Aplicación de las Técnicas de Información y Comunicación para la detección de pacientes de alto riesgo: alarmas de rápida asistencia. Estudio piloto del Proyecto ARA-Son Llàtzer / Application of Medical Information Systems for the detection of high risk patients: Rapid care alerts. Pilot study of the ARA-Son Llàtzer Project

Objetivo Describir la implementación de Técnicas de Información y Comunicación (TIC) sobre el Servicio de Medicina Intensiva (SMI).Diseño Estudio de cohortes prospectivo observacional. Ámbito Hospitalización de Áreas Médicas y Quirúrgicas del Hospital Son Llàtzer. Pacientes Pacientes con criterios de alarma de rápida asistencia (ARA) no tratados, paradas cardiacas (PC) y muertes inesperadas en planta (MI) durante el año 2010.Variables de interés principa lEdad, sexo, turno de enfermería, alerta de enfermería, criterios ARA, ingreso en SMI, PC, fallecimiento y MI. Resultados El sistema informático (SI) detectó 9.647 episodios con criterios ARA en 4.020 pacientes (26,4 episodios/día). Se realizaron 8.547 revisiones por el intensivista. Sesenta y cinco pacientes precisaron actuación temprana del SMI. De ellos, el 61,5% fueron detectados en el segundo turno (de 15:00 a 22:00) y el 61,5% ingresó en el SMI. La disminución del nivel de conciencia (DNC) y la insuficiencia respiratoria fueron los más frecuentes. La etiología más frecuente fue la sepsis (23%). Se incluyeron 45 PC y 35 MI. Del total de PC, 33 pacientes fallecieron (73,3%) y el 66,7% presentaron criterios ARA no tratados. La monitorización (p<0,05) y los ritmos desfibrilables (p<0,002) se asociaron a supervivencia. En las MI, el 75% presentaron criterios ARA no tratados y el 40,6% presentaron DNC. En el segundo semestre se observó una reducción significativa de las MI (p=0,01). Conclusiones Las TIC pueden ser una herramienta complementaria a la actividad asistencial del SMI para mejorar el pronóstico de los pacientes hospitalizados en planta (AU)

Objective To describe the implementation of a Medical Information System (MIS) in the Critical Care Departament (CCD).Design A prospective observational cohort study was carried out. Setting Clinical and Surgical wards in Son Llàtzer Hospital. Patients Patients with criteria of rapid care alert (RCA) without treatment, cardiac arrest (CA), and unexpected ward deaths (UWD), during 2010.Main variables Age, sex, nursing shift, nursing alert, vital signs, unplanned admission to intensive care, CA, UWD and death. Results The MIS detected 9647 episodes with RCA signs in 4020 patients (26.4 episodes/day). A total of 8547 episodes were reviewed. Sixty-five patients required rapid response by the intensive care staff; 61.5% were detected in the afternoon shift (15:00 a 22:00), and 61.5% were admitted to the CCD. Diminished consciousness (DC) and respiratory failure were the most frequent problems. The sepsis rate was 23%. We reviewed 45 CA and 35 UWD. Of the total cases of CA, 33 patients died (73.3%) and 66.7% had criteria of untreated RCA. Monitoring (P<.05) and rhythms amenable to defibrillation (P<.002) were associated to survival. As regards the UWD, 75% had criteria of untreated RCA, and 40.6% presented diminished consciousness. In the last 6 months there was a significant reduction in UWD (P=.01) Conclusions The MIS could be a complimentary tool in the activity of the CCD to improve the prognosis of hospitalized patients (AU)

Application of Medical Information Systems for the detection of high risk patients: rapid care alerts. Pilot study of the ARA-Son Llàtzer Project.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the implementation of a Medical Information System (MIS) in the Critical Care Departament (CCD). DESIGN: A prospective observational cohort study was carried out. SETTING: Clinical and Surgical wards in Son Llàtzer Hospital. PATIENTS: Patients with criteria of rapid care alert (RCA) without treatment, cardiac arrest (CA), and unexpected ward deaths (UWD), during 2010. MAIN VARIABLES: Age, sex, nursing shift, nursing alert, vital signs, unplanned admission to intensive care, CA, UWD and death. RESULTS: The MIS detected 9647 episodes with RCA signs in 4020 patients (26.4 episodes/day). A total of 8547 episodes were reviewed. Sixty-five patients required rapid response by the intensive care staff; 61.5% were detected in the afternoon shift (15:00 a 22:00), and 61.5% were admitted to the CCD. Diminished consciousness (DC) and respiratory failure were the most frequent problems. The sepsis rate was 23%. We reviewed 45 CA and 35 UWD. Of the total cases of CA, 33 patients died (73.3%) and 66.7% had criteria of untreated RCA. Monitoring (P<.05) and rhythms amenable to defibrillation (P<.002) were associated to survival. As regards the UWD, 75% had criteria of untreated RCA, and 40.6% presented diminished consciousness. In the last 6 months there was a significant reduction in UWD (P=.01) CONCLUSIONS: The MIS could be a complimentary tool in the activity of the CCD to improve the prognosis of hospitalized patients.

Candidemia in non-neutropenic critically ill patients: analysis of prognostic factors and assessment of systemic antifungal therapy. Study Group of Fungal Infection in the ICU.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and prognosis of candidemia in non-neutropenic critically ill patients, to define mortality-related factors, and to evaluate the results of systemic antifungal therapy. DESIGN: A prospective multicenter survey in which medical and/or surgical intensive care units (ICUs) in 28 hospitals in Spain participated. PATIENTS: All critically ill patients with positive blood cultures for Candida species admitted to the participating ICUs over a 15-month period were included. INTERVENTIONS: Candidemia was defined as the presence of at least one positive blood culture containing Candida species. The follow-up period was defined as the time elapsed from the first positive blood culture for Candida species to discharge or death during hospitalization. Antifungal therapy was considered to be "early" when it was administered within 48 h of the date when the first positive blood culture was obtained and "late" when it was administered more than 48 h after the first positive blood culture. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Candidemia was diagnosed in 46 patients (mean age 59 years), with an incidence of 1 critically ill patient per 500 ICU admissions. The species most frequently isolated were Candida albicans (60%) and C. parapsilosis (17%). Fluconazole alone was given to 27 patients, amphotericin B alone to 10, and sequential therapy to 6. Three patients did not receive antifungal therapy. The overall mortality was 56% and the attributable mortality 21.7%. In the univariate analysis, mortality was significantly associated with a higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score at the onset of candidemia (p = 0.04) and with the time elapsed between the episode of candidemia and the start of antifungal therapy 48 h or more later (p < 0.02). Patients with an APACHE II score lower than 21 at the onset of candidemia had a higher probability of survival than patients who were more seriously ill (p = 0.04). Patients with "early" antifungal therapy (< or = 48 h between the onset of candidemia and the start of antifungal therapy) had a higher probability of survival compared with patients with late therapy (p = 0.06). No significant differences were noted between the two groups on different antifungal therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of candidemia in ICU patients was very low. An APACHE II score > 20 at the time of candidemia was associated with a higher mortality. Further studies with a large number of patients are needed to assess the effect of early antifungal therapy on the decrease in mortality associated with candidemia and to determine the appropriate dosage of fluconazole and duration of treatment.