Objective Targeted temperature management (TTM), through its physiological effects on intracranial pressure, may impede the progression to brain death (BD) in severe anoxic brain injury post-cardiac arrest (CA). We examined the potential association between the use of TTM and the occurrence of BD after CA.Design Monocentric, retrospective study.Setting Intensive care unit, Versailles Hospital, France.Participants Comatose survivors of CA who died from BD or postanoxic encephalopathy (PAE) after 24 hours.Main outcome measures PAE deaths corresponded to withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy (WLST) due to irreversible postanoxic coma or vegetative state according to prognostication guidelines. BD corresponded to the cessation of cerebral vascularisation secondary to intracranial hypertension. The diagnosis of BD was definite by clinical diagnosis of deep coma according to the Glasgow Coma Scale 3, loss of all brainstem reflexes and the demonstration of apnoea during a hypercapnia test. A cerebral omputed tomography (CT) scan or two isoelectric and unreactive electroencephalograms were used to confirm BD. To identify the independent association between TTM and BD, we conducted a multivariable logistic regression analysis.Results Out of 256 patients included between 2005 and 2021, 54.3% received TTM for at least 24 hours, and 56 patients (21.9%) died from BD. In the multivariable analysis, TTM for 24 hours or more was not associated with a decrease in BD (Odds Ratio 1.08, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.32). Factors associated with BD included a total duration of no-flow plus low-flow exceeding 30 min, CA due to neurological causes or hanging and a high arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide between days 1 and 2 after admission.Conclusions This exploratory analysis of post-CA patients with severe anoxic brain injury did not find an association between TTM ≥24 hours and a reduction in BD. Further studies are needed to identify specific subgroups of post-CA patients for whom TTM may be especially futile or even harmful.

Introduction Corticosteroids affect variably survival in sepsis trials, suggesting heterogeneity in patients' response to corticosteroids. The RECORDS (Rapid rEcognition of COrticosteRoiD resistant or sensitive Sepsis) trial aimed at defining endotypes associated with adults with sepsis responsiveness to corticosteroids. Methods and analysis RECORDS, a multicentre, placebo-controlled, biomarker-guided, adaptive Bayesian design basket trial, will randomly assign to a biomarker stratum 1800 adults with community-acquired pneumonia, vasopressor-dependent sepsis, septic shock or acute respiratory distress syndrome. In each stratum, patients will be randomly assigned to receive a 7-day course of hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone or their placebos. Patients with COVID-19 will be treated with a 10-day standard course of dexamethasone and randomised to fludrocortisone or its placebo. Primary outcome will be 90-day death or persistent organ dysfunction. Large simulation study will be performed across a range of plausible scenarios to foresee power to detect a 5%-10%absolute difference with corticosteroids. We will assess subset-by-treatment interaction by estimating in a Bayesian framework two quantities: (1) measure of influence, relying on the value of the estimation of corticosteroids' effect in each subset, and (2) measure of interaction. Ethics and dissemination The protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee (Comite de Protection des Personnes, Dijon, France), on 6 April 2020. Trial results will be disseminated at scientific conferences and results will be published in peer-reviewed journals.

Background: This study was carried out to compare characteristics and outcomes in patients with acute respiratory failure related to COVID-19 during first, second, and third waves. Methods: We included consecutive adults admitted to the intensive care unit between March 2020 and July 2021. We compared three groups defined by the epidemic intake phase: waves 1 (W1), 2 (W2), and 3 (W3). Results: We included 289 patients. Two hundred and eight (72%) patients were men with a median age of 63 years (IQR: 54–72), of whom 68 (23.6%) died in hospital. High-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) was inversely associated with the need for invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) in multivariate analysis (p = 0.003) but not dexamethasone (p = 0.25). The day-90 mortality rate did not vary from W1 (27.4%) to W2 (23.9%) and W3 (22%), p = 0.67. By multivariate analysis, older age (odds ratio [OR]: 0.94/year, p < 0.001), immunodeficiency (OR: 0.33, p = 0.04), acute kidney injury (OR: 0.26, p < 0.001), and invasive MV (OR: 0.13, p < 0.001) were inversely associated with higher day-90 survival as opposed to the use of intermediate heparin thromboprophylaxis dose (OR: 3.21, p = 0.006). HFNO use and dexamethasone were not associated with higher day-90 survival (p = 0.24 and p = 0.56, respectively). Conclusions: In patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19, survival did not change between first, second, and third waves while the use of invasive MV decreased. HFNO or intravenous steroids were not associated with better outcomes, whereas the use of intermediate dose of heparin for thromboprophylaxis was associated with higher day-90 survival. Larger multicentric studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Abstract Background To evaluate the association between ventilator type and hospital mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) related to COVID-19 (SARS-CoV2 infection), a single-center prospective observational study in France. Results We prospectively included consecutive adults admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a university-affiliated tertiary hospital for ARDS related to proven COVID-19, between March 2020 and July 2021. All patients were intubated. We compared two patient groups defined by whether an ICU ventilator or a less sophisticated ventilator such as a sophisticated turbine-based transport ventilator was used. Kaplan–Meier survival curves were plotted. Cox multivariate regression was performed to identify associations between patient characteristics and hospital mortality. We included 189 patients (140 [74.1%] men) with a median age of 65 years [IQR, 55–73], of whom 61 (32.3%) died before hospital discharge. By multivariate analysis, factors associated with in-hospital mortality were age ≥ 70 years (HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.24–3.59; P = 0.006), immunodeficiency (HR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.16–5.09; P = 0.02) and serum creatinine ≥ 100 µmol/L (HR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.77–5.10; P < 0.001) but not ventilator type. As compared to conventional ICU (equipped with ICU and anesthesiology ventilators), management in transient ICU (equipped with non-ICU turbine-based ventilators) was associated neither with a longer duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (18 [IQR, 11–32] vs. 21 [13–37] days, respectively; P = 0.39) nor with a longer ICU stay (24 [IQR, 14–40] vs. 27 [15–44] days, respectively; P = 0.44). Conclusions In ventilated patients with ARDS due to COVID-19, management in transient ICU equipped with non-ICU sophisticated turbine-based ventilators was not associated with worse outcomes compared to standard ICU, equipped with ICU ventilators. Although our study design is not powered to demonstrate any difference in outcome, our results after adjustment do not suggest any signal of harm when using these transport type ventilators as an alternative to ICU ventilators during COVID-19 surge.

Natraemia is often abnormal in critically ill patients and may change rapidly during renal replacement therapy (RRT). This database study in a single intensive care unit (ICU) evaluated natraemia before and after the first RRT session for acute kidney injury. Of 252 patients who required RRT in 2018–2020, 215 were included. Prevalences were 53.9% for hyponatraemia (≤ 135 mmol/L) and 3.7% for hypernatraemia (> 145 mmol/L). Dialysate sodium was ≥ 145 mmol/L in 83% of patients. Median dialysis sodium gradient was 12 mmol/L, with a value above 16 mmol/L in 25% of patients. Median natraemia increased from 135 before to 140 mmol/L after RRT, the median hourly increase being faster than recommended, at 1.0 mmol/L [0.2–1.7]. By multivariate analysis, the only variable significantly associated with the RRT-induced natraemia change was the dialysis sodium gradient [odds ratio, 1.66; 95% confidence interval 1.39–2.10]. Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the gradient and the natraemia change was 0.57. When performing RRT in ICU patients, in addition to the haemodynamic considerations put forward in recommendations, the dialysis sodium gradient deserves careful attention in order to control natraemia variations. Studies to devise a formula for predicting natraemia variations might prove helpful to confirm our results.

We describe a case report of hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) promptly diagnosed by blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture with positive string test. The patient, without medical history, developed in a few hours multiple localizations, typical of hypervirulent KP . Combination of multiple typical localizations (eye, CSF, pulmonary, hepatic) and string test enabled rapid diagnosis of hypermcoviscous and hypervirulent KP .

Septic shock is associated with a strong inflammatory response that induces vasodilation and vascular hyporeactivity. We investigated the role for tryptophan-pathway catabolites of proinflammatory cytokines in septic shock. We prospectively included 30 patients with very recent-onset septic shock and 30 healthy volunteers. The following were assayed once in the controls and on days 1, 2, 3, 7, and 14 in each patient: plasma free and total tryptophan, platelet and plasma serotonin, total blood serotonin, urinary serotonin, plasma and urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, plasma kynurenine, monoamine oxidase activity, and total indole amine 2,3-dioxygenase activity. Organ-system failure and mortality were recorded. Compared with the healthy controls, the patients with septic shock had 2-fold to 3-fold lower total tryptophan levels throughout the 14-day study period. Platelet serotonin was substantially lower, while monoamine oxidase activity and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid were markedly higher in the patients than in the controls, consistent with the known conversion of tryptophan to serotonin, which is then promptly and largely degraded to 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid. Plasma kynurenine was moderately increased and indole amine 2,3-dioxygenase activity markedly increased in the patients versus the volunteers, reflecting conversion of tryptophan to kynurenine. Changes over time in tryptophan metabolites were not associated with survival in the patients but were associated with the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and hemodynamic variables including hypotension and norepinephrine requirements. Our results demonstrate major tryptophan pathway alterations in septic shock. Marked alterations were found compared with healthy volunteers, and tryptophan metabolite levels were associated with organ failure and hemodynamic alterations. Tryptophan metabolite levels were not associated with surviving septic shock, although this result might be ascribable to the small sample size. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; No: NCT00684736; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Objectives: To investigate the respective impact of ventilator-associated pneumonia and ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia on the 30-day mortality of ICU patients. Design: Longitudinal prospective studies. Setting: French ICUs. Patients: Patients at risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia and ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia. Interventions: The first three episodes of ventilator-associated pneumonia or ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia were handled as time-dependent covariates in Cox models. We adjusted using the case-mix, illness severity, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II score at admission, and procedures and therapeutics used during the first 48 hours before the risk period. Baseline characteristics of patients with regard to the adequacy of antibiotic treatment were analyzed, as well as the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score variation in the 2 days before the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia or ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia. Mortality was also analyzed for Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species(ESKAPE) and P. aeruginosa pathogens. Measurements and Main Results: Of 14,212 patients who were admitted to the ICUs and who stayed for more than 48 hours, 7,735 were at risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia and 9,747 were at risk of ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia. Ventilator-associated pneumonia and ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia occurred in 1,161 at-risk patients (15%) and 176 at-risk patients (2%), respectively. When adjusted on prognostic variables, ventilator-associated pneumonia (hazard ratio, 1.38 (1.24–1.52); p < 0.0001) and even more ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia (hazard ratio, 1.82 [1.35–2.45]; p < 0.0001) were associated with increased 30-day mortality. The early antibiotic therapy adequacy was not associated with an improved prognosis, particularly for ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia. The impact was similar for ventilator-associated pneumonia and ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia mortality due to P. aeruginosa and the ESKAPE group. Conclusions: In a large cohort of patients, we found that both ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia were associated with an 82% and a 38% increase in the risk of 30-day mortality, respectively. This study emphasized the importance of preventing ICU–hospital-acquired pneumonia in nonventilated patients.

Early diagnostic orientation for differentiating pneumonia from pneumonitis at the early stage after aspiration would be valuable to avoid unnecessary antibiotic therapy. We assessed the accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) in diagnosing aspiration pneumonia (AP) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients requiring mechanical ventilation after out-of-hospital coma.

Purpose: Emphysematous gastritis (EG) is a rare form of infectious gastritis reported in many immunocompromised patient with extreme severity and many potential comorbidities. However, despite lots of critically ill case reports, there is a trend towards conservative management. Furthermore, it has never been described in refractory septic intensive care unit patient treated successfully with a sleeve gastrectomy. We wanted to focus on the progress made in diagnosis and treatments since the early 2000s and to report a case. Methods: We report the case of a critically ill and immunocompromised 45-year-old women, who presented an EG secondary to an ileus due to a high dose of barbiturates for a refractory epilepticus status. Then, we conducted a literature search for reported adult cases of EG since 2000. Results: Study cohort included 53 new cases of EG since 2000. Mean age was 54, and mean (SD) length of stay was 23 +/- 36 days. Diabetes mellitus is still the main predisposing factor identified. Causative pathogen was found in only 40% of the cases, mostly Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus spp, and Streptococcus. An emergent surgery was required in only 6 cases of refractory septic shock or gastric necrosis. The global mortality rate reached 34%. Conclusions: Emphysematous gastritis remains a severe disease, which can evolve quickly in septic shock or in gastric necrosis. Early diagnosis and management are warranted to favor a conservative management, even for severe forms and prevent further complications. Cases refractory to supportive measures can be successfully managed with minimally invasive surgery.

Objectives: Family members of patients who die in the ICU often remain with unanswered questions and suffer from lack of closure. A letter of condolence may help bereaved relatives, but little is known about their experience of receiving such a letter. The objective of the study was to understand bereaved family members’ experience of receiving a letter of condolence. Design: Qualitative study using interviews with bereaved family members who received a letter of condolence and letters written by these family members to the ICU team. This study was designed to provide insight into the results of a larger randomized, controlled, multicenter study. Setting: Twenty-two ICUs in France. Subjects: Family members who lost a loved one in the ICU and who received a letter of condolence. Measurements and Main Results: Thematic analysis was used and was based on 52 interviews and 26 letters. Six themes emerged: 1) a feeling of support, 2) humanization of the medical system, 3) an opportunity for reflection, 4) an opportunity to describe their loved one, 5) continuity and closure, and 6) doubts and ambivalence. Possible difficulties emerged, notably the re-experience of the trauma, highlighting the absence of further support. Conclusions: This study describes the benefits of receiving a letter of condolence; mainly, it humanizes the medical institution (feeling of support, confirmation of the role played by the relative, supplemental information). However, this study also shows a common ambivalence about the letter of condolence’s benefit. Healthcare workers must strive to adapt bereavement follow-up to each individual situation.

Family members of patients who die in the intensive care unit (ICU) may experience symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and/or prolonged grief. We evaluated whether grief symptoms were alleviated if the physician and the nurse in charge at the time of death sent the closest relative a handwritten condolence letter.

Purpose: Reversibility and impact of diaphragmatic dysfunction (DD) are unknown. The principal aim was to describe diaphragmatic function as assessed by ultrasonography during weaning trials. Materials and Methods: The present study is a 6-month single-center prospective study. All patients under mechanical ventilation for more than 7 days and eligible for a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) were enrolled prospectively. Intervention: Two blinded ultrasonographers evaluated each hemidiaphragm during SBT. Prevalence of DD among weaning failure and death and interobserver reproducibility have been evaluated. Results: The 34 included patients had a mean Simplified Acute Physiology Score version II of 55.7 ± 14 and a median intensive care unit (ICU) stay length of 17 days (13-30). Diaphragmatic dysfunction was found in 13 (38%) patients, on both sides in 8. Bilateral DD resolved before ICU discharge in 5 of the 7 reevaluated patients. No weaning failures were recorded. The ICU mortality was higher in patients with DD (37% vs 5%, P = .048). Mean interobserver agreement rate was 91%. Reproducibility was better with M-mode. Conclusion: The ICU-acquired DD usually improves before ICU discharge but might constitute a marker for greater disease severity. The present preliminary results require confirmation in a larger prospective multicenter study.

We report a human case of infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus canis. Identification was carried out from positive blood culture using mass spectrometry and SodA gene sequencing. S. canis related zoonotic invasive infections may have been previously underdiagnosed due to inadequate identification of group G Streptococcus species.

Herpes simplex viruses, which are associated with various clinical manifestations, can be transmitted to critically ill patients from other patients or health care staff. We report an apparent outbreak of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus 2 infections (5 cases in 10 weeks). An epidemiologic investigation and genotype analysis showed no connections among the 5 cases.

Purpose: Staff behaviours to optimise patient safety may be influenced by burnout, depression and strength of the safety culture. We evaluated whether burnout, symptoms of depression and safety culture affected the frequency of medical errors and adverse events (selected using Delphi techniques) in ICUs. Methods: Prospective, observational, multicentre (31 ICUs) study from August 2009 to December 2011. Results: Burnout, depression symptoms and safety culture were evaluated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), CES-Depression scale and Safety Attitudes Questionnaire, respectively. Of 1,988 staff members, 1,534 (77.2 %) participated. Frequencies of medical errors and adverse events were 804.5/1,000 and 167.4/1,000 patient-days, respectively. Burnout prevalence was 3 or 40 % depending on the definition (severe emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and low personal accomplishment; or MBI score greater than -9). Depression symptoms were identified in 62/330 (18.8 %) physicians and 188/1,204 (15.6 %) nurses/nursing assistants. Median safety culture score was 60.7/100 [56.8-64.7] in physicians and 57.5/100 [52.4-61.9] in nurses/nursing assistants. Depression symptoms were an independent risk factor for medical errors. Burnout was not associated with medical errors. The safety culture score had a limited influence on medical errors. Other independent risk factors for medical errors or adverse events were related to ICU organisation (40 % of ICU staff off work on the previous day), staff (specific safety training) and patients (workload). One-on-one training of junior physicians during duties and existence of a hospital risk-management unit were associated with lower risks. Conclusions: The frequency of selected medical errors in ICUs was high and was increased when staff members had symptoms of depression.

Lors du sevrage de la ventilation mécanique, les épreuves de ventilation spontanée (EVS) sont recommandées. Leurs critères d’évaluation ne sont pas optimaux. La pression transcutanée en CO2 (PtcCO2) pourrait être un nouveau critère d’évaluation des EVS. Évaluer la concordance entre la PtcCO2 et la PaCO2, surveiller en continue la PtcCO2 au cours des EVS et en évaluer la valeur pronostique. Étude monocentrique, prospective en réanimation polyvalente (centre hospitalier de Versailles). Accord du CPP Île-de-France (ID-RCB : 2013-A01683-42). Patients intubés-ventilés plus de 24 heures et débutant une EVS. Mesure continue en insu de la PtcCO2, gaz du sang en début et fin d’EVS. Échec d’EVS défini selon les critères de la conférence de consensus SRLF/SPLF/SFAR 2001. Trente-sept patients inclus (âge médian 71 ans, score IGS2 à l’admission médian de 58, durée médiane de ventilation mécanique 8 jours). Dix-huit patients étaient en échec de la 1re EVS. Bonne concordance entre la PaCO2 et la PtcCO2 (biais moyen 1,5 mmHg, limites de concordance −4,4 à 7,4). La différence entre la PtcCO2 maximale et l’initiale (ΔPtcCO2 M/i) était significativement plus élevée chez les patients ayant échoué la première EVS en analyse multivariée (p = 0,04). L’aire sous la courbe ROC (AUC) pour la détection de l’échec d’EVS par la ΔPtcCO2 M/i était de 0,82. Une ΔPtcCO2 M/i supérieure a 2,4 mmHg au cours de l’EVS identifierait un échec avec une sensibilité de 89 % et une spécificité de 67 %. La PtcCO2 est corrélée à la PaCO2 pendant les EVS. Son monitorage pourrait détecter précocement et objectivement les patients en échec d’EVS.

We wanted to assess the diagnostic accuracy of urinary dipstick testing in excluding catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with fever or hypothermia.

In March 2014, a person in their eighties who was diagnosed with extensive cellulitis due to toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans died from multiple organ failure. Environmental investigation also isolated C. ulcerans in biological samples from two stray cats in contact with the case. This finding provides further evidence that pets can carry toxigenic C. ulcerans and may be a source of the infection in humans.