Levosimendan in Patients with Low Cardiac Output Syndrome After Cardiac Surgery: A Substudy of the Multicenter Randomized CHEETAH Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that levosimendan administration in patients with low cardiac output syndrome after cardiac surgery is associated with improved long-term (5-year follow-up) outcomes. DESIGN: Single-center subanalysis of the multicenter randomized CHEETAH trial. SETTING: Cardiac surgery department of a tertiary hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 134 adult patients requiring hemodynamic support for a cardiac index <2.5 L/min/m2 after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized (1:1 ratio) to receive levosimendan (continuous infusion with a starting dose of 0.05 µg/kg/min) or placebo, in addition to standard inotropic care. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary endpoint was long-term mortality (1-5 years) after randomization. Secondary outcomes were hemodynamic parameters, need for inotropic support, acute kidney injury (AKI), need for renal replacement therapy, duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and 30-day mortality. No significant between-group difference in long-term mortality (5 years) was observed (hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.81 to 3.11; p = 0.17). There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes, except for the difference in the mean pulmonary artery pressure at 4 to 6 hours after randomization, which was lower in the levosimendan group compared to the placebo group (median, 24 [interquartile range (IQR), 21.8-28] mmHg vs 26 [IQR, 22.2-33] mmHg; p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients requiring hemodynamic support after cardiac surgery with CPB, perioperative levosimendan infusion did not affect long-term survival (1-5 years) compared with placebo. Levosimendan also had no effect on major clinical outcomes such as AKI, ICU stay, hospital stay, and 30-day mortality.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for prevention of barotrauma in patients with respiratory failure: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Barotrauma is a frequent complication in patients with severe respiratory failure and is associated with poor outcomes. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) implantation allows to introduce lung-protective ventilation strategies that limit barotrauma development or progression, but available data are scarce. We performed a scoping review to summarize current knowledge on this therapeutic approach. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies investigating ECMO as a strategy to prevent/limit barotrauma progression in patients with respiratory failure. Pediatric studies, studies on perioperative implantation of ECMO, and studies not reporting original data were excluded. The primary outcome was the rate of barotrauma development/progression. RESULTS: We identified 21 manuscripts presenting data on a total of 45 ECMO patients. All patients underwent veno-venous ECMO. Of these, 21 (46.7%) received ECMO before invasive mechanical ventilation. In most cases, ECMO implantation allowed to modify the respiratory support strategy (e.g., introduction of ultraprotective/low pressure ventilation in 12 patients, extubation while on ECMO in one case, and avoidance of invasive ventilation in 15 cases). Barotrauma development/progression occurred in <10% of patients. Overall mortality was 8/45 (17.8%). CONCLUSION: ECMO implantation to prevent barotrauma development/progression is a feasible strategy and may be a promising support option.

Haptoglobin Administration for Intravascular Hemolysis: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Exogenous haptoglobin administration may enhance plasma-free hemoglobin (pfHb) clearance during hemolysis and reduce its end-organ damage: we systematically reviewed and summarized available evidence on the use of haptoglobin as a treatment for hemolysis of any cause. METHODS: We included studies describing haptoglobin administration as treatment or prevention of hemolysis-related complications. Only studies with a control group reporting at least one of the outcomes of interest were included in the quantitative synthesis. Primary outcome was the change in pfHb concentration 1 h after haptoglobin infusion. RESULTS: Among 573 articles, 13 studies were included in the review (677 patients, 52.8% received haptoglobin). Median initial haptoglobin intravenous bolus was 4,000 (2,000, 4,000) IU. Haptoglobin was associated with lower pfHb 1 h (SMD -11.28; 95% CI: -15.80 to -6.75; p < 0.001) and 24 h (SMD -2.65; 95% CI: -4.73 to -0.57; p = 0.001) after infusion. There was no difference in all-cause mortality between haptoglobin-treated patients and control group (OR 1.41; 95% CI: 0.49-4.95; p = 0.520). Haptoglobin was associated with a lower incidence of acute kidney injury (OR 0.64; 95% CI: 0.44-0.93; p = 0.020). No adverse events or side effects associated with haptoglobin use were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Haptoglobin administration has been used in patients with hemolysis from any cause to treat or prevent hemolysis-associated adverse events. Haptoglobin may reduce levels of pfHb and preserve kidney function without increase in adverse events.

Norepinephrine Salt Formulations and Risk of Therapeutic Error: Results of a National Survey.

OBJECTIVES: Norepinephrine is available commercially in solution containing its salt (eg, tartrate), but only the base form (ie, norepinephrine base) is active pharmacologically. Unfortunately, the outer label of drug packages frequently reports the dosage of norepinephrine as a salt, which can lead potentially to therapeutic errors when prescribing norepinephrine. We performed a survey to assess the level of awareness of this issue. DESIGN: National survey. SETTING: Acute care units of Italian hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Acute care physicians and nurses. INTERVENTIONS: A 15-item online survey was emailed to 305 critical care practitioners in Italy. Questions included information on the participants' background, methods of diluting norepinephrine, interpretation of recommended doses from guidelines, and a sample case related to the preparation and administration of the drug. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We collected 106 responses from 54 hospitals. All hospitals used norepinephrine bitartrate salt. Of the participants, 53% responded that the guidelines express norepinephrine dosages as a salt, 23% as the base form, and 24% were unsure or unaware about it. The simulated patient-dose calculation was resolved in 81% of cases with an incorrect calculation referring to the norepinephrine salt and only in 19% referring to the norepinephrine base. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant variability in dosage management of norepinephrine across different hospital units, as well as a lack of knowledge regarding the salt-to-base ratio. Scientific publications (eg, guidelines) should specify whether they are referring to the base or salt form of norepinephrine. The adoption of different labeling and national standards for dilution may decrease the risk of therapeutic errors.

A Randomized Trial of Intravenous Amino Acids for Kidney Protection.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious and common complication of cardiac surgery, for which reduced kidney perfusion is a key contributing factor. Intravenous amino acids increase kidney perfusion and recruit renal functional reserve. However, the efficacy of amino acids in reducing the occurrence of AKI after cardiac surgery is uncertain. METHODS: In a multinational, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned adult patients who were scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass to receive an intravenous infusion of either a balanced mixture of amino acids, at a dose of 2 g per kilogram of ideal body weight per day, or placebo (Ringer's solution) for up to 3 days. The primary outcome was the occurrence of AKI, defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes creatinine criteria. Secondary outcomes included the severity of AKI, the use and duration of kidney-replacement therapy, and all-cause 30-day mortality. RESULTS: We recruited 3511 patients at 22 centers in three countries and assigned 1759 patients to the amino acid group and 1752 to the placebo group. AKI occurred in 474 patients (26.9%) in the amino acid group and in 555 (31.7%) in the placebo group (relative risk, 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77 to 0.94; P = 0.002). Stage 3 AKI occurred in 29 patients (1.6%) and 52 patients (3.0%), respectively (relative risk, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.87). Kidney-replacement therapy was used in 24 patients (1.4%) in the amino acid group and in 33 patients (1.9%) in the placebo group. There were no substantial differences between the two groups in other secondary outcomes or in adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, infusion of amino acids reduced the occurrence of AKI. (Funded by the Italian Ministry of Health; PROTECTION ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03709264.).

Acute normovolemic hemodilution in cardiac surgery: Rationale and design of a multicenter randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Minimizing the use of blood component can reduce known and unknown blood transfusion risks, preserve blood bank resources, and decrease healthcare costs. Red Blood Cell (RBC) transfusion is common after cardiac surgery and associated with adverse perioperative outcomes, including mortality. Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) may reduce bleeding and the need for blood product transfusion after cardiac surgery. However, its blood-saving effect and impact on major outcomes remain uncertain. METHODS: This is a single-blinded, multinational, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio conducted in Tertiary and University hospitals. The study is designed to enroll patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery with planned cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients are randomized to receive ANH before CPB or the best available treatment without ANH. We identified an ANH volume of at least 650 ml as the critical threshold for clinically relevant benefits. Larger ANH volumes, however, are allowed and tailored to the patient's characteristics and clinical conditions. RESULTS: The primary outcome is the percentage of patients receiving RBCs transfusion from randomization until hospital discharge, which we hypothesize will be reduced from 35% to 28% with ANH. Secondary outcomes are all-cause 30-day mortality, acute kidney injury, bleeding complications, and ischemic complications. CONCLUSION: The trial is designed to determine whether ANH can safely reduce RBC transfusion after elective cardiac surgery with CPB. STUDY REGISTRATION: This trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov in April 2019 with the trial identification number NCT03913481.

Effect of Urine Output on the Predictive Precision of NephroCheck in On-Pump Cardiac Surgery With Crystalloid Cardioplegia: Insights from the PrevAKI Study.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies in other settings suggested that urine output (UO) might affect NephroCheck predictive value. We investigated the correlation between NephroCheck and UO in cardiac surgery patients. DESIGN: Post hoc analysis of a multicenter study. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients who underwent cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and crystalloid cardioplegia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: All patients underwent NephroCheck testing 4 hours after CPB discontinuation. The primary outcome was the correlation between UO, NephroCheck results, and acute kidney injury (AKI, defined according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes). Of 354 patients, 337 were included. Median NephroCheck values were 0.06 (ng/mL)2/1,000) for the overall population and 0.15 (ng/mL)2/1,000) for patients with moderate to severe AKI. NephroCheck showed a significant inverse correlation with UO (ρ = -0.17; p = 0.002) at the time of measurement. The area under the receiver characteristic curve (AUROC) for NephroCheck was 0.60 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.65), whereas for serum creatinine was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.78-0.86; p < 0.001). When limiting the analysis to the prediction of moderate to severe AKI, NephroCheck had a AUROC of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.77 to 0.86; p<0.0001), while creatinine an AUROC of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79-0.87; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: NephroCheck measured 4 hours after the discontinuation from the CPB predicts moderate to severe AKI. However, a lower threshold may be necessary in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB. Creatinine measured at the same time of the test remains a reliable marker of subsequent development of renal failure.

Renin as a Prognostic Marker in Intensive Care and Perioperative Settings: A Scoping Review.

Serum renin increases in response to sympathetic nerve activation and hypotension. Recent studies have reported the association of serum renin levels with adverse clinical outcomes in acute care settings. This scoping review aimed to systematically review the available literature on renin as a prognostic marker in intensive care and perioperative patients. We searched for studies published since inception until March 31, 2023, which assessed the association between serum renin levels and clinical outcomes or the effect of synthetic angiotensin II administration on serum renin levels in critically ill and perioperative patients in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. The primary outcome was mortality at the longest follow-up; the secondary outcomes were adverse renal outcomes (ie, acute kidney injury, the need for renal replacement therapy, and major adverse kidney events), hemodynamic instability, outcomes to angiotensin II administration, and prognostic performance for mortality when compared with lactate. Among the 2081 studies identified, we included 16 studies with 1573 patients (7 studies on shock, 5 on nonspecific critical illness, 2 on cardiac surgery, 1 on noncardiac surgery, and 1 on coronavirus disease 2019). A significant association between serum renin levels and poor outcomes was identified in 14 studies, with 10 studies demonstrating an association with mortality. One post hoc analysis found that angiotensin II administration reduced mortality in patients with markedly elevated renin values. Two studies showed that renin was superior to lactate as a prognostic marker of mortality. Our scoping review showed that elevated serum renin levels may be associated with clinically relevant outcomes among various perioperative and intensive care populations. Increased serum renin levels may identify patients in which synthetic angiotensin II administration improves clinical outcomes and may outperform serum lactate in predicting mortality.

Macklin Effect: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Implication.

Air leak syndromes (such as pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, or subcutaneous emphysema) are frequent complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Unfortunately, the development of air leaks is associated with worse outcomes. In addition, it has been hypothesized that the development of pneumomediastinum could be a marker of disease severity in patients with respiratory failure receiving noninvasive respiratory support or assisted ventilation. The so-called Macklin effect (or pulmonary interstitial emphysema) is the air dissection of the lung bronchovascular tree from peripheral to central airways following injury to distal alveoli. Ultimately, the progression of the Macklin effect leads to the development of pneumomediastinum, subcutaneous emphysema, or pneumothorax. The Macklin effect is identifiable on a chest computed tomography (CT) scan. The Macklin effect could be an accurate predictor of barotrauma in patients with ARDS (sensitivity = 89.2% [95% CI: 74.6-96.9]; specificity = 95.6% [95% CI: 90.6-98.4]), and may be a marker of disease severity. Accordingly, the detection of the Macklin effect on a chest CT scan could be used to select which patients with ARDS might benefit from different treatment algorithms, including advanced respiratory monitoring, early intubation, or, potentially, the institution of early extracorporeal support with or without invasive ventilation. In this video, the authors summarize the pathophysiology and potential clinical significance and applications of the Macklin effect in patients with acute respiratory failure.

Shaping the Anesthetic Approach to TricValve Implantation: Insights From a Case Series.

OBJECTIVES: Caval valve implantation (CAVI) represents a minimally invasive strategy for managing severe tricuspid regurgitation in high-risk patients unsuitable for surgical or transcatheter tricuspid valve implantation. This case series aimed to assess the anesthesia management challenges and outcomes associated with this procedure, seeking to generate insights that can inform and refine anesthesia protocols. DESIGN: A case series. SETTING: At a cardiac catheterization laboratory of a teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Eight patients undergoing CAVI with the Tricvalve system INTERVENTIONS: The anesthetic protocol included preprocedural planning, fast-track general anesthesia, and postprocedural debriefing. Intraoperative management involved anesthesia depth monitoring, real-time guidance via transesophageal echocardiography, and hemodynamic stability maintenance. Postoperative analgesia involved preemptive intravenous paracetamol and morphine as needed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: No anesthesia-related or implantation-related complications were observed, with a mean procedure duration of 112 ± 44 minutes. The median hospital stay was 4 days, and only 1 patient required brief intensive care unit monitoring. Postoperative right shoulder pain was reported by half of the patients, and was managed with morphine bolus administration (average dose 4.75 ± 3.6 mg). All patients had the device correctly positioned, as confirmed by postoperative transthoracic echocardiograms. None of the patients required outpatient analgesic therapy upon discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The authors' study demonstrated the potential of TricValve implantation in effectively managing severe tricuspid regurgitation with no procedure-related complications and a 100% survival rate. A collaborative, interdisciplinary approach and targeted anesthesia management proved crucial for this success. Postoperative shoulder pain emerged as a frequent complication, whose pathogenesis is still not clear, and successfully was managed using targeted analgesic therapy.

Beyond the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines: a systematic review of interventions affecting mortality in sepsis.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis-related mortality is decreasing over time after the introduction of "Surviving Sepsis Campaign" Guidelines in 2004. The last Guidelines version collects 93 recommendations, but several interventions supported by randomized evidence of mortality reduction are not included. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We performed a systematic review of all randomized controlled trials reporting a statistically significant mortality reduction in septic patients and compared the identified studies to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines 2021 to highlight discrepancies. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: We identified 83 randomized controlled trials (58 interventions) influencing mortality in sepsis. Only 9/58 of these interventions were included in the Guidelines: lactate measurement and lactate-guided hemodynamic management, procalcitonin-guided antibiotics discontinuation, balanced crystalloids as first choice fluids, albumin infusion, avoidance of starches, noradrenaline as first line vasopressor, vasopressin as an adjunctive vasopressor to noradrenaline, neuromuscular blocking agents in moderate-severe sepsis-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome, and corticosteroids use. Only 11/93 Guidelines recommendations were supported by randomized evidence with mortality difference. Five of the interventions with survival benefit in literature (vitamin C, terlipressin, polymyxin B, liberal transfusion strategy and immunoglobulins) were recommended to avoid in the Guidelines, while 44 interventions were not mentioned, including three interventions (esmolol, omega 3, and external warming) with at least two randomized controlled trials with a documented survival benefit. CONCLUSIONS: Several discrepancies exist between the randomized controlled trials with mortality difference in septic patients and the latest Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines. This systematic review can be of help for improving future guidelines and may guide research on specific promising topics.

Methylene Blue Reduces Mortality in Critically Ill and Perioperative Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

Vasodilatory hypotension is common in critically ill and perioperative patients, and is associated with adverse outcomes. As a nitric oxide production inhibitor, methylene blue (MB) exerts its vasoconstrictor property and is an adjuvant for catecholamine-refractory vasodilatory shock. However, the effects of MB on clinically relevant outcomes remain unclear. Therefore, the authors performed a meta-analysis of randomized trials on MB in critically ill and perioperative patients. The authors searched through databases for randomized trials on MB in critically ill and perioperative patients, which yielded 11 studies consisting of 556 patients. The primary outcome was mortality at the longest follow-up. Secondary outcomes included hemodynamic parameters and organ dysfunction (PROSPERO: CRD42023409243). Nine out of the 11 included randomized trials reported mortality, which was significantly lower in the MB group (risk ratio, 0.60 [95% CI 0.43-0.84] p = 0.003), with findings confirmed in septic shock and cardiac surgery subgroups. The authors found reduced lengths of stay in the intensive care unit (mean difference [MD], -0.9 days [95% CI -1.06 to -0.77] p < 0.001) and in the hospital (MD, -2.2 days [95% CI, -2.68 to -1.70] p < 0.001) in the MB group. MB was associated with increased mean arterial pressure (MD, 8.4 mmHg [95% CI 5.01-11.75] p < 0.001) and systemic vascular resistance (MD, 94.5 dyn/s/cm5 [95% CI 17.73-171.15] p = 0.02), with no difference in cardiac output (standardized MD, 0.16 [95% CI, -0.25 to 0.57] p = 0.45). This meta-analysis showed that MB reverses vasodilation in critically ill and perioperative patients and might improve survival. Further adequately powered randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Repeated Levosimendan Infusions in the Management of Advanced Heart Failure: Review of the Evidence and Meta-analysis of the Effect on Mortality.

ABSTRACT: In the latest years, several studies described the impact of repetitive/intermittent i.v. levosimendan treatment in the management of advanced heart failure. For this updated review, we systematically searched the literature for clinical trials, registries , and real-world data and identified 31 studies that we commented in a narrative review: 3814 patients were described, of whom 1744 were treated repetitively with levosimendan. On the basis of the nature of the study protocols and of the end points, out of those studies, we further selected 9 that had characteristics, making them suitable for a meta-analysis on mortality. This short list describes data from 680 patients (of whom 399 received repeated doses of levosimendan) and 110 death events (of which 50 occurred in the levosimendan cohort). In the meta-analysis, repetitive/intermittent therapy with i.v. levosimendan was associated with a significant reduction in mortality at the longest time point available: 50 of 399 (12.5%) versus 60 of 281 (21.4%) in the control arms, with a risk ratio of 0.62 (95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.90; P < 0.01). In a sensitivity analysis, removing each trial and reanalyzing the remaining data set did not change the trend, magnitude, or significance of the results. A visual inspection of the funnel plot did not suggest publication bias. The results provide a very strong rationale for continuing to investigate the repetitive use of levosimendan in patients with advanced heart failure by properly powered regulatory clinical trials. Meanwhile, it seems that the use of repetitive/intermittent i.v. levosimendan infusions has become one of the few effective options for preserving the hemodynamic and symptomatic balance in such patients.

Safety of Levosimendan in Pediatric Patients: An Up-to-Date Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The potential risks associated with the use of levosimendan in the pediatric population has not been systematically evaluated. This study aimed to review the available evidence regarding the safety of this treatment. METHODS: Bio Med Central, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of clinical trials were searched for studies describing levosimendan administration in the pediatric population in any setting. Relevant studies were independently screened, selected, and their data extracted by two investigators. The authors excluded: reviews, meta-analyses, as well as basic research and trials involving patients >18 years old. The primary outcome was the number and the type of adverse side effects reported during levosimendan administration. RESULTS: The updated systematic review included 48 studies, enrolling a total of 1,271 pediatric patients who received levosimendan as treatment (790 patients in the 11 studies that reported side effects). The primary adverse effects of levosimendan administration were hypotension and cardiac arrhythmias, particularly tachycardia. Hypotension occurred in approximately 28.9% of patients, while arrhythmia occurred in about 12.3% of patients. Meta analysis of RCTs revealed a rate of all-cause mortality of 2.0% (8 out of 385) in the levosimendan group compared to 3.9% (15 out of 378) in the control group (dobutamine, milrinone or placebo) (risk ratio [RR] = 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.25-1.21; P = 0.14; I2 = 0%) CONCLUSIONS: Hypotension and cardiac arrhythmia are the most reported side effects of levosimendan in pediatric patients. However, adverse events remain underreported, especially in randomized trials.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Without Invasive Ventilation for Respiratory Failure in Adults: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an advanced treatment for acute severe respiratory failure. Patients on ECMO are frequently maintained sedated and immobilized until weaning from ECMO, first, and then from mechanical ventilation. Avoidance of sedation and invasive ventilation during ECMO may have potential advantages. We performed a systematic literature review to assess efficacy and safety of awake ECMO without invasive ventilation in patients with respiratory failure. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for studies reporting outcome of awake ECMO for adult patients with respiratory failure. STUDY SELECTION: We included all studies reporting outcome of awake ECMO in patients with respiratory failure. Studies on ECMO for cardiovascular failure, cardiac arrest, or perioperative support and studies on pediatric patients were excluded. Two investigators independently screened and selected studies for inclusion. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators abstracted data on study characteristics, rate of awake ECMO failure, and mortality. Primary outcome was rate of awake ECMO failure (need for intubation). Pooled estimates with corresponding 95% CIs were calculated. Subgroup analyses by setting were performed. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 57 studies (28 case reports) included data from 467 awake ECMO patients. The subgroup of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome showed a pooled estimate for awake ECMO failure of 39.3% (95% CI, 24.0-54.7%), while in patients bridged to lung transplantation, pooled estimate was 23.4% (95% CI, 13.3-33.5%). Longest follow-up mortality was 121 of 439 (pooled estimate, 28%; 95% CI, 22.3-33.6%). Mortality in patients who failed awake ECMO strategy was 43 of 74 (pooled estimate, 57.2%; 95% CI, 40.2-74.3%). Two cases of cannula self-removal were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Awake ECMO is feasible in selected patients, although the effect on outcome remains to be demonstrated. Mortality is almost 60% in patients who failed awake ECMO strategy.

Extracorporeal Blood Purification with CytoSorb in 359 Critically Ill Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Critically ill patients with inflammatory dysregulation and organ disfunction may benefit from blood purification, although the use of this technique has not been described in large case series. We evaluated clinical outcomes and survival in high-risk intensive care unit (ICU) patients who underwent extracorporeal blood purification. METHODS: 359 consecutive ICU patients treated with CytoSorb were included. RESULTS: Main admission diagnoses were 120 (34%) refractory cardiac arrest under mechanical chest compression; 101 (28%) profound cardiogenic shock; 81 (23%) post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock; and 37 (10%) respiratory failure. Fifteen patients (4%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. We observed 49% 30-day mortality, 57% ICU mortality, and 62% hospital mortality, all lower than the 71% mortality predicted by SAPS II and 68% predicted by SOFA score. Parameters of shock and organ failure, above all vasoactive inotropic score, reduced during CytoSorb treatment. Multivariable analysis identified SAPS II, lactate dehydrogenase, ICU stay duration, vasoactive inotropic score, lactates, intra-aortic counterpulsation on top of VA-ECMO, and total bilirubin as predictors of mortality. No CytoSorb-related complications occurred. CONCLUSION: CytoSorb treatment was effective in reducing laboratory parameters of shock and vasoactive inotropic score with possible survival implications in a large population of critically ill patients.

Feasibility, safety and efficacy of COVID-19 severe acute respiratory distress syndrome management without invasive mechanical ventilation.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is often managed with mechanical ventilation (MV), requiring sedation and paralysis, with associated risk of complications. There is limited evidence on the use of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC). We hypothesized that management of COVID-19 ARDS without MV is feasible. METHODS: Included were all adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 ARDS, with PaO2/FiO2 ratio <100 at admission, and whose management was initially performed without MV. We evaluated need for intubation during ICU stay, mortality and hospital/ICU length of stay (LOS). RESULTS: Out of 118 patients, 41 were managed only with HFNC from hospital admission (and at least during first 24 hours in ICU) and had a PaO2/FiO2 ratio <100 (72.9±13.0). Twenty-nine out of 41 patients never required MV: 24 of them survived and were discharged home. Their median ICU LOS was 11 (7-17) days, and their hospital LOS was 29 (18-45) days. We identified PaO2/FiO2 ratio at ICU admission as the only significant predictor for need for MV during ICU stay. We also identified age, length of non-invasive respiratory support before ICU admission, mean value of PaO2/FiO2 ratio during first half and whole ICU stay as predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: It is safe to monitor in ICU and use HFNC in patients affected by COVID-19 ARDS who initially present data suggesting an early need for intubation. The 41 patients admitted with a PaO2/FiO2 ratio <100 and initially treated only with HFNC show a 22% mortality that is in the lower range of what is reported in recent literature.