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Abstract Muscle ultrasound has been shown to be a valid and safe imaging modality to assess muscle wasting in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This typically involves manual delineation to measure the rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RFCSA), which is a subjective, time-consuming, and laborious task that requires significant expertise. We aimed to develop and evaluate an AI tool that performs automated recognition and measurement of RFCSA to support non-expert operators in measurement of the RFCSA using muscle ultrasound. Twenty patients were recruited between Feb 2023 and July 2023 and were randomized sequentially to operators using AI (n = 10) or non-AI (n = 10). Muscle loss during ICU stay was similar for both methods: 26 ± 15% for AI and 23 ± 11% for the non-AI, respectively (p = 0.13). In total 59 ultrasound examinations were carried out (30 without AI and 29 with AI). When assisted by our AI tool, the operators showed less variability between measurements with higher intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs 0.999 95% CI 0.998–0.999 vs. 0.982 95% CI 0.962–0.993) and lower Bland Altman limits of agreement (± 1.9% vs. ± 6.6%) compared to not using the AI tool. The time spent on scans reduced significantly from a median of 19.6 min (IQR 16.9–21.7) to 9.4 min (IQR 7.2–11.7) compared to when using the AI tool (p

Dengue shock (DS) is the most severe complication of dengue infection; endothelial hyperpermeability leads to profound plasma leakage, hypovolaemia and extravascular fluid accumulation. At present, the only treatment is supportive with intravenous fluid, but targeted endothelial stabilising therapies and host immune modulators are needed. With the aim of prioritising potential therapeutics, we conducted a prospective observational study of adults (≥16 years) with DS in Vietnam from 2019-2022, comparing the pathophysiology underlying circulatory failure with patients with septic shock (SS), and investigating the association of biomarkers with clinical severity (SOFA score, ICU admission, mortality) and pulmonary vascular leak (daily lung ultrasound for interstitial and pleural fluid). Plasma was collected at enrolment, 48 hours later and hospital discharge. We measured biomarkers of inflammation (IL-6, ferritin), endothelial activation (Ang-1, Ang-2, sTie-2, VCAM-1) and endothelial glycocalyx breakdown (hyaluronan, heparan sulfate, endocan, syndecan-1). We enrolled 135 patients with DS (median age 26, median SOFA score 7, 34 required ICU admission, 5 deaths), together with 37 patients with SS and 25 healthy controls. Within the DS group, IL-6 and ferritin were associated with admission SOFA score (IL-6: βeta0.70, p

Abstract Background Interpreting point-of-care lung ultrasound (LUS) images from intensive care unit (ICU) patients can be challenging, especially in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) where there is limited training available. Despite recent advances in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate many ultrasound imaging analysis tasks, no AI-enabled LUS solutions have been proven to be clinically useful in ICUs, and specifically in LMICs. Therefore, we developed an AI solution that assists LUS practitioners and assessed its usefulness in a low resource ICU. Methods This was a three-phase prospective study. In the first phase, the performance of four different clinical user groups in interpreting LUS clips was assessed. In the second phase, the performance of 57 non-expert clinicians with and without the aid of a bespoke AI tool for LUS interpretation was assessed in retrospective offline clips. In the third phase, we conducted a prospective study in the ICU where 14 clinicians were asked to carry out LUS examinations in 7 patients with and without our AI tool and we interviewed the clinicians regarding the usability of the AI tool. Results The average accuracy of beginners’ LUS interpretation was 68.7% [95% CI 66.8–70.7%] compared to 72.2% [95% CI 70.0–75.6%] in intermediate, and 73.4% [95% CI 62.2–87.8%] in advanced users. Experts had an average accuracy of 95.0% [95% CI 88.2–100.0%], which was significantly better than beginners, intermediate and advanced users (p

BackgroundWearable devices have been used extensively both inside and outside of the hospital setting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in some contexts, there was an increased need to remotely monitor pulse and saturated oxygen for patients due to the lack of staff and bedside monitors. ObjectiveA prototype of a remote monitoring system using wearable pulse oximeter devices was implemented at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from August to December 2021. The aim of this work was to support the ongoing implementation of the remote monitoring system. MethodsWe used an action learning approach with rapid pragmatic methods, including informal discussions and observations as well as a feedback survey form designed based on the technology acceptance model to assess the use and acceptability of the system. Based on these results, we facilitated a meeting using user-centered design principles to explore user needs and ideas about its development in more detail. ResultsIn total, 21 users filled in the feedback form. The mean technology acceptance model scores ranged from 3.5 (for perceived ease of use) to 4.4 (for attitude) with behavioral intention (3.8) and perceived usefulness (4.2) scoring in between. Those working as nurses scored higher on perceived usefulness, attitude, and behavioral intention than did physicians. Based on informal discussions, we realized there was a mismatch between how we (ie, the research team) and the ward teams perceived the use and wider purpose of the technology. ConclusionsDesigning and implementing the devices to be more nurse-centric from their introduction could have helped to increase their efficiency and use during the complex pandemic period.

Abstract Severe tetanus is characterized by muscle spasm and cardiovascular system disturbance. The pathophysiology of muscle spasm is relatively well understood and involves inhibition of central inhibitory synapses by tetanus toxin. That of cardiovascular disturbance is less clear, but is believed to relate to disinhibition of the autonomic nervous system. The clinical syndrome of autonomic nervous system dysfunction (ANSD) seen in severe tetanus is characterized principally by changes in heart rate and blood pressure which have been linked to increased circulating catecholamines. Previous studies have described varying relationships between catecholamines and signs of ANSD in tetanus, but are limited by confounders and assays used. In this study, we aimed to perform detailed characterization of the relationship between catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline), cardiovascular parameters (heart rate and blood pressure) and clinical outcomes (ANSD, mechanical ventilation required, and length of intensive care unit stay) in adults with tetanus, as well as examine whether intrathecal antitoxin administration affected subsequent catecholamine excretion. Noradrenaline and adrenaline were measured by ELISA from 24-h urine collections taken on day 5 of hospitalization in 272 patients enrolled in a 2 × 2 factorial-blinded randomized controlled trial in a Vietnamese hospital. Catecholamine results measured from 263 patients were available for analysis. After adjustment for potential confounders (i.e., age, sex, intervention treatment, and medications), there were indications of non-linear relationships between urinary catecholamines and heart rate. Adrenaline and noradrenaline were associated with subsequent development of ANSD, and length of ICU stay.

Abstract Background Dengue is a neglected tropical disease, for which no therapeutic agents have shown clinical efficacy to date. Clinical trials have used strikingly variable clinical endpoints, which hampers reproducibility and comparability of findings. We investigated a delta modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (delta mSOFA) score as a uniform composite clinical endpoint for use in clinical trials investigating therapeutics for moderate and severe dengue. Methods We developed a modified SOFA score for dengue, measured and evaluated its performance at baseline and 48 h after enrolment in a prospective observational cohort of 124 adults admitted to a tertiary referral hospital in Vietnam with dengue shock. The modified SOFA score included pulse pressure in the cardiovascular component. Binary logistic regression, cox proportional hazard and linear regression models were used to estimate association between mSOFA, delta mSOFA and clinical outcomes. Results The analysis included 124 adults with dengue shock. 29 (23.4%) patients required ICU admission for organ support or due to persistent haemodynamic instability: 9/124 (7.3%) required mechanical ventilation, 8/124 (6.5%) required vasopressors, 6/124 (4.8%) required haemofiltration and 5/124 (4.0%) patients died. In univariate analyses, higher baseline and delta (48 h) mSOFA score for dengue were associated with admission to ICU, requirement for organ support and mortality, duration of ICU and hospital admission and IV fluid use. Conclusions The baseline and delta mSOFA scores for dengue performed well to discriminate patients with dengue shock by clinical outcomes, including duration of ICU and hospital admission, requirement for organ support and death. We plan to use delta mSOFA as the primary endpoint in an upcoming host-directed therapeutic trial and investigate the performance of this score in other phenotypes of severe dengue in adults and children.

Patients with severe COVID-19 disease require monitoring with pulse oximetry as a minimal requirement. In many low- and middle- income countries, this has been challenging due to lack of staff and equipment. Wearable pulse oximeters potentially offer an attractive means to address this need, due to their low cost, battery operability and capacity for remote monitoring. Between July and October 2021, Ho Chi Minh City experienced its first major wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection, leading to an unprecedented demand for monitoring in hospitalized patients. We assess the feasibility of a continuous remote monitoring system for patients with COVID-19 under these circumstances as we implemented 2 different systems using wearable pulse oximeter devices in a stepwise manner across 4 departments.

Abstract Background Tetanus remains common in many low- and middle-income countries, but as critical care services improve, mortality from tetanus is improving. Nevertheless, patients develop severe syndromes associated with autonomic nervous system disturbance (ANSD) and the requirement for mechanical ventilation (MV). Understanding factors associated with worse outcome in such settings is important to direct interventions. In this study, we investigate risk factors for disease severity and long-term physical outcome in adults with tetanus admitted to a Vietnamese intensive care unit. Methods Clinical and demographic variables were collected prospectively from 180 adults with tetanus. Physical function component scores (PCS), calculated from Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), were assessed in 79 patients at hospital discharge, 3 and 6 months post discharge. Results Age, temperature, heart rate, lower peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and shorter time from first symptom to admission were associated with MV (OR 1.03 [ 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00, 1.05], p = 0.04; OR 2.10 [95% CI 1.03, 4.60], p = 0.04; OR 1.04 [ 95% CI 1.01, 1.07], p = 0.02); OR 0.80 [95% CI 0.66, 0.94], p = 0.02 and OR 0.65 [95% CI 0.52, 0.79, p

BackgroundCritically ill patients often require complex clinical care by highly trained staff within a specialized intensive care unit (ICU) with advanced equipment. There are currently limited data on the costs of critical care in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aims to investigate the direct-medical costs of key infectious disease (tetanus, sepsis, and dengue) patients admitted to ICU in a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, and explores how the costs and cost drivers can vary between the different diseases.MethodsWe calculated the direct medical costs for patients requiring critical care for tetanus, dengue and sepsis. Costing data (stratified into different cost categories) were extracted from the bills of patients hospitalized to the adult ICU with a dengue, sepsis and tetanus diagnosis that were enrolled in three studies conducted at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCMC from January 2017 to December 2019. The costs were considered from the health sector perspective. The total sample size in this study was 342 patients.ResultsICU care was associated with significant direct medical costs. For patients that did not require mechanical ventilation, the median total ICU cost per patient varied between US$64.40 and US$675 for the different diseases. The costs were higher for patients that required mechanical ventilation, with the median total ICU cost per patient for the different diseases varying between US$2,590 and US$4,250. The main cost drivers varied according to disease and associated severity.ConclusionThis study demonstrates the notable cost of ICU care in Vietnam and in similar LMIC settings. Future studies are needed to further evaluate the costs and economic burden incurred by ICU patients. The data also highlight the importance of evaluating novel critical care interventions that could reduce the costs of ICU care.

Background: Tetanus remains common in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) yet the evidence base guiding management of this disease is extremely limited, particularly with respect to contemporary management options. Sharing knowledge about practice may facilitate improvement in outcomes elsewhere. Methods: We describe clinical interventions and outcomes of 180 adult patients ≥16 years-old with tetanus enrolled in prospective observational studies at a specialist infectious diseases hospital in Southern Vietnam. Patients were treated according to a holistic management protocol encompassing wound-care, antitoxin, antibiotics, symptom control, airway management, nutrition and de-escalation criteria. Results: Mortality rate in our cohort was 2.8%, with 90 (50%) patients requiring mechanical ventilation for a median 16 [IQR 12-24] days. Median [IQR] duration of ICU stay was 15 [8-23] days. Autonomic nervous system dysfunction occurred in 45 (25%) patients. Hospital acquired infections occurred in 77 (43%) of patients. Conclusion: We report favourable outcomes for patients with tetanus in a single centre LMIC ICU, treated according to a holistic protocol. Nevertheless, many patients required prolonged intensive care support and hospital acquired infections were common.

Background: Tetanus remains common in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) yet the evidence base guiding management of this disease is extremely limited, particularly with respect to contemporary management options. Sharing knowledge about practice may facilitate improvement in outcomes elsewhere. Methods: We describe clinical interventions and outcomes of 180 adult patients ≥16 years-old with tetanus enrolled in prospective observational studies at a specialist infectious diseases hospital in Southern Vietnam. Patients were treated according to a holistic management protocol encompassing wound-care, antitoxin, antibiotics, symptom control, airway management, nutrition and de-escalation criteria. Results: Mortality rate in our cohort was 2.8%, with 90 (50%) patients requiring mechanical ventilation for a median 16 [IQR 12-24] days. Median [IQR] duration of ICU stay was 15 [8-23] days. Autonomic nervous system dysfunction occurred in 45 (25%) patients. Hospital acquired infections occurred in 77 (43%) of patients. Conclusion: We report favourable outcomes for patients with tetanus in a single centre LMIC ICU, treated according to a holistic protocol. Nevertheless, many patients required prolonged intensive care support and hospital acquired infections were common.

Increasing numbers of people are surviving critical illness throughout the world, but survivorship is associated with long-term disability. In high-income settings physical rehabilitation is commonly employed to counter this and improve outcomes. These utilize highly-trained multidisciplinary teams and are unavailable and unaffordable in most low and middle income countries (LMICs). We aimed to design a sustainable intensive care unit (ICU) rehabilitation program and to evaluate its feasibility in a LMIC setting. In this project patients, care-givers and experts co-designed an innovative rehabilitation programme that can be delivered by non-expert ICU staff and family care-givers in a LMIC. We implemented this programme in adult patient with patients with tetanus at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Ho Chi Minh City over a 5-month period, evaluating the programme's acceptability, enablers and barriers. A 6-phase programme was designed, supported by written and video material. The programme was piloted in total of 30 patients. Rehabilitation was commenced a median 14 (inter quartile range (IQR) 10-18) days after admission. Each patient received a median of 25.5 (IQR 22.8-34.8) rehabilitation sessions out of a median 27 (22.8-35) intended (prescribed) sessions. There were no associated adverse events. Patients and staff found rehabilitation to be beneficial, enhanced relationships between carers, patients and staff and was deemed to be a positive step towards recovery and return to work. The main barrier was staff time. The programme was feasible for patients with tetanus and viewed positively by staff and participants. Staff time was identified as the major barrier to ongoing implementation.