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The measurement of quality indicators supports quality improvement initiatives. The German Interdisciplinary Society of Intensive Care Medicine (DIVI) has published quality indicators for intensive care medicine for the fourth time now. After a scheduled evaluation after three years, changes in several indicators were made. Other indicators were not changed or only minimally. The focus remained strongly on relevant treatment processes like management of analgesia and sedation, mechanical ventilation and weaning, and infections in the ICU. Another focus was communication inside the ICU. The number of 1ndicators remained the same. The development method was more structured and transparency was increased by adding new features like evidence levels or author contribution and potential conflicts of interest. These quality indicators should be used in the peer review in intensive care, a method endorsed by the DIVI. Other forms of measurement and evaluation are also reasonable, for example in quality management. This fourth edition of the quality indicators will be updated in the future to reflect the recently published recommendations on the structure of intensive care units by the DIVI.

Carbon monoxide (CO) can occur in numerous situations and ambient conditions, such as fire smoke, indoor fireplaces, silos containing large quantities of wood pellets, engine exhaust fumes, and when using hookahs.Symptoms of CO poisoning are nonspecific and can range from dizziness, headache, and angina pectoris to unconsciousness and death.This guideline presents the current state of knowledge and national recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with CO poisoning.The diagnosis of CO poisoning is based on clinical symptoms and proven or probable exposure to CO. Negative carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels should not rule out CO poisoning if the history and symptoms are consistent with this phenomenon. Reduced oxygen-carrying capacity, impairment of the cellular respiratory chain, and immunomodulatory processes may result in myocardial and central nervous tissue damage even after a reduction in COHb.If CO poisoning is suspected, 100% oxygen breathing should be immediately initiated in the prehospital setting.Clinical symptoms do not correlate with COHb elimination from the blood; therefore, COHb monitoring alone is unsuitable for treatment management. Especially in the absence of improvement despite treatment, a reevaluation for other possible differential diagnoses ought to be performed.Evidence regarding the benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is scant and the subject of controversy due to the heterogeneity of studies.If required, HBOT should be initiated within 6 h.All patients with CO poisoning should be informed about the risk of delayed neurological sequelae (DNS).

Quality improvement in medicine is depending on measurement of relevant quality indicators. The quality indicators for intensive care medicine of the German Interdisciplinary Society of Intensive Care Medicine (DIVI) from the year 2013 underwent a scheduled evaluation after three years. There were major changes in several indicators but also some indicators were changed only minimally. The focus on treatment processes like , , and , as well as the number of 10 indicators were not changed. Most topics remained except for which was introduced instead of . was added as an outcome indicator. These quality indicators are used in the peer review in intensive care, a method endorsed by the DIVI. A validity period of three years is planned for the quality indicators.