-
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Aug 2019Hospital-acquired infection is a frequent adverse event in patient care; it can lead to longer stays in the intensive care unit (ICU), additional medical complications,...
BACKGROUND
Hospital-acquired infection is a frequent adverse event in patient care; it can lead to longer stays in the intensive care unit (ICU), additional medical complications, permanent disability or death. Whilst all hospital-based patients are susceptible to infections, prevalence is particularly high in the ICU, where people who are critically ill have suppressed immunity and are subject to increased invasive monitoring. People who are mechanically-ventilated are at infection risk due to tracheostomy and reintubation and use of multiple central venous catheters, where lines and tubes may act as vectors for the transmission of bacteria and may increase bloodstream infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Chlorhexidine is a low-cost product, widely used as a disinfectant and antiseptic, which may be used to bathe people who are critically ill with the aim of killing bacteria and reducing the spread of hospital-acquired infections.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of chlorhexidine bathing on the number of hospital-acquired infections in people who are critically ill.
SEARCH METHODS
In December 2018 we searched the Cochrane Wounds Specialised Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid Embase and EBSCO CINAHL Plus. We also searched clinical trial registries for ongoing and unpublished studies, and checked reference lists of relevant included studies as well as reviews, meta-analyses and health technology reports to identify additional studies. There were no restrictions with respect to language, date of publication or study setting.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared chlorhexidine bathing with soap-and-water bathing of patients in the ICU.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently assessed study eligibility, extracted data and undertook risk of bias and GRADE assessment of the certainty of the evidence .
MAIN RESULTS
We included eight studies in this review. Four RCTs included a total of 1537 individually randomised participants, and four cluster-randomised cross-over studies included 23 randomised ICUs with 22,935 participants. We identified one study awaiting classification, for which we were unable to assess eligibility.The studies compared bathing using 2% chlorhexidine-impregnated washcloths or dilute solutions of 4% chlorhexidine versus soap-and-water bathing or bathing with non-antimicrobial washcloths.Eight studies reported data for participants who had a hospital-acquired infection during the ICU stay. We are uncertain whether using chlorhexidine for bathing of critically ill people reduces the rate of hospital-acquired infection, because the certainty of the evidence is very low (rate difference 1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12 to 3.29; 21,924 participants). Six studies reported mortality (in hospital, in the ICU, and at 48 hours). We cannot be sure whether using chlorhexidine for bathing of critically-ill people reduces mortality, because the certainty of the evidence is very low (odds ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.99; 15,798 participants). Six studies reported length of stay in the ICU. We noted that individual studies found no evidence of a difference in length of stay; we did not conduct meta-analysis because data were skewed. It is not clear whether using chlorhexidine for bathing of critically ill people reduced length of stay in the ICU, because the certainty of the evidence is very low. Seven studies reported skin reactions as an adverse event, and five of these reported skin reactions which were thought to be attributable to the bathing solution. Data in these studies were reported inconsistently and we were unable to conduct meta-analysis; we cannot tell whether using chlorhexidine for bathing of critically ill people reduced adverse events, because the certainty of the evidence is very low.We used the GRADE approach to downgrade the certainty of the evidence of each outcome to very low. For all outcomes, we downgraded evidence because of study limitations (most studies had a high risk of performance bias, and we noted high risks of other bias in some studies). We downgraded evidence due to indirectness, because some participants in studies may have had hospital-acquired infections before recruitment. We noted that one small study had a large influence on the effect for hospital-acquired infections, and we assessed decisions made in analysis of some cluster-randomised cross-over studies on the effect for hospital-acquired infections and for mortality; we downgraded the evidence for these outcomes due to inconsistency. We also downgraded the evidence on length of stay in the ICU, because of imprecision. Data for adverse events were limited by few events and so we downgraded for imprecision.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
Due to the very low-certainty evidence available, it is not clear whether bathing with chlorhexidine reduces hospital-acquired infections, mortality, or length of stay in the ICU, or whether the use of chlorhexidine results in more skin reactions.
Topics: Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Baths; Central Venous Catheters; Chlorhexidine; Critical Illness; Cross Infection; Humans; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sepsis
PubMed: 31476022
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012248.pub2 -
Nefrologia Dec 2023Congestion is a common complication in the critical care setting, these patients are at increased risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI). Congestive nephropathy... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Congestion is a common complication in the critical care setting, these patients are at increased risk of developing acute kidney injury (AKI). Congestive nephropathy (CN) has recently been described as a mechanism of worsening renal function, and evaluation of renal venous flow by pulsed Doppler (PD) is a useful tool to assess the presence of renal vein congestion. We comprehensively explore the ability of the PD in the evaluation of the intrarenal venous flow (IRVF) to predict the development of AKI in critically ill patients. We searched Pubmed-MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews (to 31th December 2021). We evaluated the association between Doppler-based Intrarenal venous flow demodulation and AKI. CN was defined as the presence of a pulsatile pattern (biphasic or monophasic) in the PD. A total of 4 articles (660 patients) were included in our systematic review, three of these in the metanalysis (413 patients): one study was excluded because its data were inadequate for pooling. Two studies originated in Europe and the other two in the United States. AKI occurrence ranged between 34 and 68%. Patients who developed AKI had a significant difference in PD pattern (continuous vs. pulsatile) in the IRVF (RR=0.46; 95% CI 0.28-0.76). Nevertheless, a large heterogeneity was observed among the studies (I=68.7%; p=0.04). Albeit preliminary, these findings suggest that the presence of a pulsatile pattern in the PD of the IRVF may be involved in the development of AKI in the critically ill patient. The effect of alterations in the IRVF and renal function warrant further investigation.
Topics: Humans; Critical Illness; Acute Kidney Injury; Kidney; Ultrasonography, Doppler; Europe
PubMed: 38245439
DOI: 10.1016/j.nefroe.2023.05.010 -
Journal of Vascular Surgery Jan 2012Popliteal entrapment syndrome (PES) is a rare but important cause of intermittent claudication in young people. Controversy exists about optimal strategies for diagnosis... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Popliteal entrapment syndrome (PES) is a rare but important cause of intermittent claudication in young people. Controversy exists about optimal strategies for diagnosis and management, particularly for variants such as functional popliteal entrapment. The aim of this review was to systematically catalog the published English-language literature on PES and to determine if evidence-based guidelines for management could be formulated.
METHODS
An electronic search using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, AMED, and CINAHL databases was performed to identify articles about PES published from 1947 to December 2010. The systematic review conformed to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement standards. Prospective studies and retrospective case series with more than five patients with arterial, venous, nerve, and combined neurovascular entrapment were analyzed on a study-by-study narrative basis.
RESULTS
The search identified 291 articles, and 44 were included. Of these, 30 studies were on popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES). No relationship was found between duration of symptoms and the presence of irreversible arterial injury. Each study used a median of three diagnostic tests (range, 1-6). Arteriography was used in 28 of 30 studies to diagnose PAES, with an estimated mean sensitivity of 97% (range, 85%-100%). Twenty-three studies described arterial reconstructive procedures, with a median failure rate of 27.5% (range, 0%-83%). The proportion of patients asymptomatic after surgery was reported in only 12 of 30 studies, with a median value of 77% (range, 70%-100%).
CONCLUSIONS
A large volume of predominantly retrospective clinical data exists on PES. A subset of studies describe a significant failure rate after surgery, but study quality is insufficient to derive robust conclusions allowing recommendation of any one particular diagnostic modality or operative procedure over another. Improvements in management of this condition are unlikely to result from publication of further retrospective case series, and clinicians should concentrate on prospectively collected data with predefined inclusion criteria, outcome measures, follow-up protocols, and transparent standardized reporting criteria.
Topics: Adult; Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Constriction, Pathologic; Evidence-Based Medicine; Female; Humans; Male; Patient Selection; Popliteal Artery; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Predictive Value of Tests; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 22116047
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2011.08.050 -
European Review For Medical and... Jun 2022The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, a viral outbreak that started in December 2019, eventually lead to a worldwide...
OBJECTIVE
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, a viral outbreak that started in December 2019, eventually lead to a worldwide pandemic. COVID-19 usually presents with flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, dry cough, fever, fatigue, myalgia, shortness of breath, diarrhea and loss of smell or taste. However, it can also have major effects on the cardiovascular system. Based on the available relevant literature, we aimed to elaborate the possible mechanisms influencing cardiovascular damage, myocardial injury and thromboembolic disease process in particular.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
After considering our inclusion and exclusion criteria, the systematic review included 8 studies in total.
RESULTS
In general, underlying cardiovascular diseases were associated with poorer clinical outcomes. This may be due to immunological dysregulation. The disease outcomes were also positively correlated with the severity of the disease, especially with myocardial injury. Thus, cardiac biomarkers, such as Troponin T, CK-MB and myoglobin could be utilized in prediction algorithms for deciphering the clinical outcome in COVID-19 patients.
CONCLUSIONS
Venous thromboembolisms were commonly encountered complications despite the administration of thromboprophylaxis, and they mostly presented as pulmonary embolisms, warranting the need for relevant investigations in hemodynamically unstable patients. However, more studies need to be conducted to better understand the mechanisms at play and the ensuing complications, to better treat COVID-19 patients.
Topics: Anticoagulants; COVID-19; Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Troponin T; Venous Thromboembolism
PubMed: 35776052
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202206_29090 -
Thrombosis Research Dec 2022Evidence of micro- and macro-thrombi in the arteries and veins of critically ill COVID-19 patients and in autopsies highlight the occurrence of COVID-19-associated... (Review)
Review
Evidence of micro- and macro-thrombi in the arteries and veins of critically ill COVID-19 patients and in autopsies highlight the occurrence of COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC). Clinical findings of critically ill COVID-19 patients point to various mechanisms for CAC; however, the definitive underlying cause is unclear. Multiple factors may contribute to the prothrombotic state in patients with COVID-19. Aberrant expression of tissue factor (TF), an initiator of the extrinsic coagulation pathway, leads to thrombotic complications during injury, inflammation, and infections. Clinical evidence suggests that TF-dependent coagulation activation likely plays a role in CAC. Multiple factors could trigger abnormal TF expression and coagulation activation in patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Proinflammatory cytokines that are highly elevated in COVID-19 (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) are known induce TF expression on leukocytes (e.g. monocytes, macrophages) and non-immune cells (e.g. endothelium, epithelium) in other conditions. Antiphospholipid antibodies, TF-positive extracellular vesicles, pattern recognition receptor (PRR) pathways and complement activation are all candidate factors that could trigger TF-dependent procoagulant activity. In addition, coagulation factors, such as thrombin, may further potentiate the induction of TF via protease-activated receptors on cells. In this systematic review, with other viral infections, we discuss potential mechanisms and cell-type-specific expressions of TF during SARS-CoV-2 infection and its role in the development of CAC.
Topics: Humans; Thromboplastin; COVID-19; Critical Illness; SARS-CoV-2; Blood Coagulation Disorders; Thrombosis
PubMed: 36265412
DOI: 10.1016/j.thromres.2022.09.025 -
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.... Oct 2023Severe acute burn injuries represent a challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. Free flap reconstruction might be required in cases of significant critical structure...
BACKGROUND
Severe acute burn injuries represent a challenge to the reconstructive surgeon. Free flap reconstruction might be required in cases of significant critical structure exposure and soft tissue deficits, when local options are unavailable. This study aimed to determine the free flap complication rate in acute burn patients.
METHODS
A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted and reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines and registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews database (CRD42023404478). The following databases were accessed: Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The primary outcome was the free flap failure rate.
RESULTS
The study identified 31 articles for inclusion. A total of 427 patients (83.3% men, 16.7% women) accounting for 454 free flaps were included. The mean patient age was 36.21 [95% confidence interval (CI), 31.25-41.16]. Total free flap loss rate was 9.91% [95% CI, 7.48%-13.02%], and partial flap loss was 4.76% [95% CI, 2.66%-8.39%]. The rate of venous thrombosis was 6.41% [95% CI, 3.90%-10.36%] and arterial thrombosis was 5.08% [95% CI, 3.09%-8.26%]. Acute return to the operating room occurred in 20.63% [16.33%-25.71%] of cases. Stratified by body region, free flaps in the lower extremity had a failure rate of 8.33% [95% CI, 4.39%-15.24%], whereas in the upper extremity, the failure rate was 6.74% [95% CI, 3.95%-11.25%].
CONCLUSION
This study highlights the high risk of free flap complications and failure in acute burn patients.
PubMed: 37817922
DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000005311 -
BMC Medicine Dec 2023Short-stay joint replacement programmes are used in many countries but there has been little scrutiny of safety outcomes in the literature. We aimed to systematically... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Short-stay joint replacement programmes are used in many countries but there has been little scrutiny of safety outcomes in the literature. We aimed to systematically review evidence on the safety of short-stay programmes versus usual care for total hip (THR) and knee replacement (KR), and optimal patient selection.
METHODS
A systematic review and meta-analysis. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies including a comparator group reporting on 14 safety outcomes (hospital readmissions, reoperations, blood loss, emergency department visits, infection, mortality, neurovascular injury, other complications, periprosthetic fractures, postoperative falls, venous thromboembolism, wound complications, dislocation, stiffness) within 90 days postoperatively in adults ≥ 18 years undergoing primary THR or KR were included. Secondary outcomes were associations between patient demographics or clinical characteristics and patient outcomes. Four databases were searched between January 2000 and May 2023. Risk of bias and certainty of the evidence were assessed.
RESULTS
Forty-nine studies were included. Based upon low certainty RCT evidence, short-stay programmes may not reduce readmission (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.12-7.43); blood transfusion requirements (OR 1.75, 95% CI 0.27-11.36); neurovascular injury (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.01-7.92); other complications (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.26-1.53); or stiffness (OR 1.04, 95% CI 0.53-2.05). For registry studies, there was no difference in readmission, infection, neurovascular injury, other complications, venous thromboembolism, or wound complications but there were reductions in mortality and dislocations. For interrupted time series studies, there was no difference in readmissions, reoperations, blood loss volume, emergency department visits, infection, mortality, or neurovascular injury; reduced odds of blood transfusion and other complications, but increased odds of periprosthetic fracture. For other observational studies, there was an increased risk of readmission, no difference in blood loss volume, infection, other complications, or wound complications, reduced odds of requiring blood transfusion, reduced mortality, and reduced venous thromboembolism. One study examined an outcome relevant to optimal patient selection; it reported comparable blood loss for short-stay male and female participants (p = 0.814).
CONCLUSIONS
There is low certainty evidence that short-stay programmes for THR and KR may have non-inferior 90-day safety outcomes. There is little evidence on factors informing optimal patient selection; this remains an important knowledge gap.
Topics: Male; Adult; Female; Humans; Venous Thromboembolism; Patient Selection; Hemorrhage; Interrupted Time Series Analysis
PubMed: 38129857
DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03219-5 -
The Journal of Head Trauma... 2015To synthesize the existing literature on benefits and risks of anticoagulant use after traumatic brain injury (TBI). (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To synthesize the existing literature on benefits and risks of anticoagulant use after traumatic brain injury (TBI).
DESIGN
Systematic review. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Health Star, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) on October 11, 2012, and updated on September 2, 2013, using terms related to TBI and anticoagulants.
MAIN MEASURES
Human studies evaluating the effects of post-TBI anticoagulation on venous thromboembolism, hemorrhage, mortality, or coagulation parameters with original analyses were eligible for the review. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guideline was followed throughout the conduct of the review.
RESULTS
Thirty-nine eligible studies were identified from the literature, of which 23 studies with complete information on post-TBI anticoagulant use and patient outcomes were summarized in this review. Meta-analysis was unwarranted because of varying methodological design and quality of the studies. Twenty-one studies focused on the effects of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis (PTP) post-TBI on venous thromboembolism and/or progression of intracranial hemorrhage, whereas 2 randomized controlled trials analyzed coagulation parameters as the result of anticoagulation.
CONCLUSION
Pharmacological thromboprophylaxis appears to be safe among TBI patients with stabilized hemorrhagic patterns. More evidence is needed regarding effectiveness of PTP in preventing venous thromboembolism as well as preferred agent, dose, and timing for PTP.
Topics: Anticoagulants; Brain Injuries; Humans; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 24992639
DOI: 10.1097/HTR.0000000000000077 -
Journal of Vascular Surgery. Venous and... Nov 2021Venous injury to the inferior vena cava or iliac veins is rare but can result in high mortality rates. Traditional treatment by repair or ligation can be technically...
OBJECTIVE
Venous injury to the inferior vena cava or iliac veins is rare but can result in high mortality rates. Traditional treatment by repair or ligation can be technically demanding. A relatively new treatment modality is the use of a covered stent to cover the venous defect. The aim of the present systematic review was to assess the techniques, results, and challenges of covered stent graft repair of traumatic injury to the inferior vena cava and iliac veins.
METHODS
The PubMed (Medline) and Embase databases were systematically searched up to September 2020 by two of us (R.R.S. and D.D.) independently for studies reporting on covered stenting of the inferior vena cava or iliac veins after traumatic or iatrogenic injury. A methodologic quality assessment was performed using the modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Data were extracted for the following parameters: first author, year of publication, study design, number of patients, type and diameter of the stent graft, hemostatic success, complications, mortality, postoperative medication, follow-up type and duration, and venous segment patency. The main outcome was clinical success of the intervention, defined as direct hemostasis, with control of hemorrhage, hemodynamic recovery, and absence of contrast extravasation.
RESULTS
From the initial search, which yielded 1884 records, a total of 28 studies were identified for analysis. All reports consisted of case reports, except for one retrospective cohort study and one case series. A total of 35 patients had been treated with various covered stent grafts, predominantly thoracic or abdominal aortic endografts. In all patients, the treatment was technically successful. The 30-day mortality rate for the entire series was 2.9%. Three perioperative complications were described: one immediate stent occlusion, one partial thrombosis, and one pulmonary embolism. Additional in-stent thrombus formation was seen during follow-up in three patients, leading to one stent graft occlusion (asymptomatic). The postoperative anticoagulation strategy was highly heterogeneous. The median follow-up was 3 months (range, 0.1-84 months). However, follow-up with imaging studies was not performed in all cases.
CONCLUSIONS
In selected cases of injury to the inferior vena cava and iliac veins, covered stent grafts can be successful for urgent hemostasis with good short-term results. Data on long-term follow-up are very limited.
Topics: Humans; Iliac Vein; Prosthesis Design; Stents; Vascular Surgical Procedures; Vena Cava, Inferior
PubMed: 33771733
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2021.03.008 -
Hemodialysis International.... Jan 2023We conducted a systematic review of studies investigating lock solutions for use in non-tunneled hemodialysis catheters.
BACKGROUND
We conducted a systematic review of studies investigating lock solutions for use in non-tunneled hemodialysis catheters.
METHODS
We searched PubMed and Cochrane databases from inception to June 11, 2021. Study inclusion criteria were: randomized trial or observational study, adults (>18 years), with acute kidney injury (AKI); and temporary non-tunneled catheters. We recorded bleeding events, catheter dysfunction and complications.
RESULTS
Of 649 studies identified, 6 were included (4 randomized, 1 non-randomized trial, 1 retrospective cohort study; sample sizes 78-1496 patients). Citrate was compared to heparin in 4 studies, to saline in 1, and ethanol versus saline in 1. Event-free survival of non-tunneled catheters did not differ between groups. Catheter-related infections and adverse events were less frequent with citrate locks, but reached statistical significance in only two studies.
CONCLUSION
Existing data are too heterogeneous to enable recommending one type of catheter lock over any other for non-tunneled hemodialysis catheters.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Retrospective Studies; Central Venous Catheters; Renal Dialysis; Catheterization; Heparin; Catheter-Related Infections; Citric Acid; Citrates; Catheters, Indwelling; Observational Studies as Topic
PubMed: 36203330
DOI: 10.1111/hdi.13047