Can admission serum cystatin C level be an early marker subclinical acute kidney injury in critical care patients?

BACKGROUND: In critical care patients, the diagnosis of subclinical acute kidney injury (AKI) might be difficult with measurements of serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Their 'sensitive kidneys' can easily be affected from sepsis, underlying diseases, medications and volume status and if they can be detected earlier, some preventive measures might be taken. In this study we aimed to determine whether admission serum cystatin C (sCys-C) and other clinical parameters can identify subclinical AKI in medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients with normal creatinine-based eGFR at admission. METHODS: A prospective cohort study, performed in an adult ICU of a university hospital between January 2008 and March 2013. The blood samples were obtained within the first 24-48 hours of admission and sCys-C levels were analyzed with particle-enhanced immunonephelometric assay. AKI development was assessed according to RIFLE criteria. The cutoff value of sCys-C for the prediction of AKI was determined with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients were included in the study and 19 (26%) of them developed AKI. Among the patients with AKI admission sCys-C levels were significantly higher when compared with non-AKI patients (1.06 ± 0.29 vs. 0.89 ± 0.28 respectively, p = 0.026). With ROC curve analysis, the threshold level for sCys-C was 0.94 mg/L with 63% sensitivity and 66% specificity [AUC: 0.67, p = 0.026]. With logistic regression analysis 'high sCys-C levels at admission' (OR = 4.73; 95%CI 1.03-21.5, p = 0.044) was found as one of the independent variables for the prediction of AKI development, in addition to 'being intubated before ICU admission' (OR = 10.2; 95%CI 1.72-60.4, p = 0.01) and 'hypotension during ICU follow-up' (OR = 12.3; 95%CI 2.5-60.1, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: In this cohort of patients, a high sCys-C level at admission was found to be a predictor of subclinical AKI arising during their ICU stay. If supported with further studies, it might be used to provide more accurate and earlier knowledge about renal dysfunction and to take appropriate preventive measures.

Is It Possible to Predict Pulmonary Complications and Mortality in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients from Pre-Transplantation Exhaled Nitric Oxide Levels?

OBJECTIVE: Chemo/radiotherapy-induced free oxygen radicals and reactive oxygen derivatives contribute to the development of early and late transplantation-related pulmonary and extra-pulmonary complications in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. It has been proposed that an increase in fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level indicates oxidative stress and inflammation in the airways. The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the pre-transplantation FeNO levels in HSCT patients and to search for its role in predicting post-transplantation pulmonary complications and mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HSCT patients were included in the study prospectively between October 2009 and July 2011. Pre-transplantation FeNO levels were measured with a NIOX MINO® device prior to conditioning regimens. All patients were monitored prospectively for post-transplantation pulmonary complications with medical history, physical examination, chest X-ray, and pulmonary function tests. RESULTS: A total of 56 patients (33 autologous, 23 allogeneic) with mean age of 45±13 years were included in the study, among whom 40 (71%) were male. Pre-transplantation FeNO level of the whole study group was found to be 24±13 (mean ± standard deviation) parts per billion (ppb). The FeNO level in allogeneic HSCT recipients was 19±6 ppb while it was 27±15 ppb in autologous HSCT recipients (p=0.042). No significant correlation was found between the pre-transplantation chemotherapy and radiotherapy protocols and baseline FeNO levels (p>0.05). Post-transplantation pulmonary toxicity was identified in 12 (21%) patients and no significant relationship was found between baseline FeNO levels and pulmonary toxicity. The survival rate of the whole study group for 1 year after transplantation was 70%. No significant relationship was identified between baseline FeNO values and survival (FeNO 19±7 ppb in patients who died and 26±15 ppb in the survivors; p=0.114). CONCLUSION: Pre-transplantation FeNO measurement does not seem to have a role in predicting post-transplantation pulmonary complications and mortality.

[Evaluation of risk factors for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and detection of diagnostic values of galactomannan and PCR methods in bronchoalveolar lavage samples from non-neutropenic intensive care unit patients]. / Nötropenik olmayan yogun bakim hastalarinda invazif pulmoner aspergilloz için risk faktörlerinin degerlendirilmesi ve bronkoalveoler lavaj örneklerinde galaktomannan ve PCR testlerinin tanisal degerinin belirlenmesi.

Non-neutropenic intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at particular risk for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. In these cases, radiological and microbiological methods (direct microscopy, culture), which can be used for diagnosis, have quite low sensitivity and specificity. The aims of this study were to evaluate the risk factors for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in non-neutropenic ICU patients and to determine the diagnostic values of galactomannan (GM) antigen and Aspergillus nucleic acid detection methods. A total of 44 patients (13 female, 31 male; age range: 36-96 years) who had been followed at pulmonary ICU with invasive mechanical ventilation and undergone bronchoscopy between January to December 2013, were included in the study. Consecutive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum samples were obtained from all of the patients. BAL samples were tested for the presence of Aspergillus DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and both serum and BAL samples were tested for GM antigen by EIA method (Platelia Aspergillus, BioRad, France). EORTC/MSG criteria were used for the case definition of IPA. Patients were classified as high-probable IPA, possible IPA and non-IPA. ROC (receiver operating characteristics) analysis was used to determine the diagnostic values of BAL Aspergillus PCR and BAL GM in the diagnosis of IPA. Five patients were defined as high-probable IPA and six were defined as possible IPA; thus the incidence rate of IPA was estimated as 11.4% (5/44) among non-neutropenic intensive care unit patients. In high-probable IPA patients, BAL GM levels were significantly higher than non-IPA patients (p< 0.05). The prolonged duration in ICU, presence of septic shock and the use of high cumulative doses (> 460 mg) of steroid were found to be risk factors for IPA development. The cut-off value for GM in BAL samples was determined as 0.7, with a sensitivity rate of 100% (95% confidence interval: 47.9-100) and a specificity rate of 87.9% (95% confidence interval: 71.7-96.5), so optimal GM level in BAL was considered as ≥ 0.7 for the diagnosis of IPA. The specificity rates of serum GM and BAL Aspergillus PCR methods were high (97.1% and 93.9%, respectively), however their sensitivity rates were found quite low (33.3% and 40%, respectively), in the diagnosis of IPA. In conclusion, development of IPA should be assessed in non-neutropenic patients when the stay in ICU extends and high dose cumulative steroids are used. GM antigen detection in BAL can be used effectively for diagnosis of IPA in these patients compared to other diagnostic methods.

The use of plasma and urine neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) and Cystatin C in early diagnosis of septic acute kidney injury in critically ill patients.

AIM: To assess and compare the roles of plasma and urine concentrations of neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) and Cystatin C for early diagnosis of septic acute kidney injury (AKI) in adult critically ill patients. METHODS: Patients were divided into three groups as sepsis-non AKI, sepsis-AKI and non sepsis-non AKI. Plasma samples for NGAL and Cystatin C were determined on admission and on alternate days and urinary samples were collected for every day until ICU discharge. RESULTS: One hundred fifty one patients were studied; 66 in sepsis-non AKI, 63 in sepsis-AKI, 22 in non-sepsis-non-AKI groups. Although plasma NGAL performed less well (AUC 0.44), urinary NGAL showed significant discrimination for AKI diagnosis (AUC 0.80) with a threshold value of 29.5 ng/ml (88% sensitivity, 73% specificity). Both plasma and urine Cystatin C worked well for the diagnosis of AKI (AUC 0.82 and 0.86, thresholds 1.5 and 0.106 mg/L respectively). CONCLUSION: Plasma and urinary Cystatin C and urinary NGAL are useful markers in predicting AKI in septic critically ill patients. Plasma NGAL raises in patients with sepsis in the absence of AKI and should be used with caution as a marker of AKI in septic ICU patients.

A case of ulcerative colitis complicated with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) and air leak syndrome.

Extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases are well recognized and mainly affect the joints, skin, liver, and eyes; however, clinically significant pulmonary involvement is very rare. Early identification of pulmonary involvement is important and will be life-saving. We report herein a case of an ulcerative colitis patient, presenting with acute respiratory distress syndrome and bilateral recurring pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema, i.e., air leak syndrome. He was diagnosed with open lung biopsy as bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia most probably due to viral etiology and responded well to steroid therapy, with almost complete resolution of radiographic and clinical findings. In inflammatory bowel disease patients, bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia developing due to viral or fungal infectious etiology or due to the inflammatory bowel disease itself may progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome and may present with air leak syndrome. Early detection is important and life-saving, since bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia often responds well to steroid treatment provided an infectious etiology has been excluded or adequate antimicrobial therapy has already been initiated.