, Ryu JH. Acute Eosinophilic Pneumonia. Causes, Diagnosis, and Management. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018;197(6):728-736. doi:10.1164/rccm.201710-1967CI Reference #2: Murao K, Saito A, Kuronuma K, Fujiya Y, Takahashi S, Chiba H. Acute eosinophilic pneumonia accompanied with COVID-19: a case report. Respirol Case Rep. 2020;8(9): e00683. Published 2020 Nov 16. doi:10.1002/rcr2.683 DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Hadya Elshakh No relevant relationships by Christina Jee Ah Rhee no disclosure on file for Lourdes Sanso;
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SESSION TITLE: COVID-19: Other Considerations in Management SESSION TYPE: Original Investigations PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 02:45 pm - 03:45 pm PURPOSE: Patients who present with severe SARS CoV-2 2019 (COVID-19) infection frequently require invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) and subsequently are at increased risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). We hypothesized that upfront empiric community acquired pneumonia (CAP) antimicrobial therapy is associated with reduced rates of VAP in patients with severe COVID-19 METHODS: After obtaining institutional review board approval, all patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) at a tertiary care medical center with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 from March 2020- December 2020 were retrospectively identified. Exclusion criteria included outside hospital transfers, patients who underwent major surgery, were pregnant, < 18 years of age, and patients who did not require MV for at least 72 hours. Presence of VAP was defined as presence of positive sputum culture and worsening clinical and/or radiographic status requiring new antimicrobial treatment. Covid targeted therapies were defined as administration of either remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, systemic steroids, or monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Overall, 113 patient’s met inclusion criteria with a median body mass index (BMI) of 32.9 kg/m2 (IQR 28.4-40.7) and age of 65 years (IQR 53-71). 65% (72/113) were male. High-dose corticosteroids were administered as part of institutional COVID-19 protocol in 44% (50/113). Median duration of MV was 16 days (IQR 11-24), 25% (28/113) of patients underwent tracheostomy, and 38% (43/113) expired during hospitalization. Empiric CAP antimicrobial therapy was started on hospital day 1 in 42% (47/113) of patients and primarily consisted of azithromycin in combination with ceftriaxone (97% [46/47]). On univariate analysis, duration of MV (p=0.003), absence of empiric antibiotic treatment of CAP (p=0.000), and male gender (p=0.045) were significantly associated with development of VAP. Neither medical comorbidities nor COVID-19 targeted therapy were associated with VAP. On multivariate logistic regression, lack of upfront empiric CAP antimicrobial therapy on admission was associated with development of VAP when adjusted for MV duration and gender (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09-0.54, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Early empiric administration of CAP antimicrobial therapy in COVID-19 patients requiring MV was associated with reduced rates of VAP. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Further prospective randomized studies are needed to better evaluate the potential risks and benefits of early empiric antibiotics to prevent hospital acquired infections in COVID-19 patients. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Robert Balk No relevant relationships by Rachel Geroux No relevant relationships by Seungjun Kim No relevant relationships by Christopher Seder No relevant relationships by Connor Wakefield
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SESSION TITLE: The Cardiac Intensivist 2 SESSION TYPE: Rapid Fire Case Reports PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 12:25 pm - 01:25 pm INTRODUCTION: Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are medications derived from aminoquinoline. They are disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs used in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although well tolerated, they do have side effects such as retinopathy, vacuolar myopathy, neuropathy, and as seen in our patient, cardiotoxicity. CASE PRESENTATION: Patient is a 48 year old female with a past medical history significant for chronic kidney disease secondary to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, SLE on hydroxychloroquine who presented to the emergency department complaining of weakness. On arrival the patient was found to be in cardiogenic shock. Her transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a reduced ejection fraction of 37% and a large pericardial effusion concerning for tamponade physiology. Her COVID-19 PCR test was positive. She was taken for emergent pericardiocentesis which revealed 300cc of exudative fluid. Patient’s right heart catheterization revealed mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 23 mmHg, pulmonary artery pressures of 44 mmHg/24 mmHg, mean 31mmHg, cardiac index 1.1L/min/m² by thermodilution, 1.7 L/min/m² by Fick. Following right heart catheterization and intra aortic balloon pump placement, the patient was admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) and placed on intravenous inotropic and vasopressor support. Shortly after arrival to the MICU, patient had an increase in vasopressor requirements. Bedside ultrasound revealed cardiac tamponade. Patient had approximately 400cc of bloody pericardial fluid removed from her pericardial drain. The decision was made for emergent venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to be initiated. Endomyocardial biopsy was performed which revealed vacuolization in the cytoplasm of several myocytes as well as lymphocytes in the interstitium of the endocardium. The vacuoles found in the cardiac myocytes were PAS positive. These biopsy results are consistent with hydroxychloroquine cardiotoxicity. The patient’s hydroxychloroquine was discontinued. In addition to hemodynamic support, she also received intravenous immunoglobuluin and systemic steroids. After a prolonged hospitalization she was successfully discharged. DISCUSSION: Cardiotoxicity is a rare adverse reaction seen with hydroxychloroquine. A 2018 systematic review revealed 127 cases of cardiac toxicity associated with the use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine. Most patients had been treated with the medication for a prolonged period of time and the toxicity is dose dependent. The mechanism behind hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine induced cardiomyopathy is believed to be secondary to lysosomal dysfunction as a result of toxic phospholipid accumulation in cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with new onset cardiomyopathy, a detailed medication reconciliation should be conducted to evaluate for toxins such as hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. Reference #1: Della Porta, A., Bornstein, K., Coye, A., Montrief, T., Long, B., & Parris, M. A. (2020). Acute chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine toxicity: A review for emergency clinicians. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Reference #2: Abbi, B., Patel, S., Kumthekar, A., Schwartz, D., & Blanco, I. (2020). A Case of Cardiomyopathy With Long-term Hydroxychloroquine Use. JCR: Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 26(8), e300. Reference #3: Chatre, C., Roubille, F., Vernhet, H., Jorgensen, C., & Pers, Y. M. (2018). Cardiac complications attributed to chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine: a systematic review of the literature. Drug safety, 41(10), 919-931. DISCLOSURES: no disclosure on file for Joseph Adams;no disclosure on file for Suliman Alradawi;No relevant relationships by George Kalapurakal No relevant relationships by Mohammed Siddiqui