The Chronological Demographics of Ventricular-Arterial Decoupling in Patients with Sepsis and Septic Shock: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular-arterial coupling (V-A coupling) recently gathers attention from clinicians to evaluate the interaction between afterload and left ventricular systolic function. We aimed to describe the chronological demographics of V-A decoupling in patients with sepsis and septic shock through the clinical course. METHOD: We conducted a single-center prospective observational study comprising adult patients with sepsis and septic shock admitted to the tertiary care hospital between 04/2017 and 03/2019. Patients' characteristics, lab data on admission, and echocardiographic parameters including Ea and Ees on the day- 1, 2, 3, 7, and 14-28 were collected. V-A decoupling was defined as Ea/Ees ≥ 1.36. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients with sepsis or septic shock were enrolled. The prevalence of V-A decoupling was as follows; day-1: 25.4%, day-2: 23.8%, day-3: 13.3%, day-7: 18.5%, day-14-28: 30.3%, respectively. Ea was higher in patients with V-A decoupling than those without throughout the clinical course (day1; 2.8 vs. 1.8, p < 0.01, day2; 2.7 vs. 1.9, p < 0.01, day3; 2.8 vs. 2.1, p = 0.06, day7; 2.7 vs. 1.9, p = 0.02, day14-28; 2.4 vs. 1.8, p = 0.08). This increase in Ea was mainly induced by reduced stroke volume (SV) as well as high systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the earlier course of sepsis but only by increased SBP in the later course of sepsis. Ees was lower in patients with V-A decoupling than those without throughout the clinical course (day1; 1.3 vs. 2.1, p < 0.01, day2; 1.5 vs. 2.3, p < 0.01, day3; 1.6 vs. 2.3, p = 0.02, day7; 1.8 vs. 2.3, p = 0.01, day14-28; 1.2 vs. 1.9, p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: We reported that V-A decoupling was commonly seen in patients with sepsis and septic shock. In patients with V-A decoupling, both Ea and Ees were significantly altered, but the causes of these alterations appeared to be changing over the clinical course of sepsis.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a retrospective large cohort multicenter study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been increasing rapidly worldwide. However, guidelines or clinical studies do not provide sufficient data on ECPR practice. The aim of this study was to provide real-world data on ECPR for patients with OHCA, including details of complications. METHODS: We did a retrospective database analysis of observational multicenter cohort study in Japan. Adult patients with OHCA of presumed cardiac etiology who received ECPR between 2013 and 2018 were included. The primary outcome was favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge, defined as a cerebral performance category of 1 or 2. RESULTS: A total of 1644 patients with OHCA were included in this study. The patient age was 18-93 years (median: 60 years). Shockable rhythm in the initial cardiac rhythm at the scene was 69.4%. The median estimated low flow time was 55 min (interquartile range: 45-66 min). Favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge was observed in 14.1% of patients, and the rate of survival to hospital discharge was 27.2%. The proportions of favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge in terms of shockable rhythm, pulseless electrical activity, and asystole were 16.7%, 9.2%, and 3.9%, respectively. Complications were observed during ECPR in 32.7% of patients, and the most common complication was bleeding, with the rates of cannulation site bleeding and other types of hemorrhage at 16.4% and 8.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort, data on the ECPR of 1644 patients with OHCA show that the proportion of favorable neurological outcomes at hospital discharge was 14.1%, survival rate at hospital discharge was 27.2%, and complications were observed during ECPR in 32.7%.

Severe immersion pulmonary edema in a novice elderly scuba diver after heavy alcohol intake.

BACKGROUND: There are no reports of immersion pulmonary edema induced by excessive alcohol intake. We describe the case of a novice scuba diver who developed apnea due to immersion pulmonary edema during scuba diving after heavy alcohol intake. CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old hypertensive man, without regular antihypertensive therapy, performed diving after excessive alcohol intake (total amount, approximately 253 g) until the night before. When swimming at a depth of 12 m, the patient experienced chest discomfort and ascended immediately but became unconscious. Respiratory arrest was confirmed, and he spat pink foamy sputum. On hospital admission, hypoxemia was confirmed, and chest radiography revealed butterfly-shaped shadows. Therefore, mechanical ventilation was initiated. The next day, his blood oxygenation level improved, and the radiographic shadows disappeared. He was discharged on day 7 of hospitalization without sequelae. CONCLUSION: A scuba diver with untreated hypertension might develop immersion pulmonary edema during diving after heavy alcohol intake.

Effect of IV High-Dose Vitamin C on Mortality in Patients With Sepsis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to investigate whether IV high-dose vitamin C improves the short-term mortality of patients with sepsis. DESIGN: This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. We searched EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and MEDLINE for randomized controlled trials that met inclusion criteria. The protocol was registered at the University hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000040528). All analyses were presented with the use of random-effects models. The primary outcome was short-term mortality defined as 28-day, 30-day, or in-hospital mortality. PATIENTS: Two authors independently evaluated the following eligibility criteria: 1) randomized controlled trial, 2) patients with sepsis aged ≥18 years, and 3) received intravenous high-dose vitamin C in addition to standard of care, or standard of care alone. Then, two authors independently extracted the selected patient and study characteristics and outcomes from studies that met above eligibility criteria. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eleven randomized controlled trials (n = 1,737 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. High-dose IV vitamin C was not associated with a significantly lower short-term mortality (risk ratio, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.73-1.06; p = 0.18; I2 = 29%) but was associated with a significantly shorter duration of vasopressor use (standardized mean difference, -0.35; 95% CI, -0.63 to -0.07; p < 0.01; I2 = 80%) and a significantly greater decline in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at 72-96 hours (standardized mean difference, -0.20; 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.08; p < 0.01; I2 = 16%). One study reported significant association with hypernatremia, but adverse effects were rare, and high-dose vitamin C is deemed relatively safe. CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis, the use of IV high-dose vitamin C in patients with sepsis was not associated with lower short-term mortality although it was associated with significantly shorter duration of vasopressor use and greater decline in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at 72-96 hours.

Kushiyaki-related Streptococcus suis meningitis with ventriculitis: A case report.

Streptococcus suis causes a zoonotic disease that commonly manifests as meningitis. People handle pork or its derivatives are at a high risk of infection. Handwashing and donning personal protective equipment are the practical preventive measures.

Variability of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation practice in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from the emergency department to intensive care unit in Japan.

AIM: A lack of known guidelines for the provision of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) to patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has led to variability in practice between hospitals even in the same country. Because variability in ECPR practice has not been completely examined, we aimed to describe the variability in ECPR practice in patients with OHCA from the emergency department (ED) to the intensive care units (ICU). METHODS: An anonymous online questionnaire to examine variability in ECPR practice was completed in January 2020 by 36 medical institutions who participated in the SAVE-J II study. Institutional demographics, inclusion and exclusion criteria, initial resuscitation management, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) initiation, initial ECMO management, intra-aortic balloon pumping/endotracheal intubation/management during coronary angiography, and computed tomography criteria were recorded. RESULTS: We received responses from all 36 institutions. Four institutions (11.1%) had a hybrid emergency room. Cardiovascular surgery was always involved throughout the entire ECMO process in only 14.7% of institutions; 60% of institutions had formal inclusion criteria and 50% had formal exclusion criteria. In two-thirds of institutions, emergency physicians carried out cannulation. Catheterization room was the leading location of cannulation (48.6%) followed by ED (31.4%). The presence of formal exclusion criteria significantly increased with increasing ECPR volume (P for trend <0.001). Intra-aortic balloon pumping was routinely initiated in only 25% of institutions. Computed tomography was routinely carried out before coronary angiography in 25% of institutions. CONCLUSIONS: We described the variability in ECPR practice in patients with OHCA from the ED to the ICU.

Post-mortem biopsy of a patient with late exacerbation of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Pathological findings of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have rarely been reported owing to its contagious nature. Here, we treated an 82-year-old man whose condition was diagnosed as COVID-19 pneumonia, which exacerbated approximately 25 days after the initial onset. The patient died despite receiving intensive care. Post-mortem percutaneous needle biopsy of the lungs and liver tissue was performed, including genomic analysis, immunochemical tests, and pathological studies. Histopathology of the lungs showed both exudative and organizing diffuse alveolar damage. Supposedly, the organizing phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced COVID-19. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and immunostaining of biopsy specimens showed negative results for COVID-19. Post-mortem percutaneous needle biopsy was more effective in reducing the risk of contagiousness than autopsy.

Effects of Inotropes on the Mortality in Patients With Septic Shock.

BACKGROUND: Although surviving sepsis campaign guidelines recommend the use of inotropes in the presence of myocardial dysfunction, the effects of inotropes, including epinephrine, dobutamine, and milrinone, on in-hospital mortality in patients with septic shock remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted an international,2-center, retrospective cohort study. The Cox proportional hazards regression model with time-varying covariates was used to investigate whether epinephrine, milrinone, or dobutamine reduces in-hospital mortality in patients with septic shock. Sensitivity analysis was performed using propensity score matching. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcome included atrial fibrillation (Afib) with a rapid ventricular response (RVR) in the intensive care unit (ICU) and ICU-free days. RESULTS: A total of 417 patients with septic shock were included, 72 (17.3%) of whom received inotropes. The use of epinephrine and dobutamine was associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality (epinephrine, hazard ratio [HR]: 4.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.12-10.82, P = .001; dobutamine, HR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.30-4.95, P = .046). The effects of epinephrine and dobutamine were time- and dose-dependent. The use of milrinone was not associated with increased mortality (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.42-2.68, P = .345). The use of epinephrine, dobutamine, and milrinone was associated with significantly increased odds of Afib with RVR (epinephrine, odds ratio [OR]: 3.88, 95% CI: 1.11-13.61, P = .034; dobutamine, OR: 3.95, 95% CI: 1.14-13.76; and milrinone, OR: 3.77, 95% CI: 1.05-13.59). On the other hand, the use of epinephrine, dobutamine, and milrinone was not associated with less ICU-free days (epinephrine, adjusted OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.09-1.01, P = .053; dobutamine, adjusted OR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.29-2.84; and milrinone, adjusted OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.19-1.87). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that the use of epinephrine and dobutamine was associated with significantly increased in-hospital mortality in patients with septic shock. These effects were both time- and dose-dependent. On the other hand, the use of milrinone was not associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

Aorto-pleural fistula successfully treated by one-lung ventilation and Endobronchial Watanabe Spigots.

Aorto-pleural fistula (APF) is a rare, potentially fatal condition that should be immediately treated by an endovascular or surgical approach. In this case, we treated APF using bronchial occlusion with Endobronchial Watanabe Spigots (EWSs) after one-lung ventilation. Notably, EWS is composed of silicon for endobronchial occlusion under bronchoscopy. An 88-year-old man was referred to our hospital for sudden massive hemoptysis. We maintained the airway by emergent intubation into the right main bronchus through guided bronchoscopy. Computed tomography demonstrated an aortic aneurysm at the aortic arch, penetrating the upper lobe of the left lung. On the 18th hospital day, we performed prophylactic endobronchial occlusion with EWS. The patient was extubated shortly thereafter. Endobronchial occlusion with EWS might be effective in patients with APF who exhibit generally poor conditions. Endobronchial occlusion treatment should be performed after controlling massive bleeding by one-lung ventilation.

Impact of rapid response car system on ECMO in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has been reported to be more effective than conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In ECLS, a shorter time from arrival to implantation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO; door-to-ECMO) time was predicted to be associated with better survival rates. This study aimed to examine the impact of the physician-based emergency medical services (P-EMS) using a rapid response car (RRC) on door-to-ECMO time in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, adult patients with OHCA who were admitted to a Japanese tertiary care hospital from April 2012 to December 2016 and underwent venoarterial ECMO were included. Patients were either transferred by emergency medical service (EMS only group) or RRC (RRC group). Primary outcome was door-to-ECMO time. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the outcome between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were included in this study, and outcome data were available for all patients. The door-to-ECMO time was significantly shorter in the RRC group than in the EMS only group (median, 23min vs. 36min; P=0.006). Additionally, the RRC was also associated with earlier successful intubation and intravenous adrenaline administration. CONCLUSION: The physician-based RRC system was associated with a shorter door-to-ECMO time and successful advanced procedures in prehospital settings. Combination of the RRC system with ECLS may lead to better outcomes in patients with OHCA.

Time to re-think the use of dobutamine in sepsis.

Dobutamine is commonly used worldwide and included in the protocol for early goal-directed therapy (EGDT). Since the use of dobutamine in EGDT was reported, it has been considered to be an important component, especially in the treatment of septic patients with myocardial dysfunction. However, it is questionable whether dobutamine improves the mortality of sepsis and septic shock. In three recent randomized controlled trials (ProCESS, ProMISe, and ARISE trials), the frequency of dobutamine use was significantly higher in the EGDT group than in the standard care group, but there were no significant differences in the mortality between the groups. These results suggested that dobutamine use may have been overemphasized despite its insignificant effect on the mortality in septic patients. Further, a propensity score analysis revealed that dobutamine use was associated with higher mortality in patients with septic shock. Although dobutamine leads to an increase in cardiac index, myocardial oxygen demand also increases, thus increasing the risk of myocardial ischemia and tachyarrhythmia. It is well known that the mortality in sepsis complicated with atrial fibrillation (AFib) is worse than that in sepsis without AFib. A propensity score-matched analysis reported that ß-blockers were associated with better survival in patients with sepsis complicated with AFib. Further, a randomized controlled trial reported that a short-acting ß-blocker improved the survival in patients with septic shock. These studies also indicated the risk of ß-stimulation during sepsis. Notably, improvements in surrogate markers, such as CI, do not always indicate improvements in patient-centered outcomes, such as mortality. Conversely, some evidence indicates the worsening of patient-centered outcomes despite improvements in surrogate markers. Thus, available evidence suggests that the benefits of dobutamine in patients with sepsis are unclear, but its use might be harmful rather than beneficial, considering the beneficial effects of ß-blockers in sepsis that have been reported in recent clinical studies. From this perspective, we will soon have to rethink regarding dobutamine use in patients with sepsis.

Efficacy of polymyxin B-immobilized fiber hemoperfusion for patients with septic shock caused by Gram-negative bacillus infection.

Septic shock-associated mortality in intensive care units (ICUs) remains high, with reported rates ranging 30-50%. In particular, Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), which induce significant inflammation and consequent multiple organ failure, are the etiological bacterial agent in 40% of severe sepsis cases. Hemoperfusion using polymyxin B-immobilized fiber (PMX), which adsorbs endotoxin, is expected to reduce the inflammatory sepsis cascade due to GNB. However, the clinical efficacy of this treatment has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we aimed to verify the efficacy of endotoxin adsorption therapy using PMX through a retrospective analysis of 413 patients who received broad spectrum antimicrobial treatment for GNB-related septic shock between January 2009 and December 2012 in 11 ICUs of Japanese tertiary hospitals. After aligning the patients' treatment time phases, we classified patients in two groups depending on whether PMX hemoperfusion (PMXHP) therapy was administered or not within 24 hours after ICU admission (PMXHP group: n = 134, conventional group: n = 279). The primary study endpoint was the mortality rate at 28 days after ICU admission. The mean age was 72.4 (standard deviation: 12.6) years, and the mean Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score at ICU admission was 9.9 (3.4). The infection sites included intra-abdominal (38.0%), pulmonary (18.9%), and urinary tract (32.2%), and two thirds of all patients had GNB-related bacteremia. Notably, the mortality at 28 days after ICU admission did not differ between the groups (PMXHP: 29.1% vs. conventional: 29.0%, P = 0.98), and PMXHP therapy was not found to improve this outcome in a Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio = 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.64, P = 0.407). We conclude that PMX-based endotoxin adsorption within 24 hours from ICU admission was not associated with mortality among patients with septic shock due to GNB. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN-CTR ID: UMIN000012748).

Blood pressure and acute kidney injury.

Maintaining the optimal blood pressure is an important aspect of preventing acute kidney injury (AKI), especially for vasopressor-dependent patients. Although mean arterial pressure (MAP) has played an important role in previous trials for prevention of AKI, there is little evidence that MAP actually reflects organ perfusion. In fact, several studies have suggested that perfusion pressure, including diastolic perfusion pressure and mean perfusion pressure (MPP) and calculated with central venous pressure (CVP), may be more useful than the widely used MAP to help prevent AKI. This emphasizes the importance of maintaining diastolic arterial pressure and avoiding elevation of CVP to prevent AKI in patients with sepsis or invasive surgery. To achieve this, further investigation regarding titrated fluid therapy and vasopressors is warranted.

Prevalence and risk factors of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy: A retrospective cohort study.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the epidemiology and clinical features of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM).A retrospective cohort study was conducted.A total of 210 adult patients with sepsis or septic shock admitted to a Japanese tertiary care hospital from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2015, who underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) on admission.The definition of SICM was ejection fraction (EF) < 50% and a ≥10% decrease compared to the baseline EF which recovered within 2 weeks, in sepsis or septic shock patients.Our primary outcome was the incidence rate of SICM. Our secondary outcomes were the in-hospital mortality rate and length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay according to the presence or absence of SICM. In total, 29 patients (13.8%) were diagnosed with SICM. The prevalence rate of SICM was significantly higher in male than in female (P = 0.02). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the incidence of SICM was associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95-0.99), higher lactate level on admission (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.32) and history of heart failure (HF) (OR, 3.77; 95% CI, 1.37-10.40). There were no significant differences in the in-hospital and 30-day mortality between patients with and without SICM (24.1% vs 12.7%, P = 0.15; 20.7% vs 12.1%, P = 0.23). Lengths of hospital and ICU stay were significantly longer in patients with SICM than in those without SICM (median, 43 vs 26 days, P = 0.04; 9 vs 5 days, P < 0.01).SICM developed in 13.8% of patients with sepsis and septic shock. A younger age, higher lactate levels on admission and history of HF were risk factors.

Rat-bite fever complicated by vertebral osteomyelitis: A case report.

Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a challenging diagnosis transmitted by the bite of the rats. We present the first reported case of RBF complicated by vertebral osteomyelitis. It is important to consider performing the MRI to differentiate vertebral osteomyelitis from simple back pain to determine the appropriate duration of antibiotic therapy.

Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis without pleocytosis of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Pleocytosis of the cerebrospinal fluid is a key finding for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis presenting in normal cerebrospinal fluid is rare in adult patients. We describe the case of a patient with pneumococcal meningitis without cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. This case suggests that immediate antibiotic therapy should be started when meningitis is suspected, even with normal cerebrospinal fluid findings. (See Figure.)

A review of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy.

Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy is a reversible myocardial dysfunction that typically resolves in 7-10 days. It is characterized by left ventricular dilatation and depressed ejection fraction. However, many uncertainties exist regarding the mechanisms, characteristics, and treatments of this condition. Therefore, this review attempts to summarize our current knowledge of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy.

Usefulness of ultrasonography in carotid arteries and combined positron emission tomography/ computed tomography for diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis with unusual presentation as acute myocardial infarction: a case report.

This unusual case of Takayasu arteritis presenting as acute myocardial infarction could be defined by ultrasonography and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) coregistered with computed tomography (CT). A 55-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with continuous chest pain and left-side neck pain. After primary percutaneous coronary intervention, elevation of inflammatory markers persisted and dull pain in the left side of the neck continued. Ultrasonography revealed characteristic wall thickening of the left common carotid artery and subsequent 18F-FDG PET with CT depicted positive uptake in the left common carotid artery and the vessel wall of the ascending aorta, confirming the diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. Three months after angioplasty, follow-up cardiac catheterization was performed. Coronary angiography showed no restenosis. During the catheterization, angiography confirmed the mild stenosis in the long segment of the left common carotid artery and the left subclavian artery as well as the focal narrowing and the dilation of the abdominal aorta. This case shows that ultrasonography in the cervical region and combined 18F-FDG PET with CT may be useful in the diagnosis and evaluation of Takayasu arteritis. In addition, we should pay attention to underlying disease even in middle-aged or older male patients with acute myocardial infarction.