Application of Artificial Intelligence to Advance Individualized Diagnosis and Treatment in Emergency and Critical Care Medicine.

Emergency and critical illnesses refer to severe diseases or conditions characterized by rapid changes in health that may endanger life within a short period [...].

Th17/Treg balance: the bloom and wane in the pathophysiology of sepsis.

Sepsis is a multi-organ dysfunction characterized by an unregulated host response to infection. It is associated with high morbidity, rapid disease progression, and high mortality. Current therapies mainly focus on symptomatic treatment, such as blood volume supplementation and antibiotic use, but their effectiveness is limited. Th17/Treg balance, based on its inflammatory property, plays a crucial role in determining the direction of the inflammatory response and the regression of organ damage in sepsis patients. This review provides a summary of the changes in T-helper (Th) 17 cell and regulatory T (Treg) cell differentiation and function during sepsis, the heterogeneity of Th17/Treg balance in the inflammatory response, and the relationship between Th17/Treg balance and organ damage. Th17/Treg balance exerts significant control over the bloom and wanes in host inflammatory response throughout sepsis.

How to safeguard the continuous renal replacement therapy circuit: a narrative review.

The high prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in ICU patients emphasizes the need to understand factors influencing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) circuit lifespan for optimal outcomes. This review examines key pharmacological interventions-citrate (especially in regional citrate anticoagulation), unfractionated heparin (UFH), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), and nafamostat mesylate (NM)-and their effects on filter longevity. Citrate shows efficacy with lower bleeding risks, while UFH remains cost-effective, particularly in COVID-19 cases. LMWH is effective but associated with higher bleeding risks. NM is promising for high-bleeding risk scenarios. The review advocates for non-tunneled, non-cuffed temporary catheters, especially bedside-inserted ones, and discusses the advantages of surface-modified dual-lumen catheters. Material composition, such as polysulfone membranes, impacts filter lifespan. The choice of treatment modality, such as Continuous Veno-Venous Hemodialysis (CVVHD) or Continuous Veno-Venous Hemofiltration with Dialysis (CVVHDF), along with the management of effluent volume, blood flow rates, and downtime, are critical in prolonging filter longevity in CRRT. Patient-specific conditions, particularly the type of underlying disease, and the implementation of early mobilization strategies during CRRT are identified as influential factors that can extend the lifespan of CRRT filters. In conclusion, this review offers insights into factors influencing CRRT circuit longevity, supporting evidence-based practices and suggesting further multicenter studies to guide ICU clinical decisions.

Small studies may overestimate the effect sizes in critical care meta-analyses: a meta-epidemiological study.

INTRODUCTION: Small-study effects refer to the fact that trials with limited sample sizes are more likely to report larger beneficial effects than large trials. However, this has never been investigated in critical care medicine. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the presence and extent of small-study effects in critical care medicine. METHODS: Critical care meta-analyses involving randomized controlled trials and reported mortality as an outcome measure were considered eligible for the study. Component trials were classified as large (≥100 patients per arm) and small (<100 patients per arm) according to their sample sizes. Ratio of odds ratio (ROR) was calculated for each meta-analysis and then RORs were combined using a meta-analytic approach. ROR<1 indicated larger beneficial effect in small trials. Small and large trials were compared in methodological qualities including sequence generating, blinding, allocation concealment, intention to treat and sample size calculation. RESULTS: A total of 27 critical care meta-analyses involving 317 trials were included. Of them, five meta-analyses showed statistically significant RORs <1, and other meta-analyses did not reach a statistical significance. Overall, the pooled ROR was 0.60 (95% CI: 0.53 to 0.68); the heterogeneity was moderate with an I2 of 50.3% (chi-squared = 52.30; P = 0.002). Large trials showed significantly better reporting quality than small trials in terms of sequence generating, allocation concealment, blinding, intention to treat, sample size calculation and incomplete follow-up data. CONCLUSIONS: Small trials are more likely to report larger beneficial effects than large trials in critical care medicine, which could be partly explained by the lower methodological quality in small trials. Caution should be practiced in the interpretation of meta-analyses involving small trials.

Elevated serum cystatin C at continuous renal replacement therapy initiation predicts lack of renal recovery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Serum Cystatin C (sCyC) has been associated with renal function, and it rises earlier than creatinine after renal injury. However, its role in predicting renal recovery in critically ill patients after continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) remains untested. The study aimed to investigate the association of CyC with renal recovery in critically ill patients requiring CRRT. METHODS: Medical charts of AKI patients that had been admitted to a tertiary 15-bed intensive care unit from January 2006 to January 2008 were reviewed. Renal recovery was defined as the return to pre-morbid renal function (sCr < 1.5 × premorbid sCr), or as an improvement in RIFLE classification. Univariate analyses with t test or Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test were performed to screen predictors of renal recovery, and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of renal outcome. Diagnostic performance of sCyC was assessed. RESULTS: Younger age and lower sCyC values were independent predictors of renal recovery (OR: 0.96 and 0.58, respectively); the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AU-ROC) of sCyC in predicting renal recovery was 0.66 (95% CI: 0.51 - 0.81), with the sensitivity and specificity of 57.69% and 86.79% at the cutoff of 3.13 mg/l. CONCLUSION: Elevated cystatin C at CRRT initiation predicts lack of renal recovery, but its diagnostic performance is suboptimal. Our study was limited by the small sample size and the lack of strict protocols on the initiation and cessation CRRT.

Development of an acute kidney injury risk prediction model for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Background: Some studies have reported to use some predictors before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) initiation to predict the acute kidney injury (AKI) risk. However, injury during the ECMO operation and the response of patients to ECMO may significantly influence the prognosis, and they are unpredictable before ECMO initiation. This study aims to develop a potential model based clinical characteristics at the 2-hour time point during ECMO for the early prediction of AKI in patients receiving ECMO. Methods: 139 patients who underwent ECMO were enrolled in this study. The clinical characteristics and the laboratory examinations at 2-hour time point during ECMO were recorded. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression method was performed to select predictors, and logistic regression and a nomogram were used to establish the prediction model. The area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic and calibration curve were used to analyze the discrimination and calibration of the model. K-fold cross-validation method was performed to validate the accuracy of this model. Results: Among the 139 patients receiving ECMO, 106 participants (76.26%) developed AKI. Four predictive variables including ECMO model, serum creatinine (Scr-2h), uric acid(UA-2h), and serum lactate (Lac-2h) at the 2-hour time point during ECMO were filtered from 39 clinical parameters by LASSO regression. These four predictors were incorporated to develop a model for predicting AKI risk using logistic regression. The AUC of the model was 0.905 (0.845-0.965), corresponding to 81.1% sensitivity, 90.9% specificity and 83.5% accuracy. Moreover, this model showed good consistency between observed and predicted probability based on the calibration curve (P > 0.05). The validation performed by K-fold cross-validation method showed that the accuracy was 0.874 ± 0.006 in training sets, 0.827 ± 0.053 in test sets, indicating a good capability for AKI risk prediction. Finally, a nomogram based on this model was constructed to facilitate its use in clinical practice. Conclusion: The nomogram incorporating Scr-2h,Lac-2h, UA-2h, and ECMO model may facilitate the individualized prediction of the AKI risk among patients undergoing ECMO.

[A comparative research of effect on inserting a distal perfusion catheter and preventive insertion of a distal perfusion catheter based on the limb ischemia risk assessment table in patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the treatment effect of venous-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) patients in the prophylactic distal perfusion catheter (DPC) and the non-prophylactic DPC. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. Patients who received VA-ECMO treatment were reviewed at Affiliated Jinhua Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2019 to June 2020 were divided into two groups, the prophylactic DPC group (DPC placed immediately after the patient VA-ECMO) and the non-prophylactic DPC group (the DPC was placed after the early limb ischemic signs by using evaluation of the lower extremity perfusion assessment table). Comparing the differences of clinical data of two group patients. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between peak velocity of dorsalis pedis artery and peak velocity of posterior tibial artery and transcutaneous oxygen partial pressure (TcPO2). RESULTS: A total of 62 patients were included in the analysis, with 31 cases in prophylactic DPC group and another 31 cases in non-prophylactic DPC group. There were no significant differences in sex, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking index, underlying disease, catheterization site, recovery time before on machine, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) operation time, mechanical ventilation time, length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU), mortality rate in hospital, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) between the preventive DPC group and the non-preventive DPC group. There was no significant difference in ECMO indications, ECMO intubation location and pipeline type. The bleeding in the non-prophylactic DPC group was lower than that in the non-prophylactic DPC group [6.5% (2/31) vs. 29.0% (9/31), P < 0.05]. There were no significant differences in limb complications such as cyanosis, necrosis, amputation, compartment syndrome, arterial thrombosis, vascular reconstruction and repair, pseudoaneurysm, limb ischemic or limb infection. During the ECMO operation, except the blood stream infection in the non-prophylactic DPC group was lower than that in the non-prophylactic DPC group [3.2% (1/31) vs. 19.4% (6/31), P < 0.05], there was no other statistical difference in complications between the two groups. The peak velocity of dorsalis pedis artery in the preventive DPC group was significantly higher than that of the non-preventive DPC group (cm/s: 19.30±10.85 vs. 17.85±8.55, P < 0.05), and the peak velocity of posterior tibial artery was significantly lower than that of the non-preventive DPC group (cm/s: 19.90±10.94 vs. 21.58±9.77, P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the peak velocity of dorsalis pedis artery and peak velocity of posterior tibial artery of the preventive DPC group and the non-preventive DPC group were positively correlated with TcPO2 (r values were 0.747, 0.856, 0.850, 0.813, respectively, and P values were all 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with VA-ECMO treatment, the incidence of blood stream infection and bleeding during ECMO operation in non-prophylactic DPC implantation patients is lower than that of prophylactic DPC implantation patients. TcPO2 is positively correlated with peak velocity of posterior tibial artery and dorsal foot artery in the cannulated limb. In patients with VA-ECMO undergoing femoral artery and vein puncture,in addition to judging the blood supply of lower limbs according to symptoms and signs, ultrasound and TcPO2 monitoring can also be used as effective monitoring methods.

Molecular characteristics of occult hepatitis B virus from blood donors in southeast China.

The characteristics of 30 carriers with occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) were compared with those of 30 individuals diagnosed as being HBV carriers at the time of blood donation, 60 asymptomatic carriers, and 60 chronic hepatitis patients. The prevalence of genotype C was significantly higher in carriers with OBIs than in any other HBsAg-positive (HBsAg(+)) group (P < 0.001). Specific amino acid substitutions in the regions from amino acids 117 to 121 and amino acids 144 to 147 located in the major hydrophilic region of the S gene were associated with carriers with OBIs (P < 0.01 for carriers with OBIs versus HBsAg(+) donors, carriers with OBIs versus HBsAg(+) asymptomatic carriers, and carriers with OBIs versus HBsAg(+) chronic hepatitis patients). G145R was the major variation in the HBV isolates responsible for local occult HBV infections.

Identification of risk factors for mortality associated with COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic outbreak. Risk stratification at hospital admission is of vital importance for medical decision making and resource allocation. There is no sophisticated tool for this purpose. This study aimed to develop neural network models with predictors selected by genetic algorithms (GA). METHODS: This study was conducted in Wuhan Third Hospital from January 2020 to March 2020. Predictors were collected on day 1 of hospital admission. The primary outcome was the vital status at hospital discharge. Predictors were selected by using GA, and neural network models were built with the cross-validation method. The final neural network models were compared with conventional logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients with COVID-19 were included for analysis. The mortality rate was 17.1% (42/246). Non-survivors were significantly older (median (IQR): 69 (57, 77) vs. 55 (41, 63) years; p < 0.001), had higher high-sensitive troponin I (0.03 (0, 0.06) vs. 0 (0, 0.01) ng/L; p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (85.75 (57.39, 164.65) vs. 23.49 (10.1, 53.59) mg/L; p < 0.001), D-dimer (0.99 (0.44, 2.96) vs. 0.52 (0.26, 0.96) mg/L; p < 0.001), and α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (306.5 (268.75, 377.25) vs. 194.5 (160.75, 247.5); p < 0.001) and a lower level of lymphocyte count (0.74 (0.41, 0.96) vs. 0.98 (0.77, 1.26) × 109/L; p < 0.001) than survivors. The GA identified a 9-variable (NNet1) and a 32-variable model (NNet2). The NNet1 model was parsimonious with a cost on accuracy; the NNet2 model had the maximum accuracy. NNet1 (AUC: 0.806; 95% CI [0.693-0.919]) and NNet2 (AUC: 0.922; 95% CI [0.859-0.985]) outperformed the linear regression models. CONCLUSIONS: Our study included a cohort of COVID-19 patients. Several risk factors were identified considering both clinical and statistical significance. We further developed two neural network models, with the variables selected by using GA. The model performs much better than the conventional generalized linear models.

Mechanical Ventilation during Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Patients with Acute Severe Respiratory Failure.

Conventionally, a substantial number of patients with acute respiratory failure require mechanical ventilation (MV) to avert catastrophe of hypoxemia and hypercapnia. However, mechanical ventilation per se can cause lung injury, accelerating the disease progression. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides an alternative to rescue patients with severe respiratory failure that conventional mechanical ventilation fails to maintain adequate gas exchange. The physiology behind ECMO and its interaction with MV were reviewed. Next, we discussed the timing of ECMO initiation based on the risks and benefits of ECMO. During the running of ECMO, the protective ventilation strategy can be employed without worrying about catastrophic hypoxemia and carbon dioxide retention. There is a large body of evidence showing that protective ventilation with low tidal volume, high positive end-expiratory pressure, and prone positioning can provide benefits on mortality outcome. More recently, there is an increasing popularity on the use of awake and spontaneous breathing for patients undergoing ECMO, which is thought to be beneficial in terms of rehabilitation.

Sedation of mechanically ventilated adults in intensive care unit: a network meta-analysis.

Sedatives are commonly used for mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICU). However, a variety of sedatives are available and their efficacy and safety have been compared in numerous trials with inconsistent results. To resolve uncertainties regarding usefulness of these sedatives, we performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials comparing sedatives in mechanically ventilated ICU patients were included. Graph-theoretical methods were employed for network meta-analysis. A total of 51 citations comprising 52 RCTs were included in our analysis. Dexmedetomidine showed shorter MV duration than lorazepam (mean difference (MD): 68.7; 95% CI: 18.2-119.3 hours), midazolam (MD: 10.2; 95% CI: 7.7-12.7 hours) and propofol (MD: 3.4; 95% CI: 0.9-5.9 hours). Compared with dexmedetomidine, midazolam was associated with significantly increased risk of delirium (OR: 2.47; 95% CI: 1.17-5.19). Our study shows that dexmedetomidine has potential benefits in reducing duration of MV and lowering the risk of delirium.

Disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection following spinal anesthesia: a case report.

We here presented a 65-year-old woman with disseminated Staphylococcus aureus infection following spinal anesthesia. The patient underwent spinal anesthesia for great saphenous vein stripping. Twenty days after the procedure, the patient developed hydrocephalus, pulmonary infection, and epidural abscess. Microbiological culture of the pus showed infection by S aureus. Appropriate antibiotic therapy and prompt surgical abscess drainage were associated with good outcome. Hydrocephalus is thought to be associated with arachnoiditis caused by S aureus infection, which provides new insights into the pathophysiology of arachnoiditis. Here we reported a case of disseminated S aureus infection following spinal anesthesia, implicating that appropriate interventions should not be delayed for waiting for the microbiological results.

[Prevalence of Parvovirus B19 Infection in Chinese Xiamen Area Blood Donors].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of parvovirus B19 infection in Chinese Xiamen area blood donors. METHODS: Blood samples from blood donors were tested for detection of parvovirus B19 DNA and antibody. The direct sequencing and genetype analysis of B19 DNA positive samples were performed. RESULTS: Six out of 10452 samples were B19 DNA positive. The viral loads of the 6 samples were between 3.59×102-1.07×104 IU/ml; the positive rate of B19-IgM was 4.64%(50/1078) and B19-IgG was 16.79%(181/1078). The positive rate of B19-IgG increased with ages, and was not related with the sex. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of parvovirus B19 infection in blood donors is lower in Chinese Xiamen area than that in other areas, however, there is still a certain percentage of viremia in donors and the attention should be paid to blood safety in the future work.

Prediction model for critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major cause respiratory failure in intensive care unit (ICU). Early recognition of patients at high risk of death is of vital importance in managing them. The aim of the study was to establish a prediction model by using variables that were readily available in routine clinical practice. METHODS: The study was a secondary analysis of data obtained from the NHLBI Biologic Specimen and Data Repository Information Coordinating Center. Patients were enrolled between August 2007 and July 2008 from 33 hospitals. Demographics and laboratory findings were extracted from dataset. Univariate analyses were performed to screen variables with p<0.3. Then these variables were subject to automatic stepwise forward selection with significance level of 0.1. Interaction terms and fractional polynomials were examined for variables in the main effect model. Multiple imputations and bootstraps procedures were used to obtain estimations of coefficients with better external validation. Overall model fit and logistic regression diagnostics were explored. MAIN RESULT: A total of 282 ARDS patients were included for model development. The final model included eight variables without interaction terms and non-linear functions. Because the variable coefficients changed substantially after exclusion of most poorly fitted and influential subjects, we estimated the coefficient after exclusion of these outliers. The equation for the fitted model was: g(Χ)=0.06×age(in years)+2.23(if on vasopressor)+1.37×potassium (mmol/l)-0.007×platelet count (×109)+0.03×heart rate (/min)-0.29×Hb(g/dl)-0.67×T(°C)+0.01×PaO_2+13, and the probability of death π(Χ)=eg(Χ)/(1+eg(Χ)). CONCLUSION: The study established a prediction model for ARDS patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The model was examined with rigorous methodology and can be used for risk stratification in ARDS patients.

Normalized lactate load is associated with development of acute kidney injury in patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury is a major postoperative complication and has long been associated with adverse outcomes. However, the association of lactate and AKI has not been well established. The study aimed to explore the association of normalized lactate load with AKI in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: This was a prospective observational cohort study conducted in a 47-bed ICU of a tertiary academic teaching hospital from July 2012 to January 2014. All patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery were included. Normalized lactate load (L) was calculated by the equation: [Formula: see text], where ti was time point for lactate measurement and vi was the value of lactate. L was transformed by natural log (Lln) to improve its normality. Logistic regression model was fitted by using stepwise method. Scale of Lln was examined by using fractional polynomial approach and potential interaction terms were explored. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients were included during study period, including 17 AKI patients and 100 non-AKI patients. In univariate analysis Lln was significantly higher in AKI as compared with non-AKI group (1.43±0.38 vs 1.01±0.45, p = 0.0005). After stepwise selection of covariates, the main effect logistic model contained variables of Lln (odds ratio: 11.1, 95% CI: 1.22-101.6), gender, age, baseline serum creatinine and fluid balance on day 0. Although the two-term fractional polynomial model was the best-fitted model, it was not significantly different from the linear model (Deviance difference = 6.09, p = 0.107). There was no significant interaction term between Lln and other variables in the main effect model. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that Lln is independently associated with postoperative AKI in patients undergoing CPB. There is no significant interaction with early postoperative fluid balance.

Calcium supplementation improves clinical outcome in intensive care unit patients: a propensity score matched analysis of a large clinical database MIMIC-II.

UNLABELLED: Observational studies have linked hypocalcemia with adverse clinical outcome in critically ill patients. However, calcium supplementation has never been formally investigated for its beneficial effect in critically ill patients. To investigate whether calcium supplementation can improve 28-day survival in adult critically ill patients. Secondary analysis of a large clinical database consisting over 30,000 critical ill patients was performed. Multivariable analysis was performed to examine the independent association of calcium supplementation and 28-day morality. Furthermore, propensity score matching technique was employed to investigate the role of calcium supplementation in improving survival. INTERVENTION: none. Primary outcome was the 28-day mortality. 90-day mortality was used as secondary outcome. A total of 32,551 adult patients, including 28,062 survivors and 4489 non-survivors (28-day mortality rate: 13.8 %) were included. Calcium supplementation was independently associated with improved 28-day mortality after adjusting for confounding variables (hazard ratio: 0.51; 95 % CI 0.47-0.56). Propensity score matching was performed and the after-matching cohort showed well balanced covariates. The results showed that calcium supplementation was associated with improved 28- and 90-day mortality (p < 0.05 for both Log-rank test). In adult critically ill patients, calcium supplementation during their ICU stay improved 28-day survival. This finding supports the use of calcium supplementation in critically ill patients.

The effectiveness of Corticosteroids on mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome or acute lung injury: a secondary analysis.

The development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with dys-regulated inflammation. Since corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatory drugs, they are thought to be beneficial for ARDS patients. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of corticosteroids on mortality outcome in ARDS patients. The study was a secondary analysis of a prospective randomized controlled trial (NCT00979121). ARDS patients with invasive mechanical ventilation were enrolled. Corticosteroids use was defined as IV or PO administration of corticosteroids totaling more than 20 mg methylprednisolone equivalents during one calendar day. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation technique. Multivariable model was built to adjust for confounding covariates. A total of 745 patients were enrolled, including 540 survivors and 205 non-survivors. Patients in the non-survivor group were more likely to use corticosteroids (38% vs. 29.8%; p = 0.032). After adjustment for other potential confounders, corticosteroids showed no statistically significant effect on mortality outcome (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.81-1.71). Furthermore, we investigated the interaction between corticosteroid use and variables of vasopressor and PaO2. The result showed that there was no significant interaction. In conclusion, the study failed to identify any beneficial effects of corticosteroids on mortality outcome in patients with ARDS.