Patient satisfaction with care in the intensive care unit: can we rely on proxies?

To investigate whether next of kin can be addressed as proxy to assess patients' satisfaction with care in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Quality of life 9 years after an intensive care unit stay: A long-term outcome study

The purpose of the study was to assess long-term mortality after an intensive care unit (ICU) stay and to test the hypotheses that (1) quality of life improves over time and (2) predictions of outcome made by caregivers during an ICU stay are reliable.

Long-term consequences of an intensive care unit stay in older critically ill patients: design of a longitudinal study

Background Modern methods in intensive care medicine often enable the survival of older critically ill patients. The short-term outcomes for patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs), such as survival to hospital discharge, are well documented. However, relatively little is known about subsequent long-term outcomes. Pain, anxiety and agitation are important stress factors for many critically ill patients. There are very few studies concerned with pain, anxiety and agitation and the consequences in older critically ill patients. The overall aim of this study is to identify how an ICU stay influences an older person's experiences later in life. More specific, this study has the following objectives: (1) to explore the relationship between pain, anxiety and agitation during ICU stays and experiences of the same symptoms in later life; and (2) to explore the associations between pain, anxiety and agitation experienced during ICU stays and their effect on subsequent health-related quality of life, use of the health care system (readmissions, doctor visits, rehabilitation, medication use), living situation, and survival after discharge and at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Methods/Design A prospective, longitudinal study will be used for this study. A total of 150 older critically ill patients in the ICU will participate (ICU group). Pain, anxiety, agitation, morbidity, mortality, use of the health care system, and health-related quality of life will be measured at 3 intervals after a baseline assessment. Baseline measurements will be taken 48 hours after ICU admission and one week thereafter. Follow-up measurements will take place 6 months and 12 months after discharge from the ICU. To be able to interpret trends in scores on outcome variables in the ICU group, a comparison group of 150 participants, matched by age and gender, recruited from the Swiss population, will be interviewed at the same intervals as the ICU group. Discussion Little research has focused on long term consequences after ICU admission in older critically ill patients. The present study is specifically focussing on long term consequences of stress factors experienced during ICU admission.

Family satisfaction in the intensive care unit: cross-cultural adaptation of a questionnaire

PURPOSE: Family needs and expectations are often unmet in the intensive care unit (ICU), leading to dissatisfaction. This study assesses cross-cultural adaptability of an instrument evaluating family satisfaction in the ICU. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Canadian instrument on family satisfaction was adapted for German language and central European culture and then validated for feasibility, validity, internal consistency, reliability, and sensitivity. RESULTS: Content validity of a preliminary translated version was assessed by staff, patients, and next of kin. After adaptation, content and comprehensibility were considered good. The adapted translation was then distributed to 160 family members. The return rate was 71.8%, and 94.4% of questions in returned forms were clearly answered. In comparison with a Visual Analogue Scale, construct validity was good for overall satisfaction with care (Spearman rho = 0.60) and overall satisfaction with decision making (rho = 0.65). Cronbach alpha was .95 for satisfaction with care and .87 for decision-making. Only minor differences on repeated measurements were found for interrater and intrarater reliability. There was no floor or ceiling effect. CONCLUSIONS: A cross-cultural adaptation of a questionnaire on family satisfaction in the ICU can be feasible, valid, internally consistent, reliable, and sensitive.

Incidence of low central venous oxygen saturation during unplanned admissions in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit: an observational study

INTRODUCTION: It has been shown that early central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2)-guided optimization of hemodynamics can improve outcome in septic patients. The early ScvO2 profile of other patient groups is unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize unplanned admissions in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU) with respect to ScvO2 and outcome. METHODS: Ninety-eight consecutive unplanned admissions to a multidisciplinary ICU (median age 63 [range 19 to 83] years, median Simplified Acute Physiology Score [SAPS II] 43 [range 11 to 92]) with a clinical indication for a central venous catheter were included in the study. ScvO2 was assessed at ICU arrival and six hours later but was not used to guide treatment. Length of stay in ICU (LOSICU) and in hospital (LOShospital) and 28-day mortality were recorded. RESULTS: ScvO2 was 70% +/- 12% (mean +/- standard deviation) at admission and 71% +/- 10% six hours later (p = 0.484). Overall 28-day mortality was 18%, LOSICU was 3 (1 to 28) days, and LOShospital was 19 (1 to 28) days. Patients with an ScvO2 of less than 60% at admission had higher mortality than patients with an ScvO2 of more than 60% (29% versus 17%, p < 0.05). Changes in ScvO2 during the first six hours were not predictive of LOSICU, LOShospital, or mortality. CONCLUSION: Low ScvO2 in unplanned admissions and high SAPS II are associated with increased mortality. Standard ICU treatment increased ScvO2 in patients with a low admission ScvO2, but the increase was not associated with LOSICU or LOShospital.

Family satisfaction in the intensive care unit: what makes the difference?

PURPOSE: To assess family satisfaction in the ICU and to identify parameters for improvement. METHODS: Multicenter study in Swiss ICUs. Families were given a questionnaire covering overall satisfaction, satisfaction with care and satisfaction with information/decision-making. Demographic, medical and institutional data were gathered from patients, visitors and ICUs. RESULTS: A total of 996 questionnaires from family members were analyzed. Individual questions were assessed, and summary measures (range 0-100) were calculated, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction. Summary score was 78 +/- 14 (mean +/- SD) for overall satisfaction, 79 +/- 14 for care and 77 +/- 15 for information/decision-making. In multivariable multilevel linear regression analyses, higher severity of illness was associated with higher satisfaction, while a higher patient:nurse ratio and written admission/discharge criteria were associated with lower overall satisfaction. Using performance-importance plots, items with high impact on overall satisfaction but low satisfaction were identified. They included: emotional support, providing understandable, complete, consistent information and coordination of care. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, proxies were satisfied with care and with information/decision-making. Still, several factors, such as emotional support, coordination of care and communication, are associated with poor satisfaction, suggesting the need for improvement. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00134-009-1611-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Scabies outbreak in an intensive care unit with 1,659 exposed individuals--key factors for controlling the outbreak

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a large outbreak of scabies in an intensive care unit of a university hospital and an affiliated rehabilitation center, and to establish effective control measures to prevent further transmission. DESIGN: Outbreak investigation. SETTING: The intensive care unit of a 750-bed university hospital and an affiliated 92-bed rehabilitation center. METHODS: All exposed individuals were screened by a senior staff dermatologist. Scabies was diagnosed on the basis of (1) identification of mites by skin scraping, (2) identification of mites by dermoscopy, or (3) clinical examination of patients without history of prior treatment for typical burrows. During a follow-up period of 6 months, the attack rate was calculated as the number of symptomatic individuals divided by the total number of exposed individuals. INTERVENTIONS: All exposed healthcare workers (HCWs) and their household members underwent preemptive treatment. Initially, the most effective registered drug in Switzerland (ie, topical lindane) was prescribed, but this prescription was switched to topical permethrin or systemic ivermectin as a result of the progression of the outbreak. Individuals with any signs or symptoms of scabies underwent dermatological examination. RESULTS: Within 7 months, 19 cases of scabies were diagnosed, 6 in children with a mean age of 3.1 years after exposure to the index patient with HIV and crusted scabies. A total of 1,640 exposed individuals underwent preemptive treatment. The highest attack rate of 26%-32% was observed among HCWs involved in the care of the index patient. A too-restricted definition of individuals at risk, noncompliance with treatment, and the limited effectiveness of lindane likely led to treatment failure, relapse, and reinfestation within families. CONCLUSIONS: Crusted scabies resulted in high attack rates among HCWs and household contacts. Timely institution of hygienic precautions with close monitoring and widespread, simultaneous scabicide treatment of all exposed individuals are essential for control of an outbreak.

Prospective population-based study of RSV-related intermediate care and intensive care unit admissions in Switzerland over a 4-year period (2001-2005)

OBJECTIVES: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are a leading cause of hospital admissions in small children. A substantial proportion of these patients require medical and nursing care, which can only be provided in intermediate (IMC) or intensive care units (ICU). This article reports on all children aged < 3 years who required admission to IMC and/or ICU between October 1, 2001 and September 30, 2005 in Switzerland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively collected data on all children aged < 3 years who were admitted to an IMC or ICU for an RSV-related illness. Using a detailed questionnaire, we collected information on risk factors, therapy requirements, length of stay in the IMC/ICU and hospital, and outcome. RESULTS: Of the 577 cases reported during the study period, 90 were excluded because the patients did not fulfill the inclusion criteria; data were incomplete in another 25 cases (5%). Therefore, a total of 462 verified cases were eligible for analysis. At the time of hospital admission, only 31 patients (11%) were older than 12 months. Since RSV infection was not the main reason for IMC/ICU admission in 52% of these patients, we chose to exclude this subgroup from further analyses. Among the 431 infants aged < 12 months, the majority (77%) were former near term or full term (NT/FT) infants with a gestational age > or = 35 weeks without additional risk factors who were hospitalized at a median age of 1.5 months. Gestational age (GA) < 32 weeks, moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and congenital heart disease (CHD) were all associated with a significant risk increase for IMC/ICU admission (relative risk 14, 56, and 10, for GA < or = 32 weeks, BPD, and CHD, respectively). Compared with NT/FT infants, high-risk infants were hospitalized at an older age (except for infants with CHD), required more invasive and longer respiratory support, and had longer stays in the IMC/ICU and hospital. CONCLUSIONS: In Switzerland, RSV infections lead to the IMC/ICU admission of approximately 1%-2% of each annual birth cohort. Although prematurity, BPD, and CHD are significant risk factors, non-pharmacological preventive strategies should not be restricted to these high-risk patients but also target young NT/FT infants since they constitute 77% of infants requiring IMC/ICU admission.

Auditory event-related potentials, bispectral index, and entropy for the discrimination of different levels of sedation in intensive care unit patients

BACKGROUND: Sedation protocols, including the use of sedation scales and regular sedation stops, help to reduce the length of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay. Because clinical assessment of depth of sedation is labor-intensive, performed only intermittently, and interferes with sedation and sleep, processed electrophysiological signals from the brain have gained interest as surrogates. We hypothesized that auditory event-related potentials (ERPs), Bispectral Index (BIS), and Entropy can discriminate among clinically relevant sedation levels. METHODS: We studied 10 patients after elective thoracic or abdominal surgery with general anesthesia. Electroencephalogram, BIS, state entropy (SE), response entropy (RE), and ERPs were recorded immediately after surgery in the intensive care unit at Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) scores of -5 (very deep sedation), -4 (deep sedation), -3 to -1 (moderate sedation), and 0 (awake) during decreasing target-controlled sedation with propofol and remifentanil. Reference measurements for baseline levels were performed before or several days after the operation. RESULTS: At baseline, RASS -5, RASS -4, RASS -3 to -1, and RASS 0, BIS was 94 [4] (median, IQR), 47 [15], 68 [9], 75 [10], and 88 [6]; SE was 87 [3], 46 [10], 60 [22], 74 [21], and 87 [5]; and RE was 97 [4], 48 [9], 71 [25], 81 [18], and 96 [3], respectively (all P < 0.05, Friedman Test). Both BIS and Entropy had high variabilities. When ERP N100 amplitudes were considered alone, ERPs did not differ significantly among sedation levels. Nevertheless, discriminant ERP analysis including two parameters of principal component analysis revealed a prediction probability PK value of 0.89 for differentiating deep sedation, moderate sedation, and awake state. The corresponding PK for RE, SE, and BIS was 0.88, 0.89, and 0.85, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Neither ERPs nor BIS or Entropy can replace clinical sedation assessment with standard scoring systems. Discrimination among very deep, deep to moderate, and no sedation after general anesthesia can be provided by ERPs and processed electroencephalograms, with similar P(K)s. The high inter- and intraindividual variability of Entropy and BIS precludes defining a target range of values to predict the sedation level in critically ill patients using these parameters. The variability of ERPs is unknown.

Treatment of acute renal failure in the intensive care unit: lower costs by intermittent dialysis than continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration

Intermittent and continuous renal replacement therapies (RRTs) are available for the treatment of acute renal failure (ARF) in the intensive care unit (ICU). Although at present there are no adequately powered survival studies, available data suggest that both methods are equal with respect to patient outcome. Therefore, cost comparison between techniques is important for selecting the modality. Expenditures were prospectively assessed as a secondary end point during a controlled, randomized trial comparing intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) with continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF). The outcome of the primary end points of this trial, that is, ICU and in-hospital mortality, has been previously published. One hundred twenty-five patients from a Swiss university hospital ICU were randomized either to CVVHDF or IHD. Out of these, 42 (CVVHDF) and 34 (IHD) were available for cost analysis. Patients' characteristics, delivered dialysis dose, duration of stay in the ICU or hospital, mortality rates, and recovery of renal function were not different between the two groups. Detailed 24-h time and material consumption protocols were available for 369 (CVVHDF) and 195 (IHD) treatment days. The mean daily duration of CVVHDF was 19.5 +/- 3.2 h/day, resulting in total expenditures of Euro 436 +/- 21 (21% for human resources and 79% for technical devices). For IHD (mean 3.0 +/- 0.4 h/treatment), the costs were lower (Euro 268 +/- 26), with a larger proportion for human resources (45%). Nursing time spent for CVVHDF was 113 +/- 50 min, and 198 +/- 63 min per IHD treatment. Total costs for RRT in ICU patients with ARF were lower when treated with IHD than with CVVHDF, and have to be taken into account for the selection of the method of RRT in ARF on the ICU.

Body salt and water balances in cardiothoracic surgery patients with intensive care unit-acquired hyponatremia

PURPOSE Hyponatremia is frequently observed in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, but there is still lack information on the physiological mechanisms of development. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this retrospective analysis we performed tonicity balances in 54 patients with ICU acquired hyponatremia. We calculated fluid and solute in and outputs during 24 hours in 106 patient days with decreasing serum-sodium levels. RESULTS We could observe a positive fluid balance as a single reason for hyponatremia in 25% of patients and a negative solute balance in 57%. In 18% both factors contributed to the decrease in serum-sodium. Hyponatremic patients had renal water retention, measured by electrolyte free water clearance calculation in 79% and positive input of free water in 67% as reasons for decline of serum-sodium. The theoretical change of serum sodium during 24 hours according to the calculations of measured balances correlated well with the real change of serum sodium (r = 0.78, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Balance studies showed that renal water retention together with renal sodium loss and high electrolyte free water input are the major contributors to the development of hyponatremia. Control of renal water and sodium handling by urine analysis may contribute to a better fluid management in the ICU population.

The role of Acinetobacter baumannii as a nosocomial pathogen for dogs and cats in an intensive care unit.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a nosocomial pathogen associated with high morbidity and mortality in humans. Whereas infections with strains of Acinetobacter species have been reported in various situations, the importance of A baumannii as a nosocomial pathogen in veterinary hospitals has not been studied so far. In this retrospective case series, we describe 17 dogs and 2 cats from which A baumannii had been isolated during a 2 1/2-year period. In 7 dogs, A baumannii induced systemic signs of illness, whereas 12 animals showed signs of local infection. In all animals with systemic infection, and in 2 with localized infection, A baumannii contributed to the death of the animal or contributed to euthanasia; the remaining 8 dogs and both cats recovered. Molecular typing of the isolates with restriction polymorphisms of ribosomal DNA provided evidence of nosocomial spread of this pathogen and for the presence of several strains of A baumannii in the hospital environment.

Association of lectin pathway proteins with intra-abdominal Candida infection in high-risk surgical intensive-care unit patients. A prospective cohort study within the fungal infection network of Switzerland

OBJECTIVES Human studies on the role of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in patients with invasive candidiasis have yielded conflicting results. We investigated the influence of MBL and other lectin pathway proteins on Candida colonization and intra-abdominal candidiasis (IAC) in a cohort of high-risk patients. METHODS Prospective observational cohort study of 89 high-risk intensive-care unit (ICU) patients. Levels of lectin pathway proteins at study entry and six MBL2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were analyzed by sandwich-type immunoassays and genotyping, respectively, and correlated with development of heavy Candida colonization (corrected colonization index (CCI) ≥0.4) and occurrence of IAC during a 4-week period. RESULTS Within 4 weeks after inclusion a CCI ≥0.4 and IAC was observed in 47% and 38% of patients respectively. Neither serum levels of MBL, ficolin-1, -2, -3, MASP-2 or collectin liver 1 nor MBL2 genotypes were associated with a CCI ≥0.4. Similarly, none of the analyzed proteins was found to be associated with IAC with the exception of lower MBL levels (HR 0.74, p = 0.02) at study entry. However, there was no association of MBL deficiency (<0.5 μg/ml), MBL2 haplo- or genotypes with IAC. CONCLUSION Lectin pathway protein levels and MBL2 genotype investigated in this study were not associated with heavy Candida colonization or IAC in a cohort of high-risk ICU patients.

Impact of a communication strategy on family satisfaction in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND Family satisfaction of critically ill patients has gained increased interest as important indicator to evaluate the quality of care in the intensive care unit (ICU). The family satisfaction in the ICU questionnaire (FS-ICU 24) is a well-established tool to assess satisfaction in such settings. We tested the hypothesis that an intervention, aiming at improved communication between health professionals and patients' next of kin in the ICU improves family satisfaction, as assessed by FS-ICU 24. METHODS Using a multicenter before-and-after study design, we evaluated medium-term effectiveness of VALUE, a recently proposed strategy aiming at improved communication. Satisfaction was assessed using the FS-ICU 24 questionnaire. Performance-importance plots were generated in order to identify items highly correlated with overall satisfaction but with low individual score. RESULTS A total of 163 completed family questionnaires in the pre-intervention and 118 in the post-intervention period were analyzed. Following the intervention, we observed: (1) a non-significant increase in family satisfaction summary score and sub-scores; (2) no decline in any individual family satisfaction item, and (3) improvement in items with high overall impact on satisfaction but quoted with low degree of satisfaction. CONCLUSION No significant improvement in family satisfaction of critically ill adult patients could be found after implementing the VALUE strategy. Whether these results are due to insufficient training of the new strategy or a missing effect of the strategy in our socio-economic environment remains to be shown.