Hemoadsorption in the critically ill-Final results of the International CytoSorb Registry.

The aim of the current paper is to summarize the results of the International CytoSorb Registry. Data were collected on patients of the intensive care unit. The primary endpoint was actual in-hospital mortality compared to the mortality predicted by APACHE II score. The main secondary endpoints were SOFA scores, inflammatory biomarkers and overall evaluation of the general condition. 1434 patients were enrolled. Indications for hemoadsorption were sepsis/septic shock (N = 936); cardiac surgery perioperatively (N = 172); cardiac surgery postoperatively (N = 67) and "other" reasons (N = 259). APACHE-II-predicted mortality was 62.0±24.8%, whereas observed hospital mortality was 50.1%. Overall SOFA scores did not change but cardiovascular and pulmonary SOFA scores decreased by 0.4 [-0.5;-0.3] and -0.2 [-0.3;-0.2] points, respectively. Serum procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels showed significant reduction: -15.4 [-19.6;-11.17] ng/mL; -17,52 [-70;44] mg/L, respectively. In the septic cohort PCT and IL-6 also showed significant reduction: -18.2 [-23.6;-12.8] ng/mL; -2.6 [-3.0;-2.2] pg/mL, respectively. Evaluation of the overall effect: minimal improvement (22%), much improvement (22%) and very much improvement (10%), no change observed (30%) and deterioration (4%). There was no significant difference in the primary outcome of mortality, but there were improvements in cardiovascular and pulmonary SOFA scores and a reduction in PCT, CRP and IL-6 levels. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02312024 (retrospectively registered).

The influence of preoperative MRI of the breasts on recurrence rate in patients with breast cancer.

Preoperative MRI of the breasts has been proven to be the most sensitive imaging modality in the detection of multifocal or multicentric tumor manifestations as well as simultaneous contralateral breast cancer. The aim of the presented retrospective study was to evaluate the benefit of preoperative MRI for patients with breast cancer. Preoperative MRI performed in 121 patients (group A) were compared to 225 patients without preoperative MRI (group B). Patients of group A underwent contrast-enhanced MR imaging of the breast using a 2D FLASH sequence technique (TR/TE/FA 336 ms/5 ms/90 degrees; 32 slices of 4-mm thickness, time of acquisition 1:27 min, contrast agent dosage 0.1 mmol Gd-DTPA/kg bw). All patients had histologically verified breast cancer and follow-up for more than 20 months (mean time group A: 40.3 months, group B: 41 months). Both groups received the same types of systemic treatment after breast conserving surgery. The in-breast tumor recurrence rate in group A was 1/86 (1.2%) compared to 9/133 (6.8%) in group B. Contralateral carcinoma were detected within follow-up in 2/121 (1.7%) in group A vs. 9/225 (4%) in group B. All results were statistically significant (P<0.001). Based on these results, preoperative MRI of the breasts is recommended in patients with histopathologically verified breast cancer for local staging.