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Background: Kidney dysfunction is a major cause of morbidity and mortality whose prevalence, mainly because of population ageing, is rising worldwide. Also the epidemics of abnormalities clustering with insulin resistance might have played a role in increasing the prevalence of kidney dysfunction. Insulin resistance has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality in multiple large community-based cohort studies. Objective: The aim of the study is to prove that insulin resistance not only may have a role in the development of chronic kidney disease but also may have a role in acute kidney injury. Methods: This was a case-control study. The cases of the study were taken from the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of the Faculty of Medicine Cairo University, 100 control patients stratified by age and gender and 219 critically ill ICU patients with AKI. Results: In the current study, we find that there is statistically significant higher fasting insulin levels and higher levels Homa IR in patients with AKI than patients without AKI. These results signify that patients with AKI had insulin resistance. In our study, the Homa IR showed non-significant correlation with APACHE and SOFA score. While fasting insulin level shows significant correlation only with SOFA score after 96 h. Conclusion: Our present observations indicate that patients with acute kidney injury have statistically significant higher insulin resistance.

A bstract Background Tidal volume challenge pulse pressure variation (TVC-PPV) is considered one of the recent reliable dynamic indices of fluid responsiveness (FR); also, passive leg raising (PLR)-induced changes in cardiac output (CO) detected by echocardiography are considered a reliable reversible self-fluid challenge test; many patients share eligibility for both tests. Objectives The study aimed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of both tests for the prediction of FR in mechanically ventilated patients with hemodynamic instability. Methods We studied 46 patients. Hemodynamic parameters including PPV and CO (detected by velocity time integral (VTI) using echocardiography) recorded at tidal volume (VT) of 6 mL/kg/ideal body weight (IBW) in semi-recumbent position then recorded again after one-minute increase in TV from 6 to 8 mL/kg/IBW then recorded with PLR at TV of 6 mL/kg/IBW and finally with actual volume expansion in semi-recumbent position by 4 ml/kg bolus of crystalloid solution to define actual responders with increase of cardiac output of 15% or more. Results Sixteen patients were responders, and thirty patients were nonresponders; responders had significant increase in PPV with TVC 6 to 8 ml/kg/IBW with best cutoff value of 3.5 with a sensitivity of 93.8% and a specificity of 93.9%. PLR test-induced changes in CO had a sensitivity of 93.9% and a specificity of 86.7% with statistically best cutoff value of 6.5% increase in CO, but sensitivity was 75% at cutoff value of 10% increase in CO. Other parameters like PPV, PPV changes with PLR test, and PPV changes with fluid expansion were less sensitive indicators. Conclusion FR in patients with hemodynamic instability and mechanically ventilated with low tidal volume strategy can be efficiently predicted when PPV increases more than 3.5 with tidal volume challenge and when PLR induces 6.5% increase in CO monitored through VTI method by Doppler echocardiography, and both tests are equally reliable. How to cite this article Elsayed AI, Selim KAW, Zaghla HE, Mowafy HE, Fakher MA. Comparison of Changes in PPV Using a Tidal Volume Challenge with a Passive Leg Raising Test to Predict Fluid Responsiveness in Patients Ventilated Using Low Tidal Volume. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(6):685–690.

Background: Patient safety was one of the most important issues that arisen in health care management many studies were done at different cities to evaluate healthcare safety goals, the development of a checklist might help in improving the safety culture Purpose: Our work aimed to Measure the patient satisfaction at CCU, and assess the patient safety culture at CCU and finally develop Patient safety Checklist to improve performance Method: Our study was carried out in an adult Cardiac Critical care unit (CCU) at Tanta University hospital using the following Tools 1. Safety Culture Survey Assessment tool 2. Designed safety checklist 3. Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ) It included the following phases o Assessment of the safety culture o Development of the checklist o Evaluation of the checklist Results Study results claim that safety culture are poor in CCU especially for involvement of staff in decision making, and the absent of Safety rules and procedure which not supported from top management. But the new established safety checklist arise the safety awareness among the CCU staff. Most of patients complaining of waiting time, insurance coverage, care services, availability resources and perfection. Furthermore many physicians skills need more training to "be careful with patient's complain, Explaining the diagnosis and treatment strategies with patients, be good listener's, and Explain the medical terms". Finally, patients feel insecure for all medical problems.

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BACKGROUND: Positive pressure mechanical ventilation is a non-physiological intervention that saves lives but is not free of important side effects. It invariably results in different degrees of collapse of small airways. Recruitment maneuver (RM) aims to resolve lung collapse by a brief and controlled increment in airway pressure while positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) afterward keeps the lungs open. Therefore, ideally RM and PEEP selection must be individualized and this can only be done when guided by specific monitoring tools since lung’s opening and closing pressures vary among patients with different lung conditions. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the clinical value of ultrasonic monitoring in the assessment of pulmonary recruitment and the best PEEP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 120 patients, 30 were excluded as in whom lung collapse cannot be confirmed then the rest were 90 patients from whom another 25 patients excluded as they were hemodynamically unstable the rest 65 patients were divided into two groups: Group A: Included 50 mechanically ventilated patients with ARDS, underwent lung recruitment using lung ultrasound and Group B: Included 15 mechanically ventilated patients with ARDS, underwent lung recruitment using oxygenation index. This prospective study was held at many critical care departments around Egypt. RESULTS: We noticed that lung recruitment in both groups significantly increased Pao2/Fio2 ratio immediately after recruitment compared with basal state and also significantly increase dynamic compliance compared with basal state. The increase in PF ratio immediately was significantly more in ultrasound group than in oxygenation group. Furthermore, we noticed that that P/F ratio 12 h after recruitment decreased compared with P/F ratio immediately after recruitment but significantly increased compared with basal state before recruitment and also we found that the increase in P/F ratio 12 h after recruitment was more significantly in lung ultrasound group than in oxygenation group. Furthermore, we noticed that lung recruitment (both lung ultrasound and oxygenation group) significantly increase RV function using TAPSE compared with basal state. Both opening pressure and optimal PEEP were significantly higher in lung ultrasound group than in oxygenation group. In our study, opening pressure was 37.28 ± 1.25 in lung ultrasound group and was 36.67±0.98 in oxygenation group and optimal PEEP was 14.64 ± 1.08 in lung ultrasound group and was 13.13 ± 0.74 in oxygenation group. CONCLUSION: Lung US is an effective mean of evaluating and guiding alveolar recruitment in ARDS. Compared with the maximal oxygenation–guided method, the protocol for reaeration in US-guided lung recruitment achieved a higher opening pressure, resulted in greater improvements in lung aeration, and substantially reduced lung heterogeneity in ARDS.

BACKGROUND: Global researchers have found a wide practice gap between the optimal care and actual care of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). AIM: The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality of care provided to patients with ACS and compare our results to that of other similar studies and international standards. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted using review of medical records and medical charts of new patients admitted and treated as ACS at the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Cairo University, from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. For the purpose of the analysis, a set of highly predictive quality indicators was used. RESULTS: 967 patients were divided into two groups: 621 patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (mean age: 58.49 ± 11.45 years, 81.8% of males) and 34.9% presented to hospital in <4 h of symptom onset. Primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) were applied on 71.3% of cases (N = 443) and the mean “door-to-balloon” time was 78.8 min. In the first 24 h, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), β-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) or AR-blockers were administered in 100%, 65.9%, and 73.4% of the total eligible cases, respectively. At discharge, ASA, β-blockers, ACE-I/ARBs, and statins were prescribed in 90.8%, 78.3%, 82.8%, and 90.8%, respectively. 346 patients were with UA/NSTEMI (mean age 63±25.7 years, 69.4% male), while 21.7% of patients were presented to hospital after less than 4 hours of symptoms onset. Early PCIs were applied on 28.1% of cases (N = 97). In the first 24 h, ASA, β-blockers, and ACE-I or AR-blockers were administered in 100%, 78.3%, and 78.6% of the total eligible cases, respectively. At discharge, ASA, β-blockers, ACE-I/ARBs, and statins were prescribed in 93.4%, 83.2%, 81.2%, and 92.8%, respectively. In this study, a relation between different quality indicators with inhospital major adverse cardiac event and outcome was observed. CONCLUSION: There is still substantial work that lies ahead on the way to improve the uptake to evidence-based processes of care. We found some disparities between guidelines and clinical practice for ACS patients and a significant association between process indicators and inhospital outcomes. Our findings are potentially helpful for assessing and improving the quality of care for ACS patients in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Acute perioperative left ventricular dysfunction is a major complication affecting patients subjected to cardiac surgery and is associated with increased mortality. Levosimendan as a “calcium sensitizers” with inodilator effect improves myocardial contractility by sensitizing troponin C to calcium without increasing myocardial oxygen consumption and without impairing relaxation and diastolic function. AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of perioperative levosimendan compared to the conventional management used in the patient with poor left ventricular function undergoing cardiac surgery to reduce the need of post-operative pharmacological and mechanical circulatory support. METHODS: It is prospective observational studies were patients undergoing cardiac surgery divided into two groups of 25 patients each. The first group received conventional management while the other group received levosimendan additionally duration and type of post-operative pharmacological support, duration of mechanical ventilation, durations of ICU and hospital stays, and major outcomes, and data about the need of mechanical support were collected. RESULTS: In the levosimendan, fewer patients required vasoactive agents post-surgery (Noradrenaline) compared to the conventional group, yet the use of inotropic support (adrenaline) in the 2nd day and the need of mechanical circulatory support was equal in both groups. The mortality was equal in both groups. CONCLUSION: Perioperative levosimendan may reduce the need of vasoactive agents postoperatively, but it does not reduce the need of inotropic nor mechanical support.