Septic shock and the use of norepinephrine in an intermediate care unit: Mortality and adverse events

Impact of Noradrenaline Administration Dosage on the Occurrence of Peripheral Intravenous Catheter-Related Venous Phlebitis in Critically Ill Patients Using a Time-Dependent Multilevel Cox Regression Model

Purpose: Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC)-administered noradrenaline offers faster treatment for septic shock but risks complications like phlebitis. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the total noradrenaline dose administered via PIVCs and the development of phlebitis by considering the influence of noradrenaline as a time-dependent covariate. Methods: A post hoc analysis was conducted on prospective multicenter cohort data from 23 intensive care units in Japan. The total noradrenaline dose was included as a time-dependent variable in a multilevel Cox regression model, and smoothing splines assessed nonlinear relationships. The primary endpoint was phlebitis. Directed acyclic graphs were used to define confounding factors for the analysis. Results: The analysis included 3410 PIVCs from 1351 patients, with noradrenaline administered to 70 patients (5.2%) with 91 PIVCs (2.6%). The median dwell time and interquartile range of PIVCs was 46.2 h (21.3-82.9). No significant association was observed between the total noradrenaline dose and the occurrence of phlebitis through analysis using the multilevel Cox regression model with time-dependent covariate, which assumed the linear relationship between phlebitis occurrence and the total noradrenaline dose (hazard ratio 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.93-1.20). Spline curve analysis suggested a nonlinear relationship between the total noradrenaline dose and phlebitis, and the risk of phlebitis increased when the total administered dose of noradrenaline exceeded 6 mg as the lower limit of the 95% CI exceeded the significant threshold of 1.0. Sensitivity analyses, including additional potential risk factors, showed consistent results compared with those of the primary analysis. Conclusions: Administering noradrenaline within a total dose not exceeding 6 mg reduces the risk of phlebitis, potentially allowing safer administration through PIVCs. Trial Registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR): UMIN000028019.

Effect of timing of norepinephrine administration on prognosis of patients with septic shock: A prospective cohort study

Background

Sepsis and septic shock are major healthcare problems worldwide, associated with substantial mortality. Early administration of norepinephrine in septic shock patients has been associated with an increased survival rate, but the timing from septic shock to norepinephrine initiation is controversial. This study examined the associations between the timing of initial norepinephrine administration and clinical outcomes in adult patients with septic shock.

Methods

This prospective cohort study was conducted from September 2021 to June 2022 in an intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary general hospital. All enrolled patients were divided into early and late norepinephrine groups according to whether the time from the onset of septic shock to the first application of norepinephrine was >1 h. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality. Secondary outcomes included ICU length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, time to achieve a mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥65 mmHg, 24-hour infusion volume, 6-hour Lac clearance, mechanical ventilation days, and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT )ratio. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors for 28-day mortality.

Results

This study enrolled 120 patients, including 42 patients (35.0%) and 78 patients (65.0%) in the early and late norepinephrine groups, respectively. The 28-day mortality was lower in the early group than in the late group (28.6% vs. 47.4%, P=0.045). The median time to achieve MAP ≥65 mmHg was shorter in the early group than in the late group (1.0 h vs. 1.5 h, P=0.010). The median 24-hour intravenous fluids volume in the early group was lower than that in the late group (40.7% vs. 14.9%, P=0.030). The median 6-hour lactate (Lac) clearance rate in the early group was higher than that in the late group (40.7% vs. 14.9%, P=0.009). There were no significant differences between early and late groups by ICU LOS (P=0.748), hospital LOS (P=0.369), mechanical ventilation time (P=0.128), and CRRT ratio (P=0.637). The independent risk factors for 28-day mortality included being male (odds ratio [OR]=3.288, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.236 to 8.745, P = 0.017), time to norepinephrine initiation >1 h (OR=4.564, 95% CI: 1.382 to 15.079, P = 0.013), and time to achieve MAP ≥65 mmHg (OR=1.800, 95% CI: 1.171 to 2.767, P = 0.007).

Conclusions

Norepinephrine initiation ≤1 h is associated with lower 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock. Early norepinephrine administration is also associated with a shorter time to achieve MAP ≥65 mmHg, lower 24-hour intravenous fluids volume, and higher 6-hour Lac clearance rate. Being male, time to achieve MAP ≥65 mmHg, and norepinephrine initiation >1 h are independent risk factors for 28-day mortality.Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR2100044071.

Thirty-day survival rate of patients having a treatment withholding or treatment withdrawal decision in the emergency department: A retrospective monocentric study

AIM

Treatment withholding or withdrawal (TWW) is frequent in the emergency department (ED). Most studies on this topic only study patients who die in the ED. The main aim of this study was to determine 30-day mortality after a TWW decision in the ED, for patients discharged alive from ED.

METHODS

This was a retrospective monocentric study conducted from January 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022, in a university hospital in France. Classes of TWW levels were low, medium and high, corresponding to do-not-resuscitate order, treatment withholding and treatment withdrawal, respectively. The secondary aim was to determine if there were predictive factors of survival among patients with medium-level TWW.

RESULTS

Overall, 280 patients were included and 219 (78%) were analyzed, with mean age of 82 (±12) years. Respectively, 12 (5%), 145 (66%) and 62 (28%) had a low, medium, or high level of TWW. A total of 78 (36% [95% CI, 29%-42%]) patients were alive on day 30 following their ED admission: 7 (11%) with a high level, 63 (43%) with a medium level and 8 (67%) with a low level. No difference was found after adjustment between surviving and nonsurviving patients having a medium TWW level.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients having a TWW decision in the ED, 36% of patients were alive at 30 days. The decision to limit some therapeutics for patients does not mean an imminent death, and those patients need adequate care. The care pathway for these patients must be organized accordingly. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25: 528-534.

Efficacy and Safety of Vasopressin Alone or in Combination With Catecholamines in the Treatment of Septic Shock: A Systematic Review

Septic shock is one of the life-threatening emergencies in hospital settings. Patients with septic shock have been treated with various vasopressors alone as a first-line or in combination with other agents to improve blood pressure and increase the chance of survival. Our study focuses particularly on the efficacy and safety of vasopressin (VP) alone and in combination with other vasopressors. Our study used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 2020 to do our systematic review. We searched thoroughly for articles in PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), Medline, and ScienceDirect. To locate all pertinent papers, we employed the medical subject headings (MeSH) systematic search technique. Twelve papers that were related to the study's issue and passed the quality check were extracted after we applied inclusion/exclusion criteria and reviewed the titles and abstracts. We used a variety of assessment methods for diverse study designs as a quality check. We compared all included studies after reviewing them thoroughly. VP and its synthetic variants (Terlipressin and Selepressin) have always been given as adjuvants to catecholamine, especially with Noradrenaline, in low to moderate doses with continuous infusion in patients with septic shock. Furthermore, VP is a better adjuvant agent than Dopamine and Dobutamine. Though VP has been proven superior to other vasopressors as an adjuvant agent in patients with septic shock, it can cause digital ischemia in high doses.

Long-Term Outcome of Critically Ill Advanced Cancer Patients Managed in an Intermediate Care Unit

Background: To analyze the long-term outcomes for advanced cancer patients admitted to an intermediate care unit (ImCU), an analysis of a do not resuscitate orders (DNR) subgroup was made. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted from 2006 to January 2019 in a single academic medical center of cancer patients with stage IV disease who suffered acute severe complications. The Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) was used as a prognostic and severity score. In-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality and survival after hospital discharge were calculated. Results: Two hundred and forty patients with stage IV cancer who attended at an ImCU were included. In total, 47.5% of the cohort had DNR orders. The two most frequent reasons for admission were sepsis (32.1%) and acute respiratory failure (excluding sepsis) (38.7%). Mortality in the ImCU was 10.8%. The mean predicted in-hospital mortality according to SAPS 3 was 51.9%. The observed in-hospital mortality was 37.5% (standard mortality ratio of 0.72). Patients discharged from hospital had a median survival of 81 (30.75−391.25) days (patients with DNR orders 46 days (19.5−92.25), patients without DNR orders 162 days (39.5−632)). The observed mortality was higher in patients with DNR orders: 52.6% vs. 23.8%, p 0 < 0.001. By multivariate logistic regression, a worse ECOG performance status (3−4 vs. 0−2), a higher SAPS 3 Score and DNR orders were associated with a higher in-hospital mortality. By multivariate analysis, non-invasive mechanical ventilation, higher bilirubin levels and DNR orders were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Conclusion: For patients with advanced cancer disease, even those with DNR orders, who suffer from acute complications or require continuous monitoring, an ImCU-centered multidisciplinary management shows encouraging results in terms of observed-to-expected mortality ratios.

Intensive care patients receiving vasoactive medications: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Vasoactive medications are high-risk drugs commonly used in intensive care units (ICUs), which have wide variations in clinical management.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to describe the patient population, treatment, and clinical characteristics of patients who did and did not receive vasoactive medications while in the ICU and to develop a predictive tool to identify patients needing vasoactive medications.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to a level three tertiary referral ICU over a 12-month period from October 2018 to September 2019 was undertaken. Data from electronic medical records were analysed to describe patient characteristics in an adult ICU. Chi square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyse data relating to patients who did and did not receive vasoactive medications. Univariate analysis and Pearson's r² were used to determine inclusion in multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of 1276 patients in the cohort, 40% (512/1276) received a vasoactive medication for haemodynamic support, with 84% (428/512) receiving noradrenaline. Older patients (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.02; p < 0.001) with higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III scores (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.03-1.04; p < 0.001) were more likely to receive vasoactive medications than those not treated with vasoactive medications during an intensive care admission. A model developed using multivariable analysis predicted that patients admitted with sepsis (OR = 2.43; 95% CI = 1.43-4.12; p = 0.001) or shock (OR = 4.05; 95% CI = 2.68-6.10; p < 0.001) and managed on mechanical ventilation (OR = 3.76; 95% CI = 2.81-5.02; p < 0.001) were more likely to receive vasoactive medications.

CONCLUSIONS

Mechanically ventilated patients admitted to intensive care for sepsis and shock with higher APACHE III scores were more likely to receive vasoactive medications. Predictors identified in the multivariable model can be used to direct resources to patients most at risk of receiving vasoactive medications.

Adverse events associated with administration of vasopressor medications through a peripheral intravenous catheter: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether vasopressors can be safely administered through a peripheral intravenous (PIV). Systematic review and meta-analysis methodology was used to examine the incidence of local anatomic adverse events associated with PIV vasopressor administration in patients of any age cared for in any acute care environment.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials, and the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects were searched without restriction from inception to October 2019. References of included studies and related reviews, as well as relevant conference proceedings were also searched. Studies were included if they were: (1) cohort, quasi-experimental, or randomized controlled trial study design; (2) conducted in humans of any age or clinical setting; and (3) reported on local anatomic adverse events associated with PIV vasopressor administration. Risk of bias was assessed using the Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials or the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for prevalence studies where appropriate. Incidence estimates were pooled using random effects meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses were used to explore sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Twenty-three studies were included in the systematic review, of which 16 and 7 described adults and children, respectively. Meta-analysis from 11 adult studies including 16,055 patients demonstrated a pooled incidence proportion of adverse events associated with PIV vasopressor administration as 1.8% (95% CI 0.1-4.8%, I² = 93.7%). In children, meta-analysis from four studies and 388 patients demonstrated a pooled incidence proportion of adverse events as 3.3% (95% CI 0.0-10.1%, I² = 82.4%). Subgroup analyses did not detect any statistically significant effects associated with stratification based on differences in clinical location, risk of bias or design between studies, PIV location and size, or vasopressor type or duration. Most studies had high or some concern for risk of bias.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of adverse events associated with PIV vasopressor administration is low. Additional research is required to examine the effects of PIV location and size, vasopressor type and dose, and patient characteristics on the safety of PIV vasopressor administration.

Norepinephrine with dopamine infusion on the end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETco2) pressure in patients with septic shock

BACKGROUND

Septic shock is a critical medical condition and immediate intervention is required as well as hemodynamic stability using fluid and vasopressor. Direct relationship between changes in ETco2 and changes in the cardiac output. We evaluated the study by comparing the effect of using norepinephrine or dopamine on ETco2 of patients with septic shock.

METHODS

A clinical trial study was performed on 138 patients with primary diagnosis of septic shock. 70 patients received norepinephrine and 68 patients received dopamine. Patients' end tidal carbon dioxide (ETco2), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse rate (PR), arterial blood gas (ABG) levels in two groups were measured and compared at baseline and after 30 and 120 minutes after inotrope infusion. Variables were compared by means of an unpaired student t-test, an unadjusted chi-square test.

RESULTS

138 patients, 70 treated with norepinephrine infusion and 68 with dopamine infusion were included in the study. ETco2 level significantly increased within 120 minutes of treatment in the norepinephrine group (31.10±9.65) compared to the dopamine group (23.71±9.66) (P=0.001). MAP significantly decreased in the group of norepinephrine 30 minutes after treatment (71.71±20.460) (P=0.014) and pulse rate also significantly decreased in the norepinephrine group compared to the dopamine group in 30 minutes (98.07±10.63 vs 106.43±13.54) and 120 minutes (91.15±6.18 vs 103.51±2057) after treatment (P=0.001).

CONCLUSION

Tissue perfusion and fluid responsiveness of the shock in the norepinephrine group showed improvement. Using ETco2 as a measure for determining volume assessment in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation by septic shock is applicable.

[Perioperative pharmacological circulatory support in daily clinical routine]

Perioperative phases of hypotension are associated with an increase in postoperative complications and organ damage. Whereas some years ago hemodynamic stabilization was primarily carried out by volume supplementation, in recent years the use and dosing of cardiovascular-active substances has significantly increased. But like intravascular volume therapy, also substances with a cardiovascular effect have therapeutic margins, and thus, potential side effects. This review article discusses indications for each cardiovascular-active agent, weighing up advantages and disadvantages. Special attention is paid to the question how to administrate them: central venous catheter vs. peripheral indwelling venous cannula. The authors come to the conclusion that it is not a question of whether it is principally allowed to apply cardiovascular-active drugs via peripheral veins but more importantly, what should be taken into consideration if a peripheral venous access is used. This article provides concise recommendations.

Performance of Critical Care Outcome Prediction Models in an Intermediate Care Unit

BACKGROUND

Intermediate care units (IMCUs) are heterogeneous in design and operation, which makes comparative effectiveness studies challenging. A generalizable outcome prediction model could improve such comparisons. However, little is known about the performance of critical care outcome prediction models in the intermediate care setting. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation version II (APACHE II), Simplified Acute Physiology Score version II (SAPS II) and version 3 (SAPS 3), and Mortality Probability Model version III (MPM₀III) in patients admitted to a well-characterized IMCU.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the IMCU of an academic medical center (July to December 2012), the discrimination and calibration of each outcome prediction model were evaluated using the area under the receiver-operating characteristic and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, respectively. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were also calculated.

RESULTS

The cohort included data from 628 unique IMCU admissions with an inpatient mortality rate of 8.3%. All models exhibited good discrimination, but only the SAPS II and MPM₀III were well calibrated. While the APACHE II and SAPS 3 both markedly overestimated mortality, the SMR for the SAPS II and MPM₀III were 0.91 and 0.91, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The SAPS II and MPM₀III exhibited good discrimination and calibration, with slight overestimation of mortality. Each model should be further evaluated in multicenter studies of patients in the intermediate care setting.

Sepsis associated acute kidney injury

Sepsis is defined as organ dysfunction resulting from the host's deleterious response to infection. One of the most common organs affected is the kidneys, resulting in sepsis associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) that contributes to the morbidity and mortality of sepsis. A growing body of knowledge has illuminated the clinical risk factors, pathobiology, response to treatment, and elements of renal recovery that have advanced our ability to prevent, detect, and treat SA-AKI. Despite these advances, SA-AKI remains an important concern and clinical burden, and further study is needed to reduce the acute and chronic consequences. This review summarizes the relevant evidence, with a focus on the risk factors, early recognition and diagnosis, treatment, and long term consequences of SA-AKI. In addition to literature pertaining to SA-AKI specifically, pertinent sepsis and acute kidney injury literature relevant to SA-AKI was included.

Restricted fluid resuscitation in suspected sepsis associated hypotension (REFRESH): a pilot randomised controlled trial

PURPOSE

To determine if a regimen of restricted fluids and early vasopressor compared to usual care is feasible for initial resuscitation of hypotension due to suspected sepsis.

METHODS

A prospective, randomised, open-label, clinical trial of a restricted fluid resuscitation regimen in the first 6 h among patients in the emergency department (ED) with suspected sepsis and a systolic blood pressure under 100 mmHg, after minimum 1000 ml of IV fluid. Primary outcome was total fluid administered within 6 h post randomisation.

RESULTS

There were 99 participants (50 restricted volume and 49 usual care) in the intention-to-treat analysis. Median volume from presentation to 6 h in the restricted volume group was 2387 ml [first to third quartile (Q1-Q3) 1750-2750 ml]; 30 ml/kg (Q1-Q3 32-39 ml/kg) vs. 3000 ml (Q1-Q3 2250-3900 ml); 43 ml/kg (Q1-Q3 35-50 ml/kg) in the usual care group (p < 0.001). Median duration of vasopressor support was 21 h (Q1-Q3 9-42 h) vs. 33 h (Q1-Q3 15-50 h), (p = 0.13) in the restricted volume and usual care groups, respectively. At 90-days, 4 of 48 (8%) in the restricted volume group and 3 of 47 (6%) in the usual care group had died. Protocol deviations occurred in 6/50 (12%) in restricted group and 11/49 (22%) in the usual care group, and serious adverse events in four cases (8%) in each group.

CONCLUSIONS

A regimen of restricted fluids and early vasopressor in ED patients with suspected sepsis and hypotension appears feasible. Illness severity was moderate and mortality rates low. A future trial is necessary with recruitment of high-risk patients to determine effects on clinical outcomes in this setting.

Hospital mortality prediction for intermediate care patients: Assessing the generalizability of the Intermediate Care Unit Severity Score (IMCUSS)

PURPOSE

The Intermediate Care Unit Severity Score (IMCUSS) is an easy to calculate predictor of in-hospital death, and the only such tool developed for patients in the intermediate care setting. We sought to examine its external validity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using data from patients admitted to the intermediate care unit (IMCU) of an urban academic medical center from July to December of 2012, model discrimination and calibration for predicting in-hospital death were assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit chi-squared (HL GOF X²) test, respectively. The standardized mortality ratio (SMR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) was also calculated.

RESULTS

The cohort included data from 628 unique admissions to the IMCU. Overall hospital mortality was 8.3%. The median IMCUSS was 10 (Interquartile Range: 0-16), with 229 (36%) patients having a score of zero. The AUROC for the IMCUSS was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.64-0.78), the HL GOF X² = 30.7 (P < 0.001), and the SMR was 1.22 (95% CI: 0.91-1.60).

CONCLUSIONS

The IMCUSS exhibited acceptable discrimination, poor calibration, and underestimated mortality. Other centers should assess the performance of the IMCUSS before adopting its use.

Expert statement for the management of hypovolemia in sepsis

Hypovolemia is frequent in patients with sepsis and may contribute to worse outcome. The management of these patients is impeded by the low quality of the evidence for many of the specific components of the care. In this paper, we discuss recent advances and controversies in this field and give expert statements for the management of hypovolemia in patients with sepsis including triggers and targets for fluid therapy and volumes and types of fluid to be given. Finally, we point to unanswered questions and suggest a roadmap for future research.