Suporte nutricional em pacientes hospitalizados : revisão sistemática com meta-análise de diferentes regimes de insulina para tratamento da hiperglicemia e fatores prognósticos em pacientes críticos de baixo peso

A terapia nutricional tem um importante papel no cuidado do paciente hospitalizado, reduzindo o consumo muscular e mantendo o estado nutricional do paciente. Em paciente previamente desnutridos, é possível que um suporte nutricional especializado seja ainda mais benéfico. Pacientes hospitalizados apresentam-se frequentemente com alteração glicêmica, seja por resposta ao estresse ou efeitos adversos de medicamentos e do suporte nutricional. A hiperglicemia, especialmente em pacientes sem diabetes, está associada a piores desfechos. A insulina faz parte do controle glicêmico de pacientes hospitalizados. Contudo, o melhor regime para administra-la ainda não está definido. Dessa forma, o primeiro estudo dessa tese consiste em uma revisão sistemática de pacientes hospitalizados que recebem suporte nutricional para definir qual o melhor regime de insulina para tratar hiperglicemia desses pacientes. Essa revisão incluiu um total de 17 estudos e 3260 pacientes. Contudo, não foi possível determinar qual o esquema de insulina para controle glicêmico de pacientes hospitalizados sob suporte nutricional. O segundo estudo dessa tese consiste em uma coorte que avaliou o suporte nutricional em 342 pacientes críticos desnutridos (índice massa corporal < 20 kg/cm2). O estudo não mostrou associação entre mortalidade intra-hospitalar e suporte nutricional na primeira semana de internação na unidade de terapia intensiva

Nutritional therapy and outcomes in underweight critically ill patients

Background & aims: Critically ill patients with body mass index (BMI) < 20 kg/m2 have worse outcomes than normal/overweight patients possibly because underweight is a marker of malnutrition. To assess the effects of nutrition therapy in this population during the first week of an ICU stay. Methods: Prospective, 2-centre, observational study. Nutritional evaluations were performed between days 2 and 3 (first) and between days 5 and 7 (second) of ICU admission. In the first evaluation, patients were divided into non-fed (without nutritional support) and early-fed (those already receiving nutritional support) groups. In the second evaluation, patients were divided according to caloric intake (≥or<20 kcal/kg) and protein intake (≥or<1.3 g of protein/kg). Results: Of the 4236 patients screened and 342 were included in the cohort. Mortality was 58.5% (median 21 [11–38.25] days of follow-up). Unadjusted patient survival was worse in the non-fed group than in the early-fed group (HR 1.66; 95%CI, 1.18 to 2.32). There was no difference in mortality between groups after adjusting for the SOFA score on the day of the evaluation. At the second evaluation, unadjusted analysis showed better in-hospital survival in patients with higher caloric (HR0.58; 95%CI, 0.40 to 0.86) and protein intake (HR0.59; 95%CI, 0.42 to 0.82); there was no association between mortality and caloric or protein intake after adjusting for the SOFA score on the day of the evaluation. Conclusion: Nutritional therapy in the first week of ICU stay did not affect vital outcome after adjusting for the SOFA score on the day of the evaluation in underweight critically ill patients

Is red blood cell distribution width a marker of severity in patients discharged from the ICU?

We have read the study about the association between high red blood cell distribution width and higher ward mortality after intensive care unit discharge. The study increases the evidence that RDW may be a marker of severity for patients discharged from the ICU. However, in this letter, we comment on issues that need further discussion

Caloric adequacy in the first week of mechanically ventilated patients has no impact on long-term daily life activities

Aim and objective: The aim and objective of this study is to test the effect of an optimized caloric supply in the first week of intensive care unit (ICU) stay in mechanically ventilated patients on the ability to perform their activities of daily living (ADL) in the long-term. Materials and methods: A prospective observational study comparing patients who achieved an adequate caloric target (≥80%) vs those whose target was inadequate (<80%). The primary outcome under study is the instrumental ADL (IADL) scale after 6 months of discharge. Results: Ninety-two patients were evaluated in the ICU and 50 were alive at 6 months. Follow-up was lost for 3 patients and 47 patients were evaluated at ICU and after 6 months. Thirty-four patients reached the energetic target and 13 did not reach it. There was no significant variation in IADL. Conclusion: The energy adequacy in the first week of hospitalization was achieved by most survivors; however, this conduct does not seem to have influenced the ability to perform ADL after 6 months of discharge

Secreção de aldosterona em pacientes com choque séptico : estudo prospectivo

Objective: To assess serum levels of the main factors that regulate the activation of the zona glomerulosa and aldosterone production in patients with septic shock, as well as their response to a high-dose (250 μg) adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test. Subjects and methods: In 27 patients with septic shock, baseline levels of aldosterone, cortisol, ACTH, renin, sodium, potassium, and lactate were measured, followed by a cortrosyn test. Results: Renin correlated with baseline aldosterone and its variation after cortrosyn stimulation. Baseline cortisol and its variation did not correlate with ACTH. Only three patients had concomitant dysfunction of aldosterone and cortisol secretion. Conclusions: Activation of the zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata are independent. Aldosterone secretion is dependent on the integrity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, whereas cortisol secretion does not appear to depend predominantly on the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis. These results suggest that activation of the adrenal gland in critically ill patients occurs by multiple mechanisms.Objetivo: Avaliar os níveis séricos dos principais fatores que regulam a ativação da zona glomerulosa e a produção de aldosterona em pacientes com choque séptico, assim como sua resposta ao teste de cortrosina em alta dose (250 μg). Sujeitos e métodos: Em 27 portadores de choque séptico, foram aferidos níveis basais de aldosterona, cortisol, ACTH, renina, sódio, potássio e lactato, bem como realizado teste de cortrosina. Resultados: Renina se correlacionou com níveis basais de aldosterona e sua variação após teste de cortrosina. Cortisol basal e sua variação não se correlacionaram com ACTH. Apenas três pacientes apresentaram disfunção concomitante da secreção de aldosterona e cortisol. Conclusões: Ativação das zonas fasciculada e glomerulosa são independentes. Secreção de aldosterona é dependente da integridade do sistema renina-angiotensina-aldosterona, enquanto secreção de cortisol não parece predominantemente dependente do eixo hipotálamo-hipófise-adrenal. Esses resultados sugerem que a ativação da adrenal em pacientes críticos ocorre por múltiplos mecanismos

Association of multiple glycemic parameters at intensive care unit admission with mortality and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of multiple glycemic parameters at intensive care unit (ICU) admission with outcomes in critically ill patients. Critically ill adults admitted to ICU were included prospectively in the study and followed for 180 days until hospital discharge or death. Patients were assessed for glycemic gap, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, glycemic variability, and stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR). A total of 542 patients were enrolled (30% with preexisting diabetes). Patients with glycemic gap >80 mg/dL had increased need for renal replacement therapy (RRT; 37.7% vs. 23.7%, p = 0.025) and shock incidence (54.7% vs. 37.4%, p = 0.014). Hypoglycemia was associated with increased mortality (54.8% vs. 35.8%, p = 0.004), need for RRT (45.1% vs. 22.3%, p 40 mg/dL was associated with increased need for RRT (28.3% vs. 14.4%, p = 0.002) and shock incidence (41.4% vs.31.2%, p = 0.039). In this mixed sample of critically ill subjects, including patients with and without preexisting diabetes, glycemic gap, glycemic variability, and SHR were associated with worse outcomes, but not with mortality. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia were independently associated with increased mortality