A prospective cluster trial to increase antibiotic prescription quality in seven non-ICU wards.

Aim: To evaluate general shortcomings and faculty-specific pitfalls as well as to improve antibiotic prescription quality (ABQ) in non-ICU wards, we performed a prospective cluster trial. Methods: An infectious-disease (ID) consulting service performed a prospective investigation consisting of three 12-week phases with point prevalence evaluation conducted once per week (=36 evaluations in total) at seven non-ICU wards, followed by assessment of sustainability (weeks 37-48). Baseline evaluation (phase 1) defined multifaceted interventions by identifying the main shortcomings. Then, to distinguish intervention from time effects, the interventions were performed in four wards, and the 3 remaining wards served as controls; after assessing effects (phase 2), the same interventions were performed in the remaining wards to test the generalizability of the interventions (phase 3). The prolonged responses after all interventions were then analyzed in phase 4. ABQ was evaluated by at least two ID specialists who assessed the indication for therapy, the adherence to the hospital guidelines for empirical therapy, and the overall antibiotic prescription quality. Results: In phase 1, 406 of 659 (62%) patients cases were adequately treated with antibiotics; the main reason for inappropriate prescription was the lack of an indication (107/253; 42%). The antibiotic prescription quality (ABQ) significantly increased, reaching 86% in all wards after the focused interventions (502/584; nDf=3, ddf=1,697, F=6.9, p=0.0001). In phase 2 the effect was only seen in wards that already participated in interventions (248/347; 71%). No improvement was seen in wards that received interventions only after phase 2 (189/295; 64%). A given indication significantly increased from about 80% to more than 90% (p<.0001). No carryover effects were observed. Discussion: ABQ can be improved significantly by intervention bundles with apparent sustainable effects.

Optimal@NRW: optimized acute care of nursing home residents using an intersectoral telemedical cooperation network - study protocol for a stepped-wedge trial.

BACKGROUND: Increasing life expectancy is associated with a growing number of people living in nursing homes, while the availability of outpatient medical care, especially from family doctors, is stagnating in this sector. Consequently, numerous and often avoidable, low-threshold hospitalizations of nursing home residents are observed. This results in unnecessary use of resources such as emergency services and emergency rooms as well as in potential health risks to the nursing home residents related to hospitalization. This study aims to improve this healthcare gap by implementing an intersectoral telemedicine approach. METHODS: Twenty-five nursing homes are participating and provided with telemedical equipment to perform teleconsultations. Additionally, an early warning system and a digital patient record system are implemented. Telephysicians based at RWTH Aachen University Hospital are ready to support the nursing homes around the clock if the family doctor or an emergency service practice is not available in time. Mobile non-physician practice assistants from the telemedicine centre can be dispatched to perform delegable medical activities. General practitioners and the medical emergency practices also have access to the telemedical infrastructure and the non-physician practice assistants. DISCUSSION: Optimal@NRW adds a telemedicine component to standard care - combining elements of outpatient and inpatient health care as well as emergency service practices - to enable timely medical consultation for nursing home residents in case of the development of an acute medical condition. In addition to optimized medical care, the goal is to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions. The intersectoral approach allows for the appropriate use of resources to match the individually needed medical treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04879537 . Registered on May 10, 2021.

Blood levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor after successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest.

INTRODUCTION: Ischemia-reperfusion injury following cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with a systemic inflammatory response, resulting in post-resuscitation disease. In the present study we investigated the response of the pleiotropic inflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) to CPR in patients admitted to the hospital after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). To describe the magnitude of MIF release, we compared the blood levels from CPR patients with those obtained in healthy volunteers and with an aged- and gender-matched group of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with the use of extracorporeal circulation. METHODS: Blood samples of 17 patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after OHCA were obtained upon admission to the intensive care unit, and 6, 12, 24, 72 and 96 h later. Arrest and treatment related data were documented according to the Utstein style. RESULTS: In patients after ROSC, MIF levels at admission (475.2±157.8 ng/ml) were significantly higher than in healthy volunteers (12.5±16.9 ng/ml, p<0.007) and in patients after cardiac surgery (78.2±41.6 ng/ml, p<0.007). Six hours after admission, MIF levels were decreased by more than 50% (150.5±127.2 ng/ml, p<0.007), but were not further reduced in the subsequent time course and remained significantly higher than the values observed during the ICU stay of cardiac surgical patients. In this small group of patients, MIF levels could not discriminate between survivors and non-survivors and were not affected by treatment with mild therapeutic hypothermia. CONCLUSION: MIF shows a rapid and pronounced increase following CPR, hence allowing a very early assessment of the inflammatory response. Further studies are warranted in larger patient groups to determine the prognostic significance of MIF. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01412619.

Changes in S-100 protein serum levels in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated with mild therapeutic hypothermia: a prospective, observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge about the influence of current neuroprotective interventions on prognostic markers after survival from cardiac arrest is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the effects of mild therapeutic hypothermia on the release of the astroglial protein S-100 after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study performed during a two-year period, involving medical emergency services and five collaborating hospitals at the city of Aachen, Germany. Sixty-eight subjects were enrolled by the emergency physician on duty by taking blood samples after successful attempts at resuscitation with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), followed by samples at 6, 12, 24, 72 and 120 hours post ROSC by the appropriate intensive care unit staff. Depending on the decision of the attending physician, subjects were cooled down to 33 degrees C (n = 37) for 24 hours or were held at 37 degrees C (n = 31). Patients were tracked for estimating mortality and gross neurological outcome for 14 days. RESULTS: S-100 levels in patients not receiving mild therapeutic hypothermia (normothermia (NT)) showed equivalent numbers as compared with cooled patients (mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH)) on baseline (NT = 1.38 mug/l versus MTH = 1.30 microg/l; P = 0.886). S-100 levels on baseline were significantly lower in patients with a good neurological outcome at 14 days after the event in comparison to their peers with adverse outcome (P = 0.014). Although the difference in S-100 levels of MTH patients with adverse or favourable neurological outcome reached statistical significance, it did not in NT patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although the predictive power of S-100 levels were best on admission but not at later time points, MTH had no influence on S-100 serum levels in survivors of non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the particular setting of this investigation.

Influence of mild therapeutic hypothermia on the inflammatory response after successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest.

PURPOSE: Although animal studies document conflicting data on the influence of hypothermia on cytokine release in various settings, no data exist if hypothermia affects the inflammatory response after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Arrest- and treatment-related variables of 71 patients were documented, and serum samples were analyzed for levels of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin immediately after hospital admission and after 6, 24, and 120 hours. At day 14, patients were dichotomized in those with good and bad neurological outcome. RESULTS: Regardless of outcomes, interleukin 6 levels were significantly elevated by the use of hypothermia (n = 39). The rate of bacterial colonization was significantly higher in hypothermic patients (64.1 vs 12.5 %; P < .001). On the contrary, procalcitonin levels were, independent of the use of hypothermia, only significantly elevated in patients with bad neurological outcome. Hypothermic patients showed a strong trend to reduced mortality. However, there was no influence on neurological recovery. CONCLUSIONS: In this observational study, hypothermia influenced the inflammatory response after cardiopulmonary resuscitation and lead to a higher rate of bacterial colonization without altering ultimate neurologic recovery.