Caring for Critically Ill Patients with the ABCDEF Bundle: Results of the ICU Liberation Collaborative in Over 15,000 Adults

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness: unanswered questions and targets for future research

Intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is the most common neuromuscular impairment in critically ill patients. We discuss critical aspects of ICU-AW that have not been completely defined or that are still under discussion. Critical illness polyneuropathy, myopathy, and muscle atrophy contribute in various proportions to ICU-AW. Diagnosis of ICU-AW is clinical and is based on Medical Research Council sum score and handgrip dynamometry for limb weakness and recognition of a patient's ventilator dependency or difficult weaning from artificial ventilation for diaphragmatic weakness (DW). ICU-AW can be caused by a critical illness polyneuropathy, a critical illness myopathy, or muscle disuse atrophy, alone or in combination. Its diagnosis requires both clinical assessment of muscle strength and complete electrophysiological evaluation of peripheral nerves and muscles. The peroneal nerve test (PENT) is a quick simplified electrophysiological test with high sensitivity and good specificity that can be used instead of complete electrophysiological evaluation as a screening test in non-cooperative patients. DW, assessed by bilateral phrenic nerve magnetic stimulation or diaphragm ultrasound, can be an isolated event without concurrent limb muscle involvement. Therefore, it remains uncertain whether DW and limb weakness are different manifestations of the same syndrome or are two distinct entities. Delirium is often associated with ICU-AW but a clear correlation between these two entities requires further studies. Artificial nutrition may have an impact on ICU-AW, but no study has assessed the impact of nutrition on ICU-AW as the primary outcome. Early mobilization improves activity limitation at hospital discharge if it is started early in the ICU, but beneficial long-term effects are not established. Determinants of ICU-AW can be many and can interact with each other. Therefore, future studies assessing early mobilization should consider a holistic patient approach with consideration of all components that may lead to muscle weakness.

Pharmacologic Considerations Surrounding Sedation, Delirium, and Sleep in Critically Ill Adults: A Narrative Review

INTRODUCTION

Agitation, delirium, and sleep dysfunction in the intensive care unit (ICU) are common occurrences that result in negative patient outcomes. With the recent publication of the 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU (PAD-IS), several areas are of particular interest due to emerging literature or conflicting results of research.

OBJECTIVE

To highlight areas where emerging literature or variable study results exist and to provide the clinician with recommendations regarding patient management.

METHODS

The 2018 PAD-IS guidelines were reviewed, and areas of emerging literature or lack of consensus of included investigations surrounding pharmacologic management of sedation, delirium, and sleep in the ICU were identified. A review and appraisal of the literature was conducted specifically to address the identified areas. Prospective, randomized trials were included in this narrative review.

RESULTS

Four areas with emerging data or conflicting evidence were identified and included: use of propofol or dexmedetomidine for sedation, pharmacologic prevention of delirium, treatment of delirium, and pharmacologic strategies to improve sleep.

CONCLUSION

A comprehensive approach to the prevention and management of delirium, sedation, and sleep in the ICU is necessary to optimize patient outcomes.

Aging and Postintensive Care Syndrome- Family: A Critical Need for Geriatric Psychiatry

Postintensive care syndrome-family (PICS-F) describes the psychological symptoms that affect the family members of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) or recently discharged from the ICU. Geriatric psychiatrists should be concerned about PICS-F for several reasons. First, ICU hospitalization in older adults is associated with higher rates of cognitive and physical impairment compared with older adults hospitalized in non-ICU settings or dwelling in the community. This confers a special burden on the caregivers of these older ICU survivors compared with other geriatric populations. Second, as caregivers themselves age, caring for this unique burden can be more challenging compared with other geriatric populations. Third, evidence for models of care centered on patients with multimorbidity and their caregivers is limited. A deeper understanding of how to care for PICS and PICS-F may inform clinical practice for other geriatric populations with multimorbidity and their caregivers. Geriatric psychiatrists may play a key role in delivering coordinated care for PICS-F by facilitating timely diagnosis and interdisciplinary collaboration, advocating for the healthcare needs of family members suffering from PICS-F, and leading efforts within healthcare systems to increase awareness and treatment of PICS-F. This clinical review will appraise the current literature about the impact of critical illness on the family members of ICU survivors and identify crucial gaps in our knowledge about PICS-F among aging patients and caregivers.

Ability to predict team members' behaviors in ICU teams is associated with routine ABCDE implementation

PURPOSE

Poor coordination may impede delivery of the Awakening, Breathing Coordination, Delirium monitoring/management and Early exercise/mobility (ABCDE) bundle. Developing a shared mental model (SMM), where all team members are on the same page, may support coordination.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We administered a survey at the 2016 MHA Keystone Center ICU workshop. We measured different components of SMMs using five items from a validated survey, each on a 5-point Likert scale (strongly agree-strongly disagree). We measured self-reported routine ABCDE implementation using a single item 4-point Likert scale (ABCDE is routine-Made no steps to implement ABCDE). We examined the relationship between SMMs and routine ABCDE implementation using logistic regression, adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS

Among the 206 (75%) responses, 157 (84%) reported using the ABCDE bundle and 80 (51% of 157) reported routine use. When clinicians agreed it was difficult to predict team members' behaviors, the odds of reporting routine ABCDE implementation significantly decreased [0.26 (0.10-0.66)]. Other SMM components related to knowing team members' skills, access to information, team adaptability, and team help behavior, were not significantly associated with the outcome.

CONCLUSION

Increasing awareness of team members' behaviors may be a mechanism to improve the implementation of complex care bundles like ABCDE.

Attempts to Limit Opioid Prescribing in Critically Ill Patients: Not So Easy, Not So Fast

OBJECTIVE

To discuss why opioids have been considered the long-standing first-line therapy for treating acute, severe nociceptive pain in critically ill patients and discuss considerations for limiting opioid overuse in the intensive care unit setting.

DATA SOURCES

Articles were identified through searches of PubMed and EMBASE from database inception until December 2018. Additional references were located through a review of the bibliographies of articles and clinical practice guidelines.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Original research articles excluding case reports were included if they concerned nonopioid agents for pain management in critically ill patients. The focus was on studies not included in the most recent pain management guidelines.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Ten studies were retrieved. Nonopioid therapies or opioid-sparing therapies have been touted as possible alternatives for critically ill patients, but they have particular adverse effects concerns in critically ill patients, often lack parenteral dosage forms, and frequently require dose adjustment or avoidance in patients with renal or hepatic dysfunction. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: There is a well-recognized opioid epidemic that has been the subject of much discussion. Attempts to control the epidemic have focused on limiting opioid prescribing and using nonopioid alternatives, but there are special considerations when treating severe pain in critically ill patients that often preclude nonopioid analgesics.

CONCLUSIONS

There continues to be an unmet need for medications that are as effective as opioids for severe nociceptive pain in critically ill patients but without the adverse effect and abuse concerns. Until such medications are available, clinicians need to optimize prescribing of opioid and nonopioid analgesics.

National Approach to Standardize and Improve Mechanical Ventilation

NASAM (National Approach to Standardize and Improve Mechanical Ventilation) is a national collaborative quality improvement project in Saudi Arabia. It aims to improve the care of mechanically ventilated patients by implementing evidence-based practices with the goal of reducing the rate of ventilator-associated events and therefore reducing mortality, mechanical ventilation duration and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay. The project plans to extend the implementation to a total of 100 ICUs in collaboration with multiple health systems across the country. As of March 22, 2019, a total of 78 ICUs have registered from 6 different health sectors, 48 hospitals, and 27 cities. The leadership support in all health sectors for NASAM speaks of the commitment to improve the care of mechanically ventilated patients across the kingdom.

Haloperidol and Ziprasidone for Treatment of Delirium in Critical Illness

BACKGROUND

There are conflicting data on the effects of antipsychotic medications on delirium in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU).

METHODS

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we assigned patients with acute respiratory failure or shock and hypoactive or hyperactive delirium to receive intravenous boluses of haloperidol (maximum dose, 20 mg daily), ziprasidone (maximum dose, 40 mg daily), or placebo. The volume and dose of a trial drug or placebo was halved or doubled at 12-hour intervals on the basis of the presence or absence of delirium, as detected with the use of the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU, and of side effects of the intervention. The primary end point was the number of days alive without delirium or coma during the 14-day intervention period. Secondary end points included 30-day and 90-day survival, time to freedom from mechanical ventilation, and time to ICU and hospital discharge. Safety end points included extrapyramidal symptoms and excessive sedation.

RESULTS

Written informed consent was obtained from 1183 patients or their authorized representatives. Delirium developed in 566 patients (48%), of whom 89% had hypoactive delirium and 11% had hyperactive delirium. Of the 566 patients, 184 were randomly assigned to receive placebo, 192 to receive haloperidol, and 190 to receive ziprasidone. The median duration of exposure to a trial drug or placebo was 4 days (interquartile range, 3 to 7). The median number of days alive without delirium or coma was 8.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.6 to 9.9) in the placebo group, 7.9 (95% CI, 4.4 to 9.6) in the haloperidol group, and 8.7 (95% CI, 5.9 to 10.0) in the ziprasidone group (P=0.26 for overall effect across trial groups). The use of haloperidol or ziprasidone, as compared with placebo, had no significant effect on the primary end point (odds ratios, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.64 to 1.21] and 1.04 [95% CI, 0.73 to 1.48], respectively). There were no significant between-group differences with respect to the secondary end points or the frequency of extrapyramidal symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of haloperidol or ziprasidone, as compared with placebo, in patients with acute respiratory failure or shock and hypoactive or hyperactive delirium in the ICU did not significantly alter the duration of delirium. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the VA Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center; MIND-USA ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01211522 .).