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L Chelluri

Publications and source records attributed to L Chelluri.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Outcome and quality of life of patients with acute pancreatitis requiring intensive care.

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe acute pancreatitis often require intensive care unit (ICU) admission, have multiple complications, spend weeks to months in the hospital, and consume a large amount of resources. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ICU course, costs, mortality, and quality of life of patients who require ICU admission for acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Patients with acute pancreatitis requiring ICU admission were identified retrospectively. Data regarding in-hospital morbidity, mortality, and hospital costs were obtained. Long-term quality of life was assessed using the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were identified. There were 31 men and 21 women: the mean age was 53 years (range, 22-89). The most common causes of acute pancreatitis were gallstones (44%) and alcoholism (17%). Pulmonary failure (52% required mechanical ventilation) and renal failure (21% required dialysis) were common. There were 39 (75%) hospital survivors and 13 (25%) nonsurvivors. In the first 24 h, the mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores were 10 +/- 6 in survivors and 16 +/- 4 in the nonsurvivors (<0.01). Mean length of ICU (15 +/- 18 and 28 +/- 31 days) and hospital (40 +/- 34 and 38 +/- 34 days) stays were similar in survivors and nonsurvivors, respectively (NS). The mean hospital cost for survivors was $83,611 +/- 88,434 and that for nonsurvivors was $136,730 +/- 95,045 (P = 0. 09). The estimated cost to obtain one hospital survivor was $129,188. Of the 39 hospital survivors, 5 died later, 21 completed the SF-36, and 13 were lost to follow-up. Long-term quality of life (SF-36) was similar to that of an age-matched population. Twenty of twenty-one felt their general health was at least as good as it had been 1 year previously. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severe acute pancreatitis need prolonged ICU and hospital stays. APACHE II may be a good predictor of outcome; further, prospective evaluation is needed. Although resource utilization is high, most patients survive and have good long-term quality of life.

APACHE↗

Factors influencing function of temporary dialysis catheters.

AIM: To determine risk factors for failure of temporary dialysis catheters, we prospectively studied the outcome of 178 non-tunneled dual lumen catheters placed in 126 consecutive patients requiring treatment of acute renal failure (ARF) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). METHODS: Internal jugular (IJ) or subclavian (SC) catheters were used in 122 instances and femoral catheters were employed in 56. RESULTS: IJ or SC catheters with tips in the right atrium or superior vena cava (n = 112) failed (defined as a blood flow < 250 ml/min) 17% of the time, compared with a 40% failure rate for catheters with more peripherally located tips (n = 10), p < 0.05, chi2 testing. In a multivariate analysis, use in ESRD and location peripheral to the SVC were risk factors for catheter failure. Use of one of three catheter brands was associated with a lower failure rate. Although mean venous pressures at 200 ml/min blood flow were higher in IJ or SC catheters that failed, the presence of a high venous pressure, number of catheter uses, IJ vs. SC placement, inpatient vs. outpatient status, and fresh venipuncture vs. placement over a guidewire passed through a previous catheter did not predict catheter malfunction. With femoral catheters, the only risk factor for failure was use in ESRD. CONCLUSION: Of the factors that can be influenced by placement technique, catheter tip location is most important. Whether one catheter brand is superior awaits further confirmation.

Catheterization↗

The effect of managed care on ICU length of stay: implications for medicare.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether insurance status (managed care vs traditional commercial and Medicare) influences resource consumption (as measured by length of stay [LOS]) in the intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of the 1992 Massachusetts state hospital discharge database, using prospectively developed and validated risk-stratification models. SETTING: All nonfederal hospitals in Massachusetts. SUBJECTS: Of all adult hospitalizations where an ICU stay was incurred (n=104270), we selected those covered by 1 of 4 payer groups (n=88050): (1) commercial fee-for-service (patients aged <65 years); (2) commercial managed care (patients aged <65 years); (3) traditional Medicare (patients aged >/=65 years); and (4) Medicare-sponsored managed care (patients aged >/=65 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Mean ICU LOS. ANALYSIS: The ICU LOS regression models were constructed using split-halves validation to adjust for differences in age, sex, severity of illness, diagnosis, discharge status, and payer. Separate models were constructed for those younger than 65 years and those aged 65 years or older. Robustness of the models was explored using goodness of fit and correlation. The effect of payer on hospital mortality was also explored using logistic regression. Observed minus predicted mean ICU LOS and mortality rates were correlated with managed care penetration at the hospital level. RESULTS: The ICU LOS models performed well (R2=0.84 and R2L [likelihood ratio statistic]=0.92 for the development set, and R2=0.83 and R2L=0.89 for the validation set). Significant covariables affecting LOS included age, severity of principal illness, comorbidity, reason for admission, and discharge status (P<.001 for each). Among the cohort younger than 65 years (n=27805), although unadjusted mean ICU LOS was shorter (2.9 vs 3.43 days; P<.05) for those covered by managed care organizations, payer status had no independent effect on ICU LOS (P=.48). Among those older than 65 years, there was neither a difference in unadjusted ICU LOS (3.94 vs 3.88 days; P>/=.05) nor an independent effect of payer on ICU LOS (P=.35). Unadjusted mortality was lower among managed care patients (3.9% vs 5.1% in patients aged <65 years [P<.05] and 8.7% vs 12.1% in patients aged > or = 65 years [P<.05]). Age, severity of principal diagnosis, comorbidity, and reason for admission significantly influenced mortality (P<.001). After controlling for these factors with the mortality model (R2L=0.92 and 0.89, C statistic [12 df]=8.45 and 17.58, and P=.75 and .13 [where a large P reflects good agreement] for the development and validation sets, respectively), payer continued to have a small but significant effect on mortality (odds ratios ranging from 1.67 at 0.1% probability of death to 1.11 at 30% probability of death.) Managed care penetration among the commercially insured varied across hospitals (n=82) from 0% to 68%. There was no correlation between managed care penetration and either ICU LOS (R2=0.04; P=.09) or mortality (R2=0.0; P=.88). CONCLUSIONS: Though patients covered under managed care consume fewer ICU resources, this appears to be primarily attributable to a difference in patient-related factors. Thus, as managed care case mix changes in the future to include sicker and older patients, the initial advantages of reduced resource consumption may diminish.

Adult↗

Intensive care for critically ill elderly: mortality, costs, and quality of life. Review of the literature.

The literature on outcomes of intensive care for the elderly with regard to intensive care unit utilization, mortality, hospital costs and charges, and quality of life after intensive care were reviewed. Publications in the English literature, which evaluated intensive care and included elderly populations, were obtained from review of Index Medicus and MEDLINE. We conclude that age alone is not an acceptable predictor of critical illness with regard to mortality and quality of life of survivors. A therapeutic trial and appropriately discontinuing life support may lead to better utilization of intensive care. Additional data are needed on long-term mortality and quality of life after hospital discharge.

Aged↗

The influence of clinical study design on cost-effectiveness projections for the treatment of gram-negative sepsis with human anti-endotoxin antibody.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to compare the effect of entry criteria, patient population, and study design on outcome and projected cost-effectiveness of human anti-endotoxin antibody (HA-1A). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with suspected or documented gram-negative bacteremia (GNB) with sepsis syndrome or shock received HA-1A during an open-label protocol. The patient characteristics and outcome measures of this series were compared with those of a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (RCT) of HA-1A. Both data sets were subjected to three published cost-effectiveness models of anti-endotoxin therapy, which were derived from RCT data. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-one patients (43 with gram-negative bacteremia) received HA-1A during a 19-month open-label protocol. Comparison with the RCT results demonstrated greater severity of illness and higher 28-day mortality in the open-label protocol. When projected for open-label recipients, HA-1A was considerably less cost-effective than in the original projections based on RCT-derived data. This reduction in cost-effectiveness was consistent across all three models and their respective sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Extrapolating cost-effectiveness from RCT-derived analyses to open-label usage may yield widely inaccurate projections because of only small differences in patient population and the drug administration protocol.

Aged↗

Outcome of renal transplant recipients in the ICU.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of renal transplant recipients in an intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN: Prospective, cohort study. SETTING: Surgical ICU in a tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: Consecutive adult renal transplant recipients admitted to an ICU. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Demographic data, underlying diseases, indications for admission to the ICU, number of prior kidney transplantations, duration of immunosuppression, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in ICU and hospital, and ICU and hospital mortality were recorded. Seventy-one patients were included in the study. Twenty-seven patients were admitted to the surgical ICU immediately after renal transplantation surgery for postoperative monitoring (group 1). One patient died in this group. The remaining 44 patients were renal transplant recipients admitted to the surgical ICU with various complications (group 2). The mean posttransplant time in group 2 was 23 +/- 30 months. Seven patients died in group 2. The overall ICU mortality in this study was 11% and hospital mortality was 14%. The hospital mortality for postoperative patients (3.7% in group 1) was below the rate predicted based on the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE II) score (15%). APACHE II score, duration of mechanical ventilation, and ICU length of stay were significantly higher among nonsurvivors. The ICU mortality among renal transplant recipients was higher than that of other patients (6%) admitted to the surgical ICU during the study period. CONCLUSION: The ICU mortality of renal transplant recipients was twice that of general surgical ICU patients. The hospital mortality rate for recipients admitted immediately postoperatively to the ICU (group 1) was less than predicted by APACHE II.

APACHE↗

Outcome of intensive care of the "oldest-old" critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the short-term and long-term outcome of critically ill "oldest-old" (greater than or equal to 85 yrs) patients. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and follow-up telephone interview. SETTING: ICUs at a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: The medical records of all patients greater than or equal to 85 yrs of age admitted to the ICUs during 1988 were reviewed. Demographic information, severity of illness, major interventions, mortality rate, and hospital charges were examined. A follow-up telephone interview was conducted to determine the quality of life and mortality rate after discharge. RESULTS: Of 34 patients greater than or equal to 85 yrs of age admitted to the ICU, 21 (62%) survived to discharge from the hospital, and 13 (62%) of these 21 patients were discharged to home. Mean +/- SD hospital charges were $34,738 +/- 34,366. Seventeen of the 21 patients were contacted for long-term follow-up, and ten of these patients were alive at a mean follow-up time of 18 +/- 10 months (range 1 to 32). Eight of the ten patients described their quality of life as fair or good. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that age alone may be an inappropriate criterion for allocation of ICU resources.

Aged↗

Pharmacokinetics of amikacin during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration.

We studied the pharmacokinetics of amikacin in a patient with acute oliguric renal failure during continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH). The volume of distribution, terminal disposition rate constant and elimination half-life for amikacin were 27.9 L, 0.023.h-1 and 29.7 h, respectively. Total body clearance for amikacin was 10.54 ml/min and CVVH clearance was 10.11 ml/min. Sieving coefficient for amikacin was 0.93 +/- 0.16. Our data show that during CVVH at a filtration rate of 10 ml/min, the clearance of amikacin is similar to that reported in patients with renal failure who are not being treated with CVVH.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Analysis of the effects of continuous on-line monitoring of mixed venous oxygen saturation on patient outcome and cost-effectiveness.

Continuous measurement of mixed venous oxygen saturation (Sv-O2) has recently been introduced as a monitoring and management technique in critical care patients. To determine the impact of Sv-O2 monitoring on patient management and cost-effectiveness, we conducted a prospective, randomized clinical trial of 99 consecutive patients receiving pulmonary artery (PA) catheters in the ICU. One group (n = 49) received an Edwards quadruple-lumen flow-directed PA catheter. Another group (n = 50) received the Oximetrix Opticath, a flow-directed PA catheter utilizing reflective fiberoptic oximetry for continuous Sv-O2 monitoring. Data recorded included APACHE and TISS scores, duration of stay, number of catheter days, incidence of catheter problems and changes, number of blood gases (arterial and venous), and ICU mortality. Additionally, the early warning capability of Sv-O2 monitoring was analyzed by comparing the severity and outcome of potentially adverse hemodynamic events in both groups. Statistical analysis by step-deletion multiple regression analysis and the unpaired Student's t-test demonstrated that use of the Opticath was not associated with a decrease in potentially adverse hemodynamic events, length of ICU stay, or mortality. In terms of cost-effectiveness, mixed venous oximetry is economically favorable in a charge-based reimbursement system, but economically unfavorable in a fixed-cost-based reimbursement system. Although continuous Sv-O2 monitoring has been shown to be accurate and reliable, it does not appear to be beneficial in all patients requiring PA catheterization.

Catheterization, Peripheral↗

Pharmacokinetics of a 3 mg/kg body weight loading dose of gentamicin or tobramycin in critically ill patients.

We evaluated the pharmacokinetics and adequacy of gentamicin or tobramycin after administration of a loading dose of 3 mg/kg body weight in 14 critically ill patients with presumed sepsis. Therapeutic blood levels after loading dose were obtained in 13 of the 14 patients. Measured volume of distribution, serum half-life, and elimination rate constant were significantly different from values calculated by using standard formulae. All the patients tolerated the dose well without significant deterioration in renal function. Based on the present study, we conclude that administration of 3 mg/kg body weight loading dose of gentamicin or tobramycin in critically ill patients with sepsis would result in earlier therapeutic drug levels.

Adult↗

Bilateral optic atrophy after cardiac arrest in a patient with acute respiratory failure on positive pressure ventilation.

Bilateral blindness resulting from optic atrophy is an unusual complication following shock and cardio-respiratory arrest. This report describes a patient with acute respiratory failure due to pneumococcal pneumonia being treated with very high levels of positive end expiratory pressure who developed bilateral blindness following cardiac arrest. This unfortunate complication most likely resulted from increased intraocular pressure and low systemic perfusion pressure synergistically causing ischemia of the optic nerves.

Adult↗