Septic shock in older people: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Septic shock is the first cause of death in Intensive Care Units. Despite experimental data showing increased inflammatory response of aged animals following infection, the current accepted hypothesis claims that aged patients are immunocompromised, when compared to young individuals. RESULTS: Here, we describe a prospective cohort study designed to analyze the immune profile of this population. CONCLUSION: Older people are as immunocompetent as the young individual, regarding the cytokines, chemokines and growth factors response to devastating infection.

[Effect of the implementation of a guideline for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in surgical patients]. / Efeito da implementação de diretriz para profilaxia de tromboembolismo venoso em pacientes cirúrgicos.

INTRODUCTION: Effective strategies for prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are widely available, but still remain underused, mainly in our country. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to verify whether the implementation of a guideline for VTE prophylaxis for surgical patients influenced the prescription of prophylaxis by the medical staff. METHODS: This was a retrospective preintervention-postintervention study. Charts of 150 patients before guideline implementation (BGI) and 150 after (AGI) were randomized among all patients admitted during one year in each period. INCLUSION CRITERIA: >40 years-old, major abdominal or orthopedic surgeries. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Incomplete files and use of anticoagulants for any reason at admission. Data registered: demographic data, reference to VTE risk factors, VTE prophylaxis prescription, diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism during hospitalization. Results. The two groups, BGI and AGI were similar for demographic data and duration of prophylaxis (5.6 x 6.6 days). Frequency of prophylaxis in percentages was BGI x AGI respectively, before surgery: pharmacologic prophylaxis (PP), 6 x 9; graduated compression stockings (GCS), 4 x 3; intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC), 2 x 3. After surgery: PP, 53 x 53; GCS, 23 x 40 (P<0.05); IPC, 26 x 32. Including all patients, prophylaxis was prescribed for 60.5% BGI and 66.5% AGI, but was considered adequate only in 34% BGI and 32% AGI. CONCLUSION: Adoption of a guideline, although increasing concern about prophylaxis, expressed by greater use of GCS, only minimally improved quality of prophylaxis , indicating that other active and continuous interventions are necessary to enforce compliance.

Neuropeptide downregulation in sepsis.

Neuropeptides are an extremely conserved arm of neurobiology. Despite their effects as neurohormones and neurotransmitters, a multitude of other effects have been described, putting in evidence their importance as regulators of immune responses, such as chemotaxis, oxidative burst, pro-inflammatory signaling, and many others. The effects of neuropeptides in the pathophysiology of sepsis, however, remain poorly investigated. A prospective cohort study to investigate the effects of neuropeptides in sepsis was carried out. Here, we describe that neuropeptides are downregulated during septic shock. We propose that it may be a protective mechanism of the host to avoid further inflammatory injury.

HLA-A*31 as a marker of genetic susceptibility to sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: The HLA haplotype has been associated with many autoimmune diseases, but no associations have been described in sepsis. This study aims to investigate the HLA system as a possible marker of genetic sepsis susceptibility. METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study including patients admitted to an intensive care unit and healthy controls from a list of renal transplant donors. Patients with less 18 years of age; pregnant or HIV positive patients; those with metastatic malignancies or receiving chemotherapy; or with advanced liver disease; or with end-of-life conditions were excluded. The DNA was extracted from the whole blood and HLA haplotypes determined using MiliPlex® technology. RESULTS: From October 2010 to October 2012, 1,121 patients were included (1,078 kidney donors, 20 patients admitted with severe sepsis and 23 with septic shock). HLA-A*31 positive subjects had increased risk of developing sepsis (OR 2.36, 95%CI 1.26-5.35). Considering a p value <0.01, no other significant association was identified. CONCLUSION: HLA-A*31 expression is associated to risk of developing sepsis.

Cathelicidin LL-37 bloodstream surveillance is down regulated during septic shock.

Host defense peptides are ancient weapons of the innate immunity. The human cathelicidin LL-37 protects the epithelial barrier against infection and is constitutively secreted in the bloodstream by immune cells. Current knowledge claims that LL-37 is up regulated upon infection. LL-37 can protect against bacterial infections and possesses many immunomodulatory properties. Here, we show that the human host defense peptide LL-37 is down regulated during septic shock. Furthermore, we show that these effects are not related to vitamin D serum levels, a potent inducer of LL-37 gene expression, pointing out the complex regulation of cathelicidins during septic shock.

HLA-A*31 como marcador de suscetibilidade genetica em sepse / HLA-A*31 as a marker of genetic susceptibility to sepsis

Objetivo: Haplótipos do HLA têm sido associados a muitas doenças autoimunes, mas não foi descrita qualquer associação na sepse. O objetivo desse estudo é investigar o sistema HLA como um possível marcador de suscetibilidade genética à sepse. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo de coorte, incluindo pacientes admitidos em unidade de terapia intensiva e controles-saudáveis obtidos em lista de doadores de transplante renal. Foram excluídos pacientes abaixo dos 18 anos de idade, gestantes ou HIV positivos, pacientes com doença maligna metastática ou sob quimioterapia, pacientes com hepatopatia avançada, com condições de fim de vida. O DNA foi extraído de sangue total, e a haplotipagem de HLA foi realizada com a tecnologia MiliPlex®. Resultados: Foram incluídos 1.121 pacientes (1.078 doadores de rim, 20 pacientes com sepse grave e 23 pacientes admitidos por choque séptico) entre outubro de 2010 e outubro de 2012. Os participantes positivos para HLA-A*31 tiveram risco aumentado de desenvolver sepse (OR: 2,36 IC95%: 1,26-5,35). Não foi identificada outra associação significativa, quando considerado como nível de significância o valor de p<0,01. Conclusão: A expressão de HLA-A*31 está associada ao risco de desenvolvimento de sepse. .

Objective: The HLA haplotype has been associated with many autoimmune diseases, but no associations have been described in sepsis. This study aims to investigate the HLA system as a possible marker of genetic sepsis susceptibility. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study including patients admitted to an intensive care unit and healthy controls from a list of renal transplant donors. Patients with less 18 years of age; pregnant or HIV positive patients; those with metastatic malignancies or receiving chemotherapy; or with advanced liver disease; or with end-of-life conditions were excluded. The DNA was extracted from the whole blood and HLA haplotypes determined using MiliPlex® technology. Results: From October 2010 to October 2012, 1,121 patients were included (1,078 kidney donors, 20 patients admitted with severe sepsis and 23 with septic shock). HLA-A*31 positive subjects had increased risk of developing sepsis (OR 2.36, 95%CI 1.26-5.35). Considering a p value <0.01, no other significant association was identified. Conclusion: HLA-A*31 expression is associated to risk of developing sepsis. .

Efeito da implementação de diretriz para profilaxia de tromboembolismo venoso em pacientes cirúrgicos / Effect of the implementation of a guideline for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in surgical patients

INTRODUÇÃO: Estratégias efetivas para profilaxia do tromboembolismo venoso (TEV) são amplamente disponíveis, mas são ainda subutilizadas, principalmente no nosso meio. OBJETIVO: Avaliar o efeito da implementação de diretriz para profilaxia do TEV, em pacientes cirúrgicos, sobre a conduta da equipe de saúde na prescrição dessa profilaxia. Método. Estudo retrospectivo pré-intervenção - pós-intervenção. Prontuários de 150 pacientes antes e 150 depois da implementação de uma diretriz para a profilaxia (AID e DID) foram sorteados dentre pacientes de mais de 40 anos internados para cirurgia maior abdominal ou ortopédica. Foram registrados dados demográficos, referência a risco de TEV no prontuário, prescrição de profilaxia para TEV e diagnóstico de TEV durante a internação. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença entre os dois grupos, AID e DID, quanto aos dados demográficos e ao tempo de profilaxia (5,6 x 6,6 dias). A frequência de profilaxia AID x DID antes da cirurgia foi: profilaxia farmacológica (PF), 6 por cento x 9 por cento; meias de compressão graduada (MCG), 4 por cento x 3 por cento; compressão pneumática intermitente (CPI), 2 por cento x 3 por cento. Após cirurgia: PF 53 por cento x 53 por cento; MCG, 23 por cento x 40 por cento (P<0,05); CPI, 26 por cento x 32 por cento . No total, AP, foi prescrita profilaxia para 60,5 por cento dos pacientes AID e para 66,5 por cento DID, mas a profilaxia foi considerada adequada em 34 por cento dos pacientes AID e em 32 por cento DID. Conclusão. A adoção do protocolo, embora com maior a preocupação com a profilaxia, traduzida pelo aumento na prescrição de MCG, melhorou minimamente sua qualidade, indicando a necessidade de outras intervenções ativas e contínuas para aumentar a aderência ao mesmo.

INTRODUCTION: Effective strategies for prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) are widely available, but still remain underused, mainly in our country. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to verify whether the implementation of a guideline for VTE prophylaxis for surgical patients influenced the prescription of prophylaxis by the medical staff. METHODS: This was a retrospective preintervention-postintervention study. Charts of 150 patients before guideline implementation (BGI) and 150 after (AGI) were randomized among all patients admitted during one year in each period. Inclusion criteria: >40 years-old, major abdominal or orthopedic surgeries. Exclusion criteria: Incomplete files and use of anticoagulants for any reason at admission. Data registered: demographic data, reference to VTE risk factors, VTE prophylaxis prescription, diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism during hospitalization. Results. The two groups, BGI and AGI were similar for demographic data and duration of prophylaxis (5.6 x 6.6 days). Frequency of prophylaxis in percentages was BGI x AGI respectively, before surgery: pharmacologic prophylaxis (PP), 6 x 9; graduated compression stockings (GCS), 4 x 3; intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC), 2 x 3. After surgery: PP, 53 x 53; GCS, 23 x 40 (P<0.05); IPC, 26 x 32. Including all patients, prophylaxis was prescribed for 60.5 percent BGI and 66.5 percent AGI, but was considered adequate only in 34 percent BGI and 32 percent AGI. CONCLUSION: Adoption of a guideline, although increasing concern about prophylaxis, expressed by greater use of GCS, only minimally improved quality of prophylaxis , indicating that other active and continuous interventions are necessary to enforce compliance.