Intensive care discharge delay is associated with increased hospital length of stay: A multicentre prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Some patients experience a delayed discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU) where the intended and actual discharge times do not coincide. The clinical implications of this remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and duration of delayed ICU discharge, identify the reasons for delay and evaluate the clinical consequences. METHODS: Prospective multi-centre observational study involving five ICUs over a 3-month period. Delay in discharge was defined as >6 hours from the planned discharge time. The primary outcome measure was hospital length stay after ICU discharge decision. Secondary outcome measures included ICU discharge after-hours, incidence of delirium, survival to hospital discharge, discharge destination, the incidence of ICU acquired infections, revocation of ICU discharge decision, unplanned readmissions to ICU within 72 hours, review of patients admitting team after ICU discharge decision. RESULTS: A total of 955 out of 1118 patients discharged were included in analysis. 49.9% of the patients discharge was delayed. The most common reason (74%) for delay in discharge was non-availability of ward bed. The median duration of the delay was 24 hours. On univariable analysis, the duration of hospital stay from the time of ICU discharge decision was significantly higher in patients who had ICU discharge delay (Median days-5 vs 6; p = 0.003). After-hours discharge was higher in patients whose discharge was delayed (34% Vs 10%; p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the other secondary outcomes analysed. Multivariable analysis adjusting for known confounders revealed delayed ICU discharge was independently associated with increased hospital length of stay. CONCLUSION: Half of all ICU patients experienced a delay in ICU discharge. Delayed discharge was associated with increased hospital length of stay.

Minimum standards for ultrasound equipment in intensive care. Recommendations from CICM Ultrasound Special Interest Group.

Critical care ultrasonography allows rapid bedside assessment and monitoring of severely ill patients. It provides important information on a real-time basis for patients' management and clinical decision-making, leading to improvements in delivered quality of care. Provision of this service is not possible without appropriate equipment. This document recommends minimum standards for ultrasound equipment required for use in intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand.

Prognostic factors associated with hospital survival in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest.

AIM: To identify patient, cardiac arrest and management factors associated with hospital survival in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest. METHODS: A retrospective, single centre study of comatose patients admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) following cardiac arrest during the twenty year period between 1993 and 2012. This study was deemed by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of Monash Health to be a quality assurance exercise, and thus did not require submission to the Monash Health HREC (Research Project Application, No. 13290Q). The study population included all patients admitted to our ICU between 1993 and 2012, with a discharge diagnosis including "cardiac arrest". Patients were excluded if they did not have a cardiac arrest prior to ICU admission (i.e., if their primary arrest was during their admission to ICU), or were not comatose on arrival to ICU. Our primary outcome measure was survival to hospital discharge. Secondary outcome measures were ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), and factors associated with survival to hospital discharge. RESULTS: Five hundred and eighty-two comatose patients were admitted to our ICU following cardiac arrest, with 35% surviving to hospital discharge. The median ICU and hospital LOS was 3 and 5 d respectively. There was no survival difference between in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Males made up 62% of our cardiac arrest population, were more likely to have a shockable rhythm (56% vs 37%, P < 0.001), and were more likely to survive to hospital discharge (40% vs 28%, P = 0.006). On univariate analysis, therapeutic hypothermia, regardless of method used (e.g., rapid infusion of ice cold fluids, topical ice, "Arctic Sun", passive rewarming, "Bair Hugger") and location initiated (e.g., pre-hospital, emergency department, intensive care) was associated with increased survival. There was however no difference in survival associated with target temperature, time at target temperature, location of initial cooling, method of initiating cooling, method of maintaining cooling or method of rewarming. Patients that survived were more likely to have a shockable rhythm (P < 0.001), shorter time to return of spontaneous circulation (P < 0.001), receive therapeutic hypothermia (P = 0.03), be of male gender (P = 0.006) and have a lower APACHE II score (P < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, only a shockable initial rhythm (OR = 6.4, 95%CI: 3.95-10.4; P < 0.01) and a shorter time to return of spontaneous circulation (OR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.93-0.97; P < 0.01) was found to be independently associated with survival to hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: In comatose survivors of cardiac arrest, shockable rhythm and shorter time to return of spontaneous circulation were independently associated with increased survival to hospital discharge.

Early mobilization on continuous renal replacement therapy is safe and may improve filter life.

INTRODUCTION: Despite studies demonstrating benefit, patients with femoral vascular catheters placed for continuous renal replacement therapy are frequently restricted from mobilization. No researchers have reported filter pressures during mobilization, and it is unknown whether mobilization is safe or affects filter lifespan. Our objective in this study was to test the safety and feasibility of mobilization in this population. METHODS: A total of 33 patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy via femoral, subclavian or internal jugular vascular access catheters at two general medical-surgical intensive care units in Australia were enrolled. Patients underwent one of three levels of mobilization intervention as appropriate: (1) passive bed exercises, (2) sitting on the bed edge or (3) standing and/or marching. Catheter dislodgement, haematoma and bleeding during and following interventions were evaluated. Filter pressure parameters and lifespan (hours), nursing workload and concern were also measured. RESULTS: No episodes of filter occlusion or failure occurred during any of the interventions. No adverse events were detected. The intervention filters lasted longer than the nonintervention filters (regression coefficient = 13.8 (robust 95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.0 to 22.6), P = 0.003). In sensitivity analyses, we found that filter life was longer in patients who had more position changes (regression coefficient = 2.0 (robust 95% CI = 0.6 to 3.5), P = 0.007). The nursing workloads between the intervention shift and the following shift were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Mobilization during renal replacement therapy via a vascular catheter in patients who are critically ill is safe and may increase filter life. These findings have significant implications for the current mobility restrictions imposed on patients with femoral vascular catheters for renal replacement therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12611000733976 (registered 13 July 2011).