Efficacy of Brazilian green propolis (EPP-AF®) as an adjunct treatment for hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A randomized, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) promotes challenging immune and inflammatory phenomena. Though various therapeutic possibilities have been tested against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the most adequate treatment has not yet been established. Propolis is a natural product with considerable evidence of immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory activities, and experimental data point to potential against viral targets. We hypothesized that propolis can reduce the negative effects of COVID-19. METHODS: In a randomized, controlled, open-label, single-center trial, hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients were treated with a standardized green propolis extract (EPP-AF®ï¸) as an adjunct therapy. Patients were allocated to receive standard care plus an oral dose of 400 mg or 800 mg/day of green propolis for seven days, or standard care alone. Standard care included all necessary interventions, as determined by the attending physician. The primary end point was the time to clinical improvement, defined as the length of hospital stay or oxygen therapy dependency duration. Secondary outcomes included acute kidney injury and need for intensive care or vasoactive drugs. Patients were followed for 28 days after admission. RESULTS: We enrolled 124 patients; 40 were assigned to EPP-AF®ï¸ 400 mg/day, 42 to EPP-AF®ï¸ 800 mg/day, and 42 to the control group. The length of hospital stay post-intervention was shorter in both propolis groups than in the control group; lower dose, median 7 days versus 12 days (95% confidence interval [CI] -6.23 to -0.07; p = 0.049) and higher dose, median 6 days versus 12 days (95% CI -7.00 to -1.09; p = 0.009). Propolis did not significantly affect the need for oxygen supplementation. In the high dose propolis group, there was a lower rate of acute kidney injury than in the controls (4.8 vs 23.8%), (odds ratio [OR] 0.18; 95% CI 0.03-0.84; p = 0.048). No patient had propolis treatment discontinued due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of propolis to the standard care procedures resulted in clinical benefits for the hospitalized COVID-19 patients, especially evidenced by a reduction in the length of hospital stay. Consequently, we conclude that propolis can reduce the impact of COVID-19.

Lesão renal aguda séptica versus não séptica em pacientes graves: características e desfechos clínicos / Septic versus non-septic acute kidney injury in critically ill patients: characteristics and clinical outcomes

Objetivo: Descrever e comparar as características e os desfechos clínicos de pacientes com lesão renal aguda séptica e não séptica. Métodos: Coorte aberta com 117 pacientes graves com lesão renal aguda consecutivamente admitidos em unidade de terapia intensiva, sendo excluídos aqueles que apresentavam doença renal crônica em estágio avançado, transplante renal, internação ou morte em um período inferior a 24 horas. Presença de sepse e óbito intra-hospitalar representaram, respectivamente, a exposição e o desfecho principal. Análise de confundimento foi realizada com a regressão logística. Resultados: Não houve diferenças na média de idade entre os grupos com lesão renal aguda séptica e não séptica [65,30±(21,27) anos versus 66,35±12,82 anos; p=0,75]. Nos dois grupos, similarmente, observou-se predomínio do sexo feminino (57,4% versus 52,4%; p=0,49) e de afrodescendentes (81,5% versus 76,2%; p=0,49). Os pacientes com sepse apresentaram maiores médias de escore Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II [21,73±7,26 versus 15,75± (5,98; p<0,001)] e maiores médias de balanço hídrico (p=0,001). Hipertensão arterial (p=0,01) e insuficiência cardíaca (p<0,001) foram mais frequentes entre os não sépticos. A lesão renal aguda séptica foi associada à maior necessidade de diálise (p=0,001) ...

Objective: This study aimed to describe and compare the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with septic and non-septic acute kidney injury. Methods: This study evaluated an open cohort of 117 critically ill patients with acute kidney injury who were consecutively admitted to an intensive care unit, excluding patients with a history of advanced-stage chronic kidney disease, kidney transplantation, hospitalization or death in a period shorter than 24 hours. The presence of sepsis and in-hospital death were the exposure and primary variables in this study, respectively. A confounding analysis was performed using logistic regression. Results: No significant differences were found between the mean ages of the groups with septic and non-septic acute kidney injury [65.30±21.27 years versus 66.35±12.82 years, respectively; p=0.75]. In the septic and non-septic acute kidney injury groups, a predominance of females (57.4% versus 52.4%, respectively; p=0.49) and Afro-descendants (81.5% versus 76.2%, respectively; p=0.49) was observed. Compared with the non-septic patients, the patients with sepsis had a higher mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score [21.73±7.26 versus 15.75±5.98; p<0.001)] and a higher mean water balance (p=0.001). Arterial hypertension (p=0.01) and heart failure (p<0.001) were more common in the non-septic patients. Septic acute kidney injury was associated with a greater number of patients who required dialysis (p=0.001) and a ...

Inverse association between serum creatinine and mortality in acute kidney injury / Associação inversa entre creatinina sérica e mortalidade na lesão renal aguda

Introduction: Sepsis is a leading precipitant of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and is associated with a high mortality rate. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the risk factors for dialysis and mortality in a cohort of AKI patients of predominantly septic etiology. Methods: Adult patients from an ICU for whom nephrology consultation was requested were included. End-stage chronic renal failure and kidney transplant patients were excluded. Results: 114 patients were followed. Most had sepsis (84%), AKIN stage 3 (69%) and oliguria (62%) at first consultation. Dialysis was performed in 66% and overall mortality was 70%. Median serum creatinine in survivors and non-survivors was 3.95 mg/dl (2.63 - 5.28) and 2.75 mg/dl (1.81 - 3.69), respectively. In the multivariable models, oliguria and serum urea were positively associated with dialysis; otherwise, a lower serum creatinine at first consultation was independently associated with higher mortality. Conclusion: In a cohort of septic AKI, oliguria and serum urea were the main indications for dialysis. We also described an inverse association between serum creatinine and mortality. Potential explanations for this finding include: delay in diagnosis, fluid overload with hemodilution of serum creatinine or poor nutritional status. This finding may also help to explain the low discriminative power of general severity scores - that assign higher risks to higher creatinine levels - in septic AKI patients. .

Introdução: A sepse é considerada importante causa de Lesão Renal Aguda (LRA) em pacientes internados em Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), sendo esta síndrome associada à elevada mortalidade. Objetivo: Avaliar os fatores de risco para diálise e mortalidade em uma coorte de pacientes com LRA de etiologia predominantemente séptica. Métodos: Pacientes adultos com LRA internados em UTI avaliados pela equipe da nefrologia, sendo excluídos portadores de doença renal crônica terminal e transplantados renais. Resultados: 114 pacientes foram incluídos. A maioria apresentou sepse (84%), estágio AKIN 3 (69%) e oligúria (69%) na primeira consulta nefrológica. Diálise foi realizada em 66%; a mortalidade geral foi de 70%. A creatinina mediana nos sobreviventes e não sobreviventes foi 3,95 mg/dl (2,63 - 5,28) and 2,75 mg/dl (1,81 - 3,69). Nos modelos multivariáveis, oligúria e a ureia sérica foram positivamente associadas com diálise; entretanto, menor creatinina sérica na primeira consulta foi independentemente associada com maior mortalidade. Conclusão: Nesta coorte de pacientes com LRA de etiologia predominantemente séptica, oligúria e a ureia sérica foram as principais indicações de diálise. Também observamos associação inversa entre a creatinina sérica e mortalidade. Possíveis justificativas para esse achado são avaliação nefrológica tardia, sobrecarga volêmica com hemodiluição da creatinina sérica ou desnutrição. Este achado pode, ainda, ajudar a explicar o baixo poder discriminativo dos escores gerais de gravidade, que atribuem maior pontuação a valores maiores de creatinina, em pacientes críticos com LRA. .

Predictors of mortality in a cohort of acute kidney injury patients / Preditores de mortalidade em uma coorte de pacientes com lesão renal aguda

BACKGROUND AND OBJETIVE: Acute kidney injury is related to high in-hospital mortality. The use of furosemide has been a controversial point in the prevention and treatment of acute kidney injury. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury with emphasis on use of furosemide. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 108 patients with acute kidney injury admitted consecutively in a intensive care unit and evaluated until death or hospital discharge. The dependent variable was death from any cause. The independent variables were age, sex, race, serum creatinine, potassium, admission diagnosis, urine output, volume infused, the twelve variables of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health disease Classification System II and furosemide use. We performed logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of death. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 65.74 years with a predominance of women of African descent. The overall mortality rate was 44.4%. In logistic regression analysis, predictors of mortality were: using furosemide, age in years and Glasgow come scale. CONCLUSION: Use of furosemide was a predictor of mortality in a cohort of patients with acute kidney injury. The role of furosemide in the treatment and prevention of acute kidney injury certainly needs to be better evaluated...

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVO: A lesão renal aguda está relacionada a alta mortalidade intra-hospitalar. O uso de furosemida tem sido um ponto controverso em seu tratamento e sua prevenção. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar preditores de mortalidade em pacientes gravemente enfermos com lesão renal aguda com ênfase para uso de furosemida. MÉTODOS: Coorte prospectiva de 108 portadores de lesão renal aguda admitidos consecutivamente em uma unidade de terapia intensiva e avaliados até o óbito ou a alta hospitalar. A variável dependente foi óbito por qualquer causa. As variáveis independentes foram: idade, gênero, raça, creatinina sérica, potássio, as 12 variáveis do Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Disease Classification System II (APACHE II), diagnóstico na admissão, débito urinário, volume infundido e uso de furosemida. Realizou-se análise de regressão logística para identificar os preditores de óbito. RESULTADOS: A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 65,74 anos com predomínio de mulheres afrodescendentes. A taxa de mortalidade global foi de 44,4%. Na análise de regressão logística, os preditores de mortalidade foram: uso de furosemida, idade em anos e escala de coma de Glasgow. CONCLUSÃO: Uso de furosemida foi preditor de mortalidade em uma coorte de portadores de lesão renal aguda. Seu papel no tratamento e na prevenção de lesão renal aguda certamente necessita ser mais bem avaliado...

Comparacao dos criterios RIFLE, AKIN e KDIGO quanto a capacidade de predicao de mortalidade em pacientes graves / Comparison of the RIFLE, AKIN and KDIGO criteria to predict mortality in critically ill patients

Objetivo: A lesão renal aguda é uma complicação comum em pacientes gravemente enfermos, sendo os critérios RIFLE, AKIN e KDIGO utilizados para sua classificação. Esse trabalho teve como objetivo a comparação dos critérios citados quanto à capacidade de predição de mortalidade em pacientes gravemente enfermos. Métodos: Estudo de coorte prospectiva, utilizando como fonte de dados prontuários médicos. Foram incluídos todos os pacientes admitidos na unidade de terapia intensiva. Os critérios de exclusão foram tempo de internamento menor que 24 horas e doença renal crônica dialítica. Os pacientes foram acompanhados até a alta ou óbito Para análise dos dados, foram utilizados os testes t de Student, qui-quadrado, regressão logística multivariada e curva ROC. Resultados: A média de idade foi de 64 anos, com mulheres e afrodescendentes representando maioria. Segundo o RIFLE, a taxa de mortalidade foi de 17,74%, 22,58%, 24,19% e 35,48% para pacientes sem lesão renal aguda e em estágios Risk, Injury e Failure, respectivamente. Quanto ao AKIN, a taxa de mortalidade foi de 17,74%, 29,03%, 12,90% e 40,32% para pacientes sem lesão renal aguda, estágio I, estágio II e estágio III, respectivamente. Considerando o KDIGO 2012, a taxa de mortalidade foi de 17,74%, 29,03%, 11,29% e 41,94% para pacientes sem lesão renal aguda, estágio I, estágio II e estágio III, respectivamente. As três classificações apresentaram resultados de curvas ROC para mortalidade semelhantes. Conclusão: Os critérios RIFLE, AKIN e KDIGO apresentaram-se como boas ferramentas para predição de mortalidade em pacientes graves, não havendo diferença relevante entre os mesmos. .

Objective: Acute kidney injury is a common complication in critically ill patients, and the RIFLE, AKIN and KDIGO criteria are used to classify these patients. The present study's aim was to compare these criteria as predictors of mortality in critically ill patients. Methods: Prospective cohort study using medical records as the source of data. All patients admitted to the intensive care unit were included. The exclusion criteria were hospitalization for less than 24 hours and death. Patients were followed until discharge or death. Student's t test, chi-squared analysis, a multivariate logistic regression and ROC curves were used for the data analysis. Results: The mean patient age was 64 years old, and the majority of patients were women of African descent. According to RIFLE, the mortality rates were 17.74%, 22.58%, 24.19% and 35.48% for patients without acute kidney injury (AKI) in stages of Risk, Injury and Failure, respectively. For AKIN, the mortality rates were 17.74%, 29.03%, 12.90% and 40.32% for patients without AKI and at stage I, stage II and stage III, respectively. For KDIGO 2012, the mortality rates were 17.74%, 29.03%, 11.29% and 41.94% for patients without AKI and at stage I, stage II and stage III, respectively. All three classification systems showed similar ROC curves for mortality. Conclusion: The RIFLE, AKIN and KDIGO criteria were good tools for predicting mortality in critically ill patients with no significant difference between them. .