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We report the anaesthetic management of a term pregnant woman with active tuberculous meningitis, who had experienced seizures, had signs of raised intracranial pressure and required emergency caesarean section. Peripartum anaesthetic management of a patient with tuberculous meningitis is a rare event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The parasternal intercostal muscle activity, a marker of accessory muscle usage, is found to correlate inversely with the pressure-generating capacity of the diaphragm and level of support of mechanical ventilation. The primary objective of our study was to determine whether the parasternal intercostal muscle thickening fraction (PMTF) measured by ultrasonography can predict weaning. We also evaluated whether addition of lung ultrasound score and echocardiographic assessment can add on to predicting weaning failure., Methods: This prospective observational study conducted in a mixed medical-surgical intensive care unit, included 60 adult patients who were eligible for a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) after being invasively mechanically ventilated for more than 48 hours. Ultrasound of respiratory muscles, lung parenchyma, and echocardiographic assessment were performed before and after 120 minutes of SBT. Parasternal intercostal muscles were imaged with a high frequency linear probe on the right second intercostal space 5 cm lateral to the sternal margin. PMTF was calculated as (maximum-minimum thickness)/minimum thickness., Results: Among 60 patients, SBT failure was seen in 11 patients and extubation failed in 8 patients. PMTF (%) was significantly higher in the weaning failure group (13.33 [8.33-19.05]) as compared to patients with successful weaning (6.67 [6.06-11.54]). Diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTF) correlated inversely to PMTF in patients with weaning failure. A pre-SBT PMTF cut-off of ≥7.7% and post-SBT cut-off of ≥15.38% were good predictors of weaning failure and extubation failure, respectively., Conclusions: PMTF has good discriminatory power to predict weaning outcomes (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.74 [0.59-0.88]). Pre-SBT PMTF had similar power as DTF to predict weaning failure., (© 2024 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Objective: Air-Q intubating laryngeal airway (ILA) is associated with a 58-77% success rate in blind intubation. The newer laryngeal mask airway (LMA) blockbuster is specially designed to facilitate easier endotracheal intubation and may have a higher success rate. The current study aimed to compare the success rate of endotracheal intubation using the Air-Q ILA and LMA blockbuster., Methods: After ethics committee approval and informed written consent, 140 adult patients with normal airways who were scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation were recruited for this randomized controlled trial. Blind endotracheal intubation was performed using the Air-Q ILA in group A and the LMA blockbuster in group B with special maneuvers and/or tubes in the second attempt. Fibreoptic bronchoscope (FOB) guidance was used in the third attempt if required. The primary outcome was the success rate of intubation without FOB assistance. The number of attempts for supraglottic airway (SGA) insertion, the time taken for SGA insertion, and the overall intubation time was also noted., Results: The success rate of intubation without FOB guidance was significantly higher in group B than in group A [91.4% vs 55.7%; relative risk (RR) 1.68; (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34, 2.11); p<0.0001]. The number of attempts for SGA insertion was similar in groups A and group B [87% vs 90%; RR 1.03; (95% CI-0.92, 1.16); p=0.60]. The times for successful SGA insertion and endotracheal intubation were also similar between the groups., Conclusion: The LMA blockbuster offers a significantly higher success rate for endotracheal intubation without FOB guidance than the Air-Q ILA in adult patients with normal airways. However, an increased success rate was achieved with the use of a specially designed flexible endotracheal tube and maneuvers., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (©Copyright 2024 by the Turkish Anesthesiology and Reanimation Association / Turkish Journal of Anaesthesiology & Reanimation is published by Galenos Publishing House.)

Background and Aims: Existing literature does not establish the superiority of the erector spinae plane (ESP) block or the thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block in pain relief and reducing opioid consumption in lumbar spine surgeries. This systematic review and meta-analysis was aimed to discern their relative efficacy and safety., Methods: This meta-analysis included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ESP and TLIP blocks in lumbar spine surgeries. The primary outcome was 24-h opioid consumption, and secondary outcomes were visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 1 h and 24 h and various complications. PubMed, Central Register of Controlled Trials, SCOPUS, EMBASE databases and cross-references were electronically searched. Two authors extracted data independently, cross-checked, and analysed them using RevMan 5.4. Binary outcomes were reported as odds ratios (OR), while continuous outcomes were presented as standardised mean differences (SMDs) accompanied by 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs)., Results: Among 1107 articles, six RCTs (492 patients) were finally included. The ESP block demonstrated lower 24-h opioid consumption compared to TLIP [SMD -0.32 (95% CI: -0.50, -0.14); P < 0.001, I 2 = 83%]. At 1 and 24 h, ESPB yielded significantly lower VAS scores compared to TLIP [1 h: SMD -0.38 (95% CI: -0.57, -0.18); P < 0.001, I 2 = 83%; 24 h: SMD -0.57 (95% CI: -0.76, -0.37); P < 0.001, I 2 = 73%]. No significant difference was noted in adverse events., Conclusion: In comparison to the TLIP block, the ESP block has significantly lower 24-h opioid consumption and VAS scores at 1 and 24 h in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Anaesthesia.)

Background: Reported incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) is around 5.0-7.5% of all hospitalized patients, and 40% of them are postoperative patients. Major abdominal surgeries account for 3.1-35% of cases of postoperative AKI in various series. The aim of the study was to identify the incidence and risk factors of AKI in peritonitis patients undergoing emergency laparotomy., Materials and Methods: Adult patients aged 18-65 years undergoing emergency laparotomy for perforation peritonitis were included in this prospective observational study. Baseline clinical and laboratory data, intraoperative details and postoperative outcome data (AKI at day 7, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, and mortality) were recorded. Logistic regression model was constructed to predict AKI at day 7., Results: N = 140 patients were included in this study and 69 patients (49.3%) developed AKI within day 7. Larger volume of crystalloid [OR (95% CI) 1.00 (1.00-1.00); p = 0.012], intraoperative vasopressor use (OR 7.42 (2.41-22.83); p < 0.001), intraoperative blood loss [OR 1.004(1.00-1.01); p = 0.003] and the presence of chronic liver disease (CLD) [OR 22.44 (1.68-299.26); p = 0.019] were risk factors for the development of AKI. Acute kidney injury patients had increased mortality at day 90 (24.6% v s 1.4%; p < 0.001), length of ICU stay (3 days vs 0 days, p < 0.001), and length of hospital stay (11 days vs 7 days; p < 0.001)., Conclusion: In peritonitis patients undergoing emergency laparotomy, as many as 49% of patients develop AKI within 1 week. The presence of CLD, intraoperative blood loss, and the use of crystalloids and vasopressor increase the odds of developing AKI., How to Cite This Article: Priya P, Baidya DK, Anand RK, Ray BR, Khanna P, Krishna A, et al . Epidemiology and Long-term Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in Adult Patients with Perforation Peritonitis Undergoing Emergency Laparotomy. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(9):854-858., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: NoneConflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).)

Background: The 3-year training in the critical care medicine (CCM) specialty is a relatively new recognized program in India. This program has been run at a few premier institutes across India over the past few years., Objective: The present study aimed to get a critical appraisal of the 3-year training program in CCM from the initial 50 trained Indian intensivists, regarding their research, publications, and self-perceived clinical training adequacy in the various areas of the CCM., Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study. The list of participants (initial trainees who completed the course between 2015-2021) was compiled by contacting the respective teachers of the institutes that were permitted and recognized by the competent national authority to run a 3-year training course in CCM in India. A questionnaire was developed with questions related to demographic details; self-reports about clinical training program adequacy measured on the Likert scale; and their research area, publications, and current job profiles. After receipt of institutional ethics committee approval, responses from the participants were collected through Google Forms, which were sent through e-mails., Results: Responses were received from 51 of 62 participants. Among the 51, the majority were male (43; 84%), and their basic training was in anesthesiology (88%). All of them had conducted at least one mandatory research project; three-fourths were prospective observational. The main areas of research projects were cardiovascular (20%), followed by respiratory (18%), sepsis and infection (18%), and renal (14%). Only less than one-third reported being published in any PubMed-indexed journal, with most as a first authorship (93%). One-fourth to one-third of participants reported inadequate training in areas such as extracorporeal therapies and financial and administrative managerial skills in critical care, followed by cardiac and neurocritical care and research methodology. Eight (16%) underwent further training, including 6 from outside India., Conclusion: The present study critically evaluated the 3-year training in the CCM from the perspective of trainees who completed the program in India; highlighting areas of inadequate training such as extracorporeal therapies and financial and administrative managerial skills. Participants reported concern about the training and allocated time for their research and getting it published in an indexed journal., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Thoracic Society.)

Background: Hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are at risk of further clinical deterioration and poor outcome. In this study, clinical risk factors of the requirement of mechanical ventilation within the first 24 h of hospital admission in coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia patients have been evaluated., Methods: In this retrospective study, admission characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients and risk factors for requiring mechanical ventilation and death within 24 h of admission have been evaluated. Predictive ability was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve and independent association was checked by a logistic regression model., Results: One hundred and forty-three subjects were recruited in this study and the median (interquartile range) age of the included subjects was 51 (40-60) years, and 68.5% (98 of 143) patients were male. Subjects who required mechanical ventilation in the first 24 h of admission had higher baseline respiratory rate ( P < 0.0001), lower oxyhemoglobin saturation ( P < 0.0001), higher serum lactate ( P < 0.0001), and higher percentage of subjects complained of shortness of breath at the time of presentation ( P = 0.005) and higher sequential organ function assessment (SOFA) score ( P < 0.001). Serum lactate, baseline respiratory rate, and oxyhemoglobin saturation were predictors of the requirement of mechanical ventilation with an AUROC (95% confidence interval) of 0.80 (0.72-0.88), 0.75 (0.66-0.84), and 0.77 (0.68-0.86), respectively. Logistic regression revealed that a model reported that baseline serum lactate ( P < 0.001) and SOFA score ( P < 0.001) were independent predictors of mechanical ventilation within 24 h of intensive care unit admission., Conclusion: Baseline serum lactate level predicts early requirement of mechanical ventilation in adult subjects with SARS-CoV-2 infection even after adjustment of disease severity parameters, SOFA score., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science.)

Background: The OI was originally evaluated as a prognostic tool for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in children and was an independent predictor for mortality in adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)., Methods: Oxygenation index and OSI of 201 adult patients undergoing emergency surgery were evaluated at different time points. The primary objective of this study was to find the correlation between OI and OSI. The secondary objectives were to find the prognostic utility of OI and OSI for postoperative mechanical ventilation and mortality., Results: Significant statistical correlation was found between OI and OSI both at the beginning ( r 2 = 0.61; p < 0.001) and immediately after surgery ( r 2 = 0.47; p < 0.001). Oxygen saturation index at the beginning [area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) (95% CI) 0.76 (0.62-0.89); best cutoff 3.9, sensitivity 64% and specificity 45%] and immediately after surgery [AUROC (95% CI) 0.82 (0.72-0.92); best cutoff 3.57, sensitivity 79%, and specificity 62%] were reasonable predictors of the requirement of invasive ventilatory support. Exploratory analysis reported that older age ( p = 0.02), higher total leukocyte count ( p = 0.002), higher arterial lactate ( p = 0.02), and higher driving pressure ( p < 0.001) were independently associated with hospital mortality., Conclusion: In adult patients undergoing emergency laparotomy under general anesthesia, OI and OSI were found to be correlated. Both metrics demonstrated reasonable accuracy in predicting the need for invasive ventilatory support beyond 24 hours and hospital mortality., How to Cite This Article: Thakuria R, Ernest EE, Chowdhury AR, Pangasa N, Kayina CA, Bhattacharjee S, et al . Oxygenation Index and Oxygen Saturation Index for Predicting Postoperative Outcome in Patients Undergoing Emergency Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(7):645-649., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).)

Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) has a significant negative impact and are associated with increased length of hospital stay and cost of care. Emergency surgery is a well-established risk factor for PPC. Previous studies reported that personalized positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) might reduce postoperative atelectasis and postoperative pulmonary complications. N = 168 adult patients undergoing major emergency laparotomy under general anesthesia were recruited in this study. A minimum driving pressure based incremental PEEP titration was compared to a fixed PEEP of 5 cmH2O. The primary outcome was PPC up to postoperative day 7. The mean (standard deviation) of the recruited patients was 41.7(16.1)y, and 48.8% (82 of 168 patients) were female. The risk of PPC at postoperative day 7 was similar in both the study groups [Relative risk (RR) (95% Confidence interval, CI) 0.81 (0.58, 1.13); p = 0.25]. In addition, the incidence of intraoperative hypotension [p = 0.75], oxygen-free days at day 28 [p = 0.27], duration of postoperative hospital stay [p = 0.50], length of postoperative intensive care unit stay [p = 0.28], and in-hospital mortality [p = 0.38] were similar in two groups. Incidence of PPC was not reduced with the use of an individualized PEEP strategy based on lowest driving pressure. However, the incidence of hypotension and bradycardia was also not increased with titrated PEEP.Trial Registration: www.ctri.nic.in ; CTRI/2020/12/029765., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Aim and Background: High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with improved patient outcomes, but healthcare workers (HCWs) may be frequently undertrained. This study aimed to assess baseline knowledge and skills among HCWs about basic and advanced life support and the effect of simulation-based training on it., Methods: It was a single-center prospective quasi-interventional study among resident doctors and nurses at a Tertiary Center in New Delhi, India. A questionnaire-based assessment was done to assess baseline knowledge. The participants then underwent simulation-based training followed by questionnaire-based knowledge assessment and skill assessment. A repeat questionnaire-based assessment was done 6 months post-training to assess knowledge retention., Results: A total of 82 HCWs (54 doctors and 28 nurses) were enrolled. The participants scored 22.28 ± 6.06 out of 35 (63.65%) in the pre-training knowledge assessment, with low scores in post-cardiac arrest care, advanced life support, and defibrillation. After the training, there was a significant rise in scores to 28.32 ± 4.08 out of 35 (80.9%) ( p < 0.01). The retention of knowledge at 6 months was 68.87% ( p < 0.01). The participants scored 92.61 ± 4.75% marks in skill assessment with lower scores in chest compressions and team leadership roles. There was a positive correlation ( r = 0.35) between knowledge and skills scores ( p < 0.01)., Conclusion: There is a progressive decrease in baseline knowledge of HCWs with the further steps in the adult chain of survival. The simulation training program had a positive impact on the knowledge of HCWs. The training programs should focus on defibrillation, advanced life support, post-cardiac arrest care, and leadership roles., How to Cite This Article: Agarwal A, Baitha U, Ranjan P, Swarnkar NK, Singh GP, Baidya DK, et al . Knowledge and Skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Effect of Simulation Training on it among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Center in India. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(4):336-342., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).)

Background: Despite the possible clinical benefit of high intraoperative oxygen therapy on surgical site infection, the effect on postoperative respiratory function is debatable. However, it remains yet to be elucidated whether hyperoxia due to a high fraction of inspired oxygen used in conjunction with lung protective ventilation can lead to increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications., Methods: In this noninferiority randomized trial, an intraoperative high fraction of inspired oxygen of 0.8 (group H) was compared to a standard fraction of inspired oxygen of 0.3 to 0.4 (group S) in adult patients undergoing major elective or emergency surgery. A lung protective ventilation strategy was employed in all patients, including volume control ventilation with a tidal volume of 6 to 8 mL/kg of predicted body weight, respiratory rate of 12 beats per minute, and positive end-expiratory pressure of 5 to 8 cm H 2 O. Postoperative pulmonary complications were assessed on postoperative days 3 and 5 by the Melbourne group scale., Results: In this trial, n = 226 patients were randomized; among them, 130 patients underwent routine surgery, and 96 patients underwent emergency surgery. The median (interquartile range) of the patients was 48 (35-58) years, and 47.3% were female. Melbourne group scale scores at postoperative day 3 (median [interquartile range] 2 [1-4] in group S vs 2 [1-3] in group H; the difference in median [95% confidence interval] 0 [0, -1]; P = .13) and day 5 (median [interquartile range] 1 (0-3) in group S vs 1 [0-3] in group H; the difference in median [95% confidence interval] 0 [0, 0.5]; P = .34) were statistically similar in both the groups and the upper margin was within the predefined margin of 1. Incidence of surgical site infection (P = .46), postoperative hospital stay (P = .29), and days alive without antibiotic therapy at postoperative day 28 (P = .95) were similar in both groups., Conclusion: High intraoperative fiO 2 was noninferior to standard fiO 2 in postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing major surgery., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Simulation refers to the replication of various elements of a real-world situation to achieve pre-specified objectives by enabling experiential learning. As the global burden of preventable medical errors remains high, simulation-based teaching may be used to standardise medical training and improve patient safety. With the same intent, the National Medical Commission has adopted simulation as part of the Competency Based Medical Education approach. Simulation-based training creates immersive and experiential learning, which keeps the new generation of learners actively involved in the learning process. Simulation is widely used to impart technical and non-technical skills for postgraduate trainees in anaesthesiology, but it is still not integrated as a structured part of the curriculum. This article aims to identify technical and non-technical skills that can be taught using simulation and suggests opportunities for using the existing infrastructure and resources to integrate simulation as part of the anaesthesiology training curriculum., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Anaesthesia.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background: Insulin resistance is often implicated as a risk factor of cell-mediated immune dysfunction in sepsis patients and results in poor clinical outcome. However, it is unclear whether early insulin resistance is contributory to T-cell dysfunction and poor clinical outcome in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients., Methods: Adult patients with moderate-to-severe or critically ill COVID-19 infection were included in this study. Serum samples were collected at the time of diagnosis for fasting plasma glucose, serum insulin, serum cortisol, and serum glucagon measurements, and the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) score was calculated., Results: One hundred and twenty-six subjects with a mean (standard deviation) age of 49.6 (16.3) years were recruited in this study, and 62.4% (78 of 125 patients) were male. HOMA-IR was a predictor of inhospital mortality with the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) (95% confidence interval [CI] of 0.61 [0.49-0.73]). With a cutoff value of 1.91, sensitivity was 75.5% and specificity was 45.2%. Higher serum insulin was associated with higher survival with AUROC (95% CI) of 0.65 (0.53-0.76), and the best cutoff was 7.15, with a sensitivity and specificity of 62.1% and 64.5%. Serum cortisol was also a predictor of inhospital mortality with an AUROC (95% CI) of 0.67 (0.56-0.77)., Conclusion: An independent association between baseline serum cortisol and poor outcome in moderate-to-severe COVID-19 patients was observed. Hyperglycemia and HOMA-IR can also predict poor outcome in these patients with some accuracy., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 International Journal of Critical Illness and Injury Science.)

Background: Distal radial artery cannulation at the "anatomical snuffbox" carries several theoretical advantages over conventional radial arterial cannulation at the wrist. However, these two techniques have not been evaluated in perioperative settings., Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, n  = 200 patients requiring arterial cannulation for perioperative monitoring were recruited. Patients were randomized to either ultrasound guided distal radial artery cannulation group (group D) or ultrasound guided conventional radial artery cannulation group (group W). Primary outcome of this study was first attempt cannulation success rate., Results: First attempt cannulation success rate was significantly lower in distal radial artery cannulation (57% in group D and 77% in group W; p  = 0.003). Use of alternative cannulation site was significantly higher in group D when compared to group W ( p  = 0.015) and number of attempts for successful cannulation was significantly higher in group D when compared to group W ( p  = 0.015). None of the patients in any group developed thrombosis and related complications and intraoperative catheter dislodgement. Time to puncture the artery ( p  < 0.0001), total cannulation time ( p  < 0.0001), and actual catheter insertion time ( p  < 0.0001) were significantly higher in group D in comparison to group W., Conclusion: Distal radial artery cannulation was associated with lower first attempt cannulation success rate and requires longer time to perform. As distal radial artery is a new technique, further studies are required in different clinical settings., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background and Aims: This study aimed to assess if pre- and postoperative parameters of brachial artery reactivity (BAR), like flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and hyperaemic velocity (HV), could predict in-hospital mortality in perforation peritonitis patients undergoing emergency laparotomy., Methods: In this prospective observational study, adult patients with perforation peritonitis undergoing emergency laparotomy were recruited. FMD and HV were measured preoperatively, postoperatively and at 24 and 48 h post-surgery. Adult patients undergoing elective laparotomy served as the control group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Baseline and BAR parameters were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Risk factors for mortality were identified by univariate analysis. Prognostic performances of BAR parameters were assessed by different models using logistic regression. All statistical analyses were performed on STATA version 13 for Mac OS., Results: Seventy-six emergency laparotomy patients were recruited, and 26 died during the hospital stay. FMD and HV were comparable at all time points between survivors and non-survivors, except that HV was higher in survivors at 48 h post-surgery (median [interquartile range] 1.28 [1.16-1.49] vs. 1.16 [0.86-1.35], P = 0.010]. HV at 48 h predicted mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval] 21.05 [1.04-422.43], P = 0.046), and a model consisting of age, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) score and HV at 48 h was the best predictor of mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve 0.82)., Conclusion: HV, as measured by ultrasonography of the brachial artery at 48 h postoperatively, is a good predictor of mortality in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for perforation peritonitis., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Anaesthesia.)

Purpose: Skeletal muscle ultrasound is a valuable tool for assessing muscle wasting in ICU. Previous studies on skeletal muscle ultrasound in ICU have been performed on lower limb muscles. The current study is formulated to assess the feasibility and reliability of anterior temporalis (AT) muscle ultrasound for measuring muscle wasting in ICU., Methods: In this prospective cohort study in 48 critically ill patients with sepsis, muscle layer thicknesses (MLTs) and mean grayscale (GS) values of anterior temporalis muscles and quadriceps femoris (Q) were measured at baseline and serially till 7 days. Correlation was made between baseline and change in MLT and GS values of AT and Q muscle and these parameters were compared between ICU survivors and non survivors., Results: Baseline anterior temporalis MLTs or their longitudinal changes over 7 days did not correlate significantly with the corresponding parameters of quadriceps femoris muscles. The baseline GS values of two muscle groups correlated weakly at baseline, but the change in GS over 7 days showed no correlation. The baseline MLTs of both muscle groups and their longitudinal change over 7 days did not correlate with ICU length of stay. The change in MLT of AT over 7 days was significantly greater in ICU non-survivors compared to survivors., Conclusion: Measurement of ultrasonographic muscle layer thickness and grayscale parameters of anterior temporalis muscle did not show good correlation with that of quadriceps muscle., (© 2022. Società Italiana di Ultrasonologia in Medicina e Biologia (SIUMB).)

Background & Objectives: Current practice around transfusion trigger in critically ill sepsis patients is not clear. Moreover, any association of haemoglobin trigger and other transfusion parameters such as age of red blood cells (RBCs) at transfusion and number of units of RBCs transfused with mortality and other adverse outcomes need further assessment., Methods: In this prospective study, patients aged 18-70 yr and admitted to intensive care with a diagnosis of sepsis were included (n=108). Baseline demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were noted and various transfusion data, i.e., haemoglobin trigger, number of units of RBCs and the age of RBCs were recorded. Following outcome data were collected: 28 and 90 day mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, vasopressor therapy, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay and requirement of renal replacement therapy., Results: Of the total 108 participants, 78 (72.2%) survived till 28 days and 66 (61.1%) survived till 90 days. Transfusion trigger was 6.9 (6.7-7.1) g/dl [median (interquartile range)]. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) (95% confidence interval {CI}): 0.86 (0.78, 0.96); P=0.005], cumulative fluid balance (CFB) [aOR (95% CI): 0.99 (0.99, 0.99); P=0.005] and admission platelet count [aOR (95% CI): 1.69 (1.01, 2.84); P=0.043] were the predictors of 28 day mortality [model area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) 0.81]. APACHE II [aOR (95% CI): 0.88 (0.81, 0.97); P=0.013], CFB [a OR (95% CI): 0.99977 (0.99962, 0.99993); P=0.044] and transfusion trigger [aOR (95% CI): 3 (1.07, 8.34); P=0.035] were the predictors of 90 day mortality (model AUROC: 0.82)., Interpretation & Conclusions: In sepsis, patients admitted to the ICU, current practice suggests transfusion trigger is below 7 g/dl and it does not affect any adverse outcome including 28 day mortality.

Background  Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus-associated pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were often associated with hyperinflammation and elevation of several serum inflammatory markers but usually less than what is observed in non-coronavirus disease (COVID) ARDS. Elevated inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-6, etc., are associated with severe infection. This study identified subphenotypes of COVID-19 ARDS patients by latent profile analysis in a cohort of Indian patients. Methods  Data of n  = 233 adult Indian patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to a tertiary care teaching hospital were analyzed in this retrospective study. Only patients with acute respiratory failure (defined by partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio < 200 mm Hg) and chest X-ray showing bilateral infiltrates were included. Results  The patients' mean (standard deviation) age was 53.3 (14.9) years, and 62% were male. A two subphenotypic model was formulated based on the lowest Bayesian information criterion. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and serum IL-6 were latent variables in that model (entropy 0.91). The second phenotype (hyperinflammatory) had lower platelet count ( p  = 0.02), higher serum creatinine ( p  = 0.004), higher C-reactive protein ( p  = 0.001), higher ferritin ( p  < 0.001), and serum lactate dehydrogenase ( p  = 0.009). Age-adjusted hospital mortality ( p  = 0.007), duration of hospital stay ( p  < 0.001), and duration of intensive care unit stay ( p  < 0.001) were significantly higher in the second subphenotype. Conclusion  Two distinct but overlapping subphenotypes were identified in SARS-CoV-2-associated respiratory failure. Hyperinflammatory subphenotype was associated with significantly poor short-term outcomes., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared., (The Indian Association of Laboratory Physicians. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)

Background and Aims: Doppler waveform analysis of carotid artery has been found to predict fluid responsiveness in patients undergoing elective surgeries. We evaluated the role of carotid artery corrected flow time (FTc) and respiratory variation of blood flow peak velocity (ðV peak ) in predicting post induction hypotension in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for peritonitis., Material and Methods: Adult patients ( n = 60) with perforation peritonitis undergoing emergency laparotomy under general anesthesia (GA) were recruited in this prospective, observational study. Carotid ultrasonography was performed pre-induction, to determine FTc and ðV peak . Post-induction hemodynamic parameters were recorded for 5 minutes. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between hypotension and carotid artery measurements., Results: Post-induction hypotension occurred in 48.3% of patients. The carotid artery FTc was significantly lower ( P = 0.008) in patients who developed post-induction hypotension, but ðV peak was statistically similar ( P = 0.62) in both groups. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient revealed a statistically significant correlation between FTc and systolic blood pressure (SBP) change at one-minute post induction ( r 2 = -0.29, P = 0.03); however statistical significance were not achieved at 2 minutes and 3 minutes ( P = 0.05 at both time points). Carotid artery FTc had an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve (95% CI) of 0.70 (0.57-0.84) to predict post-induction hypotension and best cutoff value of 344.8 ms with a sensitivity and specificity of 61% and 79%, respectively. Carotid artery ðV peak had an AUROC curve (95% CI) of 0.54 (0.39-0.69) to predict post-induction hypotension and best cutoff value of 7.9% with a sensitivity and specificity of 62% and 55%, respectively., Conclusion: Carotid artery FTc and ðV peak are not reasonable predictors of hypotension in patients undergoing emergency laparotomy for perforation peritonitis., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Preoperative ultrasound assessment of inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and the collapsi-bility index might identify patients with intravascular volume depletion. The purpose of this review was to gather the existing evidence to find out whether preoperative IVC ultrasound (IVCUS) derived parameters can reliably predict hypotension after spinal or general anaesthesia. PubMed was searched to identify research articles that addressed the role of IVC ultrasound in predicting hypotension after spinal and general anaesthesia in adult patients. We included 4 randomized control trials and 17 observational studies in our final review. Among these, 15 studies involved spinal anaesthesia and 6 studies involved general anaesthesia. Heterogeneity with respect to the patient populations under evaluation, definitions used for hypotension after anaesthesia, IVCUS assessment methods, and cut-off values for IVCUS-derived parameters to predict hypotension precluded pooled meta-analysis. The maximum and minimum reported sensitivity of the IVC collapsibility index (IVCCI) for predicting post-spinal hypotension was 84.6% and 58.8% respectively, while the maximum and minimum specificities were 93.1% and 23.5% respectively. For the prediction of hypotension after general anaesthesia induction, the reported ranges of sensitivity and specificity of IVCCI were 86.67% to 45.5% and 94.29% to 77.27%, respectively. Current literature on the predictive role of IVCUS for hypotension after anaesthesia is heterogeneous both in methodology and in results. Standardization of the definition of hypotension under anaesthesia, method of IVCUS assessment, and the cut-offs for IVC diameter and the collapsibility index for prediction of hypotension after anaesthesia are necessary for drawing clinically relevant conclusions.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Background The analgesic efficacy of preemptive administration of caudal morphine for spine surgeries in adults is not well studied. In a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, safety and analgesic efficacy of preemptive, single-shot caudal morphine and bupivacaine was compared with caudal bupivacaine alone in lumbosacral spine surgeries. Methods After Institutional Ethics Committee approval, 40 patients aged 18-60 yrs planned for lumbosacral spine surgery were randomized to groups of 20 patients each. After induction and prone positioning, an ultrasound-guided caudal block was performed with morphine 50 µg/kg with 20 ml 0.25% bupivacaine in the study group (LM) and only bupivacaine in the control group (LA). Postoperatively, both groups received intravenous morphine via patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump (No basal, 1 mg/bolus, 10 minutes lockout interval). Intraoperative fentanyl use, postoperative 24-h morphine consumption, visual analogue pain scores (VAS) and adverse effects of morphine were noted. Results Demographics and baseline data were comparable. Postoperative 24-hour morphine requirement was more in LA group (34.3 ± 10.7 mg vs 19.65 ± 11.8 mg, p=0.0001). Total intraoperative supplemental fentanyl requirement was similar (79.25 ± 67.60 µg in LA vs 54 ± 50.20 µg in LM group, p=0.28). VAS scores at 2/4/6/12-hour in group-LM were significantly less than group-LA (p=0.005, 0.002, 0.001 and 0.047) but were comparable at 18 and 24 hours (p=0.25, 0.42). Postoperative incidence of adverse effects of morphine was comparable. Conclusions Ultrasound-guided, single-shot preemptive administration of caudal morphine with bupivacaine is a safe and effective modality of analgesia for patients undergoing lumbosacral spine surgeries., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Malviya et al.)

Background and Aims: Airway management in children is always challenging and becomes a concern if required in the lateral position. We evaluated the efficacy of orotracheal intubation using the Air-Q intubating laryngeal Airway (Air-Q ILA) in supine and lateral positions in children., Material and Methods: This study included 100 children weighing 7-30 kg, scheduled for elective surgeries under general anesthesia. They were randomized into the supine (S) group or lateral (L) group. After anesthesia induction, the child was placed in a standard sniffing position for conventional laryngoscopy in the S group, and the child was turned into the lateral position in the L group. Both Air-Q ILA and endotracheal tube were placed blindly in the supine position in the S group and lateral position in group L. The grading of glottic view, success rate, insertion time of the Air-Q ILA, and endotracheal intubation were noted in both the groups., Results: The Air-Q ILA was successfully placed at the first attempt in 47 children in group S and 48 in group L. The overall blind orotracheal intubations, including first and second attempts, were successful in 45 children in the S group and 47 in the L group ( P = 0.715). Eighty percent of patients in group L and 70% in group S had glottis grade 1 or 2 compared to grade 3, 4,5 ( P = 0.249). The mean time of Air-Q ILA placement in groups S and L was 15.73 ± 5.64 s and 14.42 ± 4.16 s ( P = 0.195). The mean duration of blind endotracheal intubation through the Air-Q ILA was 24.88 ± 14.75 s in group S and 17.57 ± 5.35 s in group L ( P = 0.002). In both the groups, none of the children had bronchospasm, laryngospasm, desaturation, or aspiration. The airway trauma evident by blood staining on the Air-Q ILA on removal was revealed in 2 cases in group S, and 3 cases in group L. None of the children in group S and 4 children in group L had postoperative stridor. Postoperative hoarseness was reported in 3 children in group S and none in group L within 24 hours., Conclusion: The Air-Q ILA can be used as a conduit for blind orotracheal intubation in children in both supine and lateral positions while maintaining an effective airway seal., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology.)

Background and Aims: Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) may improve the outcome in critically ill COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation. However, the timing of performing tracheostomy may be controversial, and it is an aerosol-generating procedure with a potential risk of viral exposure to healthcare workers., Material and Methods: An operational protocol for performing PDT was made and subsequently followed in a designated COVID-19 ICU. Critically ill adult patients on mechanical ventilators who underwent PDT were included in this retrospective cohort study. Case files were retrospectively reviewed and patient characteristics, clinical outcome, and procedure-related details were noted., Results: Forty-one patients were included in the analysis. The median age was 49 (39-67) years, and 41.5% of patients were females. The median duration of mechanical ventilation before tracheostomy was 10 (8-16) days, and the median (IQR) PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio on the day of PDT was 155 (125-180) mm Hg. Further, 48.8% of patients had transient desaturation to SpO2 <90%, and 41.5% survived to ICU discharge. None of the health care providers involved in PDT developed any symptoms of COVID 19., Conclusion: This descriptive study demonstrates the feasibility, implementation, and apparent safety of the PDT protocol developed at our institution., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology.)

How to cite this article: Hirolli D, Panda R, Baidya DK. Bygone Ether: Theriac to Obstinate Hiccups-Food for Thought! Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(7):884., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2022; Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.)

Background and Aims: Mechanical ventilation in prone position was associated with a reduction in mortality and increase in arterial oxygenation in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients. However, physiological effects of prone position in COVID ARDS patients are unknown., Material and Methods: In this prospective observational study, data of n = 47 consecutive real time RT- PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infected patients with severe ARDS were included. Respiratory mechanics and oxygenation data of recruited patients were collected before and after prone position., Results: Median (Interquartile range, IQR) age of the recruited patients was 60 (50-67) years and median (IQR) PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio of 61.2 (54-80) mm Hg with application of median (IQR) positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 12 (10-14) cm H2O before initiation of prone position. Out of those patients, 36 (77%) were prone responders at 16 hours after prone session, evident by increase of PaO2 by at least 20 mm Hg or by 20% as compared to baseline, and 73% patients were sustained responders (after returning to supine position). Plateau airway pressure (p < 0.0001), peak airway pressure (p < 0.0001), and driving pressure (p < 0.0001) were significantly reduced in prone position, and static compliance (p = 0.001), PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio (p < 0.0001), PaO 2 (p = 0.0002), and SpO 2 (p = 0.0004) were increased at 4 hours and 16 hours since prone position and also after returning to supine position., Conclusion: In SARS-CoV-2-infected patients, mechanical ventilation in prone position is associated with improvement in lung compliance and oxygenation in almost three-fourth of the patients and persisted in supine position in more than 70% of the patients., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Journal of Anaesthesiology Clinical Pharmacology.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.

During the peak of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 10 practice-changing decisions were adopted which led to an improved standard of clinical care in the face of overwhelming burden to the healthcare setup. Formation of a control unit with the piggyback team, briefing before donning, replacement of personal protective equipment (PPE) with impermeable surgical gowns, a dedicated prone team and the prone bundle of care, weaning-extubation and tracheostomy protocol, online audiovisual family-patient meet, daily rounds by hospital infection control committee member, each one clean one policy, focused onsite training of healthcare support staff and discharge policy with post-discharge follow-up were the 10 important changes adopted., How to Cite This Article: Soni L, Pangasa N, Baidya DK, Subramaniam R. Ten Practice Changes in COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit of a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in India during the Peak of Pandemic: Adapt and Improve. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(6):710-711., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).)

Background and Aims: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been used to provide analgesia in renal transplant surgery with varying results. This study was designed to assess if the addition of clonidine in TAP block would decrease 24-h postoperative morphine consumption in adult renal transplant recipients., Materials and Methods: Forty adult patients undergoing renal transplantation under general anesthesia in a tertiary care hospital were randomized into either group RC (TAP block with 20 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine plus 2 μg.kg -1 clonidine) or group R (TAP block with 20 mL 0.5% ropivacaine) after induction of anesthesia. Postoperative analgesia was provided using patient-controlled morphine. The primary outcome was 24-h patient-controlled morphine consumption. The secondary outcomes were a) intraoperative hemodynamics, b) fentanyl and ephedrine requirement, c) postoperative pain using the Visual Analog Scale at 0, 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours, d) time to first postoperative analgesia, e) postoperative hemodynamics, and f) side effects., Results: There was no significant difference in postoperative morphine consumption between the groups (25 mg in group RC vs. 28.5 mg in group R) (median interquartile range) ( P = 0.439). Postoperative pain scores were comparable between the groups. Intraoperatively, fewer patients required rescue fentanyl in group RC (7 patients) as compared to group R (17 patients) ( P = 0.003). Significantly more patients in group RC required ephedrine boluses as compared to group R (9 patients in group RC vs. 2 in group R, P = 0.014)., Conclusions: The addition of 2 μg.kg -1 clonidine to ropivacaine in TAP block did not reduce 24-h postoperative morphine consumption after renal transplantation. It reduced the need for intraoperative analgesics but increased the need for intraoperative ephedrine administration., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Anesthesia: Essays and Researches.)

We think correlation of Doppler ultrasound derived CA-VTI and echocardiography derived SV needs further exploration in a larger sample and in various models of hypovolemia and shock under ideal measurement conditions before concluding whether carotid artery can be considered a true window to the left ventricle., How to Cite This Article: Kundu R, Maitra S, Chowhan G, Baidya DK. In Response to: Is the Carotid Artery a Window to the Left Ventricle? Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(3):407., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2022; Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.)

Background and Aims: Post-spinal anaesthesia hypotension (PSH) is common and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The inferior vena cava collapsibility index (IVCCI) and carotid artery peak systolic velocity variations (CAPVV) are two widely used parameters for assessing the volume status of critically ill patients which have also been investigated as predictors of PSH and hypotension after induction of general anaesthesia. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of IVCCI and CAPVV as predictors of PSH., Methods: A total of 50 patients aged between 18 and 65 years undergoing elective lower abdominal surgeries under spinal anaesthesia were included. The IVCCI and CAPVV were measured using ultrasound pre-operatively. After administering spinal anaesthesia, haemodynamic data were collected till 15 min. Our primary objective was to evaluate the role of IVCCI and CAPVV to predict PSH. The secondary objectives were to compare the predictive efficacy of these two parameters and to detect other parameters for predicting PSH. We constructed the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves for IVCCI and CAPVV and obtained the best cut-off values., Results: The PSH occurred in 34% of the patients. IVCCI >21.15 could predict PSH with 58.8% sensitivity and 69.7% specificity. CAPVV >18.33 predicted PSH with 70.6% sensitivity and 54.6% specificity and IVC max/IVCCI >60 could predict PSH with 58.8% sensitivity and 54.5% specificity. A composite model comprising IVCmax (maximum IVC diameter), CAPVV, and baseline mean blood pressure was able to predict PSH., Conclusion: Both IVCCI and CAPVV have poor diagnostic accuracy in predicting PSH in adult patients undergoing elective infra-umbilical surgery., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2022 Indian Journal of Anaesthesia.)

How to cite this article: Panda R, Hirolli D, Baidya DK. Point-of-care Glucose Monitoring in COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit: How's It Different? Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(12):1465-1466., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2021; Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.)

Background: Efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) over noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is not known. We aimed to assess the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 treated with either HFNC or NIV., Methods: This was a single-center randomized controlled trial performed in the COVID-19 ICU of a tertiary care teaching hospital in New Delhi, India. One hundred and nine subjects with severe COVID-19 pneumonia presenting with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure were recruited and allocated to either HFNC ( n = 55) or NIV ( n = 54) arm. Primary outcome was intubation by 48 h. Secondary outcomes were improvement in oxygenation by 48 h, intubation rate at day 7, and in-hospital mortality., Results: Baseline characteristics and [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratio were similar in both the groups. Intubation rate at 48 h was similar between the groups (33% NIV vs 20% HFNC, relative risk 0.6, 95% CI 0.31-1.15, P = .12). Intubation rate at day 7 was lower in the HFNC (27.27%) compared to the NIV group (46.29%) (relative risk 0.59, 95% CI 0.35-0.99, P = .045), and this difference remained significant after adjustment for the incidence of chronic kidney disease and the arterial pH (adjusted OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.17-0.93, P = .03). Hospital mortality was similar between HFNC (29.1%) and NIV (46.2%) group (relative risk 0.6, 95% CI 0.38-1.04, P = .06)., Conclusions: We were not able to demonstrate a statistically significant improvement of oxygenation parameters nor of the intubation rate at 48 h between NIV and HFNC. These findings should be further tested in a larger randomized controlled trial. The study was registered at the Clinical Trials Registry of India (www.ctri.nic.in; reference number: CTRI/2020/07/026835) on July 27, 2020., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 by Daedalus Enterprises.)

Background and Aims: Lung protective ventilation (LPV) is recommended in acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, role of intraoperative LPV in elective laparotomy is controversial and it has not been evaluated in emergency laparotomy (EL). The aim of the study was to identify whether use of intraoperative LPV in EL in peritonitis patients reduces postoperative pulmonary complications (POPC)., Methods: After institutional ethics committee approval and informed written consent, 98 adult patients undergoing EL for peritonitis were randomised into two groups. Patients in group 1 received LPV (tidal volume 6-8 ml/kg, positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) 6-8 cm H 2 O and recruitment manoeuvre every 30 min) and patients in group 2 received conventional ventilation (tidal volume 10-12 ml/kg, without PEEP/recruitment). Primary outcome was incidence of POPC on day 7., Results: Data of 94 patients (n = 45 in group 1 & n = 49 in group 2) were available. Baseline demographic & laboratory parameters were comparable. Incidence of POPC was similar in both the groups [42.9% in group 1 vs. 53.3% in group 2; risk difference -10.4% (-30.6%, 9.6%); P = 0.31]. Mortality during hospital stay was 26.7% patients in group 1 and 26.5% patients in group 2 [risk difference (95% CI) 0.14%, (-17.7, 18.0); P = 0.98]. Length of hospital stay [median interquartile range (IQR) 13 (9-18) days in group 1 vs. 13 (8-21) days in group 2; P = 0.82] and length of intensive care unit stay [median (IQR) 7 (4-10) days vs. 6 (3-12) days; P = 0.88] were also similar in both groups., Conclusion: LPV during EL in peritonitis patients does not reduce the incidence of POPC compared to conventional ventilation., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Indian Journal of Anaesthesia.)

Background and Aims: Vitamin C has been used as an anti-oxidant in various diseases including viral illnesses like coronavirus disease (COVID-19)., Methods: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) investigating the role of vitamin C supplementation in COVID-19 was carried out., Results: Total 6 RCTs including n = 572 patients were included. Vitamin C treatment didn't reduce mortality (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.27; I 2  = 0%; P = 0.27), ICU length of stay [SMD 0.29, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.63; I 2  = 0%; P = 0.09), hospital length of stay (SMD -0.23, 95% CI -1.04 to 0.58; I 2  = 92%; P = 0.57) and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (Risk Ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.44; I 2  = 0%; P = 0.76). Further sub-group analysis based on severity of illness (severe vs. non-severe), route of administration (IV vs. oral) and dose (high vs. low) failed to show any observable benefits., Conclusion: No significant benefit noted with vitamin C administration in COVID-19. Well-designed RCTs with standardized control group needed on this aspect., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2021 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Administration of vitamin D to unselected heterogeneous critically ill patients did not demonstrate outcome benefit. The current study was undertaken to identify if early administration of vitamin D can reduce intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay and improve clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with sepsis., Methods: This single-center randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial was done in the ICU and emergency inpatient ward of a tertiary care teaching institute in New Delhi, India. A total of 126 adult patients aged 18 to 80 years of either sex diagnosed to have sepsis were included within 24 hours of admission to the hospital and randomized into vitamin D or placebo groups. The patients in the intervention group received vitamin D3 540,000 units dissolved in 45 mL of milk. The placebo group received 45 mL of milk., Results: The median length of ICU stay (8 vs 9 days; p = 0.32), median length of hospital stay (12 vs 12 days; p = 0.33), median duration of vasopressors requirement (4 vs 3 days; p = 0.84), median duration of mechanical ventilation (5 vs 7 days; p = 0.23), requirement of tracheostomy (34 vs 39%; p = 0.71), and 90-day mortality [35 vs 46%; p = 0.29; HR 0.72 (0.42-1.24)] were similar in vitamin D and placebo arm.A subgroup analysis in patients with severe vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D <12 ng/mL) revealed a significantly decreased incidence of tracheostomy (28 vs 57%; p = 0.04), a trend toward decreased 90-day mortality [34 vs 66%; p = 0.08; HR 0.44 (0.19-1.01)], and duration of mechanical ventilation (6 vs 11 days; p = 0.05) in patients receiving vitamin D., Conclusion: Administration of large-dose vitamin D within 24 hours of admission does not reduce the length of ICU stay in critically ill sepsis patients., How to Cite This Article: Bhattacharyya A, Subramaniam R, Baidya DK, Aggarwal P, Wig N. Effect of Early Administration of Vitamin D on Clinical Outcome in Critically Ill Sepsis Patients: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(10):1147-1154., Competing Interests: Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None, (Copyright © 2021; Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.)