Author Archives: administrare

Latent class analysis to identify sub-phenotypes predicting pediatric splenic pseudoaneurysm following blunt spleen injuries: A post-hoc analysis

Yuki Kishihara1, Hideto Yasuda1–4, Morihiro Katsura5, Masahiro Kashiura1, Shunsuke Amagasa6, Yutaro Shinzato1, Yutaka Kondo7, Shigeki Kushimoto8, Takashi Moriya1

1 Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Jichi Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
2 Department of Clinical Research Education and Training Unit, Keio University Hospital Clinical and Translational Research Center, Tokyo, Japan
3 School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Australia
4 School of Nursing and Midwifery; Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research, Griffith University, Australia
5 Department of Surgery, Okinawa Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan
6 Department of Emergency and Transport Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
7 Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
8 Division of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Miyagi, Japan

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0037

Aim of the study: The rupture of delayed formed splenic pseudoaneurysms after pediatric blunt splenic injuries undergoing nonoperative management (NOM) can be life-threatening. We aimed to identify the sub-phenotypes predicting delayed splenic pseudoaneurysm formation following pediatric blunt splenic injury using latent class analysis (LCA).
Material and Methods: In this retrospective observational study conducted using a multicenter cohort of pediatric trauma patients, we included pediatric patients (aged ≤16 years) who sustained blunt splenic injuries and underwent NOM from 2008 to 2019. LCA was performed using clinically important variables, and 2–5 sub-phenotypes were identified. The optimal number of sub-phenotypes was determined on the basis of clinical importance and Bayesian information criterion. The association between sub-phenotyping and delayed splenic pseudoaneurysm formation was analyzed using univariate logistic regression analysis with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: The LCA included 434 patients and identified three optimal sub-phenotypes. Contrast extravasation (CE) of initial CT in the spleen was observed in 22 patients (68.8%) in Sub-phenotype 1, 49 patients (25.7%) in Sub-phenotype 2, and 22 patients (10.4%) in Sub-phenotype 3 (p = 0.007). Delayed splenic pseudoaneurysm was observed in 46 patients (10.6%), including seven patients (21.9%) in Sub-phenotype 1, 25 patients (13.1%) in Sub-phenotype 2, and 14 patients (6.6%) in Sub-phenotype 3 (p = 0.01). Logistic regression analysis for delayed splenic pseudoaneurysm formation using Sub-phenotype 3 as the reference revealed an OR (95% CI) of 3.94 (1.45–10.7) in Sub-phenotype 1 and 2.12 (1.07–4.21) in Sub-phenotype 2.
Conclusions: The LCA identified three sub-phenotypes showing statistically significant differences for delayed splenic pseudoaneurysm formation. Our findings suggest that cases with CE on initial CT imaging may be at increased risk of delayed splenic pseudoaneurysm formation.

Keywords: , , ,
Full text: PDF

Rethinking peer review in medicine: From trust to transformation

Dan Longrois¹, Sacha Rozencwaig², Pierre-Grégoire Guinot³

1 Departments of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Bichat-Claude Bernard and Louis Mourier Hospitals, Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris, University Paris Cité, INSERM 1148, Paris, France
² Anesthesiology and Perioperative Department, Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Le Plessis-Robinson, Paris Saclay University, France
³ Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Dijon University Hospital, University of Burgundy, INSERM UMR1231, CTM Lipness Team, Dijon, France

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0035

At the heart of biomedical publishing integrity lies peer review—long regarded as the “gold standard” of scientific validation. Yet, despite its foundational role, peer review today reveals critical shortcomings: inconsistency, lack of transparency, slow turnaround, and susceptibility to bias. As the scientific landscape evolves with rising submission volumes, data complexity, and urgency for rapid knowledge dissemination, it is no longer enough to refine peer review; it must be reimagined.
As editors and long-time participants in academic publishing, we have consistently faced the challenges of writing, reviewing, and managing peer evaluations. Identifying qualified reviewers and synthesizing their feedback into fair editorial decisions remains a formidable task. This editorial outlines our concerns and envisions how artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance—not replace—peer review in medicine. Over 90% of the initial text was generated with ChatGPT Scholar using structured prompts; it has since been extensively revised by the authors. [More]

Keywords: , ,
Full text: PDF

Comparative analysis of COVID-19 critically ill patients across four pandemic waves in Greece

Stelios Kokkoris1, Aikaterini Goufa2, Dimitrios Tsilivarakis1, Fotios Kavallieratos1, Georgia Minatsi1, Despoina Papadaki1, Aikaterini Pranti1, Spyros Zakynthinos1, Anastasia Kotanidou1, Christina Routsi1

1 National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, First Department of Critical Care Medicine, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece
2 National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0036

Introduction: There is limited information about trends in mortality of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) throughout the entire pandemic period.
Aim: We compared the ICU mortality among the four consecutive waves of the pandemic, according to the virus variant predominance.
Methods: This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected data extracted from our COVID-19 clinical database. All adult patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, consecutively admitted to our ICU from March 2020 through April 2022, were included. For the analysis we used the dates of the four periods of the pandemic, according to the predominance of different SARS-CoV-2 variants in Greece. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used.
Results: In total, 805 patients [median (IQR) age 67 (56-76) years, 68% males] were included. APACHE II, Charlson, and SOFA scores were 14 (11-19), 3 (2-5) and 7 (4-9), respectively; 674 (84%) patients required invasive mechanical ventilation. ICU length of stay was 15 (8-29) days, and mechanical ventilation duration was 11 (4-24) days. ICU and hospital mortality was 48% and 54%, respectively. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed no significant differences in ICU mortality among the four waves. Age, malignancy, chronic pulmonary disease and SOFA score were independent predictors of ICU mortality, but the pandemic waves themselves were not. Age had a significant impact on ICU mortality across all waves.
Conclusion: The effect of COVID-19 wave (and consequently of the SARS- CoV-2 variant) on ICU mortality seems to be trivial, and therefore our focus should be shifted to other risk factors, such as age and comorbidities. These findings along with those of other studies could be useful for modelling the evolution of future outbreaks.

Keywords: , , , , , ,
Full text: PDF

Incidental hyperglycemia and myocardial infarction risk in non-diabetic patients in the emergency department: A retrospective cohort analysis

Erkan Boğa

Ministry of Health of Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0033

Objective: This study investigated whether incidental hyperglycemia serves as an independent risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) among non-diabetic patients in the emergency department.
Methods: A retrospective case-control study analyzed data from one thousand non-diabetic patients aged 18-85 years who visited the emergency department during January through October two thousand twenty-four Patients were classified into two equal groups based on their random blood glucose levels: patients with glucose levels above 140 mg/dL formed the hyperglycemia group and patients with glucose levels below 140 mg/dL belonged to the normoglycemia group. The analysis employed logistic regression to assess how hyperglycemia related to MI while controlling for various demographic and clinical variables.
Results: The incidence of MI was found in 61.4% of patients with hyperglycemia but only in 25.8% of patients with normoglycemia. Multivariable analysis revealed that incidental hyperglycemia increased the odds of MI by 2.42 times. The risk was higher among male patients and further increased when glucose levels exceeded 180 mg/dL.
Conclusions: Non-diabetic emergency department patients who experience incidental hyperglycemia show a high risk of developing MI. The evaluation of cardiovascular risk should begin with emergency physicians, who should consider elevated random blood glucose as a potential marker for identifying patients likely to benefit from early assessment and follow-up.

Keywords: , , , ,
Full text: PDF

Artificial intelligence algorithms based approach in evaluating COVID-19 patients and management

Ioana Hălmaciu1, Anca Meda Văsieșiu2, Andrei Manea1,3, Andrei Dragomir3, Ioana Tripon4, Vlad Vunvulea5, Cristian Boeriu6, Andrea Rus7, Minodora Dobreanu8,9

1 Department of Radiology, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
2 Department of Infectious Diseases, George Emil Palade University of Medicine Pharmacy Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
3 Doctoral School of Medicine and Pharmacy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
4 Faculty of Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
5 Department of Anatomy, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
6 Department of Emergency Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
7 Department of Radiology, Clinical Emergency County Hospital of Targu Mureș, Targu Mures, Romania
8 Center for Advanced Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania
9 Department of Laboratory Medicine, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Targu Mures, Romania

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0032

Introduction: COVID-19 pneumonia manifests with a wide range of clinical symptoms, from minor flu-like signs to multi-organ failure. Chest computed tomography (CT) is the most effective imaging method for assessing the extent of the pulmonary lesions and correlates with disease severity. Increased workloads during the COVID-19 pandemic led to the development of various artificial intelligence tools to enable quicker diagnoses and quantitative evaluations of the lesions.
Aim of the study: This study aims to analyse the correlation between lung lesions identified on CT scans and the biological inflammatory markers assessed, to establish the survival rate among patients.
Methods: This retrospective study included 120 patients diagnosed with moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia who were admitted to the intensive care unit and the internal medicine department between September 2020 and October 2021. Each patient underwent a chest CT scan, which was subsequently analysed by two radiologists and an AI post-processing software. On the same day, blood was collected from the patients to determine inflammatory markers. The markers analysed in this study include the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammatory index, systemic inflammation response index, systemic inflammation index, and serum interleukin-6 value.
Results: There were strong and very strong correlations between the derived inflammatory markers, interleukin-6, and the CT severity scores obtained by the AI algorithm (r=0.851, p<0.001 in the case of NLR). Higher values of the inflammatory markers and high lung opacity scores correlated with a decreased survival rate. Crazy paving was also associated with an increased risk of mortality (OR=2.89, p=0.006).
Conclusions: AI-based chest CT analysis plays a crucial role in assessing patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. When combined with inflammatory markers, it provides a reliable and objective method for evaluating COVID-19 pneumonia, enhancing the accuracy of diagnosis.

Keywords: , , , ,
Full text: PDF

Exploring pharmacological strategies in the management of ARDS: Efficacy, limitations, and future directions

Sultan Almuntashiri

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0030

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe inflammatory reaction in the lungs caused by sudden pulmonary and systemic injuries. Clinically, this diverse syndrome is marked by sudden hypoxemic respiratory failure and the presence of bilateral lung infiltrates visible on a chest X-ray. ARDS management remains largely supportive, with a focus on optimizing mechanical ventilation strategies and addressing the underlying causes of lung injury. The current pharmacological approach for ARDS primarily focuses on corticosteroids, neuromuscular blocking agents, and beta-2 agonists, however, none has been definitively proven to be consistently effective in improving clinical outcomes. This review summarizes the latest evidence regarding the effectiveness and limitations of these pharmacological interventions, identifying key areas where further research is needed.

Keywords: , , , ,
Full text: PDF

Nebulized tranexamic acid for hemoptysis in critically and non-critically ill patients:A retrospective analysis

Nancy Bethuel1, Chris Naum2, Cynthia Brown3

1 Indiana University, Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
2 Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
3 Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0031

Introduction: Hemoptysis is a commonly encountered diagnosis caused by blood originating from the respiratory tract. Current pharmacological guideline recommendations for treatment do not exist. Tranexamic acid is a synthetic anti-fibrinolytic used in the management of various bleeding complications. Tranexamic acid has gained popularity for the treatment of hemoptysis with limited side effect knowledge. Our aim is to describe the clinical characteristics of patients receiving nebulized tranexamic acid for hemoptysis and compare clinical outcomes to those of patients receiving supportive care.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive analysis performed in medical and ICU units at three tertiary hospitals. All patients were hospitalized with hemoptysis between January 1st, 2018 – December 31st, 2021. Demographic information, severity variables, and clinical outcomes were collected from medical records. For statistical analysis, we used t-test for continuous variables, chi-square or fishers’ exact test for categorical variables, and propensity analysis to adjust for disease severity and underlying medical conditions.
Results: 488 patients were identified; 96 received tranexamic acid. There were slightly more smokers in the no TXA group (p = 0.04) but otherwise the two groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics. The average length of hospital and ICU stay, need for mechanical ventilation or bronchoscopy, and mortality were significantly higher in the tranexamic acid group (p<0.01). The propensity analysis showed higher odds of death with nebulized tranexamic acid use, OR 2.51 (1.56-4.02).
Conclusions: There appears to be an indication bias for tranexamic acid based on disease severity without an obvious improvement in clinical outcomes. Our analysis suggests that nebulized tranexamic acid for hemoptysis may be potentially harmful, and further larger prospective research is warranted.

Keywords: , , , ,
Full text: PDF

Assessing volume status in heart failure: The role of renal duplex ultrasound in evaluating cardiorenal morbidity and heart failure mortality

Mohamed Elsayed Elrokh, Waleed Shehata Hassan, Ramadan Ahmed Khalil, Ayman Nehad Moharam, Emad Eldin Omar Abdelaziz

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0029

Background: Critical care physicians face challenges managing decompensated heart failure. This study aims to examine the volume status of patients with decompensated heart failure and evaluate the effectiveness of the renal resistive index (RRI) and renal venous flow pattern (VFP) in assessing volume status and predicting outcomes related to cardiorenal syndrome and mortality.
Patients and methods: This prospective study was conducted in the intensive care unit of Kasr Elainy Hospital at Cairo University with patients admitted for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Patients were subjected to clinical screening, laboratory measurements, and echocardiographic examination, including cardiac index renal duplex.
Results: This study included 61 patients with a mean age of 64.8±9.1 years. Renal duplex parameters were 0.692±0.087 for the mean RRI, and the percentages of VFP were as follows: continuous 49.2%, biphasic 27.9%, and monophasic 23%. Elevated proBNP levels and IVC collapsibility index were significantly associated with RRI ≥0.75 and abnormal VFP patterns in assessing volume status. The ROC curve of the RRI, VFP, proBNP, SOFA score, ADHERE risk score, and GWTG-HF score for AKI occurrence showed that RRI has 68% sensitivity to detect AKI, but VFP has better results with 86.4% sensitivity. RRI has a prognostic role in predicting in-hospital mortality in acute heart failure, as RRI has 83.3% sensitivity, and VFP showed better results with 83.3% sensitivity. Also, VFP had a better predictive value for the incidence of 3 months mortality with 90.9% sensitivity, while RRI has 63.4% sensitivity.
Conclusion: Renal duplex measures, such as VFP and RRI, are highly effective prognostic tools for identifying worsening renal function. Beyond renal outcomes, these measures also serve as reliable predictors of mortality and survival in patients with acute decompensated heart failure, offering clinicians the opportunity to tailor therapeutic approaches early during treatment.

Keywords: , , , , ,
Full text: PDF

Comparative analysis of outcomes between anemic and non-anemic critically ill elderly patients in a geriatric ICU in Egypt: A focused study

Manar Mamdouh Abd Al Kader, Manar Mostafa Adel Maamoun, Walaa W. Aly, Heba Youssif Youssif, Mennatallah Safwat Elaraby

Geriatrics and Gerontology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2025-0028

Background: Numbers of elderly patients who are being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are increasing; Among ICU patients, elderly patients represent a particular subgroup, with a proportion of up to 50% for patients aged 65 years and over, and on average about 35% of admissions for patients older than 70–75 years. Also, those aged 80 years and older represent around 15% of total ICU population. In Egypt, a study conducted in seven regions found that geriatric patients represent around 48.5% of total ICU admission. Elderly individuals are more susceptible to anemia due to multiple comorbidities and age related changes. Anemia is a common problem among critically ill elderly patients with serious consequences. It is recognized as an independent risk factor for increased mortality and morbidity. In fact, anemia is the most prevalent hematologic disorder in the ICU. The prevalence of anemia among critically ill patients admitted to the ICU ranges from 60 to 66%. Approximately 60% of critically ill patients are anemic at admission, and an additional 40–50% develop anemia during their ICU stay. The condition is particularly common among older patients. Low hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations are associated with prolonged ICU and hospital stays , as well as increased mortality rates. Therefore, anemia is consequently a significant public health issue from the medical and economic perspectives. Aim: To compare outcomes between anemic and non- anemic critically ill elderly patients admitted to the Geriatric ICU at Ahmed Shawky geriatric Hospital, Ain Shams University hospitals.
Subjects and methods: A Prospective cohort study was conducted on two hundred sixteen elderly patients of both sexes aged 60 years old or older. It was carried out in the geriatric ICU at Ahmed Shawky geriatric Hospital, Ain Shams University Hospitals. Data collection included participants demographics, medical history, full labs assessment and anemia evaluation based on hemoglobin level, Severity of illness was assessed by validated scoring systems, including the Sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA score) on the first day of admission, as well as Acute physiology and chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II, APACHE IV). Additionally, the Mortality Probability Model Score (MPM0-III) was applied at first day of admission, 48hours and 72 hours following ICU admission. Anemia management strategies were documented, including the use of blood transfusions, iron therapy and other supportive treatments. Clinical outcomes assessed included ICU length of stay, Site of discharge, in- hospital Mortality and the incidence of Hospital acquired infections.
Results: On admission 172(79.6%) of studied subjects were anemic, (90)41.7% had mild anemia, 56(25.9%) had moderate anemia and 26(12%) had severe anemia. Anemic patients showed significantly higher SOFA, MPM 24hrs, MPM 48hrs, MPM 72hrs, APACHE4, SAPSIII, extended hospital stays, and increased rates of hospital acquired infections(P<0.05). Predicators of mortality included the severity of anemia, the need for mechanical ventilation, and thrombocytopenia (P<0.001). However, anemia on admission to ICU was not a direct predictor of in- hospital mortality. Regarding management of anemia: seventy three (33.9%) of the anemic subjects received blood transfusion. Fourteen (6.5%) received either enteral or parental iron therapy, 20(9.3%) of studied subjects were given erythropoietin, 3(1.4%) of them were given vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Conclusion: On admission, 79.6% of critically ill elderly patients had anemia. The presence of anemia in this population was associated with prolonged ICU stays, increased in-hospital mortality and a higher risk of hospital acquired infections.

Keywords: , , , ,
Full text: PDF