Role of Prolonged Intubation in Vocal Fold Motion Impairment in Critically Ill Patients.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 upsurge in orotracheal intubation (OTI) has opened a new opportunity for studying associated complications. Vocal fold motion impairment (VFMI) is a known complication of OTI. The present study sought to determine the impact of OTI and prolonged OTI on the risk of developing VFMI; to identify both risk and protective factors associated with it. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Multicenter. METHODS: Medical charts were reviewed for all patients that received invasive mechanical ventilation with a subsequent flexible laryngoscopic assessment between March 2020 and March 2022. The main outcomes were the presence of VFMI, including immobility (VFI) and hypomobility (VFH). RESULTS: A total of 155 patients were included, 119 (76.8%) COVID-19 and 36 (23.2%) non-COVID-19 patients; overall 82 (52.9%) were diagnosed with VFMI. Eighty (52.3%) patients underwent a tracheostomy. The median (IQR) intubation duration was 18 (11-24.25) days, while the median (IQR) time to tracheostomy was 22 (16-29). In the adjusted model, we observed there was a 68% increased risk for VFMI from day 21 of intubation (RR: 1.68; 95% CI 1.07-2.65; P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: VFMI is a frequent complication in severely ill patients that undergo intubation. A prolonged OTI was associated with an increased risk of VFMI, highlighting the importance of timely tracheostomy. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in other subsets of critically ill patients.

[Commitment of the central nervous system by Eikenella corrodens. Literature review about a clinical case]. / Compromiso del sistema nervioso central por Eikenella corrodens. Revisión de la literatura médica a propósito de un caso clínico.

We present the case of a 22-year-old patient with no morbid history who developed a brain abscess secondary to endocarditis due to Eikenella corrodens. The diagnosis was established by detecting the microorganism by universal polymerase chain reaction in fluid from the brain collection. Trans-esophageal echocardiogram study confirmed vegetations in the mitral valve. External ventricular shunt placement was required due to emptying of abscess to brain ventricles and secondary hydrocephalus. He received 80 days of effective antibiotic treatment and his evolution was favorable with complete resolution of his infection verified with images and echocardiogram. Follow-up at seven months later due to ventricule-peritoneal drainage valve dysfunction did not confirmed infection.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for COVID-19-associated Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Chile: A Nationwide Incidence and Cohort Study.

Rationale: The role of and needs for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) at a population level during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have not been completely established. Objectives: To identify the cumulative incidence of ECMO use in the first pandemic wave and to describe the Nationwide Chilean cohort of ECMO-supported patients with COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a population-based study from March 3 to August 31, 2020, using linked data from national agencies. The cumulative incidence of ECMO use and mortality risk of ECMO-supported patients were calculated and age standardized. In addition, a retrospective cohort analysis was performed. Outcomes were 90-day mortality after ECMO initiation, ECMO-associated complications, and hospital length of stay. Cox regression models were used to explore risk factors for mortality in a time-to-event analysis. Measurements and Main Results: Ninety-four patients with COVID-19 were supported with ECMO (0.42 per population of 100,000, 14.89 per 100,000 positive cases, and 1.2% of intubated patients with COVID-19); 85 were included in the cohort analysis, and the median age was 48 (interquartile range [IQR], 41-55) years, 83.5% were men, and 42.4% had obesity. The median number of pre-ECMO intubation days was 4 (IQR, 2-7), the median PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 86.8 (IQR, 64-99) mm Hg, 91.8% of patients were prone positioned, and 14 patients had refractory respiratory acidosis. Main complications were infections (70.6%), bleeding (38.8%), and thromboembolism (22.4%); 52 patients were discharged home, and 33 died. The hospital length of stay was a median of 50 (IQR, 24-69) days. Lower respiratory system compliance and higher driving pressure before ECMO initiation were associated with increased mortality. A duration of pre-ECMO intubation ≥10 days was not associated with mortality. Conclusions: Documenting nationwide ECMO needs may help in planning ECMO provision for future COVID-19 pandemic waves. The 90-day mortality of the Chilean cohort of ECMO-supported patients with COVID-19 (38.8%) is comparable to that of previous reports.

Compromiso del sistema nervioso central por Eikenella corrodens: revisión de la literatura médica a propósito de un caso clínico / Commitment of the central nervous system by Eikenella corrodens: literature review about a clinical case

Resumen Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 22 años sin antecedentes mórbidos que desarrolló un absceso cerebral secundario a una endocarditis por Eikenella corrodens. El diagnóstico se estableció mediante la detección por reacción de polimerasa en cadena universal en el líquido de la colección cerebral. La ecocardiografía transesofágica confirmó vegetaciones en la válvula mitral. Requirió la colocación de una derivación ventricular externa por vaciamiento del absceso a ventrículos cerebrales e hidrocefalia secundaria. Recibió 80 días de tratamiento antibacteriano efectivo. Su evolución fue favorable, con resolución completa de la infección verificada con imágenes y ecocardiografía de control. El seguimiento a los siete meses por una disfunción de válvula de drenaje ventrículo-peritoneal no demostró infección.

Abstract We present the case of a 22-year-old patient with no morbid history who developed a brain abscess secondary to endocarditis due to Eikenella corrodens. The diagnosis was established by detecting the microorganism by universal polymerase chain reaction in fluid from the brain collection. Trans-esophageal echocardiogram study confirmed vegetations in the mitral valve. External ventricular shunt placement was required due to emptying of abscess to brain ventricles and secondary hydrocephalus. He received 80 days of effective antibiotic treatment and his evolution was favorable with complete resolution of his infection verified with images and echocardiogram. Follow-up at seven months later due to ventricule-peritoneal drainage valve dysfunction did not confirmed infection.

Reporte de los primeros 50 pacientes con COVID-19 en ventilación mecánica hospitalizados en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos del Complejo Asistencial Dr. Sótero del Río

Background: Since March, Chile experienced an exponential increase in SARS-CoV2 cases, which led to an almost full occupancy of the intensive care units (ICU). Aim: To characterize patients with SARS-CoV2 disease who required hospitalization in the ICU and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in our hospital. Material and Methods: A prospective observational study was performed, which included the first 50 patients, aged 54 ± 13 years (58% men), with SARS-CoV2 disease, with ICU and IMV requirements between March 23 and June 2, 2020. Demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, laboratory and imaging, therapies performed and IMV characteristics were registered. The most relevant outcomes observed were lethality, number of days in the ICU and connection to an IMV. Results: Ninety percent of patients were overweight or obese, 46% had hypertension and many had diabetes mellitus. They had elevated inflammatory parameters and typical patterns of COVID-19 in computed tomography. Most of the patients got protective lung ventilation with a high rate of use of neuromuscular blockade (NMB) and prone position. Antibiotics, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir/ritonavir were administered according to the protocol of the institution. Lethality was 16% (8 cases) at the end of this study. Conclusions: The information obtained in this study provides characteristics and early outcomes of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 and IMV, admitted to the ICU of our center.

[Features of 50 patients with SARS-CoV2 admitted to an intensive care unit and requiring mechanical ventilation]. / Reporte de los primeros 50 pacientes con COVID-19 en ventilación mecánica hospitalizados en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos del Complejo Asistencial Dr. Sótero del Río.

BACKGROUND: Since March, Chile experienced an exponential increase in SARS-CoV2 cases, which led to an almost full occupancy of the intensive care units (ICU). AIM: To characterize patients with SARS-CoV2 disease who required hospitalization in the ICU and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in our hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed, which included the first 50 patients, aged 54 ± 13 years (58% men), with SARS-CoV2 disease, with ICU and IMV requirements between March 23 and June 2, 2020. Demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, laboratory and imaging, therapies performed and IMV characteristics were registered. The most relevant outcomes observed were lethality, number of days in the ICU and connection to an IMV. RESULTS: Ninety percent of patients were overweight or obese, 46% had hypertension and many had diabetes mellitus. They had elevated inflammatory parameters and typical patterns of COVID-19 in computed tomography. Most of the patients got protective lung ventilation with a high rate of use of neuromuscular blockade (NMB) and prone position. Antibiotics, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir/ritonavir were administered according to the protocol of the institution. Lethality was 16% (8 cases) at the end of this study. CONCLUSIONS: The information obtained in this study provides characteristics and early outcomes of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 and IMV, admitted to the ICU of our center.

Early rise in central venous pressure during a spontaneous breathing trial: A promising test to identify patients at high risk of weaning failure?

BACKGROUND: The spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) assesses the risk of weaning failure by evaluating some physiological responses to the massive venous return increase imposed by discontinuing positive pressure ventilation. This trial can be very demanding for some critically ill patients, inducing excessive physical and cardiovascular stress, including muscle fatigue, heart ischemia and eventually cardiac dysfunction. Extubation failure with emergency reintubation is a serious adverse consequence of a failed weaning process. Some data suggest that as many as 50% of patients that fail weaning do so because of cardiac dysfunction. Unfortunately, monitoring cardiovascular function at the time of the SBT is complex. The aim of our study was to explore if central venous pressure (CVP) changes were related to weaning failure after starting an SBT. We hypothesized that an early rise on CVP could signal a cardiac failure when handling a massive increase on venous return following a discontinuation of positive pressure ventilation. This CVP rise could identify a subset of patients at high risk for extubation failure. METHODS: Two-hundred and four mechanically ventilated patients in whom an SBT was decided were subjected to a monitoring protocol that included blinded assessment of CVP at baseline, and at 2 minutes after starting the trial (CVP-test). Weaning failure was defined as reintubation within 48-hours following extubation. Comparisons between two parametric or non-parametric variables were performed with student T test or Mann Whitney U test, respectively. A logistic multivariate regression was performed to determine the predictive value on extubation failure of usual clinical variables and CVP at 2-min after starting the SBT. RESULTS: One-hundred and sixty-five patients were extubated after the SBT, 11 of whom were reintubated within 48h. Absolute CVP values at 2-minutes, and the change from baseline (dCVP) were significantly higher in patients with extubation failure as compared to those successfully weaned. dCVP was an early predictor for reintubation (OR: 1.70 [1.31,2.19], p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An early rise in CVP after starting an SBT was associated with an increased risk of extubation failure. This might represent a warning signal not captured by usual SBT monitoring and could have relevant clinical implications.

Atención de los pacientes con trauma grave durante los primeros días: evolución entre la urgencia, el pabellón y la unidad de cuidados intensivos / Features of patients with trauma admitted to an emergency room of a general hospital

Background: Trauma is the main cause of death among people aged 5 to 44 years. Aim: To describe features, treatment and evolution of trauma patients admitted to an emergency room. Material and Methods: Adult patients admitted in the emergency department of a public hospital due to severe trauma were studied and followed during their hospital stay. Results: We included 114 patients aged 40 ± 17 years (78%men) with an injury severity score of 21 ± 11. Trauma was penetrating in 43%. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was the most common diagnosis in 46%. In the emergency room, 8% had hypotension, 5% required vasopressors and 23% required mechanical ventilation. The initial lactate was 3.6 ± 2.9 mmol/L. Sixty-five patients (57%) required emergency surgery. The intraoperative lactate was 3 ± 1.7 mmol/L and 20% required vasopressors. Sixty-four patients (56%) were admitted to the ICU, with APACHEII and SOFA scores of 16 ± 8 and 5 ± 3, respectively. ICU lactate was 3.2±1.5 mmol/L. In the ICU 40% required vasopressors and 63% mechanical ventilation. Thirty two percent had coagulopathy, 43% received transfusions and 10% required massive transfusions. The hospital stay was 13 (6-32) days, being significantly longer in patients with TBI. ICU and hospital mortalities were 12.5 and 18.4% respectively. The only predictor for mortality was the APACHEII score (Hazard Ratio 1.18, 95% confidence intervals 1.03-1.36). Conclusions: APACHE score was a predictor of mortality in this group of patients.

[Features of patients with trauma admitted to an emergency room of a general hospital]. / Atención de los pacientes con trauma grave durante los primeros días: evolución entre la urgencia, el pabellón y la unidad de cuidados intensivos.

BACKGROUND: Trauma is the main cause of death among people aged 5 to 44 years. AIM: To describe features, treatment and evolution of trauma patients admitted to an emergency room. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Adult patients admitted in the emergency department of a public hospital due to severe trauma were studied and followed during their hospital stay. RESULTS: We included 114 patients aged 40 ± 17 years (78%men) with an injury severity score of 21 ± 11. Trauma was penetrating in 43%. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was the most common diagnosis in 46%. In the emergency room, 8% had hypotension, 5% required vasopressors and 23% required mechanical ventilation. The initial lactate was 3.6 ± 2.9 mmol/L. Sixty-five patients (57%) required emergency surgery. The intraoperative lactate was 3 ± 1.7 mmol/L and 20% required vasopressors. Sixty-four patients (56%) were admitted to the ICU, with APACHEII and SOFA scores of 16 ± 8 and 5 ± 3, respectively. ICU lactate was 3.2±1.5 mmol/L. In the ICU 40% required vasopressors and 63% mechanical ventilation. Thirty two percent had coagulopathy, 43% received transfusions and 10% required massive transfusions. The hospital stay was 13 (6-32) days, being significantly longer in patients with TBI. ICU and hospital mortalities were 12.5 and 18.4% respectively. The only predictor for mortality was the APACHEII score (Hazard Ratio 1.18, 95% confidence intervals 1.03-1.36). CONCLUSIONS: APACHE score was a predictor of mortality in this group of patients.

Effects of dobutamine on systemic, regional and microcirculatory perfusion parameters in septic shock: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study.

PURPOSE: The role of dobutamine during septic shock resuscitation is still controversial since most clinical studies have been uncontrolled and no physiological study has unequivocally demonstrated a beneficial effect on tissue perfusion. Our objective was to determine the potential benefits of dobutamine on hemodynamic, metabolic, peripheral, hepatosplanchnic and microcirculatory perfusion parameters during early septic shock resuscitation. METHODS: We designed a randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover study comparing the effects of 2.5-h infusion of dobutamine (5 mcg/kg/min fixed-dose) or placebo in 20 septic shock patients with cardiac index ≥2.5 l/min/m(2) and hyperlactatemia. Primary outcome was sublingual perfused microvascular density. RESULTS: Despite an increasing cardiac index, heart rate and left ventricular ejection fraction, dobutamine had no effect on sublingual perfused vessel density [9.0 (7.9-10.1) vs. 9.1 n/mm (7.9-9.9); p = 0.24] or microvascular flow index [2.1 (1.8-2.5) vs. 2.1 (1.9-2.5); p = 0.73] compared to placebo. No differences between dobutamine and placebo were found for the lactate levels, mixed venous-arterial pCO2 gradient, thenar muscle oxygen saturation, capillary refill time or gastric-to-arterial pCO2 gradient. The indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate [14.4 (9.5-25.6) vs. 18.8 %/min (11.7-24.6); p = 0.03] and the recovery slope of thenar muscle oxygen saturation after a vascular occlusion test [2.1 (1.1-3.1) vs. 2.5 %/s (1.2-3.4); p = 0.01] were worse with dobutamine compared to placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Dobutamine failed to improve sublingual microcirculatory, metabolic, hepatosplanchnic or peripheral perfusion parameters despite inducing a significant increase in systemic hemodynamic variables in septic shock patients without low cardiac output but with persistent hypoperfusion.