IntroductionHemodynamic resuscitation should be aimed at achieving not only adequate cardiac output but also sufficient mean arterial pressure (MAP) to guarantee adequate tissue perfusion pressure. Since the arterial pressure response to volume expansion (VE) depends on arterial tone, knowing whether a patient is preload-dependent provides only a partial solution to the problem. The objective of this study was to assess the ability of a functional evaluation of arterial tone by dynamic arterial elastance (Eadyn), defined as the pulse pressure variation (PPV) to stroke volume variation (SVV) ratio, to predict the hemodynamic response in MAP to fluid administration in hypotensive, preload-dependent patients with acute circulatory failure.MethodsWe performed a prospective clinical study in an adult medical/surgical intensive care unit in a tertiary care teaching hospital, including 25 patients with controlled mechanical ventilation who were monitored with the Vigileo® monitor, for whom the decision to give fluids was made because of the presence of acute circulatory failure, including arterial hypotension (MAP ≤65 mmHg or systolic arterial pressure <90 mmHg) and preserved preload responsiveness condition, defined as a SVV value ≥10%.ResultsBefore fluid infusion, Eadyn was significantly different between MAP responders (MAP increase ≥15% after VE) and MAP nonresponders. VE-induced increases in MAP were strongly correlated with baseline Eadyn (r2 = 0.83; P < 0.0001). The only predictor of MAP increase was Eadyn (area under the curve, 0.986 ± 0.02; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.84-1). A baseline Eadyn value >0.89 predicted a MAP increase after fluid administration with a sensitivity of 93.75% (95% CI, 69.8%-99.8%) and a specificity of 100% (95% CI, 66.4%-100%).ConclusionsFunctional assessment of arterial tone by Eadyn, measured as the PVV to SVV ratio, predicted arterial pressure response after volume loading in hypotensive, preload-dependent patients under controlled mechanical ventilation.

IntroductionFunctional assessment of arterial load by dynamic arterial elastance (Eadyn), defined as the ratio between pulse pressure variation (PPV) and stroke volume variation (SVV), has recently been shown to predict the arterial pressure response to volume expansion (VE) in hypotensive, preload-dependent patients. However, because both SVV and PPV were obtained from pulse pressure analysis, a mathematical coupling factor could not be excluded. We therefore designed this study to confirm whether Eadyn, obtained from two independent signals, allows the prediction of arterial pressure response to VE in fluid-responsive patients.MethodsWe analyzed the response of arterial pressure to an intravenous infusion of 500 ml of normal saline in 53 mechanically ventilated patients with acute circulatory failure and preserved preload dependence. Eadyn was calculated as the simultaneous ratio between PPV (obtained from an arterial line) and SVV (obtained by esophageal Doppler imaging). A total of 80 fluid challenges were performed (median, 1.5 per patient; interquartile range, 1 to 2). Patients were classified according to the increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) after fluid administration in pressure responders (≥10%) and non-responders.ResultsThirty-three fluid challenges (41.2%) significantly increased MAP. At baseline, Eadyn was higher in pressure responders (1.04 ± 0.28 versus 0.60 ± 0.14; P <0.0001). Preinfusion Eadyn was related to changes in MAP after fluid administration (R2 = 0.60; P <0.0001). At baseline, Eadyn predicted the arterial pressure increase to volume expansion (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86 to 0.98; P <0.0001). A preinfusion Eadyn value ≥0.73 (gray zone: 0.72 to 0.88) discriminated pressure responder patients with a sensitivity of 90.9% (95% CI: 75.6 to 98.1%) and a specificity of 91.5% (95% CI: 79.6 to 97.6%).ConclusionsFunctional assessment of arterial load by Eadyn, obtained from two independent signals, enabled the prediction of arterial pressure response to fluid administration in mechanically ventilated, preload-dependent patients with acute circulatory failure.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-014-0626-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Fluid administration significantly reduced arterial load in critically patients with septic shock and acute circulatory failure, even when increasing cardiac output. This explains why some septic patients increase their cardiac output after fluid administration without improving blood pressure.

Introduction We aimed to audit the prescribing practice on a busy 14-bedd general ICU, and develop standardised practices and tools to improve safety. Prescribing errors occur as commonly as in 10% of UK hospital admissions, costing 8.5 extra bed days per admission, and costing the National Health Service an estimated £1 billion per annum [1]. The majority of these mistakes are avoidable [2]. Methods We audited the daily infusion charts of all patients in three separate spot checks, over 1 week. We assessed all aspects of prescriptions that make them legal and valid, in accordance with national guidance [3]. New procedures were introduced, which included a standardised prescription sticker, with common, preprinted, infusion prescriptions on (noradrenaline, propofol, and so forth), and education on using the new prescription stickers. A month later the audit process was repeated. Results We assessed 129 prescriptions in the fi rst round, and 111 after intervention, demonstrating a 70% improvement in safe prescribing. Only 24% of prescriptions initially fulfi lled best practice criteria, improving to 94% afterwards. We also reduced the number of infusions running without prescription, 7 (6%) versus 24 (19%). See Figures 1 and 2. Conclusion Our audit supports the need for standardised prescribing practices within critical care, especially when dealing with potentially harmful vasoactive/sedative drugs. With a small, cost-eff ective intervention (£20 for 6,200 stickers), we improved prescribing accuracy, and thus patient safety in intensive care. Introduction The theft and tampering of controlled drugs (CDs) remains a prevalent patient safety issue. Sadly there are numerous reports of critical care staff stealing CDs for personal use or fi nancial gain and notably there have been some cases where CDs have been substituted for other medications in order to delay detection of the theft. This creates both the hazard of medication errors and potentially exposes patients to opioid intoxicated healthcare workers. As most critical care staff have access to CDs, when drugs are found to be missing it can be diffi cult to identify the perpetrators. Therefore the implementation of a deterrent which also improves the methods of detection is warranted. ReferencesMethods The Limpet, a device which incorporates a proximity sensor and a camera unit, was installed within the CD cupboard of the critical care unit. Whenever the cupboard was accessed the date and time were recorded and a photograph was taken to identify the staff member. Mock thefts were subsequently undertaken by a designated staff member at random times. This allowed testing of the product to determine the number of times the 'thief' was correctly identifi ed. Publication of this supplement has been supported by ISICEM. M E E T I N G A B S T R AC T SFigure 1 (abstract P1). Accuracy of prescriptions before intervention. Figure 2 (abstract P1). Accuracy of prescriptions after intervention.Critical Care 2014, Volume 18 Suppl 1 http://ccforum.com/supplements/18/S1 © 2014...

BackgroundThe passive leg-raising (PLR) maneuver provides a dynamic assessment of fluid responsiveness inducing a reversible increase in cardiac preload. Since its effects are sudden and transitory, a continuous cardiac output (CO) monitoring is required to appropriately assess the hemodynamic response of PLR. On the other hand, changes in partial end-tidal CO2 pressure (PETCO2) have been demonstrated to be tightly correlated with changes in CO during constant ventilation and stable tissue CO2 production (VCO2). In this study we tested the hypothesis that, assuming a constant VCO2 and under fixed ventilation, PETCO2 can track changes in CO induced by PLR and can be used to predict fluid responsiveness.MethodsThirty-seven mechanically ventilated patients with acute circulatory failure were monitored with the CardioQ-ODM esophageal Doppler. A 2-minutes PLR maneuver was performed. Fluid responsiveness was defined according to CO increase (responders ≥ 15%) after volume expansion.ResultsPLR-induced increases in CO and PETCO2 were strongly correlated (R2 = 0.79; P < 0.0001). The areas under the receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve for a PLR-induced increase in CO and PETCO2 (0.97 ± 0.03 SE; CI 95%: 0.85 to 0.99 and 0.94 ± 0.04 SE; CI 95%: 0.82 to 0.99; respectively) were not significantly different. An increase ≥ 5% in PETCO2 or ≥ 12% in CO during PLR predicted fluid responsiveness with a sensitivity of 90.5% (95% CI: 69.9 to 98.8%) and 95.2% (95% CI: 76.2 to 99.9%), respectively, and a specificity of 93.7% (95% CI: 69.8 to 99.8%).ConclusionInduced changes in PETCO2 during a PLR maneuver could be used to track changes in CO for prediction of fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients with acute circulatory failure, under fixed minute ventilation and assuming a constant tissue CO2 production.