[Study on the clinical effect of initiating continuous blood purification at different times for severe acute pancreatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of initiating continuous blood purification (CBP) treatment at different times for patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), and to explore the optimal timing for starting CBP treatment for SAP, so as to provide evidence for clinicians to start CBP treatment. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was used to select patients with SAP who received CBP treatment in People's Hospital of Hunan Province from January 2020 to December 2023. According to the timing of CBP initiation, the patients were divided into early initiation group (diagnosis of SAP to the first CBP treatment time < 24 hours) and late initiation group (diagnosis of SAP to the first CBP treatment time of 24-48 hours). The general data, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP) score and laboratory indicators, local complications and systemic complications, intensive care unit (ICU) treatment time, hospital stay, treatment cost, and clinical outcome of the two groups were collected and compared. RESULTS: A total of 130 patients with SAP who received CBP treatment were enrolled, including 90 patients in the early initiation group and 40 patients in the late initiation group. Before treatment, there were no significant differences in gender, age, APACHE II score, BISAP score, etiology and laboratory examination indexes between the early initiation group and late initiation group. At 48, 72, 96 hours after treatment, the blood calcium level of the two groups was significantly higher than that before treatment, and the levels of white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), lactic acid, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), APACHE II score and BISAP score were significantly lower than those before treatment. The WBC level, APACHE II score and BISAP score of the late initiation group were significantly lower than those of the early initiation group at 72 hours and 96 hours after treatment [WBC (×109/L): 10.96 (8.68, 13.04) vs. 12.45 (8.93, 16.30) at 72 hours after treatment, and 10.18 (8.68, 12.42) vs. 11.96 (8.81, 16.87) at 96 hours after treatment; APACHE II score: 9.50 (5.75, 12.00) vs. 11.00 (6.25, 14.00) at 72 hours after treatment, and 10.00 (4.00, 12.00) vs. 12.00 (7.00, 14.75) at 96 hours after treatment; BISAP score: 2.35±1.03 vs. 2.76±1.10 at 72 hours after treatment, and 2.08±1.21 vs. 2.70±1.11 at 96 hours after treatment], the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). In terms of complications, the incidence of pancreatic abscess in the late initiation group was significantly lower than that in the early initiation group [5.00% (2/40) vs. 20.00% (18/90)], but the incidence of abdominal compartment syndrome was significantly higher than that in the early initiation group [42.50% (17/40) vs. 13.33% (12/90)], the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). In addition, the ICU treatment time in the early initiation group was significantly shorter than that in the late initiation group [days: 11.00 (6.00, 20.00) vs. 15.00 (9.75, 25.00), P < 0.05], and there were no statistically significant differences in hospitalization costs, length of stay and mortality between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: CBP can effectively increase the level of blood calcium and decrease the level of lactic acid and inflammatory factors. Starting CBP within 24-48 hours after diagnosis of SAP can reduce WBC level and disease severity score faster, and reduce the occurrence of pancreatic abscess. Initiation of CBP within 24 hours after diagnosis of SAP can reduce the incidence of abdominal compartment syndrome and shorten the duration of ICU treatment.

[Effect of Xuebijing injection on acute gastrointestinal injury in patients with sepsis: a retrospective cohort study].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Xuebijing injection on sepsis combined with acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI), and analyze the risk factors of sepsis combined with AGI. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Patients with non-gastrointestinal origin admitted to the department of intensive care medicine of the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao from May 1, 2021 to October 30, 2023 were enrolled. The baseline data, source of sepsis infection, vital signs, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), laboratory tests, comorbidities, interventions during treatment, and the 28-day prognosis were collected. The patients were divided into Xuebijing group and non-Xuebijing group according to whether Xuebijing injection was used or not. According to whether AGI was merged or not, patients were divided into merged AGI group and non-merged AGI group. The main observational indexes were the difference in the incidence of AGI between the Xuebijing group and non-Xuebijing group and the difference in the magnitude of the decline in procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell count (WBC) at 7 days after admission, and the difference in the 28-day morbidity and mortality. Risk factors for AGI in septic patients were explored by univariate analysis, and statistically significant indicators were screened and included in binary Logistic regression analysis to determine independent risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 129 patients with sepsis of non-gastrointestinal origin were enrolled, including 57 patients in the Xuebijing group and 72 patients in the non-Xuebijing group. Among 129 patients, 80 patients in the merged AGI group and 49 patients in the non-merged AGI group. There were no statistically significant differences between Xuebijing group and non-Xuebijing group in gender, age, body mass index (BMI), underlying disease, source of infection, vital sign, APACHE II score, SOFA score, and clinical intervention, and there were no statistically significant differences in laboratory tests except for aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The incidence of AGI was significantly lower in the Xuebijing group than that in the non-Xuebijing group [50.87% (29/57) vs. 70.83% (51/72), P < 0.05], and the 28-day mortality was slightly lower than that in the non-Xuebijing group [24.56% (14/57) vs. 30.56% (22/72), P > 0.05]. In the Xuebijing group, the decreases in CRP, PCT and WBC at 7 days after admission were greater than those in the non-Xuebijing group, with statistically significant differences in the decreases of CRP and PCT [CRP (mg/L): 47.12±67.34 vs. 7.76±111.03, PCT (µg/L): 14.08 (-1.22, 50.40) vs. 2.94 (-1.27, 14.80), all P < 0.05]. Univariate analysis showed that the use of acid suppressants, the use of analgesic sedation, the non-use of Xuebijing injections, pulmonary infections, and urinary tract infections were the risk factors for the development of AGI in patients with sepsis. Binary Logistic regression analysis further showed that the use of acid suppressants [odds ratio (OR) = 2.450, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.021-5.883, P = 0.045], use of analgesic sedatives (OR = 2.521, 95%CI was 1.074-5.918, P = 0.034), and urinary tract infection (OR = 4.011, 95%CI was 1.085-14.831, P = 0.037) were independent risk factors for sepsis combined with AGI, in which the use of Xuebijing injection was a protective factor (OR = 0.315, 95%CI was 0.137-0.726, P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Xuebijing injection reduced the incidence of AGI in patients with non-gastrointestinal sepsis. PCT and CRP decreased more markedly than in patients who did not use Xuebijing injection. The use of acid-suppressing agents, analgesic and sedative agents, and urinary tract infections were independent risk factors for sepsis in combination with AGI, while the use of Xuebijing injection is a protective factor.

Characterizing and Predicting Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Low or High Protein Doses with Moderate Energy Support: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Finding the best energy and protein dose and timing for critically ill patients remains challenging. Distinct populations may react differently to protein load. This study aimed to characterize and predict outcomes of critically ill patients who received moderate energy and high or low protein doses during their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: The cohort included 646 adult patients (70% men and 30% women) hospitalized in Beilinson Hospital ICU (Petah Tikva, Israel) for over 5 days between 2011 and 2018. Patients received 10-20 kcal/kg/day and were classified into two groups: low (LP) and high (HP) protein support (≤1 g/kg/day vs. >1 g/kg/day), the LP group comprising 531 patients (82%) and the HP group 115 patients (18%). Multiple logistic regression was used to describe associations between patients' characteristics and 90-day survival in the LP and HP groups. RESULTS: Among LP, increased age, APACHE II, and receiving supplemental parenteral nutrition (SPN) were associated with decreased survival (OR = 0.986, 95% CI [0.973, 0.999]; OR = 0.915, 95% CI [0.886, 0.944], OR = 0.579, 95% CI [0.366, 0.917]). Trauma admission was associated with increased survival (OR = 1.826, 95% CI [1.001, 3.329]). Among HP, increased age was associated with decreased survival (OR = 0.956, 95% CI [0.924, 0.998]). Higher BMI was associated with improved survival (OR = 1.137, 95% CI [1.028, 1.258]). Likewise, in the HP group, the BMI of elderly survivors was higher compared to non-survivors (27.1 ± 6.2 vs. 24.7 ± 4.8, t (113) = 2.3, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that in patients with moderate energy support and low protein administration, survivors were younger, with a lower APACHE II score, mainly suffering from trauma and without renal failure. In the patients receiving high protein support, younger patients with a high BMI not suffering from sepsis were more likely to survive. We suggest confirming these findings with prospective RCTs.

THE EFFECT OF PERCUTANEOUS CATHETER DRAINAGE COMBINED WITH SOMATOSTATIN ON INFLAMMATION AND PLASMA THROMBOXANE 2, PROSTACYCLIN I2 LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE PANCREATITIS.

OBJECTIVE: Explore the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) combined with somatostatin in the treatment of severe pancreatitis (SAP) patients. METHODS: A retrospective study method was adopted to select 95 patients with SAP who were treated in our hospital from January 2018 to June 2022 for clinical research. Among them, 48 patients received routine treatment+somatostatin (control group), and other 47 patients received ultrasound guided PCD treatment on the basis of the control group (research group). The differences in the peripheral white blood cells (WBC), procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Tumor Necrosis Factor- α(TNF- α), prostacyclin I2 (PGI2), plasma thromboxane 2 (TXA2), blood amylase, serum albumin (ALB), acute physiological function and chronic health score (APACHE II), sequential organ failure score (SOFA), and clinical efficacy were compared. The ICU treatment time, hospital stay, and incidence of complications were also recorded for the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in APACHE II score and SOFA score between the research group and the control group (P>0.05); The APACHE II scores of the research group after 14 days of treatment and 28 days of treatment were lower than those of the control group. The SOFA scores of the research group after 28 days of treatment were lower than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05); Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in WBC, PCT, IL-6, TNF-α, PGI2, TXA2, blood amylase, and ALB levels between the research group and control group (P>0.05); PCT, IL-6, TNF-α, TXA2 and blood amylase levels in the research group after 28 days of treatment were lower than that in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05); The ICU treatment time and hospitalization time of the research group were lower than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05); After 28 days of treatment, clinical efficacy evaluation was conducted, and the overall efficacy of the research group patients was better than that of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05); The complication rate of the research group was 27.66%, and that of the control group was 47.92%, which was significantly lower in the research group than in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound guided PCD combined with somatostatin treatment for SAP patients can more effectively alleviate the degree of inflammatory response, effectively alleviate the severity of the patient's condition, reduce the occurrence of related complications, and improve clinical treatment effectiveness.

Acute kidney injury developed in the intensive care unit: a population-based prospective cohort study in the Brazilian Amazon.

The Brazilian Amazon is a vast area with limited health care resources. To assess the epidemiology of critically ill acute kidney injury (AKI) patients in this area, a prospective cohort study of 1029 adult patients of the three intensive care units (ICUs) of Rio Branco city, the capital of Acre state, were evaluated from February 2014 to February 2016. The incidence of AKI was 53.3%. Risk factors for AKI included higher age, nonsurgical patients, admission to the ICU from the ward, higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores at ICU admission, and positive fluid balance > 1500 ml/24 hours in the days before AKI development in the ICU, with aOR of 1.3 (95% CI 1.03-1.23), 1.47 (95% CI 1.07-2.03), 1.96 (95% CI 1.40-2.74), 1.05 (95% CI 1.03-1.08) for each unit increase, and 1.62 (95% CI 1.16-2.26), respectively. AKI was associated with higher ICU mortality (aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.29-3.18). AKI mortality was independently associated with higher age, nonsurgical patients, sepsis at ICU admission, presence of shock or use of vasoactive drugs, mechanical ventilation and mean positive fluid balance in the ICU > 1500 ml/24 hours, both during ICU follow-up, with aOR 1.27 (95% CI 1.14-1.43) for each 10-year increase, 1.64 (95% CI 1.07-2.52), 2.35 (95% CI 1.14-4.83), 1.88 (95% CI 1.03-3.44), 6.73 (95% CI 4.08-11.09), 2.31 (95% CI 1.52-3.53), respectively. Adjusted hazard ratios for AKI mortality 30 and 31-180 days after ICU discharge were 3.13 (95% CI 1.84-5.31) and 1.69 (95% CI 0.99-2.90), respectively. AKI incidence was strikingly high among critically ill patients in the Brazilian Amazon. The AKI etiology, risk factors and outcomes were similar to those described in high-income countries, but mortality rates were higher.

Prognostic impact of postoperative management by an intensive care unit intensivist after colonic perforation.

PURPOSE: Postoperative management for colonic perforation is an important prognostic factor, but whether intensivists perform postoperative management varies between institutions. METHODS: We investigated 291 patients with colonic perforation between 2018 and 2022. Patients were divided into those managed by an intensivists (ICU group; n = 40) and those not managed by an intensivists (non-ICU group; n = 251). We examined how management by intensivists affected prognosis using inverse probability weighting, and clarified which patients should consult an intensivists. RESULTS: The ICU group showed a significantly higher shock index (1.15 vs. 0.75, p < 0.01), higher APACHE II score (16.0 vs. 10.0, p < 0.001), and more severe comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index 5.0 vs. 1.0, p < 0.001) and general peritonitis (85% vs. 38%, p < 0.001). Adjusted risk differences were - 24% (-34% to -13%) for 6-month mortality rate. Six-month mortality was improved by ICU intensivist management in patients with general peritonitis (risk difference - 22.8; 95% confidence interval - 34 to -11); APACHE II score ≥20 (-0.79; -1.06 to -0.52); lactate ≥1.6 (-0.38; -0.57 to -0.29); shock index ≥1.0 (-40.01; -54.87 to -25.16); and catecholamine index ≥10 (-41.16; -58.13 to -24.19). CONCLUSIONS: Intensivists were involved in treating patients in poor general condition, but prognosis was extremely good. Appropriate case consultation with intensivists is important.

Reevaluation of prognostic and severity indicators for COVID-19 patients in the emergency department.

AIMS: This study aimed to re-evaluate whether the scoring systems, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were effective in predicting prognosis and severity of COVID-19 patients in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: COVID-19 patients enrolled in this retrospective study divided into the death (DEA) and survival (SUR) groups, the severe/critical (SC) and non-severe/critical (non-SC) groups. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), National Early Warning Score (NEWS) and CCEDRRN COVID-19 Mortality Score were calculated. The neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet counts were extracted from the first routine blood examination, and NLR and PLR were calculated accordingly. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: All the scoring systems, as well as NLR and PLR, significantly increased in both the DEA and SC groups. The ROC curve showed that the CCEDRRN COVID-19 Mortality Score had the highest predictive value for mortality and severity (AUC 0.779, 0.850, respectively), which outperformed the APACHE II, SOFA and NEWS. NLR presented better predictive ability for severity (AUC 0.741) than death (AUC 0.702). The APACHE II, NEWS and CCEDRRN COVID-19 Mortality Score were positively correlated with both prognosis and severity, whereas NLR only with severity. CONCLUSION: The NEWS and CCEDRRN COVID-19 Mortality Score were reconfirmed for early and rapid predicting the poor prognosis and severity of COVID-19 patients in ED, especially the CCEDRRN COVID-19 Mortality Score with the highest discrimination capacity, and NLR was more appropriate for predicting the severity.

The incidence and risk factors of gastrointestinal dysfunction during enteral nutrition in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients.

AIM: To assess the occurrence and risk factors of gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction during enteral nutrition (EN) in critically ill patients supported with mechanical ventilation. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. METHODS: Totally 252 patients admitted at a mixed medical-surgical ICU were enrolled. GI symptoms and the potential risk variables were recorded during the first 14 days of EN. RESULTS: The incidence of GI dysfunction was 65.5%, and the incidence of diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal distension, and upper GI intolerance was 28.2%, 18.3%, 6.7% and 12.3%, respectively. The median onset days of constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal distension and UDI was 3, 5, 5 and 6 days, respectively. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed a significant relationship between GI dysfunction and age (HR = 2.321, 95% CI: 1.024-5.264, p = 0.004), APACHE-II score at ICU admission (HR = 7.523, 95% CI: 4.734-12.592, p = 0.018), serum albumin level (HR = 0.594, 95% CI: 0.218-0.889, p = 0.041), multidrug-resistant bacteria-positive culture (HR = 6.924, 95% CI: 4.612-10.276, p<0.001), negative fluid balance (HR = 0.725, 95% CI: 0.473-0.926, p = 0.037), use of vasopressor drugs (HR = 1.642, 95% CI: 1.297-3.178, p<0.001), EN way (HR = 6.312, 95% CI: 5.143-11.836, p<0.001), infusion rate (HR = 1.947, 95% CI: 1.135-3.339, p<0.001), and intra-abdominal hypertension (HR = 3.864, 95% CI: 2.360-5.839, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Critically ill patients supported with mechanical ventilation are at a high risk of GI dysfunction. Interventions such as the use of laxatives or prokinetic agents, control of EN infusion rate, and maintaining a normal state of hydration, might be beneficial for the prevention of GI dysfunction in critically ill patients. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No.

Predictive value of the CURB-65, qSOFA, and APACHE II for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute exacerbation chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, Confusion, Urea, Respiratory Rate, Blood Pressure, and Age Above or Below 65 Years (CURB-65), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II in predicting the in-hospital mortality of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). This retrospective study was conducted on 1583 hospitalized patients diagnosed with AECOPD from 2017 to 2019. Appropriate clinical data were retrieved from medical records from the time of admission up until the patients were discharged. The patients' most severe physiological condition and laboratory data within the first 24 hours of admission were used to determine CURB-65, Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, and APACHE II scores. The accuracy of these 3 instruments in predicting the in-hospital mortality of patients with AECOPD was compared. It was observed that patients who had died had significantly higher APACHE II and CURB-65 scores (P < .05). Binary logistic regression analysis confirmed their significant association with mortality. The APACHE II score had a sensitivity of 91.6% and a specificity of 89.2%, while CURB-65 had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 67.2%. The receiver operating characteristic curves for APACHE II and CURB-65 showed high predictive accuracy (area under the curve, 0.965 and 0.882, P < .001), respectively. Mortality rates substantially increased with higher scores (P < .001), reaching 38.2% for APACHE II scores ≥16 and 15.8% for CURB-65 scores ≥2. Our findings reveal a clear link between higher mortality rates and higher APACHE II and CURB-65 scores. The receiver operating characteristic curves' strong predictive ability highlights the dependability of these scoring systems in assessing the risk of in-hospital mortality, making them useful tools for predicting the outcomes in critical care.

Establishment and validation of a prognostic nomogram for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome: A retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Several scoring systems have been proposed to predict the risk of death due to severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (STFS), but they have limitations. We developed a new prognostic nomogram for STFS-related death and compared its performance with previous scoring systems and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation score (APACHE II Score). METHODS: A total of 292 STFS patients were retrospectively enrolled between January 2016 and March 2023. Boruta's algorithm and backward stepwise regression were used to select variables for constructing the nomogram. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and clinical decision curves were generated to compare the strengths of the nomogram with others. RESULTS: Age, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (SOFA score), state of consciousness, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), and D-dimer were significantly correlated with mortality in both univariate and multivariate analyses (P<0.05). We developed a nomogram using these variables to predict mortality risk, which outperformed the SFTS and APACHE II scores (Training ROC: 0.929 vs. 0.848 vs. 0.792; Validation ROC: 0.938 vs. 0.839 vs. 0.851; P<0.001). In the validation set, the SFTS model achieved an accuracy of 76.14%, a sensitivity of 95.31%, a specificity of 25.00%, a precision of 77.22%, and an F1 score of 85.32%. The nomogram showed a superior performance with an accuracy of 86.36%, a precision of 88.24%, a recall of 93.75%, and an F1 score of 90.91%. CONCLUSION: Age, consciousness, SOFA Score, CRRT, and D-Dimer are independent risk factors for STFS-related death. The nomogram based on these factors has an excellent performance in predicting STFS-related death and is recommended for clinical practice.

The value of surfactant protein a in evaluating the severity and prognosis in community-acquired pneumonia patients.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has discovered that surfactant protein A (SP-A) is involved in the pathophysiology processes of certain lung illnesses. However, no definitive clinical studies have delved into the function of SP-A in individuals afflicted with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). A prospective cohort study was used to investigate the relationships between blood SP-A levels and the severity and prognosis among CAP patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 260 patients with CAP. Clinical traits and demographic data were examined during hospitalization. The concentrations of serum SP-A and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, to evaluate the severity of CAP, a variety of scores, including the CURB-65, PSI, SMART-COP, and APACHE II, were employed. RESULTS: The serum levels of SP-A at admission exhibited a gradual decline as the severity scores of CAP increased. Through Spearman correlation analysis, we observed an association between serum SP-A and some clinical indicators among CAP patients. Furthermore, results from a multiple linear regression model suggested changes in PSI scores (-17.868 scores, 95% CI: -32.743, -2.993) affect serum SP-A more than CURB-65 (-0.547 scores, 95% CI: -0.964, -0.131), SMART-COP (-1.097 scores, 95% CI: -1.889, -0.304) and APACHE II (-3.475 scores, 95% CI: -5.874, -1.075) with age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cerebral infarction, coronary heart disease, and bronchitis adjusted. In addition, the prognosis in CAP patients was monitored. Throughout their hospital stay, higher serum levels of SP-A decreased the risks of mechanical ventilation (RR: 0.315; 95% CI: 0.106, 0.937), vasoactive agents (RR: 0.165; 95% CI: 0.034, 0.790), intensive care unit (ICU) admissions (RR: 0.218; 95% CI: 0.066, 0.717) and longer hospital stays (RR: 0.397; 95% CI: 0.167, 0.945). CONCLUSION: In CAP patients, inverse dose-response correlations exist between serum SP-A levels with severity scores as well as prognosis at admission, suggesting that SP-A may take part in the CAP pathophysiological processes. Moreover, lower serum SP-A on admission is associated with an elevated prognostic risk of mechanical ventilation, the use of vasoactive agents, longer hospital stays, ICU admission, and mortality. Therefore, as a biomarker, SP-A may have the potential to predict the severity and poor prognosis of CAP patients.

Novel cortisol trajectory sub-phenotypes in sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a heterogeneous syndrome. This study aimed to identify new sepsis sub-phenotypes using plasma cortisol trajectory. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit of Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University between March 2020 and July 2022. A group-based cortisol trajectory model was used to classify septic patients into different sub-phenotypes. The clinical characteristics, biomarkers, and outcomes were compared between sub-phenotypes. RESULTS: A total of 258 patients with sepsis were included, of whom 186 were male. Patients were divided into two trajectory groups: the lower-cortisol group (n = 217) exhibited consistently low and slowly declining cortisol levels, while the higher-cortisol group (n = 41) showed relatively higher levels in comparison. The 28-day mortality (65.9% vs.16.1%, P < 0.001) and 90-day mortality (65.9% vs. 19.8%, P < 0.001) of the higher-cortisol group were significantly higher than the lower-cortisol group. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that the trajectory sub-phenotype (HR = 5.292; 95% CI 2.218-12.626; P < 0.001), APACHE II (HR = 1.109; 95% CI 1.030-1.193; P = 0.006), SOFA (HR = 1.161; 95% CI 1.045-1.291; P = 0.006), and IL-1ß (HR = 1.001; 95% CI 1.000-1.002; P = 0.007) were independent risk factors for 28-day mortality. Besides, the trajectory sub-phenotype (HR = 4.571; 95% CI 1.980-10.551; P < 0.001), APACHE II (HR = 1.108; 95% CI 1.043-1.177; P = 0.001), SOFA (HR = 1.270; 95% CI 1.130-1.428; P < 0.001), and IL-1ß (HR = 1.001; 95% CI 1.000-1.001; P = 0.015) were also independent risk factors for 90-day mortality. CONCLUSION: This study identified two novel cortisol trajectory sub-phenotypes in patients with sepsis. The trajectories were associated with mortality, providing new insights into sepsis classification.

[Feasibility and safety study of building a friendly management model for elderly critically ill patients based on geriatric intensive care unit: a prospective controlled study].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility and safety of integrating the geriatric intensive care unit (GICU) into the friendly management model of the elderly critically ill patients. METHODS: A prospective controlled study was conducted. Patients with elderly critically ill admitted to the GICU and the general intensive care unit (ICU) of Jintan First People's Hospital of Changzhou from December 2021 to May 2023 were enrolled. Patients in the ICU group received the traditional intensive care and nursing mode. In addition to the ICU group basic medical care measures, the patients in the GICU group were treated with friendly management models such as flexible visitation, diagnosis and treatment environment optimization, caring diagnosis and treatment, and family participation in hospice care according to their condition assessment. The gender, age, main diagnosis, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) at admission were recorded and compared between the two groups. During the treatment period, the incidence of nosocomial infection, unplanned extubation, falling out of bed/fall, unexpected readmission to ICU/GICU, and ICU/GICU mortality, the incidence of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), the satisfaction rate of patients/families with medical care, and the satisfaction rate of patients/families with diagnosis and treatment environment were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: According to the admission criteria for ICU and GICU, as well as the willingness of the patients and/or their families, a total of 59 patients were finally included in the ICU group, and 48 patients were enrolled in the GICU group. There were no significantly differences in gender, age, main diagnosis and APACHE II score between the two groups, and there were comparability. There were no significantly differences in the incidence of adverse events such as nosocomial infection [13.6% (8/59) vs. 12.5% (6/48)], unplanned extubation [5.1% (3/59) vs. 6.2% (3/48)], falling out of bed/fall [3.4% (2/59) vs. 0% (0/48)], unexpected readmission to ICU/GICU [8.5% (5/59) vs. 10.4% (5/48)], and ICU/GICU mortality [6.8% (4/59) vs. 6.2 (3/48)] between the ICU group and GICU group (all P > 0.05). Compared with the ICU group, the incidence of PICS in GICU group was significantly lower [8.3% (4/48) vs. 25.4% (15/59), P < 0.05], the satisfaction rate of patients/families with medical care [89.6% (43/48) vs. 74.6% (44/59)] and satisfaction rate of patients/families with diagnosis and treatment environment [87.5% (42/48) vs. 67.8% (40/59)] were significantly increased (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The use GICU as a friendly management model for elderly critically ill patients is feasible and safe, and it is worthy of further exploration and research.

Iron metabolism indexes as predictors of the incidence of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney surgery.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major complication following cardiac surgery. We explored the clinical utility of iron metabolism indexes for identification of patients at risk for AKI after cardiac surgery. METHODS: This prospective observational study included patients who underwent cardiac surgery between March 2023 and June 2023. Iron metabolism indexes were measured upon admission to the intensive care unit. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between iron metabolism indexes and cardiac surgery-associated AKI (CSA-AKI). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the predictive ability of iron, APACHE II score and the combination of the two indicators. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) was used to further confirm the linear relationship between iron and CSA-AKI. RESULTS: Among the 112 recruited patients, 38 (33.9%) were diagnosed with AKI. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that APACHE II score (odds ratio [OR], 1.208; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.003-1.455, P = 0.036) and iron (OR 1.069; 95% CI 1.009-1.133, P = 0.036) could be used as independent risk factors to predict CSA-AKI. ROC curve analysis showed that iron (area under curve [AUC] = 0.669, 95% CI 0.572-0.757), APACHE II score (AUC = 0.655, 95% CI 0.557-0.744) and iron and APACHE II score combination (AUC = 0.726, 95% CI 0.632-0.807) were predictive indicators for CSA-AKI. RCS further confirmed the linear relationship between iron and CSA-AKI. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated iron levels were independently associated with higher risk of CSA-AKI, and there was a linear relationship between iron and CSA-AKI.

The effectiveness of phytosomal curcumin on clinical and laboratory parameters of patients with multiple trauma admitted to the intensive care unit: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Multiple trauma has serious complications, which increases the risk of morbidity and mortality in the patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of supplementation with phytosomal curcumin on clinical and laboratory factors in critically ill patients with multiple trauma. METHODS: In this double-blind trial, 53 patients with multiple trauma, who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were randomized to receive either 2 capsules, each capsule containing 250 mg phytosomal (a total of 500 mg daily) as an intervention group or 2 identical capsules (placebo capsules), each containing 250 mg maltodextrin for 7 days. Clinical and laboratory were parameters assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: After seven days of intervention, the mean increase from baseline in the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score was significantly higher in the curcumin compared with the placebo group (P-value: 0.028), while the reduction in the APACHE-II score in the curcumin group was greater than that the placebo group in a marginally non-significant fashion (P-value: 0.055). Serum total bilirubin (P-value: 0.036) and quantitative C-reactive protein (CRP) (P-value: 0.044) levels significantly decreased while potassium (P-value: 0.01) significantly increased in the curcumin compared with the placebo group. Moreover, supplementation with phytosomal curcumin significantly increased platelet count (P-value: 0.024) as compared with placebo. The 28-day mortality rate was 7.7% (n: 2 patients) and 3.7% (n: 1 patients) in the placebo and curcumin groups, respectively (P-value > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Phytosomal curcumin had beneficial effects on several clinical and laboratory factors including GCS, APACHEII, serum total bilirubin, CRP, and platelet count in ICU-admitted patients with multiple trauma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20090306001747N1, Available on: https://www.irct.ir/trial/52692 . The first registration date was 12/01/2021.

SACrA score to predict the initiation of renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a prevalent complication in critically ill patients that affects the timing of renal replacement therapy (RRT) initiation. This study aimed to develop and validate the SACrA score for predicting non-emergent initiations (BUN ≥112 mg/dL or oliguria for >72 h) of RRT in critically ill patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from two cohorts. The derivation cohort included patients admitted to the ICU between November 2021 and December 2023, whereas the validation cohort included patients admitted between September 2019 and October 2021. The primary outcome was non-emergent RRT initiation. The multivariate logistic regression with stepwise selection based on the Akaike information criterion finalized the model, including the variables, such as sex, albumin (Alb), creatinine (Cr), and APACHE II score (SACrA). RESULTS: The derivation and validation cohorts comprised 470 and 476 patients, respectively. The SACrA score showed a strong predictive performance for non-emergent RRT initiation in both the cohorts. Cohort 1 had an ROC-AUC of 0.971, with a calibration slope of 0.982 and an intercept of 0.009, whereas cohort 2 had an ROC-AUC of 0.918, with a calibration slope of 0.988 and an intercept of 0.004. CONCLUSIONS: The SACrA score is a robust tool for predicting non-emergent RRT initiation in critically ill patients using readily available clinical variables. Though additional data are needed to validate the SACrA score, our analysis suggests the tool may help clinicians make informed decisions, reduce unnecessary RRT, and thereby improve patient outcomes.

Ventilatory pressure parameters impact the association between acute gastrointestinal injury and all-cause mortality in mechanically ventilated patients.

Acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) is common in mechanically ventilated (MV) patients, but the potential association between ventilatory pressure parameters and AGI grade and their impact on mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between ventilatory pressure parameters and AGI grade, and their interaction on all-cause mortality in MV patients. This study was a secondary analysis of a multicenter, prospective, observational study that enrolled adult patients with an expected duration of mechanical ventilation ≥ 48 h from 14 general intensive care units in Zhejiang Province between March and August 2014. The AGI grade was assessed daily on the basis of gastrointestinal symptoms, intra-abdominal pressures, and feeding intolerance in the first week of admission to the ICU. This study included 331 patients (69.2% men; mean age, 64.6 ± 18.9 years). Multivariate regression analysis showed that plateau pressure (Pplat) (OR 1.044, 95% CI 1.009-1.081, P = 0.013), serum creatinine (OR 1.003, 95% CI 1.001-1.006, P = 0.042) and APACHE II score (OR 1.035, 95% CI 1.021-1.072, P = 0.045) were independently associated with global AGI grade III/IV within 7 days of ICU admission. Moreover, global AGI grade (HR 2.228, 95% CI 1.561-3.182, P < 0.001), serum creatinine (HR 1.002, 95% CI 1.001-1.003, P = 0.012) and APACHE II score (HR 1.039, 95% CI 1.015-1.063, P = 0.001) were independently associated with 60-day mortality. In addition, there were significant (Pint ≤ 0.028) interactions of Pplat and DP with AGI grade in relation to 60-days mortality, whereas no interaction (Pint = 0.061) between PEEP and AGI grade on 60-days mortality was observed. In the presence of Pplat ≥ 19 cmH2O, the patients with AGI grade III/IV had 60-day mortality rate of 72.2%, significantly higher than those with AGI grade I/II (48.7%, P = 0.018), whereas there were no significant differences (27.9% vs. 33.7%, P = 0.39) in 60-days mortality between AGI grade I/II and III/IV among the patients with Pplat < 19 cmH2O. In comparison with Pplat, DP had a similar interaction (Pint = 0.028) with AGI grade on 60-day mortality. Ventilatory pressure parameters (Pplat and DP) are independent risk factors of AGI grade III/IV. Pplat and DP interact with AGI grade on 60-days mortality, highlighting the importance of optimizing ventilatory pressure parameters to improve gastrointestinal function and survival outcomes of MV patients.Trial registration: ChiCTR-OCS-13003824.

[Correlation between serum nitric oxide synthase levels and readmission due to acute exacerbation within 30 days in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between serum nitric oxide synthase (NOS) levels and readmission due to acute exacerbation within 30 days in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted. The AECOPD patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from January 2020 to December 2022 were enrolled as the research subjects. The general data such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) course, smoking history, and basic diseases were collected. The laboratory indicators, serum NOS level [inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)] and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score within 24 hours after admission and total length of hospital stay were also collected, and whether patients were readmitted due to acute exacerbation within 30 days after discharge were recorded. The differences in the above clinical indexes between the readmitted and non-readmitted patients within 30 days were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to screen the influencing factors of readmission within 30 days after discharge in AECOPD patients. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to analyze the predictive value of various influencing factors on readmission. RESULTS: A total of 168 patients were enrolled, 38 patients were readmitted due to acute aggravation within 30 days after discharge, and 130 were not readmitted. Compared with the non-readmission group, the levels of white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), APACHE II score, and serum iNOS and eNOS levels within 24 hours after admission in the readmission group were significantly increased [WBC (×109/L): 14.19 (12.88, 16.12) vs. 11.81 (10.63, 14.11), CRP (mg/L): 51.41±12.35 vs. 40.12±7.79, APACHE II score: 22.0 (19.0, 25.0) vs. 18.0 (14.0,20.5), iNOS (µg/L): 5.87±1.36 vs. 4.52±0.89, eNOS (µg/L): 4.40±1.00 vs. 3.51±1.08, all P < 0.01], and the levels of hemoglobin (Hb) and albumin (Alb) were significantly decreased [Hb (g/L): 108.82±22.06 vs. 123.98±24.26, Alb (g/L): 30.28±3.27 vs. 33.68±2.76, both P < 0.01]. There were no significant differences in gender, age, BMI, COPD course, smoking history, basic diseases, total length of hospital stay and serum nNOS level between the two groups. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that CRP [odds ratio (OR) = 1.201, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.075-1.341], APACHE II score (OR = 1.335, 95%CI was 1.120-1.590), and serum iNOS (OR = 5.496, 95%CI was 2.143-14.095) and eNOS (OR = 3.366, 95%CI was 1.272-8.090) were the independent risk factors for readmission within 30 days after discharge in AECOPD patients (all P < 0.05), and Hb (OR = 0.965, 95%CI was 0.933-0.997) and Alb (OR = 0.551, 95%CI was 0.380-0.799) were protective factors (both P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that serum iNOS and eNOS levels had predictive value for readmission within 30 days after discharge in AECOPD patients, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.791 (95%CI was 0.694-0.887) and 0.742 (95%CI was 0.660-0.823), respectively. When the optimal cut-off value was 5.22 µg/L and 3.82 µg/L, the sensitivity was 81.54% and 69.23%, and the specificity was 71.05% and 81.58%, respectively. The AUC of serum iNOS and eNOS levels combined with Hb, Alb, CRP and APACHE II score for predicting the readmission was 0.979 (95%CI was 0.958-1.000), the sensitivity was 91.54%, and the specificity was 97.37%. CONCLUSIONS: The increased serum iNOS and eNOS levels of AECOPD patients correlate with the readmission due to acute exacerbation within 30 days after discharge. Combined detection of Hb, Alb, CRP, serum iNOS and eNOS levels, and evaluation of APACHE II score within 24 hours after admission can effectively predict readmission.

Comparison of Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) for early prediction of septic shock in diabetic patients in Emergency Departments.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is a severe medical condition that can be life-threatening. If sepsis progresses to septic shock, the mortality rate increases to around 40%, much higher than the 10% mortality observed in sepsis. Diabetes increases infection and sepsis risk, making management complex. Various scores of screening tools, such as Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (SOFA), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II), are used to predict the severity or mortality rate of disease. Our study aimed to compare the effectiveness and optimal cutoff points of these scores. We focused on the early prediction of septic shock in patients with diabetes in the Emergency Department (ED). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to collect data on patients with diabetes. We collected prediction factors and MEWS, SOFA, SAPS II and APACHE II scores to predict septic shock in these patients. We determined the optimal cutoff points for each score. Subsequently, we compared the identified scores with the gold standard for diagnosing septic shock by applying the Sepsis-3 criteria. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure (SBP), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), pH, and lactate concentrations were significant predictors of septic shock (p < 0.001). The SOFA score performed well in predicting septic shock in patients with diabetes. The area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for the SOFA score was 0.866 for detection within 48 h and 0.840 for detection after 2 h of admission to the ED, with the optimal cutoff score of ≥ 6. CONCLUSION: SBP, SpO2, GCS, pH, and lactate concentrations are crucial for the early prediction of septic shock in patients with diabetes. The SOFA score is a superior predictor for the onset of septic shock in patients with diabetes compared with MEWS, SAPS II, and APACHE II scores. Specifically, a cutoff of ≥ 6 in the SOFA score demonstrates high accuracy in predicting shock within 48 h post-ED visit and as early as 2 h after ED admission.

One-year survival after admission in the intensive care unit: a retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Improving survival is the objective of intensive care units. Various factors affect long-term outcomes. The objective was to explore survival and the associated factors 1 year after admission to the intensive care unit. METHOD: This is an observational, descriptive, and analytical study in a retrospective cohort of adults admitted to an intensive care unit at a regional hospital during the first semester of 2022. Records of 218 patients from an anonymized database were analyzed. RESULTS: The average age was 61 years, and the average APACHE II score was 15 points (24% expected mortality). Survival 1 year after admission was 57.8%. Factors associated with 1-year survival in the Cox regression model were age and APACHE II. The univariate analysis showed that the cancer was significantly associated with lethality after 1 year (OR 10.55; 95%CI 1.99-55.76). CONCLUSION: One-year survival after intensive care unit decreases by 16.1%. Factors that significantly reduced survival were old age, severity, and oncologic cause at admission.