ARDS seems to be a common and fatal syndrome in a hospital in Rwanda, with few patients admitted to an ICU. The Berlin definition is likely to underestimate the impact of ARDS in low-income countries, where resources to meet the definition requirements are lacking. Although the Kigali modification requires validation before widespread use, we hope this study stimulates further work in refining an ARDS definition that can be consistently used in all settings.

IntroductionIntensive Care Unit (ICU) risk prediction models are used to compare outcomes for quality improvement initiatives, benchmarking, and research. While such models provide robust tools in high-income countries, an ICU risk prediction model has not been validated in a low-income country where ICU population characteristics are different from those in high-income countries, and where laboratory-based patient data are often unavailable. We sought to validate the Mortality Probability Admission Model, version III (MPM0-III) in two public ICUs in Rwanda and to develop a new Rwanda Mortality Probability Model (R-MPM) for use in low-income countries.MethodsWe prospectively collected data on all adult patients admitted to Rwanda’s two public ICUs between August 19, 2013 and October 6, 2014. We described demographic and presenting characteristics and outcomes. We assessed the discrimination and calibration of the MPM0-III model. Using stepwise selection, we developed a new logistic model for risk prediction, the R-MPM, and used bootstrapping techniques to test for optimism in the model.ResultsAmong 427 consecutive adults, the median age was 34 (IQR 25–47) years and mortality was 48.7%. Mechanical ventilation was initiated for 85.3%, and 41.9% received vasopressors. The MPM0-III predicted mortality with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.72 and Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square statistic p = 0.024. We developed a new model using five variables: age, suspected or confirmed infection within 24 hours of ICU admission, hypotension or shock as a reason for ICU admission, Glasgow Coma Scale score at ICU admission, and heart rate at ICU admission. Using these five variables, the R-MPM predicted outcomes with area under the ROC curve of 0.81 with 95% confidence interval of (0.77, 0.86), and Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square statistic p = 0.154.ConclusionsThe MPM0-III has modest ability to predict mortality in a population of Rwandan ICU patients. The R-MPM is an alternative risk prediction model with fewer variables and better predictive power. If validated in other critically ill patients in a broad range of settings, the model has the potential to improve the reliability of comparisons used for critical care research and quality improvement initiatives in low-income countries.

Purpose Few anesthesiologists have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of tetanus, a disease that remains prevalent in developing countries. We report on a series of four cases of tetanus cases recently encountered in Rwanda. We review the clinical epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and the treatment of tetanus, and provide implications for anesthesiologists and critical care physicians. Clinical features We report four cases, two involving adults who were inadequately vaccinated and experienced injuries, and two involving neonates, both of whom underwent umbilical cord transection using unsterilized equipment. All patients required tracheal intubation, and were mechanically ventilated when equipment was available. One adult and one neonate succumbed to the disease. These cases highlight the difficulties of diagnosis and management of complicated diseases in the resourcechallenged health care setting of developing countries. Conclusions The differential diagnosis of tetanus may be confusing, and survival depends on the rapidity of treatment with antitoxin, as well as adequate supportive care. High doses of sedatives and muscle relaxants, as well as prolonged mechanical ventilation, are usually necessary. Mortality remains high, usually resulting from late respiratory failure and cardiovascular collapse, associated with autonomic instability. Anesthesiologists and critical care physicians have an important role to play in the management of these patients. Increased involvement in humanitarian health organizations, immigration from developing countries, and emergence of high risk groups in developed countries will likely result in more exposure of anesthesiologists to the complexities of this disease. RésuméObjectif Tre`s peu d'anesthe´siologistes sont experts du diagnostic et du traitement du te´tanos, une pathologie qui demeure pre´valente dans les pays en voie de de´veloppe-ment. Nous rapportons une se´rie de quatre cas de te´tanos survenus re´cemment au Rwanda. Nous passons en revue l'e´pide´miologie clinique, la physiopathologie, le diagnostic et le traitement du te´tanos, et proposons des pistes inte´-ressantes pour les anesthe´siologistes et les me´decins en soins critiques. É léments cliniques Nous rapportons quatre cas dont deux impliquent des adultes mal vaccine´s et qui ont subi des blessures, et deux concernent des nouveaux-ne´s, tous deux ayant subi une coupe transversale du cordon ombilical a`l'aide d'instruments non ste´rilise´s. Tous les patients ont ne´cessite´une intubation trache´ale et ont e´te´venti-le´s me´caniquement lorsque le mate´riel e´tait disponible. Ces cas soulignent les difficulte´s rencontre´es lors du diagnostic et de la prise en charge de pathologies complexes dans le contexte des soins de sante´manquant de ressources des pays en voie de de´veloppement. Conclusions Le diagnostic diffe´rentiel du te´tanos peut porter a`confusion, et la survie de´pend de la rapidite´du traitement avec de l'antitoxine ainsi que de soins d'accompagnement adapte´s. En ge´ne´ral, des...

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a clinically defined syndrome of hypoxia and bilateral pulmonary infiltrates due to inflammatory pathways triggered by pulmonary and nonpulmonary insults, and ARDS is pathologically correlated with diffuse alveolar damage. Estimates of ARDS's impact in the developed world vary widely, with some of the discrepancies attributed to marked differences in the availability of intensive care beds and mechanical ventilation. Almost nothing is known about the epidemiology of ARDS in the developing world, in part due to a clinical definition requiring positive pressure ventilation, arterial blood gases, and chest radiography. Current frameworks for comparing the epidemiology of death and disability across the world including the GBD (Global Burden of Disease Study) 2010 are ill-suited to quantifying critical illness syndromes including ARDS. Modifications to the definition of ARDS to allow a provision for environments without the capacity for positive pressure ventilation, and to allow for alternate diagnostic techniques including pulse oximetry and ultrasound, may make it possible to quantify and describe the impact of ARDS in the global context.

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