Examining the effect of direct-from-blood bacterial testing on antibiotic administration and clinical outcomes: a protocol and statistical analysis plan for a pragmatic randomised trial.

Introduction: Patients with suspected bacterial infection frequently receive empiric, broad-spectrum antibiotics prior to pathogen identification due to the time required for bacteria to grow in culture. Direct-from-blood diagnostics identifying the presence or absence of bacteria and/or resistance genes from whole blood samples within hours of collection could enable earlier antibiotic optimisation for patients suspected to have bacterial infections. However, few randomised trials have evaluated the effect of using direct-from-blood bacterial testing on antibiotic administration and clinical outcomes.

Oxygen Targets for Mechanically Ventilated Adults with Sepsis: Secondary Analysis of the PILOT Trial.

Background: Patients with sepsis frequently require invasive mechanical ventilation. How oxygenation during mechanical ventilation affects clinical outcomes for patients with sepsis remains uncertain.

Research Question: To evaluate the effects of different oxygen saturation targets on clinical outcomes for patients with sepsis receiving mechanical ventilation.

Swab Testing to Optimize Pneumonia treatment with empiric Vancomycin (STOP-Vanc): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Vancomycin, an antibiotic with activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is frequently included in empiric treatment for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) despite the fact that MRSA is rarely implicated in CAP. Conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing on nasal swabs to identify the presence of MRSA colonization has been proposed as an antimicrobial stewardship intervention to reduce the use of vancomycin. Observational studies have shown reductions in vancomycin use after implementation of MRSA colonization testing, and this approach has been adopted by CAP guidelines.

Management of pain and sedation in the intensive care unit.

Advances in our approach to treating pain and sedation when caring for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) have been propelled by decades of robust trial data, knowledge gained from patient experiences, and our evolving understanding of how pain and sedation strategies affect patient survival and long term outcomes. These data contribute to current practice guidelines prioritizing analgesia-first sedation strategies (analgosedation) that target light sedation when possible, use of short acting sedatives, and avoidance of benzodiazepines. Together, these strategies allow the patient to be more awake and able to participate in early mobilization and family interactions.

Creating a Culture of an Awake and Walking Intensive Care Unit: In-Hospital Strategies to Mitigate Post-Intensive Care Syndrome.

The ABCDEF bundle and Awake and Walking intensive care unit (ICU) approach aim to prevent the long-term consequences of critical illness (ie, post-intensive care syndrome) by promoting patient wakefulness, cognition, and mobility. Humanizing the ICU experience is the key, preserving patients' function and autonomy. Successful implementation requires cultivating an ICU culture focused on avoiding sedatives and initiating prompt mobilization, addressing organizational barriers through tailored strategies.

Effect of Inpatient Pharmacist-Led Medication Reconciliations on Medication-Related Interventions in Intensive Care Unit Recovery Centers.

Critical care pharmacists complete comprehensive medication reviews in Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) patients at Intensive Care Unit Recovery Centers (ICU-RCs) to optimize medication therapies after hospital discharge. Inpatient pharmacists often complete medication reconciliations prior to hospital discharge, which could affect interventions at an ICU-RC. However, this association remains ill-described.

Effect of Ventilator Mode on Ventilator-Free Days in Critically Ill Adults: A Randomized Trial.

Rationale: For critically ill adults receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, the ventilator mode determines how breaths are delivered. Whether the choice of ventilator mode affects outcomes for critically ill patients is unknown. To compare the effects of three common ventilator modes (volume control, pressure control, and adaptive pressure control) on death and duration of mechanical ventilation.

Impacts of risk-stratified inpatient penicillin allergy label delabeling on subsequent antimicrobial spectrum index and costs.

Penicillin allergy delabeling may benefit antimicrobial stewardship (AS). Cost of initial penicillin treatments following risk-stratified inpatient delabeling were compared to two hypothetical treatment regimens if delabeling had not occurred: (1) AS-guided and (2) Common Treatment. Penicillin allergy delabeling improved antimicrobial spectrum index, was cost-neutral, and averted unnecessary penicillin desensitizations.

An international, multicenter post hoc analysis comparing in-person and virtual medication management strategies in post-ICU recovery clinics.

Disclaimer: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

Tocilizumab is associated with reduced delirium and coma in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Recent preclinical studies demonstrate a direct pathological role for the interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathway in mediating structural and functional delirium-like phenotypes in animal models of acute lung injury. Tocilizumab, an IL-6 pathway inhibitor, has shown reduced duration of ventilator dependency and mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19. In this study, we test the hypothesis that tocilizumab is associated with reduced delirium/coma prevalence in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

The road less traveled: Developing pharmacist clinician-scientists through divergent training pathways.

Purpose: Professional organizations have emphasized the growing need for pharmacists to possess advanced research skills; however, there is a scarcity of training programs aimed at nurturing clinician-scientists. This report outlines 3 critical care-focused research programs, each offering a unique approach to training clinician-scientists.

Summary: Limited resources and formalized programs are available to bridge the gap between the demand for and availability of skilled clinician-scientists.

Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan for the Mode of Ventilation During Critical Illness (MODE) Trial.

Background: For every critically ill adult receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, clinicians must select a mode of ventilation. The mode of ventilation determines whether the ventilator directly controls the tidal volume or the inspiratory pressure. Newer hybrid modes allow clinicians to set a target tidal volume; the ventilator controls and adjusts the inspiratory pressure.

Long-term outcomes after treatment of delirium during critical illness with antipsychotics (MIND-USA): a randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

Background: Delirium is common during critical illness and is associated with long-term cognitive impairment and disability. Antipsychotics are frequently used to treat delirium, but their effects on long-term outcomes are unknown. We aimed to investigate the effects of antipsychotic treatment of delirious, critically ill patients on long-term cognitive, functional, psychological, and quality-of-life outcomes.

Prescription of potentially inappropriate medications after an intensive care unit stay for acute respiratory failure.

Background: Among survivors of critical illness, prescription of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) at hospital discharge is thought to be an important, modifiable patient safety concern. To date, there are little empirical data evaluating this issue.

Research Question: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of PIM prescribed to survivors of acute respiratory failure (ARF) at hospital discharge and explore their association with readmissions or death within 90 days of hospital discharge.

Antipsychotics and the QTc Interval During Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Antipsychotic medications, often prescribed for delirium in intensive care units (ICUs), may contribute to QTc interval prolongation.

Objective: To determine whether antipsychotics increase the QTc interval in patients with delirium in the ICU.

Design, Setting, And Participants: An a priori analysis of a randomized clinical trial in medical/surgical ICUs within 16 centers across the US was conducted.

Factors Influencing Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccine Decision-Making in the Post-ICU Period: A Secondary Analysis.

Background: The introduction of COVID-19 vaccines exposed volatility and hesitancy around vaccines. Some health care models, including ICU recovery clinics (ICU-RCs), are structured to provide vaccine counseling. However, information regarding provider and patient vaccine conversations is limited in this postacute setting.

Recurrent delirium episodes within the intensive care unit: Incidence and associated factors.

Purpose: Describe the incidence and factors associated with recurrent delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Materials And Methods: Retrospective study of ICU patients diagnosed with delirium. Delirium clearance defined as 48 h of negative delirium assessments following initial episode and recurrent delirium as any positive delirium assessment following clearance.

Comparison of SAT and SBT Conduct During the ABC Trial and PILOT Trial.

Background: Implementation of the "B" element-both spontaneous awakening trials (SATs) and spontaneous breathing trials (SBTs)-of the ABCDEF bundle improves the outcomes for mechanically ventilated patients. In 2021, the Pragmatic Investigation of optimal Oxygen Targets (PILOT) trial investigating optimal oxygenation targets in patients on mechanical ventilation was completed.

Objectives: To compare SAT and SBT conduct between a randomized controlled trial and current clinical care.

Cefepime vs Piperacillin-Tazobactam in Adults Hospitalized With Acute Infection: The ACORN Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Cefepime and piperacillin-tazobactam are commonly administered to hospitalized adults for empirical treatment of infection. Although piperacillin-tazobactam has been hypothesized to cause acute kidney injury and cefepime has been hypothesized to cause neurological dysfunction, their comparative safety has not been evaluated in a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To determine whether the choice between cefepime and piperacillin-tazobactam affects the risks of acute kidney injury or neurological dysfunction.

Protocol and statistical analysis plan for the Mode of Ventilation During Critical IllnEss (MODE) trial.

Introduction: For every critically ill adult receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, clinicians must select a mode of ventilation. The mode of ventilation determines whether the ventilator directly controls the tidal volume or the inspiratory pressure. Newer hybrid modes allow clinicians to set a target tidal volume, for which the ventilator controls and adjusts the inspiratory pressure.

Correlation of the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool and Numeric Rating Scale in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Purpose: We sought to determine the correlation between the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) to determine whether clinical factors modified the relationship between NRS and CPOT assessments.

Materials And Methods: We included nonventilated adults admitted to the MICU or SICU who could self-report pain and had at least 3 paired NRS and CPOT assessments. We performed Spearman correlation to assess overall correlation and performed proportional odds logistic regression to evaluate whether the relationship between NRS and CPOT assessments was modified by clinical factors.

Piperacillin-Tazobactam Versus Anti-Pseudomonal Cephalosporins and Renal and Neurologic Outcomes in Critically Ill Adults: A Secondary Analysis of the SMART Trial.

Prior studies suggest associations between receipt of piperacillin-tazobactam and development of acute kidney injury and receipt of anti-pseudomonal cephalosporins and neurotoxicity. We compared clinically-relevant renal and neurologic outcomes in critically ill patients who received piperacillin-tazobactam versus anti-pseudomonal cephalosporins. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Isotonic Solutions and Major Adverse Renal Events Trial examining patients who received piperacillin-tazobactam or an anti-pseudomonal cephalosporin within 24 h of intensive care unit admission.

Physical and Chemical Compatibility of Medications Commonly Used in Critically Ill Patients With Balanced Crystalloids: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Evaluate available evidence of physical and/or chemical compatibility of commonly used medications in critically ill patients with balanced crystalloids.

Data Sources: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were queried from inception to September 2022.

Study Selection And Data Extraction: This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.