Background and Aim Psoas muscle area (PMA) can reflect the status of skeletal muscle in the whole body. It has been also reported that decreased PMA was associated with postoperative mortality or morbidity after several surgical procedures. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relation between PMA and mortality in all age groups in intensive care unit (UNIT). Materials and Method The study consists of 362 consecutive patients. The demographic characteristics of patients, indications for ICU hospitalization, laboratory parameters, and clinical parameters consist of mortality and length of stay, and surgery history was obtained from intensive care archive records. Results The mean age was 61.2 ± 18.2 years, and the percentage of female was 33.3%. The mean duration of stay was 10.3 ± 24.4 days. Exitus ratio, partial healing, and healing were 25%, 70%, and 5%, respectively. The mean right, left, and total PMA were 8.7 ± 3.6, 8.9 ± 3.4, and 17.6 ± 6.9, respectively. The left and total PMA averages of the nonoperation patients were statistically significantly lower (p = 0.021  p = 0.043). The mean PMA between the ex and recovered patients were statistically significantly lower (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p < 0.001). Dyspnoea, renal insufficiency, COPD, transfusion rate, operation rate, ventilator needy, and mean duration of hospitalization were statistically significant higher in patients with exitus. There is a significant difference in operation types, anesthesia type, and clinic rates. Conclusion Our data suggest that sarcopenia can be used to risk stratification in ICU patients. Future studies may use this technique to individualize postoperative interventions that may reduce the risk for an adverse discharge disposition related to critical illness, such as early mobilization, optimized nutritional support, and reduction of sedation and opioid dose.

Aim. Sarcopenia, a core component of physical frailty, is an independent risk factor for suboptimal health outcomes in hospitalized patients, especially in the intensive care patients. Psoas muscle areas can be assessed to identify sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of psoas muscle area measured with CT for the prediction of in-hospital mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism at admission to the intensive care unit. Methods. Patients with an admission abdominal computed tomography scan and requiring intensive care unit (ICU) stay were reviewed. Selected clinical data of patients admitted to intensive care unit for the management of pulmonary embolism were collected. Using CT scan images at the level of L3 vertebra, the psoas muscle area value was obtained by dividing the sum of the right and left psoas muscle areas into the body surface area. Results. In-hospital mortality rate was 22.5% in 89 patients. The pulmonary embolism patients with in-hospital mortality had higher PESI and lower value of psoas muscle area, in addition to the lower systolic blood pressure and arterial oxygen saturation at admission. The increase in the value of psoas muscle area is associated with a decrease in the rate of in-hospital mortality. In patients with in-hospital mortality related to pulmonary embolism, the higher PESI and the lower value of psoas muscle area were considered in accordance with the outcome of patients. Conclusions. For the prediction of in-hospital mortality risk in patients with pulmonary embolism managed in intensive care unit, the psoas muscle area value has a merit to be used among the routine diagnostic procedures after further studies conducted with different severity of pulmonary embolism.

BackgroundIn this retrospective comparative study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of fentanyl, midazolam, and a combination of fentanyl and midazolam to prevent etomidate-induced myoclonus.Material/MethodsThis study was performed based on anesthesia records. Depending on the drugs that would be given before the induction of anesthesia with etomidate, the patients were separated into 4 groups: no pretreatment (Group NP), fentanyl 1 μg·kg−1 (Group F), midazolam 0.03 mg·kg−1 (Group M), and midazolam 0.015 mg·kg−1 + fentanyl 0.5 μg·kg−1 (Group FM). Patients who received the same anesthetic procedure were selected: 2 minutes after intravenous injections of the pretreatment drugs, anesthesia is induced with 0.3 mg·kg−1 etomidate injected intravenously over a period of 20–30 seconds. Myoclonic movements are evaluated, which were observed and graded according to clinical severity during the 2 minutes after etomidate injection. The severity of pain due to etomidate injection, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and adverse effects were also evaluated.ResultsStudy results showed that myoclonus incidence was 85%, 40%, 70%, and 25% in Group NP, Group F, Group M, and Group FM, respectively, and were significantly lower in Group F and Group FM.ConclusionsWe conclude that pretreatment with fentanyl or combination of fentanyl and midazolam was effective in preventing etomidate-induced myoclonus.

Acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) is an emergency condition that requires urgent diagnosis. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been studied as inflammatory biomarkers in atherosclerosis, but data regarding AMI are lacking. The study population included patients with AMI (n = 46) versus age and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 46). Computed multidetector tomographic angiography was performed to diagnose AMI. NLR and PLR were calculated using complete blood count. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also analyzed. Neutrophil levels and lymphocytes were significantly higher in patients with AMI than in the control individuals (P < 0.001 and P = 0.43, respectively). NLR levels were significantly higher in patients with AMI compared with that in the control individuals (P < 0.001). Platelet levels did not reach statistical significance between the groups (P = 0.709). However, patients with AMI had significantly higher PLR levels than the control group (P = 0.039). CRP levels on admission were higher in patients with AMI in comparison with control individuals. There was also a positive correlation between NLR and CRP (r = 0.548, P < 0.001), and between PLR and CRP (r = 0.528, P < 0.001). NLR level greater than 4.5, measured on admission, yielded an area under the curve value of 0.790 (95% confidence interval 0.681-0.799, sensitivity 77%, specificity 72%), and PLR level of greater than 157 yielded an area under the curve value of 0.604 (95% confidence interval 0.486-0.722, sensitivity 59%, specificity 65%). Patients with AMI had increased NLR, PLR, and CRP levels compared with controls. Increased NLR and PLR was an independent predictor of AMI.

Background and Aim Long hospital days in intensive care unit (ICU) due to life-threatening diseases are increasing in the world. The primary goal in ICU is to decrease length of stay in order to improve the quality of medical care and reduce cost. The aim of our study is to identify and categorize the factors associated with prolonged stays in ICU. Materials and Method We retrospectively analyzed 3925 patients. We obtained the patients' demographic, clinical, diagnostic, and physiologic variables; mortality; lengths of stay by examining the intensive care unit database records. Results The mean age of the study was 61.6 ± 18.9 years. The average length of stay in intensive care unit was 10.2 ± 25.2 days. The most common cause of hospitalization was because of multiple diseases (19.5%). The length of stay was positively correlated with urea, creatinine, and sodium. It was negatively correlated with uric acid and hematocrit levels. Length of stay was significantly higher in patients not operated on than in patients operated on (p < 0.001). Conclusion Our study showed a significantly increased length of stay in patients with cardiovascular system diseases, multiple diseases, nervous system diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases. Moreover we showed that when urea, creatinine, and sodium values increase, in parallel the length of stay increases.

Molecular Electric Multipole Moment (MEMM) integrals have been derived for diatomic molecular systems, and then some lower multipole moments as dipole moments and quadrupole moments have been calculated for some diatomic molecules. The calculations have been performed by using our analytical formula over Slater-Type orbitals (STOs) with Cade and Huo's basis sets and the GAMESS program package working with Gaussian-Type basis sets (GTOs). The expressions which involve factorials are given in terms of binomial coefficients in order to speed up calculations. The results have been obtained in agreement with data found in the literature.

Background To clarify the efficiency of mask O2 and high-flow O2 (HFO) treatments following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in obese patients. Methods During follow-up, oxygenization parameters including arterial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and physical examination parameters including respiratory rate, heart rate, and arterial pressure were recorded respectively. Presence of atelectasia and dyspnea was noted. Also, comfort scores of patients were evaluated. Results Mean duration of hospital stay was 6.9 ± 1.1 days in the mask O2 group, whereas the duration was significantly shorter (6.5 ± 0.7 days) in the HFO group (p=0.034). The PaO2 values and SpO2 values were significantly higher, and PaCO2 values were significantly lower in patients who received HFO after 4th, 12th, 24th, 36th, and 48th hours. In postoperative course, HFO leads patients to achieve better postoperative FVC (p < 0.001). Also, dyspnea scores and comfort scores were significantly better in patients who received HFO in both postoperative day 1 and day 2 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001 and p=0.002, p=0.001, resp.). Conclusion Our study demonstrated that HFO following CPB in obese patients improved postoperative PaO2, SpO2, and PaCO2 values and decreased the atelectasis score, reintubation, and mortality rates when compared with mask O2.

BackgroundProne position during general anesthesia for special surgical operations may be related with increased airway pressure, decreased pulmonary and thoracic compliance that may be explained by restriction of chest expansion and compression of abdomen. The optimum ventilation mode for anesthetized patients on prone position was not described and studies comparing volume-controlled ventilation (VCV) and pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) during prone position are limited. We hypothesized that PCV instead of VCV during prone position could achieve lower airway pressures and reduce the systemic stress response. In this study, we aimed to compare the effects of PCV and VCV modes during prone position on respiratory mechanics, oxygenation, and hemodynamics, as well as blood cortisol and insulin levels, which has not been investigated before.MethodsFifty-four ASA I-II patients, 18–70 years of age, who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy on prone position, were randomly selected to receive either the PCV (Group PC, n = 27) or VCV (Group VC, n = 27) under general anesthesia with sevoflurane and fentanyl. Blood sampling was made for baseline arterial blood gases (ABG), cortisol, insulin, and glucose levels. After anesthesia induction and endotracheal intubation, patients in Group PC were given pressure support to form 8 mL/kg tidal volume and patients in Group VC was maintained at 8 mL/kg tidal volume calculated using predicted body weight. All patients were maintained with 5 cmH2O PEEP. Respiratory parameters were recorded during supine and prone position. Assessment of ABG and sampling for cortisol, insulin and glucose levels were repeated during surgery and 60 min after extubation.ResultsP-peak and P-plateau levels during supine and prone positions were significantly higher and P-mean and compliance levels during prone position were significantly lower in Group VC when compared with Group PC. Postoperative PaO2 level was significantly higher in Group PC compared with Group VC. Cortisol levels were increased with surgery in both groups (p < 0.05) and decreased to baseline levels in Group PC while remained high in Group VC in the early postoperative period. Cortisol levels were significantly higher in Group VC during surgery and in the early postoperative period compared with Group PC.ConclusionWhen compared with VCV mode, PCV mode is associated with lower P-peak and P-plateau levels during both supine and prone positions, better oxygenation postoperatively, lower blood cortisol levels during surgery in prone position and in the early postoperative period. We concluded that PCV mode might be more appropriate in prone position during anesthesia.