Category Archives: Original Research

Understanding the Correlation between Blood Profile and the Duration of Hospitalization in Pediatric Bronchopneumonia Patients: A Cross-Sectional Original Article

Dessika Listiarini1, Dev Desai2, Yanuar Wahyu Hidayat1, Kevin Alvaro Handoko3

1 Dr. Soeselo General Hospital, Slawi, Central Java, Indonesia
2 Smt. NHL Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
3 Bhakti Rahayu Tabanan Hospital, Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0031

Introduction: Pediatric bronchopneumonia is a prevalent life-threatening disease, particularly in developing countries. Affordable and accessible blood biomarkers are needed to predict disease severity which can be based on the Duration of Hospitalization (DOH).
Aim of the Study: To assess the significance and correlation between differential blood profiles, especially the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), and the DOH in bronchopneumonia children.
Material and Methods: A record-based study was conducted at a secondary care hospital in Indonesia. After due ethical permission, following inclusion and exclusion criteria, 284 children with confirmed diagnoses of bronchopneumonia were included in the study. Blood cell counts and ratios were assessed with the DOH as the main criterion of severity. Mann-Whitney test and correlation coefficient were used to draw an analysis.
Results: Study samples were grouped into DOH of ≤ 4 days and > 4 days, focusing on NLR values, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and leukocytes. The NLR median was higher (3.98) in patients hospitalized over 4 days (P<0.0001). Lymphocyte medians were significantly higher in the opposite group (P<0.0001). Thrombocyte medians were similar in both groups (P=0.44481). The overall NLR and DOH were weakly positively correlated, with a moderate positive correlation in total neutrophils and DOH, and a moderate negative correlation in total lymphocytes and DOH. The correlation between the DOH ≤ 4 days group with each biomarker was stronger, except for leukocyte and thrombocyte. Analysis of the longer DOH group did not yield enough correlation across all blood counts.
Conclusions: Admission levels of leukocyte count, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and NLR significantly correlate with the DOH, with NLR predicting severity and positively correlated with the DOH.

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Rate of Sodium Correction and Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome in Severe Hyponatremia: A Meta-Analysis

Xin Ya See1, Yu-Cheng Chang2, Chun-Yu Peng2, Shih-Syuan Wang3, Kuan-Yu Chi4, Cho-Hung Chiang5, Cho-Han Chiang6

1 Unity Hospital, Rochester Regional Health, Rochester, NY, USA
2 Danbury Hospital, Danbury, CT, USA
3 SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
4 Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
5 National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
6 Mount Auburn Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0030

Introduction: Current guidelines recommend limiting the rate of correction in patients with severe hyponatremia to avoid severe neurologic complications such as osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS). However, published data have been conflicting. We aimed to evaluate the association between rapid sodium correction and ODS in patients with severe hyponatremia.
Materials and methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to November 2023. The primary outcome was ODS and the secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and length of hospital stay.
Results: We identified 7 cohort studies involving 6,032 adult patients with severe hyponatremia. Twenty-nine patients developed ODS, resulting in an incidence rate of 0.48%. Seventeen patients (61%) had a rapid correction of serum sodium in the first or any 24-hour period of admission. Compared with a limited rate of sodium correction, a rapid rate of sodium correction was associated with an increased risk of ODS (RR, 3.91 [95% CI, 1.17 to 13.04]; I2 = 44.47%; p = 0.03). However, a rapid rate of sodium correction reduced the risk of in-hospital mortality by approximately 50% (RR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.39 to 0.66]; I2 = 0.11%; p < 0.001) and the length of stay by 1.3 days (Mean difference, -1.32 [95% CI, -2.54 to -0.10]; I2 = 71.47%; p = 0.03).
Conclusions: Rapid correction of serum sodium may increase the risk of ODS among patients hospitalized with severe hyponatremia. However, ODS may occur in patients regardless of the rate of serum sodium correction.

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A Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Haloperidol and Dexmedetomidine on QTc Interval Prolongation during Delirium Treatment in Intensive Care Units

Ali Haspolat1, Fuat Polat2, Ali Şefik Köprülü3

1 Kolan International Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey
2 Dr Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
3 Yeni Yuzyil University, İstanbul, Turkey

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0027

Background: Haloperidol and dexmedetomidine are used to treat delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU). The effects of these drugs on the corrected QT (QTc) interval have not been compared before. It was aimed to compare the effects of haloperidol and dexmedetomidine treatment on QTc intervals in patients who developed delirium during ICU follow-up.
Method: The study is single-center, randomized, and prospective. Half of the patients diagnosed with delirium in the ICU were treated with haloperidol and the other half with dexmedetomidine. The QTc interval was measured in the treatment groups before and after drug treatment. The study’s primary endpoints were maximal QT and QTc interval changes after drug administration.
Results: 90 patients were included in the study, the mean age was 75.2±12.9 years, and half were women. The mean time to delirium was 142+173.8 hours, and 53.3% of the patients died during their ICU follow-up. The most common reason for hospitalization in the ICU was sepsis (%37.8.). There was no significant change in QT and QTc interval after dexmedetomidine treatment (QT: 360.5±81.7, 352.0±67.0, p= 0.491; QTc: 409.4±63.1, 409.8±49.7, p=0.974). There was a significant increase in both QT and QTc interval after haloperidol treatment (QT: 363.2±51.1, 384.6±59.2, p=0.028; QTc: 409.4±50.9, 427.3±45.9, p=0.020).
Conclusions: Based on the results obtained from the study, it can be concluded that the administration of haloperidol was associated with a significant increase in QT and QTc interval. In contrast, the administration of dexmedetomidine did not cause a significant change in QT and QTc interval.

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Development of a Machine Learning-Based Model for Predicting the Incidence of Peripheral Intravenous Catheter-Associated Phlebitis

Hideto Yasuda1,2,3,4, Claire M. Rickard3, 4, 5, Olivier Mimoz6,7,8, Nicole Marsh3,4,5, Jessica A Schults3,4,5, Bertrand Drugeon6,7, Masahiro Kashiura1, Yuki Kishihara1, Yutaro Shinzato1, Midori Koike1, Takashi Moriya1, Yuki Kotani9, Natsuki Kondo10, Kosuke Sekine11, Nobuaki Shime12, Keita Morikane13, Takayuki Abe14,15

1 Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Jichi Medical University Saimata Medical Center, Saitama, Japan
2 Department of Clinical Research Education and Training Unit, Keio University Hospital Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTR), Tokyo, Japan
3 School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
4 School of Nursing and Midwifery; Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
5 Herston Infectious Diseases Institute; Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Metro North Health, Herston, QLD, Australia
6 CHU de Poitiers, Emergency Department and prehospital care, Poitiers, France
7 University of Poitiers, INSERM U1070, Pharmacology of antimicrobial agents and antibiotics resistance (PHAR2), Poitiers, France
8 University of Poitiers, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Poitiers, France
9 Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Kameda Medical Center, Chiba, Japan
10 Department of Emergency Medicine, Koga Community Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan
11 Department of Medical Engineer, Kameda Medical Center, Chiba, Japan
12 Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
13 Division of Clinical Laboratory and Infection Control, Yamagata University Hospital, Yamagata, Japan
14 Biostatistics, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
15 School of Data Science, Kyoto Women’s University, Kyoto, Japan

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0028

Introduction: Early and accurate identification of high-risk patients with peripheral intravascular catheter (PIVC)-related phlebitis is vital to prevent medical device-related complications.
Aim of the study: This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning-based model for predicting the incidence of PIVC-related phlebitis in critically ill patients.
Materials and methods: Four machine learning models were created using data from patients ≥ 18 years with a newly inserted PIVC during intensive care unit admission. Models were developed and validated using a 7:3 split. Random survival forest (RSF) was used to create predictive models for time-to-event outcomes. Logistic regression with least absolute reduction and selection operator (LASSO), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting decision tree were used to develop predictive models that treat outcome as a binary variable. Cox proportional hazards (COX) and logistic regression (LR) were used as comparators for time-to-event and binary outcomes, respectively.
Results: The final cohort had 3429 PIVCs, which were divided into the development cohort (2400 PIVCs) and validation cohort (1029 PIVCs). The c-statistic (95% confidence interval) of the models in the validation cohort for discrimination were as follows: RSF, 0.689 (0.627–0.750); LASSO, 0.664 (0.610–0.717); RF, 0.699 (0.645–0.753); gradient boosting tree, 0.699 (0.647–0.750); COX, 0.516 (0.454–0.578); and LR, 0.633 (0.575–0.691). No significant difference was observed among the c-statistic of the four models for binary outcome. However, RSF had a higher c-statistic than COX. The important predictive factors in RSF included inserted site, catheter material, age, and nicardipine, whereas those in RF included catheter dwell duration, nicardipine, and age.
Conclusions: The RSF model for the survival time analysis of phlebitis occurrence showed relatively high prediction performance compared with the COX model. No significant differences in prediction performance were observed among the models with phlebitis occurrence as the binary outcome.

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Evaluation of the Efficiency of the Newly Developed Needle in Emergency Room: A Single-Center Observational Study

Yuki Kishihara, Hideto Yasuda, Masahiro Kashiura, Takatoshi Oishi, Yutaro Shinzato, Takashi Moriya

Jichi Ika University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama-shi, Saitama Japan

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0025

Aim of the study: Peripheral intravascular catheter (PIVC) insertion is frequently performed in the emergency room (ER) and many failures of initial PIVC insertion occur. To reduce the failures, new needles were developed. This study aimed to investigate whether the use of the newly developed needle reduced the failure of initial PIVC insertion in the ER compared with the use of the existing needle.
Material and methods: This single-centre, prospective observational study was conducted in Japan between April 1, 2022, and February 2, 2023. We included consecutive patients who visited our hospital by ambulance as a secondary emergency on a weekday during the day shift (from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM). The practitioners for PIVC insertion and assessors were independent. The primary and secondary outcomes were the failure of initial PIVC insertion and number of procedures, respectively. We defined the difficulty of titrating, leakage, and hematoma within 30 s after insertion as failures. To evaluate the association between the outcomes and the use of newly developed needles, we performed multivariate logistic regression and multiple regression analyses by adjusting for covariates.
Results: In total, 522 patients without missing data were analysed, and 81 (15.5%) patients showed failure of initial PIVC insertion. The median number of procedures (interquartile range) was 1 (1–1). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no significant association between the use of newly developed PIVCs and the failure of initial PIVC insertion (odds ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, [0.48–1.31]; p = 0.36). Moreover, multiple regression analysis revealed no significant association between the use of newly developed PIVCs and the number of procedures (regression coefficient, -0.0042; 95% confidence interval, [-0.065–0.056]; p = 0.89).
Conclusions: Our study did not show a difference between the two types of needles with respect to the failure of initial PIVC insertion and the number of procedures.

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Clinical Profile and Course of Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome due to Covid-19 in a Middle-Income Region in Mexico

José Antonio Villalobos-Silva, Gladis Lucia Acros-López, Gracia Lizbeth Velázquez-Estrada, Camilo José Muñoz-Chavez, German Antonio Aguirre-Gómez, Obed Isaí Aguilera-Olvera, Alfredo Sánchez-González

Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de Ciudad Victoria, Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0022

Introduction: COVID-19 leads to severe clinical complications that culminate in respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Despite reports of some comorbidities that contribute to the development of COVID-19-mediated ARDS, there is great variation in mortality rates among critical COVID-19 patients in the world. To date, no studies have described the incidence and comorbidities associated with ARDS due to COVID-19 in the northeastern region of Mexico.
Aim of the study: To describe patients diagnosed with ARDS due to COVID-19 in the northeastern region of Mexico, as well as its variations in comparison with other regions of the country.
Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective and observational study in a tertiary care center in Northeastern Mexico. All patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection and requiring management in the intensive care unit were included. We developed a database that was updated daily with the patients´ demographic information, pre-existing diseases, disease severity, and clinical variables.
Results: The incidence of ARDS secondary to COVID-19 in HRAEV was high in comparison with other reports. Diabetes mellitus was the risk factor most associated with COVID-19-mediated ARDS.
Conclusion: Based on our findings and those previously reported in the literature, there are differences that we discuss between northeastern and central Mexico, and analyze other areas evaluated around the world.

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A Randomised Control Study Comparing Ultrasonography with Standard Clinical Methods in Assessing Endotracheal Tube Tip Positioning

Jayalekshmi Sreedevi1, George Neethu2, George Anjali2, Paul Cherish2

1 Travancore Medical College, Kollam, Kerala, India
2 Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur, Kerala, India

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0019

Introduction: Airway ultrasound has been increasingly used in correct positioning of endotracheal tube. We hypothesize that a safe distance between endotracheal tube tip and carina can be achieved with the aid of ultrasound.
Aim of the study: Our primary objective was to determine whether ultrasound guided visualisation of proximal end of endotracheal tube cuff is better when compared to conventional method in optimal positioning of tube tip. The secondary objective was to find the optimal endotracheal tube position at the level of incisors in adult Indian population.
Materials and Methods: There were 25 patients each in the conventional group and the ultrasound group. Conventional method includes auscultation and end tidal capnography. In the ultrasound group the upper end of the endotracheal tube cuff was positioned with an intent to provide 4 cm distance from the tube tip to the carina. X ray was used in both groups for confirmation of tip position and comparison between the two groups. Further repositioning of the tube was done if indicated and the mean length of the tube at incisors was then measured.
Results: After x ray confirmation, endotracheal tube repositioning was required in 24% of patients in the USG group and 40 % of patients in the conventional group. However, this result was not found to be statistically significant (p = 0.364). The endotracheal tube length at the level of teeth was 19.4 ± 1.35 cm among females and 20.95 ± 1.37 cm among males. 
Conclusions: Ultrasonography is a reliable method to determine ETT position in the trachea. There was no statistically significant difference when compared to the conventional method. The average length of ETT at the level of incisors was 19.5 cm for females and 21 cm for males.

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Ventilator-Associated Events Cost in ICU Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Multi-State Model

Alkmena Kafazi1, Eleni Apostolopoulou1, Vasiliki Benetou2, Georgia Kourlaba3, Christos Stylianou4, Ioanna D Pavlopoulou1

1 Faculty of Nursing, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
2 Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
3 Department of Nursing, University of Peloponnese, Tripoli, Greece
4 The 417 Army Equity Fund Hospital, Athens, Greece

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0016

Introduction: Cost analysis is complicated by the fact that patients acquire infections during their hospital stay, having already spent time at risk without having an infection. Multi-state models (MSM) accounts for this time at risk treating infections as time-dependent exposures from ICU admission.
Aim of the study: To estimate ventilator-associated events (VAEs) direct additional cost in ICU patients.
Material and Methods: This was a prospective, observational study carried out for a two-year period in four medical-surgical ICUs of Athens, Greece. The sample consisted of adult patients who received mechanical ventilation for ≥4 days and were followed until discharge from the ICU or until death. CDC standard definitions were used to diagnose VAEs. To estimate VAEs additional length of stay (LOS), we used a four-state model that accounted for the time of VAEs. The direct hospital cost was calculated, consisting of the fixed and variable cost. The direct additional cost per VAEs episode was calculated by multiplying VAEs extra LOS by cost per day of ICU hospitalization.
Results: In the final analysis were included 378 patients with 9,369 patient-days. The majority of patients were male (58.7%) with a median age of 60 years. Of 378 patients 143 (37.8%) developed 143 episodes of VAEs. VAEs crude additional LOS was 17 days, while VAE mean additional LOS after applying MSM was 6.55±1.78 days. The direct cost per day of ICU hospitalization was € 492.80. The direct additional cost per VAEs episode was € 3,227.84, € 885.56 the fixed and € 2,342.28 the variable cost. Antibiotic cost was € 1,570.95 per VAEs episode. The total direct additional cost for the two-year period was € 461,581.12.
Conclusions: These results confirm the importance of estimating VAEs real cost using micro-costing for analytical cost allocation, and MSM to avoid additional LOS and cost overestimation.

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The Utility of Serial Lipid Measurements as a Potential Predictor of Sepsis Outcome: A Prospective Observational Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Afrah Abdul Malick1, Jeyakumar Manavalan2, Viveka Murugiah1, Manikandan Bose1, Hariharan Alexander1, Suganthy Kanakasekaran1

1 Velammal Medical College Hospitals and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
2 Sri Manakula Vinayagar medical college and Hospital, Puducherry, India

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0015

Background and aim: Sepsis is the major cause of morbidity and mortality for patients admitted to an intensive care unit worldwide. Currently, Procalcitonin (PCT) is a widely used prognostic marker for sepsis. The high cost of estimating Procalcitonin limits its utility in all health facilities. Lipid Profile, being a frequently done routine investigation, is studied in sepsis patients to predict the prognosis of sepsis. This study was aimed to assess the association between lipid profile parameters, procalcitonin and clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis.
Materials and methods: It is a prospective observational study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in the Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We included 80 sepsis patients from medical and surgical ICUs. Among them, 59 (74%) survived and 21 (26%) expired. Serum lipid profile, procalcitonin and variables required for APACHE II score are measured at two intervals, one during admission and on day 5. All the parameters were compared between the survivors and the non-survivors.
Results: Serum PCT levels were reduced on Day 5 [3.32 (1.27-11.86)] compared to Day 0 [13.42 (5.77-33.18)] in survivors. In survivors, Total Cholesterol, LDL-C and Non-HDL-C were significantly elevated on Day 5 compared to Day 0. In non-survivors, HDL-C significantly decreased on Day 5. Between survivors and non-survivors, HDL-C significantly decreased on Day 5 (23.88 ± 10.19 vs 16.67 ± 8.27 mg/dl). A Negative correlation was observed between HDL-C & PCT.
Conclusion: Serum Lipid profile levels, namely Total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C, have possible associations with the severity of sepsis. HDL-C have a negative association with the clinical scoring system in sepsis patients. Overall, the findings from our study suggest that lipid profile parameters have possible implications in predicting the outcome of patients with sepsis.

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Weekend Effect and Mortality Outcomes in Aortic Dissection: A Prospective Analysis

Cosmin Marian Banceu1, Marius Harpa2, Klara Brinzaniuc2, Nicolae Neagu2, Dan Alexandru Szabo2, Diana Mariana Banceu3, Hussam Al Hussein2, Daiana Cristutiu3, Alexandra Puscas2, Alexandru Stan2, Marvin Oprean4, Adrian Popentiu5, Marius Neamtu Halic6, Horatiu Suciu2

1 Doctoral School, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania
2 George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures, Romania.
3 Emergency Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases and Transplantation Targu Mures, Romania; Targu Mures Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases and Heart Transplantation, Targu Mures, Romania
4 Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
5 Faculty of Medicine, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Sibiu, Romania
6 Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland; Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology – Eawag, Switzerland

DOI: 10.2478/jccm-2024-0014

Background: Aortic dissection (AD) is a critical heart condition with potentially severe outcomes. Our study aimed to investigate the existence of a “weekend effect” in AD by examining the correlation between patient outcomes and whether their treatment occurred on weekdays versus weekends.
Methods: Specifically, we prospectively analysed the effect of weekday and weekend treatment on acute AD patient outcomes, both before surgical intervention and during hospitalization, for 124 patients treated from 2019–2021, as well as during 6 months of follow-up.
Results: The mean age of the study population was 62.5 years, and patient age exhibited a high degree of variability. We recorded a mortality rate before surgery of 8.65% for the weekend group and 15% for the weekday group, but this difference was not statistically significant. During hospitalization, mortality was 50% in the weekend group and 25% in the weekday group, but this difference was not statistically significant. Discharge mortality was 9.61% in the weekend group and 5% in the weekday group.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there was no significant difference in mortality rates between patients admitted to the hospital on weekends versus weekdays. Therefore, the period of the week when a patient presents to the hospital with AD appears not to affect their mortality.

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