Correlation Between Base Excess in Patients Upon Admission to the ICU and Platelet Count Trend in the Following Days

Several studies have revealed that a relative platelet count decline in patients after their admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is a very reliable marker of the severity of their sickness. ICU patients with a greater platelet count decline after their admission to the ICU have generally worse outcome. Investigators assume that a quick appearance of a deep metabolic acidosis, which commonly occurs in critically ill, has an important role in pathogenesis of relative platelet count decline. To evaluate this, correlation of metabolic acidosis severity in participants upon admission to the ICU with platelet count decline in 2 days, following admission, was investigated with a retrospective observational study, analysing all participants, admitted to the ICU in one year period (in 2020).

As a measurement of metabolic acidosis severity, investigators took base excess (BE) value (expressed in mmol/L) from arterial blood gas analysis with lowest pH in participants in around admission time (in a period from 24 hours before to 24 hours after their admission to the ICU). To calculate relative platelet count decline in 2 days after admission to the ICU, investigators took platelet count on admission to the ICU (P0) and lowest platelet count on day 2 after the patient's admission (P2). Following formula was used to calculate relative platelet count decline in 2 days after ICU admission (delta P): delta P = (P2-P0)/P0 x 100 (expressed in %). More negative values of delta P represent larger relative platelet count decline.

The main interest of the study was if BE value correlates with delta P. Investigators assumed that participants with a more severe metabolic acidosis upon admission to the ICU (represented with more negative BE value) would tend to have a larger relative platelet count decline in 2 days, following admission to the ICU (represented with more negative value of delta P).

Pearson correlation was used to evaluate correlation between BE and delta P.

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Key information

Conditions

Platelet Count Decline in Critically Ill Acid-Base Imbalance Acidosis Metabolic Acidosis Metabolic Acidosis Severity Metabolic Diseases Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Platelet Count Decline in ICU Patients

Age range

14 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ljubljana, Slovenia, 1000

About this study

The aim of the study was to answer the question, if metabolic acidosis severity in participants upon admission to the ICU correlatets with platelet count decline in days, following admission.

Investigators conducted this study at the Department of Anesthesiology and Surgical Intensive Care at University Medical Centre Ljubljana. The study included all participants, admitted to the ICU in a one-year period (in 2020; from 1st January to 31st December 2020). From the electronic recordings of the department (Hospital Information System BIRPIS21), investigators obtained the following data of each participant: age, gender, lowest pH in arterial blood gas analysis in around admission time with corresponding bicarbonate concentration [HCO3-] and BE value, platelet count on admission (P0), and lowest platelet count on second day after ICU admission (P2).

As a measurement of metabolic acidosis severity, investigators took the BE value of arterial blood gas analysis with the lowest pH from the range of 24 hours before to 24 hours after ICU admission. To calculate relative platelet count decline in 2 days after ICU admission (delta P), the following formula was used: delta P = (P2-P0)/P0 x 100.

Participants who died before the second day after ICU admission or participants whose demanded laboratory findings were for some other reasons lacking (arterial blood gas analysis or platelet count on admission or platelet count on second day after ICU admission), were excluded from final analysis of correlation between BE and delta P.

Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to estimate the association between BE and delta P.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Admitted to the ICU department in a 1 year period (from 1st January to 31th December 2020)

Exclusion criteria

Lacking blood gas analysis data on admission
Incomplete platelet count data (lacking platelet count on admission to the ICU and day 2 after the admission)

Treatment and study plan

Corrrelation between metabolic acidosis severity in patients on admission to the ICU and platelet count trend in 2 days following admission was investigated

Diagnostic Test

The aim of the study was to investigate if there exists any correlation between metabolic acidosis severity in patients upon admission to the ICU and platelet count trend in 2 days, following admission.

Primary outcomes

Relative platelet count decline in participants from admission to the ICU to their second day after ICU admission

Time frame: From admission to the ICU (base line) and 2 days following admission

In this observational study relative platelet count decline in participants from admission to the ICU to their second day after the admission to the ICU was measured (with the aim to analyse correlation between metabolic acidosis severity in participants upon admission to the ICU and platelet count trend in participants in the following 2 days).

Platelet count value in participants upon admission to the ICU (P0) and lowest platelet count value on day 2 after the admission to the ICU (P2) were used to calculate relative platelet count decline in 2 days after ICU admission (delta P), using formula: delta P = (P2-P0)/P0 x 100 (delta P expressed in %).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University Medical Centre Ljubljana

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Correlation Between the Severity of Metabolic Acidosis in Patients on Admission to the ICU and Platelet Count Trend in the Following Days

Acronym: BE-Platelet

Important dates

Study start: 2024
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2024
First posted: Apr 3, 2025
Registry last updated: Apr 3, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed