Increased levels of GM-CSF and CXCL10 and low CD8+ memory stem T Cell count are markers of immunosenescence and severe COVID-19 in older people.

BACKGROUND: Ageing leads to altered immune responses, resulting in higher susceptibility to certain infections in the elderly. Immune ageing is a heterogeneous process also associated with inflammaging, a low-grade chronic inflammation. Altered cytotoxic T cell responses and cytokine storm have previously been described in severe COVID-19 cases, however the parameters responsible for such immune response failures are not well known. The aim of our study was to characterize CD8+ T cells and cytokines associated with ageing, in a cohort of patients aged over 70 years stratified by COVID-19 severity. RESULTS: One hundred and four patients were included in the study. We found that, in older people, COVID-19 severity was associated with (i) higher level of GM-CSF, CXCL10 (IP-10), VEGF, IL-1ß, CCL2 (MCP-1) and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), (ii) increased terminally differentiated CD8+T cells, and (ii) decreased early precursors CD8+ T stem cell-like memory cells (TSCM) and CD27+CD28+. The cytokines mentioned above were found at higher concentrations in the COVID-19+ older cohort compared to a younger cohort in which they were not associated with disease severity. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the particular importance of the myeloid lineage in COVID-19 severity among older people. As GM-CSF and CXCL10 were not associated with COVID-19 severity in younger patients, they may represent disease severity specific markers of ageing and should be considered in older people care.

Severe asthma exacerbation: Changes in patient characteristics, management, and outcomes from 1997 to 2016 in 40 ICUs in the greater Paris area.

Background: Despite advances in asthma treatments, severe asthma exacerbation (SAE) remains a life-threatening condition in adults, and there is a lack of data derived from adult patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) for SAE. The current study investigated changes in adult patient characteristics, management, and outcomes of SAE over a 20-year period in 40 ICUs in the greater Paris area. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, admissions to 40 ICUs in the greater Paris area for SAE from January 1, 1997, to December 31, 2016 were analyzed. The primary outcome was the proportion of ICU admissions for SAE during 5-year periods. Secondary outcomes were ICU and hospital mortality, and the use of mechanical ventilation and catecholamine. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess factors associated with ICU mortality. Results: A total of 7049 admissions for SAE were recorded. For each 5-year period, the proportion decreased over time, with SAE accounting for 2.84% of total ICU admissions (n=2841) between 1997 and 2001, 1.76% (n=1717) between 2002 and 2006, 1.05% (n=965) between 2007 and 2011, and 1.05% (n=1526) between 2012 and 2016. The median age was 46 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 32-59 years), 55.41% were female, the median Simplified Acute Physiology Score II was 20 (IQR: 13-28), and 19.76% had mechanical ventilation. The use of mechanical ventilation remained infrequent throughout the 20-year period, whereas the use of catecholamine decreased. ICU and hospital mortality rates decreased. Factors associated with ICU mortality were renal replacement therapy, catecholamine, cardiac arrest, pneumothorax, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Non-survivors were older, had more severe symptoms, and were more likely to have received IMV. Conclusion: ICU admission for SAE remains uncommon, and the proportion of cases decreased over time. Despite a slight increase in symptom severity during a 20-year period, ICU and hospital mortality decreased. Patients requiring IMV had a higher mortality rate.

Barotrauma in COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: retrospective analysis of the COVADIS prospective multicenter observational database.

BACKGROUND: Despite evidence suggesting a higher risk of barotrauma during COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) compared to ARDS due to other causes, data are limited about possible associations with patient characteristics, ventilation strategy, and survival. METHODS: This prospective observational multicenter study included consecutive patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 ARDS requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and managed at any of 12 centers in France and Belgium between March and December 2020. The primary objective was to determine whether barotrauma was associated with ICU mortality (censored on day 90), and the secondary objective was to identify factors associated with barotrauma. RESULTS: Of 586 patients, 48 (8.2%) experienced barotrauma, including 35 with pneumothorax, 23 with pneumomediastinum, 1 with pneumoperitoneum, and 6 with subcutaneous emphysema. Median time from mechanical ventilation initiation to barotrauma detection was 3 [0-17] days. All patients received protective ventilation and nearly half (23/48) were in volume-controlled mode. Barotrauma was associated with higher hospital mortality (P < 0.001) even after adjustment on age, sex, comorbidities, PaO2/FiO2 at intubation, plateau pressure at intubation, and center (P < 0.05). The group with barotrauma had a lower mean body mass index (28.6 ± 5.8 vs. 30.3 ± 5.9, P = 0.03) and a higher proportion of patients given corticosteroids (87.5% vs. 63.4%, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Barotrauma during mechanical ventilation for COVID-19 ARDS was associated with higher hospital mortality.

Early Clinical and Electrophysiological Brain Dysfunction Is Associated With ICU Outcomes in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Prospective Bicentric Observational Study.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the prevalence of acute cerebral dysfunction and assess the prognostic value of an early clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) assessment in ICU COVID-19 patients. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Two tertiary critical care units in Paris, France, between April and December 2020. PATIENTS: Adult critically ill patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome. INTERVENTIONS: Neurologic examination and EEG at two time points during the ICU stay, first under sedation and second 4-7 days after sedation discontinuation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Association of EEG abnormalities (background reactivity, continuity, dominant frequency, and presence of paroxystic discharges) with day-28 mortality and neurologic outcomes (coma and delirium recovery). Fifty-two patients were included, mostly male (81%), median (interquartile range) age 68 years (56-74 yr). Delayed awakening was present in 68% of patients (median awakening time of 5 d [2-16 d]) and delirium in 74% of patients who awoke from coma (62% of mixed delirium, median duration of 5 d [3-8 d]). First, EEG background was slowed in the theta-delta range in 48 (93%) patients, discontinuous in 25 patients (48%), and nonreactive in 17 patients (33%). Bifrontal slow waves were observed in 17 patients (33%). Early nonreactive EEG was associated with lower day-28 ventilator-free days (0 vs 16; p = 0.025), coma-free days (6 vs 22; p = 0.006), delirium-free days (0 vs 17; p = 0.006), and higher mortality (41% vs 11%; p = 0.027), whereas discontinuous background was associated with lower ventilator-free days (0 vs 17; p = 0.010), coma-free days (1 vs 22; p < 0.001), delirium-free days (0 vs 17; p = 0.001), and higher mortality (40% vs 4%; p = 0.001), independently of sedation and analgesia. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and neurophysiologic cerebral dysfunction is frequent in COVID-19 ARDS patients. Early severe EEG abnormalities with nonreactive and/or discontinuous background activity are associated with delayed awakening, delirium, and day-28 mortality.

In-hospital cardiac arrests admitted alive in intensive care units: Insights from the CubRéa database.

BACKGROUND: In-hospital cardiac arrest(IHCA) has received little attention compared with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. AIM: To address the paucity of data on IHCA patients, we examined key features, variations in mortality and predictors of death among patients admitted in French intensive care units(ICUs) from 1997 to 2015. METHODS: Using the database of the Collège des Utilisateurs de Bases de données en Réanimation(CUB-Réa) that prospectively collects data from ICUs in the greater Paris area, we determined temporal trends in the incidence of IHCA, patients' outcomes, crude and Simplified Acute Physiology Score(SAPS)-II Standardized mortality and predictors of in-ICU mortality. RESULTS: Of the 376,325 ICU admissions, 15,324(4.08%) had IHCA, with incidence increasing from 2.78% to 3.83%(p < 0.001). Over time, the patient age increased by 0.7 years(p = 0.04) and SAPS-II increased by 2.3%(p < 0.001). Crude in-ICU mortality decreased from 78% to 62.5% over the past 18 years(p < 0.001). The SAPS-II-standardized mortality also decreased over time from 78.4% to 68.3%(p < 0.001) representing a 10.1% relative decrease from 1997 to 2015. In multivariate analysis, admission in a more recent time-period was an independent correlate of decreased mortality(OR 0.40, 95%CI 0.35-0.46). CONCLUSION: Occurrence of IHCA increased over time but remains an uncommon reason for being admitted to ICU. From 1997 to 2015, we observed a change in patient profile, with older and more critically ill patients, despite which in-ICU mortality has substantially decreased in IHCA patients, likely resulting from a global improvement in the process of care and more widespread implementation of rapid response teams.

Epidemiology and Predictors of Long-Stays in Medical ICU: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Prolonged stays in ICU have been associated with overconsumption of resources but little is known about their epidemiology. We aimed to identify predictors and prognostic factors of extended stays, studying a long-stay population. METHODS: We present a retrospective cohort study between July 2000 and December 2013 comparing patients hospitalized in a medical ICU for ≥30 days (long-stay patients-LSP) with patients hospitalized for <30 days (short-stay patients-SSP). Admission characteristics were collected from the local database for every patient and evolution during the ICU stay was retrieved from LSP files. RESULTS: Among 8906 patients hospitalized in the ICU, 417 (4.7%) were LSP. At admission, male sex (adjusted odds-ratio (aOR) 1.4 [1.1; 1.7]), inpatient (aOR 2.0 [1.6; 2.4]) and in-ICU hospitalizations for respiratory (aOR 2.9 [1.6; 3.5]) or infectious diseases (aOR 1.6 [1.1; 2.5]) were all independently associated with a long stay in the ICU, while hospitalizations for metabolic (aOR 0.2 [0.1; 0.5]) or cardiovascular diseases (aOR 0.3 [0.2; 0.5]) were in favor of a short stay. In-ICU and in-hospital LSP mortality were 38.8% and 48.2%. Age (aOR 1.02 [1.00-1.04]), catecholamines (aOR 3.9 [1.9; 8.5]), renal replacement therapy (aOR 2.4 [1.3; 4.3]), primary disease-related complications (aOR 2.5 [1.4; 4.6]) and nosocomial infections (aOR 4.1 [1.8; 10.1]) were independently associated with mortality in LSP. CONCLUSION: LSP were highly comorbid patients mainly hospitalized for respiratory diseases. Their mortality was mostly related to nosocomial infections but the majority were discharged alive from the hospital.

Predictive Factor for COVID-19 Worsening: Insights for High-Sensitivity Troponin and D-Dimer and Correlation With Right Ventricular Afterload.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with cardiovascular complications and coagulation disorders. Objectives: To explore clinical and biological parameters of COVID-19 patients with hospitalization criteria that could predict referral to intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: Analyzing the clinical and biological profiles of COVID-19 patients at admission. Results: Among 99 consecutive patients that fulfilled criteria for hospitalization, 48 were hospitalized in the medicine department, 21 were first admitted to the medicine ward department and referred later to ICU, and 30 were directly admitted to ICU from the emergency department. At admission, patients requiring ICU were more likely to have lymphopenia, decreased SpO2, a D-dimer level above 1,000 ng/mL, and a higher high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (Hs-cTnI) level. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified Hs-cTnI above 9.75 pg/mL as the best predictive criteria for ICU referral [area under the curve (AUC), 86.4; 95% CI, 76.6-96.2]. This cutoff for Hs-cTnI was confirmed in univariate [odds ratio (OR), 22.8; 95% CI, 6.0-116.2] and multivariate analysis after adjustment for D-dimer level (adjusted OR, 20.85; 95% CI, 4.76-128.4). Transthoracic echocardiography parameters subsequently measured in 72 patients showed an increased right ventricular (RV) afterload correlated with Hs-cTnI (r = 0.42, p = 0.010) and D-dimer (r = 0.18, p = 0.047). Conclusion: Hs-cTnI appears to be the best relevant predictive factor for referring COVID-19 patients to ICU. This result associated with the correlation of D-dimer with RV dilatation probably reflects a myocardial injury due to an increased RV wall tension. This reinforces the hypothesis of a COVID-19-associated microvascular thrombosis inducing a higher RV afterload.

Angiopoietin-2 as a marker of endothelial activation is a good predictor factor for intensive care unit admission of COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory disease has been associated with ischemic complications, coagulation disorders, and an endotheliitis. OBJECTIVES: To explore endothelial damage and activation-related biomarkers in COVID-19 patients with criteria of hospitalization for referral to intensive care unit (ICU) and/or respiratory worsening. METHODS: Analysis of endothelial and angiogenic soluble markers in plasma from patients at admission. RESULTS: Study enrolled 40 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to emergency department that fulfilled criteria for hospitalization. Half of them were admitted in conventional wards without any ICU transfer during hospitalization; whereas the 20 others were directly transferred to ICU. Patients transferred in ICU were more likely to have lymphopenia, decreased SpO2 and increased D-dimer, CRP and creatinine levels. In those patients, soluble E-selectin and angiopoietin-2 were significantly increased (p value at 0.009 and 0.003, respectively). Increase in SELE gene expression (gene coding for E-selectin protein) was confirmed in an independent cohort of 32 patients using a whole blood gene expression profile analysis. In plasma, we found a strong association between angiopoetin-2 and CRP, creatinine and D-dimers (with p value at 0.001, 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). ROC curve analysis identified an Angiopoietin-2 cut-off of 5000 pg/mL as the best predictor for ICU outcome (Se = 80.1%, Sp = 70%, PPV = 72.7%, NPV = 77%), further confirmed in multivariate analysis after adjustment for creatinine, CRP or D-dimers. CONCLUSION: Angiopoietin-2 is a relevant predictive factor for ICU direct admission in COVID-19 patients. This result showing an endothelial activation reinforces the hypothesis of a COVID-19-associated microvascular dysfunction.

Impact of hyperoxia on patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit for acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Oxygen therapy remains a cornerstone of treatment for acute heart failure in patients with pulmonary congestion. While avoiding hypoxaemia has long been a goal of critical care practitioners, less attention has been paid to the potential hazard related to excessive hyperoxia. AIM: To evaluate the impact of early hyperoxia exposure among critically ill patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit for acute heart failure. METHODS: In this preliminary study conducted in a Parisian intensive care unit, we assessed patients with acute heart failure admitted with pulmonary congestion and treated with oxygen therapy from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016. The hyperoxia group was defined by having at least one partial pressure of oxygen measurement>100mmHg on the first day following admission to the intensive care unit. The primary endpoint was 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints were 30-day unplanned hospital admissions, occurrence of infections and intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were included. Forty-three patients (57.3%) presented hyperoxia, whereas 32 patients (42.7%) did not (control group). The baseline clinical characteristics did not differ between the two groups. The primary endpoint was not statistically different between the two groups (14.0% in the hyperoxia group vs 18.8% in the control group; P=0.85). The secondary endpoints were also not significantly different between the two groups. In the multivariable analysis, hyperoxia was not associated with increased 30-day mortality (odds ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.24-2.41). CONCLUSION: In patients referred to an intensive care unit for acute heart failure, we did not find any difference in outcomes according to the presence of hyperoxia.