Acute Liver Failure due to Amanita phalloides Poisoning: Therapeutic Approach and Outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Amanita phalloides poisoning is a potentially fatal cause of acute liver failure. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of initial patients' characteristics and different treatment modalities on the outcome of patients with liver failure caused by Amanita poisoning. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 23 patients admitted to our center between July 2007 and August 2016. RESULTS: Mean time interval between Amanita phalloides ingestion and the onset of gastrointestinal symptoms was 12.48 ± 9.88 hours and the interval between ingestion and hospital admission 26.26 ± 15.14 hours. The treatment was intiated by oral decontamination using activated charcoal followed by intravenous rehydration and high doses of intravenous N-acetylcysteine and silibinin. Fourteen patients (61%) underwent extracorporeal elimination method. Ten patients had plasmapheresis, 1 patient had hemoperfusion, and 5 patients had fractionated plasma separation and adsorption. Seven patients who met King's College Criteria were listed for urgent liver transplantation; one of them died before transplantation. Six patients underwent liver transplantation; the mean waiting time was 6.5 ± 12.0 days (range, 1-31 days). One patient died 2 months afterward. All 16 patients who did not meet King's College Criteria and received conservative treatment survived. CONCLUSION: Our results documented a good prognostic value of standard King's College Criteria for indication of urgent liver transplantation in acute liver failure caused by Amanita phalloides poisoning. Fractionated plasma separation and adsorption may contribute to low mortality on the waiting list. Intensive care and extracorporeal elimination methods seem to be crucial points of the conservative treatment.

Lack of Impact of Hyperchloremia in Brain-Dead Organ Donors on the Onset of Kidney Allograft Function in the Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Hyperchloremia produces renal vasoconstriction and fall in glomerular filtration rate. In 90% of brain-dead organ donors, diabetes insipidus develops, characterized by inappropriate diuresis, hyperosmolality, and hyperchloremia. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the serum concentration of chlorides of the donor and the onset of the function of the kidney allograft in the recipient. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 213 donors and kidney allograft recipients. Serum creatinine concentrations and glomerular filtration rates on the 1st, 7th, and 30th days after transplantation of the recipients from hyperchloremic donors were compared with the recipients from normochloremic donors, as well as the incidences of acute tubular necrosis and delayed graft function. RESULTS: On the 1st day, serum creatinine concentrations of the recipients from hyperchloremic and normochloremic donors, respectively, were 448.2 ± 212.1 µmol/L and 502.2 ± 197.8 µmol/L (P = .1), on the 7th day, 168.6 ± 102.6 µmol/L and 196.9 ± 120.6 µmol/L (P = .13), and on the 30th day, 129.4 ± 43.3 µmol/L and 131.8 ± 43.6 µmol/L (P = .73). The differences were statistically significant. The groups also did not differ significantly in glomerular filtration rates and incidences of acute tubular necrosis and delayed graft function. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, no significant correlation between serum chloride concentrations of the organ donors and the onset of the function of kidney allografts in the recipients was found.

The effect of immunosuppression on manifestations of sepsis in an animal model of cecal ligation and puncture.

OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of sepsis is difficult in immunocompromised patients owing to their modified response to infection. Our experiment in minipigs was designed to compare responses to sepsis between experimental groups of septic minipigs with and without immunosuppression. METHODS: Minipigs with identical baseline parameters were randomized into 3 groups: Sepsis (n = 10); immunosuppression (n = 11), including cyclosporine, methylprednisolone, and mycophenolate mofetil treatment before surgery, and a sham group (n = 6). Sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). We recorded selected clinical and laboratory parameters up to 24 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: All CLP animals developed septic shock with a febrile response, tachycardia, and hypotension requiring noradrenaline administration. The hemodynamic responses to sepsis in septic groups with and without immunosuppression were similar. Noradrenaline infusion was started on average later in the immunosuppression than in the group without immunosuppression; however, the difference was not significant. The kinetics of the plasma levels of most selected cytokines and C-reactive protein were similar in both septic groups. At 10 hours after surgery, the immunosuppression group showed significantly lower interleukin (IL)-6 levels compared with the sepsis group. At 19, 22, and 25 hours after surgery immunosuppressed animals displayed significantly greater increases in IL-10 levels compared with the cohort without immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS: CLP is a simple, reproducible model of sepsis in minipigs. All CLP animals developed sepsis within 24 hours on average. Significant differences in IL-6 and IL-10 plasma levels were recorded between septic animals with versus without immunosuppression.

The effect of Prometheus device on laboratory markers of inflammation and tissue regeneration in acute liver failure management.

Prometheus, based on modified fractionated plasma separation and adsorption (FPSA) method, is used in the therapy of acute liver failure as a bridge to liver transplantation. As the therapeutic effect of Prometheus is caused not only by the elimination of terminal metabolites, the aim of the study was to identify the effect of FPSA on the levels of cytokines and markers of inflammation and liver regeneration. Previous studies assessing cytokine levels involved mostly acute-on-chronic liver failure patients. Data concerning markers of inflammation and liver regeneration are not published yet. Eleven patients (three males, eight females) with acute liver failure were investigated. These patients underwent 37 therapeutic sessions on Prometheus device. Before and after each treatment, the plasma levels of selected cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and α(1) fetoprotein, were measured, and the kinetics of their plasma concentrations was evaluated. Before the therapy, elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα, CRP, and PCT were detected. The level of TNFα, CRP, PCT, and α(1) fetoprotein decreased significantly during the therapy. In contrast, an increase of HGF was detected. The decline of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 concentrations was not significant. Our results show that Prometheus is highly effective in clearing inflammatory mediators responsible for systemic inflammatory response syndrome and affects the serum levels of inflammatory and regeneration markers important for management of acute liver failure.

[Liver transplantation and peri-operative changes to renal function]. / Transplantace jater a perioperacní zmeny renálních funkcí.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: Was to analyze in detail perioperative changes of renal function during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and to identify risk factors, that were associated with the need of renal replacement therapy (RRT) during the first week after liver transplantation. METHODS: Prospective study of 50 consecutive patients undergoing OLT was performed. Selected laboratory and clinical parameters were monitored prior to the procedure, after reperfusion, at the end of the procedure, and at 12 hours after the procedure. In the first post-transplant week, necessity to use RRT in the presence of acute kidney injury was monitored and the analysis of risk factors for the need for RRT was performed. Patient survival, graft function, need for dialysis and selected laboratory parameters were assessed at one year post-transplant. RESULTS: During OLT, there was an increase in S(cr) and S(urea), which persisted as late as 12 hours post-transplant. There was a decrease in U(cr) and U(urea) and an increase in S(Na) and S(K). During the procedure any increase in S(cyst) were observed, increase the values were recorded 12 hours after surgery. S(bili) level decreased. There was a rise in the urinary levels of total protein, albumin and beta2-microglobulin. U(prot)/U(cr) increased significantly after reperfusion, with a peak after the procedure. At 12 hours after the procedure, there was a decrease in U(prot)/U(cr), but the values were still many times higher than those seen preoperatively. RRTwas necessary in 14% cases. Risk factors for acute kidney injury requiring RRT included a higher APACHE score, higher BMI, higher preoperative S(cr) and S(urea), hepatorenal syndrome pretransplant, blood loss and intraoperative hemodynamic instability, postoperative complications and dysfunction of the liver graft. One year after OLT, there was no difference in followed laboratory values between patients requiring postoperative RRT and others; no patient was treated with dialysis. CONCLUSION: OLT has a major impact on glomerular and tubular renal functions. Our data suggest that patients surviving acute renal injury treated with RRT in the early postoperative period have a high chance of restoring renal function. A sensitive marker of renal injury during OLT seems to be perioperative proteinuria.