Characteristics, management, and outcomes of active cancer patients with cardiogenic shock.

AIMS: Characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients with active cancer admitted for cardiogenic shock remain largely unknown. This study aimed to address this issue and identify the determinants of 30-day and 1-year mortality in a large cardiogenic shock cohort of all aetiologies. METHODS AND RESULTS: FRENSHOCK is a prospective multicenter observational registry conducted in French critical care units between April and October 2016. 'Active cancer' was defined as a malignancy diagnosed within the previous weeks with planned or ongoing anticancer therapy. Among the 772 enrolled patients (mean age 65.7 ± 14.9 years; 71.5% male), 51 (6.6%) had active cancer. Among them, the main cancer types were solid cancers (60.8%), and hematological malignancies (27.5%). Solid cancers were mainly urogenital (21.6%), gastrointestinal (15.7%), and lung cancer (9.8%). Medical history, clinical presentation, and baseline echocardiography were almost the same between groups. In-hospital management significantly differed: patients with cancers received more catecholamines or inotropes (norepinephrine 72% vs. 52%, P = 0.005 and norepinephrine-dobutamine combination 64.7% vs. 44.5%, P = 0.005), but had less mechanical circulatory support (5.9% vs. 19.5%, P = 0.016). They presented a similar 30-day mortality rate (29% vs. 26%) but a significantly higher mortality at 1-year (70.6% vs. 45.2%, P < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, active cancer was not associated with 30-day mortality but was significantly associated with 1-year mortality in 30-day survivors [HR 3.61 (1.29-10.11), P = 0.015]. CONCLUSION: Active cancer patients accounted for almost 7% of all cases of cardiogenic shock. Early mortality was the same regardless of active cancer or not, whereas long-term mortality was significantly increased in patients with active cancer.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura presenting as a severe peripartum cardiogenic shock: Role of myocardial biopsy and assist device for diagnosis and resuscitation.

We describe the case of a peripartum thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura with fulminant cardiogenic shock treated with extracorporeal life support. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura should be considered in the case of thrombotic microangiopathy with several or severe organ involvement and needs emergent treatment with plasmapheresis (with or without rituximab). In the case of cardiac involvement, aggressive treatment should be considered given the high mortality and the potential complete recovery.

Prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting after cardiac surgery in high-risk patients: A randomized controlled study.

CONTEXT: The role of prophylaxis for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in cardiac surgery is under debate. AIMS: To study the risk factors for PONV after cardiac surgery and the role of betamethasone with or without droperidol for its prevention. SETTING AND DESIGN: Randomized open-label controlled study comparing standard care with PONV prophylaxis from February to November 2016. METHODS: Five hundred and two patients with planned nonemergent cardiac surgery were included. INTERVENTIONS: In the intervention arm, PONV prophylaxis (4 mg betamethasone with/without 0.625 mg droperidol) was administered in high-risk patients (two or more risk factors). Patients in the control arm were treated as per routine hospital practices. RESULTS: Female sex, past history of PONV, and migraines were associated with a significantly increased risk of PONV, while motion sickness, smoking status, and volatile anesthetics were not. Pain and treatment with nefopam or ketoprofen were associated with an increased risk of PONV. PONV was less frequent in the active arm compared to controls (45.5% vs. 54.0%, P = 0.063; visual analogic scale 10.9 vs. 15.3 mm, P = 0.043). Among the 180 patients (35.6%) with ≥2 risk factors, prophylaxis was associated with reduced PONV (intention-to-treat: 46.8% vs. 67.8%, P = 0.0061; per-protocol: 39.2% vs. 69%, P = 0.0002). In multivariate analysis, prophylaxis was independently associated with PONV (odds ratio [OR]: 0.324, 95% confidence interval: 0.167-0.629, P = 0.0009), as were female sex, past history of PONV, and migraines (OR: 3.027, 3.031, and 2.160 respectively). No drug-related side effects were reported. CONCLUSION: Betamethasone with/without droperidol was effective in decreasing PONV in high risk cardiac surgical patients without any side effect.

Surgical embolectomy for intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism.

Recent series reported excellent results of surgical embolectomy in patients with acute pulmonary embolism with mortality rates of about 5-9% (range 0-13%). However, very low mortality of patients receiving medical treatment for intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (1.5 and 2.8% at 7 and 30 days, respectively) was recently reported. Thus, we would like to challenge the indication for surgical embolectomy in the subset of intermediate-risk patients.

CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores can predict thromboembolic events after supraventricular arrhythmia in the critically ill patients.

PURPOSE: Prediction of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) in relation to supraventricular arrhythmia (SVA) has been poorly investigated in the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed at evaluating CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores to predict SVA-related ATE in the ICU. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study including all the patients except those in the postoperative course of cardiac surgery who presented SVA lasting 30 seconds or longer during their ICU stay. We looked for ATE during ICU stay, at the first and sixth month of follow-up after ICU discharge. RESULTS: During the 15-month study period, 108 (12.8%) of 846 ICU patients experienced SVA with 12 SVA-related ATE occurring 6 days (3; 13) (median, 10%-90% percentiles) after SVA onset. In our SVA patients, CHADS2 score was 2 (0; 5), and CHA2DS2-VASc score 3 (0; 7). Both CHADS2 (odds ratio (OR), 1.6 [1.1; 2.4]; P = .01) and CHA2DS2-VASc scores (OR, 1.4 [1.04; 1.8]; P = .03) were significantly associated with ATE onset. However, the most accurate threshold for predicting ATE was CHADS2 score of 4 or higher. Using a multivariate analysis, only patient's history of stroke was associated with ATE onset (OR, 9.2 [2.4; 35]; P = .001). CONCLUSION: CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores are predictive of SVA-related thromboembolism in the critically ill patient.

Pentoxifylline in heart failure: a meta-analysis of clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Pentoxifylline possess antiinflammatory and rheological properties and has been tested in heart failure (HF). METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed from 1980 until July 2013 in PubMed, to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating pentoxifylline versus placebo in HF, to determine impact on mortality. Search strategy is as follows: "Pentoxifylline" AND "heart" AND "trial". Study selection of six randomized controlled trials evaluating mortality as outcome. Then, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials versus placebo in HF. Determination of Mantel-Haenszel fixed effect and random-effect pooled odds ratios for all-cause mortality and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Data from a total of 221 patients with LVEF ≤40% from six randomized controlled trials were included in this analysis. Pentoxifylline 1200 mg per day was administered during 6 months, except in one study (administered during 1 month for severe acute HF). The use of pentoxifylline was not significantly associated with a reduction in mortality in HF in individual studies. The pooled data including 221 patients showed a nearly fourfold reduction in mortality (5.4% vs. 18.3%; OR 0.29; CI 0.12-0.74; P < 0.01) with homogenous results (I² 0%). CONCLUSION: A meta-analysis evaluating pentoxifylline versus placebo in HF suggested a significant nearly fourfold decrease in all-cause mortality in the pentoxifylline group.

Influence of α-stat and pH-stat blood gas management strategies on cerebral blood flow and oxygenation in patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a crossover study.

OBJECTIVES: In patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, two blood gas management strategies are used regarding the PaCO2 target: α-stat or pH-stat. We aimed to compare the effects of these strategies on cerebral blood flow and oxygenation. DESIGN: Prospective observational single-center crossover study. SETTING: ICU of University hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty-one therapeutic hypothermia-treated patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest more than 18 years old without history of cerebrovascular disease were included. INTERVENTIONS: Cerebral perfusion and oxygenation variables were compared in α-stat (PaCO2 measured at 37 °C) versus pH-stat (PaCO2 measured at 32-34 °C), both strategies maintaining physiological PaCO2 values: 4.8-5.6 kPa (36-42 torr). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Bilateral transcranial middle cerebral artery flow velocities using Doppler and jugular vein oxygen saturation were measured in both strategies 18 hours (14-23 hr) after the return of spontaneous circulation. Pulsatility and resistance indexes and cerebral oxygen extraction were calculated. Data are expressed as median (interquartile range 25-75) in α-stat versus pH-stat. No differences were found in temperature, arterial blood pressure, and oxygenation between α-stat and pH-stat. Significant differences were found in minute ventilation (p = 0.006), temperature-corrected PaCO2 (4.4 kPa [4.1-4.6 kPa] vs. 5.1 kPa [5.0-5.3 kPa], p = 0.0001), and temperature-uncorrected PaCO2 (p = 0.0001). No differences were found in cerebral blood velocities and pulsatility and resistance indexes in the overall population. Significant differences were found in jugular vein oxygen saturation (83.2% [79.2-87.6%] vs. 86.7% [83.2-88.2%], p = 0.009) and cerebral oxygen extraction (15% [11-20%] vs. 12% [10-16%], p = 0.01), respectively. In survivors, diastolic blood velocities were 25 cm/s (19-30 cm/s) versus 29 cm/s (23-35 cm/s) (p = 0.004), pulsatility index was 1.10 (0.97-1.18) versus 0.94 (0.89-1.05) (p = 0.027), jugular vein oxygen saturation was 79.2 (71.1-81.8) versus 83.3% (76.6-87.8) (p = 0.033), respectively. However, similar results were not found in nonsurvivors. CONCLUSIONS: In therapeutic hypothermia-treated patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at physiological PaCO2, α-stat strategy increases jugular vein blood desaturation and cerebral oxygen extraction compared with pH-stat strategy and decreases cerebral blood flow velocities in survivors.