Les transfusions de globules rouges (GR) sont fréquentes aux soins intensifs pédiatriques (SIP). Cependant, il n’y a pas de donnée récente sur les pratiques transfusionnelles aux SIP. Les objectifs de notre étude étaient 1) de décrire les pratiques transfusionnelles aux SIP du CHU Sainte-Justine en y déterminant la fréquence des transfusions de GR et en caractérisant les déterminants de ces transfusions, 2) de comparer ces pratiques avec celles observées il y a dix ans, et 3) d’évaluer le degré d’adhérence à la recommandation principale d’une large étude randomisée contrôlée, l’étude TRIPICU, laquelle proposait une pratique précise chez les patients stabilisés. Nous avons réalisé une étude monocentrique prospective observationnelle d’une durée d’un an. L’information requise a été extraite des dossiers médicaux. Les déterminants des transfusions ont été recherchés quotidiennement jusqu’à la première transfusion pour les cas transfusés, ou jusqu’à la sortie des SIP pour les cas non transfusés. Les justifications des transfusions déclarées par les médecins traitants ont été compilées à l’aide d’un questionnaire. Il y a eu 913 admissions consécutives durant la période d’étude, dont 842 ont été retenues. Au moins une transfusion a été donnée à 144 patients (17.1%). Le taux moyen d’hémoglobine avant la première transfusion était de 77.3±27.2 g/L. Les déterminants d’un premier événement transfusionnel à l’analyse multivariée étaient le jeune âge (< 12 mois), la présence d’une cardiopathie congénitale, un nadir d’hémoglobine ≤ 70 g/L, la gravité de la maladie, et certaines dysfonctions d’organe. Les trois justifications de transfusions les plus fréquemment évoquées par les médecins étaient une hémoglobine basse, un transport en oxygène insuffisant et une instabilité hémodynamique. La recommandation principale de l’étude TRIPICU a été appliquée dans 96.4% des premiers événements transfusionnels. En conclusion, les transfusions de GR sont fréquentes aux SIP. Jeune âge, cardiopathie congénitale, hémoglobine basse, gravité de la maladie et certaines dysfonctions d’organes sont des déterminants significatifs de transfusions de GR aux SIP. La plupart des premiers événements transfusionnels furent prescrits en accord avec les récentes recommandations. / Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are common in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). However, there are no recent data on transfusion practices in PICU. Our objective was 1) to describe transfusion practice in PICU, which means that we aimed to determine the incidence rate and to characterize the determinants of RBC transfusion, 2) to compare this practice with that observed ten years earlier, and 3) to estimate the compliance to the recommendation of a large randomized clinical trial, the TRIPICU study. We conducted a single center prospective observational study over a one-year period. Information was abstracted from medical charts. Determinants of transfusion were searched for daily until the first transfusion in transfused cases or until PICU discharge in non-transfused cases. The justifications for transfusions claimed by the attending physicians were assessed using a questionnaire. Among 913 consecutive admissions, 842 were enrolled. At least one RBC transfusion was given in 144 patients (17.1%). The mean hemoglobin level before the first transfusion was 77.3±27.2 g/L. The determinants of a first transfusion event retained in the multivariate analysis were young age (< 12 months), congenital heart disease, lowest hemoglobin level ≤ 70 g/L, severity of illness, and some organ dysfunctions. The three most frequently quoted justifications for RBC transfusion were a low hemoglobin level, intent to improve oxygen delivery, and hemodynamic instability. The main recommendation of the TRIPICU study was applied in 96.4% of the first transfusion events. In conclusion, RBC transfusions are frequent in PICU. Young age, congenital heart disease, low hemoglobin level, severity of illness and some organ dysfunctions are significant determinants of RBC transfusions in PICU. Most first transfusion events were prescribed according to recent recommendations.

[Tuncated abstract] This research thesis consists of five sections. Section one provides the background information (chapter 1) and a description of characteristics of the cohort and the methods of analysis (chapter 2). The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scoring system is one of commonly used severity of illness scoring systems in many intensive care units (ICUs). Section two of this thesis includes an assessment of the performance of the APACHE II scoring system in an Australian context. First, the performance of the APACHE II scoring system in predicting hospital mortality of critically ill patients in an ICU of a tertiary university teaching hospital in Western Australia was assessed (Chapter 3). Second, a simple modification of the traditional APACHE II scoring system, the 'admission APACHE II scoring system', generated by replacing the worst first 24-hour data by the ICU admission physiological and laboratory data was assessed (Chapter 3). Indigenous and Aboriginal Australians constitute a significant proportion of the population in Western Australia (3.2%) and have marked social disadvantage when compared to other Australians. The difference in the pattern of critical illness between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians and also whether the performance of the APACHE II scoring system was comparable between these two groups of critically ill patients in Western Australia was assessed (Chapter 4). Both discrimination and calibration are important indicators of the performance of a prognostic scoring system. ... The use of the APACHE II scoring system in patients readmitted to ICU during the same hospitalisation was evaluated and also whether incorporating events prior to the ICU readmission to the APACHE II scoring system would improve its ability to predict hospital mortality of ICU readmission was assessed in chapter 10. Whilst there have been a number of studies investigating predictors of post-ICU in-hospital mortality none have investigated whether unresolved or latent inflammation and sepsis may be an important predictor. Section four examines the role of inflammatory markers measured at ICU discharge on predicting ICU re- 4 admission (Chapter 11) and in-hospital mortality during the same hospitalisation (Chapter 12) and whether some of these inflammatory markers were more important than organ failure score and the APACHE II scoring system in predicting these outcomes. Section five describes the development of a new prognostic scoring system that can estimate median survival time and long term survival probabilities for critically ill patients (Chapter 13). An assessment of the effects of other factors such as socioeconomic status and Aboriginality on the long term survival of critically ill patients in an Australian ICU was assessed (Chapter 14). Section six provides the conclusions. Chapter 15 includes a summary and discussion of the findings of this thesis and outlines possible future directions for further research in this important aspect of intensive care medicine.

Bakgrund: I en rapport från socialstyrelsen framgår det att akutmottagningarna runt omi landet har ca 2,5 miljoner patientfall, därtill kommer ännu fler anhöriga ochnärstående. Patientnämnden, som är det organ som hanterar klagomål från patienter ochanhöriga, uppger att det varje år kommer ungefär 4000 anmälningar där patienter ochanhöriga har känt sig kränkta och dåligt bemötta i sjukvården. Syfte: Syftet var attbeskriva hur vuxna anhöriga upplever bemötandet av sjuksköterskan vid akutasjukdomstillstånd inom somatisk vård. Metod: Arbetet skrevs som en allmänlitteraturstudie, enligt metod för kvalitativ manifestinnehållsanalys. Resultat:Anhörigas upplevelser i bemötandet från sjuksköterskorna kunde delas in i tre olikakategorier: trygghet-otrygghet, att bli sedd och bekräftad och sjuksköterskansmaktutövande. I det trygga och bekräftande bemötandet upplevde anhöriga känslor avtrygghet och betydelsefullhet, detta gav dem förutsättningar att skapa en handlingsplanför framtiden. När sjuksköterskan istället utövade sin maktställning upplevde anhörigakänslor av maktlöshet och att befinna sig i en beroendeställning. Detta gjorde attanhöriga fastnade i känslor av skuld och kunde inte ta sig vidare. / Background: A report from the National Board shows that emergency departmentsaround the country has about 2.5 million patient cases, which must be added even morefamily and friends. Patients Board, which is the body that handles complaints frompatients and relatives, said that each year, approximately 4000 notifications in whichpatients and families have felt insulted or badly treated in health care. Objective: Theaim was to describe how adult relatives are experiencing the hospitality of the nurse inacute illness in somatic care. Methods: This work was written as a general literaturestudy, by method of qualitative manifest content analysis. Results: Relatives'experiences of nurses' attitudes could be divided into three different categories:security-insecurity, to be seen and confirmed and nurses exercise of power. In the safeand confirmatory hospitality experienced relatives feelings of security and greatness,this gave them the ability to create an action plan for the future. When the nurse insteadexercised their position of power experienced relatives feelings of powerlessness andbeing in a position of dependence. This meant that families got stuck in feelings of guiltand could not get on.

Les transfusions de globules rouges (GR) sont fréquentes aux soins intensifs pédiatriques (SIP). Cependant, il n’y a pas de donnée récente sur les pratiques transfusionnelles aux SIP. Les objectifs de notre étude étaient 1) de décrire les pratiques transfusionnelles aux SIP du CHU Sainte-Justine en y déterminant la fréquence des transfusions de GR et en caractérisant les déterminants de ces transfusions, 2) de comparer ces pratiques avec celles observées il y a dix ans, et 3) d’évaluer le degré d’adhérence à la recommandation principale d’une large étude randomisée contrôlée, l’étude TRIPICU, laquelle proposait une pratique précise chez les patients stabilisés. Nous avons réalisé une étude monocentrique prospective observationnelle d’une durée d’un an. L’information requise a été extraite des dossiers médicaux. Les déterminants des transfusions ont été recherchés quotidiennement jusqu’à la première transfusion pour les cas transfusés, ou jusqu’à la sortie des SIP pour les cas non transfusés. Les justifications des transfusions déclarées par les médecins traitants ont été compilées à l’aide d’un questionnaire. Il y a eu 913 admissions consécutives durant la période d’étude, dont 842 ont été retenues. Au moins une transfusion a été donnée à 144 patients (17.1%). Le taux moyen d’hémoglobine avant la première transfusion était de 77.3±27.2 g/L. Les déterminants d’un premier événement transfusionnel à l’analyse multivariée étaient le jeune âge (< 12 mois), la présence d’une cardiopathie congénitale, un nadir d’hémoglobine ≤ 70 g/L, la gravité de la maladie, et certaines dysfonctions d’organe. Les trois justifications de transfusions les plus fréquemment évoquées par les médecins étaient une hémoglobine basse, un transport en oxygène insuffisant et une instabilité hémodynamique. La recommandation principale de l’étude TRIPICU a été appliquée dans 96.4% des premiers événements transfusionnels. En conclusion, les transfusions de GR sont fréquentes aux SIP. Jeune âge, cardiopathie congénitale, hémoglobine basse, gravité de la maladie et certaines dysfonctions d’organes sont des déterminants significatifs de transfusions de GR aux SIP. La plupart des premiers événements transfusionnels furent prescrits en accord avec les récentes recommandations. / Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are common in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). However, there are no recent data on transfusion practices in PICU. Our objective was 1) to describe transfusion practice in PICU, which means that we aimed to determine the incidence rate and to characterize the determinants of RBC transfusion, 2) to compare this practice with that observed ten years earlier, and 3) to estimate the compliance to the recommendation of a large randomized clinical trial, the TRIPICU study. We conducted a single center prospective observational study over a one-year period. Information was abstracted from medical charts. Determinants of transfusion were searched for daily until the first transfusion in transfused cases or until PICU discharge in non-transfused cases. The justifications for transfusions claimed by the attending physicians were assessed using a questionnaire. Among 913 consecutive admissions, 842 were enrolled. At least one RBC transfusion was given in 144 patients (17.1%). The mean hemoglobin level before the first transfusion was 77.3±27.2 g/L. The determinants of a first transfusion event retained in the multivariate analysis were young age (< 12 months), congenital heart disease, lowest hemoglobin level ≤ 70 g/L, severity of illness, and some organ dysfunctions. The three most frequently quoted justifications for RBC transfusion were a low hemoglobin level, intent to improve oxygen delivery, and hemodynamic instability. The main recommendation of the TRIPICU study was applied in 96.4% of the first transfusion events. In conclusion, RBC transfusions are frequent in PICU. Young age, congenital heart disease, low hemoglobin level, severity of illness and some organ dysfunctions are significant determinants of RBC transfusions in PICU. Most first transfusion events were prescribed according to recent recommendations.

Inadequate delivery of nutrition to the critically ill is common, and may adversely affect clinical outcomes, including survival. This thesis reports studies designed to characterise the gastrointestinal dysfunction underlying feed intolerance in the critically ill, as well as the pathophysiology of these dysfunctions, and investigate potential therapeutic measures. While it has been established that enteral nutrition is frequently unsuccessful in the critically ill, assessment of the success of feeding in an Australian intensive care unit (ICU) had not been performed previously. A prospective survey examined the incidence of, and risk factors for, feed intolerance in the ICU at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and demonstrated that, in 40 patients receiving enteral feeding, only about 60% of their nutritional requirements were met at the end of the first week. The main cause for this lack of success was large gastric residual volumes, indicative of delayed gastric emptying (GE). This study, accordingly, quantified the limitations of nutritional delivery in contemporary practice in a local ICU. The results suggest that a better understanding of the pathogenesis underlying this problem is warranted in order to direct research into improved therapies. Scintigraphy is the most accurate technique to measure GE, but is difficult to perform in the ICU. A simpler, more convenient, test would increase the accessibility of GE measurement for both research and clinical purposes. A study comparing a breath test technique and gastric residual volume measurement to the scintigraphic measurement of GE in 25 mechanically ventilated patients demonstrated that GE measured by a breath test technique closely correlated with that measured by scintigraphy. While the breath test had a specificity of 100% it only had a sensitivity of about 60% in the prediction of delayed GE. Similarly, gastric residual volume measurement correlated with scintigraphic measurement of GE but also lacked sensitivity. The breath test has previously been demonstrated to be highly reproducible and it represents a useful option for repeated measurement of GE in the same patient. It is therefore likely to be useful to determine changes in GE over time or in response to a therapeutic intervention. There is a lack of information about the prevalence and determinants of delayed GE in the critically ill. Previous studies have substantial limitations and scintigraphic measurement of GE has only rarely been used. A study comparing GE measured by scintigraphy in 25 patients to 14 healthy subjects demonstrated that GE was delayed in approximately 50% of the ICU patients (>10% retention at 4h) and markedly delayed in about 20% (>50% retention at 4h). Patients with trauma and sepsis appeared to have a relatively higher prevalence of delayed GE (80% and 75% respectively). In addition, the longer the patient had been in ICU the more normal the rate of GE. Quantification of delayed GE may prove useful by defining patients who may benefit from preventative or therapeutic options. The abnormalities in gastrointestinal motility underlying delayed GE in the critically ill are poorly characterised. Simultaneous manometric and gastric emptying measurements were performed in 15 mechanically ventilated patients and 10 healthy subjects. These studies demonstrated that delayed GE was associated with reduced antral activity, increased pyloric activity and increased retrograde duodenal activity in the patients. Persistent fasting motility during feeding was also frequently observed. Furthermore, the feedback response to small intestinal nutrients was enhanced. This latter observation may provide an explanation for the delayed GE and warrants further investigation. Recent studies suggest that the hormone cholecystokinin may be a mediator of increased small intestinal feedback and, if confirmed, this has clear therapeutic implications. Nutrient absorption has rarely been measured in the critically ill. GE and glucose absorption (using 3-O-methyl glucose) were measured simultaneously in 19 ICU patients and compared to 19 healthy subjects. Glucose absorption was shown to be markedly reduced in the patients. Slow GE was associated with delayed, and reduced, absorption. However, glucose absorption was also reduced in patients with normal GE suggesting that reduced glucose absorption in critical illness is only partly due to delayed GE. Accordingly, measures to improve the effectiveness of GE and thereby improve overall nutritional status may be compromised by abnormal small intestinal absorption. The mechanisms underlying this warrant further investigation. A number of therapeutic options directed at improving the delivery of nutrition were examined. In a study involving 20 mechanically ventilated patients, administration of 200mg erythromycin intravenously was shown to be superior to placebo for treating feed intolerance. The optimal dose of erythromycin, however, was unclear. In a subsequent study involving 35 ICU patients, GE was measured using a breath test technique, before and after 2 different doses of erythromycin or placebo and a ‘low’ intravenous dose (70mg) of erythromycin appeared to be as effective as a ‘moderate’ dose (200mg). Both doses were only effective in subjects who had delayed GE at baseline. Based on the outcome of these studies, low doses of erythromycin have subsequently been routinely used to treat feed intolerance in the critically ill patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Animal and human studies suggested that the antibiotic, cefazolin, may have a prokinetic effect. Cefazolin, however, did not demonstrate similar prokinetic activity at a ‘low’ dose (50mg) in a critically ill cohort. The results of this study do not support the use of this agent, at this dose, as a prokinetic, in this population. If nasogastric administration of nutrition proves unsuccessful an alternative is to infuse nutrient directly into the small intestine. However, the placement of feeding tubes distal to the pylorus is technically difficult. A novel technique for postpyloric tube insertion was examined with promising results. In summary, the studies described in this thesis have provided a number of insights relevant to the management of the critically ill by quantifying the prevalence of feed intolerance and delayed GE, characterising some of the disturbances in gastrointestinal motility underlying this problem, and evaluating a number of therapeutic interventions. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1345143 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Medicine, 2008

Inadequate delivery of nutrition to the critically ill is common, and may adversely affect clinical outcomes, including survival. This thesis reports studies designed to characterise the gastrointestinal dysfunction underlying feed intolerance in the critically ill, as well as the pathophysiology of these dysfunctions, and investigate potential therapeutic measures. While it has been established that enteral nutrition is frequently unsuccessful in the critically ill, assessment of the success of feeding in an Australian intensive care unit (ICU) had not been performed previously. A prospective survey examined the incidence of, and risk factors for, feed intolerance in the ICU at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and demonstrated that, in 40 patients receiving enteral feeding, only about 60% of their nutritional requirements were met at the end of the first week. The main cause for this lack of success was large gastric residual volumes, indicative of delayed gastric emptying (GE). This study, accordingly, quantified the limitations of nutritional delivery in contemporary practice in a local ICU. The results suggest that a better understanding of the pathogenesis underlying this problem is warranted in order to direct research into improved therapies. Scintigraphy is the most accurate technique to measure GE, but is difficult to perform in the ICU. A simpler, more convenient, test would increase the accessibility of GE measurement for both research and clinical purposes. A study comparing a breath test technique and gastric residual volume measurement to the scintigraphic measurement of GE in 25 mechanically ventilated patients demonstrated that GE measured by a breath test technique closely correlated with that measured by scintigraphy. While the breath test had a specificity of 100% it only had a sensitivity of about 60% in the prediction of delayed GE. Similarly, gastric residual volume measurement correlated with scintigraphic measurement of GE but also lacked sensitivity. The breath test has previously been demonstrated to be highly reproducible and it represents a useful option for repeated measurement of GE in the same patient. It is therefore likely to be useful to determine changes in GE over time or in response to a therapeutic intervention. There is a lack of information about the prevalence and determinants of delayed GE in the critically ill. Previous studies have substantial limitations and scintigraphic measurement of GE has only rarely been used. A study comparing GE measured by scintigraphy in 25 patients to 14 healthy subjects demonstrated that GE was delayed in approximately 50% of the ICU patients (>10% retention at 4h) and markedly delayed in about 20% (>50% retention at 4h). Patients with trauma and sepsis appeared to have a relatively higher prevalence of delayed GE (80% and 75% respectively). In addition, the longer the patient had been in ICU the more normal the rate of GE. Quantification of delayed GE may prove useful by defining patients who may benefit from preventative or therapeutic options. The abnormalities in gastrointestinal motility underlying delayed GE in the critically ill are poorly characterised. Simultaneous manometric and gastric emptying measurements were performed in 15 mechanically ventilated patients and 10 healthy subjects. These studies demonstrated that delayed GE was associated with reduced antral activity, increased pyloric activity and increased retrograde duodenal activity in the patients. Persistent fasting motility during feeding was also frequently observed. Furthermore, the feedback response to small intestinal nutrients was enhanced. This latter observation may provide an explanation for the delayed GE and warrants further investigation. Recent studies suggest that the hormone cholecystokinin may be a mediator of increased small intestinal feedback and, if confirmed, this has clear therapeutic implications. Nutrient absorption has rarely been measured in the critically ill. GE and glucose absorption (using 3-O-methyl glucose) were measured simultaneously in 19 ICU patients and compared to 19 healthy subjects. Glucose absorption was shown to be markedly reduced in the patients. Slow GE was associated with delayed, and reduced, absorption. However, glucose absorption was also reduced in patients with normal GE suggesting that reduced glucose absorption in critical illness is only partly due to delayed GE. Accordingly, measures to improve the effectiveness of GE and thereby improve overall nutritional status may be compromised by abnormal small intestinal absorption. The mechanisms underlying this warrant further investigation. A number of therapeutic options directed at improving the delivery of nutrition were examined. In a study involving 20 mechanically ventilated patients, administration of 200mg erythromycin intravenously was shown to be superior to placebo for treating feed intolerance. The optimal dose of erythromycin, however, was unclear. In a subsequent study involving 35 ICU patients, GE was measured using a breath test technique, before and after 2 different doses of erythromycin or placebo and a ‘low’ intravenous dose (70mg) of erythromycin appeared to be as effective as a ‘moderate’ dose (200mg). Both doses were only effective in subjects who had delayed GE at baseline. Based on the outcome of these studies, low doses of erythromycin have subsequently been routinely used to treat feed intolerance in the critically ill patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Animal and human studies suggested that the antibiotic, cefazolin, may have a prokinetic effect. Cefazolin, however, did not demonstrate similar prokinetic activity at a ‘low’ dose (50mg) in a critically ill cohort. The results of this study do not support the use of this agent, at this dose, as a prokinetic, in this population. If nasogastric administration of nutrition proves unsuccessful an alternative is to infuse nutrient directly into the small intestine. However, the placement of feeding tubes distal to the pylorus is technically difficult. A novel technique for postpyloric tube insertion was examined with promising results. In summary, the studies described in this thesis have provided a number of insights relevant to the management of the critically ill by quantifying the prevalence of feed intolerance and delayed GE, characterising some of the disturbances in gastrointestinal motility underlying this problem, and evaluating a number of therapeutic interventions. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1345143 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Medicine, 2008

Adrenal insufficiency is common in pediatric patients with septic shock, but remains underdiagnosed in the early stages of sepsis. The early recognition of the factors representing risk for septic shock is crucial, since no control of them can increase the risk of death. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of adrenal insufficiency and describe the clinical and initial laboratory findings in children hospitalized for sepsis. This was a descriptive study, which included children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital of Santa Maria, in the period from March to October, 2013. We studied five patients with sepsis. For adrenal insufficiency diagnoses we performed the ACTH stimulation test. A positive test was considered when an increment on the cortisol level equal or less 9 μg/dL occurred. Five children were analyzed, 80 % were male with a mean age of 7.3 years (±4.2). The initial laboratorial findings confirmed the presence of sepsis. Adrenal insufficiency was diagnosed in 2 of 5 patients studied, representing 40 %. Only one patient (20%) required mechanical ventilation. There was no progression to septic shock in any of the patients studied. All patients were discharges from hospital. We concluded that adrenal insufficiency may be present in pediatric patients with sepsis, in its earliest stages. / A insuficiência adrenal é comum em pacientes pediátricos com choque séptico, porém permanece subdiagnosticada nas fases mais precoces da sepse. Reconhecer precocemente os fatores de progressão para o choque séptico é de fundamental importância, uma vez que, o não controle dos mesmos favorece a lesão de órgãos nobres, aumentando, dessa forma, o risco de morte. Este estudo teve por objetivo verificar a ocorrência de insuficiência adrenal e descrever a evolução clínica e os achados laboratoriais iniciais em crianças internadas por sepse. Estudo descritivo, tipo série de casos, que incluiu crianças admitidas na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica do Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, no período de março/2013 a outubro/2013. Foram estudados pacientes com diagnóstico de sepse. A insuficiência adrenal foi diagnosticada através da realização do teste de estimulação com ACTH (teste da cortrosina). O nível de cortisol foi dosado imediatamente antes (basal) e uma hora após a administração venosa de 250 μg do análogo sintético do ACTH. Um incremento menor ou igual a 9 μ/dL no cortisol sérico definiu insuficiência adrenal. Foram estudadas 5 crianças, sendo 80% do sexo masculino, com idade média de 7,3 anos (±4,2). Os achados laboratoriais iniciais confirmavam presença de sepse. Insuficiência adrenal foi diagnosticada em 2 dos 5 pacientes, representando 40%. Apenas um paciente (20%) necessitou de suporte ventilatório. Não houve evolução para choque séptico em nenhum dos pacientes estudados. Todos os pacientes receberam alta hospitalar. Concluiu-se a insuficiência adrenal pode estar presente, em pacientes pediátricos com diagnóstico de sepse, nas suas fases mais precoces.

Base teórica: O avanço no conhecimento e a introdução de tecnologias mais sofisticadas para o cuidado do paciente crítico trouxeram importante incremento na sobrevida deste grande grupo de pacientes. Por outro lado, existe um estrato de pacientes que sobrevivem à condição crítica aguda, porém permanecem dependentes de algum tipo de suporte de manutenção da vida por longos períodos. A doença crítica crônica (DCC) como é conhecida, apesar de descrita desde a década de 80, ainda não possui um critério de definição claro, levando a divergências nos resultados de estudos e prejudicando o avanço em pesquisas que investigam estratégias de tratamento. Objetivo: Avaliar a sobrevida e fatores associados à DCC em uma população de pacientes críticos comparando dois critérios de diagnóstico desta condição. Metodologia: Coorte histórica com avaliação de variáveis clínicas e desfechos durante a internação hospitalar em uma população de doentes críticos de uma única unidade de tratamento intensivo (UTI). Os pacientes foram alocados em três grupos, dois com critérios de DCC definidos por ≥14 ou ≥21 dias de ventilação mecânica (VM) e um terceiro grupo de pacientes críticos agudos (< 14 dias de VM). Recrutamento e alocação foram feitos através de um banco de dados institucional e dos registros hospitalares das internações ocorridas de janeiro de 2007 a dezembro de 2010. Resultados: No período analisado ocorreram 3.023 internações na UTI, 2.783 apresentavam os critérios de inclusão e compuseram a análise final. Em relação ao tempo de VM, 163 pacientes apresentaram ≥14 dias e 89 ≥21 dias. A mortalidade hospitalar e na UTI foi inferior no grupo de pacientes críticos agudos quando comparado com os dois grupos de DCC (≥14 e ≥21 dias de VM) (16.3% versus 55.8% e 58.4% p<0.001; 10.6% versus 47.3% e 53.9% p<0.001 respectivamente). Quando comparados os dois grupos de DCC (≥14 e ≥21 dias de VM), não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa para mortalidade hospitalar e na UTI (57.2% versus 58.4% p=0.5; 39.2% versus 53.9% p=0.18 respectivamente). O pequeno número de pacientes em cada grupo pode ter limitado o poder das análises. Ambos os grupos de DCC tiveram escores de gravidade mais altos, desenvolveram mais complicações na UTI, apresentaram maior tempo de internação hospitalar e mortalidade quando comparados aos críticos agudos. Conclusão: O estudo não mostrou diferença estatisticamente significativa quanto às características e desfechos clínicos entre as duas definições de DCC. Por outro lado, mostrou que os dois grupos de DCC apresentaram desfechos piores quando comparados com os pacientes críticos agudos. Estes resultados justificam o uso do critério de ≥14 dias de VM para a identificação mais precoce dos doentes críticos crônicos. / Theoretical basis: Progress in knowledge and the introduction of more advanced technologies for critical patient care brought about an important increase in the survival of this large group of patients. On the other side, there exists a subset of patients who survive their acute critical illness, but they remain dependent on some kind of life support for long periods. Despite being described since the 1980s, the chronic critical illness (CCI) has still not been clearly defined. This situation led to divergent studies’ results and jeopardized the progress in research focused on treatment strategies for CCI. Objective: To assess the survival and CCI-associated factors in a population of critically ill patients comparing two diagnostic criteria of this condition. Methodology: Historical cohort study assessing clinical variables and outcomes during hospital stay, in a population of critically ill patients of a single intensive care unit (ICU). The patients were divided into three groups, two of these with different criteria of CCI, defined by ≥14 or ≥21 days of mechanical ventilation (MV), and a third group with acutely critically ill patients (less than 14 days of MV). The recruitment and allocation were carried out through an institutional database and medical records of admissions occurred from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2010. Results: In the study period 3,023 ICU admissions occurred, 2,783 met the inclusion criteria and made part of the final analysis. As far as MV days are concerned, 163 patients had ≥14 days and 89 ≥21 days. Hospital and ICU mortality were lower in the group of acutely critically ill patients compared with the two CCI groups (≥14 days and ≥21 MV days) (16.3% versus 55.8% and 58.4% p<0.001; 10.6% versus 47.3% and 53.9% p<0.001 respectively). The comparative analysis between the two CCI groups (≥14 days and ≥21 MV days, respectively) was not statistically significant for hospital and ICU mortality (57.2% versus 58.4% p=0.5; 39.2% versus 53.9% p=0.18, respectively). The small number of patients in the two groups may have limited the power of analyzes. Both CCI groups had higher severity scores, developed more ICU complications, showed higher hospital length of stay and mortality when compared with the acutely critically ill patients. Conclusion: This study did not show significant difference between the two CCI definitions regarding characteristics and clinical outcomes. However, it showed that both groups had worse outcomes when compared with the acutely critically ill patients. This result justifies the use of the CCI criteria of ≥14 days of MV for earlier identification of this subset of patients.

Base teórica: O avanço no conhecimento e a introdução de tecnologias mais sofisticadas para o cuidado do paciente crítico trouxeram importante incremento na sobrevida deste grande grupo de pacientes. Por outro lado, existe um estrato de pacientes que sobrevivem à condição crítica aguda, porém permanecem dependentes de algum tipo de suporte de manutenção da vida por longos períodos. A doença crítica crônica (DCC) como é conhecida, apesar de descrita desde a década de 80, ainda não possui um critério de definição claro, levando a divergências nos resultados de estudos e prejudicando o avanço em pesquisas que investigam estratégias de tratamento. Objetivo: Avaliar a sobrevida e fatores associados à DCC em uma população de pacientes críticos comparando dois critérios de diagnóstico desta condição. Metodologia: Coorte histórica com avaliação de variáveis clínicas e desfechos durante a internação hospitalar em uma população de doentes críticos de uma única unidade de tratamento intensivo (UTI). Os pacientes foram alocados em três grupos, dois com critérios de DCC definidos por ≥14 ou ≥21 dias de ventilação mecânica (VM) e um terceiro grupo de pacientes críticos agudos (< 14 dias de VM). Recrutamento e alocação foram feitos através de um banco de dados institucional e dos registros hospitalares das internações ocorridas de janeiro de 2007 a dezembro de 2010. Resultados: No período analisado ocorreram 3.023 internações na UTI, 2.783 apresentavam os critérios de inclusão e compuseram a análise final. Em relação ao tempo de VM, 163 pacientes apresentaram ≥14 dias e 89 ≥21 dias. A mortalidade hospitalar e na UTI foi inferior no grupo de pacientes críticos agudos quando comparado com os dois grupos de DCC (≥14 e ≥21 dias de VM) (16.3% versus 55.8% e 58.4% p<0.001; 10.6% versus 47.3% e 53.9% p<0.001 respectivamente). Quando comparados os dois grupos de DCC (≥14 e ≥21 dias de VM), não houve diferença estatisticamente significativa para mortalidade hospitalar e na UTI (57.2% versus 58.4% p=0.5; 39.2% versus 53.9% p=0.18 respectivamente). O pequeno número de pacientes em cada grupo pode ter limitado o poder das análises. Ambos os grupos de DCC tiveram escores de gravidade mais altos, desenvolveram mais complicações na UTI, apresentaram maior tempo de internação hospitalar e mortalidade quando comparados aos críticos agudos. Conclusão: O estudo não mostrou diferença estatisticamente significativa quanto às características e desfechos clínicos entre as duas definições de DCC. Por outro lado, mostrou que os dois grupos de DCC apresentaram desfechos piores quando comparados com os pacientes críticos agudos. Estes resultados justificam o uso do critério de ≥14 dias de VM para a identificação mais precoce dos doentes críticos crônicos. / Theoretical basis: Progress in knowledge and the introduction of more advanced technologies for critical patient care brought about an important increase in the survival of this large group of patients. On the other side, there exists a subset of patients who survive their acute critical illness, but they remain dependent on some kind of life support for long periods. Despite being described since the 1980s, the chronic critical illness (CCI) has still not been clearly defined. This situation led to divergent studies’ results and jeopardized the progress in research focused on treatment strategies for CCI. Objective: To assess the survival and CCI-associated factors in a population of critically ill patients comparing two diagnostic criteria of this condition. Methodology: Historical cohort study assessing clinical variables and outcomes during hospital stay, in a population of critically ill patients of a single intensive care unit (ICU). The patients were divided into three groups, two of these with different criteria of CCI, defined by ≥14 or ≥21 days of mechanical ventilation (MV), and a third group with acutely critically ill patients (less than 14 days of MV). The recruitment and allocation were carried out through an institutional database and medical records of admissions occurred from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2010. Results: In the study period 3,023 ICU admissions occurred, 2,783 met the inclusion criteria and made part of the final analysis. As far as MV days are concerned, 163 patients had ≥14 days and 89 ≥21 days. Hospital and ICU mortality were lower in the group of acutely critically ill patients compared with the two CCI groups (≥14 days and ≥21 MV days) (16.3% versus 55.8% and 58.4% p<0.001; 10.6% versus 47.3% and 53.9% p<0.001 respectively). The comparative analysis between the two CCI groups (≥14 days and ≥21 MV days, respectively) was not statistically significant for hospital and ICU mortality (57.2% versus 58.4% p=0.5; 39.2% versus 53.9% p=0.18, respectively). The small number of patients in the two groups may have limited the power of analyzes. Both CCI groups had higher severity scores, developed more ICU complications, showed higher hospital length of stay and mortality when compared with the acutely critically ill patients. Conclusion: This study did not show significant difference between the two CCI definitions regarding characteristics and clinical outcomes. However, it showed that both groups had worse outcomes when compared with the acutely critically ill patients. This result justifies the use of the CCI criteria of ≥14 days of MV for earlier identification of this subset of patients.

Bakgrund: Centralisering av sjukvård har bidragit till färre antal akutmottagningar. Antalet ambulanstransporter har blivit fler och avstånden till sjukhus längre, vilket ställer höga krav på ambulanspersonalens kompetens. I glesbygd ställs ambulanspersonalen ofta inför utmaningar då för få resurser finns att tillgå. Syfte: att beskriva sjuksköterskors upplevelser av att prehospitalt vårda patienter med kritiska tillstånd i glesbygd. Metod: Nio legitimerade sjuksköterskor som arbetade på två olika ambulansstationer belägna i glesbygd i Norra Sverige intervjuades med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Den transkriberade texten analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Analysen av intervjuerna resulterade i fem kategorier: Att långa avstånd förlänger vårdtiden, Att bristande resurser försvårar omhändertagandet, Att känna sig ensam och otillräcklig, Att trygghet i teamet stärker omvårdnaden av patienten, Att utbildning och utveckling bidrar till ökad trygghet. Sjuksköterskorna i ambulans i glesbygdstudien upplevde att det var påfrestande att stå ensam med stora och för patienten livsavgörande beslut. De upplevde att arbetet krävde mycket av dem som sjuksköterskor då de fick vårda patienter med kritiska tillstånd under en lång tid på grund av långa avstånd och samtidigt hade för få resurser att tillgå. Vidare upplevdes arbetet som utmanande och deltagarna beskrev att de alltid försökte lösa situationerna efter de förutsättningar som fanns. Ett väl fungerande samarbete med kollegor beskrevs vara viktigt. Sjuksköterskorna beskrev även att det var viktigt att ha en bred kompetens inom akutsjukvård. Slutsats: Prehospital vård i glesbygd och omhändertagande av patienter med kritiska tillstånd är utmanande. Sjuksköterskor bör besitta bred kompetens och utbildning inom akutsjukvård kan främja omvårdnaden i komplexa situationer. Utvecklingsområden har identifierats under studiens process och ytterligare forskning inom området är önskvärt för vidare kliniska implikationer.