Therapeutic plasma exchange in acute liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Multi-organ dysfunction in acute liver failure (ALF) has been attributed to a systemic inflammatory response directly triggered by the injured liver. High-volume therapeutic plasma exchange (HV-TPE) has been demonstrated in a large randomized controlled trial to improve survival. Here, we investigated if a more cost-/ resource effective low-volume (LV) TPE strategy might have comparable beneficial effects. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated the effect of LV-TPE on remote organ failure, hemodynamical and biochemical parameters as well as on survival in patients with ALF. Twenty patients treated with LV-TPE in addition to standard medical therapy (SMT) were identified and 1:1 matched to a historical ALF cohort treated with SMT only. Clinical and biochemical parameters were recorded at admission to the intensive care unit and the following 7 days after LV-TPE. RESULTS: Mean arterial pressure increased following first LV-TPE treatments (d0: 68 [61-75] mm Hg vs d7: 88 [79-98] mm Hg, P = .003) and norepinephrine dose was reduced (d0: 0.264 [0.051-0.906] µg/kg/min vs d3: 0 [0-0.024] µg/kg/min, P = .016). Multi-organ dysfunction was significantly diminished following LV-TPE (CLIF-SOFA d0: 17 [13-20] vs d7: 7 [3-11], P = .001). Thirty-day in-hospital survival was 65% in the LV-TPE cohort and 50% in the SMT cohort (Hazard-ratio for TPE: 0.637; 95% CI: 0.238-1.706, P = .369). CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with LV-TPE showed improved surrogate parameters comparable with the effects reported with HV-TPE. These data need to be interpreted with caution due to their retrospective character. Future controlled studies are highly desirable.

Outcomes of renal dysfunction in patients with acute liver failure.

Background: Although acute kidney injury (AKI) often accompanies acute liver failure (ALF), its impact on long-term outcome is unknown. Objective: This study examines the incidence, severity and outcomes of AKI in patients with ALF. Methods: A total of 134 ALF patients treated at Hannover Medical School between 1995 and 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Fifty-four ALF patients (40.3%) demonstrated AKI, as defined by the acute kidney injury network (AKIN) classification, on intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and 85 patients (63.4%) developed AKI prior to ALF recovery, emergency liver transplantation (ELT) or death. AKI severity was closely associated with other end-organ damage (p < 0.001). Follow-up creatinine levels in survivors were increased compared to baseline levels (76 versus 64 µmol/l, p = 0.003). One-hundred-and-three (76.9%) patients reached the combined endpoint of ELT or death, and 42 (31.3%) patients died within 28 days. AKIN stage 3 at ICU admission was the strongest independent predictor of 28-day overall mortality (hazard ratio 3.48, 95% confidence interval 1.75-6.93, p < 0.001) and ELT or death (hazard ratio 2.52, 95% confidence interval 1.60-3.96, p < 0.001). Conclusions: AKI is a frequent complication in ALF that correlates with remote organ damage and long-term creatinine levels and independently predicts outcome.

How to Define Acute Liver Failure Patients with Pre-Existing Liver Disease without Signs of Cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The definition of acute liver failure (ALF) usually implies no previous liver injury. Though, some patients admitted to liver transplantation centers with the diagnosis of ALF are obese or have diabetes. Elevated liver enzymes were not recorded previously, and no signs of cirrhosis or prior decompensation of the liver function were ever present. Still, these patients differ from the "typical" ALF-patient. GOALS: In this study, we aimed to confirm acute-on-chronic-liver failure (AOCLF) in patients diagnosed with ALF and to identify possible differences between ALF and AOCLF. STUDY: Patients were retrospectively recruited from all patients admitted to the University Hospital Essen with diagnosis of ALF between 2008 and 2015. Data of 163 patients were evaluated, resulting in a reclassification of 32 patients as AOCLF (remaining ALF: 131). Demographic and clinical data as well as serum parameters, including cell death markers, were correlated with clinical outcome. RESULTS: Patients with AOCLF were significantly older, had a higher body mass index (BMI), and were more often male. The cause for liver failure in these patients differed significantly from patients who had an actual ALF. Significant differences were also found for serum liver enzymes. Outcome of patients did not differ between AOCLF and ALF. Though, lower BMI and MELD and higher AST and GLDH were predictors for a beneficial outcome. CONCLUSION: AOCLF is still commonly misdiagnosed as ALF. While clinical outcome does not significantly differ between ALF and AOCLF, risk factors for adverse outcome may significantly differ between these entities.

A Novel Video-Assisted Approach to Excimer Laser-Guided Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices Lead Extraction.

OBJECTIVE: Even though roughly 90% of all implanted cardiac implantable electronic devices leads can be removed through conventional techniques, presence of large vegetations or thrombi, fractured leads, previous failed extraction, or long duration from implantation often impede classical transvenous extraction. In these cases, laser-assisted procedures represent a highly successful alternative and have a low procedural complication rate with major adverse events in less than 2% of cases. Unfortunately, most encountered complications are potentially fatal, which prompted us to develop a novel approach that adds additional safety measures by allowing for real-time intrathoracic visualization and intervention. METHODS: Five consecutive patients classified as high-risk patients received concomitant laser sheet extraction and right-sided uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery for real-time intrathoracic visualization. RESULTS: Complete extraction was achieved in all cases without observing major intraoperative events, and on-table extubation was feasible in all cases. No chest tube-associated or incision-related complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant laser sheet extraction and video-assisted thoracoscopy are feasible and may offer benefits in high-risk patients. Further studies to document the actual safety and clinical value of our procedure are warranted.

Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease: A Modified Perfusion Concept in High-Risk Patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Cardiac surgery with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with end-stage liver disease is associated with a high risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality due to bleeding, and a high incidence of bacterial infection with associated secondary complications. Minimized extracorporeal perfusion circuits (MECCs) with a lower priming volume, reduced foreign surface area, and interdisciplinary preoperative and postoperative treatment may address these negative effects and improve patient outcomes. The study aim was to evaluate the feasibility of the MECC and optimized supportive therapy in patients with advanced-stage liver cirrhosis. METHODS: Seven consecutive male patients (median age 56 years; range 54-67 years) with hepatic cirrhosis (Child-Pugh score B, median Model of End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score 14; range 8-26) underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) using MECC. Supportive preoperative and postoperative management included digestive decontamination, antioxidant supplements, and adjusted anti-infective therapy. RESULTS: All patients survived the hospital course, with 30-, 60-, and 90-day mortality of 0%. The median intensive care unit and in-hospital lengths of stay were 3 days (range: 1-5 days) and 13 days (range: 5-18 days), respectively. One patient required reexploration due to bleeding, and another suffered from a seizure without permanent neurologic deficits. No patient required new-onset hemodialysis. At a median follow up of 22 months (range: 2-46 months) all patients were alive but displayed only minor improvements in cardiac symptoms (median NYHA class III (range: II-III) at baseline versus II (range: II-III) postoperatively) and hepatic symptoms. CONCLUSION: Conventional AVR in patients with advanced-stage liver cirrhosis using MECC and optimal medical treatment is feasible. Further studies are required to evaluate the impact of alternative interventional techniques in this high-risk cohort.

Lung transplantation for severe pulmonary hypertension--awake extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for postoperative left ventricular remodelling.

BACKGROUND: Bilateral lung transplantation (BLTx) is an established treatment for end-stage pulmonary hypertension (PH). Ventilator weaning failure and death are more common as in BLTx for other indications. We hypothesized that left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is the main cause of early postoperative morbidity or mortality and investigated a weaning strategy using awake venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). METHODS: In 23 BLTx for severe PH, ECMO used during BLTx was continued for a minimum of 5 days (BLTx-ECMO group). Echocardiography, left atrial (LA) and Swan-Ganz catheters were used for monitoring. Early extubation after transplantation was attempted under continued ECMO. RESULTS: Preoperatively, all patients had severely reduced cardiac index (mean, 2.1 L/min/m2). On postoperative day 2, reduction of ECMO flow resulted in increasing LA and decreasing systemic blood pressures. On the day of ECMO explantation (median, postoperative day 8), LV diameter had increased; LA and blood pressures remained stable. Survival rates at 3 and 12 months were 100% and 96%, respectively. Data were compared to two historic control groups of BLTx without ECMO (BLTx ventilation) or combined heart-lung transplantation for severe PH. CONCLUSION: Early after BLTx for severe PH, the LV may be unable to handle normalized LV preload. This can be effectively bridged with awake venoarterial ECMO.

MicroRNAs play a role in spontaneous recovery from acute liver failure.

UNLABELLED: Acute liver failure (ALF) represents a life-threatening situation characterized by sudden and massive liver cell death in the absence of preexisting liver disease. Although most patients require liver transplantation to prevent mortality, some recover spontaneously and show complete liver regeneration. Because of the rarity of this disease, the molecular mechanisms regulating liver regeneration in ALF patients remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of microRNAs (miRs) that have been implicated in liver injury and regeneration in sera from ALF patients (n = 63). Patients with spontaneous recovery from ALF showed significantly higher serum levels of miR-122, miR-21, and miR-221, compared to nonrecovered patients. In liver biopsies, miR-21 and miR-221 displayed a reciprocal expression pattern and were found at lower levels in the spontaneous survivors, whereas miR-122 was elevated in both serum and liver tissue of those patients. As compared to nonrecovered patients, liver tissue of spontaneous survivors revealed not only increased hepatocyte proliferation, but also a strong down-regulation of miRNA target genes that impair liver regeneration, including heme oxygenase-1, programmed cell death 4, and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21, p27, and p57. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that miR-122, miR-21, and miR-221 are involved in liver regeneration and might contribute to spontaneous recovery from ALF. Prospective studies will show whether serological detection of those miRNAs might be of prognostic value to predict ALF outcome.

Therapeutic plasma exchange as rescue therapy in severe sepsis and septic shock: retrospective observational single-centre study of 23 patients.

BACKGROUND: Several case series and small randomized controlled trials suggest that therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) improves coagulation, hemodynamics and possibly survival in severe sepsis. However, the exact role of TPE in modern sepsis therapy remains unclear. METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational single-centre study on the use of TPE as rescue therapy in 23 consecutive patients with severe sepsis or septic shock from 2005 to 2012. Main surrogate markers of multiple organ failure (MOF) before, during and after TPE as well as survival rates are reported. RESULTS: At baseline, mean SOFA score was 13 (standard deviation [SD] 4) and median number of failed organ-systems was 5 (interquartile range [IQR] 4-5). TPEs were performed 3 days (IQR 2-10) after symptom onset and 1 day (IQR 0-8) after ICU admission. The median total exchange volume was 3750 ml (IQR 2500-6000), which corresponded to a mean of 1.5 times (SD 0.9) the individual plasma volume. Fresh frozen plasma was used in all but one treatments as replacement fluid. Net fluid balance decreased significantly within 12 hrs following the first TPE procedure by a median of 720 mL (p = 0.002), irrespective of outcome. Reductions of norepinephrine dose and improvement in cardiac index were observed in individual survivors, but this was not significant for the overall cohort (p = 0.574). Platelet counts decreased irrespective of outcome between days 0 and 2 (p < 0.003), and increased thereafter in many survivors. There was a non-significant trend towards younger age and higher procalcitonin levels among survivors. Nine out of 23 TPE treated patients (39%) survived until ICU discharge (among them 3 patients with baseline SOFA scores of 15, 17, and 20). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that some patients with severe sepsis and septic shock may experience hemodynamic stabilisation by early TPE therapy.

Removal characteristics and total dialysate content of glutamine and other amino acids in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury undergoing extended dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury in critically ill patients is associated with the activation of protein catabolism and a negative nitrogen balance. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) aggravates this problem by eliminating a substantial amount of amino acids. However, there is scarce data on the removal characteristics of modern dialysis membranes in extended dialysis. METHODS: This is a prospective study in 10 extended dialysis sessions using a 1.8-m(2) polysulfone membrane (EMiC2 dialyzer or AV 1000S; FMC, Germany). Blood samples for 19 amino acids were drawn before, during, and after 10 h of extended dialysis (blood/dialysate flow 150 ml/min). In addition, samples for the calculation of dialyzer clearance and samples from the total spent dialysate were measured using a Biochrom 30 amino acid analyzer. RESULTS: Despite no significant difference in pre- and postdialysis plasma amino acid levels, we found an impressive amount of amino acids in collected spent dialysate, i.e. 10.5 g/10 h of treatment. The dialyzer clearance ranged from 67.6 ml/min for phenylalanine to 140.0 ml/min for valine. The total eliminated masses of the measured amino acids had equal values for both membranes. There was a significant difference between the dialyzer clearance of the investigated membranes for glutamine (AV 1000S: 83.3 ml/min vs. EMiC2: 92.0 ml/min, p = 0.02) and serine (88.8 ml/min vs. 91.8 ml/min, p = 0.005). DISCUSSION: Our data indicate that the modern forms of RRT eliminate amino acids to an extent that has not been met by our nutritional support standards. Especially the removal of glutamine, important for immune function and cell regeneration, might have detrimental effects on the recovery of critically ill patients.

Association of angiopoietin-2 and dimethylarginines with complicated course in patients with leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is one of the most relevant zoonosis worldwide and a potentially life-threatening infectious disease. While it is frequent in tropic regions, it is uncommon in European industrialized countries. Angiopoietin-2 (Angpt-2) and asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA and SDMA) are markers of endothelial activation and systemic inflammation. These parameters have been studied recently in the context of sepsis and MODS showing potential to determine disease severity and outcome specific parameters like acute kidney injury (AKI) and survival. These biomarkers were measured in 13 patients with leptospirosis. High levels of Angpt-2 were statistically significant associated with a complicated clinical course with occurrence of AKI, Sepsis and intensive care unit treatment. ADMA was significantly associated with occurrence of AKI and ICU treatment whereas SDMA was associated with AKI. Therefore these endothelial markers may serve as additional tools for risk stratification in these patients.

Assessment of xylitol serum levels during the course of parenteral nutrition including xylitol in intensive care patients: a case control study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Xylitol has been approved for parenteral nutrition and may be beneficial in catabolic situations. The aim was to establish an easy method to monitor xylitol serum levels in patients receiving xylitol and to determine whether xylitol is safe. METHODS: A commercially available xylitol test was validated and used to measure serum levels in 55 patients admitted to our intensive care unit with an indication for parenteral nutrition with xylitol for at least 24 h. Controls consisted of the most recent 56 patients admitted to the intensive care unit who received parenteral nutrition without xylitol for at least 2 days. Xylitol serum levels were determined using the test. Adverse events, liver enzymes, lactate, bilirubin, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, and insulin requirement were secondary endpoints. RESULTS: Patients receiving xylitol received 32.6% less insulin than controls. The amount of energy they received was comparable (xylitol: 810.1; controls: 789.8 kcal). Mean liver enzymes and lactate levels were similar in both groups. Adverse events considered attributable to xylitol did not occur. Xylitol did not accumulate in patients' blood and returned to near baseline values one day after parenteral nutrition was stopped. CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral nutrition with xylitol appears to be safe for critical care patients. There were no signs of hepatoxicity. TRIAL REGISTRATION DRKS: DRKS00004238.

Monitoring of patients supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for systemic infections by broad-range rRNA gene PCR amplification and sequence analysis.

The rRNA gene PCR and sequencing test, SepsiTest, was compared with blood culture (BC) regarding the diagnosis of pathogens in 160 blood samples drawn from 28 patients during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. With 45% of positive samples, SepsiTest was 13 to 75 h faster than BC. SepsiTest indicated bacteremias in 25% of patients who were BC negative.

Tissue concentration of paraquat on day 32 after intoxication and failed bridge to transplantation by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy.

BACKGROUND: Paraquat is a highly toxic herbicide, which not only leads to acute organ damage, but also to pulmonary fibrosis. There are only anecdotal reports of rescue lung transplantation, as paraquat is stored and only slowly released from different tissues. Bridging the time to complete depletion of paraquat from the body could render this exceptional therapy strategy possible, but not much is known on the time interval after which transplantation can safely be performed. CASE PRESENTATION: We report on a case of accidental paraquat poisoning in a 23 years old Caucasian man, who developed respiratory failure due to pulmonary fibrosis. The patient was listed for high urgency lung transplantion, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was implemented to bridge the time to transplantation. The patient died 32 days after paraquat ingestion, before a suitable donor organ was found. In postmortem tissue specimen, no paraquat was detectable anymore. CONCLUSION: This case report indicates that complete elimination of paraquat after oral ingestion of a lethal dose is achievable. The determined time frame for this complete elimination might be relevant for patients, in which lung transplantation is considered.

Safety of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in patients on extracorporeal lung support.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) in critically ill patients on an extracorporeal lung assist device requiring therapeutic anticoagulation. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study on all patients undergoing tracheostomy while on pumpless extracorporeal lung assist or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in intensive care units of two university hospitals in Germany between 2007 and 2013. RESULTS: During the study period PDT was performed on 118 patients. The median platelet count, international normalized ratio, and activated partial thromboplastin time before tracheostomy were 126 × 10(9)/L (range 16-617 × 10(9)/L), 1.1 (0.9-2.0) and 49 s (28-117 s), respectively. Seventeen patients (14.4%) received a maximum of three bags of pooled platelets, and eight patients (6.8%) received a maximum of four units of fresh frozen plasma before the procedure. In all patients the administration of intravenous heparin was briefly paused periprocedurally. No periprocedural clotting complication within the extracorporeal circuit was observed. Two patients (1.7%) suffered from procedure-related major bleeding, with one patient requiring conversion to a surgical tracheostomy. Two pneumothoraces (1.7%) were related to the PDT. One patient (0.8%) had analgosedation-related hypotension with brief and successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Minor bleeding from the tracheostomy site occurred in 37 cases (31.4%). No fatality was attributable to tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS: The complication rates of PDT in the patients on extracorporeal lung support were low and comparable to those of other critically ill patients. Based on these results, we conclude that PDT performed by experienced operators with careful optimization of the coagulation state is a relatively safe procedure and not contraindicated for this patient group.

Renal function and survival in 200 patients undergoing ECMO therapy.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting to improve gas exchange in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome as well as in patients pre- and post-heart and lung transplantation. In this clinical setting, acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently observed. So far, it is unknown how AKI affects the survival of critically ill patients receiving ECMO support and whether veno-veno and veno-arterial ECMO have different effects on kidney function. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing ECMO treatment in medical and surgical ICUs in a tertiary care centre. We evaluated all patients undergoing ECMO treatment at our centre between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2010. Data from all 200 patients (83F/117M), median age 45 (17-83) years, were obtained by chart review. Follow-up data were obtained for up to 3 months. RESULTS: Three-month survival of all patients was 31%. Of the 200 patients undergoing ECMO treatment, 60% (120/200) required renal replacement therapy (RRT) for AKI. While patients without RRT showed a 3-month survival of 53%, the survival of patients with AKI requiring RRT was 17% (P = 0.001). Longer duration of RRT was associated with a higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS: AKI requiring RRT therapy in patients undergoing ECMO treatment increases mortality in ICU patients. Future studies have to clarify whether it is possible to identify patients who benefit from the combination of ECMO and RRT.

New high-cutoff dialyzer allows improved middle molecule clearance without an increase in albumin loss: a clinical crossover comparison in extended dialysis.

BACKGROUND: Accumulation of middle molecules is thought to have adverse effects in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Elimination of middle molecules by non-convective means, i.e. hemodialysis, remains difficult. The aim of the study was to investigate the removal characteristics of a new high permeability membrane in AKI patients undergoing extended dialysis (ED). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective, crossover study comparing the EMiC2 dialyzer (1.8 m(2), FMC, Germany) and AV 1000S (1.8 m(2), FMC) in 11 critically ill patients with AKI. ß2-Microglobulin, cystatin c, creatinine, and urea were measured before and after 0.5, 5.0 and 10 h of ED. Serum reduction ratios, dialyzer clearances, and mass in the total collected dialysate were determined. RESULTS: Dialyzer clearance of ß2-microglobulin (EMiC2: 52 ± 1.7 ml/min, AV 1000S: 41.7 ± 1.5 ml/min, p = 0.0002) and cystatin c (EMiC2: 47.2 ± 1.2 ml/min, AV 1000S: 34.2 ± 2.3 ml/min, p < 0.0001) was markedly different, as was the reduction of serum levels of ß2-microglobulin (EMiC2: 54.3 ± 3.6%, AV 1000S: 39.1 ± 4.5%, p = 0.025) and cystatin c (EMiC2: 38.9 ± 2.6%, AV 1000S: 28.0 ± 3.9%, p = 0.043). Additionally, we observed a higher total amount of these substances in the collected dialysate. There was no significant difference in the total amount of albumin eliminated per treatment. CONCLUSION: The new EMiC2 dialyzer enhances removal of middle molecules without an increase in albumin loss. The clinical relevance of this finding needs to be determined.

Prediction of outcome and selection of the liver transplantat candidate in acute liver failure.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is characterized by a sudden and severe deterioration of liver function, typically mirrored by a marked increase of the international normalized ratio (INR) and hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Due to various possible causes hepatocytes get damaged via either apoptotic or necrotic pathways. Anticipating the natural prognosis of a patient with ALF is one of the most challenging tasks in hepatology critical care. Important factors that influence the chance of spontaneous recovery are the underlying etiology of acute liver failure, the acuity of disease, and the severity of HE. Once an estimation of the prognosis in the individual patient has been made, this quickly has to be integrated in the discussion whether high-urgency liver transplantation is necessary and justifiable. This decision has to cover several medical, social, and organizational issues. Well organized liver transplantation programs around the world have achieved an impressive improvement of the 1 year survival rate in ALF from around 40% without transplantation up to nearly 80% with transplantation. The recent debate on whether severe acute alcoholic hepatitis could represent a new candidate eligible for high-urgency liver transplantation shows that the topic is still open for discussion.

Outcome of critically ill lung transplant candidates on invasive respiratory support.

PURPOSE: Lung transplantation (LTx) of patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) or extracorporeal support (ECS) is controversial because of impaired survival. Prognostic factors to predict survival should be identified. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed in a single centre of all ventilated LTx-candidates awarded an Eurotransplant (ET) high-urgency (HU) status between November 2004 and July 2009. Clinical data were collected on the first day of HU-status from intubated patients with an approved HU status. Single parameters as well as the lung allocation score (LAS), the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (SOFA) and the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS 2) were calculated. The association of these variables with survival was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 100 intubated patients (median age 38 years, 56 % female) fulfilled the inclusion criteria, of whom 60 also required ECS. The main indications were cystic fibrosis (25 %) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (24 %). Median time with HU status was 12 days [interquartile range (IQR) 6-21 days]. Sixty patients were transplanted, five were weaned from mechanical ventilation and 38 died while on the wait list. One-year-survival rates were 57, 36 and 5 % for transplanted patients, all candidates and non-transplanted candidates, respectively (p < 0.001). A SAPS score >24 (median 30, IQR 27-35), a procalcitonin level of >0.5 µg/l (median 0.4, IQR 0.1-1.4 µg/l) and any escalation of bridging strategy were independently associated with mortality (p = 0.021, = 0.003, and < 0.001, respectively). The LAS (median 88, IQR 8-90) did not predict survival (p = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: High-urgency LTx improves survival in critically ill intubated candidates. Higher SAPS scores, escalating therapy and an abnormal procalcitonin level were associated with a poor outcome.