Axillary vein as an alternative venous access site for VV-ECMO cannulation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous axillary vein cannulation can reduce cannulation failure and mechanical complications, is as safe and effective as internal jugular vein cannulation, and is superior to subclavian vein cannulation using landmark technique. As far, reports of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) with percutaneous axillary vein cannulation are rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old man presenting with dyspnea and chest tightness after aspirating sewage was admitted to the emergency department. Computed tomography (CT) showed diffuse exudation of both lungs and arterial blood gas analysis showed an oxygenation index of 86. He was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and intubated for deteriorated oxygenation. Despite the combination therapy of protective mechanical ventilation and prone position, the patient's oxygenation deteriorated further, accompanied with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, which indicated the requirement of support with VV-ECMO. However, vascular ultrasound detected multiple thrombus within bilateral internal jugular veins. As an alternative, right axillary vein was chosen as the access site of return cannula. Subsequently, femoral-axillary VV-ECMO was successfully implemented under the ultrasound guidance, and the patient's oxygenation was significantly improved. Unfortunately, the patient died of hyperkalemia-induced ventricular fibrillation after 36 h of VV-ECMO running. Despite the poor prognosis, the blood flow during ECMO run was stable, and we observed no bleeding complication, vascular injury, or venous return disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Axillary vein is a feasible alternative access site of return cannula for VV-ECMO if internal jugular vein access were unavailable.

Dynamic arterial elastance as a predictor of arterial pressure response to norepinephrine weaning in mechanically ventilated patients with vasoplegic syndrome-a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: During the de-escalation phase of circulatory shock, norepinephrine weaning may induce diverse arterial pressure responses in patients with different vasomotor tones. Dynamic arterial elastance (Eadyn) has been extensively studied to predict the arterial pressure response to interventions. We conducted this meta-analysis to systematically assess the predictive performance of Eadyn for the mean arterial pressure (MAP) response to norepinephrine weaning in mechanically ventilated patients with vasoplegic syndrome. Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on May 29, 2023 (updated on January 21, 2024), to identify relevant studies from electronic databases. The area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUHSROC) was estimated as the primary measure of diagnostic accuracy because of the varied thresholds reported. Additionally, we observed the distribution of the cutoff values of Eadyn, while computing the optimal value and its corresponding 95% confidential interval (CI). Results: A total of 5 prospective studies met eligibility, comprising 183 participants, of whom 67 (37%) were MAP responders. Eadyn possessed an excellent ability to predict the MAP response to norepinephrine weaning in patients with vasoplegic syndrome, with an AUHSROC of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91-0.95), a pooled sensitivity of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.85-0.98), a pooled specificity of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.65-0.81), and a pooled diagnostic odds ratio of 32.4 (95% CI: 11.7-89.9). The cutoff values of Eadyn presented a nearly conically symmetrical distribution; the mean and median cutoff values were 0.89 (95% CI: 0.80-0.98) and 0.90 (95% CI: not estimable), respectively. Conclusions: This meta-analysis with limited evidences demonstrates that Eadyn may be a reliable predictor of the MAP response to norepinephrine weaning in mechanically ventilated patients with vasoplegic syndrome. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD42023430362.

Mortality and Cumulative Kidney Score are Associated with Transient and Persistent Acute Kidney Injury in Septic Patients: A Retrospective Study Based on MIMIC-IV.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently caused by sepsis. Recently, the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) workgroup further classified AKI as transient or persistent. Oliguria and increased serum creatinine represent two different kinds of renal impairment. The aim of the study was to assess mortality and cumulative AKI score associated with transient and persistent AKI in septic patients. METHODS: Septic patients were stratified according to the presence and AKI development (considered persistent when remaining >48 h) were included. An adjusted logistic regression model was used to determine hospital mortality. In addition, we calculated an AKI score by combining both Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria of urine output and creatinine AKI stages. The relationship between the cumulative AKI score and persistent AKI was further examined using the logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: 12928 septic patients were enrolled in the study. AKI occurred in 73.7% of septic patients, in 39.5% was transient and in 60.5% was persistent. Patients with persistent AKI had higher severity scores and more severe renal dysfunction upon admission. Persistent AKI, but not transient AKI, was associated with increased intensive care units (ICUs) and hospital mortality. Then we found that the cumulative AKI score was associated with an increased risk of persistent AKI. This association was consistent across three original KDIGO severity stages and subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS: It was found that persistent AKI was independently associated with mortality in septic patients. Furthermore, serum creatinine and urine output criteria had cumulative effects on KDIGO AKI staging and provided more information about the relationship between AKI and outcomes.

Inhibition of the MLCK/MLC2 pathway protects against intestinal heat stroke-induced injury in rats.

Intestinal barrier dysfunction often exists in the heat stroke (HS) pathological process, which increases intestinal permeability and induces endotoxemia. The upregulation of MLCK is a crucial player affecting intestinal permeability. This study aimed to explore whether inhibiting myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) can improve HS-induced intestinal injury in rats. Twelve-week-old Wistar male rats were divided into three groups: the control group, the HS model group, and the treatment group [HS model + ML-7 (MLCK inhibitor)]. HS impaired the tight junctions in the rat gut and increased permeability. Additionally, increased inflammatory factors in serum, activation of apoptosis, and downregulation of tight junction proteins were observed in intestinal cells. ML-7 significantly inhibited the MLCK/p-MLC2 signaling pathway, increased the expression of tight junction proteins, reduced intestinal permeability, reduced apoptosis and alleviated the intestinal damage caused by HS. ML-7 inhibited HS-induced apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells by regulating the ERK/p38/HSP70 axis. Furthermore, inhibition of MLCK upregulated HSP70 expression through activation of the ERK pathway and inhibited cell apoptosis by abolishing the p38 MAPK pathway. In conclusion, inhibiting the MLCK/p-MLC2 signaling pathway reduces HS-induced intestinal permeability and protects the intestinal mucosal barrier.

Prophylactic noninvasive respiratory support in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery - a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive respiratory support has been increasingly applied in the immediate postoperative period to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). However, the optimal approach remains uncertain. We sought to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of various noninvasive respiratory strategies used in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery. METHODS: We conducted a frequentist random-effect network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the prophylactic use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), high flow nasal cannula (HFNC), or postoperative usual care (PUC) in the immediate postoperative period after cardiac surgery. Databases were systematically searched through September 28, 2022. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed in duplicate. The primary outcome was the incidence of PPCs. RESULTS: Sixteen RCTs enrolling 3011 patients were included. Compared with PUC, NIV significantly reduced the incidence of PPCs [relative risk (RR) 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.49 to 0.93; absolute risk reduction (ARR) 7.6%, 95% CI: 1.6-11.8%; low certainty] and the incidence of atelectasis (RR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.93; ARR 19.3%, 95% CI: 3.9-30.4%; moderate certainty); however, prophylactic NIV was not associated with a decreased reintubation rate (RR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.29 to 2.34; low certainty) or reduced short-term mortality (RR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.16 to 2.52; very low certainty). As compared to PUC, the preventive use of CPAP (RR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.60 to 1.20; very low certainty) or HFNC (RR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.46 to 1.20; low certainty) had no significant beneficial effect on the incidence of PPCs, despite exhibiting a downward trend. Based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve, the highest-ranked treatment for reducing the incidence of PPCs was NIV (83.0%), followed by HFNC (62.5%), CPAP (44.3%), and PUC (10.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence suggest that the prophylactic use of NIV in the immediate postoperative period is probably the most effective noninvasive respiratory approach to prevent PPCs in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Given the overall low certainty of the evidence, further high-quality research is warranted to better understand the relative benefits of each noninvasive ventilatory support. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ , registry number: CRD42022303904.

Mortality and Cumulative Kidney Score are Associated with Transient and Persistent Acute Kidney Injury in Septic Patients: A Retrospective Study Based on MIMIC-IV

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently caused by sepsis. Recently, the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) workgroup further classified AKI as transient or persistent. Oliguria and increased serum creatinine represent two different kinds of renal impairment. The aim of the study was to assess mortality and cumulative AKI score associated with transient and persistent AKI in septic patients. Methods: Septic patients were stratified according to the presence and AKI development (considered persistent when remaining >48 h) were included. An adjusted logistic regression model was used to determine hospital mortality. In addition, we calculated an AKI score by combining both Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria of urine output and creatinine AKI stages. The relationship between the cumulative AKI score and persistent AKI was further examined using the logistic regression model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: 12928 septic patients were enrolled in the study. AKI occurred in 73.7% of septic patients, in 39.5% was transient and in 60.5% was persistent. Patients with persistent AKI had higher severity scores and more severe renal dysfunction upon admission. Persistent AKI, but not transient AKI, was associated with increased intensive care units (ICUs) and hospital mortality. Then we found that the cumulative AKI score was associated with an increased risk of persistent AKI. This association was consistent across three original KDIGO severity stages and subgroup analyses. Conclusions: It was found that persistent AKI was independently associated with mortality in septic patients. Furthermore, serum creatinine and urine output criteria had cumulative effects on KDIGO AKI staging and provided more information about the relationship between AKI and outcomes (AU)

Variation in central venous oxygen saturation to evaluate fluid responsiveness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Since oxygen content and oxygen consumption typically remain unchanged within a short period, variation in central venous oxygen saturation (ΔScvO2) during fluid challenge can theoretically track the changes in cardiac output (CO). We conducted this meta-analysis to systematically assess the diagnostic performance of ΔScvO2 during a fluid challenge for fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients receiving volume expansion. METHODS: Electronic databases were systematically searched to identify relevant studies published before October 24, 2022. As the cutoff value of ΔScvO2 was expected to vary across the included studies, we estimated the area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUHSROC) as the primary measure of diagnostic accuracy. The optimal threshold of ΔScvO2 and the corresponding 95% confidential interval (CI) were also estimated. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 5 observational studies comprising 240 participants, of whom 133 (55%) were fluid responders. Overall, the ΔScvO2 during the fluid challenge exhibited excellent performance for defining fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients receiving volume expansion, with an AUHSROC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.83-0.89), a pooled sensitivity of 0.78 (95% CI 0.69-0.85), a pooled specificity of 0.84 (95% CI 0.72-0.91), and a pooled diagnostic odds ratio of 17.7 (95% CI 5.9-53.2). The distribution of the cutoff values was nearly conically symmetrical and concentered between 3 and 5%; the mean and median cutoff values were 4% (95% CI 3-5%) and 4% (95% CI not estimable), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In mechanically ventilated patients receiving volume expansion, the ΔScvO2 during the fluid challenge is a reliable indicator of fluid responsiveness. Clinical trial registration PROSPERO, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ , registry number: CRD42022370192.

Successful management of hemodynamic instability secondary to saddle pulmonary embolism-induced cardiac arrest using VA-ECMO in advanced malignancy with brain metastases.

BACKGROUND: Saddle pulmonary embolism (SPE) represents a rare type of venous thromboembolism that frequently causes circulation collapse and sudden death. While venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) has been well established as a salvage treatment for SPE-induced circulatory shock, it is infrequently administered in patients with advanced malignancy, especially those with brain metastases, given the potential bleeding complications and an uncertain prognosis. As far, there are rare case reports regarding the successful management of hemodynamic instability secondary to SPE-induced cardiac arrest using VA-ECMO in advanced malignancy patients with brain metastases. CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old woman presenting with cough and waist discomfort who had a history of lung cancer with brain metastases was admitted to the hospital to receive chemoradiotherapy. She suffered sudden cardiac arrest during hospitalization and returned to spontaneous circulation after receiving a 10-min high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Pulmonary embolism was suspected due to the collapsed hemodynamics and a distended right ventricle identified by echocardiography. Subsequent computed tomographic pulmonary angiography revealed a massive saddle thrombus straddling the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk. VA-ECMO with adjusted-dose systemic heparinization was initiated to rescue the unstable hemodynamics despite receiving thrombolytic therapy with alteplase. Immediately afterward, the hemodynamic status of the patient stabilized rapidly. VA-ECMO was successfully discontinued within 72 h of initiation without any clotting or bleeding complications. She was weaned off invasive mechanical ventilation on the 6th day of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and discharged from the ICU 3 days later with good neurological function. CONCLUSION: VA-ECMO may be a 'bridging' therapy to circulation recovery during reperfusion therapy for SPE-induced hemodynamic collapse in malignancy patients with brain metastases.

The ROX index as a predictor of high-flow nasal cannula outcome in pneumonia patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The respiratory rate-oxygenation (ROX) index has been increasingly applied to predict the outcome of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in pneumonia patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF). However, its diagnostic accuracy for the HFNC outcome has not yet been systematically assessed. This meta-analysis sought to evaluate the predictive performance of the ROC index for the successful weaning from HFNC in pneumonia patients with AHRF. METHODS: A literature search was conducted on electronic databases through February 12, 2022, to retrieve studies that investigated the diagnostic accuracy of the ROC index for the outcome of HFNC application in pneumonia patients with AHRF. The area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUHSROC) was estimated as the primary measure of diagnostic accuracy due to the varied cutoff values of the index. We observed the distribution of the cutoff values and estimated the optimal threshold with corresponding 95% confidential interval (CI). RESULTS: Thirteen observational studies comprising 1751 patients were included, of whom 1003 (57.3%) successfully weaned from HFNC. The ROC index exhibits good performance for predicting the successful weaning from HFNC in pneumonia patients with AHRF, with an AUHSROC of 0.81 (95% CI 0.77-0.84), a pooled sensitivity of 0.71 (95% CI 0.64-0.78), and a pooled specificity of 0.78 (95% CI 0.70-0.84). The cutoff values of the ROX index were nearly conically symmetrically distributed; most data were centered between 4.5 and 6.0, and the mean and median values were 4.8 (95% CI 4.2-5.4) and 5.3 (95% CI 4.2-5.5), respectively. Moreover, the AUHSROC in the subgroup of measurement within 6 h after commencing HFNC was comparable to that in the subgroup of measurement during 6-12 h. The stratified analyses also suggested that the ROC index was a reliable predictor of HFNC success in pneumonia patients with coronavirus disease 2019. CONCLUSIONS: In pneumonia patients with AHRF, the ROX index measured within 12 h after HFNC initiation is a good predictor of successful weaning from HFNC. The range of 4.2-5.4 may represent the optimal confidence interval for the prediction of HFNC outcome.

Optimizing left ventricular-arterial coupling during the initial resuscitation in septic shock - a pilot prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC), defined as the ratio of effective arterial elastance (Ea) to left ventricular end-systolic elastance (Ees), has been extensively described as a key determinant of cardiovascular work efficacy. Previous studies indicated that left ventricular-arterial uncoupling was associated with worse tissue perfusion and increased mortality in shock patients. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether a resuscitation algorithm based on optimizing left VAC during the initial resuscitation can improve prognosis in patients with septic shock. METHODS: This pilot study was conducted in an intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary teaching hospital in China. A total of 83 septic shock patients with left ventricular-arterial uncoupling (i.e., the Ea/Ees ratio ≥ 1.36) were randomly assigned to receive usual care (usual care group, n = 42) or an algorithm-based resuscitation that attempt to reduce the Ea/Ees ratio to 1 within the first 6 h after randomization (VAC-optimized group, n = 41). The left VAC was evaluated by transthoracic echocardiography every 2 h during the study period. The primary endpoint was 28-days mortality. The secondary endpoints included lactate clearance rate, length of ICU stay, and duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). RESULTS: Eighty-two patients (98.8%) completed the study and were included in the final analysis. The Ea/Ees ratio was reduced in both groups, and the decrease in Ea/Ees ratio in the VAC-optimized group was significantly greater than that in the usual care group [median (interquartile range), 0.39 (0.26, 0.45) vs. 0.1 (0.06, 0.22); P < 0.001]. Compared with the usual care group, the VAC-optimized group likely exhibited the potential to reduce the 28-days mortality (33% vs. 50%; log-rank hazard ratio = 0.526, 95% confidence interval: 0.268 to 1.033). Moreover, the VAC-optimized group had a higher lactate clearance rate than the usual care group [27.7 (11.9, 45.7) % vs. 18.3 (- 5.7, 32.1) %; P = 0.038]. No significant difference was observed in terms of the length of ICU stay or duration of IMV. CONCLUSIONS: During the initial resuscitation of septic shock, optimizing left ventricular-arterial coupling was associated with improved lactate clearance, while likely having a beneficial effect on prognosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900024031 . Registered 23 June 2019 - Retrospectively registered.

Predictive performance of dynamic arterial elastance for arterial pressure response to fluid expansion in mechanically ventilated hypotensive adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic arterial elastance (Eadyn) has been extensively considered as a functional parameter of arterial load. However, conflicting evidence has been obtained on the ability of Eadyn to predict mean arterial pressure (MAP) changes after fluid expansion. This meta-analysis sought to assess the predictive performance of Eadyn for the MAP response to fluid expansion in mechanically ventilated hypotensive patients. METHODS: We systematically searched electronic databases through November 28, 2020, to retrieve studies that evaluated the association between Eadyn and fluid expansion-induced MAP increases in mechanically ventilated hypotensive adults. Given the diverse threshold value of Eadyn among the studies, we only reported the area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUHSROC) as the primary measure of diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Eight observational studies that included 323 patients with 361 fluid expansions met the eligibility criteria. The results showed that Eadyn was a good predictor of MAP increases in response to fluid expansion, with an AUHSROC of 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89 to 0.94]. Six studies reported the cut-off value of Eadyn, which ranged from 0.65 to 0.89. The cut-off value of Eadyn was nearly conically symmetrical, most data were centred between 0.7 and 0.8, and the mean and median values were 0.77 and 0.75, respectively. The subgroup analyses indicated that the AUHSROC was slightly higher in the intensive care unit (ICU) patients (0.96; 95% CI 0.94 to 0.98) but lower in the surgical patients in the operating room (0.72; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.75). The results indicated that the fluid type and measurement technique might not affect the diagnostic accuracy of Eadyn. Moreover, the AUHSROC for the sensitivity analysis of prospective studies was comparable to that in the primary analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Eadyn exhibits good performance for predicting MAP increases in response to fluid expansion in mechanically ventilated hypotensive adults, especially in the ICU setting.

Renal replacement therapy modality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury - A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: This network meta-analysis aims to compare the efficacy and safety of various renal replacement therapy (RRT) modalities in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched the electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different RRT modalities, including continuous RRT, intermittent RRT, hybrid RRT, and peritoneal dialysis (PD), in critically ill patients with AKI through July 26, 2020. The primary outcomes were renal recovery and short-term mortality. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020188115). RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included. No difference in the renal recovery or short-term mortality was observed among the four RRT modalities (low certainty). The four RRT modalities had similar effects on the incidence of infectious complications (low certainty). PD was associated with less fluid removal volume and lower incidence of hypotension compared with the extracorporeal modalities, yet no difference in the two outcomes was identified among the extracorporeal modalities (very low to moderate certainty). CONCLUSIONS: No superiority of one particular RRT modality over another in terms of renal recovery and short-term mortality in critically ill patients with AKI. PD exhibited worse fluid removal and better safety in the prevention of hypotension than the extracorporeal modalities.

Left ventricular-arterial coupling as a predictor of stroke volume response to norepinephrine in septic shock - a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC), defined as the ratio of arterial elastance (Ea) to left ventricular end-systolic elastance (Ees), is a key determinant of cardiovascular performance. This study aims to evaluate whether left VAC can predict stroke volume (SV) response to norepinephrine (NE) in septic shock patients. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in an intensive care unit of a tertiary teaching hospital in China. We recruited septic shock patients who had persistent hypotension despite fluid resuscitation and required NE to maintain mean arterial pressure (MAP) > 65 mmHg. Those patients in whom the target MAP was not reached after NE infusion were ineligible. Echocardiographic variables were measured before (baseline) and after NE infusion. SV responder was defined by a ≥ 15% increase in SV after NE infusion. RESULTS: Of 34 septic shock patients included, 19 (56%) were SV responders. Before NE infusion, SV responders had a lower Ees (1.13 ± 0.24 mmHg/mL versus 1.50 ± 0.46 mmHg/mL, P = 0.005) and a higher Ea/Ees ratio (1.47 ± 0.40 versus 1.02 ± 0.30, P = 0.001) than non-responders, and Ea in SV responders was comparable to that in non-responders (1.62 ± 0.36 mmHg/mL versus 1.43 ± 0.28 mmHg/mL, P = 0.092). NE significantly increased Ea and Ees in both groups. The Ea/Ees ratio was normalized by NE administration in SV responders but unchanged in non-responders. The baseline Ea/Ees ratio was positively correlated with NE-induced SV increases (r = 0.688, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the baseline Ea/Ees ratio was a predictor of SV increases induced by NE (odd ratio 0.008, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.000 to 0.293), with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.816 (95% CI: 0.646 to 0.927). CONCLUSIONS: The left VAC has the ability to predict SV response to NE infusion in septic shock patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900024031, Registered 23 June 2019 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=40359&htm=4 .