飯塚 悠祐

Purpose: The lack of recognition of respiratory distress may result in emergency tracheal intubation in the general ward. However, few studies have examined the differences in the frequency of vital sign measurement between patients with and without emergency tracheal intubation in the general ward. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the differences in the frequency of vital sign measurements between patients with and without emergency tracheal intubation. Patients and methods: This is a single-center, retrospective, observational study of unplanned intensive care unit (ICU) admissions from the general wards between December 2015 and February 2017. This study included patients with emergency medical intubations in the general ward who were then transferred to the ICU. Vital signs measured within 24 hours prior to ICU admission were compared between patients who did and did not require emergency tracheal intubation in the general ward. A survey was also conducted to explore the nurses' attitudes toward vital sign measurements. Results: Compared with other vital signs, the respiratory rate was significantly less frequently measured. Moreover, the frequency of respiratory rate measurement was lower in the 38 patients who were intubated than in the 102 patients who were not intubated in the general ward (P=0.07). The survey revealed that 54% of the participating nurses considered assessment of the respiratory rate as the most troublesome nursing task and ~15% of nurses did not routinely measure respiratory rates. Conclusion: Respiratory rate was less frequently assessed in deteriorating patients in the general ward, possibly because it was considered a troublesome task.

BACKGROUND: The administration of low-dose intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIgG) (5 g/day for 3 days; approximate total 0.3 g/kg) is widely used as an adjunctive treatment for patients with sepsis in Japan, but its efficacy in the reduction of mortality has not been evaluated. We investigated whether the administration of low-dose IVIgG is associated with clinically important outcomes including intensive care unit (ICU) and in-hospital mortality. METHODS: This is a post-hoc subgroup analysis of data from a retrospective cohort study, the Japan Septic Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (JSEPTIC DIC) study. The JSEPTIC DIC study was conducted in 42 ICUs in 40 institutions throughout Japan, and it investigated associations between sepsis-related coagulopathy, anticoagulation therapies, and clinical outcomes of 3195 adult patients with sepsis and septic shock admitted to ICUs from January 2011 through December 2013. To investigate associations between low-dose IVIgG administration and mortalities, propensity score-based matching analysis was used. RESULTS: IVIgG was administered to 960 patients (30.8%). Patients who received IVIgG were more severely ill than those who did not (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score 24.2 ± 8.8 vs 22.6 ± 8.7, p < 0.001). They had higher ICU mortality (22.8% vs 17.4%, p < 0.001), but similar in-hospital mortality (34.4% vs 31.0%, p = 0.066). In propensity score-matched analysis, 653 pairs were created. Both ICU mortality and in-hospital mortality were similar between the two groups (21.0% vs 18.1%, p = 0.185, and 32.9% vs 28.6%, p = 0.093, respectively) using generalized estimating equations fitted with logistic regression models adjusted for other therapeutic interventions. The administration of IVIgG was not associated with ICU or in-hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) 0.883; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.655-1.192, p = 0.417, and OR 0.957, 95% CI, 0.724-1.265, p = 0.758, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis of a large cohort of patients with sepsis and septic shock, the administration of low-dose IVIgG as an adjunctive therapy was not associated with a decrease in ICU or in-hospital mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Individual Clinical Trials Registry, UMIN-CTR000012543 . Registered on 10 December 2013.

INTRODUCTION: Nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) after surgery has an extremely poor prognosis with a mortality rate of 30-100%. We report a patient with NOMI following aortic valve replacement who failed to improve despite continuous intra-arterial infusion of papaverine, but was successfully treated with alprostadil (prostaglandin E1 [PGE1]) infusion. PRESENTATION OF CASE: The patient is a 77-year-old man who underwent aortic valve replacement. Due to elevated serum lactate levels five hours after intensive care unit admission, superior mesenteric arteriography was performed, establishing the diagnosis of NOMI. Although continuous intra-arterial infusion of papaverine was begun, lactate levels remained elevated. Repeat angiography and laparotomy revealed extensive ischemic changes of the intestine. The vasodilator was changed to PGE1, which improved arterial spasm. The patient ultimately needed an ileocecal resection, but the extent of the resection was limited with concomitant PGE1 administration. DISCUSSION: In the present patient, although NOMI was unresponsive to appropriate treatment including intra-arterial infusion of papaverine, continuous intra-arterial infusion of PGE1 salvaged most of the intestine. CONCLUSIONS: In a patient with recurrent NOMI despite appropriate treatment including intra-arterial infusion of papaverine, continuous intra-arterial infusion of PGE1 may limit the extent of intestinal resection needed. Continuous intra-arterial infusion of PGE1 may be a useful treatment for patients with refractory NOMI.

BACKGROUND: Interruption of enteral nutrition (EN) in the intensive care unit (ICU) occurs frequently for various reasons including feeding intolerance and the conduct of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. However, few studies have investigated the details of EN interruption practices including reasons for and duration of interruptions. There is no standard protocol to minimize EN interruptions. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 100 patients in the ICU staying more than 72 h and receiving EN in a 12-bed, medical/surgical ICU in a tertiary care center in 2013. Data collected include total time designated for EN; the number of EN interruption episodes; reason for each interruption categorized as diagnostic study, therapeutic intervention, or gastrointestinal (GI) event, and their individual subcategories; duration of each interruption; and the presence of written orders for interruptions. RESULTS: One hundred patients staying in the ICU for at least 72 h and receiving EN were included. There were 567 episodes of EN interruption over a median ICU length of stay of 17.1 (interquartile range 8.0-22.0) days. There were a median of three EN interruption episodes per patient. EN interruption was performed for undetermined reasons (166 episodes, 29%), airway manipulation (103 episodes, 18%), GI events (78 episodes, 14%), and intermittent dialysis (71 episodes, 13%). Median duration of EN interruption in all patients was 5.5 (3.0-10.0) h. The cumulative interruption time corresponds to 19% of the total time designated for EN. Duration of EN interruption varied according to reason, including airway manipulation (9.0 [5.0-21.0] h), tracheostomy (9.5 [7.5-14.0] h), and GI events (6.5 [3.0-14.0] h). The average calorie deficits due to interruptions were 11.5% of daily target calories. Only 60 episodes (12%) had clear written orders for interruption. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this single-center retrospective chart review, interruption of EN in the ICU is frequent, reasons for and duration of interruption varied, and airway procedures are associated with a relatively longer duration of interruption. Documentation and orders were frequently missing. These results warrant development of a protocol for EN interruption.

Supplemental doses of antithrombin (AT) are widely used to treat sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in Japan. However, evidence on the benefits of AT supplementation for DIC is insufficient. This multicenter retrospective observational study aimed to clarify the effect of AT supplementation on sepsis-induced DIC using propensity score analyses. Data from 3,195 consecutive adult patients admitted to 42 intensive care units for severe sepsis treatment were retrospectively analyzed; 1,784 patients were diagnosed with DIC (n = 715, AT group; n = 1,069, control group). Inverse probability of treatment-weighted propensity score analysis indicated a statistically significant association between AT supplementation and lower in-hospital all-cause mortality (n = 1,784, odds ratio [95% confidence intervals]: 0.748 [0.572-0.978], P = 0.034). However, quintile-stratified propensity score analysis (n = 1,784, odds ratio: 0.823 [0.646-1.050], P = 0.117) and propensity score matching analysis (461 matching pairs, odds ratio: 0.855 [0.649-1.125], P = 0.263) did not show this association. In the early days after intensive care unit admission, the survival rate was statistically higher in the propensity score-matched AT group than in the propensity score-matched control group (P = 0.007). In DIC patients without concomitant heparin administration, similar results were observed. In conclusion, AT supplementation may be associated with reduced in-hospital all-cause mortality in patients with sepsis-induced DIC. However, the statistical robustness of this connection was not strong. In addition, although the number of transfusions needed in patients with AT supplementation increased, severe bleeding complications did not.

Recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM) is a novel class of anticoagulants for treating disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Although rhTM is widely used in clinical settings throughout Japan, there is limited clinical evidence supporting the use of rhTM in patients with sepsis-induced DIC. Furthermore, rhTM is not approved for DIC treatment in other countries. This study aimed to clarify the survival benefits of rhTM administration in critically ill patients. Data from 3,195 consecutive adult patients who were admitted to 42 intensive care units for the treatment of severe sepsis or septic shock between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively analysed, and 1,784 patients were diagnosed with DIC based on the scoring algorithm from the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine DIC (n = 645, rhTM group; n = 1,139, control group). Propensity score matching created 452 matched pairs, and logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between rhTM administration and lower in-hospital all-cause mortality in the propensity score-matched groups (odds ratio, 0.757; 95 % confidence interval, 0.574-0.999, p = 0.049). Inverse probability of treatment weighted and quintile-stratified analyses also revealed significant associations between rhTM administration and lower in-hospital all-cause mortality. Survival time in the propensity score-matched rhTM group was significantly longer than that in the propensity score-matched control group (hazard ratio, 0.781; 95 % confidence interval, 0.624-0.977, p = 0.03). Bleeding complications were not more frequent in the rhTM groups. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that rhTM administration is associated with reduced in-hospital all-cause mortality among patients with sepsis-induced DIC.

Severe sepsis is a major concern in the intensive care unit (ICU), although there is very little epidemiological information regarding severe sepsis in Japan. This study evaluated 3195 patients with severe sepsis in 42 ICUs throughout Japan. The patients with severe sepsis had a mean age of 70 ± 15 years and a mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 23 ± 9. The estimated survival rates at 28 and 90 days after ICU admission were 73.6 and 56.3 %, respectively.

A 69-year-old woman underwent thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD). The initial CSF pressure was elevated to approximately 25 cmH(2)O, and clear CSF was continuously drained at a rate of 30 ml/h with the drainage level at 10-20 cmH(2)O. The CSF became bloody when cardiopulmonary bypass was terminated. The total volume of CSF drained was approximately 300 ml at the conclusion of the 638 min operation. Three hours later, she suffered a series of generalized seizures because of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). It was suggested that excessive drainage of CSF was associated with ICH. Meticulous control of drainage volume combined with standard pressure-based management may be the key to avoiding these complications.

We reported a 72-year-old woman who had a massive hemoptysis due to traction bronchiectasis in the left upper lobe. The patient underwent left radical mastectomy followed by thoracic radiotherapy for left breast cancer. The chest computed tomography showed traction bronchiectasis in the atrophic left upper lobe and the bronchial angiography showed hypervascularization of bronchial and internal thoracic arteries to the left upper lobe. Left upper lobectomy was performed after bronchial embolization for recurrent massive hemoptysis. Postoperative course was uneventful. Pathologic findings showed non-anatomical but clearly-bordered traction bronchiectasis with hypervascularized bronchial artery in the left upper lobe. These lesions were consistent with the field of the previous radiotherapy. Traction bronchiectasis causing massive hemoptysis should be considered as one of pulmonary sequelae after thoracic radiotherapy.