Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), transfusion requirements and clinical outcomes in orthotopic liver transplantation.

Inflammatory phenomena have a direct impact on the prognosis of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute to OLT inflammation and hemostasis imbalance in OLT. The association between NETosis, clinical outcomes and transfusion requirements is not determined. To evaluate NETs release during OLT and the effect of NETosis ontransfusion requirements and adverse outcomes in a prospective cohort of patients submitted to OLT. We quantified citrullinated histones (cit-H3) and circulating-free-DNA (cf-DNA) in ninety-three patients submitted to OLT in three periods: pre-transplant, after graft reperfusion and before discharge. NETs markers were compared between these periods using ANOVA test. The association of NETosis and adverse outcomes was evaluated using regression models adjusted for age, sex and corrected MELD. We observed a peak of circulating NETs following reperfusion, evidenced by a 2.4-fold increase in cit-H3 levels in the post-graft reperfusion period (median levels of cit-H3 pre transplant: 0.5 ng/mL, after reperfusion: 1.2 ng/mL and at discharge 0.5 ng/mL, p < 0.0001). We observed an association between increased levels of cit-H3 and in-hospital death (OR = 1.168, 95% CI 1.021-1.336, p = 0.024). No association was found between NETs markers and transfusion requirements. There is a prompt release of NETs after reperfusion that is associated with poorer outcomes and death. Intraoperative NETs release seems to be independent of transfusion requirements. These findings highlight the relevance of inflammation promoted by NETS and its impact on OLT adverse clinical outcomes.

Risk Factors for Transfusion after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of blood products during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although risk factors associated with intraoperative transfusion requirements have been widely assessed, published data on the prediction of postoperative transfusion requirements are sparse. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors for postoperative allogeneic transfusion requirements in OLT. METHODS: Clinical characteristics and intraoperative parameters of 645 consecutive adult patients undergoing OLT were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the main determinants for postoperative transfusion requirements. RESULTS: Determinants of postoperative transfusion requirements of any blood product in the postoperative period were the number of blood products transfused in the intraoperative period (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.08-1.28), warm ischemia time (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.08), MELD score (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.08) and hepatocellular carcinoma (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.28-0.72). A dose-dependent effect between the number of units transfused in the intraoperative period and transfusion requirements in the postoperative period was also observed. The relative risk of postoperative allogeneic transfusion of any blood component was 5.9 (95% CI 3.4-10.4) for patients who received 1-2 units in the intraoperative period, 7.3 (95% CI 3.6-14.7) for those who received 3-5 units in the intraoperative period, and 11.1 (95% CI 4.7-26.4) for those who received 6 or more units, when compared to no intraoperative blood transfusion. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated an association between intraoperative transfusion and warm ischemia time with postoperative transfusion requirements. The identification of risk factors for transfusion in the postoperative period may improve management of these patients by increasing awareness to bleeding complications in this high-risk population and by expanding hemostasis monitoring to the postoperative period.

Influence of glycemic control on fetal lung maturity in gestations affected by diabetes or mild hyperglycemia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of glycemic control on fetal lung maturity in pregnancies affected by diabetes or mild hyperglycemia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Level III maternity center. POPULATION: A total of 187 pregnant women were submitted to routine amniocentesis for the assessment of fetal lung maturity up to 72 hours before delivery. METHODS: Fetal lung maturity thresholds were: Clements-positive at a dilution of 0.5; OD(650) (nm)> or =0.15; and lamellar body count (LBC) > or = 32,000/microl. The relation of test results with adequate (< or =6.7 mmol/l) or poor (>6.7 mmol/l) glycemic mean (GM) at term and at preterm was evaluated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Delay in fetal lung maturity when glycemic control was poor. RESULTS: Glycemic control was adequate in 146 (78.1%) women. Clements maturity rates were higher at term (91.9%) than at preterm (64.7%) when GM < or = 6.7 mmol/l (p<0.001), but not when control was inadequate. LBC median was higher at term (99.0; 62.0-154.0) than at preterm (66.5; 40.5-108.25) (p=0.009) when GM < or = 6.7 mmol/l, while GM > 6.7 mmol/l did not lead to any difference between these rates at term or preterm. When glycemic control was adequate, OD(650) (nm) medians at term and at preterm were similar. However, when GM >6.7 mmol/l, OD(650) (nm) median at term (0.29; 0.22-0.40) was higher than that observed at preterm (0.15; 0.12-0.18) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in term pregnancies routine amniocentesis for the assessment of fetal lung maturity should be abandoned. In preterm pregnancies, or when glycemic control is inadequate it is recommended.

Prevalência de sobrepeso/obesidade em crianças e adolescentes com constipação crônica funcional / Overweight/obesity prevalence in children and adolescents with chronic functional constipation

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência do sobrepeso/obesidade em um grupo de crianças com constipação crônica funcional. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo com 257 crianças de dois a 15 anos com constipação crônica funcional diagnosticada segundo critérios de Roma II, atendidas consecutivamente em clínica terciária de gastroenterologia pediátrica. Informações demográficas, clínicas, diagnósticas e antropométricas foram obtidas de prontuários. O índice de massa corporal (IMC) foi calculado e utilizou-se a referência do Centers for Disease Control para determinar o percentil de IMC para idade e gênero. Crianças com percentil de IMC>85 foram consideradas com sobrepeso/obesidade; as com percentis > 5 e <85 foram classificadas como eutróficas. RESULTADOS: Para as variáveis sociodemográficas e clínicas, não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre os subgrupos sobrepeso/obesidade e eutrofia. A prevalência de crianças constipadas com sobrepeso/obesidade foi de 24,%. A média dos percentis do subgrupo sobrepeso/obesidade foi 94,4±4,3; a das eutróficas foi 45,3±24,2. A prevalência de sobrepeso/obesidade foi similar em ambos os sexos e grupos etários (<7 anos e >7 anos). CONCLUSÕES: Os subgrupos dos eutróficos e sobrepeso/obesidade foram homogêneos nas características sociodemográficas e clínicas, sugerindo que tais variáveis não influenciaram na prevalência do excesso de peso. A prevalência estimada de sobrepeso/obesidade entre as crianças com constipação crônica funcional está dentro dos valores esperados para a população pediátrica brasileira.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity in a group of children with chronic functional constipation. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 257 children with chronic functional constipation as defined by Rome II criteria, 2-15 years old, assisted in a tertiary pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Demographic, clinical, diagnostic and anthropometric information was extracted from the charts. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and The Centers for Disease Control's BMI growth reference was used to determine age and gender-specific BMI percentiles of the children. Overweight/obesity was classified as a BMI of >85th percentile, and euthrophy as BMI >5th and <85th percentile. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference for demographics and clinical variables between the subgroups overweight/obesity and eutrophy. In constipated children, prevalence of overweight/obesity was 24.4%. Prevalence of overweight/obesity did not differ between boys and girls or across age groups (<7 years and >7 years). CONCLUSIONS: Demographics and clinical characteristics were similar between the overweight/obese and eutrophic subgroups, which suggests that these characteristics do not influence on the prevalence of overweight/obesity in constipated children. The estimated prevalence of overweight/obesity in this group was similar to the prevalence of age-matched reference for Brazilian children.