The mortality rate of severely ill patients treated with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) remains unknown because of differences in patient background, clinical settings, and sample sizes between studies. We determined the in-hospital mortality of VA-ECMO patients and the proportion weaned from VA-ECMO using a national inpatient database in Japan. Patients aged ≥19 years who received VA-ECMO during hospitalization for cardiogenic shock, pulmonary embolism, hypothermia, poisoning, or trauma between 1 July 2010 and 31 March 2013 were identified, using The Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination national inpatient database. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcome was the proportion weaned from VA-ECMO. A total of 5263 patients received VA-ECMO during the study period. The majority of patients had cardiogenic shock (n = 4,658). The number of patients weaned from VA-ECMO was 3389 (64.4 %) and in-hospital mortality after weaning from VA-ECMO was 1994 (37.9 %). In-hospital mortality without cardiac arrest in the cardiogenic shock group was significantly lower than that in patients with cardiac arrest (70.5 % vs. 77.1 %, p <0.001). In the multivariable logistic regression including multiple imputation, higher age and greater or smaller body mass index were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality, whereas hospital volume was not associated with such mortality. The present nationwide study showed high mortality rates in patients who received VA-ECMO, and in particular in patients with cardiogenic shock and in patients with cardiac arrest. Weaning from VA-ECMO did not necessarily result in survival. Further studies are warranted to clarify risk-adjusted mortality of VA-ECMO using more detailed data on patient background.

We aimed to examine recent trends in patient characteristics and mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT), including continuous RRT (CRRT) and intermittent RRT (IRRT), in intensive care units (ICUs). From the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan during 6 months (July–December) from 2007 to 2016, we identified patients with AKI who received RRT in ICUs. We restricted the study participants to those admitted to hospitals (in which both CRRT and IRRT were available) that participated in the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database for all 10 years. We examined the trends in patient characteristics and mortality overall, by RRT modality, and by main diagnosis category subgroup. Logistic regression was used to adjust for patient characteristics. We identified 51,758 patients starting RRT in 287 hospitals, including 39,471 (76.3%) and 12,287 (23.7%) patients starting CRRT and IRRT. The crude in-hospital mortality declined from 44.9 to 36.1% (P for trend < 0.001). Compared with 2007, the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for in-hospital mortality was 0.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60–0.72) in 2016, and the decreasing trend was observed in both patients starting CRRT (aOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.61–0.75) and IRRT (0.58, 0.45–0.74), and in all subgroups except for coronary artery disease: sepsis aOR 0.68 (95% CI 0.57–0.81); cardiovascular surgery 0.58 (0.45–0.76); coronary artery disease 0.84 (0.60–1.19); non-coronary heart disease 0.78 (0.64–0.94); central nervous system disorders 0.42 (0.28–0.62); trauma 0.39 (0.21–0.72); and other 0.64 (0.50–0.82). This nationwide study confirmed a consistent decline in mortality among patients with AKI on RRT in ICUs. The adjusted mortality also declined during the study period; however, physiological variables were not measured in this study and it is possible that RRT may have been indicated for patients with less severe AKI in more recent years.

Background: Dexmedetomidine has a mild sedative effect and may reduce mortality in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. However, few studies have examined the effects of dexmedetomidine in patients with sepsis who require mechanical ventilation. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dexmedetomidine and mortality in patients with sepsis requiring mechanical ventilation, using a nationwide inpatient database in Japan. Methods: Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database from July 1, 2010, to March 31, 2016, we identified adult patients with sepsis who required mechanical ventilation for more than 2 days. Patients were divided into those who received dexmedetomidine and those who received midazolam or propofol within 1 day after admission. Logistic regression analysis, propensity score-matched analysis, and instrumental variable analysis were performed to compare all-cause 28-day mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation between the groups. Results: In total, 50 671 were eligible patients, including dexmedetomidine group (n = 13 759) and propofol or midazolam group (n = 36 912). The dexmedetomidine group had significantly lower all-cause 28-day mortality compared with the group receiving midazolam or propofol, as shown by the logistic regression analysis (odds ratio [OR]: 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73-0.84), the propensity score–matched analysis (OR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.80-0.91), and the instrumental variable analysis (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.57-0.73). The duration of mechanical ventilation in the dexmedetomidine group was significantly shorter than that in the midazolam or propofol group. Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine was associated with a reduction in all-cause 28-day mortality and duration of mechanical ventilation.

Background: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) affects the quality of life (QOL) of survivors of critical illness. Although PICS persists for a long time, the longitudinal changes in each component and their interrelationships over time both remain unclear. This multicenter prospective study investigated the 2-year trajectory of PICS and its components as well as factors contributing to deterioration or recovery in mechanically ventilated patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and also attempted to identify possible countermeasures. Methods: Patients who survived COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation completed questionnaires on the Barthel index, Short-Memory Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and EuroQol 5 dimensions 5-level every six months over a two-year period. Scores were weighted to account for dropouts, and the trajectory of each functional impairment was evaluated with alluvial diagrams. The prevalence of PICS and factors impairing or restoring function were examined using generalized estimating equations considering trajectories. Results: Among 334 patients, PICS prevalence rates in the four completed questionnaires were 72.1, 78.5, 77.6, and 82.0%, with cognitive impairment being the most common and lower QOL being noted when multiple impairments coexisted. Physical function and QOL indicated that many patients exhibited consistent trends of either recovery or deterioration. In contrast, cognitive function and mental health revealed considerable variability, with many patients showing fluctuating ratings in the later surveys. Delirium was associated with worse physical and mental health and poor QOL, while prolonged ventilation was associated with poor QOL. Living with family was associated with the recovery of all functions and QOL, while extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was associated with the recovery of cognitive function and mental health. Conclusions: Critically ill patients had PICS for a long period and followed different trajectories for each impairment component. Based on trajectories, known PICS risk factors such as prolonged ventilation and delirium were associated with impaired recovery, while ECMO and the presence of family were associated with recovery from PICS. In critically ill COVID-19 patients, delirium management and family interventions may play an important role in promoting recovery from PICS. Trial registration number: UMIN000041276, August 01, 2020.

Background: There is currently no recognized treatment for acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF), and the effect of cyclosporine A in patients with AE-IPF remains unknown. Methods: We identified patients with AE-IPF who received high-dose methylprednisolone plus cyclosporine A or high-dose methylprednisolone alone from July 1, 2010, to March 31, 2014, using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan. We compared in-hospital mortality between patients with and without cyclosporine A by multivariable logistic regression analysis, with adjustment for patient and hospital covariates. Unmeasured confounders were accounted for by instrumental variable analysis based on differential distance. Results: Eligible patients (n=7,989) were divided into a high-dose methylprednisolone plus cyclosporine A group (n=384) and a high-dose methylprednisolone alone group (n=7,605). There was no significant difference in terms of in-hospital mortality between the groups according to multivariable logistic regression [odds ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.99–1.64; P=0.06] or instrumental variable analysis (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.12–7.67; P=0.96). Conclusions: Cyclosporine A did not reduce in-hospital mortality in patients with AE-IPF. Randomised controlled studies are required to confirm this apparent lack of effect of cyclosporine A in AE-IPF.