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A Artigas

Publications and source records attributed to A Artigas.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Daily assessment of severity of illness and mortality prediction for individual patients.

OBJECTIVE: To refine the prognosis of critically ill patients using a statistical model that incorporates the daily probabilities of hospital mortality during the first week of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Prospective inception cohort. SETTING: Fifteen adult medical and surgical ICUs in Spain. PATIENTS: A total of 1,441 patients aged > or =18 yrs who were consecutively admitted from April 1, 1995, through July 31, 1995. INTERVENTIONS: Prospective data collection during the stay of the patient in the ICU. Data collected included vital status at hospital discharge as well as all variables necessary for computing the Mortality Probability Models II system at admission and during the first 7 days of stay in the ICU. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Four logistic regression models were obtained. These models contained survival status at hospital discharge as a dependent variable and the following explanatory variables: (model 1) only the probability of dying at admission; (model 2) only the probability of dying during the current day; (model 3) the probability of dying at admission and during the current day; and (model 4) the probabilities of dying at admission and during the previous and current days. Models were evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. For survivor and nonsurvivor patients, mortality probabilities obtained using the aforementioned models were compared using linear regression and the paired Student's t-test. Although severity at admission was a statistically significant variable, models 2 and 3 produced almost the same probabilities of hospital mortality, as shown with the linear regression and paired Student's t-test results. CONCLUSIONS: To have an accurate measurement of the prognosis, it is necessary to update the severity measure. The best estimate of hospital mortality was the probability of death on the current day. Severity at admission and at previous days did not improve the assessment of prognosis.

Adult↗

Interobserver variability of the measurement of the mortality probability models (MPM II) in the assessment of severity of illness.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the interobserver variability of the measurement of the MPM II system. DESIGN: Random sample of an inception cohort. SETTING: Fifteen adult medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) in Spain. PATIENTS: A 5% random sample (n = 119) of 2332 patients consecutively admitted in the ICU, aged 18 years or older. INTERVENTIONS: Prospective data collection during the stay of the patient in the ICU. Repeated data collection, after the patient's hospital discharge. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Demographic information, length-of-stay and vital status at both ICU and hospital discharge, as well as all variables necessary for computing the MPM II system were measured. Interobserver variability for categorical variables was measured computing the kappa index. For interval variables the interobserver variability was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient, the paired t-test, and linear regression. In the MPM II0 index, the variables coma, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, chronic renal insufficiency, metastatic neoplasm, acute renal failure, cardiac dysrhythmia and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, showed moderate or low levels of agreement. In the MPM II24 index, the variables coma or deep stupor, PaO2 and prothrombin time showed low or moderate interobserver agreement. Agreement for the MPM II probability of death was high, although the external observer obtained a lower estimation than the hospital observer. CONCLUSIONS: The MPM II severity system showed a high level of stability when used in groups of patients. Nevertheless, the observed variability in some variables means that it should be used with caution for individual patients.

Adult↗

Effect of acute moderate changes in PaCO2 on global hemodynamics and gastric perfusion.

OBJECTIVE: To describe global hemodynamics and splanchnic perfusion changes in response to acute modifications in Paco2 in hemodynamically stable patients. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized crossover study. SETTING: Medical-surgical intensive care unit at a community hospital (400,000 inhabitants). PATIENTS: Ten critically ill patients who were sedated, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated. INTERVENTIONS: Hypercapnia and hypocapnia were obtained by increasing and reducing instrumental deadspace in random order. After each intervention, patients returned to the basal condition. Each period lasted 80 min: 20 min to achieve stable Paco2 and 60 min for tonometer equilibration. In each period, global hemodynamic variables and tonometric data were collected. The periods were compared using analysis of variance. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Acute hypercapnia (Paco2 from 40+/-3 to 52+/-3 torr, p<.05) increased cardiac index (3.43+/-0.37 vs. 3.97+/-0.43 mL/min/m2, p<.05), heart rate (95+/-6 vs. 105+/-3 beats/min, p<.05), and mean pulmonary artery pressure (21+/-1 vs. 24+/-1 mm Hg, p<.05) and reduced systemic vascular resistance (992+/-98 vs. 813+/-93 dyne x sec/ cm5, p<.05) and oxygen extraction ratio (27+/-3% vs. 22+/-2%, p<.05). Standardized intramucosal Pco2 increased from 49+/-2 to 61+/-3 torr (p<.05) with an associated decrease in calculated intramucosal pH ([pHi] 7.35+/-0.03 vs. 7.25+/-0.02, p<.05), but the gastro-arterial Pco2 gradient (deltaPco2) did not change. Acute hypocapnia (Paco2 from 41+/-3 to 34+/-3 torr, p<.05; pH 7.41+/-0.01 to 7.47+/-0.02, p<.05) induced slight increments in systemic vascular resistance (995+/-117 vs. 1088 +/- 160 dyne x sec/cm5, p<.05) and oxygen extraction ratio (28+/-2% vs. 30+/-2%, p<.05). Standardized intramucosal Pco2 decreased (50+/-4 vs. 44+/-3 torr, p<.05), pHi increased (7.33+/-0.03 vs. 7.36+/-0.02; p<.05), but deltaPco2 did not change. CONCLUSIONS: In this small group of stable patients, moderate acute variations in Paco2 had a significant effect on global hemodynamics, but splanchnic perfusion, assessed by deltaPco2, did not change. In these conditions, the use of pHi to evaluate gastric perfusion appears unreliable.

Acute Disease↗

Performance of the Mortality Probability Models in assessing severity of illness during the first week in the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To extend the Mortality Probability Models (MPM) II severity system to time periods between 4 and 7 days after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Prospective inception cohort. SETTING: Fifteen adult medical and surgical ICUs in Spain. PATIENTS: A total of 1,441 patients aged > or =18 yrs consecutively admitted from April 1, 1995 through July 31, 1995. INTERVENTIONS: Prospective data collection during the stay of the patient in the ICU. Data collected included demographic information, length-of-stay and vital status at both ICU and hospital discharge, as well as all variables necessary for computing the MPM II system at admission and during the first 7 days of stay in the ICU MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Calibration and discrimination of the four existing MPM II models (MPM0, MPM24, MPM48, and MPM72) were assessed in the study database. The MPM II system overestimated the mortality of patients with probabilities of death > or =0.4. The MPM24 model was customized. Models for time periods between 48 hrs and 7 days (MPM48 to MPMd7) were obtained using the same strategy that was used to develop the original MPM48 and the MPM72 models. The variable coefficients of the MPM24 model were kept fixed and the constant terms of the MPM48 to MPMd7 models were estimated by logistic regression. The constant term stabilized after the fourth day of admission and it was similar to the constant term of the MPM72 model. The customized MPM72 performed very well for days 4 to 7 after admission to the ICU. CONCLUSIONS: If the patient's condition stays the same day after day, the probability of dying in the hospital increases until 72 hrs, and then stabilizes. A severity measure that performs well at 72 hrs can be a useful tool for measuring severity at later time periods.

Critical Care↗

Inhaled nitric oxide does not improve cardiac or pulmonary function in patients with an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether inhaled nitric oxide (NO) improves right ventricular function in mechanically ventilated patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN: Open, prospective, controlled trial. SETTING: General intensive care unit of a community hospital. PATIENTS: Twelve patients with acute respiratory failure caused by acute exacerbation of COPD requiring mechanical ventilation. INTERVENTIONS: Insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter modified with a rapid response thermistor and a radial arterial catheter. Nitric oxide was then administered to the patient via a T piece placed between the Y piece of the ventilator and the endotracheal tube. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Hemodynamic and gasometric variables were recorded before NO inhalation, during administration of inhaled NO (20 ppm, 20 mins), and 20 mins after NO discontinuation. Inhaled NO reduced pulmonary artery pressure from 26 +/- 6 to 22 +/- 5 mm Hg (p = .0004), but arterial oxygenation, cardiac output, and right ventricular ejection fraction remained unmodified (41% +/- 9% vs. 41% +/- 8%; not significant). Calculated pulmonary vascular resistance decreased from 453 +/- 233 to 348 +/- 108 dyne x sec/cm5 x m2 (p = .02), and right ventricular volumes did not change. Subsequently, right ventricular end-systolic pressure/volume ratio decreased from 0.52 +/- 0.22 to 0.44 +/- 0.19 mm Hg/mL/m2 (p = .01). No significant correlation was observed between the changes of pulmonary artery pressure (or pulmonary vascular resistance) and changes of right ventricular ejection fraction. CONCLUSION: Inhalation of NO does not seem to improve either right ventricular function or arterial oxygenation in patients with acute respiratory failure caused by acute exacerbation of COPD.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Effect of ranitidine on gastric intramucosal pH in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether ranitidine a) increases the values of gastric intramucosal pH (pHi) in critically ill patients, as determined by tonometry; b) reduces the variability of these measurements. DESIGN: Prospective, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. SETTING: General Intensive Care Unit of a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty-five critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients requiring arterial catheter and nasogastric tube. INTERVENTIONS: Tonometer placement; blind, random administration of intravenous ranitidine (50 mg) or placebo. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Tonometer saline PCO2 (PCO2i), arterial blood gases, gastric juice pH and pHi were determined immediately before, and 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after, ranitidine (12 patients) or placebo (13 patients). Ranitidine significantly increased gastric juice pH, but did not affect PCO2i or pHi; pHi was 7.34 +/- 0.14 before ranitidine, and 7.30 +/- 0.12, 7.31 +/- 0.11, 7.31 +/- 0.14 and 7.31 +/- 0.12-2, 4, 6 and 8 h, respectively, after ranitidine administration (p = 0.55). Ranitidine did not modify the coefficients of variation of PCO2i or pHi, either. No significant changes in gastric juice pH, PCO2i or pHi were observed in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: In critically ill patients, ranitidine has no effect on pHi values, and does not increase the reproducibility of pHi measurements.

APACHE↗

The American-European Consensus Conference on ARDS, part 2. Ventilatory, pharmacologic, supportive therapy, study design strategies and issues related to recovery and remodeling.

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) continues as a contributor to the morbidity and mortality of patients in intensive care units throughout the world, imparting tremendous human and financial costs. During the last ten years there has been a decline in ARDS mortality without a clear explanation. The American-European Consensus Committee on ARDS was formed to re-evaluate the standards for the ICU care of patients with acute lung injury (ALI), with regard to ventilatory strategies, the more promising pharmacologic agents, and the definition and quantification of pathological features of ALI that require resolution. It was felt that the definition of strategies for the clinical design and coordination of studies between centers and continents was becoming increasingly important to facilitate the study of various new therapies for ARDS.

Americas↗

Hemodynamic profile in severe ARDS: results of the European Collaborative ARDS Study.

OBJECTIVE: Although the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was identified as long as 30 years ago, potential therapeutic objectives have been defined from small series rather than large trials. Moreover, relationships between ARDS and hemodynamics are unclear. The European Collaborative ARDS Study was designed to identify factors influencing the pathogenesis, severity, and prognosis of ARDS. Analysis of the hemodynamic profiles collected during this study and of their contribution to the above-mentioned facets of ARDS is the focus of the present report. DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: 38 European intensive care units (ICUs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected 2758 sets of data from 586 patients, including baseline data, data on proven or suspected causes of ARDS differentiating direct and nondirect lung injury, and data on baseline status including multiple organ dysfunction (MOD) with differentiation of primary ARDS from ARDS secondary to severe systemic disorders. Events during follow-up were also recorded, including whether the acute respiratory failure did or did not improve after 24 h (groups A and B, respectively). When available, hemodynamic data were recorded at enrollment (day 0), on days 1-3, 7, 14, and 21, and at discharge or at the time of death in the ICU. RESULTS: Although the rate of pre-existing disease and the nature and rate of complications varied widely among etiologic categories, differences in the hemodynamic profile occurred only between primary and secondary ARDS. Both at inclusion and during the course of the illness, variables that were used to investigate Va/Q mismatch [arterial oxygen tension (PaO2, arterial oxygen saturation, right-to-left shunt, and the PaO2/fractional inspired oxygen (FIO2) ratio] predicted survival. High pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and low systemic artery pressure (SAP) were also related to the prognosis. In the logistic regression model including hemodynamic and oxygen-related variables, however, the only independent predictors of survival were the ratio of right over left ventricular stroke work (RVSW/LVSW) and the PaO2/FIO2 ratio at admission. On day 2, the best prognostic model included: age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.04, p = 0.0004], opportunistic pneumonia as the cause of ARDS (OR = 3.2, p = 0.03), existence of MOD (OR = 1.9, p = 0.03), PaO2/FIO2 (OR = 0.96, p = 0.005), and RVSW/LVSW (OR = 25, p = 0.02). A high RVSW/LVSW ratio, high systolic PAP, low diastolic SAP, and low PaO2/FIO2, and increased right atrial pressure were negative prognostic indicators during follow-up. CONCLUSION: In addition to the cause of ARDS and the early time-course of lung function, a high systolic PAP and a low diastolic SAP were strong independent indicators of survival.

Adult↗

The American-European Consensus Conference on ARDS, part 2: Ventilatory, pharmacologic, supportive therapy, study design strategies, and issues related to recovery and remodeling. Acute respiratory distress syndrome.

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) continues as a contributor to the morbidity and mortality of patients in intensive care units throughout the world, imparting tremendous human and financial costs. During the last 10 years there has been a decline in ARDS mortality without a clear explanation. The American-European Consensus Committee on ARDS was formed to re-evaluate the standards for the ICU care of patients with acute lung injury (ALI), with regard to ventilatory strategies, the more promising pharmacologic agents, and the definition and quantification of pathologic features of ALI that require resolution. It was felt that the definition of strategies for the clinical design and coordination of studies between centers and continents was becoming increasingly important to facilitate the study of various new therapies for ARDS.

Europe↗

Hemodynamic and gas exchange responses to inhalation of nitric oxide in patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome and in hypoxemic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: Inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) can improve oxygenation and decrease mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) in patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). It is not known whether inhaled NO exerts a similar effect in hypoxemic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. SETTING: General intensive care unit in Sabadell, Spain. PATIENTS: Nine mechanically ventilated COPD patients (mean age 72 +/- 2 years; forced expiratory volume in 1 s 0.91 +/- 0.11 l) and nine ARDS patients (mean age 57 +/- 6 years; mean lung injury score 2.8 +/- 0.1). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: We measured hemodynamic and gas exchange parameters before NO inhalation (basal 1), during inhalation of 10 ppm NO (NO-10), and 20 min after NO was discontinued (in basal 2) in the ARDS group. In the COPD group, these parameters were measured before NO inhalation (basal 1), during different doses of inhaled NO (10, 20, and 30 ppm), and 20 min after NO was discontinued (basal 2). A positive response to NO was defined as a 20% increment in basal arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2). MPAP and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) decreased significantly, while other hemodynamic parameters remained unchanged after NO-10 in both groups. Basal oxygenation was higher in the COPD group (PaO2/FIO2 (fractional inspired oxygen) 190 +/- 18 mmHg) than in the ARDS group (PaO2/FIO2 98 +/- 12 mmHg), (p < 0.01). After NO-10, PaO2/FIO2 increased (to 141 +/- 17 mmHg, p < 0.01) and Qva/Qt decreased (39 +/- 3 to 34 +/- 3%, p < 0.01) in the ARDS group. There were no changes in PaO2/FIO2 and Qva/Qt when the NO concentration was increased to 30 ppm in the COPD group. In both groups, a correlation was found between basal MPAP and basal PVR, and between the NO-induced decrease in MPAP and in PVR. The NO-induced increase in PaO2/FIO2 was not correlated with basal PaO2/FIO2. In the ARDS group, six of the nine patients (66%) responded to NO and in the COPD group, two of nine (22%) (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: NO inhalation had similar effects on hemodynamics but not on gas exchange in ARDS and COPD patients, and this response probably depends on the underlying disease.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Effect of sucralfate on gastric intramucosal pH in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sucralfate administration affects the tonometric measurement of gastric intramucosal pH (pHi). DESIGN: Non-randomized observational study. SETTING: General intensive care unit of a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty critically ill, mechanically ventilated, consecutively admitted patients requiring an arterial catheter and nasogastric tube. INTERVENTIONS: Tonometer placement and sucralfate administration. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We simultaneously determined tonometer saline PCO2 (PCO2i), arterial blood gases, pH of gastric juice and pHi. These parameters were evaluated immediately before sucralfate administration, and 2 h and 4 h after. We did not detect any change in either PCO2i or pHi after sucralfate administration (PCO2i: basal 6.4 +/- 1.7, 2 h 6.3 +/- 1.7, 4 h 6.3 +/- 1.7; pHi: basal 7.35 +/- 0.13, 2 h 7.36 +/- 0.12, 4 h 7.36 +/- 0.12). CONCLUSIONS: Sucralfate does not affect the tonometric measurement of PCO2i and pHi.

Adult↗

Assessment of the prognosis of coronary patients: performance and customization of generic severity indexes.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic performance of general severity systems (APACHE II [acute physiology and chronic health evaluation], simplified acute physiology score [SAPS II], and mortality probability models [MPM II]) in coronary patients and to derive new customized indexes for coronary patients using a reduced number of variables. DESIGN: Inception cohort. SETTING: Adult medical and surgical ICUs in 17 hospitals in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. PATIENTS: Four hundred fifty-six patients with acute myocardial infarction. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The APACHE II, SAPS II, and MPM II variables and survival status at hospital discharge have been collected. Performance of the severity systems was assessed by evaluating calibration and discrimination. Logistic regression was used to customize the MPM II(24) and SAPS II indexes. Discrimination was high enough for all of the models. However, calibration of the MPM II(24) was not as satisfactory as for the other models. The MPM II(24) and SAPS II were both reduced to five variables (MPM II(24 cor:) age, PaO2, continuous vasoactive drugs, urinary output, and mechanical ventilation; SAPS II(cor:) age, PaO2/FI(O2) ratio, systolic BP, Glasgow coma score, and urinary output). Both models showed better calibration and discrimination than the original ones. CONCLUSIONS: Prognostic indexes developed for multidisciplinary patients show good performance when applied to patients with acute myocardial infarction, but customization can reduce the number of variables necessary to compute them without a loss of, and a possible improvement in, prognostic accuracy.

Acute Disease↗

The Logistic Organ Dysfunction system. A new way to assess organ dysfunction in the intensive care unit. ICU Scoring Group.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an objective method for assessing organ dysfunction among intensive care unit (ICU) patients on the first day of the ICU stay. DESIGN AND SETTING: Physiological variables defined dysfunction in 6 organ systems. Logistic regression techniques were used to determine severity levels and relative weights for the Logistic Organ Dysfunction (LOD) score and for conversion of the LOD score to a probability of mortality. PATIENTS: A total of 13 152 consecutive admission to 137 adult medical/surgical ICUs in 12 countries from the European/North American Study of Severity Systems. OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient vital status at hospital discharge. RESULTS: The LOD System identified from 1 to 3 levels of organ dysfunction for 6 organ systems: neurologic, cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary, hematologic, and hepatic. From 1 to 5 LOD points were assigned to the levels of severity, and the resulting LOD scores ranged from 0 to 22 points. Model calibration was very good in the developmental and validation samples (P=.21 and P=.50, respectively), as was model discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.843 and 0.850, respectively). CONCLUSION: The LOD System provides an objective tool for assessing severity levels for organ dysfunction in the ICU, a critical component in the conduct of clinical trials. Neurologic, cardiovascular, and renal dysfunction were the most severe organ dysfunctions, followed by pulmonary and hematologic dysfunction, with hepatic dysfunction the least severe. The LOD System takes into account both the relative severity among organ systems and the degree of severity within an organ system.

Adult↗