Interleukin 6 at reperfusion: A potent predictor of hepatic and extrahepatic early complications after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ischemia-reperfusion injury impacts early liver graft function. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) as early as at reperfusion has shown to predict in-hospital complications, but its impact on vascular complications and long-term outcomes is not ascertained. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on all consecutive patients transplanted during a 6-year period to define significant early systemic inflammatory response (ESIR). The main end-point was 3-year graft survival. Significant ESIR was defined according to IL-6 level at reperfusion on an exploratory set of 121 patients and validated on an independent cohort (n = 153). RESULTS: Significant ESIR was defined as IL-6 at reperfusion >1000 ng/mL in the exploratory cohort. Three-year graft and overall survival were lower in patients with ESIR in the determination set (P = 0.001 and 0.045, respectively). This was confirmed in the validation set (P = 0.045 and 0.027). In patients with high cytolysis, IL-6 identified patients at risk for arterial thrombosis. The main determinants for IL-6 level were intragraft lactate level, cold ischemia time, and anhepatic phase duration (P = 0.005). IL-6 level independently predicted graft survival (P = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 at reperfusion is a valid biomarker to predict long-term survival. Furthermore, it helps the interpretation of cytolysis in the prediction of early vascular complications.

Real-Time Estimation of Core Infarct in Angiography Using Collateral Flow.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In order to attribute a diagnostic value to angiographic runs performed before revascularization, we aimed at developing a regional evaluation of leptomeningeal collateral flow that can be used to detect and predict infarction when performing stroke endovascular procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated all consecutive patients treated for occlusions in the anterior circulation in our center between 2009 and 2013, with MRI imaging performed before the endovascular procedure. Two readers performed an evaluation of collateral circulation in 5 cortical regions based on the vascular anatomy. Regional scores were correlated with the presence of infarction in the same cortical sector on pretreatment and follow-up imaging. Global collateral scores for each patient were correlated with infarct volumes. RESULTS: In 89 patients with 408 cortical regions, we found a significant correlation between the degree of zonal collateral flow and the absence of infarction in the same zone on pretreatment imaging. In a subgroup of 37 recanalized patients (Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale 3) with 173 cortical zones, retrograde collateral flow to the proximal M4 segment predicted the absence of infarction within the same zone on follow-up imaging (positive predictive value 88.7%). We found good inter-rater agreement for the presence of collateral flow to the M4 proximal segment or further - k = 0.77 (p = 0.05, 95% CI 0.66-0.88). Global collateral scores correlated with infarct volume on initial imaging; all patients with scores ≥4 had infarct volumes ≤70 ml, whereas all patients with global collateral scores ≤1 had infarct volumes ≥70 ml. CONCLUSION: Anatomic collateral flow evaluation using the angiographic runs performed during stroke endovascular procedures can provide a real-time estimation of the volume and location of core infarct. For each cortical region, good collateral flow is associated with the absence of infarct on pre-treatment imaging, and is predictive of the absence of infarct on follow-up imaging in recanalized patients.

Factors associated with overall and attributable mortality in invasive aspergillosis.

BACKGROUND: Invasive aspergillosis is associated with high death rates. Factors associated with increased mortality have not yet been identified in a large population of patients with various underlying conditions. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 385 cases of suspected or documented aspergillosis that occurred during a 9-year period. We identified 289 episodes that fulfilled the criteria for possible, probable, or proven invasive aspergillosis according to the international definition criteria and that was treated with an anti-Aspergillus active antifungal drug. Clinical and microbiological variables were analyzed for their effects on overall and attributable mortality. Significant variables in univariate analysis were introduced into a multivariate Cox model. RESULTS: Twelve-week overall and disease-specific survival rates were 52.2% (95% confidence interval, 46.5%-57.9%) and 59.8% (95% confidence interval, 54.0%-65.4%), respectively. Receipt of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell or solid-organ transplant, progression of underlying malignancy, prior respiratory disease, receipt of corticosteroid therapy, renal impairment, low monocyte counts, disseminated aspergillosis, diffuse pulmonary lesions, pleural effusion, and proven or probable (as opposed to possible) aspergillosis are predictors of increased overall mortality. Similar factors are also predictors of increased attributable mortality, with the following exceptions: pleural effusion and low monocyte counts have no impact, whereas neutropenia is associated with a higher attributable mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of predictors of death helps in the identification of patients who could benefit from more-aggressive therapeutic strategies. Initiation of therapy at the stage of possible infection improves outcome, and this finding calls for the development of efficient preemptive strategies to fill the gap between empirical and directed therapy.

[Advance directives in France. Ethical reflections]. / Les directives anticipées en France. Réflexion éthique.

Advanced directives are a legal support enshrined in the Leonetti Law (2005). While rooted in a defensive and militant context, they hallow a "French Way" and draw a turning point in the political recognition of the autonomy of patients. They imply responsibility as much as prudence.