Prognostic Value of Venous to Arterial Carbon Dioxide Difference during Early Resuscitation in Critically Ill Patients with Septic Shock.

CONTEXT: The partial pressure of venous to arterial carbon dioxide gradient (PCO2 gap) is considered as an alternative marker of tissue hypoperfusion and has been used to guide treatment for shock. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic value of venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference during early resuscitation of patients with septic shock and compared it with that of lactate clearance and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE-II) score. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Forty patients admitted to one Intensive Care Unit were enrolled. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: APACHE-II score was calculated on admission. An arterial blood gas, central venous, and lactate samples were obtained on admission and after 6 h, and lactate clearance was calculated. Patients were classified retrospectively into Group I (survivors) and Group II (nonsurvivors). Pv-aCO2 difference in the two groups was evaluated. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data were fed to the computer and analyzed using IBM SPSS software package version 20.0. RESULTS: At T0, Group II showed high PCO2 gap (8.37 ± 1.36 mmHg) than Group I (7.55 ± 0.95 mmHg) with statistically significant difference (P = 0.030). While at T6, Group II showed higher PCO2 gap (9.48 ± 1.47 mmHg) with statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) and higher mean lactate values (62.71 ± 23.66 mg/dl) with statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) than Group I where PCO2 gap and mean lactate values became much lower, 5.91 ± 1.12 mmHg and 33.61 ± 5.80 mg mg/dl, respectively. Group I showed higher lactate clearance (25.42 ± 6.79%) with statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) than Group II (-69.40-15.46%). CONCLUSIONS: High PCO2 gap >7.8 mmHg after 6 h from resuscitation of septic shock patients is associated with high mortality.

Prediction of Ischemic Stroke-Associated Pneumonia: A Comparison between 3 Scores.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Among all poststroke complications, pneumonia constitutes a major complication with a strong impact on morbidity and mortality. To identify patients at high risk of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) and to tailor a prophylactic approach, a reliable scoring model for prediction may be useful in daily stroke care. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the performance of the Age, Atrial fibrillation, Dysphagia, Sex, Stroke Severity (A2DS2) score, the acute ischemic stroke-associated pneumonia score (AIS-APS), and the Preventive ANtibacterial THERapy in acute Ischemic Stroke (PANTHERIS) score in predicting SAP. METHODS: Seventy consecutive patients with ischemic stroke admitted to the Critical Care Medicine Department of Alexandria Main University Hospital were included. Patients were prospectively followed up for primary outcome of pneumonia within the first 7 days after admission diagnosed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Accuracy in predicting outcome measures was assessed by calculating the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). RESULTS: Twenty-six (37.1%) patients developed pneumonia by the seventh day; the A2DS2 score AUC was .847 (95% CI: .741-.922), and the AIS-APS AUC was .798 (95% CI: .685-.884). The PANTHERIS score AUC was .715 (95% CI: .595-.817). The A2DS2 score AUC was significantly higher than the AIS-APS and the PANTHERIS score AUCs (P = .048 and P = .009 respectively), and the AIS-APS AUC was significantly higher than the PANTHERIS score AUC (P = .044). CONCLUSIONS: The A2DS2 score is a valid tool for the prediction of SAP based on routinely collected data, and among the 3 studied scores, it shows the best performance in predicting SAP.

S100B and brain ultrasound: Novel predictors for functional outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of serum S100B protein, transcranial color-coded duplex sonography (TCCD), and optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) in predicting functional outcomes in critically ill patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: In this prospective observational study, 80 adult AIS patients were evaluated. Serum S100B protein levels, ONSD, and middle cerebral artery pulsatility index (MCA PI) were measured on days 1 and 3. Functional outcomes at 90 days were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and categorized into favourable (mRS 0-2) or unfavourable (mRS 3-6) groups. The association of demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging parameters with mRS outcomes was analyzed. RESULTS: Poor mRS outcomes occurred in 82.5 % of patients. Factors significantly associated with poor outcomes were female sex, higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores on days 1, 3, and 7, and larger stroke size. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that ONSD at days 1 and 3, serum S100B levels at day 1, and right MCA PI at day 1 had significant predictive value for poor mRS outcome. Multivariate analysis identified female sex, S100B on day 1, and NIHSS on days 1, 3, and 7 as independent predictors of poor mRS outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of S100B, ONSD, and MCA PI improved the prediction of functional outcomes in critically ill AIS patients. Early S100B measurement and brain ultrasound evaluation may serve as valuable prognostic tools for guiding therapeutic decision-making. This study provides novel insights into the role of S100B and brain ultrasound in stroke outcome prediction, particularly in critically ill AIS patients.

Prognostic Role of Serum Adrenomedullin in Patients with Ventilator Associated Pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: Ventilator associated pneumonia is a common type of sepsis that occurs to about 9-27% of all mechanically ventilated patients and 20-50% of them develop septic shock. Several clinical, laboratory, and radiological methods have been used for diagnosing VAP. Adrenomedullin (ADM) has been found to be elevated in the plasma of septic patients. The study aim was to explore the prognostic role of ADM in the VAP patients. DESIGN: A prospective observational study. SETTING: Intensive Care Department of Alexandria University Hospitals. PATIENTS: A total of 140 patients with proven VAP after medical ICU admission were consecutively enrolled. METHODS: APACHE II score, SOFA score, CRP, lactate, and serum ADM were measured at day 0 of VAP diagnosis and 5 days later. The results were correlated with the outcomes of patients. RESULTS: APACHE II, lactate, and serum ADM on day 0 could predict an unfavorable outcome. ADM prediction power was significantly higher than APACHE II and lactate. Day 5 readings of all tested parameters could predict occurrence of the unfavorable outcome. ADM on day 0 showed the highest sensitivity (96.25%). CONCLUSIONS: Serum adrenomedullin when measured at days 0 and 5 of VAP diagnosis may serve as an early predictor of unfavorable outcome.