Development of a New Index to Assess Small Bowel Inflammation Severity in Crohn's Disease Using Magnetic Resonance Enterography.

Background: The severity of small bowel (SB) inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD) patients is a key component of the therapeutic choice. We aimed to develop a SB-CD Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE) index of Inflammation Severity (CDMRIS). Methods: Each gastroenterologist/radiologist pair in 13 centers selected MREs from 6 patients with SB-CD stratified on their perceived MRE inflammation severity. The 78 blinded MREs were allocated through balanced incomplete block design per severity stratum to these 13 pairs for rating the presence/severity of 13 preselected items for each SB 20-cm diseased segment. Global inflammation severity was evaluated using a 100-cm visual analog scale. Reproducibility of recorded items was evaluated. The CDMRIS was determined through linear mixed modeling as a combination of the numbers of segments with lesions highly correlated to global inflammation severity. Results: Four hundred and forty-two readings were available. Global inflammation severity mean ± SD was 21.0 ± 16.2. The independent predictors explaining 54% of the global inflammation severity variance were the numbers of segments with T1 mild-moderate and severe intensity of enhancement, deep ulceration without fistula, comb sign, fistula, and abscess. Unbiased correlation between CDMRIS and global inflammation severity was 0.76. Conclusions: The CDMRIS is now available to evaluate the severity of SB-CD inflammation. External validation and sensitivity-to-change are mandatory next steps.

The absence of adrenal gland enlargement during septic shock predicts mortality: a computed tomography study of 239 patients.

BACKGROUND: : Assessment and management of septic shock associated adrenal function remain controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of adrenal gland volume in adults with septic shock. METHODS: : A short cosyntropin test and determination of adrenal volume by computed tomography were performed within 48 h of shock in patients with septic shock (n = 184) and in 2 control groups: 40 ambulatory patients and 15 nonseptic critically ill patients. The primary endpoint was intensive care unit mortality. RESULTS: : At intensive care unit discharge, 59 patients with septic shock died. Adrenal volume was 12.5 cm [95% CI, 11.3-13.3] and 8 cm [95% CI, 6.8-10.1] in the nonseptic group (P < 0.05 with both septic cohorts) and 7.2 cm [95%CI, 6.3-8.5] in the ambulatory patient group (P < 0.05 in patients with septic shock). In patients with septic shock, adrenal volume less than 10 cm was associated with higher 28-day mortality rates with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.84 [95% CI, 0.78-0.89]. Adrenal volume above 10 cm was an independent predictor of intensive care unit survival (hazard ratio = 0.014; 95% CI [0.004-0.335]). CONCLUSION: : A total adrenal gland volume less than 10 cm during septic shock was associated in univariate and multivariate analysis with mortality at day 28 in patients with septic shock. Whether adrenal gland volume can be a surrogate of adrenal gland function and used to guide hydrocortisone therapy in septic shock patients needs to be further investigated.

Lung morphology predicts response to recruitment maneuver in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The impact of recruitment maneuvers on gas exchange, hemodynamics, alveolar recruitment, and hyperinflation is highly variable among patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. The objective was to determine whether differences in lung morphology, defined as differences in the pulmonary distribution of aeration loss, predict the response to recruitment maneuvers. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: A 16-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit in a university hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Nineteen consecutive patients with early acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome were studied. Computed tomography scans, respiratory mechanics, hemodynamics, and gas exchange were obtained at zero end-expiratory pressure during an open-lung ventilation (controlled mode, tidal volume 6 mL/kg of ideal body weight, positive end-expiratory pressure set 2 cm H2O above the lower inflection point of the inspiratory pressure volume curve at zero end-expiratory pressure) during a recruitment maneuver (continuous positive airway pressure of 40 cm H2O for 40 secs), and, finally, 5 mins after the recruitment maneuver during open-lung ventilation. Nine patients presented focal and 10 presented nonfocal lung morphology at zero end-expiratory pressure. Recruitment maneuver-induced recruited volume after 5 mins of open-lung ventilation was 48 +/- 66 mL and 417 +/- 293 mL in patients with focal and nonfocal lung morphology, respectively (p = .0009). Recruitment maneuver-induced alveolar hyperinflation represented 23% +/- 14% and 8% +/- 9% of total lung volume in patients with focal and nonfocal morphology, respectively (p = .007). In patients with focal lung morphology, hyperinflated lung volume was significantly greater during and 5 mins after (316 +/- 155 mL) than immediately before recruitment maneuvers (150 +/- 175 mL; p = .0407. CONCLUSION: Lung morphology at zero end-expiratory pressure predicts the response to recruitment maneuvers. Patients with focal lung morphology are at risk for significant hyperinflation during the recruitment maneuvers, and lung recruitment is rather limited.

Imaging of ischemic colitis.

Ischemic colitis accounts for more than half of all cases of gastrointestinal ischemia and constitutes between 1 per 2000 and 3 per 1000 acute hospital admission. It typically affects elderly patients, being a frequent cause of rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. This article describes the epidemiology, physiology, and pathology of this underdiagnosed condition; reviews the clinical patterns of this disease, which constitute a key diagnostic point in patients who have a thickening of the colonic wall; and describes the ultrasound (US) and CT findings, pitfalls, and differential diagnoses of ischemic colitis. The value and limitations of US and CT at the different diagnostic stages is discussed.