Physiologic risk factors for early acute kidney injury in severely injured patients.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of the predictive value of the neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) for an early acute kidney injury (AKI) development in severely injured patients. Determination of the time-dependent roles of trauma-related physiologic markers of tissue hypoxia, systemic inflammation and rhabdomyolysis in AKI development. METHODS: 81 adult patients were screened for the presence of AKI for eight consecutive days following the injury. Arterial levels of plasma NGAL, lactate, interleukin-6, procalcitonin, and myoglobin were investigated at 24 hours (T1), 48 hours (T2), and 96 hours (T3) after the injury. RESULTS: The incidence of AKI was 32.1 %. Patients with AKI were older, but no significant difference in injury severity was observed. NGAL levels were significantly higher in the AKI group at T1, T2, and T3 when compared to the non-AKI group. Lactate levels were significantly higher in the AKI group at T2 only, and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the AKI group at T2 and T3. Procalcitonin and myoglobin levels were significantly higher in the AKI group at T1, T2, and T3, when compared to the non-AKI group. Positive correlations were found between plasma NGAL and all screened physiological factors at all defined time points. CONCLUSION: Development of AKI after blunt trauma is very complex and multifactorial. Activation of the systemic inflammatory response and rhabdomyolysis (high concentration of myoglobin) were strongly involved in AKI development. Blood NGAL levels after injury were significantly higher in patients, who developed posttraumatic AKI. Plasma NGAL, lactate, procalcitonin, interleukin-6, and myoglobin had potential to be useful parameters for risk stratification and prediction of AKI after trauma (Tab. 6, Ref. 40).

A new definition of sepsis (Sepsis-3) - aims, advantages, and controversies.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Over the last decades, the approach to sepsis is evolving dramatically, mainly as a result of a rapid increase in the knowledge of its epidemiology, physiopathology, and management. In this context, the new international criteria and definition for sepsis, The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3), were introduced in 2016. The criteria were established consensually by the Task Force which consisted of experts from the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. The main goal is the expansion of awareness of the professional public about this medical condition with a high fatality rate, particularly when not diagnosed and treated early. Sepsis-3 should also serve as a benchmark for future preclinical and clinical research, development of new diagnostic methods, and the terapy of patients with sepsis and septic shock.

Exogenous surfactant as a component of complex non-ECMO therapy of ARDS caused by influenza A virus (2009 H1N1).

During the pandemy caused by novel influenza A virus (subgroup H1N1), a significant number of patients became critically ill from respiratory failure. In the most severe cases of primary pneumonia, patients develop refractory hypoxemic acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with typical computed tomographic findings of multi-lobar alveolar opacities and extremely reduced pulmonary airspace. To reduce the risk of injurious ventilation and promote survival, some authors recommend the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Unfortunately, ECMO is expensive, associated with serious complications, and available at very few centers. Other therapeutic options are clearly needed. Here we report three patients with severe influenza pneumonia who recovered following treatment with porcine surfactant (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 6). Full Text in free PDF www.bmj.sk.

A response to infection in patients with severe sepsis--do we need a "stage-directed therapy concept"?

Excessive forms of the response of organism to infection play an important role in the pathogenesis of severe sepsis. They may consist of either local pro-inflammatory response with a massive release of cytokines into the systemic circulation, or may be presented as an excessive systemic anti-inflammatory response. In the first case, the result is a systemic pro-inflammatory state, characterised by natural stages of the inflammatory response, in which dysfunction of macrocirculation is followed by microcirculation derangement and mitochondrial alteration at the end. These mechanisms are responsible for the development of remote organs failure. The result in the second case is a deactivation of local immunocompetent cells, which results in the risk of uncontrollable growth of microorganisms, especially in organs with an impaired antimicrobial barrier. This may explain the clinically observed recurrence of septic episodes, when a resolution of infection at one site is later replaced with an outbreak of sepsis from another site. A number of therapeutic interventions aimed on the management of causes and consequences of systemic pro-inflammatory state was clinically tested (e.g. antibiotics, goal directed hemodynamic support and inhibitors of coagulation) with surprisingly different effectiveness. The cause of this difference may lie, apart from the frequently discussed inhomogeneity of the studied patient population, also in an incorrect timing of the therapeutic interventions, which does not respect natural stages of the inflammatory response (Fig. 1, Ref. 40).

Negative fluid balance in patients with abdominal compartment syndrome--case reports.

Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) is defined as a sustained increase of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) above 20 mmHg followed by the development of organ dysfunction. Treatment of ACS is still a question to be discussed and surgical decompression is usually preferred. According to recent data, massive crystalloid resuscitation of shock plays a key role in the development of secondary ACS in trauma patients. As mentioned previously, a high volume of infused crystalloids and a positive fluid balance were associated with ACS development in trauma patients as well as in septic patients. Moreover, we observed that a treatment strategy based on the achievement of a negative fluid balance resulted in a dramatic decrease in IAP and an improvement in haemodynamics and ventilation. This approach has been indicated as an interesting option for non-surgical treatment, with a caution that such intervention may exacerbate gut hypoperfusion. In this report we present two patients with secondary ACS development following abdominal surgery in which the achievement of a negative fluid balance showed a similar effect. Moreover, the fluid removal procedure also seemed to be associated with an improvement in splanchnic perfusion, as measured by gastric tonometry.

[Current view on the risks of artificial pulmonary ventilation]. / Dnesný pohl'ad na riziká umelej pl'úcnej ventilácie.

There is no doubt that artificial ventilation of lungs seems to be proven as life-saving manoeuvre, whereas a growing amount of evidence is presented and published recently that artificial ventilation cause damage to patient by so far unexplained mechanism--by conversion of mechanical stress to biochemical signals inducing local and systemic inflammatory response, which is wide spreading and causing multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Higher mortality of patients with acute lung injury on MODS rather than acute respiratory failure itself can be explained just by these findings. The article is brief summary of recent opinions of mechanism of ventilator induced lung and systemic injury. There is also evidence that the process of implementation of these finding into clinical practice is exceedingly slow.

[Pathogenesis of severe sepsis--from macrocirculation to mitochondria]. / Patogeneze teké sepse--od makrocirkulace k mitochondriím.

Severe sepsis is at present serious medical and social problem. In contrast to many other diseases its incidence shows an upward tendency and so does mortality due to sepsis. From the point of view of pathogenesis the cause of this complaint is a disturbed response to infection. The basis of this disruption is either a huge local inflammation that goes hand in hand with the penetration of proinflammatory cytokines into systemic circulation or an excessive proinflammatory systemic response. In the first instance the consequence is a systemic proinflammatory response accompanied by a disruption of macrocirculation, later also of microcirculation and finally mitochondrial failure. These mechanisms are responsible for the gradual failure of distant organs. In the second instance the consequence is a deactivation of systemic and local immunocompetent cells accompanied by the risk of uncontrolled proliferation of microorganisms. Affected are organs with a disturbed antimicrobial barrier, especially the lungs du ring mechanical ventilation, the bloodstream or the urinary system during catheterization. A large group of selectively acting preparations has been clinically tested in the management of this disorder, but only very few of these preparations were efficacious. We may postulate that the great diversity of the investigated population of patients was responsible for this lack of success.

[Contribution and selected risks of blood transfusion]. / Prínos a vybraná rizika krevních prevodu.

AIM: Overview of recent knowledge about risks and benefits of blood transfusion. TYPE OF STUDY: Review article. SETTING: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital, Ostrava. METHODS: Summary of previously published data. CONCLUSION: Transfusion of blood and blood products remains controversial in clinical practice. Neither indication and timing nor benefit of this procedure is clearly determined. Previously often reported complications as blood-group incompatibility and infection are less frequent now, and new transfusion's side effects as TRIM (transfusion-related immunomodulation) and TRALI (transfusion-related lung injury) are reported with growing evidence. This risk (often underestimated in the past) is discussed in the article, and compared with blood transfusion benefits. Either restrictive or more open approach to blood transfusion are supported as well as criticised by different groups of clinicians and "good clinical practice" definition remains open for the future.

[Intraoperative correction of low cardiac output back to its physiological values improves the postoperative progress in patients undergoing extensive intraabdominal surgical procedures]. / Intraoperacní úprava nízkého srdecního výdeje do fyziologického pásma zlepsuje pooperacní vývoj u pacientu podrobujících se rozsáhlým nitrobrisním chirurgickým výkonum.

Perioperative optimalization of haemodynamics is associated with improved post-operative development, as presented in most published studies. This study has confirmed that intra-operative correction of cardiac output back to it's physiological level is associated with improved post-operative course in the group of patients undergoing major elective intraabdominal surgery. Statistically significant decreasing of post-operative complications (4.7% vs 17.7%), decreased length of stay (LOS) in the ICU by 33% and decreased LOS in the hospital by 24% was recorded. Interpretation of the study could be limited by using non-indexed cardiac output values and higher female presentation in the group of patients (although statistically not significant).