Factors associated with thrombocytopenia in severe leptospirosis (Weil's disease).

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate factors associated with thrombocytopenia in a large cohort of patients with leptospirosis in an endemic area. METHODS: This retrospective study included 374 consecutive patients with leptospirosis who were admitted to tertiary hospitals in Fortaleza, Brazil. All patients had a diagnosis of severe leptospirosis (Weil's disease). Acute kidney injury was defined according to the RIFLE criteria. Thrombocytopenia was defined as a platelet count <100,000/mm3. RESULTS: A total of 374 patients were included, with a mean age of 36.1 ± 15.5 years, and 83.4% were male. Thrombocytopenia was present at the time of hospital admission in 200 cases (53.5%), and it developed during the hospital stay in 150 cases (40.3%). The patients with thrombocytopenia had higher frequencies of dehydration (53% vs. 35.3%, p=0.001), epistaxis (5.7% vs. 0.8%, p=0.033), hematemesis (13% vs. 4.6%, p=0.006), myalgia (91.5% vs. 84.5%, p=0.038), hematuria (54.8% vs. 37.6%, p=0.011), metabolic acidosis (18% vs. 9.2%, p=0.016) and hypoalbuminemia (17.8% vs. 7.5%, p=0.005). The independent risk factors associated with thrombocytopenia during the hospital stay were lengthy disease (OR: 1.2, p=0.001) and acute kidney injury (OR: 6.6, p=0.004). Mortality was not associated with thrombocytopenia at admission (12.5% vs. 12.6%, p=1.000) or during the hospital stay (12.6% vs. 11.3%, p=0.748). CONCLUSIONS: Thrombocytopenia is a frequent complication in leptospirosis, and this condition was present in more than half of patients at the time of hospital admission. Lengthy disease and acute kidney injury are risk factors for thrombocytopenia. There was no significant association between thrombocytopenia and mortality.

Factors associated with thrombocytopenia in severe leptospirosis (Weil's disease)

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate factors associated with thrombocytopenia in a large cohort of patients with leptospirosis in an endemic area. METHODS: This retrospective study included 374 consecutive patients with leptospirosis who were admitted to tertiary hospitals in Fortaleza, Brazil. All patients had a diagnosis of severe leptospirosis (Weil's disease). Acute kidney injury was defined according to the RIFLE criteria. Thrombocytopenia was defined as a platelet count <100,000/mm3. RESULTS: A total of 374 patients were included, with a mean age of 36.1±15.5 years, and 83.4% were male. Thrombocytopenia was present at the time of hospital admission in 200 cases (53.5%), and it developed during the hospital stay in 150 cases (40.3%). The patients with thrombocytopenia had higher frequencies of dehydration (53% vs. 35.3%, p = 0.001), epistaxis (5.7% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.033), hematemesis (13% vs. 4.6%, p = 0.006), myalgia (91.5% vs. 84.5%, p = 0.038), hematuria (54.8% vs. 37.6%, p = 0.011), metabolic acidosis (18% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.016) and hypoalbuminemia (17.8% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.005). The independent risk factors associated with thrombocytopenia during the hospital stay were lengthy disease (OR: 1.2, p = 0.001) and acute kidney injury (OR: 6.6, p = 0.004). Mortality was not associated with thrombocytopenia at admission (12.5% vs. 12.6%, p = 1.000) or during the hospital stay (12.6% vs. 11.3%, p = 0.748). CONCLUSIONS: Thrombocytopenia is a frequent complication in leptospirosis, and this condition was present in more than half of patients at the time of hospital admission. Lengthy disease and acute kidney injury are risk factors for thrombocytopenia. There was no significant association between thrombocytopenia and mortality. .

Different patterns in a cohort of patients with severe leptospirosis (Weil syndrome): effects of an educational program in an endemic area.

The aim of this study is to investigate the changes in clinical pattern and therapeutic measures in leptospirosis-associated acute kidney injury; a retrospective study with 318 patients in Brazil. Patients were divided according to the time of admission: 1985-1996 (group I) and 1997-2010 (group II). Patients were younger in group I (36 ± 13 versus 41 ± 16 years, P = 0.005) and the numbers of oliguria increased (21% versus 41% in group II, P = 0.014). Higher frequency of lung manifestations was observed in group II (P < 0.0001). Although increased severity, there was a significant reduction in mortality (20% in group I versus 12% in group II, P = 0.03). Mortality was associated with advanced age, low diastolic blood pressure, oliguria, arrhythmia, and peritoneal dialysis, besides a trend to better mortality with penicillin administration. Leptospirosis is occurring in an older population, with a higher number of oliguria and lung manifestations. However, mortality is decreasing and can be the result of changes in treatment.

[Leptospirosis (Weil's disease) in Augsburg]. / Leptospirose (Morbus Weil) in Augsburg.

HISTORY: Three unrelated patients presented within three months at the Central Hospital of Augsburg, Southern Germany, with jaundice of initially unknown etiology. Patient (Pt.) 1, a 51-year old man was admitted with a history of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice and anuria. Pt. 2 was a 58-year-old man who had fever and shivering, and had developed jaundice after a fishing-trip to Canada. Pt. 3 was a 66-year-old woman who presented at the Emergency Unit with recently developed jaundice and pain in the right lateral epigastric area. INVESTIGATIONS: Laboratory results showed elevated levels for bilirubin, CK, BUN, creatinine and low thrombocytes in patients 1 and 2. An elevated lipase level was found in Pt 1, while Pt 3 had an elevated bilirubin and thrombocytopenia. In Pt 1 and 2 active leptospirosis was diagnosed by serological tests. The third patient showed a subsided leptospirosis, the jaundice having been due to a histologically confirmed drug-associated hepatitis. TREATMENT AND COURSE: Patients 1 and 2, who had active disease, showed the full-blown clinical picture of Weil's disease with jaundice, renal failure and thrombocytopenia. After administration of penicillin G and a third generation cephalosporin (ceftriaxone), respectively, all symptoms disappeared. The 66-year-old woman (Pt 3) developed pneumonia and died of multiple organ failure. CONCLUSION: Leptospirosis is an important differential diagnosis in patients with recent onset of jaundice and acute renal failure. A detailed history may offer the crucial hint and serological tests provide proof. The clinical outcome mainly depends on starting antimicrobial therapy with penicillin G or a third generation cephalosporin as soon as practicable.

Door-to-dialysis time and daily hemodialysis in patients with leptospirosis: impact on mortality.

BACKGROUND: Leptospirosis is a public health problem, the severe form of which (Weil's disease) includes acute respiratory distress syndrome, typically accompanied by acute kidney injury (AKI), and is associated with high mortality rates. Recent evidence suggests that dialysis dosage affects outcomes in critically ill patients with sepsis-induced AKI. However, this population varies widely in terms of age, gender, and concomitant conditions, making it difficult to determine the appropriate timing (door-to-dialysis time) and dialysis dosage. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: It is logical to assume that increasing the dialysis dosage would minimize uremic complications and improve outcomes in such patients. Patients with Weil's disease constitute a homogeneous population and are typically free of comorbidities, therefore presenting an ideal model in which to test this assumption. RESULTS: The effects of dialysis dosage were evaluated in this population, with the use of either classic or slow low-efficiency hemodialysis, and two periods/treatment plans were compared: 2002 to 2003/delayed, alternate-day dialysis (DAdD group; n = 15) and 2004 to 2005/prompt and daily dialysis (PaDD group; n = 18). Age, gender, AKI severity, APACHE score, serum urea, and time to recovery of renal function were assessed. All patients received vasoactive drugs (because of hemodynamic instability) and were on mechanical ventilation (because of acute respiratory distress syndrome). Mean serum urea during the dialysis period was significantly lower in the PaDD group than in the DAdD group. Of the PaDD group patients, three (16.7%) died, compared with 10 (66.7%) of the DAdD group patients. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of this result, it is believed that alternate-day hemodialysis is no longer appropriate for critically ill patients with Weil's disease.

[Clinicomorphological characteristics of icterohemorrhagic leptospirosis].

Thirty three cases of death from icterohemorrhagic leptospirosis were clinically and morphologically analyzed. The disease is characterized by the affliction of two major target organs: the kidney and liver. Infectious-toxic shock underlies the pathogenesis of specific fetal complications of icterohemorrhagic leptospirosis. In the latter, acute renal-hepatic failure is always followed by the structural damage and dysfunction of other organs, which are less pronounced and, at the same time, presents multiple organ dysfunction.

Risk factors for death and changing patterns in leptospirosis acute renal failure.

The risk factors for death and changes in clinical patterns in leptospirosis (Weil's disease) have not been well studied. We retrospectively studied 110 patients with Weil's disease hospitalized in Brazil between 1985 and 1996. Univariate statistical analysis showed that nonsurvivors were older than survivors, and had higher frequency of oliguria, cardiac arrhythmia, dyspnea, and pulmonary rales. Logistic regression showed that the only independent factor associated with death was oliguria (odds ratio [OR] = 8.98). The presence of arthralgia (OR = 4.71), dehydration (OR = 6.26), dyspnea (OR = 17.7), and pulmonary rales (OR = 9.91) increased after 1994. These data suggest that in Weil's disease the clinical patterns have changed and the presence of oliguria is a risk factor for death.

Leptospirosis: una enfermadad rara en México. Revisión de un caso / Leptospirosis:a rare disease in Mexico: A review of a case

Se comunica el caso de un enfermo diagnosticado inicialmente como dengue hemorrágico, en quien los estudios de laboratorio confirmaron infección por Leptospira. Dada la elevada frecuencia del dengue hemorrágico y la confluencia de factores de riesgo para su aparición en amplias zonas del país, además de la similitud de su cuadro clínico con las formas icterohemorrágicas de la infección por Leptospira, se hace obligatorio establecer en forma rutinaria el diagnóstico diferencial entre ambos padecimientos. Hasta hace algunos años estos padecimientos se consideraban raros en Latinoamérica; no obstante, existen demostraciones de brotes importantes en diversas área. Hay varios estudios que indican que la frecuencia de infección por Leptospira es alta y que su espectro clínico es amplio. En este trabajo se hace hincapié en la importancia de considerar ambos diagnósticos en pacientes de cualquier edad con manifestaciones hemorrágicas y se abren las puertas para la investigación aplicada sobre su frecuencia y distribución; asimismo, se contemplan los factores de riesgo más importantes para su aparición y se establece la necesidad de reforzar la vigilancia del padecimiento y la capacidad diagnóstica en el laboratorio, incluyendo las pruebas para Leptospira como parte de los estudios rutinarios en pacientes febriles

Prognóstico da doença de Weil em pacientes críticos: modelo prognóstico baseado em regressäo linear logística / Prognosis of Weil's disease in critical ill patients: prognostic model on logistic linear regression

Objetivo: Identificar os fatores relacionados à letalidade dos pacientes internados em terapia intensiva com diagnóstico clínico de doença de Weil. Local: Unidade Médico-Cirúrgica do Centro de Tratamento Intensivo (CTI) de um Hospital Universitário terciário urbano na Cidade do Rio de Janeiro - Brasil. Tipo de estudo: Coorte de início (revisäo de prontuários) sendo coletados dados clínicos, epidemiológicos, laboratoriais, bacteriológicos, terapêutica empregada e os escores prognósticos APACHE II, APACHE III, SAPS, SAPS II, MPM II (0) MPM II (24) e Odin. Pacientes: Todos os pacientes internados com doença de Weil no CTI. Período de estudo: De julho de 1981 a novembro de 1993. Análise estatística: Testes univariados - Teste de Fisher exato e qui-quadrado com correçäo de Yates para variáveis categóricas, na dependência do tamanho amostral, t-Student para variáveis contínuas paramétricas. Mann-Whitney rank sum para variáveis ordinais, regressäo linear, coeficiente de correlaçäo de Pearson, intervalo de confiança a 95 por cento. Teorema de Bayes e Teste Multivariado - Regressäo Linear Logística (RLL). Um valor de p<0,05 foi considerado significativo. Ponto final do estudo: Evoluçäo hospitalar (altas ou óbitos). Intervençöes: Nenhuma. Principais resultados: Foram revistos 44 prontuários observando-se letalidade hospitalar de 72,7 por cento (32/44). As seguintes variáveis foram estatisticamente relacionadas à letalidade: 1) sexo masculino (p<0,02); 2) número de disfunçöes de órgäos e sistemas (MODS) no 1( dia (p=0,002) e no 2( dia (p=0,03) de CTI; 3) disfunçäo respiratória (p=0,01); 4) hemorragia digestiva alta (HDA) no 1( dia (p=0,02) e no 2( dia (p=0,01) de CTI); 5) método dialítico empregado (hemodiálise x diálise peritoneal x sem necessidade de diálise (p=0,03); 6) evoluçäo com insuficiência renal aguda (IRA) oligúrica (p<0,02); 7) uso de altas doses de dopamina (>10 mcg/Kg/min) para manter a pressäo arterial (p=0,04); 8) exames de laboratório: trombocitopenia (p<0,01), acidose (p<0,05) e fósforo sérico elevado (p<0,05). Através da RLL (stepwise approach) foram selecionados três variáveis: 1) n( de MODS, 2) evoluçäo da IRA (oligúrica x nao-oligúrica) e 3) tipo de tratamento dialítico empregado. O modelo denominado de Weil apresentou as seguintes estimativas de sensibilidade, especificidade e classificaçäo correta de 91,67 por cento, 93,75 por cento e 93,18 por cento, respectivamente, utilizando-se o ponto de coorte em 50 por cento. A área sobre a curva ROC foi de 0,975. Tais números säo muito melhores do que aqueles apresentados pelos demais escores prognósticos. Observamos pior desempenho dos escores preditivos mais recentes. Conclusöes: A doença de Weil apresenta alta letalidade. O prognóstico é determinado principalmente pelo desenvolvimento de disfunçäo de múltiplos órgäos e sistemas, sendo...

[Leptospirosis in Pomurje and Slovenia]. / Leptospirózis a Muravidéken és Szlovéniában.

In Pomurje leptospirosis is endemic. During the years 1964-1985 there were 407 leptospiral cases reported in Slovenia, 366 of which were in Pomurje. Inclusion in this study required indication of leptospirae with a fourfold increase of the titer of antibodies or the isolation of leptospirae from hemocultures. In Pomurje in this period 214 men (58.47%) and 152 women (41.53%) were infected. The average morbidity rate was 12.75/100,000 inhabitants. The highest rate was in the country of Lendava (23.14/100,000). Ten serotypes were confirmed: grippotyphosa in 122 (33.33%) of the patients, sejroe in 91 (24.86%), icterohaemorrhagie in 50 (13.66%), saxkoebing in 48 (13.11%), australis in 47 (12.84%), canicola and pomona in two cases, tarassovi and autumnalis in one patient. In one case, the serotype could not be differentiated. The disease occurs throughout the years. In contrast to Western Europe in Pomurje there exists a much larger percent of infected women and a high percentage among the elderly. Two patients have died (mortality rate is 0.55%). One of them succumbed on the 5th day of infection due to massive bleeding in the heart and other organs. The other died on the 12th day under the influence of a severe Weil's syndrome.

Hemoptise/s e síndrome de angústia respiratória do adulto como causas de morte na leptospirose: mudanças de padröes clínicos e anatomopatológicos / Hemoptysis ant the adult respiratory distress syndrome as the causes of death leptospirosis: changes in the clinical and anatomopathological patterns

A leptospirose humana, uma das principais endemias dos centros urbanos no Brasil, vem crescendo de forma dramática nas três últimas décadas, com prevalência após enchentes causadas pelas chuvas de veräo. Säo descritas as recentes modificaçöes de seus padröes clínicos em nossa regiäo, constituídas pelo surgimento de hemoptise/s maciça/s e da síndrome de angústia respiratória do adulto, ou de ambas associadamente. Essas evidentes mudanças situadas nas estruturas respiratórias depontaram como séria ameaça à vida e como mecanismos de morte, passando a representar entre nós, por sua grande freqüência, a principal causa de óbito na leptospirose. A nova face da doença impöe revisäo dos conceitos sobre sua gravidade e especulaçäo sobre a patogenia dessas alteraçöes. A evoluçäo fatal dos seis pacientes descritos, dois deles sem icterícia e sem insuficiência renal, mostra a grandeza do desafio

[Hemoptysis and the adult respiratory distress syndrome as the causes of death in leptospirosis. Changes in the clinical and anatomicopathological patterns]. / Hemoptise/s e síndrome de angústia respiratória do adulto como causas de morte na leptospirose. Mudanças de padrões clínicos e anatomopatológicos.

Human leptospirosis, one of the main urban endemics/epidemics in Brazil, has dramatically grown in the last three decades, especially after floods caused by summer rains. This presentation describes recent changes in the clinical patterns of this pathology in our region, expressed by the emergence of massive haemoptysis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, or both conditions associated. The evident changes in the respiratory structures emerged as a serious life threat and death mechanisms, becoming the main cause of death in leptospirosis among us because of their high incidence. This new face of the disease demands a revision of current concepts about its seriousness and raises speculations about the pathogenesis of such alterations.

[The improvement of immunobiological preparations against leptospirosis. An experimental study of a new concentrated purified vaccine against icterohemorrhagic leptospirosis for human immunization]. / Sovershenstvovanie immunobiologicheskikh protivoleptospiroznykh preparatov. Eksperimental'noe izuchenie novoi kontsentrirovannoi ochishchennoi vaktsiny protiv ikterogemorragicheskogo leptospiroza dlia immunizatsii liudei.

The findings of the study of immunological structure of the population in regions endemic for leptospirosis indicate that the immune status of humans makes it impossible to obtain titrated blood sera for the preparation of antileptospirosis immunoglobulin. The data obtained in the study of the immunobiological properties of a new concentrated vaccine against icterohemorrhagic leptospirosis show the possibility of using this vaccine for the immunization of donors with the aim of obtaining blood sera to be used as raw material for the production of immunobiological preparations.

[Clinical aspects and prognostic factors of icterohemorrhagic leptospirosis in adults. Apropos of 249 cases in La Reunion]. / Aspects cliniques et facteurs pronostiques des leptospiroses ictéro-hémorragiques de l'adulte. A propos de 249 cas observés à la Réunion.

Human leptospirosis of the classical and severe icterohemorrhagic type, usually due to the L. icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup, is frequent in La Réunion. In a retrospective study conducted between 1980 and 1984 in 249 adult patients, the mortality rate was 13 p. 100. Our data and those found in the literature indicate that the main cause of death is pneumopathy, followed by profuse haemorrhages, arrhythmias and cardiovascular collapse. Acute renal failure is common and often severe; it facilitates gastrointestinal bleeding and is of poor prognosis, particularly in patients with prolonged anuria, a possible cause of lethal hyperkalaemia. Other factors of unfavourable outcome have been demonstrated statistically; they include disturbances of consciousness, hypoprothrombinaemia, epigastric muscle rigidity, hyperleukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, high aspartate aminotransferase levels and chronic alcoholism. At the moment, pulmonary, cardiac and haemorrhagic complications concur with renal failure to darken the prognosis of these severe forms of leptospirosis.