Accuracy of an expanded early warning score for patients in general and trauma surgery wards

Background: Early warning scores (EWS) may aid the prediction of major adverse events in hospitalized patients. Recently, an expanded EWS was introduced in the Netherlands. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between this EWS and the occurrence of major adverse clinical events during hospitalization of patients admitted to a general and trauma surgery ward. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of consecutive patients admitted to the general and trauma surgery ward of a university medical centre (March-September 2009). Follow-up was limited to the time the patient was hospitalized. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between the EWS and the occurrence of the composite endpoint consisting of death, reanimation, unexpected intensive care unit admission, emergency surgery and severe complications. Performance of the EWS was analysed using sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: A total of 572 patients were included. During a median follow-up of 4 days, 46 patients (8.0 per cent) reached the composite endpoint (two deaths, two reanimations, 17 intensive care unit admissions, 44 severe complications, one emergency operation). An EWS of at least 3, adjusted for baseline American Society of Anesthesiology classification, was associated with a significantly higher risk of reaching the composite endpoint (odds ratio 11·3, 95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 5·5 to 22·9). The area under the ROC curve was 0·87 (95 per cent c.i. 0·81 to 0·93). When considering an EWS of at least 3 to be a positive test result, sensitivity was 74 per cent and specificity was 82 per cent. Conclusion: An EWS of 3 or more is an independent predictor of major adverse events in patients admitted to a general and trauma surgery ward

Individualized blood pressure targets during postcardiac arrest intensive care

Purpose of review To discuss recent findings relevant to optimizing blood pressure targets in adult, postcardiac arrest (PCA) patients and whether to tailor these based on specific patient, cardiac arrest or treatment characteristics. Recent findings Observational data suggest that mean arterial pressure (MAP) below 65-75 mmHg in PCA patients is associated with worse outcome. A higher MAP could be beneficial in patients with chronic hypertension who more frequently have a right shift of the cerebral autoregulation curve. Two recent randomized pilot trials compared lower and higher MAP targets during PCA care and found no significant effect on biomarkers of neurological injury. The haemodynamic interventions in those studies did not use any cerebral perfusion endpoints beyond a static MAP targets during ICU stay. Individualized, dynamic MAP targets based on assessments of cerebral perfusion and tailored to the specifics of the patient, cardiac arrest circumstances and treatment responses may be more conducive to improved outcomes. Pilot data suggest that near infrared spectroscopy monitoring may be used to determine the cerebral autoregulatory capacity and an optimal MAP, but this approach is yet to be tested in clinical trials. Current evidence suggests targeting a MAP of at least 65-75 mmHg in PCA patients. Future studies should focus on whether certain patient groups could benefit from higher and dynamic MAP targets.Peer reviewe

Target temperature management following cardiac arrest : a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis

Background Temperature control with target temperature management (TTM) after cardiac arrest has been endorsed by expert societies and adopted in international clinical practice guidelines but recent evidence challenges the use of hypothermic TTM. Methods Systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis of clinical trials on adult survivors from cardiac arrest undergoing TTM for at least 12 h comparing TTM versus no TTM or with a separation > 2 degrees C between intervention and control groups using the PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL databases from inception to 1 September 2021 (PROSPERO CRD42021248140). All randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials were considered. The risk ratio and 95% confidence interval for death (primary outcome) and unfavourable neurological recovery (secondary outcome) were captured using the original study definitions censored up to 180 days after cardiac arrest. Bias was assessed using the updated Cochrane risk-of-bias for randomised trials tool and certainty of evidence assessed using the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. A hierarchical robust Bayesian model-averaged meta-analysis was performed using both minimally informative and data-driven priors and reported by mean risk ratio (RR) and its 95% credible interval (95% CrI). Results In seven studies (three low bias, three intermediate bias, one high bias, very low to low certainty) recruiting 3792 patients the RR by TTM 32-34 degrees C was 0.95 [95% CrI 0.78-1.09] for death and RR 0.93 [95% CrI 0.84-1.02] for unfavourable neurological outcome. The posterior probability for no benefit (RR >= 1) by TTM 32-34 degrees C was 24% for death and 12% for unfavourable neurological outcome. The posterior probabilities for favourable treatment effects of TTM 32-34 degrees C were the highest for an absolute risk reduction of 2-4% for death (28-53% chance) and unfavourable neurological outcome (63-78% chance). Excluding four studies without active avoidance of fever in the control arm reduced the probability to achieve an absolute risk reduction > 2% for death or unfavourable neurological outcome toPeer reviewe

In-hospital cardiac arrest in hospitals with mature rapid response systems - a multicentre, retrospective cohort study

Aim: To investigate in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCAs) according to the Ustein template in hospitals with mature systems utilizing rapid response teams (RRTs), with a special reference to preceding RRT factors and factors associated with a favourable neurological outcome (cerebral performance category (CPC) 1-2) at hospital discharge. Methods: Multicentre, retrospective cohort study between 2017-2018 including two Finnish and one Australian university affiliated tertiary hospitals. Results: A total 309 IHCAs occurred with an incidence of 0.78 arrests per 1000 hospital admissions. The median age of the patients was 72 years, 63% were male and 73% had previously lived a fully independent life with a median Charlson comorbidity index of two. Before the IHCA, 16% of the patients had been reviewed by RRTs and 26% of the patients fulfilled RRT activation criteria in the preceding 8 h of the IHCA. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 53% of the patients and 28% were discharged from hospital with CPC 1-2. In a multivariable model, younger age, no pre-arrest RRT criteria, arrest in normal work hours, witnessed arrest and shockable initial rhythm were independently associated with CPC 1-2 at hospital discharge. Conclusions: In hospitals with mature rapid response systems most IHCA patients live a fully independent life with low burden of comorbid diseases before their hospital admission, the IHCA incidence is low and outcome better than traditionally believed. Deterioration before IHCA is present in a significant number of patients and improved monitoring and earlier interventions may further improve outcomes.Peer reviewe

Afferent limb failure revisited - A retrospective, international, multicentre, cohort study of delayed rapid response team calls

Aim: The efficiency of rapid response teams (RRTs) is decreased by delays in activation of RRT (afferent limb failure, ALF). We categorized ALF by organ systems and investigated correlations with the vital signs subsequently observed by the RRT and associations with mortality. Methods: International, multicentre, retrospective cohort study including adult RRT patients without treatment limitations in 2017-2018 in one Australian and two Finnish tertiary hospitals. Results: A total of 5,568 RRT patients' first RRT activations were included. In 927 patients (17%) ALF was present within 4 h before the RRT call, most commonly for respiratory criteria (419 patients, 7.5%). In 3516 patients (63%) overall, and in 756 (82%) of ALF patients, the RRT observed abnormal vital signs upon arrival. The organ-specific ALF corresponded to the RRT observations in 52% of cases for respiratory criteria, in 60% for haemodynamic criteria, in 55% for neurological criteria and in 52% of cases for multiple organ criteria. Only ALF for respiratory criteria was associated with increased hospital mortality (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.29-2.27), whereas all, except haemodynamic, criteria at the time of RRT review were associated with increased hospital mortality. Conclusions: Vital signs were rarely normal upon RRT arrival in patients with ALF, while organ-specific ALF corresponded to subsequent RRT observations in just over half of cases. Our results suggest that systems mandating timely responses to abnormal respiratory criteria in particular may have potential to improve deteriorating patient outcomes.Peer reviewe