Methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort study was undertaken in three military hospitals in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. All patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria who were admitted to the ICU of any of the three study hospitals from July 2019 to March 2020 were studied for clinical outcomes of bicarbonate therapy using an evidence-based clinical checklist. Outcome measures include changes in blood pH, serum potassium, and sodium levels, blood pressure and weight, along with other clinically significant laboratory parameters.
Results: Eighty-one patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 55.61±19.5 years, while the mean weight was 63.43±14.19 Kg. A mortality rate of 45.7% was observed. Disease-related complications including hypoxia, cardiac failure, multiple organ failure, elevated blood pressure, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) were found to be associated with a higher mortality rate (P<0.005). Whereas using Fisher's exact test, concomitant administration of sodium chloride, along with bicarbonate therapy was associated with a low mortality rate and had no significant impact on sodium loading or weight gain. Moreover, various drug-drug interactions were found to be associated with a higher mortality rate (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Bicarbonate therapy was not found to affect the mortality rate in critically ill renally compromised patients with metabolic acidosis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was an open-label randomized controlled trial of six weeks. Forty overweight and obese participants with knee OA were randomly divided into two groups by a computer-generated number. The participants in the Instruction Group (IG) were provided with leaflets explaining IDC for the duration of six weeks. Both groups were instructed to take low doses of the non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) on alternate days. The outcome measures were pain, mobility and BMI. The feasibility and acceptability of knee pain and mobility were assessed using a questionnaire designed by experts in rehabilitation.
RESULTS: Participants in the IG reported more statistically significant pain relief as assessed by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score (p=0.001) and improvement in mobility (p=0.000) assessed by the Timed Up and Go test score after six weeks compared to the Control Group (CG). Both groups did not demonstrate any significant change in BMI (p-value > 0.05). The results of descriptive statistics showed a significantly higher satisfaction score for participants who received a combination of IDC and NSAIDs, indicating an acceptable intervention.
CONCLUSION: The IDC is effective and acceptable in terms of improving pain and mobility and should be recommended as the usual care of treatment.