Analysis of the number of beds required in trauma intensive care unit in the branch campus of a tertiary hospital in Beijing / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:Severe trauma events are emergent, with low incidence and unpredictable. Current guideline does not provide precise recommendations on how the trauma centers should arrange the number of beds in trauma intensive care units while making rational use of medical resources. We analyzed the trauma intensive care unit bed requirement in the branch campus of our hospital to propose a reasonable assessment.Methods:Patients with severe trauma sent to the Intensive Care Unit of Peking University People's Hospital from January 2022 to June 2022 were collected. The daily number of patients received intensive care was counted. The bed requirement of the intensive care unit covering 99% of clinical needs was calculated based on the probability distribution function.Results:From January 2022 to June 2022, 103 patients with severe trauma [74 males and 29 females, aged (51.47±16.06) years, ranging 16 to 87 years] were included in the study. Among the 103 patients, 57 were injured in traffic accidents, 26 fell from a high altitude, 12 fell, 4 were hit by heavy objects, and 4 were stabbed. TISS ranged from 16 to 50. The range of the daily bed requirement in the intensive care unit was 0–10, which was consistent with the Poisson distribution. According to the probability distribution function, nine trauma intensive care beds could meet 99.19% of clinical needs.Conclusions:In severe traumatic events, patients need to be transferred to intensive care unit as soon as possible. For our branch campus, nine trauma intensive care beds can cover more than 99% of clinical needs. It follows that, in accordance with the basic requirements of trauma center construction, hospitals with trauma centers need at least 9 beds in intensive care units. However, traumatic events cannot be predicted; thus, the bed requirement needs to be regularly evaluated.

Instrument Development: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Confidence in Palliative Care Concepts Held by Trauma and Neuroscience Intensive Care Nurses.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Unique pressures impact trauma intensive care unit (TICU) nurses in their provision of care for severely injured patients. When it becomes clinically obvious that these patients may not survive, TICU nurses must continue life-saving measures while at the same time consider a palliative care consultation. In order to facilitate this referral, TICU nurses need to have the appropriate knowledge, attitude, and confidence in doing so. The purpose of this study is to refine an instrument that aims to support this process. METHODS: A convenience sample of 42 respondents completed the Knowledge, Attitudinal, and Experiential Survey on Advance Directive (KAESAD). RESULTS: Domains with the highest Cronbach's alpha value were "professional attitudes" (α = .995) and "clinical experiences" (α = .999). CONCLUSIONS: Reliability assessments suggest that most domains of the instrument have strong internal consistency, and with a larger sample size, future studies may elucidate how nurse educators can use this instrument to target areas for continuing education.

Acute Kidney Injury Risk in Patients Treated with Vancomycin Combined with Meropenem or Cefepime.

Background: No previous studies have determined the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in trauma patients treated with vancomycin + meropenem (VM) versus vancomycin + cefepime (VC). The purpose of this study was to fill this gap. Methods: A series of 99 patients admitted to an American College of Surgeons-verified level 1 trauma center over a two-year period who received VC or VM for >48 hours were reviewed retrospectively. Exclusion criteria were existing renal dysfunction or on renal replacement therapy. The primary outcome was AKI as defined by a rise in serum creatinine (SCr) to 1.5 times baseline. Multi-variable analysis was performed to control for factors associated with AKI (age, obesity, gender, length of stay [LOS], nephrotoxic agent(s), and baseline SCr), with significance defined as p < 0.05. Results: The study population was 50 ± 19 years old, 76% male, with a median LOS of 21 [range 15-39] days, and baseline SCr of 0.9 ± 0.2 mg/dL. Antibiotics, diabetes mellitus, and Injury Severity Score were independent predictors of AKI (odds ratio [OR] 4.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-12; OR 9.3; 95% CI 1-27; OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.023-1.985, respectively). The incidence of AKI was higher with VM than VC (10/26 [38%] versus 14/73 [19.1%]; p = 0.049). Conclusions: The renal toxicity of vancomycin is potentiated by meropenem relative to cefepime in trauma patients. We recommend caution when initiating vancomycin combination therapy, particularly with meropenem.

Effect of early enteral nutrition on outcomes of trauma patients requiring intensive care.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of early enteral nutrition on outcomes of trauma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: Clinical data of trauma patients in the ICU of Daping Hospital, China from January 2012 to December 2017 was retrospectively analyzed, including patient age, gender, injury mechanism, injury severity score (ISS), nutritional treatment, postoperative complications (wound infection, abdominal abscess, anastomotic rupture, pneumonia), mortality, and adverse events (nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention). Only adult trauma patients who developed bloodstream infection after surgery for damage control were included. Patients were divided into early enteral nutrition group (<48 h) and delayed enteral nutrition group (control group, >48 h). Data of all trauma patients were collected by the same investigator. Data were expressed as frequency (percentage), mean ± standard deviation (normal distribution), or median (Q1, Q3) (non-normal distribution) and analyzed by Chi-square test, Student's t-test, or rank-sum test accordingly. Multiple logistic regression analysis was further adopted to investigate the significant variables with enteral nutrition. RESULTS: Altogether 876 patients were assessed and 110 were eligible for this study, including 93 males and 17 females, with the mean age of (50.0 ± 15.4) years. Traffic accidents (46 cases, 41.8%) and fall from height (31 cases, 28.2%) were the dominant injury mechanism. There were 68 cases in the early enteral nutrition group and 42 cases in the control group. Comparison of general variables between early enteral nutrition group and control group revealed significant difference regarding surgeries of enterectomy (1.5% vs. 19.0%, p = 0.01), ileum/transverse colon/sigmoid colostomy (4.4% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.01) and operation time (h) (3.2 (1.9, 6.1) vs. 4.2 (1.8, 8.8), p = 0.02). Other variables like ISS (p = 0.31), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation≥20 (p = 0.79), etc. had no obvious difference. Chi-square test showed a much better result in early enteral nutrition group than in control group regarding morality (0 vs. 11.9%, p = 0.03), length of hospital stay (days) (76.8 ± 41.4 vs. 81.4 ± 44.7, p = 0.01) and wound infection (10.3% vs. 26.2%, p = 0.03). Logistic regression analysis showed that the incidence of wound infection was related to the duration required to achieve the enteral nutrition standard (OR = 1.095, p = 0.002). Seventy-six patients (69.1%) achieved the nutritional goal within a week and 105 patients (95.5%) in the end. Trauma patients unable to reach the enteral nutrition target within one week were often combined with abdominal infection, peritonitis, bowel resection, intestinal necrosis, intestinal fistula, or septic shock. CONCLUSION: Early enteral nutrition for trauma patients in the ICU is correlated with less wound infection, lower mortality, and shorter hospital stay.

Effect of early enteral nutrition on outcomes of trauma patients requiring intensive care / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

PURPOSE@#To investigate the effect of early enteral nutrition on outcomes of trauma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).@*METHODS@#Clinical data of trauma patients in the ICU of Daping Hospital, China from January 2012 to December 2017 was retrospectively analyzed, including patient age, gender, injury mechanism, injury severity score (ISS), nutritional treatment, postoperative complications (wound infection, abdominal abscess, anastomotic rupture, pneumonia), mortality, and adverse events (nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention). Only adult trauma patients who developed bloodstream infection after surgery for damage control were included. Patients were divided into early enteral nutrition group (48 h). Data of all trauma patients were collected by the same investigator. Data were expressed as frequency (percentage), mean ± standard deviation (normal distribution), or median (Q, Q) (non-normal distribution) and analyzed by Chi-square test, Student's t-test, or rank-sum test accordingly. Multiple logistic regression analysis was further adopted to investigate the significant variables with enteral nutrition.@*RESULTS@#Altogether 876 patients were assessed and 110 were eligible for this study, including 93 males and 17 females, with the mean age of (50.0 ± 15.4) years. Traffic accidents (46 cases, 41.8%) and fall from height (31 cases, 28.2%) were the dominant injury mechanism. There were 68 cases in the early enteral nutrition group and 42 cases in the control group. Comparison of general variables between early enteral nutrition group and control group revealed significant difference regarding surgeries of enterectomy (1.5% vs. 19.0%, p = 0.01), ileum/transverse colon/sigmoid colostomy (4.4% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.01) and operation time (h) (3.2 (1.9, 6.1) vs. 4.2 (1.8, 8.8), p = 0.02). Other variables like ISS (p = 0.31), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation≥20 (p = 0.79), etc. had no obvious difference. Chi-square test showed a much better result in early enteral nutrition group than in control group regarding morality (0 vs. 11.9%, p = 0.03), length of hospital stay (days) (76.8 ± 41.4 vs. 81.4 ± 44.7, p = 0.01) and wound infection (10.3% vs. 26.2%, p = 0.03). Logistic regression analysis showed that the incidence of wound infection was related to the duration required to achieve the enteral nutrition standard (OR = 1.095, p = 0.002). Seventy-six patients (69.1%) achieved the nutritional goal within a week and 105 patients (95.5%) in the end. Trauma patients unable to reach the enteral nutrition target within one week were often combined with abdominal infection, peritonitis, bowel resection, intestinal necrosis, intestinal fistula, or septic shock.@*CONCLUSION@#Early enteral nutrition for trauma patients in the ICU is correlated with less wound infection, lower mortality, and shorter hospital stay.

Empirical antibiotic choice alters microbiological outcomes: Findings from comparative antibiograms in a trauma intensive care unit.

Background: Inappropriate empirical antibiotics promote antibiotic resistance. Antibiograms guide empirical antibiotic therapy by outlining the percentage susceptibility of each pathogen to individual antibiotics. In 2016, the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital escalated empirical antibiotic therapy for nosocomial infections from piperacillin-tazobactam to imipenem plus amikacin. Objectives: This study assessed the impact of escalation in empirical antimicrobial treatment on organism prevalence and resistance profile. Methods: A retrospective analysis of bacterial and fungal microscopy, culture and susceptibility reports from the laboratory information system of the National Health Laboratory Services, from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015 and 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017, was conducted. Data were de-duplicated according to standard guidelines. Fisher's exact test was used to determine p-values. Results: Organism prevalence shifted between the years, with a 2.7% increase in streptococci (p=0.0199), 1.7% increase in Candida auris (p=0.0031) and 4.6% and 4.4% reduction in Acinetobacter baumannii (p=0.0508) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p=0.0196), respectively. Similarly, there was a change in the resistance profile, with a 28.9% reduction in multi-drug resistant (MDR) A. baumannii (p=0.0001), 60.4% reduction in MDR P. aeruginosa (p=0.0001) and a 6.5% increase in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (p=0.007). The predominant specimen type differed between the years, with significantly more pus, tissue and fluid samples and fewer respiratory samples sent for investigation in 2017 than 2015. Conclusion: Escalation in the use of empirical antibiotics showed a change in organism prevalence and an improvement in the susceptibility profile of MDR non-fermenters. Contributions of the study: Current literature on the effects of antibiogram-guided empirical antibiotics is scarce within the South African context. This study shows how antibiograms are an effective antimicrobial stewardship strategy to reduce antimicrobial resistance rates by guiding appropriate choice of empirical antibiotics.

Self-Extubation in Patients with Traumatic Head Injury: Determinants, Complications, and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Self-extubation is a common clinical problem associated with mechanical ventilation in trauma patients worldwide. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the predisposing factors, complications, and outcomes of self-extubation in patients with head injury. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in a trauma intensive care unit (TICU). PATIENTS: All intubated patients with head injury admitted to TICU between 2013 and 2015 were included in the study. INTERVENTIONS: Planned compared to selfextubation during weaning from sedation. MEASUREMENTS: Risk, predictors, and outcomes of self-extubation were measured. MAIN RESULTS: A total of 321 patients with head injury required mechanical ventilation, of which 39 (12%) had self-extubation and 12 (30.7%) had reintubation. The median Glasgow Coma Scale, head abbreviated injury score, and injury severity score were 9, 3, and 27, respectively. The incidence of self-extubation was 0.92/100 ventilated days. Self-extubated patients were more likely to be older, develop agitation (P = 0.001), and require restraints (P = 0.001) than those who had planned extubation. Furthermore, self-extubation was associated with more use of propofol (P = 0.002) and tramadol (P = 0.001). Patients with self-extubation had higher Ramsay sedation score (P = 0.01), had prolonged hospital length of stay (P = 0.03), and were more likely to develop sepsis (P = 0.003) when compared to the planned extubation group. The overall in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the planned extubation group (P = 0.001). Age-adjusted predictors of self-extubation were sedation use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.06; P = 0.001), restraint use (aOR: 10.4; P = 0.001), and tramadol use (aOR: 7.21; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: More than one-tenth of patients with traumatic head injury develop self-extubation; this group of patients is more likely to have prescribed tramadol, develop agitation, and have longer hospital length of stay and less sedation use. Further prospective studies are needed to assess the predictors of self-extubation in TICU.

Can trauma surgeons keep up? A prospective cohort study comparing outcomes between patients with traumatic brain injury cared for in a trauma versus neuroscience intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Although many patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are admitted to trauma intensive care units (ICUs), some question whether outcomes would improve if their care was provided in neurocritical care units. We sought to compare characteristics and outcomes of patients with TBI admitted to and cared for in a trauma versus neuroscience ICU. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of adult (≥18 years of age) blunt trauma patients with TBI admitted to a trauma versus neuroscience ICU between May 2015 and December 2016. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate an adjusted odds ratio (OR) comparing 30-day mortality between cohorts. RESULTS: In total, 548 patients were included in the study, including 207 (38%) who were admitted to the trauma ICU and 341 (62%) to the neuroscience ICU. When compared with neuroscience ICU admissions, patients admitted to the trauma ICU were more likely to have sustained their injuries from a high-speed mechanism (71% vs. 34%) and had a higher Injury Severity Score (ISS) (median 25 vs. 16) despite a similar head Abbreviated Injury Scale score (3 vs. 3, p=0.47) (all p<0.05). Trauma ICU patients also had a lower initial Glasgow Coma Scale score (5 vs. 15) and systolic blood pressure (128 mm Hg vs. 136 mm Hg) and were more likely to have fixed or unequal pupils at admission (13% vs. 8%) (all p<0.05). After adjusting for age, ISS, a high-speed mechanism of injury, fixed or unequal pupils at admission, and field intubation, the odds of 30-day mortality was 70% lower among patients admitted to the trauma versus neuroscience ICU (adjusted OR=0.30, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a higher injury burden and worse neurological examination and hemodynamics at presentation, patients admitted to the trauma ICU had a lower adjusted 30-day mortality. This finding may relate to improved care of associated injuries in trauma versus neuroscience ICUs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective comparative study, level II.

Trauma ICU Prevalence Project: the diversity of surgical critical care.

BACKGROUND: Surgical critical care is crucial to the care of trauma and surgical patients. This study was designed to provide a contemporary assessment of patient types, injuries, and conditions in intensive care units (ICU) caring for trauma patients. METHODS: This was a multicenter prevalence study of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma; data were collected on all patients present in participating centers' trauma ICU (TICU) on November 2, 2017 and April 10, 2018. RESULTS: Forty-nine centers submitted data on 1416 patients. Median age was 58 years (IQR 41-70). Patient types included trauma (n=665, 46.9%), non-trauma surgical (n=536, 37.8%), medical (n=204, 14.4% overall), or unspecified (n=11). Surgical intensivists managed 73.1% of patients. Of ICU-specific diagnoses, 57% were pulmonary related. Multiple high-intensity diagnoses were represented (septic shock, 10.2%; multiple organ failure, 5.58%; adult respiratory distress syndrome, 4.38%). Hemorrhagic shock was seen in 11.6% of trauma patients and 6.55% of all patients. The most common traumatic injuries were rib fractures (41.6%), brain (38.8%), hemothorax/pneumothorax (30.8%), and facial fractures (23.7%). Forty-four percent were on mechanical ventilation, and 17.6% had a tracheostomy. One-third (33%) had an infection, and over half (54.3%) were on antibiotics. Operations were performed in 70.2%, with 23.7% having abdominal surgery. At 30 days, 5.4% were still in the ICU. Median ICU length of stay was 9 days (IQR 4-20). 30-day mortality was 11.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Patient acuity in TICUs in the USA is very high, as is the breadth of pathology and the interventions provided. Non-trauma patients constitute a significant proportion of TICU care. Further assessment of the global predictors of outcome is needed to inform the education, research, clinical practice, and staffing of surgical critical care providers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, prospective observational study.

A non-pharmacologic approach to decrease restraint use.

AIMS: To evaluate an education intervention to decrease restraint use in patients in a Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU) and to evaluate nurses' perceptions regarding restraints. OBJECTIVES: To measure restraint use pre/post-intervention and to measure nurses' perceptions of restraint use. METHODS: Pre/post-intervention design to collate incidences of delirium and restraints pre/post-intervention. Data reporting nurses' views and preferences were collected pre-intervention. MEASURES: Patients were assessed by nursing on admission and every shift with the Confusion Assessment Method for TICU. Restraint use was measured in a 24-hour period. Nurses' perception of restraints was measured using Perceptions of Restraint Use Questionnaire (PRUQ). RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was demonstrated in restraint use before and after the educational intervention. Mean and standard deviation for restraints per 1000 patient days pre-intervention was 314.1 (35.4), post-intervention 237.8 (56.4) (p=0.008). Mean PRUQ overall, 3.57 (range 1-5) indicated that nurses had positive attitudes towards restraints in certain circumstances. The primary reasons for using restraints were: "protecting patients from falling out of bed", 37 (72.5%), and "protecting patients from falling out of chair", 34 (66.7%). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that a low risk educational intervention aimed at use of an alternative device use can reduce restraint use.

Intensive care organisation: Should there be a separate intensive care unit for critically injured patients?

In the last two decennia, the mixed population general intensive care unit (ICU) with a "closed format" setting has gained in favour compared to the specialized critical care units with an "open format" setting. However, there are still questions whether surgical patients benefit from a general mixed ICU. Trauma is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Major or severe trauma requiring immediate surgical intervention and/or intensive care treatment. The role and type of the ICU has received very little attention in the literature when analyzing outcomes from critical injuries. Severely injured patients require the years of experience in complex trauma care that only a surgery/trauma ICU can provide. Should a trauma center have the capability of a separate specialized ICU for trauma patients ("closed format") next to its standard general mixed ICU.

Modeling Evacuation of a Hospital without Electric Power.

Hospital evacuations that occur during, or as a result of, infrastructure outages are complicated and demanding. Loss of infrastructure services can initiate a chain of events with corresponding management challenges. This report describes a modeling case study of the 2001 evacuation of the Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas (USA). The study uses a model designed to track such cascading events following loss of infrastructure services and to identify the staff, resources, and operational adaptations required to sustain patient care and/or conduct an evacuation. The model is based on the assumption that a hospital's primary mission is to provide necessary medical care to all of its patients, even when critical infrastructure services to the hospital and surrounding areas are disrupted. Model logic evaluates the hospital's ability to provide an adequate level of care for all of its patients throughout a period of disruption. If hospital resources are insufficient to provide such care, the model recommends an evacuation. Model features also provide information to support evacuation and resource allocation decisions for optimizing care over the entire population of patients. This report documents the application of the model to a scenario designed to resemble the 2001 evacuation of the Memorial Hermann Hospital, demonstrating the model's ability to recreate the timeline of an actual evacuation. The model is also applied to scenarios demonstrating how its output can inform evacuation planning activities and timing.

Advance directives in the trauma intensive care unit: Do they really matter?

Despite advances in the care of the injured patient, 22% of trauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit will die from their injuries. As a majority of these deaths will occur due to withdrawal of care, intensivists should be proficient in their ability to discuss end-of-life care with patients and families. While the use of advance directives to document patients' wishes has increased, their utility is uncertain. We review the effectiveness and obstacles of advance directives.