Mortality among people admitted to Australian intensive care units for reasons other than COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective cohort study

An interprofessional multicomponent intervention to improve end-of-life care in intensive care: A before-and-after study

BACKGROUND

The provision of end-of-life care (EOLC) is an ongoing component of practice in intensive care units (ICUs). Interdisciplinary, multicomponent interventions may enhance the quality of EOLC for patients and the experience of family members and ICU clinicians during this period.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the impact of a multicomponent intervention on EOLC practices in the ICU and family members' and clinicians' perceptions of EOLC.

METHODS

A before-and-after interventional study design was used. Interventions comprising of EOLC guidelines, environmental and memory-making resources, EOLC education day for nurses, web-based resources, and changes to EOLC documentation processes were implemented in a 30-bed adult tertiary ICU from September 2020 onwards. Data collection included electronic health record audits of care provided post initiation of EOLC and family and clinician surveys. Open-ended survey questions were analysed using content analysis. Data from before and after the intervention were compared using the Chi-squared test for categorical variables, unpaired two-sample t-tests for normally distributed continuous measurements, and Mann-Whitney U tests for non-normally distributed data.

FINDINGS

A reduction in documented observations and medications and an increased removal of invasive devices unrelated to EOLC were observed post the intervention. The mean overall satisfaction of family members improved from 4.5 to 5 (out of 5); however, this was not statistically significant. Statistically significant improvements in clinicians' perception of overall quality of EOLC (mean difference = 0.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.18, 0.37; t282 = 5.8, P < 0.01) were found. Although statistically significant improvements were evident in all subscales measured, clinicians' work stress related to EOLC and support for staff, patients, and their families were identified as needing further improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

The development and implementation of a multicomponent interdisciplinary intervention successfully improved EOLC quality, as measured by chart audit and family and clinician perceptions. Continuing interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to drive further change to continue to support high-quality EOLC for patients, families, and clinicians in the ICU.

Clinical outcomes of cardiogenic shock among critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand from 2003 to 2022

PURPOSE

Patients with Cardiogenic shock (CS) admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) have high mortality rates. We aimed to investigate the changes patient characteristics and outcomes over time among patients admitted to the ICU with CS.

METHODS

Retrospective study utilizing a large bi-national ICU database from 2003 to 2022. Patient characteristics and outcomes based on the ICU admission diagnosis of CS were evaluated and changes in outcomes over time after adjusting for key baseline variables were assessed.

RESULTS

During the study period, among CS patients, there were significant reductions in severity of illness (APACHE III from 80 to 72 and Australian and New Zealand Risk of Death Scores from 0.34 to 0.30, both p < 0.001). There was also a significant increase in admissions from emergency departments (32 % to 41 %, p < 0.001). Over time, unadjusted hospital mortality decreased from 57 % in 2003 to 41 % in 2022 (P < 0.001). After adjustment for severity of illness, the odds ratios for hospital mortality also decreased to 0.49 (95 % CI, 0.38 to 0.64) compared with 2003 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Over twenty years period, among patients with CS admitted to ICU, there has been a significant change in the epidemiological characteristics and a decrease in absolute and adjusted mortality rates.

Increase in PVC-BSI during the second COVID-19 pandemic year: analysis of catheter and patient characteristics

BACKGROUND

Increasing nosocomial infections during the COVID-19 pandemic have been reported. However, data describing peripheral venous catheter associated bloodstream infections (PVC-BSI) are limited.

AIMS

To describe the epidemiology and risk factors for PVC-BSI during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We conducted retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected PVC-BSI data in a 2100 bed hospital network in Switzerland. Adult patients with a PVC inserted between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 were included. Risk factors for PVC-BSI were identified through descriptive analysis of patient and catheter characteristics, and univariable marginal Cox models.

RESULTS

206,804 PVCs and 37 PVC-BSI were analysed. Most PVC-BSI were attributed to catheters inserted in the Emergency department (76%) or surgical wards (22%). PVC-BSI increased in 2021 compared to 2020 (hazard ratio 2021 vs. 2020 = 2.73; 95% confidence interval 1.19-6.29), with a numerically higher rate of Staphylococcus aureus (1/10, 10%, vs. 5/27, 19%) and polymicrobial infection (0/10, 0% vs. 4/27, 15%). PVC insertions, patient characteristics, and catheter characteristics remained similar across the study period. PVC-BSI risk was associated with admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and use of wide gauge catheter ( < = 16G).

CONCLUSION

Increased PVC-BSI during the COVID-19 pandemic was not explained by catheter or patient factors alone, and may result from system-wide changes. PVC-BSI events are primarily attributed to acute care settings, including the emergency department, surgical wards, and the ICU.

The impact of frailty and rapid response team activation on patients admitted to the intensive care unit: A case-control matched, observational, single-centre cohort study

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a multi-dimensional syndrome associated with mortality and adverse outcomes in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Further investigation is warranted to explore the interplay among factors such as frailty, clinical deterioration triggering a medical emergency team (MET) review, and outcomes following admission to the ICU.

METHODS

Single-centre, retrospective observational case-control study of adult patients (>18 years) admitted to a medical-surgical ICU with (cases) or without (controls) a preceding MET review between 4 h and 14 days prior. Matching was performed for age, ICU admission diagnosis, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III (APACHE III) score and the 8-point Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). Cox proportional hazard regression modelling was performed to determine associations with 30-day mortality after admission to ICU.

RESULTS

A total of 2314 matched admissions were analysed. Compared to non-frail patients (CFS 1-4), mortality was higher in all frail patients (CFS 5-8), at 31% vs. 13%, and in frail patients admitted after MET review at 33%. After adjusting for age, APACHE, antecedent MET review and CFS in the Cox regression, mortality hazard ratio increased by 26% per CFS point and by 3% per APACHE III point, while a MET review was not an independent predictor. Limitations of medical treatment occurred in 30% of frail patients, either with or without a MET antecedent, and this was five times higher compared to non-frail patients.

CONCLUSION

Frail patients admitted to ICU have a high short-term mortality. An antecedent MET event was associated with increased mortality but did not independently predict short-term survival when adjusting for confounding factors. The intrinsic significance of frailty should be primarily considered during MET review of frail patients. This study suggests that routine frailty assessment of hospitalised patients would be helpful to set goals of care when admission to ICU could be considered.

The impact of nursing workforce skill-mix on patient outcomes in intensive care units in Victoria, Australia

Objective

This article aims to examine the impact of nursing workforce skill-mix (percentage of critical care registered nurses [CCRN]) in the intensive care unit (ICU) during a patient's stay.

Design

Registry linked cohort study of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Adult Patient Database and the Critical Health Resources Information System using real-time nursing workforce data.

Settings

Fifteen public and 5 private hospital ICUs in Victoria, Australia.

Participants

There were 16,618 adult patients admitted between 1 December 2021 and 30 September 2022.

Main outcome measures

Primary outcome: in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes: in-ICU mortality, development of delirium, pressure injury, duration of stay in-ICU and hospital, after-hours discharge from ICU and readmission to ICU.

Results

In total, 6563 (39.5%) patients were cared for in ICUs with >75% CCRN, 7695 (46.3%) in ICUs with 50-75% CCRN, and 2360 (14.2%) in ICUs with <50% CCRN. In-hospital mortality was 534 (8.1%) vs. 859 (11.2%) vs. 252 (10.7%) respectively. After adjusting for confounders, patients cared for in ICUs with 50-75% CCRN (adjusted OR 1.21 [95% CI 1.02-1.45]) were more likely to die compared to patients in ICUs with >75% CCRN. A similar but non-significant trend was seen in ICUs with <50% CCRN (adjusted OR 1.21 [95% CI 0.94-1.55]), when compared to patients in ICUs with >75% CCRN. In-ICU mortality, delirium, pressure injuries, after-hours discharge and ICU length of stay were lower in ICUs with CCRN>75%.

Conclusion

The nursing skill-mix in ICU impacts outcomes and should be routinely monitored. Health system regulators, hospital administrators and ICU leaders should ensure nursing workforce planning and education align with these findings to maximise patient outcomes.

Sepsis mortality among patients with haematological malignancy admitted to intensive care 2000-2022: a binational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Sepsis occurs in 12-27% of patients with haematological malignancy within a year of diagnosis. Sepsis mortality has improved in non-cancer patients in the last two decades, but longitudinal trends in patients with haematological malignancy are not well characterised. We aimed to compare outcomes, including temporal changes, in patients with and without a haematological malignancy admitted to ICU with a primary diagnosis of sepsis in Australia and New Zealand over the past two decades.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 282,627 patients with a primary intensive care unit (ICU) admission diagnosis of sepsis including 17,313 patients with haematological malignancy, admitted to 216 intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia or New Zealand between January 2000 and December 2022. Annual crude and adjusted in-hospital mortality were reported. Risk factors for in-hospital mortality were determined using a mixed methods logistic regression model and were used to calculate annual changes in mortality.

RESULTS

In-hospital sepsis mortality decreased in patients with haematological malignancy, from 55.6% (95% CI 46.5-64.6%) in 2000 to 23.1% (95% CI 20.8-25.5%) in 2021. In patients without haematological malignancy mortality decreased from 33.1% (95% CI 31.3-35.1%) to 14.4% (95% CI 13.8-14.8%). This decrease remained significant after adjusting for mortality predictors including age, SOFA score and comorbidities, as estimated by adjusted annual odds of in-hospital death. The reduction in odds of death was of greater magnitude in patients with haematological malignancy than those without (OR 0.954, 95% CI 0.947-0.961 vs. OR 0.968, 95% CI 0.966-0.971, p < 0.001). However, absolute risk of in-hospital mortality remained higher in patients with haematological malignancy. Older age, higher SOFA score, presence of comorbidities, and mechanical ventilation were associated with increased mortality. Leukopenia (white cell count < 1.0 × 109 cells/L) was not associated with increased mortality in patients with haematological malignancy (p = 0.60).

CONCLUSIONS

Sepsis mortality has improved in patients with haematological malignancy admitted to ICU. However, mortality remains higher in patients with haematological malignancy than those without.