A Randomized Trial of Intravenous Amino Acids for Kidney Protection.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious and common complication of cardiac surgery, for which reduced kidney perfusion is a key contributing factor. Intravenous amino acids increase kidney perfusion and recruit renal functional reserve. However, the efficacy of amino acids in reducing the occurrence of AKI after cardiac surgery is uncertain. METHODS: In a multinational, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned adult patients who were scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass to receive an intravenous infusion of either a balanced mixture of amino acids, at a dose of 2 g per kilogram of ideal body weight per day, or placebo (Ringer's solution) for up to 3 days. The primary outcome was the occurrence of AKI, defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes creatinine criteria. Secondary outcomes included the severity of AKI, the use and duration of kidney-replacement therapy, and all-cause 30-day mortality. RESULTS: We recruited 3511 patients at 22 centers in three countries and assigned 1759 patients to the amino acid group and 1752 to the placebo group. AKI occurred in 474 patients (26.9%) in the amino acid group and in 555 (31.7%) in the placebo group (relative risk, 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77 to 0.94; P = 0.002). Stage 3 AKI occurred in 29 patients (1.6%) and 52 patients (3.0%), respectively (relative risk, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.87). Kidney-replacement therapy was used in 24 patients (1.4%) in the amino acid group and in 33 patients (1.9%) in the placebo group. There were no substantial differences between the two groups in other secondary outcomes or in adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery, infusion of amino acids reduced the occurrence of AKI. (Funded by the Italian Ministry of Health; PROTECTION ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03709264.).

An extensive evaluation of hepatic markers of damage and regeneration in controlled and uncontrolled donation after circulatory death.

Livers from donations after circulatory death (DCDs) are very sensitive to ischemia/reperfusion injury and thus need careful reconditioning, such as normothermic regional perfusion (NRP). So far, its impact on DCDs has not been thoroughly investigated. This pilot cohort study aimed to explore the NRP impact on liver function by evaluating dynamic changes of circulating markers and hepatic gene expression in 9 uncontrolled DCDs (uDCDs) and 10 controlled DCDs. At NRP start, controlled DCDs had lower plasma levels of inflammatory and liver damage markers, including α-glutathione s-transferase, sorbitol-dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase 1, liver-type arginase-1, and keratin-18, but higher levels of osteopontin, sFas, flavin mononucleotide, and succinate than uDCDs. During 4-hour NRP, some damage and inflammatory markers increased in both groups, while IL-6, HGF, and osteopontin increased only in uDCDs. At the NRP end, the tissue expression of early transcriptional regulators, apoptosis, and autophagy mediators was higher in uDCDs than in controlled DCDs. In conclusion, despite initial differences in liver damage biomarkers, the uDCD group was characterized by a major gene expression of regenerative and repair factors after the NRP procedure. Correlative analysis among circulating/tissue biomarkers and the tissue congestion/necrosis degree revealed new potential candidate biomarkers.

Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation to Predict Favorable Outcome in Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the role of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) in predicting survival and neurologic outcomes after extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). DESIGN: The study authors performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available literature. SETTING: The authors searched relevant databases (Pubmed, Medline, Embase) for studies measuring precannulation rSO2 in patients undergoing ECPR and reporting mortality and/or neurologic outcomes. PARTICIPANTS: The authors included both in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients receiving ECPR. They identified 3 observational studies, including 245 adult patients. INTERVENTIONS: The authors compared patients with a low precannulation rSO2 (≤15% or 16%) versus patients with a high (>15% or 16%) precannulation rSO2. In addition, the authors carried out subgroup analyses on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A high precannulation rSO2 was associated with an overall reduced risk of mortality in ECPR recipients (98 out of 151 patients [64.9%] in the high rSO2 group, v 87 out of 94 patients [92.5%] in the low rSO2 group, risk differences [RD] -0.30; 95% CI -0.47 to -0.14), and in OHCA (78 out of 121 patients [64.5%] v 82 out of 89 patients [92.1%], RD 0.30; 95% CI -0.48 to -0.12). A high precannulation rSO2 also was associated with a significantly better neurologic outcome in the overall population (42 out of 151 patients [27.8%] v 2 out of 94 patients [2.12%], RD 0.22; 95% CI 0.13-0.31), and in OHCA patients (33 out of 121 patients [27.3%] v 2 out of 89 patients [2.25%] RD 0.21; 95% CI 0.11-0.30). CONCLUSIONS: A low rSO2 before starting ECPR could be a predictor of mortality and survival with poor neurologic outcomes.

Continuous vs Intermittent Meropenem Administration in Critically Ill Patients With Sepsis: The MERCY Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Meropenem is a widely prescribed ß-lactam antibiotic. Meropenem exhibits maximum pharmacodynamic efficacy when given by continuous infusion to deliver constant drug levels above the minimal inhibitory concentration. Compared with intermittent administration, continuous administration of meropenem may improve clinical outcomes. Objective: To determine whether continuous administration of meropenem reduces a composite of mortality and emergence of pandrug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant bacteria compared with intermittent administration in critically ill patients with sepsis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial enrolling critically ill patients with sepsis or septic shock who had been prescribed meropenem by their treating clinicians at 31 intensive care units of 26 hospitals in 4 countries (Croatia, Italy, Kazakhstan, and Russia). Patients were enrolled between June 5, 2018, and August 9, 2022, and the final 90-day follow-up was completed in November 2022. Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive an equal dose of the antibiotic meropenem by either continuous administration (n = 303) or intermittent administration (n = 304). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and emergence of pandrug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant bacteria at day 28. There were 4 secondary outcomes, including days alive and free from antibiotics at day 28, days alive and free from the intensive care unit at day 28, and all-cause mortality at day 90. Seizures, allergic reactions, and mortality were recorded as adverse events. Results: All 607 patients (mean age, 64 [SD, 15] years; 203 were women [33%]) were included in the measurement of the 28-day primary outcome and completed the 90-day mortality follow-up. The majority (369 patients, 61%) had septic shock. The median time from hospital admission to randomization was 9 days (IQR, 3-17 days) and the median duration of meropenem therapy was 11 days (IQR, 6-17 days). Only 1 crossover event was recorded. The primary outcome occurred in 142 patients (47%) in the continuous administration group and in 149 patients (49%) in the intermittent administration group (relative risk, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.81-1.13], P = .60). Of the 4 secondary outcomes, none was statistically significant. No adverse events of seizures or allergic reactions related to the study drug were reported. At 90 days, mortality was 42% both in the continuous administration group (127 of 303 patients) and in the intermittent administration group (127 of 304 patients). Conclusions and Relevance: In critically ill patients with sepsis, compared with intermittent administration, the continuous administration of meropenem did not improve the composite outcome of mortality and emergence of pandrug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant bacteria at day 28. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03452839.

Ultrasound localization of central vein catheter tip by contrast-enhanced transthoracic ultrasonography: a comparison study with trans-esophageal echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: To assess the usefulness of pre-operative contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography (CE-TTE) and post-operative chest-x-ray (CXR) for evaluating central venous catheter (CVC) tip placements, with trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) as gold standard. METHODS: A prospective single-center, observational study was performed in 111 patients requiring CVC positioning into the internal jugular vein for elective cardiac surgery. At the end of CVC insertion by landmark technique, a contrast-enhanced TTE was performed by both the apical four-chambers and epigastric bicaval acoustic view to assess catheter tip position; then, a TEE was performed and considered as a reference technique. A postoperative CXR was obtained for all patients. RESULTS: As per TEE, 74 (67%) catheter tips were correctly placed and 37 (33%) misplaced. Considering intravascular and intracardiac misplacements together, they were detected in 8 patients by CE-TTE via apical four-chamber view, 36 patients by CE-TTE via epigastric bicaval acoustic view, and 12 patients by CXR. For the detection of catheter tip misplacement, CE-TTE via epigastric bicaval acoustic view was the most accurate method providing 97% sensitivity, 90% specificity, and 92% diagnostic accuracy if compared with either CE-TTE via apical four-chamber view or CXR. Concordance with TEE was 79% (p < 0.001) for CE-TTE via epigastric bicaval acoustic view. CONCLUSIONS: The concordance between CE-TTE via epigastric bicaval acoustic view and TEE suggests the use of the former as a standard technique to ensure the correct positioning of catheter tip after central venous cannulation to optimize the use of hospital resources and minimize radiation exposure.

Normothermic regional perfusion in liver transplantation from donation after cardiocirculatory death: Technical, biochemical, and regulatory aspects and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Organs from donation after circulatory death (DCD) are increasingly used for liver transplantation, due to the persisting organ shortage and waiting list mortality. However, the use of DCD grafts is still limited by the inferior graft survival rate and the increased risk of primary non-function and biliary complications when compared to brain death donors' grafts. METHODS: Abdominal normothermic regional perfusion with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an in situ preservation strategy. which may mitigate ischemia-reperfusion injuries. and has been proposed to restore blood perfusion after the determination of death thus optimizing liver function before implantation. RESULTS: In this systematic review, we highlighted the clinical evidence supporting the use of normothermic regional perfusion in DCD liver underlying the pathophysiological mechanisms, and technical, logistic, and regulatory aspects. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of properly designed, prospective, randomized trials, the current available data suggest beneficial effects of normothermic regional perfusion on clinical outcomes after liver transplantation.

Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Awake Non-Intubated Patients With COVID-19 ARDS at High Risk for Barotrauma.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of an awake venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) management strategy in preventing clinically relevant barotrauma in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) at high risk for pneumothorax (PNX)/pneumomediastinum (PMD), defined as the detection of the Macklin-like effect on chest computed tomography (CT) scan. DESIGN: A case series. SETTING: At the intensive care unit of a tertiary-care institution. PARTICIPANTS: Seven patients with COVID-19-associated severe ARDS and Macklin-like radiologic sign on baseline chest CT. INTERVENTIONS: Primary VV-ECMO under spontaneous breathing instead of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). All patients received noninvasive ventilation or oxygen through a high-flow nasal cannula before and during ECMO support. The study authors collected data on cannulation strategy, clinical management, and outcome. Failure of awake VV-ECMO strategy was defined as the need for IMV due to worsening respiratory failure or delirium/agitation. The primary outcome was the development of PNX/PMD. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: No patient developed PNX/PMD. The awake VV-ECMO strategy failed in 1 patient (14.3%). Severe complications were observed in 4 (57.1%) patients and were noted as the following: intracranial bleeding in 1 patient (14.3%), septic shock in 2 patients (28.6%), and secondary pulmonary infections in 3 patients (42.8%). Two patients died (28.6%), whereas 5 were successfully weaned off VV-ECMO and were discharged home. CONCLUSIONS: VV-ECMO in awake and spontaneously breathing patients with severe COVID-19 ARDS may be a feasible and safe strategy to prevent the development of PNX/PMD in patients at high risk for this complication.

ECMO in COVID-19 Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the survival rates of patients with COVID-19 supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and compare the survival rates of patients with COVID-19 supported with ECMO to patients with influenza supported with ECMO. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the impact of ECMO as supportive therapy of COVID-19. SETTING: The authors performed a search through the Cochrane, EMBASE, and MEDLINE/PubMed databases from inception to February 19, 2021, for studies reporting hospitalized patients with COVID-19 managed with ECMO. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 134 studies were selected, including 6 eligible for the comparative meta-analysis of COVID-19 versus influenza. INTERVENTIONS: The authors pooled the risk ratio and random effects model. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary endpoint was the overall mortality of patients with COVID-19 receiving ECMO. Of the total number of 58,472 patients with COVID-19 reported, ECMO was used in 4,044 patients. The analysis suggested an overall in-hospital mortality of 39% (95% CI 0.34-0.43). In the comparative analysis, patients with COVID-19 on ECMO had a higher risk ratio (RR) for mortality when compared to influenza patients on ECMO: 72/164 (44%) v 71/186 (38%) RR 1.34; 95% CI 1.05-1.71; p = 0.03. CONCLUSIONS: ECMO could be beneficial in patients with COVID-19, according to the authors' meta-analysis. The reported mortality rate was 39%. This systematic analysis can provide clinical advice in the current era and ongoing pandemic.

Challenges in the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia Fellowship Program Since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: An Electronic Survey on Potential Solutions.

OBJECTIVE: The authors explored the current practice of fellowship training in cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia and surveyed the acceptability of potential solutions to mitigate the interrupted fellowship training during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: A prospective electronic questionnaire-based survey. SETTING: The survey was initiated by the Education Committee of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC). PARTICIPANTS: The study comprised EACTAIC fellows, EACTAIC, and non-EACTAIC subscribers to the EACTAIC newsletter and EACTAIC followers on different social media platforms. INTERVENTIONS: After obtaining the consent of participants, the authors assessed the perioperative management of COVID-19 patients, infrastructural aspects of the workplace, local routines for preoperative testing, the perceived availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the impact of COVID-19 on fellowship training. In addition, participants rated suggested solutions by the investigators to cope with the interruption of fellowship training, using a traffic light signal scale. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The authors collected 193 responses from 54 countries. Of the respondents, 82.4% reported cancelling or postponing elective cases during the first wave, 89.7% had provided care for COVID-19 patients, 75.1% reported staff in their center being reassigned to work in the intensive care unit (ICU), and 45% perceived a shortage of PPE at their centers. Most respondents reported the termination of local educational activities (79.6%) and fellowship assessments (51.5%) because of the pandemic (although 84% of them reported having time to participate in online teaching), and 83% reported a definitive psychological impact. More than 90% of the respondents chose green and/or yellow traffic lights to rate the importance of the suggested solutions to cope with the interrupted fellowship training during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of elective cases, the deployment of anesthesiologists to ICUs, the involvement of anesthesiologists in perioperative care for COVID-19 patients, and the interruption of educational activities and trainees' assessments. There is some consensus on the suggested solutions for mitigation of the interruption in fellowship training.

European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship Curriculum: First Edition.

Pediatric cardiac anesthesia is a subspecialty of cardiac and pediatric anesthesiology dedicated to the perioperative care of patients with congenital heart disease. Members of the Congenital and Education Subcommittees of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC) agreed on the necessity to develop an EACTAIC pediatric cardiac anesthesia fellowship curriculum. This manuscript represents a consensus on the composition and the design of the EACTAIC Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship program. This curriculum provides a basis for the training of future pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists by clearly defining the theoretical and practical requirements for fellows and host centers.

Incidence and types of laryngotracheal sequelae of prolonged invasive ventilation in COVID-19 patients.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 outbreak has led to an increasing number of acute laryngotracheal complications in patients subjected to prolonged mechanical ventilation, but their incidence in the short and mid-term after ICU discharge is still unknown. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the incidence of these complications in a COVID-19 group of patients and to compare these aspects with non-COVID-19 matched controls. METHODS: In this cohort study, we retrospectively selected patients from November 1 to December 31, 2020, according to specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The follow-up visits were planned after 6 months from discharge. All patients were subjected to an endoscopic evaluation and completed two questionnaires (VHI-10 score and MDADI score). RESULTS: Thirteen men and three women were enrolled in the COVID-19 group while nine men and seven women were included in the control group. The median age was 60 [56-66] years in the COVID-19 group and 64 [58-69] years in the control group. All the patients of the control group showed no laryngotracheal lesions, while five COVID-19 patients had different types of lesions, two located in the vocal folds and three in the trachea. No difference was identified between the two groups regarding the VHI-10 score, while the control group showed a significantly worse MDADI score. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients subjected to prolonged invasive ventilation are more likely to develop a laryngotracheal complication in the short and medium term. A rigorous clinical follow-up to allow early identification and management of these complications should be set up after discharge.

Experimental Assessment of Cuff Pressures on the Walls of a Trachea-Like Model Using Force Sensing Resistors: Insights for Patient Management in Intensive Care Unit Settings.

The COVID-19 outbreak has increased the incidence of tracheal lesions in patients who underwent invasive mechanical ventilation. We measured the pressure exerted by the cuff on the walls of a test bench mimicking the laryngotracheal tract. The test bench was designed to acquire the pressure exerted by endotracheal tube cuffs inflated inside an artificial model of a human trachea. The experimental protocol consisted of measuring pressure values before and after applying a maneuver on two types of endotracheal tubes placed in two mock-ups resembling two different sized tracheal tracts. Increasing pressure values were used to inflate the cuff and the pressures were recorded in two different body positions. The recorded pressure increased proportionally to the input pressure. Moreover, the pressure values measured when using the non-armored (NA) tube were usually higher than those recorded when using the armored (A) tube. A periodic check of the cuff pressure upon changing the body position and/or when performing maneuvers on the tube appears to be necessary to prevent a pressure increase on the tracheal wall. In addition, in our model, the cuff of the A tube gave a more stable output pressure on the tracheal wall than that of the NA tube.

Cefiderocol as Rescue Therapy for Acinetobacter baumannii and Other Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative Infections in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Ten critically ill patients with either bacteremia or ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, or New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae received cefiderocol. All strains had minimum inhibitory concentration ≤2 µg/mL. Thirty-day clinical success and survival rates were 70% and 90%, respectively. Two patients had a microbiological failure. Future prospective studies are warranted.

Predictors of hospital-acquired bacterial and fungal superinfections in COVID-19: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial and fungal superinfections may complicate the course of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: To identify predictors of superinfections in COVID-19. METHODS: Prospective, observational study including patients with COVID-19 consecutively admitted to the University Hospital of Pisa, Italy, between 4 March and 30 April 2020. Clinical data and outcomes were registered. Superinfection was defined as a bacterial or fungal infection that occurred ≥48 h after hospital admission. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors independently associated with superinfections. RESULTS: Overall, 315 patients with COVID-19 were hospitalized and 109 episodes of superinfections were documented in 69 (21.9%) patients. The median time from admission to superinfection was 19 days (range 11-29.75). Superinfections were caused by Enterobacterales (44.9%), non-fermenting Gram-negative bacilli (15.6%), Gram-positive bacteria (15.6%) and fungi (5.5%). Polymicrobial infections accounted for 18.3%. Predictors of superinfections were: intestinal colonization by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (OR 16.03, 95% CI 6.5-39.5, P < 0.001); invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 5.6, 95% CI 2.4-13.1, P < 0.001); immunomodulatory agents (tocilizumab/baricitinib) (OR 5.09, 95% CI 2.2-11.8, P < 0.001); C-reactive protein on admission >7 mg/dl (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.7-7.7, P = 0.001); and previous treatment with piperacillin/tazobactam (OR 2.85, 95% CI 1.1-7.2, P = 0.028). Length of hospital stay was longer in patients who developed superinfections ompared with those who did not (30 versus 11 days, P < 0.001), while mortality rates were similar (18.8% versus 23.2%, P = 0.445). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of bacterial and fungal superinfections in COVID-19 is consistent. Patients who need empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics and immunomodulant drugs should be carefully selected. Infection control rules must be reinforced.

Pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We describe the pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock (CS), from the main pathways to the inflammatory mechanisms and the proteomic features. RECENT FINDINGS: Although the classical pathophysiological pathways underlying CS, namely reduced organ perfusion due to inadequate cardiac output and peripheral vasoconstriction, have been well-established for a long time, the role of macro-and micro-hemodynamics in the magnitude of the disease and its prognosis has been investigated extensively only over the last few years. Moreover, to complete the complex picture of CS pathophysiology, the study of cytokine cascade, inflammation, and proteomic analysis has been addressed recently. SUMMARY: Understanding the pathophysiology of CS is important to treat it optimally.

Predictors of intensive care unit admission in patients with Legionella pneumonia: role of the time to appropriate antibiotic therapy.

PURPOSE: Legionella spp. pneumonia (LP) is a cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) that requires early intervention. The median mortality rate varies from 4 to 11%, but it is higher in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). The objective of this study is to identify predictors of ICU admission in patients with LP. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective, observational study conducted in an academic tertiary-care hospital in Pisa, Italy. Adult patients with LP consecutively admitted to study center from October 2012 to October 2019. RESULTS: During the study period, 116 cases of LP were observed. The rate of ICU admission was 20.7% and the overall 30-day mortality rate was 12.1%. Mortality was 4.3% in patients hospitalized in medical wards versus 41.7% in patients transferred to ICU (p < 0.001). The majority of patients (74.1%) received levofloxacin as definitive therapy, followed by macrolides (16.4%), and combination of levofloxacin plus a macrolide (9.5%). In the multivariate analysis, diabetes (OR 8.28, CI 95% 2.11-35.52, p = 0.002), bilateral pneumonia (OR 10.1, CI 95% 2.74-37.27, p = 0.001), and cardiovascular events (OR 10.91, CI 95% 2.83-42.01, p = 0.001), were independently associated with ICU admission, while the receipt of macrolides/levofloxacin therapy within 24 h from admission was protective (OR 0.20, CI 95% 0.05-0.73, p = 0.01). Patients who received a late anti-Legionella antibiotic (> 24 h from admission) underwent urinary antigen test later compared to those who received early active antibiotic therapy (2 [2-4] vs. 1 [1-2] days, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Admission to ICU carries significantly increased mortality in patients with diagnosis of LP. Initial therapy with an antibiotic active against Legionella (levofloxacin or macrolides) reduces the probability to be transferred to ICU and should be provided in all cases until Legionella etiology is excluded.

Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients With COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to describe the features of right ventricular impairment and pulmonary hypertension in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and assess their effect on mortality. DESIGN: The authors carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. SETTING: The authors performed a search through PubMed, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and the Cochrane Library for studies reporting right ventricular dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 and outcomes. PARTICIPANTS: The search yielded nine studies in which the appropriate data were available. INTERVENTIONS: Pooled odds ratios were calculated according to the random-effects model. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Overall, 1,450 patients were analyzed, and half of them were invasively ventilated. Primary outcome was mortality at the longest follow-up available. Mortality was 48.5% versus 24.7% in patients with or without right ventricular impairment (n = 7; OR = 3.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.72-5.58; p = 0.0002), 56.3% versus 30.6% in patients with or without right ventricular dilatation (n = 6; OR = 2.43; 95% CI 1.41-4.18; p = 0.001), and 52.9% versus 14.8% in patients with or without pulmonary hypertension (n = 3; OR = 5.75; 95% CI 2.67-12.38; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Mortality in patients with COVID-19 requiring respiratory support and with a diagnosis of right ventricular dysfunction, dilatation, or pulmonary hypertension is high. Future studies should highlight the mechanisms of right ventricular derangement in COVID-19, and early detection of right ventricular impairment using ultrasound might be important to individualize therapies and improve outcomes.

Lung, Heart, Vascular, and Diaphragm Ultrasound Examination of COVID-19 Patients: A Comprehensive Approach.

Lung ultrasound (LU) has a multitude of features and capacities that make it a useful medical tool to assist physicians contending with the pandemic spread of novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) caused by coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Thus, an LU approach to patients with suspected COVID-19 is being implemented worldwide. In noncritical COVID-19 patients, 2 new LU signs have been described and proposed, the "waterfall" and the "light beam" signs. Both signs have been hypothesized to increase the diagnostic accuracy of LU for COVID-19 interstitial pneumonia. In critically ill patients, a distinct pattern of LU changes seems to follow the disease's progression, and this information can be used to guide decisions about when a patient needs to be ventilated, as occurs in other disease states similar to COVID-19. Furthermore, a new algorithm has been published, which enables the automatic detection of B-lines as well as quantification of the percentage of the pleural line associated with lung disease. In COVID-19 patients, a direct involvement of cardiac function has been demonstrated, and ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction might be present due to the prolonged mechanical ventilation often involved, as reported for similar diseases. For this reason, cardiac and diaphragm ultrasound evaluation are highly important. Last but not least, due to the thrombotic tendency of COVID-19 patients, particular attention also should be paid to vascular ultrasound. This review is primarily devoted to the study of LU in COVID-19 patients. The authors explain the significance of its "light and shadows," bearing in mind the context in which LU is being used-the emergency department and the intensive care setting. The use of cardiac, vascular, and diaphragm ultrasound is also discussed, as a comprehensive approach to patient care.

EACTA/SCA Recommendations for the Cardiac Anesthesia Management of Patients With Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Infection: An Expert Consensus From the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists With Endorsement From the Chinese Society of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesiology.

The European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology (EACTA) and the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA) aimed to create joint recommendations for the perioperative management of patients with suspected or proven severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection undergoing cardiac surgery or invasive cardiac procedures. To produce appropriate recommendations, the authors combined the evidence from the literature review, reevaluating the clinical experience of routine cardiac surgery in similar cases during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) outbreak and the current pandemic with suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, and the expert opinions through broad discussions within the EACTA and SCA. The authors took into consideration the balance between established procedures and the feasibility during the present outbreak. The authors present an agreement between the European and US practices in managing patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations take into consideration a broad spectrum of issues, with a focus on preoperative testing, safety concerns, overall approaches to general and specific aspects of preparation for anesthesia, airway management, transesophageal echocardiography, perioperative ventilation, coagulation, hemodynamic control, and postoperative care. As the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading, it will continue to present a challenge for the worldwide anesthesiology community. To allow these recommendations to be updated as long as possible, the authors provided weblinks to international public and academic sources providing timely updated data. This document should be the basis of future task forces to develop a more comprehensive consensus considering new evidence uncovered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vasopressor Therapy in Cardiac Surgery-An Experts' Consensus Statement.

Hemodynamic conditions with reduced systemic vascular resistance commonly are observed in patients undergoing cardiac surgery and may range from moderate reductions in vascular tone, as a side effect of general anesthetics, to a profound vasodilatory syndrome, often referred to as vasoplegic shock. Therapy with vasopressors is an important pillar in the treatment of these conditions. There is limited guidance on the appropriate choice of vasopressors to restore and optimize systemic vascular tone in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. A panel of experts in the field convened to develop statements and evidence-based recommendations on clinically relevant questions on the use of vasopressors in cardiac surgical patients, using a critical appraisal of the literature following the GRADE system and a modified Delphi process. The authors unanimously and strongly recommend the use of norepinephrine and/or vasopressin for restoration and maintenance of systemic perfusion pressure in cardiac surgical patients; despite that, the authors cannot recommend either of these drugs with respect to the risk of ischemic complications. The authors unanimously and strongly recommend against using dopamine for treating post-cardiac surgery vasoplegic shock and against using methylene blue for purposes other than a rescue therapy. The authors unanimously and weakly recommend that clinicians consider early addition of a second vasopressor (norepinephrine or vasopressin) if adequate vascular tone cannot be restored by a monotherapy with either norepinephrine or vasopressin and to consider using vasopressin as a first-line vasopressor or to add vasopressin to norepinephrine in cardiac surgical patients with pulmonary hypertension or right-sided heart dysfunction.