Comparison of clinical scores for identification of patients with pulmonary embolism at intermediate-high risk of adverse clinical outcome: the prognostic role of plasma lactate.

To compare the prognostic accuracy of the 2014 risk model of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and of Bova and TELOS scores for identification of normotensive patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) at high risk for short-term adverse events (i.e., intermediate-high risk patients), we retrospectively applied these tests to a prospective cohort of 994 normotensive patients with objectively confirmed PE. Sixty-three (6.3 %) patients reached the primary outcome, a composite of hemodynamic collapse and death within 7 days from diagnosis. The Bova and TELOS scores classified the same proportion of patients in intermediate-high risk category (5.9 and 5.7 %, respectively), with a similar primary outcome rate (18.6 and 21.1 %, respectively). The 2014 ESC model classified in the intermediate-high risk category the largest proportion of patients (12.5 %, p < 0.001 vs Bova and TELOS), with the lowest primary outcome rate (13 %, p = ns vs Bova and TELOS). When lactate determination was added to the Bova score, 112 patients (11.2 %) were classified in the intermediate-high risk category (p < 0.05 vs Bova and TELOS), with a slight increase in the primary outcome rate (25.9 %, p = 0.014 vs 2014 ESC model), allowing the recognition of a twofold higher number of patients reaching the primary outcome (29 vs 15, 11 and 12 patients in the 2014 ESC model, Bova and TELOS scores, respectively, p < 0.01 for all). The 2014 ESC model, Bova and TELOS scores identify a small number of intermediate-high risk patients with PE, without differences among tests. Adding plasma lactate to the Bova score significantly improves the identification of intermediate-high risk patients.

Prognostic indexes of septic syndrome in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: Sepsis is a frequent and often lethal condition. Rapid identification and aggressive therapy in the emergency department (ED) are essential for outcome. Several indexes were found to be significantly related to short-term clinical outcome, but only bedside, rapidly available tests are thought to be useful in the ED. To define the prevalence and mortality of patients with severe sepsis presenting to the ED of a tertiary care hospital in Italy, we furthermore investigated the ability of bedside, non-invasive prognostic indexes to identify patients with adverse short-term clinical outcome. METHODS: All patients admitted to the ED with a diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock were included. Retrospective data were collected by a dedicated software program using predefined searching criteria including clinical data, vital sign parameters, sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, and blood tests. The relationship between prognostic indexes and 24-h or 28-day mortality was evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Ninety patients were enrolled from June 2004 to June 2005 (0.2% of all incoming patients to ED and 0.7% of all critical patients). Mean age was 77 +/- 15 years, 54.4% were women. During follow-up (28 days) 46 patients died (51.1%), 21 patients (23.3%) within 24 h. At multivariate analyses, age >80 (odds ratio [OR] 4.10; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.39-11.90, p = 0.01), serum lactate >5 mmol/l (OR 3.40; 95% CI 1.21-9.60, p = 0.02) and acute renal failure (OR 18.90; 95% CI 1.80-200, p = 0.02) were independent predictors of 28-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Among critical patients admitted to an Italian ED, those with severe sepsis/septic shock represent about 1%, with a very high mortality rate. Bedside non-invasive prognostic indexes are able to identify with high accuracy patients with adverse short-term clinical outcome.

Does advanced age affect the immediate and long-term results of direct-current external cardioversion of atrial fibrillation?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether advanced age affects the immediate and long-term results of direct-current external cardioversion (ECV) of atrial fibrillation (AF), the sustained arrhythmia most commonly encountered in older patients. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of medical records. SETTING: Intensive care unit. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred fifty consecutive patients(age 34-100) with AF who underwent ECV following a standardized protocol in an intensive care unit. MEASUREMENTS: Immediate efficacy of ECV, defined as recovery of sinus rhythm, and maintenance of sinus rhythm over the follow-up were study outcomes. The univariate and multivariate associations of immediate efficacy of ECV and long-term results with clinical variables were analyzed. RESULTS: At univariate analysis, immediate efficacy of ECV (overall, 91.2%) was lower in older patients and in those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, higher for a 3- to 90-day pre-ECV duration of AF than for a duration of 2 days or less or more than 90 days, and independent of underlying cardiac disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, previous AF, and left atrial dimension. However, pre-ECV duration of AF was the only multivariate predictor of ECV immediate success. Major complications occurred in only three patients. Of 220 patients discharged in sinus rhythm, 211 were followed up for a mean period +/- standard deviation of 34 +/- 25 months. AF relapsed in 45.5% of them. At multivariate analysis, underlying cardiac disease was the only predictor of the relapse rate, and relapse rate was lower in coronary heart disease than in valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure, or lone AF. CONCLUSION: Immediate and long-term results of ECV of AF, an effective and safe procedure, are unaffected by age,at least after adjusting for several covariates.