Challenges of the next generation hospitals: Rethinking the Emergency Department

The COVID 19 outbreak dramatically highlighted the inadequacy of the Emergency Department (ED) settings in dealing with events that can acutely affect a wide range of population. The immediate urgency to create strictly distinct pathways became also a strategic aspect for reducing possible sources of contagion inside the hospital.1 This need has often clashed with inadequate structural conditions of the hospital: in fact, the rigidity of many EDs is due to the hospital typology and its localization (affected by functional program); and it prevents them from being quickly adapted to new needs in the case of maxi-emergencies.4 In several recent international projects, the presence of a multifunctional space and/or a buffer area guarantees different scenarios in relation to the healthcare/emergency needs. Unfortunately, adding more stretchers is too often the only possible response to overcrowding. In addition, there have been calls for years now for emergency rooms to be adapted to the needs of the frailest patients, particularly the elderly, who make up more than 30% of the ED accesses and who need a suitable environment for their physical limitations (reduced walkability, sensory reductions such as sight and hearing) and cognitive limitations (dementia). There is also a frequent lack of spaces to manage the patients with acute behavioral disorders, who need a quiet environment, safe furnishing, and the possibility to be monitored, observed, and treated outside the ED’ hard area. The ED is, as its mission, a dynamic environment that must deal with the expected and the unexpected events. This implies that its organization must be flexible so that teams can always respond appropriately to the changing needs. A proper support of the architecture, its technologies, and overall facilities is essential to make this possible. Starting from these assumptions, a group of experts in emergency medicine from the AcEMC (Academy of Emergency Medicine and Care), a team of researchers in healthcare design of the Design & Health Lab (ABC Department) of Politecnico di Milano (Milan Polytechnic University) and other experts in the field gave rise to a collaboration for the definition of the emergency room 4.0. In fact, the aim was to develop a proposal for a structural and functional model of the Emergency Room and to identify the best design strategies to implement it for the new construction hospitals and for the renovation of existing facilities. This position paper aims to give rise to a Decalogue that is based on the analysis of the Scientific Literature and some useful strategies argued between experts in hospital design and practicing health professionals. It aims to become a starting point on this field of interest for the Scientific Community, with the ambition to continue the studies in the field and to be continued and detailed over time as useful reference for future evidence-based projects

“Decision tree analysis for assessing the risk of post-traumatic haemorrhage after mild traumatic brain injury in patients on oral anticoagulant therapy”

Background: The presence of oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) alone, regardless of patient condition, is an indication for CT imaging in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). Currently, no specific clinical decision rules are available for OAT patients. The aim of the study was to identify which clinical risk factors easily identifiable at first ED evaluation may be associated with an increased risk of post-traumatic intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) in OAT patients who suffered an MTBI. Methods: Three thousand fifty-four patients in OAT with MTBI from four Italian centers were retrospectively considered. A decision tree analysis using the classification and regression tree (CART) method was conducted to evaluate both the pre- and post-traumatic clinical risk factors most associated with the presence of post-traumatic ICH after MTBI and their possible role in determining the patient’s risk. The decision tree analysis used all clinical risk factors identified at the first ED evaluation as input predictor variables. Results: ICH following MTBI was present in 9.5% of patients (290/3054). The CART model created a decision tree using 5 risk factors, post-traumatic amnesia, post-traumatic transitory loss of consciousness, greater trauma dynamic, GCS less than 15, evidence of trauma above the clavicles, capable of stratifying patients into different increasing levels of ICH risk (from 2.5 to 61.4%). The absence of concussion and neurological alteration at admission appears to significantly reduce the possible presence of ICH. Conclusions: The machine-learning-based CART model identified distinct prognostic groups of patients with distinct outcomes according to on clinical risk factors. Decision trees can be useful as guidance in patient selection and risk stratification of patients in OAT with MTBI

Clinical efficacy of eucaloric ketogenic nutrition in the COVID-19 cytokine storm: A retrospective analysis of mortality and intensive care unit admission

Objectives: Our primary objective was to explore the effect of a eucaloric ketogenic diet (EKD) on mortality, admission to the intensive care unit, and need for non-invasive ventilation in hospitalized patients with COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19), in comparison to a eucaloric standard diet. Secondary objectives were verification of the safety and feasibility of the diet and its effects on inflammatory parameters, particularly interleukin-6. Methods: The study is a retrospective analysis of 34 patients fed with an EKD in comparison to 68 patients fed with a eucaloric standard diet, selected and matched using propensity scores 1:2 to avoid the confounding effect of interfering variables. Our hypothesis was that an EKD would reduce mortality, admission to the intensive care unit, and need for non-invasive ventilation in patients with COVID-19. Results: The preliminary multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant difference in survival (P = 0.046) and need for the intensive care unit (P = 0.049) for the EKD compared with a eucaloric standard diet. Even considering the EKD start day as a time-dependent variable, the results maintain a positive trend for application of the diet, and it is not possible to reject the null hypothesis (P < 0.05). Interleukin-6 concentrations between t0 and t7 (7 d after the beginning of the diet) in the ketogenic nutrition group show a trend that is almost significant (P = 0.062). The EKD was safe and no adverse events were observed. Conclusions: These results show a possible therapeutic role of an EKD in the clinical management of COVID-19. Currently, a prospective controlled randomized trial is running to confirm these preliminary data

Kidney disease and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in Genoa, Northern Italy

Background: The prevalence of kidney involvement during SARS-CoV-2 infection has been reported to be high. Nevertheless, data are lacking about the determinants of acute kidney injury (AKI) and the combined effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and AKI in COVID-19 patients. Methods: We collected data on patient demographics, comorbidities, chronic medications, vital signs, baseline laboratory test results and in-hospital treatment in patients with COVID-19 consecutively admitted to our Institution. Chronic kidney disease was defined as eGFR < 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 or proteinuria at urinalysis within 180 days prior to hospital admission. AKI was defined according to KDIGO criteria. The primary and secondary outcomes were the development of AKI and death. Results: Of 777 patients eligible for the study, acute kidney injury developed in 176 (22.6%). Of these, 79 (45%) showed an acute worsening of a preexisting CKD, and 21 (12%) required kidney replacement therapy. Independent associates of AKI were chronic kidney disease, C-reactive protein (CRP) and ventilation support. Among patients with acute kidney injury, 111 died (63%) and its occurrence increased the risk of death by 60% (HR 1.60 [95% IC 1.21\u20132.49] p = 0.002) independently of potential confounding factors including hypertension, preexisting kidney damage, and comorbidities. Patients with AKI showed a significantly higher rate of deaths attributed to bleeding compared to CKD and the whole population (7.5 vs 1.5 vs 3.5%, respectively). Conclusion: Awareness of kidney function, both preexisting CKD and development of acute kidney injury, may help to identify those patients at increased risk of death

Prevalence and prognostic value of cardiac troponin in elderly patients hospitalized for COVID-19

BACKGROUND Increases in cardiac troponin (cTn) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been associated with worse prognosis. Nonetheless, data about the significance of cTn in elderly subjects with COVID-19 are lacking. METHODS From a registry of consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to a hub hospital in Italy from 25/02/2020 to 03/07/2020, we selected those 65 60 year-old and with cTnI measured within three days from the molecular diagnosis of SARSCoV-2 infection. When available, a second cTnI value within 48 h was also extracted. The relationship between increased cTnI and all-cause in-hospital mortality was evaluated by a Cox regression model and restricted cubic spline functions with three knots. RESULTS Of 343 included patients (median age: 75.0 (68.0 1283.0) years, 34.7% men), 88 (25.7%) had cTnI above the upper-reference limit (0.046 \u3bcg/L). Patients with increased cTnI had more comorbidities, greater impaired respiratory exchange and higher inflammatory markers on admission than those with normal cTnI. Furthermore, they died more (73.9% vs. 37.3%, P < 0.001) over 15 (6 1225) days of hospitalization. The association of elevated cTnI with mortality was confirmed by the adjusted Cox regression model (HR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.06 122.52, P = 0.039) and was linear until 0.3 \u3bcg/L, with a subsequent plateau. Of 191 (55.7%) patients with a second cTnI measurement, 49 (25.7%) had an increasing trend, which was not associated with mortality (univariate HR = 1.39, 95%CI: 0.87 122.22, P = 0.265). CONCLUSIONS In elderly COVID-19 patients, an initial increase in cTn is common and predicts a higher risk of death. Serial cTn testing may not confer additional prognostic information

Clinical characteristics, management and in-hospital mortality of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Genoa, Italy

Objectives: To describe clinical characteristics, management and outcome of individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); and to evaluate risk factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality. Methods: This retrospective study from a University tertiary care hospital in northern Italy, included hospitalized adult patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 between 25 February 2020 and 25 March 2020. Results: Overall, 317 individuals were enrolled. Their median age was 71 years and 67.2% were male (213/317). The most common underlying diseases were hypertension (149/317; 47.0%), cardiovascular disease (63/317; 19.9%) and diabetes (49/317; 15.5%). Common symptoms at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis included fever (285/317; 89.9%), shortness of breath (167/317; 52.7%) and dry cough (156/317; 49.2%). An \u2018atypical\u2019 presentation including at least one among mental confusion, diarrhoea or nausea and vomiting was observed in 53/317 patients (16.7%). Hypokalaemia occurred in 25.8% (78/302) and 18.5% (56/303) had acute kidney injury. During hospitalization, 111/317 patients (35.0%) received non-invasive respiratory support, 65/317 (20.5%) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 60/317 (18.5%) required invasive mechanical ventilation. All-cause in-hospital mortality, assessed in 275 patients, was 43.6% (120/275). On multivariable analysis, age (per-year increase OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04\u20131.10; p < 0.001), cardiovascular disease (OR 2.58; 95% CI 1.07\u20136.25; p 0.03), and C-reactive protein levels (per-point increase OR 1.009; 95% CI 1.004\u20131.014; p 0.001) were independent risk factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: COVID-19 mainly affected elderly patients with predisposing conditions and caused severe illness, frequently requiring non-invasive respiratory support or ICU admission. Despite supportive care, COVID-19 remains associated with a substantial risk of all-cause in-hospital mortality