Intra-Abdominal Hypertension is a Risk Factor for Increased VAP Incidence: A Prospective Cohort Study in the ICU of a Tertiary Hospital

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) might be increased in cases with intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH). However, despite animal experimentation and physiological studies on humans in favor of this hypothesis, there is no definitive clinical data that IAH is associated with VAP. We therefore aimed to study whether IAH is a risk factor for increased incidence of VAP in critical care patients. This 1-center prospective observational cohort study was conducted in the intensive care unit of the University Hospital of Larissa, Greece, during 2013 to 2015. Consecutive patients were recruited if they presented risk factors for IAH at admission and were evaluated systematically for IAH and VAP for a 28-day period. Results: Forty-five (36.6%) of 123 patients presented IAH and 45 (36.6%) presented VAP; 24 patients presented VAP following IAH. Cox regression analysis showed that VAP was independently associated with IAH (1.06 [1.01-1.11]; P =.053), while there was an indication for an independent association between VAP and abdominal surgery (1.62 [0.87-3.03]; P =.11] and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1.79 [0.96-3.37]; P =.06). Conclusions: Intra-abdominal hypertension is an independent risk factor for increased VAP incidence in critically ill patients who present risk factors for IAH at admission to the ICU. © The Author(s) 2018

A chronic alcoholic man with high fever, neck rigidity and loss of consciousness: Remember the Austrian syndrome a commonly unrecognised invasive pneumococcus triad

Austrian syndrome is a rare medical condition characterised by the triad of pneumonia, meningitis and endocarditis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Native aortic valve insufficiency is the most common cause of cardiac failure in these patients, requiring valve replacement. We report a 52-year-old chronic alcoholic man who presented with fever, neck rigidity and loss of consciousness. Lumbar puncture revealed central nervous system infection while chest X-ray showed pneumonia. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures revealed S. pneumonia. Transoesophageal echocardiography revealed aortic endocarditis with severe valve insufficiency. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement and was finally discharged after completion of 6 weeks intravenous antibiotic treatment. Nowadays, Austrian syndrome is seen infrequently in the antibiotic era. However, clinicians should be aware of this syndrome as its early recognition and prompt combined medical and surgical treatment could reduce morbidity and mortality due to this potentially catastrophic clinical entity. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted

Risk Factors for the First Episode of Klebsiella pneumoniae Resistant to Carbapenems Infection in Critically Ill Patients: A Prospective Study

Objective. To identify risk factors for the first episode of Klebsiella Pneumonia resistant to carbapenems (KPRC) infection in critically ill patients. Design, Setting, and Methods. This prospective cohort study was conducted in a 12-bed general Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in a University Hospital on ICU patients who required mechanical ventilation (MV) for >48 hours during a 12-month period. Clinical and microbiologic data were studied. Characteristics of KPRC patients were compared with those of critically ill patients who presented nonmultidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections or no documented infection at all. Results. Twenty-five patients presented KPRC infection, 18 presented non-MDR bacterial infection, and 39 patients presented no infection. Compared to patients without documented infection or infected by non MDR bacteria, patients with KPRC infection had received more frequently or for longer duration antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria (carbapenems, colistin P < 0.05). Duration of colistin administration prior to KPRC isolation was independently associated with increased frequency of KPRC infection (odds ratio, 1.156 per day; 95% confidence interval, 1.010 to 1.312; P = 0.025). KPRC patients stayed longer in the ICU and received mechanical ventilation and sedation for longer periods and presented increased mortality (P < 0.05). Conclusion. KPRC infection is an emerging problem which might be more common in patients with previous use of antibiotics and especially colistin

Intra-Abdominal Hypertension Causes Bacterial Growth in Lungs: An Animal Study

To study the effect of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) on the frequency of pneumonia with an experimental study, thirteen Sprague-Dawley rats were included. Eight out of thirteen animals were randomly assigned to receive 10 ml of benzalkonium chloride 0.2% (megacolon group) and five animals received 10 ml NaCl 0.9% (controls). Animals were anaesthetized by intramuscular delivery of ketamine. The incidence of positivity for bacteria lung tissue cultures and mesenteric lymph node cultures was assessed at the 21st day after animals' sacrification, or before in case of death. All megacolon group animals presented progressive increase of the abdomen and increased IAP (≥10 mmHg) whereas the frequency of their evacuations was almost eliminated. Controls presented normal evacuations, no sign of abdominal distention, and normal IAP. In megacolon group animals, there was evidence of significant amount of bacteria in lung cultures. In contrast, no bacteria were found in control animals. © 2017 Eleni Papakrivou et al

Α 57-Year-Old Woman With ARDS, Cachexia, and a 2-Month Fever

Case Presentation: A 57-year-old homemaker and rural inhabitant of Central Greece (ex-smoker, 25 pack-years), was admitted to the ICU because of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure with diffuse bilateral alveolar infiltrates. Her medical history was unremarkable. She had been looking after her mother in a farmhouse with goats and a dog for the previous 6 months. She had not ingested any unpasteurized dairy products. She complained of fever and weight loss (8 kg) over the previous 2 months. She developed a nonproductive cough during the past 5 days and was referred to the hospital. © 2019 American College of Chest Physician

Effect of pravastatin on the frequency of ventilator-associated pneumonia and on intensive care unit mortality: Open-label, randomized study

Objective: To investigate whether the use of pravastatin reduces the frequency of ventilator-associated pneumonia and whether it is related to favorable outcomes in critical care patients. Design: Two-center, two-arm, randomized, open-label, controlled trial. Setting: University Hospital and General Hospital of Larissa, Greece. Patients: Consecutive patients were recruited from the intensive care units of the two hospitals. Patient inclusion criteria included mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay of > 48 hrs. Interventions: The two arms consisted of treatment plus oral pravastatin sodium (40 mg) (n = 71 patients, pravastatin group) and treatment without pravastatin (n = 81 patients, control group). Treatment was started after randomization and ended 30 days later. Measurements and Main Results: Ventilator-associated pneumonia frequency and intensive care unit mortality at 30 days and at the end of intensive care unit stay were measured. Adverse events related to statin treatment in the intensive care unit were documented. Sixteen patients (22.5%) in the pravastatin group and 28 (34.5%) in the control group (p = .11) presented pneumonia during the 30-day treatment period in the intensive care unit. There was an indication for increased probability of being free from ventilator-associated pneumonia during the 30-day treatment period in the pravastatin group compared to the control group (p = .06) and significantly increased probability during the whole intensive care unit period of stay (p = .04) in the pravastatin group compared to the control group in the subgroup of patients with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation scores of >= 15. Six patients (8.45%) in the pravastatin group and 16 (19.85%) in the control group died during the 30-day treatment period (p = .06), whereas 10 (14.1%) patients in the pravastatin group and 24 (29.1%) patients in the control group died during the whole period of intensive care unit stay (p = .03). Pravastatin group patients with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation scores of >= 15 had significantly increased probability of survival compared to controls during the 30-day treatment period (p = .04). Creatine kinase and hepatic function enzyme levels during the whole study period were not significantly different between the pravastatin group and control group. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that pravastatin may favorably affect the outcome of critical care patients. (Crit Care Med 2011; 39: 2440-2446

Intraventricular CNS treatment with Colistin-Tigecycline combination: A case series

“Healthcare-associated ventriculitis and meningitis” is a potentially devastating illness following neurosurgical procedures. Multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) organisms such as Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae have increasingly been isolated in ventriculitis and meningitis episodes. The treatment of these infections can be challenging, as the antimicrobial options are restricted. Regarding Central Nervous System (CNS) infections the transfer of the antibiotics to the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) is often low which results in decreased drug levels at the infection site. The intraventricular (IVT) administration of antibiotics can be used as an adjunct to the intravenous (IV) treatment of Gram-negative MDR ventriculitis and meningitis, yet pertinent data is scarce. We present the successful management of three cases of healthcare-associated ventriculitis and meningitis due to XDR species with the combined intraventricular administration of colistin and off-label tigecycline, after the initial regimen of colistin given alone through both IVT and IV routes had failed. © 2018 Elsevier Inc

Effect of transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation on myopathy in intensive care patients

Background Critical illness polyneuropathy or myopathy is a severe disorder that may adversely affect patients in the intensive care unit, resulting in reduced mobilization, decline in muscle mass, and prolonged recovery periods. Objective To examine whether the application of transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation (TENMS) reduces the incidence or severity of myopathy related to critical illness in intensive care unit patients. Methods A total of 80 patients aged 18 years or older with an intensive care unit stay of 96 hours or more and receipt of mechanical ventilation for 96 hours or more were initially enrolled in a prospective, open-label randomized controlled trial in a university hospital. Patients received either conventional physical therapy alone (control group) or conventional physical therapy plus TENMS (TENMS group) for 10 days. Myopathy was assessed histologically (by needle biopsy of the quadriceps muscles) on the 4th and 14th days of the intensive care unit stay. Results Of the 68 patients who completed the study, 27 (40%) had myopathy on the 14th day: 11 patients in the TENMS group (9 mild, 1 moderate, and 1 severe) and 16 patients in the control group (13 mild, 2 moderate, and 1 severe). Patients who progressed from mild to moderate or severe myopathy between the 4th and 14th days had significantly lower body mass index (P = .001) and longer time periods with inadequate nutrition (P = .049) compared with the other patients. Mean (SD) Rankin scale scores at 6 months were 3.2 (1.8) and 3.8 (2.1) in the TENMS and control groups, respectively (P = .09). Conclusion TENMS had no significant impact on myopathy in the critically ill patients in this study. © 2018 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses

Acinetobacter baumannii Infection in Prior ICU Bed Occupants Is an Independent Risk Factor for Subsequent Cases of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Objective. We aimed to evaluate risk factors for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) due to Acinetobacter baumannii (AbVAP) in critically ill patients. Methods. This was a prospective observational study conducted in an intensive care unit (ICU) of a district hospital (6 beds). Consecutive patients were eligible for enrolment if they required mechanical ventilation for > 48 hours and hospitalization for > 72 hours. Clinical, microbiological, and laboratory parameters were assessed as risk factors for AbVAP by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results. 193 patients were included in the study. Overall, VAP incidence was 23.8% and AbVAP, 11.4%. Previous hospitalization of another patient with Acinetobacter baumannii infection was the only independent risk factor for AbVAP (OR (95% CI) 12.016 (2.282-19.521) P < 0.001). ICU stay (25 +/- 17 versus 12 +/- 9 P < 0.001), the incidence of other infections (OR (95% CI) 9.485 (1.640-10.466) P = 0.002) (urinary tract infection, catheter related infection, and bacteremia), or sepsis (OR (95% CI) 10.400 (3.749-10.466) P < 0.001) were significantly increased in patients with AbVAP compared to patients without VAP; no difference was found with respect to ICU mortality. Conclusion. ICU admission or the hospitalization of patients infected by Acinetobacter baumannii increases the risk of AbVAP by subsequent patients