Acute renal failure according to the RIFLE and AKIN criteria: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of acute renal failure (ARF) in critically ill patients using the RIFLE and AKIN criteria. DESIGN: A prospective, multicenter observational study with a duration of one year from February 2010 was carried out. RIFLE and AKIN were employed using the urinary (UC) and creatinine criteria (CC) jointly and separately. SCOPE: Nine polyvalent Critical Care Units (CCUs) in Argentina. PATIENTS: A total of 627 critical patients over 18 years of age were admitted to the CCU for more than 48h. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: inability to quantify diuresis, surgical instrumentation of the urinary tract, and need for renal support therapy (RST). VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Calculated hourly diuresis (CHD) was used to apply the UC. RESULTS: The incidence of ARF was 69.4% and 51.8% according to RIFLE and AKIN, respectively. UC detected ARF in 59.5% of cases, while CC identified ARF in 34.7% (RIFLE) and 25.3% (AKIN). The mortality rate was 40.9% and 44.6% according to RIFLE and AKIN respectively, was significantly higher than in patients without ARF, and increased with disease severity (Data processing: Excel, SQL and SPSS. Levene test, comparison of means with Student t and chi-squared, with 95% confidence interval). CONCLUSIONS: RIFLE identified more cases of ARF. UC proved more effective than CC. The presence of ARF and severity levels were correlated to mortality but not to days of stay in the CCU. Implementation of the unified CHD was useful for implementing UC and achieving comparable results.

[Clinical pathways in acute pancreatitis: recommendations for early multidisciplinary management. Scientific Committee of the SEMICYUC. Working Group on Infectious Diseases (GTEI-SEMICYUC)]. / Hoja de ruta de los cuidados clínicos para la pancreatitis aguda: recomendaciones para el manejo anticipado multidisciplinar (clinical pathways).

There is a growing body of evidence that early management of patients with acute pancreatitis may alter the natural course of disease and improve outcomes of patients. The aim of this paper is to optimize the management of patients with acute pancreatitis during the first 72 h after hospital admission by proposing several clinical care pathways. The proposed pathways are based on the SEMICYUC 2005 Recommendations with incorporation of the latest developments in the field, particularly the determinants-based classification of acute pancreatitis severity. The pathways also incorporate the "alarm signs", the use of therapeutic modalities known as PANCREAS, and the "call to ICU" criteria. Further studies will need to assess whether the adoption of these pathway reduces mortality and morbidity in patients with acute pancreatitis. The previous SEMICYUC guidelines on management of patients with acute pancreatitis in Intensive Care will need to be revised to reflect the recent developments in the field.

Gangrena simétrica periférica vinculada a coagulación intravascular diseminada, shock séptico e infusión de noradrenalina / Symmetric peripheral gangrene linked to coagulation disseminated intravascular septic shock and infusion of noradrenaline

Introducción: Los intensivistas se enfrentan habitualmente con cuadros clínicos que pueden producir el síndrome de gangrena simétrica periférica. Al reconocer esta posibilidad, pueden prevenirlo, atenuarlo o revertirlo y reducir la morbimortalidad. Presentación del caso: Varón de 34 años con antecedentes de alcoholismo que se presenta con sepsis grave secundaria a absceso de pulmón derecho. Evolucionó con coagulación intravascular diseminada, requirió altas dosis de noradrenalina y tuvo gangrena acral en las cuatro extremidades. Finalmente falleció. Conclusiones: La combinación de shock e hipoperfusión, altas dosis de vasopresores y coagulación intravascular diseminada se vincula con la gangrena simétrica periférica que sufrió nuestro paciente. El manejo terapéutico de la gangrena simétrica periférica es multidisciplinario. (AU)

Introduction: Intensivists are confronted regularly with clinical and therapeutic conditions that can produce symmetrical peripheral gangrene syndrome. Knowing this possibility, they may prevent, attenuate and/or reverse it, and reduce its morbidity and mortality. Case presentation: A 34 years old man with history of alcoholism who presented with severe sepsis due to right lung abscess. The patient developed disseminated intravascular coagulation, he required high doses of noradrenaline infusion and he had acral gangrene in the four limbs. Finally he died. Conclusions: The combination of shock and hypoperfusion, high doses of vasopressors and disseminated intravascular coagulation is associated with the symmetrical peripheral gangrene presented by our patient. The therapeutic management of the symmetrical peripheral gangrene is multidisciplinary.(AU)