Serum biomarkers to differentiate Gram-negative, Gram-positive and fungal infection in febrile patients.

Introduction. Contamination of specimens and overuse of broad spectrum antibiotics contribute to false positives and false negatives, respectively. Therefore, useful and applicable biomarkers of bacteremia are still required.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. IL-6 can be used as a serum biomarker to discriminate among bacterial infections and fungal infections in febrile patients with a bloodstream infection.Aim. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), procalcitonin (PCT) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in discriminating Gram-negative (G-) bacteria from Gram-positive (G+) bacteria and fungi in febrile patients.Methodology. A total of 567 patients with fever were evaluated. Serum levels of IL-6, PCT, NLR and CRP were compared among a G- group (n=188), a G+ group (n=168), a fungal group (n=38) and a culture negative group (n=173). Sensitivity, specificity, Yuden's index and area under the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) were obtained to analyse the diagnostic abilities of these biomarkers in discriminating bloodstream infection caused by different pathogens.Results. Serum IL-6 and PCT in the G- group increased significantly when compared with both the G+ group and fungal group (P <0.05). AUC of IL-6 (0.767, 95 % CI:0.725-0.805) is higher than AUC of PCT (0.751, 95 % CI:0.708-0.796) in discriminating the G- group from G+ group. When discriminating the G- group from fungal group, the AUC of IL-6 (0.695, 95 % CI:0.651-0.747) with a cut-off value of 464.3 pg ml-1 was also higher than the AUC of PCT (0.630, 95 % CI:0.585-0.688) with a cut-off value of 0.68 ng ml-1. Additionally, AUC of NLR (0.685, 95 % CI:0.646-0.727) in discriminating the fungal group from G+ group at the cut-off value of 9.03, was higher than AUC of IL-6, PCT and CRP.Conclusion. This study suggests that IL-6 could be used as a serum biomarker to discriminate among bacterial infections and fungal infections in febrile patients with a bloodstream infection. In addition, NLR is valuable to discriminate fungal infections from Gram-positive infections in febrile patients with a bloodstream infection.

Open necrosectomy combined with continuous positive drainage and prophylactic diverting loop ileostomy for late infected pancreatic necrosis: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate an innovative open necrosectomy strategy with continuous positive drainage and prophylactic diverting loop ileostomy for the management of late infected pancreatic necrosis (LIPN). METHODS: Consecutive patients were divided into open necrosectomy (ON) group (n = 23), open necrosectomy with colonic segment resection (ON+CSR) group (n = 8) and open necrosectomy with prophylactic diverting loop ileostomy (ON+PDLI) group (n = 11). Continuous positive drainage (CPD) via double-lumen irrigation-suction tube (DLIST) was performed in ON+PDLI group. The primary endpoints were duration of organ failure after surgery, postoperative complication, the rate of re-surgery and mortality. The secondary endpoints were duration of hospitalization, cost, time interval between open surgery and total enteral nutrition (TEN). RESULTS: The recovery time of organ function in ON+PDLI group was shorter than that in other two groups. Colonic complications occurred in 13 patients (56.5%) in the ON group and 3 patients (27.3%) in the ON+PDLI group (p = 0.11). The length of stay in the ON+PDLI group was shorter than the ON group (p = 0.001). The hospitalization cost in the ON+PDLI group was less than the ON group (p = 0.0052). CONCLUSION: ON+PDLI can avoid the intestinal dysfunction, re-ileostomy, the resection of innocent colon and reduce the intraoperative trauma. Despite being of colonic complications before or during operation, CPD + PDLI may show superior effectiveness, safety, and convenience in LIPN.

Method for Establishing Continuous Reinfusion of Succus Entericus in Complex High-output Fistula.

To establish a continuous reinfusion of succus entericus and enteral nutrition (EN) in complex high-output fistula (HOF). Percutaneous puncture and catheterization technique was used to establish continuous reinfusion of succus entericus and EN in complex HOF. From May 2010 to June 2018, 21 patients with complex HOF used continuous reinfusion of succus entericus and EN. Six of them were completely cured, and 15 cases were cured after definitive surgery. Percutaneous puncture and catheterization technique was shown to be a useful and effective method for establishing continuous reinfusion of succus entericus and EN in patients with complex HOF. This method can prevent succus entericus loss and remove the barrier to implementing EN in HOF.

A technique to establish fistuloclysis for high-output jejunocutaneous fistula through percutaneous enterostomy: A case report.

RATIONALE: Currently, fistucolysis helps to establish intestinal nutrition and succus entericus reinfusion in the case of controllable mature high-output enterocutaneous fistula. However, if the tube cannot reach the distal limb of a fistula, fistuloclysis is not achieved. We proposed a strategy to establish succus entericus reinfusion for intractable intestinal fistula through percutaneous enterostomy. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 43-year-old man was transferred to our facility for postoperative enterocutaneous fistulae, sepsis, malnutrition, and electrolyte and fluid imbalance. The contrast X-ray demonstrated the breakdown of the primary anastomosis, with fistula output ranging from 1500 to 2000 mL/d, despite the administration of medications to reduce gastrointestinal secretions. DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed with high-output anastomosis fistula by gastrointestinal radiography. INTERVENTIONS: We used percutaneous enterostomy to establish fistuloclysis. OUTCOMES: Fistuloclysis was established by percutaneous enterostomy successfully. No complications were found during the past 4-month follow-up after percutaneous enterostomy. He is waiting for reconstruction surgery after 6 months' enteral nutrition (EN). LESSONS: Fistuloclysis-assisted EN, if used appropriately, avoids the complications of long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) and may promote faster fistula healing.

Hepatic portal venous gas associated with transcathete cardiac defibrillator implantation: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic Portal Venous Gas (HPVG) is a rare pathological condition that may be caused by iatrogenic factors. CASE REPORT: A 66-year-old Chinese male patient with HPVG underwent laparotomy for chronic bowel ischemia. Transcathete cardiac defibrillator was implanted via left subclavian vein for ventricular tachycardia. DISCUSSION: There are many hypotheses about how gas runs through the intestine into the mesenteric portal venous system. HPVG patients can be improved through comprehensive management. Patients with mesenteric ischemia should be observed in hospital and after discharge, and need surgical intervention if chronic bowel ischemia recurs. CONCLUSION: This case proves the usefulness of comprehensive management in treating HPVG. Prognosis of HPVG should consider the pathological changes contributing to HPVG.