Association between complications and death within 30 days after noncardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Among adults undergoing contemporary noncardiac surgery, little is known about the frequency and timing of death and the associations between perioperative complications and mortality. We aimed to establish the frequency and timing of death and its association with perioperative complications. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients aged 45 years and older who underwent inpatient noncardiac surgery at 28 centres in 14 countries. We monitored patients for complications until 30 days after surgery and determined the relation between these complications and 30-day mortality using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: We included 40 004 patients. Of those, 715 patients (1.8%) died within 30 days of surgery. Five deaths (0.7%) occurred in the operating room, 500 deaths (69.9%) occurred after surgery during the index admission to hospital and 210 deaths (29.4%) occurred after discharge from the hospital. Eight complications were independently associated with 30-day mortality. The 3 complications with the largest attributable fractions (AF; i.e., potential proportion of deaths attributable to these complications) were major bleeding (6238 patients, 15.6%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-3.1; AF 17.0%); myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery [MINS] (5191 patients, 13.0%; adjusted HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.9-2.6; AF 15.9%); and sepsis (1783 patients, 4.5%; adjusted HR 5.6, 95% CI 4.6-6.8; AF 12.0%). INTERPRETATION: Among adults undergoing noncardiac surgery, 99.3% of deaths occurred after the procedure and 44.9% of deaths were associated with 3 complications: major bleeding, MINS and sepsis. Given these findings, focusing on the prevention, early identification and management of these 3 complications holds promise for reducing perioperative mortality. Study registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, no. NCT00512109.

Risk factors for pulmonary complications after hepatic resection: role of intraoperative hemodynamic instability and hepatic ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after hepatic surgery are associated with increased length of hospital stays. Intraoperative blood transfusion, extensive resection and different comorbidities have been identified. Other parameters, like time of hepatic ischemia, have neither been clinically studied, though experimental studies show that hepatic ischemia can provide lung injury. The objective of this study was to determinate the risk factors of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after hepatic resection within 7 postoperative days. METHOD: Ninety-four patients consecutively who underwent elective hepatectomy between January and December 2013. Demographic data, pathological variables, and preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables had been prospectively collected in a data base. The dependant variables studied were the occurrence of PPCs, defined before analysis of the data. RESULTS: PPCs occurred in 32 (34%) patients. A multivariate analysis allowed identifying the risk factors for PPCs. On multivariate analysis, preoperative gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) elevation OR =5,12 [1,85-15,69] p = 0,002, liver ischemia duration OR = 1,03 [1,01-1,06] p = 0,01 and the intraoperative use of vasopressor OR = 4,40 [1,58-13,36] p = 0,006 were independently associated with PPCs. For every 10 min added in ischemia duration, the OR of the risk of PPCs was estimated to be 1.37 (CI95% = [1.08-1.81], p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Three risk factors for PPCs have been identified in a population undergoing liver resection: preoperative GGT elevation, ischemia duration and the intraoperative use of vasopressor. PPCs after liver surgery could be related to lung injury induced by liver ischemia reperfusion and not solely by direct infectious process. That could explain why factors influencing directly or indirectly liver ischemia were independently associated with PPCs.

Association of Postoperative High-Sensitivity Troponin Levels With Myocardial Injury and 30-Day Mortality Among Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery.

IMPORTANCE: Little is known about the relationship between perioperative high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) measurements and 30-day mortality and myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS). OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between perioperative hsTnT measurements and 30-day mortality and potential diagnostic criteria for MINS (ie, myocardial injury due to ischemia associated with 30-day mortality). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study of patients aged 45 years or older who underwent inpatient noncardiac surgery and had a postoperative hsTnT measurement. Starting in October 2008, participants were recruited at 23 centers in 13 countries; follow-up finished in December 2013. EXPOSURES: Patients had hsTnT measurements 6 to 12 hours after surgery and daily for 3 days; 40.4% had a preoperative hsTnT measurement. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: A modified Mazumdar approach (an iterative process) was used to determine if there were hsTnT thresholds associated with risk of death and had an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 3.0 or higher and a risk of 30-day mortality of 3% or higher. To determine potential diagnostic criteria for MINS, regression analyses ascertained if postoperative hsTnT elevations required an ischemic feature (eg, ischemic symptom or electrocardiography finding) to be associated with 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Among 21 842 participants, the mean age was 63.1 (SD, 10.7) years and 49.1% were female. Death within 30 days after surgery occurred in 266 patients (1.2%; 95% CI, 1.1%-1.4%). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that compared with the reference group (peak hsTnT <5 ng/L), peak postoperative hsTnT levels of 20 to less than 65 ng/L, 65 to less than 1000 ng/L, and 1000 ng/L or higher had 30-day mortality rates of 3.0% (123/4049; 95% CI, 2.6%-3.6%), 9.1% (102/1118; 95% CI, 7.6%-11.0%), and 29.6% (16/54; 95% CI, 19.1%-42.8%), with corresponding adjusted HRs of 23.63 (95% CI, 10.32-54.09), 70.34 (95% CI, 30.60-161.71), and 227.01 (95% CI, 87.35-589.92), respectively. An absolute hsTnT change of 5 ng/L or higher was associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality (adjusted HR, 4.69; 95% CI, 3.52-6.25). An elevated postoperative hsTnT (ie, 20 to <65 ng/L with an absolute change ≥5 ng/L or hsTnT ≥65 ng/L) without an ischemic feature was associated with 30-day mortality (adjusted HR, 3.20; 95% CI, 2.37-4.32). Among the 3904 patients (17.9%; 95% CI, 17.4%-18.4%) with MINS, 3633 (93.1%; 95% CI, 92.2%-93.8%) did not experience an ischemic symptom. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, peak postoperative hsTnT during the first 3 days after surgery was significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Elevated postoperative hsTnT without an ischemic feature was also associated with 30-day mortality.

The long-term impact of early cardiovascular therapy intensification for postoperative troponin elevation after major vascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Acute cardiac events are a frequent cause of morbidity after vascular surgery. The impact of early evidence-based treatment for patients with an acute cardiac event after vascular surgery on long-term postoperative outcomes has not been extensively studied. We hypothesized that providing appropriate evidence-based treatment to patients with elevated postoperative cardiac troponin levels may limit long-term mortality. METHODS: We conducted a study of 667 consecutive major vascular surgery patients with an elevated postoperative troponin I level. We then determined which of these patients received medical therapy as per the 2007 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association recommendations for the medical management of patients with chronic stable angina. All patients with troponin elevation were then matched with 2 control patients without postoperative troponin elevation. Matching was done using logistic regression and nearest-neighbor matching methods. The primary study end point was 12 months survival without a major cardiac event (i.e., death, myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, or pulmonary edema requiring hospitalization). RESULTS: Therapy was intensified in 43 of 66 patients (65%) who suffered a troponin I elevation after surgery. Patients with a troponin I elevation not receiving intensified cardiovascular treatment had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.77 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-2.42; P = 0.004) for the primary study outcome as compared with the control group. In contrast, patients with a troponin I elevation who received intensified cardiovascular treatment had an HR of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.10-1.19; P = 0.45) for the primary outcome as compared with the control group. Patients with a troponin I elevation not receiving treatment intensification likely were at higher risk for a major cardiac event (HR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.05-24.2; P = 0.04) compared with patients who did receive treatment intensification. CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of this study was that in patients with elevated troponin I levels after noncardiac surgery, long-term adverse cardiac outcomes may likely be improved by following evidence-based recommendations for the medical management of acute coronary syndromes.

A French multicenter randomised trial comparing two dose-regimens of prothrombin complex concentrates in urgent anticoagulation reversal.

INTRODUCTION: Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) are haemostatic blood preparations indicated for urgent anticoagulation reversal, though the optimal dose for effective reversal is still under debate. The latest generation of PCCs include four coagulation factors, the so-called 4-factor PCC. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of two doses, 25 and 40 IU/kg, of 4-factor PCC in vitamin K antagonist (VKA) associated intracranial haemorrhage. METHODS: We performed a phase III, prospective, randomised, open-label study including patients with objectively diagnosed VKA-associated intracranial haemorrhage between November 2008 and April 2011 in 22 centres in France. Patients were randomised to receive 25 or 40 IU/kg of 4-factor PCC. The primary endpoint was the international normalised ratio (INR) 10 minutes after the end of 4-factor PCC infusion. Secondary endpoints were changes in coagulation factors, global clinical outcomes and incidence of adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: A total of 59 patients were randomised: 29 in the 25 IU/kg and 30 in the 40 IU/kg group. Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics were comparable between the groups. The mean INR was significantly reduced to 1.2 - and ≤1.5 in all patients of both groups - 10 minutes after 4-factor PCC infusion. The INR in the 40 IU/kg group was significantly lower than in the 25 IU/kg group 10 minutes (P = 0.001), 1 hour (P = 0.001) and 3 hours (P = 0.02) after infusion. The 40 IU/kg dose was also effective in replacing coagulation factors such as PT (P = 0.038), FII (P = 0.001), FX (P <0.001), protein C (P = 0.002) and protein S (0.043), 10 minutes after infusion. However, no differences were found in haematoma volume or global clinical outcomes between the groups. Incidence of death and thrombotic events was similar between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Rapid infusion of both doses of 4-factor PCC achieved an INR of 1.5 or less in all patients with a lower INR observed in the 40 IU/kg group. No safety concerns were raised by the 40 IU/kg dose. Further trials are needed to evaluate the impact of the high dose of 4-factor PCC on functional outcomes and mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Eudra CT number 2007-000602-73.

Thrombocytopenia, splenomegaly, and portal blood flow in patients who have undergone liver transplantation for cirrhosis.

The platelet count (PC), the spleen size (SS), and the portal blood flow (PBF) have been independently studied in the perioperative period after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for cirrhosis, but these parameters have not been described and analyzed in combination. We analyzed PC data and Doppler sonography measurements of SS and PBF from 125 adult patients before OLT and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after transplantation. A linear mixed model with fixed subject random intercepts was used. PCs increased significantly from 101.5 ± 68.5 × 10(9) /L before OLT to 162.4 ± 86 × 10(9) /L 1 month after OLT and remained stable for 1 year after the operation. PBF increased significantly from 619 ± 239 mL/minute before OLT to 1379 ± 491 mL/minute after OLT and remained stable during the first year. SS slowly decreased after OLT, but the decrease became significant only 9 months after the operation (13.8 ± 4.2 cm before OLT versus 11.7 ± 3.7 cm at 9 months, P < 0.05). The cirrhosis etiology did not influence the evolution of the parameters. With or without replication or interferon treatment before OLT, the hepatitis C group viruses did not influence PCs postoperatively. The evolution of SS was correlated to the evolution of PCs in the year after transplantation. In conclusion, PCs and PBF increase rapidly after OLT, whereas SS slowly decreases. The cirrhosis etiology does not influence the evolution of PCs. Thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly are 2 results of portal hypertension, but the rapid normalization of PBF does not completely or rapidly reverse these 2 phenomena.

Impact of perioperative bleeding on the protective effect of ß-blockers during infrarenal aortic reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: The use of ß-blockers during the perioperative period remains controversial. Although some studies have demonstrated their protective effects regarding postoperative cardiac complications, others have demonstrated increased mortality when ß-blockers were introduced before surgery. METHODS: In this observational study involving 1,801 patients undergoing aortic reconstruction, we prospectively assessed ß-blocker therapy compared with no ß-blocker therapy, with regard to cardiac and noncardiac postoperative outcomes using a propensity score approach. The impact of ß-blockers was analyzed according to the intraoperative bleeding estimated by transfusion requirements. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality was 2.5% (n=45), ß-blocker use was associated with a reduced frequency of postoperative myocardial infarction (OR=0.46, 95% CI [0.26; 0.80]) and myocardial necrosis (OR=0.62, 95% CI [0.43; 0.88]) in all patients, but also with an increased frequency of multiple organ dysfunction syndromes (OR=2.78, 95% CI [1.71; 4.61]). In patients with severe bleeding (n=163; 9.1%), the frequency of in-hospital death (OR=6.65, 95% CI [1.09; 129]) and/or multiple organ dysfunction syndromes (OR=4.18, 95% CI [1.81; 10.38]) were markedly increased. Furthermore, no more than 28% of the patients who died presented with postoperative myocardial infarction, whereas 69% of the patient with a postoperative myocardial infarction also presented an excessive bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative ß-blocker therapy was associated with an overall reduction in postoperative cardiac events. In the vast majority of patients with low perioperative bleeding, the global effect of ß-blockers was protective; in contrast, patients given ß-blockers who experienced severe bleeding had higher mortality and an increased frequency of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome.

Impact of preoperative statin therapy on adverse postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing vascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Chronic statin therapy is associated with reduced postoperative mortality. Renal and cardiovascular benefits have been described, but the effect of chronic statin therapy on postoperative adverse events has not yet been explored. METHODS: In this observational study involving 1,674 patients undergoing aortic reconstruction, we prospectively assessed chronic statin therapy compared with no statin therapy, with regard to serious outcomes, by propensity score and multivariable methods. RESULTS: In propensity-adjusted multivariable logistic regression (c-index: 0.83), statins were associated with an almost threefold reduction in the risk of death in patients undergoing major vascular surgery (odds ratio: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.28-0.59) and an almost twofold reduction in the risk of postoperative myocardial infarction (odds ratio: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.38-0.71). Likewise, the use of chronic statin therapy was associated with a reduced risk of postoperative stroke and renal failure. Statins did not significantly reduce the risk of pneumonia, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and surgical complications; however, in the case of postoperative multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (odds ratio: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.12-0.94) and surgical complications (odds ratio: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.17-0.86), reduced mortality was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic statin therapy was associated with a reduction in all cardiac and vascular outcomes after major vascular surgery. Furthermore, in major adverse events, such as multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and surgical complications, statins were also associated with decreased mortality.

Hydrocortisone supplementation enhances hemodynamic stability in brain-dead patients.

BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic instability is frequent in brain-dead patients and may result, in part, from absolute or relative adrenal insufficiency. Corticosteroid supplementation is widely used to restore hemodynamic stability in septic shock and to reduce the time of shock resolution. The authors verified that supplementation with hydrocortisone may enhance hemodynamic stability in brain-dead patients. METHODS: All consecutive brain-dead patients with hypotension requiring vasopressor agents were included in this single-center noninterventional clinical observation study. Assessment of baseline and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-stimulated plasma cortisol concentrations was performed. Immediately after, patients were systematically treated with a single intravenous injection of hydrocortisone (50 mg), and norepinephrine administration was adjusted every 15 min to maintain mean arterial pressure between 65 and 90 mmHg. Adrenal insufficiency was defined as baseline plasma cortisol concentration less than 15 microg/dl and/or delta plasma cortisol concentration less than 9 microg/dl. Patients were considered as ACTH responders when delta cortisol concentration was more than 9 microg/dl 30 min after ACTH injection. RESULTS: Among the 31 patients included, the incidence of adrenal insufficiency was 87% [95% CI, 70-96%]. A significant (> or =30%) decrease in norepinephrine dose was obtained 180 min after hydrocortisone injection in 18 (59%) patients, from 0.31 [0.16-0.44] microg . kg(-1) . min(-1) to 0.18 [0.10-0.24] microg . kg(-1) . min(-1) (P < 0.01). The incidence of hemodynamic response was greater in ACTH nonresponders than in ACTH responders: 86% versus 50%, respectively, P < 0.05. CONCLUSIONS: Adrenal insufficiency with hemodynamic instability is frequent in brain-dead patients. After ACTH stimulation testing and hydrocortisone infusion, hemodynamic stability is enhanced especially in patients with true adrenal nonfunction.

Differential down-regulation of HLA-DR on monocyte subpopulations during systemic inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: Decreased expression of human leukocyte antigen class II (HLA-DR) on monocytes is a hallmark of altered immune status in patients with a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). So far, the analyses were mainly performed without taking into account monocytes subpopulations. METHODS: We studied this modification on CD14HIGH and CD14LOW monocytes of 20 SIRS patients undergoing abdominal aortic surgery (AAS), 20 patients undergoing carotid artery surgery (CAS), and 9 healthy controls, and we investigated mediators and intracellular molecules that may be involved in this process. RESULTS: HLA-DR on CD14HIGH monocytes started to decrease during surgery, after blood reperfusion, and was further reduced post-surgery. In contrast, HLA-DR expression on CD14LOW cells only decreased after surgery, and to a lesser extent than on CD14HIGH monocytes. Negative correlations were found between the reduction of HLA-DR expression and the change in cortisol levels for both subpopulations, whereas a negative correlation between interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels and HLA-DR modulation was only observed for CD14HIGH cells. In accordance with these ex vivo results, HLA-DR on CD14HIGH and CD14LOW monocytes of healthy donors was reduced following incubation with hydrocortisone, whereas IL-10 only acted on CD14HIGH subpopulation. Furthermore, flow cytometry revealed that the expression of IL-10 receptor was higher on CD14HIGH versus CD14LOW monocytes. In addition, hydrocortisone, and to a lesser extent IL-10, reversed the up-regulation of HLA-DR induced by bacterial products. Finally, membrane-associated RING-CH-1 protein (MARCH1) mRNA, a negative regulator of MHC class II, was up-regulated in monocytes of AAS patients on Day 1 post-surgery, and in those of healthy subjects exposed to hydrocortisone. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that HLA-DR expression is modulated differently on CD14HIGH (classical) versus CD14LOW (inflammatory) monocytes after systemic inflammation.

Translocation of bacterial NOD2 agonist and its link with inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: The gut is often considered as the motor of critical illness through bacterial translocation, which amplifies the inflammatory response and alters the immune status. However, systemic bacterial translocation was rarely proven and endotoxin measurement only reflects translocation of Gram-negative-derived products. The process could be more frequently identified if peptidoglycan, derived from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, was measured. METHODS: We developed a new tool to detect circulating peptidoglycan-like structure using a NOD2-transfected cell line. We also measured plasma and cell-associated endotoxin and different plasma markers of inflammation. We studied 21 patients undergoing abdominal aortic surgery (AAS), and 21 patients undergoing carotid artery surgery (CAS) were included as negative controls. Patients were sampled during surgery until two days post-surgery. RESULTS: In 90.5% of the AAS patients, a NOD2 agonist peak was detected in plasma before aortic clamping, but after gut manipulation by the surgeon, and persisted after blood reperfusion. As expected, no peak was detected in plasma from CAS patients (P = 0.003). Leukocyte-bound endotoxin appeared after blood reperfusion in 71% of the AAS patients, and circulating endotoxin was detected for 57% of them. The levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin) were maximal at postoperative day 1 or 2 in AAS patients. The levels of circulating NOD2 agonist positively correlated with those of cortisol and IL-10. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of circulating NOD2 agonist gives a higher informative tool than that of circulating endotoxin for early and sensitive detection of the translocation of bacterial products. The data suggest that circulating NOD2 agonist contributes to further enhance the stress response following surgery.

Perioperative statin therapy is associated with a significant and dose-dependent reduction of adverse cardiovascular outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether perioperative statin therapy was associated with a dose-dependent decrease in adverse cardiovascular events after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: A cardiovascular anesthesia unit in a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred eighteen consecutive patients undergoing CABG surgery between October 2004 and October 2005. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were divided in 2 groups depending on whether their preoperative treatment included statins or not. In patients receiving statins, high- and low-dose regimens were respectively defined as a regimen recognized to induce a theoretic reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level equal to 45% (n = 87) or <45% (n = 258). In treated patients, statin therapy was maintained until the day of surgery and was restarted soon thereafter. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The measured endpoint was adverse in-hospital cardiovascular outcomes including heart failure and/or malignant arrhythmia and/or cardiac death. Stepwise logistic regression and a multivariate analysis of propensity-matched cohort were used for analysis of the findings. After adjustment for propensity score, statin therapy was found to produce a significant reduction in cardiovascular outcomes (odds ratio = 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32-0.96, p < 0.05). By using multivariate analysis, the odds ratio for cardiovascular outcomes in patients receiving high-dose statins compared with those treated by low-dose statins was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.41-0.93; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Statin therapy is associated with a significant and dose-dependent reduction in adverse cardiovascular events after CABG surgery. However, further randomized trials still require confirming a causal association between statins and better postoperative outcomes and evaluating the tolerance of such perioperative therapy.

Impact of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors continuation versus discontinuation on outcome after major surgery: protocol of a multicenter randomized, controlled trial (STOP-or-NOT trial).

BACKGROUND: Chronic treatment of hypertension or heart failure very often includes an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) as renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASi) treatments. To stop or not to stop these medications before major surgery remains an unresolved issue. The lack of evidence leads to conflicting guidelines with respect to RASi management before major surgery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a strategy of RASi continuation or discontinuation on perioperative complications in patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery. METHODS: This is a multicenter, open-labeled randomized controlled trial in > 30 French centers. In the experimental group, RASi will be continued while the treatment will be stopped 48 h before the surgery in the control arm. The primary endpoint is a composite endpoint of major complications after surgery. An endpoint adjudication committee will review clinical data and adjudicate efficacy endpoints while blinded to the assigned study drug group. Main analysis will be by intention-to-treat comparing the composite outcome measure at 28 days in the two groups. A total of 2222 patients are planned to detect an absolute complications difference of 5%. DISCUSSION: The results of the trial should provide robust evidence to anesthesiologists and surgeons regarding management of RASi before major non-cardiac surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03374449 . Registered on 11 December 2017.

Effect of glucose-insulin-potassium in severe acute heart failure after brain death.

BACKGROUND: As a result of donor heart shortage, resorting to marginal heart donors is being promoted. Dobutamine is usually used to support these potential donors and has been proposed to identify the reversible part of the brain death-induced myocardial dysfunction before potential organ donation. But dobutamine impairs the oxygen supply-demand balance and may increase myocardial ischemia. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of dobutamine and glucose-insulin-potassium on the left ventricular systolic dysfunction in brain dead patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred thirty-five consecutive brain dead patients were prospectively screened. Twelve of them with severe acute heart failure defined by an echocardiographic ejection fraction area <30% received 10 microg/kg/min dobutamine infusion over 30 min and, after return to baseline cardiac function, glucose-insulin-potassium infusion over 120 min. With dobutamine, ejection fraction area significantly increased (39 +/- 14 vs. 21 +/- 6%, p < 0.0001) whereas mean diastolic arterial pressure decreased (71 +/- 9 vs. 89 +/- 18 mm Hg, p < 0.05) and heart rate increased (150 +/- 16 vs. 118 +/- 24 beats/min, p < 0.01). After glucose-insulin-potassium infusion, ejection fraction area significantly increased (37 +/- 8 vs. 21 +/- 6%, p < 0.0001), without significant changes in mean arterial blood pressure (79 +/- 16 vs. 89 +/- 18 mm Hg, nonsignificant) and heart rate (116 +/- 18 vs. 118 +/- 24 beats/min, nonsignificant). CONCLUSION: Glucose-insulin-potassium was as efficient as dobutamine in improving ventricular systolic function in brain-dead patients, without the side effects of dobutamine.

Influence of renal dysfunction on the accuracy of procalcitonin for the diagnosis of postoperative infection after vascular surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Procalcitonin has been advocated as a specific biomarker for bacterial infection. We performed this study to determine whether accuracy of procalcitonin for diagnosis of postoperative bacterial infection is affected by renal function after aortic surgery. DESIGN: Single-center prospective study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Two hundred seventy-six patients scheduled for elective major aortic surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Blood samples were taken before surgery and each day over the 5-day postoperative period, and measurement of serum procalcitonin was performed. Diagnosis of infection was performed by a blinded expert panel. Renal function was assessed using an estimate of creatinine clearance with the Cockcroft formulas. Renal dysfunction was defined as a creatinine clearance <50 mL x min(-1). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Infection was diagnosed in 67 patients. Seventy five patients (27%) had postoperative renal dysfunction. Procalcitonin was significantly higher in infected patients, with a peak reached at the fourth postoperative day, but it was significantly higher in patients with impaired renal function in both control and infected patients. The optimal threshold of procalcitonin markedly differed in patients with renal dysfunction compared with patients without renal dysfunction (2.57 vs. 0.80 ng x mL(-1), p < .05). The diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin significantly increased (0.74 vs. 0.70, p < .05) when the threshold of procalcitonin was adapted to the renal function. The elevation of procalcitonin occurred 2 days before the medical team was able to diagnose infection. CONCLUSIONS: Procalcitonin is a valuable marker of bacterial infections after major aortic surgery, but renal function is a major determinant of procalcitonin levels and thus different thresholds should be applied according to renal function impairment.

A combined clinical and MRI approach for outcome assessment of traumatic head injured comatose patients.

UNLABELLED: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with substantial consumption of health care resources. No clinical or paraclinical examination can reliably predict neurological evolution. In this study, we evaluated the ability of a combined clinical and MRI approach to predict outcome. METHODS: This prospective study took place between June 2001 and March 2005 in a Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit in Paris, France. Inclusion criteria were TBI patients still mechanically ventilated and without clinical signs of awareness after 2 weeks. Four clinical signs were assessed after cessation of sedation: grasping, yawning, chewing and paroxysmal sympathetic storm. FLAIR and T2* acquisitions on MRI were used in order to localize brain lesions. Statistically linked regions (clusters) were defined. Outcome was assessed at one year by Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). FINDINGS: 73 patients were included: 41 had poor outcome (GOS 1-3) and 32 had good outcome (GOS 4-5). Lesions in the clusters "right upper pons and right lower midbrain"," hypothalamus and basal forebrain","left parietal, left temporal, left occipital lobes and left insula" and the presence of grasping or chewing were associated with poor outcome in multivariate analysis. This combined clinical and MRI approach gives a much better prediction than MRI approach only (P < 0.009), with an area under the ROC curve of 0.94 (95 % CI, 0.89-1.00). INTERPRETATION: These data suggest that MRI associated with clinical assessment improves outcome prediction in severe TBI patients.

Procalcitonin in liver transplantation: are high levels due to donors or recipients?

INTRODUCTION: To date, a specific marker to evaluate and predict the clinical course or complication of the liver-transplanted patient is not available in clinical practice. Increased procalcitonin (PCT) levels have been found in infectious inflammation; poor organ perfusion and high PCT levels in the cardiac donor appeared to predict early graft failure. We evaluated PCT as a predictor of early graft dysfunction and postoperative complications. METHODS: PCT serum concentrations were measured in samples collected before organ retrieval from 67 consecutive brain-dead donors and in corresponding recipients from day 0, before liver transplantation, up to day 7 after liver transplantation. The following parameters were recorded in donors: amount of vasopressive drug doses, cardiac arrest history 24 hours before retrieval, number of days in the intensive care unit, age of donor, and infection in donor, and the following parameters were recorded in recipients: cold and warm ischemia time, veno-venous bypass, transfusion amount during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), and occurrence of postoperative complication or hepatic dysfunction. RESULTS: In the donor, the preoperative level of PCT was associated with cardiac arrest and high doses of catecholamines before organ retrieval. In the recipient, elevated PCT levels were observed early after OLT, with a peak at day 1 or 2 after OLT, then a decrease until day 7. A postoperative peak of PCT levels was associated neither with preoperative PCT levels in the donor or the recipients nor with hepatic post-OLT dysfunction or other postoperative complications, but with two donor parameters: infection and cardiac arrest. CONCLUSION: PCT level in the donor and early PCT peak in the recipient are not predictive of post-OLT hepatic dysfunction or other complications. Cardiac arrest and infection in the donor, but not PCT level in the donor, are associated with high post-OLT PCT levels in the recipient.

Predictive factors of severe postoperative pain in the postanesthesia care unit.

BACKGROUND: I.v. morphine titration (IMT) is widely used in the postanesthesia care unit to achieve pain relief. Numerous factors contribute to variability in postoperative pain or morphine consumption. We analyzed prospectively the pre- and intraoperative predictive factors of severe postoperative pain defined as a dose of IMT >0.15 mg/kg or a failure of IMT. METHODS: We assessed the role of preoperative information about pain, medical treatments, and intraoperative events and their role on postoperative pain. After IMT, patients were divided into two groups: severe pain (SP) and nonsevere pain. Data are expressed as mean +/- SD. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-two patients were included in the study: 200 (58%) in the nonsevere pain group and 142 (42%) in the SP group. Using a univariate analysis, there was no significant difference between groups related to medical or surgical history except for more frequent preoperative treatments in the SP group (P < 0.05). Duration of the surgical procedure and anesthesia were longer in the SP group (P < 0.001). The dose of sufentanil and visual analog scale scores before and at the end of IMT were higher in the SP group (P < 0.001). Using a multivariate analysis, a high dose of intraoperative opioid (sufentanil dose >0.6 microg/kg) (Odds ratio = 2.68, P < 0.001), a general anesthetic procedure (Odd ratio = 3.96, P = 0.03), and the use of preoperative analgesic drugs (Odds ratio = 1.91, P < 0.01) were independent factors associated with severe postoperative pain. CONCLUSION: A higher intraoperative dose of sufentanil, general anesthesia, and preoperative treatment with analgesics were significantly associated with severe postoperative pain.

Perioperative management of patients with coronary artery disease undergoing non-cardiac surgery: Summary from the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine 2017 convention.

This review summarises the specific stakes of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative periods of patients with coronary artery disease undergoing non-cardiac surgery. All practitioners involved in the perioperative management of such high cardiac risk patients should be aware of the modern concepts expected to decrease major adverse cardiac events and improve short- and long-term outcomes. A multidisciplinary approach via a functional heart team including anaesthesiologists, cardiologists and surgeons must be encouraged. Rational and algorithm-guided management of those patients should be known and implemented from preoperative to postoperative period.