Intubation Time, Lung Mechanics and Outcome in COVID-19 Patients Suffering Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Single-Center Study.

Background: We examined the effect of intubation time and the lung mechanics on clinical outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Methods: Based on the patient's hospital admission, intubation time was defined as early (≤ 2 days) or late (> 2 days). Patients were further divided into three groups; early (≤ 3 days), late (4 - 6 days), and very late (> 6 days) intubated. Results: A total of 194 patients were included; 66.5% male, median age 65 years. Fifty-eight patients (29.9%) were intubated early and 136 (70.1%) late. Early intubated patients revealed lower mortality (44.8% vs. 72%, P < 0.001), were younger (60 vs. 67, P = 0.002), had lower sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores (6 vs. 8, P = 0.002) and higher lung compliance on admission days 1, 6 and 12 (42 vs. 36, P = 0.006; 40 vs. 33, P < 0.001; and 37.5 vs. 32, P < 0.001, respectively). Older age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.15, P < 0.001), intubation time (aOR = 1.15, P = 0.004), high SOFA scores (aOR = 1.81, P < 0.001), low partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2)/fractional inspired oxygen tension (FiO2) ratio (aOR = 0.96, P = 0.001), and low lung compliance on admission days 1 and 12 (aOR = 1.12, P = 0.012 and aOR = 1.14, P < 0.001, respectively) were associated with higher mortality. Very late and late intubated patients had higher mortality rates than patients intubated early (78.4% vs. 63.4% vs. 44.6%, respectively, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Among COVID-19 intubated patients, age, late intubation, high SOFA scores, low PaO2/FiO2 ratio, and low lung compliance are associated with higher intensive care unit (ICU) mortality.

External validation of INCREMENT-CPE score in a retrospective cohort of carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to validate the INCREMENT-CPE score (ICS) in patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) with bacteraemia due to carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CP-Kp). METHODS: The study was conducted in the ICU of the University General Hospital of Patras, Greece, during a 10-year period (2010-2019). Patients with monomicrobial bacteraemia due to CP-Kp were included. Primary outcome was 14-day mortality. MICs of meropenem, tigecycline, fosfomycin and ceftazidime/avibactam were determined by Etest, whereas for colistin the broth microdilution method was applied. PCR for blaKPC, blaVIM, blaNDM and blaOXA genes was used. RESULTS: Among 384 CP-Kp bacteraemias, most were primary (166, 43.2%) followed by catheter-related (143, 37.2%). Most isolates carried blaKPC (318, 82.8%). Fourteen-day mortality was 26.3% (101 patients). ICS score was 11.1 ± 4.2. An ICS ≥10 showed a sensitivity of 98.0% and a negative predictive value of 98.7%. The area under the curve of ICS (0.800) was comparable to those of the Pitt bacteraemia score (0.799), the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) (0.797) and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (SOFA) (0.815). CONCLUSIONS: ICS showed predictive efficacy similar to that of the SAPS II, SOFA and Pitt bacteraemia scores.

Mortality of Pandrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Bloodstream Infections in Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Cohort of 115 Episodes.

BACKGROUND: The increased frequency of bacteraemias caused by pandrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (PDR-Kp) has significant implications. The aim of the present study was to identify predictors associated with mortality of PDR-Kp bacteraemias. METHODS: Patients with monomicrobial bacteraemia due to PDR-Kp were included. K. pneumoniae was considered PDR if it showed resistance to all available groups of antibiotics. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of meropenem, tigecycline, fosfomycin, and ceftazidime/avibactam were determined by Etest, whereas for colistin, the broth microdilution method was applied. bla KPC, bla VIM, bla NDM, and bla OXA genes were detected by PCR. RESULTS: Among 115 PDR-Kp bacteraemias, the majority of infections were primary bacteraemias (53; 46.1%), followed by catheter-related (35; 30.4%). All isolates were resistant to tested antimicrobials. bla KPC was the most prevalent carbapenemase gene (98 isolates; 85.2%). Thirty-day mortality was 39.1%; among 51 patients with septic shock, 30-day mortality was 54.9%. Multivariate analysis identified the development of septic shock, Charlson comorbidity index, and bacteraemia other than primary or catheter-related as independent predictors of mortality, while a combination of at least three antimicrobials was identified as an independent predictor of survival. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality of PDR-Kp bloodstream infections was high. Administration of at least three antimicrobials might be beneficial for infections in critically ill patients caused by such pathogens.

Effects of transcutaneous cardiac pacing on ventricular repolarization and comparison with transvenous pacing.

BACKGROUND: The electrocardiographic (ECG) effects of transcutaneous cardiac pacing (TCP) on ventricular repolarization have not been studied in detail. This study evaluated the influence of TCP on ventricular repolarization. The results were compared with those obtained by conventional transvenous right ventricular pacing (TVP). METHODS: Sixty-two patients with spontaneous bradycardia and standard indication for pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation were enrolled. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or not of structural heart disease (SHD). Surface 12-lead ECG characteristics of ventricular depolarization (QRS complex) and repolarization (QT and JT intervals, Tpeak to Tend interval [TpTe], QT dispersion [QTd], TpTe dispersion [TpTe-d], and TpTe/QT ratio) were recorded at baseline before device implantation (45 ± 5 beats/min) and were compared with corresponding data during short periods of TCP and TVP at a similar increased heart rate (81 ± 6 beats/min). RESULTS: Both TCP and TVP compared with baseline measures significantly increased the QRS complex and the QTc/JTc intervals regardless of SHD status (P < .001), and QTc-d and TpTe particularly in the patients without SHD (P < .05). TCP caused greater QRS prolongation than TVP in patients without SHD (P < .05), but it was associated with lower TpTe and TpTe/QT in patients without SHD as well as lower QTc-d in patients with SHD (P < .05). CONCLUSION: TCP produces greater lengthening of ventricular repolarization than TVP, but lesser increase of ECG markers of ventricular dispersion of repolarization.

The electrocardiogram of ventricular capture during transcutaneous cardiac pacing.

BACKGROUND: Transcutaneous cardiac pacing (TCP) is deeply entwined with the problem of assessing ventricular capture on the electrocardiogram (ECG). We sought clarification of ventricular capture during TCP. METHODS: We studied one hundred and ten patients (75 ± 12 years) with bradycardia who underwent pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. The cohort was stratified by structural heart disease (SHD) status and presence of narrow or wide QRS during spontaneous heart rhythm. We compared 12-lead ECG data at baseline (48 ± 7 beats/min) with those of TCP as well as of transvenous pacing (TVP) at a similar increased heart rate (76 ± 9 beats/min) to ensure constant ventricular capture. The QT interval was corrected for heart rate (QTc) using Bazett's method as well as by the Hodge's and Rautaharju's formulae depending on the presence of narrow or wide QRS at baseline. Electromechanical coupling was assessed by noninvasive arterial pressure measurement. RESULTS: TCP (median 80 mA) produced a QRS pattern resembling left bundle branch block. Overall, both TCP and TVP induced significant QRS and QTc prolongations when compared with baseline measures (p < 0.001). TCP created narrower QRS than TVP in those patients with SHD and narrow QRS (p < 0.006). There was no significant QTc duration difference between TCP and TVP. Mean arterial pressure underwent similar significant decrease following either TCP or TVP over baseline (p < 0.001), without difference between the two pacing approaches in any patient group. CONCLUSION: TCP is associated with similar ECG and hemodynamic responses to those of TVP, regardless of the presence of SHD.

Role of inherited thrombophilic profile on survival of patients with sepsis.

The existence of various coagulation and/or fibrinolytic system disorders (such as inherited thrombophilia) in patients with sepsis could possibly modify host response to infection as well as patient outcome. The aim of the study is to investigate inherited thrombophilic profile in patients with sepsis. Eighty-three patients with sepsis admitted at the Department of Internal Medicine of the University General Hospital of Patras, Greece were included. Thrombophilic profile (factor V G1691A (Leiden), factor V H1299R (R2), prothrombin G20210A, MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, factor XIII V34L, ß-fibrinogen-455 G-A and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 4G/5G) was evaluated using the cardiovascular diseases (CVD) StripAssay based on DNA isolation, PCR and reverse hybridisation. Data were collected from patients' chart reviews. Seventy patients (84.3%) of the 83 enrolled had at least one thrombophilic mutation. The most common mutations were heterozygous for ß-fibrinogen-455 G-A (43.4%), heterozygous for factor XIII V34L (32.5%), PAI-1 4G/4G (26.5%), homozygous MTHFR C677T (22.9%), heterozygous factor V H1299R (R2) (13.3%) and homozygous MTHFR A1298C (12.0%). A 30-day mortality was 14.5%. Multivariate analysis revealed that mortality was independently associated with Simplified Acute Physiology Score II score on admission, pneumonia and fibrinogen on admission. Nine patients (10.8%) developed septic shock. Coagulation disorders on admission, bacteraemia and PAI-1 genotype 5G/5G were independently associated with development of septic shock. The presence of thrombophilic mutations in patients with sepsis may affect their clinical response, and future studies are needed in order to elucidate the role of isolated thrombophilic mutations in patients with sepsis or septic shock.

QRS fragmentation and T-wave inversion as factors of vulnerability to recurrent ventricular tachycardia.

Clinical manifestation of late onset recurrent monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction may elude diagnosis despite elaborate testing. This report describes a 67-year-old woman with structurally normal heart who presented with recurrent VT in the absence of predisposing factors. Repeated extensive diagnostic testing, including magnetic resonance imaging and coronary angiography, did not disclose any abnormality. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was placed following noninducibility of the third episode of VT at electrophysiological study. Patient's 12-lead electrocardiogram in normal sinus rhythm revealed permanent QRS fragmentation as well as T-wave inversions as the only warning features that heralded the impending appearance of recurrent VTs over the course of 5 years follow-up.