Aspergillus galactomannan antigen for diagnosis and treatment monitoring in cerebral aspergillosis.

Invasive aspergillosis, especially neuroaspergillosis, predominantly affects immunocompromised patients such as transplant recipients. Early diagnosis and subsequent early initiation of therapy may improve final outcome. In cerebral aspergillosis, samples for culture or histopathology, the diagnostic reference standard, are often impossible to obtain without risk. Because of these limitations, serological, nucleic acid amplification tests such as polymerase chain reaction or enzyme immunoassay from cerebrospinal fluid appear advantageous for early diagnosis and probably also for therapy monitoring. We report on the successful detection and treatment monitoring by serial testing of galactomannan in cerebrospinal fluid in a patient with neuroaspergillosis after heart transplant.

Impact of therapeutic hypothermia on bleeding events in adult patients treated with extracorporeal life support peri-cardiac arrest.

PURPOSE: Whether therapeutic hypothermia (TH) adds to the risk of bleeding in patients on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) peri-cardiac arrest remains unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Single center retrospective study on patients receiving veno-arterial ECLS peri-cardiac arrest ± TH at 32-34 °C (January 2009-December 2015). PRIMARY OUTCOME: major bleeding (including intracerebral hemorrhage, ICH) < 72 h of cardiac arrest. Logistic regression and marginal structural models were used to analyze associations with major bleeding. RESULTS: Of 66 patients receiving ECLS, 36 were treated with TH. Major bleeding occurred in 14 patients (39%) treated with ECLS+TH and in 17 patients (57%) with ECLS alone. ICH was reported in 3 (8%) and one patient (3%), respectively. There was no difference in mortality, but lung injury occurred more often in ECLS+TH. A platelet count <60 × 109/L but not TH was associated with major bleeding (including ICH). The estimated causal risk ratio of TH on the occurrence of major bleeding (including ICH) at 72 h post cardiac arrest was 0.95 (95%CI 0.62-1.45). CONCLUSIONS: Bleeding complications were common in our study. However, TH (32-34 °C) was not associated with an increased risk of major bleeding in patients on ECLS peri-cardiac arrest.

Feasibility, safety, and resource utilisation of active mobilisation of patients on extracorporeal life support: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: There is scarce evidence on the feasibility, safety and resource utilisation of active mobilisation in critically ill patients on extracorporeal life support (ECLS). METHODS: This prospective observational single-centre study included all consecutive critically ill patients on ECLS admitted to an academic centre in Germany over a time period of one year. The level of mobilisation was categorised according to the ICU Mobility Scale (IMS). Primary outcome was complications during mobilisation. RESULTS: During the study period, active mobilisation with an activity level on the IMS of ≥ 3 was performed at least on one occasion in 43 out of 115 patients (37.4%). A total of 332 mobilisations with IMS ≥ 3 were performed during 1242 ECLS days (26.7%). ECLS configurations applied were va-ECMO (n = 63), vv-ECMO (n = 26), vv-ECCO2R (n = 12), av-ECCO2R (n = 10), and RVAD (n = 4). Femoral cannulation had been in place in 108 patients (93.9%). The median duration of all mobilisation activities with IMS ≥ 3 was 130 min (IQR 44-215). All mobilisations were undertaken by a multi-professional ECLS team with a median number of 3 team members involved (IQR 3-4). Bleeding from cannulation site requiring transfusion and/or surgery occurred in 6.9% of actively mobilised patients and in 15.3% of non-mobilised patients. During one mobilisation episode, accidental femoral cannula displacement occurred with immediate and effective recannulation. Sedation was the major reason for non-mobilisation. CONCLUSIONS: Active mobilisation (IMS ≥ 3) of ECLS patients undertaken by an experienced multi-professional team was feasible, and complications were infrequent and managed successfully. Larger prospective multicentre studies are needed to further evaluate early goal directed sedation and mobilisation bundles in patients on ECLS.

Right ventricular function in myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock: Improvement with levosimendan.

OBJECTIVES: Levosimendan improves left ventricular hemodynamic function in patients with cardiogenic shock. However, its impact on right ventricular performance has not been determined. We compared the hemodynamic effects of levosimendan on left and right ventricular function in patients with intractable cardiogenic shock following myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Observational hemodynamic study. SETTING: Tertiary care center university hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty-six patients with cardiogenic shock secondary to myocardial infarction were treated with percutaneous revascularization (including intra-aortic balloon pump when appropriate) and commenced on conventional inotropic therapy. INTERVENTION: Twenty-five consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction who had not improved sufficiently with conventional therapy (including dobutamine and norepinephrine) received levosimendan (as a bolus of 12 microg/kg per minute for 10 mins then 0.1 microg/kg per minute--0.2 mug/kg per minute) as "bail-out" therapy for 24 hrs while invasive hemodynamic parameters were recorded. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Levosimendan therapy was associated with a significant increase in cardiac index from 2.1 +/- 0.1 to 3.0 +/- 0.2 L x min x m (p < .01). In addition, levosimendan enhanced right ventricular cardiac power index (0.14 +/- 0.19 to 0.18W +/- 0.12, p < .001), while pulmonary vascular resistance fell from 227.7 +/- 94.5 to 178.1 +/- 62.3 dyne x s x cm (p = .002). No significant change in central venous pressure or mean pulmonary artery pressure was observed. The observed hemodynamic improvement was sustained after the levosimendan infusion was stopped. CONCLUSIONS: Levosimendan infusion for cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction improved hemodynamic parameters of right ventricular performance. Furthermore, we describe the use of right ventricular cardiac power index as a hemodynamic parameter of right ventricular performance.

Concomitant implantation of Impella® on top of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may improve survival of patients with cardiogenic shock.

AIMS: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support stabilizes patients with cardiogenic shock. Despite improved oxygenation and peripheral circulation, LV unloading may be impeded due to the increased afterload, resulting in a failing static left ventricle and in high mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We describe for the first time a large series of patients treated with the combination of VA-ECMO and Impella® compared with patients with VA-ECMO only. We retrospectively collected data on patients from two tertiary critical care referral centres. We enrolled 157 patients treated with VA-ECMO from January 2013 to April 2015: 123 received VA-ECMO support and 34 had concomitant treatment with VA-ECMO and Impella. A propensity-matching analysis was performed in a 2:1 ratio, resulting in 42 patients undergoing VA-ECMO alone (control group) compared with 21 patients treated with VA-ECMO and Impella. Patients in the VA-ECMO and Impella group had a significantly lower hospital mortality (47% vs. 80%, P < 0.001) and a higher rate of successful bridging to either recovery or further therapy (68% vs. 28%, P < 0.001) compared with VA-ECMO patients. A higher need for continuous veno-venous haemofiltration (48% vs. 19%, P = 0.02) and increased haemolysis (76% vs. 33%, P = 0.004) were reported in the study group due to higher survival. There was no difference in major bleeding rates between the two groups (VA-ECMO and Impella 38% vs. VA-ECMO 29%, P = 0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant treatment with VA-ECMO and Impella may improve outcome in patients with cardiogenic shock compared with VA-ECMO only. Nevertheless, randomized studies are needed to validate these promising results further.

Coronary angiography and intervention during hypothermia can be performed safely without cardiac arrhythmia or vasospasm.

PURPOSE: Mild therapeutic hypothermia is a neuroprotective procedure after cardiac arrest. Therefore, it is increasingly used. Likewise, there is a growing demand for coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions under hypothermia. Case studies suggested that hypothermia may be associated with coronary vasospasm, heart rhythm events and platelet dysfunction. In this study, it was evaluated whether vasospasm, arrhythmia or bleeding occur to a relevant degree during cardiac catheterization under concomitant hypothermia. METHODS: In this prospective, single-center, open-label, non-interventional study, 29 patients after resuscitation for cardiac arrest were treated with mild hypothermia and underwent cardiac catheterization (coronary angiography n = 11, coronary angiography plus percutaneous intervention n = 18). The incidence of vasospasm, cardiac arrhythmia and relevant bleeding at the puncture site were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean temperature at cardiac catheterization was 33.9 ± 0.76°C. The mean heart rate was 82 ± 26 bpm at hospital admission and 67 ± 17 bpm under hypothermia (p < 0.05). There was no patient with relevant bradycardia beyond the expected hypothermia-induced rate reduction during the procedure. There were no unexpected ventricular tachycardias or episodes of ventricular fibrillation which might have been attributed to hypothermia. Twenty-nine of 29 patients (100%) were free from coronary vasospasm. There was no patient with a relevant bleeding at the puncture site. Potassium levels were low in 52% of the patients, even after resuscitation, which was partially attributed to hypothermia. CONCLUSION: Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions under mild therapeutic hypothermia were safe in this small cohort and were performed without hypothermia-induced vasospasm, relevant rhythm events or bleeding complications. This result has to be confirmed in a large series of patients.

Ivabradine in combination with beta-blocker therapy for the treatment of stable angina pectoris in every day clinical practice.

PURPOSE: The anti-anginal efficacy of the selective I(f) inhibitor ivabradine has been demonstrated in controlled clinical trials. However, there is limited information about the safety and efficacy of a combined treatment of ivabradine with beta-blockers, particularly outside of clinical trials in every day practice. This analysis from the REDUCTION study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a combined therapy of beta-blockers and ivabradine in every day practice. METHODS: In this multi-center study 4,954 patients with stable angina pectoris were treated with ivabradine in every day routine practice and underwent a clinical follow-up for 4 months. 344 of these patients received a co-medication with beta-blockers. Heart rate (HR), angina pectoris episodes, nitrate consumption, overall efficacy and tolerance were analyzed. RESULTS: After 4 months of treatment with ivabradine HR was reduced by 12.4 ± 11.6 bpm from 84.3 ± 14.6 to 72.0 ± 9.9 bpm, p < 0.0001. Angina pectoris episodes were reduced from 2.8 ± 3.3 to 0.5 ± 1.3 per week, p < 0.0001. Consumption of short-acting nitrates was reduced from 3.7 ± 5.6 to 0.7 ± 1.7 units per week, p < 0.0001. Five patients (1.5%) reported adverse drug reactions (ADR). The most common ADR were nausea and dizziness (<0.6% each). There was no clinically relevant bradycardia. Efficacy and tolerance were graded as 'very good/good' for 96 and 99% of the patients treated. CONCLUSION: Ivabradine effectively reduces heart rate and angina pectoris in combination with beta-blockers and is well tolerated by patients in every day practice.