Goal directed fluid removal with furosemide versus placebo in intensive care patients with fluid overload: A trial protocol for a randomised, blinded trial (GODIF trial).

BACKGROUND: Fluid overload is a risk factor for mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Administration of loop diuretics is the predominant treatment of fluid overload, but evidence for its benefit is very uncertain when assessed in a systematic review of randomised clinical trials. The GODIF trial will assess the benefits and harms of goal directed fluid removal with furosemide versus placebo in ICU patients with fluid overload. METHODS: An investigator-initiated, international, randomised, stratified, blinded, parallel-group trial allocating 1000 adult ICU patients with fluid overload to infusion of furosemide versus placebo. The goal is to achieve a neutral fluid balance. The primary outcome is days alive and out of hospital 90 days after randomisation. Secondary outcomes are all-cause mortality at day 90 and 1-year after randomisation; days alive at day 90 without life support; number of participants with one or more serious adverse events or reactions; health-related quality of life and cognitive function at 1-year follow-up. A sample size of 1000 participants is required to detect an improvement of 8% in days alive and out of hospital 90 days after randomisation with a power of 90% and a risk of type 1 error of 5%. The conclusion of the trial will be based on the point estimate and 95% confidence interval; dichotomisation will not be used. CLINICALTRIALS: gov identifier: NCT04180397. PERSPECTIVE: The GODIF trial will provide important evidence of possible benefits and harms of fluid removal with furosemide in adult ICU patients with fluid overload.

Coagulation abnormalities, bleeding, thrombosis, and management of patients with acute liver failure in Australia and New Zealand.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To study the management of coagulation and hematological derangements among severe acute liver failure (ALF) patients in Australia and New Zealand liver transplant intensive care units (ICUs). METHODS: Analysis of key baseline characteristics, etiology, coagulation and hematological tests, use of blood products, thrombotic complications, and clinical outcomes during the first ICU week. RESULTS: We studied 62 ALF patients. The first day median peak international normalized ratio was 5.5 (inter-quartile range [IQR] 3.8-8.7), median longest activated partial thromboplastin time was 62 s (IQR 44-87), and median lowest fibrinogen was 1.1 (IQR 0.8-1.6) g/L. Fibrinogen was only measured in 85% of patients, which was less than other tests (P < 0.0001). Median initial lowest platelet count was 83 (IQR 41-122) × 109 /L. Overall, 58% of patients received fresh frozen plasma, 40% cryoprecipitate, 35% platelets, and 15% prothrombin complex concentrate. Patients with bleeding complications (19%) had more severe overall hypofibrinogenemia and thrombocytopenia. Thrombotic complications were less common (10% of patients), were not associated with consistent patterns of abnormal hemostasis, and were not immediately preceded by clotting factor administration and half occurred only after liver transplantation surgery. CONCLUSION: In ALF patients admitted to dedicated Australia and New Zealand ICUs, fibrinogen was measured less frequently than other coagulation parameters but, together with platelets, appeared more relevant to bleeding risk. Blood products and procoagulant factors were administered to most patients at variable levels of hemostatic derangement, and bleeding complications were more common than thrombotic complications. This epidemiologic information and practice variability provide baseline data for the design and powering of interventional studies.

[Fatal outcome of coronavirus disease 2019 in a previously healthy 50-year-old man].

In this case report, a 50-year-old man who had no medical history, presented with multiple cardiac arrests following a week with progressing symptoms of pneumonia. After achieving return of spontaneous circulation he presented with respiratory failure with severe hypoxia, septic shock, and multiple organ failure. A chest X-ray showed signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Despite aggressive intensive care management, the patient died 7.5 hours after admission. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was later confirmed, and the presumed cause of death was SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. In conclusion: coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can lead to a fatal outcome in younger healthy residents, who are not treated timely in case of severe symptoms like dyspnoea.

Continuous renal replacement therapy and its impact on hyperammonaemia in acute liver failure.

OBJECTIVE: Hyperammonaemia contributes to complications in acute liver failure (ALF) and may be treated with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), but current practice is poorly understood. DESIGN: We retrospectively analysed data for baseline characteristics, ammonia concentration, CRRT use, and outcomes in a cohort of Australian and New Zealand patients with ALF. SETTING: All liver transplant ICUs across Australia and New Zealand. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-two patients with ALF. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Impact of CRRT on hyperammonaemia and patient outcomes. RESULTS: We studied 62 patients with ALF. The median initial (first 24 h) peak ammonia was 132 µmol/L (interquartile range [IQR], 91-172), median creatinine was 165 µmol/L (IQR, 92-263) and median urea was 6.9 mmol/L (IQR, 3.1-12.0). Most patients (43/62, 69%) received CRRT within a median of 6 hours (IQR, 2-12) of ICU admission. At CRRT commencement, three-quarters of such patients did not have Stage 3 acute kidney injury (AKI): ten patients (23%) had no KDIGO creatinine criteria for AKI, 12 (28%) only had Stage 1, and ten patients (23%) had Stage 2 AKI. Compared with non-CRRT patients, those treated with CRRT had higher ammonia concentrations (median, 141 µmol/L [IQR, 102-198] v 91 µmol/L [IQR, 54-115]; P = 0.02), but a nadir Day 1 pH of only 7.25 (standard deviation, 0.16). Prevention of extreme hyperammonaemia (> 140 µmol/L) after Day 1 was achieved in 36 of CRRT-treated patients (84%) and was associated with transplant-free survival (55% v 13%; P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: In Australian and New Zealand patients with ALF, CRRT is typically started early, before Stage 3 AKI or severe acidaemia, and in the presence hyperammonaemia. In these more severely ill patients, CRRT use was associated with prevention of extreme hyperammonaemia, which in turn, was associated with increased transplant-free survival.

Characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with acute liver failure admitted to Australasian intensive care units.

OBJECTIVE: Acute liver failure (ALF) leads to severe illness and usually requires admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Despite its importance, little is known about patients with ALF in Australia and New Zealand. DESIGN: Binational observational study to evaluate the aetiology, baseline characteristics, patterns of illness, management, and outcomes for patients with ALF admitted to Australian and New Zealand ICUs. SETTING: All six Australian and New Zealand ICUs in liver transplant centres submitted de-identified data for ten or more consecutive patients with ALF. Data were obtained from the clinical record and included baseline characteristics, aetiology, mode of presentation, illness severity, markers of liver failure, critical care interventions, utilisation of transplantation, and hospital outcome. RESULTS: We studied 62 patients with ALF. Paracetamol overdose (POD) was the underlying cause of ALF in 53% of patients (33/62), with staggered ingestion in 42% of patients (14/33). Among patients with POD, 70% (23/33) were young women, most had psychiatric diagnoses, and most presented relatively early with overt liver failure. This group were transplanted in only 6% of cases (2/33) and had an overall mortality of 24% (8/33). The remaining patients with ALF had less common conditions, such as hepatitis B and non-paracetamol drug-induced ALF. These patients presented later and exhibited less extreme evidence of acute hepatic necrosis. Transplantation was performed in 38% of patients (11/29) in this subgroup. The mortality of nontransplanted non-POD patients was 56% (10/18). Illness severity at ICU admission, initial requirement for organ support therapies and length of hospital stay were similar between patients with POD and non-POD ALF. CONCLUSION: POD is the major cause of ALF in Australian and New Zealand liver transplant centres and is a unique and separate form of ALF. It has a much lower associated mortality and treatment with liver transplantation than non-POD ALF. Non-POD patients have a poor prognosis in the absence of transplantation.

Cyanide intoxication as part of smoke inhalation--a review on diagnosis and treatment from the emergency perspective.

This paper reviews the current literature on smoke inhalation injuries with special attention to the effects of hydrogen cyanide. It is assumed that cyanide poisoning is still an overlooked diagnosis in fire victims. Treatment against cyanide poisoning in the emergency setting should be given based on the clinical diagnosis only. Oxygen in combination with a recommended antidote should be given immediately, the first to reduce cellular hypoxia and the second to eliminate cyanide. A specific antidote is hydroxycobalamin, which can be given iv. and has few side effects.

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on whole blood cyanide concentrations in carbon monoxide intoxicated patients from fire accidents.

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and carbon monoxide (CO) may be important components of smoke from fire accidents. Accordingly, patients admitted to hospital from fire accidents may have been exposed to both HCN and CO. Cyanide (CN) intoxication results in cytotoxic hypoxia leading to organ dysfunction and possibly death. While several reports support the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) for the treatment of severe CO poisoning, limited data exist on the effect of HBO during CN poisoning. HBO increases the elimination rate of CO haemoglobin in proportion to the increased oxygen partial pressure and animal experiments have shown that in rats exposed to CN intoxication, HBO can increase the concentration of CN in whole blood. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to determine whole blood CN concentrations in fire victims before and after HBO treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients included were those admitted to the hospital because of CO intoxication, either as fire victims with smoke inhalation injuries or from other exposures to CO. In thirty-seven of these patients we measured CN concentrations in blood samples, using a Conway/microdiffusion technique, before and after HBO. The blood samples consisted of the remaining 2 mL from the arterial blood gas analysis. CN concentration in blood from fire victims was compared to 12 patients from non-fire accidents but otherwise also exposed to CO intoxication. RESULTS: The mean WB-CN concentration before patients received HBO did not differ significantly between the two groups of patients (p = 0.42). The difference between WB-CN before and after HBO did not differ significantly between the two groups of patients (p = 0.7). Lactate in plasma before and after did not differ significantly between the two groups of patients. Twelve of the 25 fire patients and one of the non-fire patients had been given a dose of hydroxycobalamin before HBO. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: CN concentrations in blood from patients admitted to hospital with CO intoxication and smoke inhalation exposure did not differ significantly from controls. Accordingly, we were not able to detect any changes in CN concentrations in blood after treatment with HBO. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00280579.