[Perioperative use of levosimendan in cardiac surgery. Hungarian recommendation]. / A levoszimendán perioperatív alkalmazása a szívsebészetben. Magyar ajánlás.

Low output syndrome significantly increases morbidity and mortality of cardiac surgery and lengthens the durations of intensive care unit and hospital stays. Its treatment by catecholamines can lead to undesirable systemic and cardiac complications. Levosimendan is a calcium sensitiser and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium channel (IK,ATP) opener agent. Due to these effects, it improves myocardium performance, does not influence adversely the balance between O2 supply and demand, and possesses cardioprotective and organ protective properties as well. Based on the scientific literature and experts' opinions, a European recommendation was published on the perioperative use of levosimendan in cardiac surgery in 2015. Along this line, and also taking into consideration cardiac surgeon, anaesthesiologist and cardiologist representatives of the seven Hungarian heart centres and the children heart centre, the Hungarian recommendation has been formulated that is based on two pillars: literature evidence and Hungarian expert opinions. The reviewed fields are: coronary and valvular surgery, assist device implantation, heart transplantation both in adult and pediatric cardiologic practice. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(22): 870-877.

Performance of EuroSCORE II in Hungary: a single-centre validation study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of the updated cardiac surgical risk stratification system, EuroSCORE II, needs widespread assessment in the cardiac surgical centres where it is intended to be used. The present paper is a single-centre validation study carried out in Hungary. METHODS: An adult cardiac surgical cohort of 2287 patients was investigated. The general levels of performance of the logistic EuroSCORE and that of EuroSCORE II were compared using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, ROC analysis and calculation of the Brier score. The calibrations were visualised by smoothed curves derived with the help of local polynomial regression. The efficacy of EuroSCORE II was analysed in different operation types and urgency subgroups. RESULTS: The old EuroSCORE over-estimated the risk (O:E ratio: 0.66, HL test, p < 0.01), while EuroSCORE II slightly under-predicted mortality (O:E ratio:1.19, HL test, p = 0.0084). Comparing the ROC AUCs, we did not find a significant difference between the accuracy of the old and new versions of EuroSCORE (0.8017, 95% CI: 0.7596-0.8438 vs. 0.8177 95% CI: 0.7786-0.8569). EuroSCORE II performed well among CABG patients (O:E ratio: 0.75, HL test, p = 0.5789) and in those who underwent elective surgery (O:E ratio: 1.1, HL test, p = 0.1396), but failed in the emergency (O:E ratio: 1.71, HL test, p = 0.0055) and salvage (O:E ratio:1.36, HL test, p = 0.0245) categories. CONCLUSIONS: EuroSCORE II proved to be more suitable for cardiac surgical risk prediction compared with its previous version, but its reliability can be questioned among patients who need emergency and salvage surgery, as well as in the case of combined operations.

[Significance of selenium in the pathogenesis and therapy of cardiovascular diseases and those requiring intensive care]. / A szelén szerepe a cardiovascularis és intenzív kezelést igénylo betegségek létrejöttében és kezelésében.

Selenium deficiency results in profound changes in cellular defence mechanisms against oxidative stress, which plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease and the associated risk factors. Increased formation and decreased elimination of reactive oxygen radicals contribute to the complicated mechanisms of sepsis and related disorders. Use of selenium in prevention and treatment of the above mentioned conditions is not a new idea, but controversial data were published in relation to both fields recently. The aim of the present review is to summarize the most important results related to this area.

Lower whole blood selenium level is associated with higher operative risk and mortality following cardiac surgery.

PURPOSE: The authors intended to test their hypothesis that a low blood selenium level is associated with higher mortality, morbidity, and increased inflammatory response following cardiac surgery. METHODS: A single-center clinical survey was conducted on 197 consecutive patients undergoing on-pump operation in Debrecen, Hungary. Blood samples for whole blood selenium analysis were taken immediately before the surgery. Their risk profiles were evaluated according to the EuroSCORE. The outcome parameters were as follows: 30-day mortality, incidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and cardiac and renal dysfunction. The main laboratory outcome variables were the postoperative concentrations of C-reactive protein and cardiac troponin I. RESULTS: The mean blood selenium level was significantly lower in non-survivors 102.2 ± 19.5 µg/L compared with survivors 111.1 ± 16.9 µg/L (p = 0.047), and the mean age, EuroSCORE values, and troponin concentrations were significantly higher in the non-survivors. To exclude these potential confounders a logistic regression model was fitted to our data, with mortality as the outcome and the EuroSCORE, the degree of troponin elevation, and selenium concentration as explanatory variables. This model revealed that a lower selenium level was a minor but apparently existing risk factor for postoperative mortality. CONCLUSION: Further examinations are required to clarify the question that remained unanswered in this study: the role of low selenium in the causality chain leading to higher postoperative mortality.

Patient Blood Management in cardiac anesthesia / A vértranszfúzió-takarékos eljárások alkalmazása a szívsebészetben.

The accessibility to blood products is increasingly limited worldwide. Approximately half of the blood products is utilized in cardiovascular surgery. The rational use of the available blood products has therefore paramount importance in everyday practice. In the present publication, the possible methods of blood-product sparing in cardiac surgery are summarized. We have emphasized the principles of the treatment and the prevention of severe peri-operative bleeding. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(37): 1579-1587.

Organ replacement therapy and life-supporting treatment modalities in critically ill COVID-19 patients / [Emelt szintu szervtámogató és életfenntartó kezelések kritikus állapotú COVID­19-fertozött betegeken]

In critically ill COVID-19 patients, the failure of the cardiorespiratory system can be due to one of the following: (1) cytokine storm, haemophagocytosis ­ septic shock, (2) unmanageable hypoxemia, (3) isolated organ failure or as part of multi-organ failure. Herein we give an overview of the therapeutic options for treating or preventing these disease states. In recent years, CytoSorb-haemoperfusion to remove cytokines has shown promising results in the treatment of septic shock. Inhalational nitric oxide (iNO), inhalational epoprostenol and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are options in severe hypoxemia that is unresponsive to conventional mechanical ventilation. Renal failure is a frequent component of the multi-organ failure usually seen with disease progression and necessitates starting one of the available continuous renal replacement modalities. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(17): 704­709.

Pharmacological options in treating SASR-CoV-2 infection/COVID-19 / [Farmakoterápiás lehetoségek SARS-CoV-2-fertozés/COVID­19-betegség esetén]

There is currently no proven effective therapy for COVID-19. Here we discuss the drugs most investigated for the treatment of the disease. All the listed therapies are experimental at this stage. However, due to the severe healthcare effects of the pandemic and the potentially fatal outcome of COVID-19 patients treated in the intensive care units, their off-label use should none-the-less be considered. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(17): 685­688.

Practical aspects of intensive care for critically ill COVID-19 patients requiring respiratory support / [Kritikus állapotú, légzéstámogatást igénylo COVID­19-fertozött beteg ellátásának gyakorlati szempontjai]

In December 2019, a novel outbreak of pneumonia was reported in Wuhan city, China. Initially, the zoonitic infection spread from human to human, causing a pandemic. This viral disease (COVID-19) can appear in a variety of forms, from asymptomatic through the spectrum of mild symptoms to severe respiratory failure, requiring intensive care. Caring for this latter group of patients puts a significant burden on health care. The purpose of this summary is to present the practical aspects of intensive care for patients requiring respiratory support and mechanical ventilation. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(17): 678­684.

Practical aspects of anesthetic and perioperative care for COVID-19 patients / [A COVID­19-fertozött betegek anesztéziájának és perioperatív ellátásának gyakorlati szempontjai]

Caring for those affected by the coronavirus outbreak of December 2019 imposed a heavy burden on healthcare systems. Not only because some patients require intensive care, but because patients with any form of the disease may need surgical intervention. Managing these cases is a major challenge for anesthesiologists. The purpose of this summary is to present the practical aspects of anesthetic and perioperative care for patients requiring surgical treatment. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(17): 692­695.

Airway management of coronavirus-infected patients / [Légútbiztosítás koronavírus-fertozött betegekben]

The coronavirus pandemic is a serious challenge for healthcare workers worldwide. The virus is spread through the air by droplets of moisture when people cough or sneeze and it has a very high virulence. Procedures generating airway aerosols are dangerous for every participant of patient care. The serious form of coronavirus infection can cause progressive respiratory failure. The best treatment is early endotracheal intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation. Intubation is an aerosol-generating process and thus carries the risk of contamination. Additionally the airway management of this patient population is usually difficult. The goal of this article is to give a practice-based overview of the peculiarities of airway management in coronavirus-infected patients with special regard to infection control and patient safety considerations. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(17): 696­703.

Intrahospital resuscitation of COVID-19 patients / [A COVID­19-betegek kórházon belüli újraélesztésének speciális szempontjai]

The coronavirus pandemic is a serious challenge for healthcare workers worldwide. The virus is spread through the air by droplets of moisture when people cough or sneeze and it has a very high virulence. Procedures generating airway aerosols are dangerous for every participant of patient care. Mortality of COVID-19 is above 10%, thus cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an often needed intervention in this patient group. Resuscitation is an aerosol-generating process and thus carries the risk of contamination. The goal of this article is to give a practice-based overview of the specialities of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in coronavirus-infected patients. Orv Hetil. 2020. 161(17): 710­712.