Timely Cessation of Proton Pump Inhibitors in Critically Ill Patients Impacts Morbidity and Mortality: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the drugs most commonly used in critically ill patients. Although mainly applied temporarily for stress ulcer prophylaxis, their application is frequently not terminated. Potential adverse effects of PPI treatment could impact the outcome in case of unnecessary and, therefore, avoidable long-term continuation. We tested the hypotheses that nonindicated PPI therapy continued beyond hospital discharge is associated with increased morbidity, rehospitalization rate, and mortality. DESIGN: Nationwide retrospective cohort study considering critically ill patients treated on German ICUs between January, 2017, and December, 2018 with a 2-year follow-up. SETTING: A total of 591,207 patient datasets of a German healthcare insurer were screened. PATIENTS: We identified 11,576 ICU patients who received PPI therapy for the first time during their index ICU stay without having an indication for its continuation. INTERVENTIONS: The cohort was stratified into two groups: 1) patients without further PPI therapy and 2) patients with continuation of PPI therapy beyond 8 weeks after hospital discharge. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Frequency of predescribed adverse events associated with PPI therapy, 1-year rehospitalization rate, and 2-year mortality were determined. The proportion of patients with continued PPI therapy without an objectifiable indication was 41.7% (4,825 of 11,576 patients). These patients had a 27% greater risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR] 1.27; 95% CI, 1.15-1.39; p < 0.001) and a 17% greater risk of cardiovascular events (OR 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08-1.26; p < 0.001). Continued PPI therapy was associated with a 34% greater risk of rehospitalization (OR 1.34; 95% CI, 1.23-1.47) and a nearly 20% greater 2-year mortality risk (hazard ratio 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08-1.27; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that an unnecessary continuation of PPI therapy after hospital discharge may significantly impact morbidity and mortality. To avoid potentially harmful overuse of a PPIs, intensivists should ensure timely cessation of a temporarily indicated PPI therapy.

Activation of the MAPK network provides a survival advantage during the course of COVID-19-induced sepsis: a real-world evidence analysis of a multicenter COVID-19 Sepsis Cohort.

PURPOSE: There is evidence that lower activity of the RAF/MEK/ERK network is associated with positive outcomes in mild and moderate courses of COVID-19. The effect of this cascade in COVID-19 sepsis is still undetermined. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that activity of the RAF/MEK/ERK network in COVID-19-induced sepsis is associated with an impact on 30-day survival. METHODS: We used biomaterial from 81 prospectively recruited patients from the multicentric CovidDataNet.NRW-study cohort (German clinical trial registry: DRKS00026184) with their collected medical history, vital signs, laboratory parameters, microbiological findings and patient outcome. ERK activity was measured by evaluating ERK phosphorylation using a Proximity Ligation Assay. RESULTS: An increased ERK activity at 4 days after diagnosis of COVID-19-induced sepsis was associated with a more than threefold increased chance of survival in an adjusted Cox regression model. ERK activity was independent of other confounders such as Charlson Comorbidity Index or SOFA score (HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.10-0.84, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: High activity of the RAF/MEK/ERK network during the course of COVID-19 sepsis is a protective factor and may indicate recovery of the immune system. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.

The Association between the rs3747406 Polymorphism in the Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper Gene and Sepsis Survivals Depends on the SOFA Score.

The variability in mortality in sepsis could be a consequence of genetic variability. The glucocorticoid system and the intermediate TSC22D3 gene product-glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper-are clinically relevant in sepsis, which is why this study aimed to clarify whether TSC22D3 gene polymorphisms contribute to the variance in sepsis mortality. Blood samples for DNA extraction were obtained from 455 patients with a sepsis diagnosis according to the Sepsis-III criteria and from 73 control subjects. A SNP TaqMan assay was used to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TSC22D3 gene. Statistical and graphical analyses were performed using the SPSS Statistics and GraphPad Prism software. C-allele carriers of rs3747406 have a 2.07-fold higher mortality rate when the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score is higher than eight. In a multivariate COX regression model, the SNP rs3747406 with a SOFA score ≥ 8 was found to be an independent risk factor for 30-day survival in sepsis. The HR was calculated to be 2.12, with a p-value of 0.011. The wild-type allele was present in four out of six SNPs in our cohort. The promoter of TSC22D3 was found to be highly conserved. However, we discovered that the C-allele of rs3747406 poses a risk for sepsis mortality for SOFA Scores higher than 6.

Methazolamide Reduces the AQP5 mRNA Expression and Immune Cell Migration-A New Potential Drug in Sepsis Therapy?

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by the dysregulated host response to infection. Novel therapeutic options are urgently needed and aquaporin inhibitors could suffice as aquaporin 5 (Aqp5) knockdown provided enhanced sepsis survival in a murine sepsis model. Potential AQP5 inhibitors provide sulfonamides and their derivatives. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that sulfonamides reduce AQP5 expression in different conditions. The impact of sulfonamides on AQP5 expression and immune cell migration was examined in cell lines REH and RAW 264.7 by qPCR, Western blot and migration assay. Subsequently, whether furosemide and methazolamide are capable of reducing AQP5 expression after LPS incubation was investigated in whole blood samples of healthy volunteers. Incubation with methazolamide (10-5 M) and furosemide (10-6 M) reduced AQP5 mRNA and protein expression by about 30% in REH cells. Pre-incubation of the cells with methazolamide reduced cell migration towards SDF1-α compared to non-preincubated cells to control level. Pre-incubation with methazolamide in PBMCs led to a reduction in LPS-induced AQP5 expression compared to control levels, while furosemide failed to reduce it. Methazolamide appears to reduce AQP5 expression and migration of immune cells. However, after LPS administration, the reduction in AQP5 expression by methazolamide is no longer possible. Hence, our study indicates that methazolamide is capable of reducing AQP5 expression and has the potential to be used in sepsis prophylaxis.

AQP3 and AQP9-Contrary Players in Sepsis?

Sepsis involves an immunological systemic response to a microbial pathogenic insult, leading to a cascade of interconnected biochemical, cellular, and organ-organ interaction networks. Potential drug targets can depict aquaporins, as they are involved in immunological processes. In immune cells, AQP3 and AQP9 are of special interest. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that these aquaporins are expressed in the blood cells of septic patients and impact sepsis survival. Clinical data, routine laboratory parameters, and blood samples from septic patients were analyzed on day 1 and day 8 after sepsis diagnosis. AQP expression and cytokine serum concentrations were measured. AQP3 mRNA expression increased over the duration of sepsis and was correlated with lymphocyte count. High AQP3 expression was associated with increased survival. In contrast, AQP9 expression was not altered during sepsis and was correlated with neutrophil count, and low levels of AQP9 were associated with increased survival. Furthermore, AQP9 expression was an independent risk factor for sepsis lethality. In conclusion, AQP3 and AQP9 may play contrary roles in the pathophysiology of sepsis, and these results suggest that AQP9 may be a novel drug target in sepsis and, concurrently, a valuable biomarker of the disease.

The Aquaporin 3 Polymorphism (rs17553719) Is Associated with Sepsis Survival and Correlated with IL-33 Secretion.

Sepsis is a common life-threatening disease caused by dysregulated immune response and metabolic acidosis which lead to organ failure. An abnormal expression of aquaporins plays an important role in organ failure. Additionally, genetic variants in aquaporins impact on the outcome in sepsis. Thus, we investigated the polymorphism (rs17553719) and expression of aquaporin-3 (AQP3) and correlated these measurements with the survival of sepsis patients. Accordingly, we collected blood samples on several days (plus clinical data) from 265 sepsis patients who stayed in different ICUs in Germany. Serum plasma, DNA, and RNA were then separated to detect the promotor genotypes of AQP3 mRNA expression of AQP3 and several cytokines. The results showed that the homozygote CC genotype exhibited a significant decrease in 30-day survival (38.9%) compared to the CT (66.15%) and TT genotypes (76.3%) (p = 0.003). Moreover, AQP3 mRNA expression was significantly higher and nearly doubled in the CC compared to the CT (p = 0.0044) and TT genotypes (p = 0.018) on the day of study inclusion. This was accompanied by an increased IL-33 concentration in the CC genotype (day 0: p = 0.0026 and day 3: p = 0.008). In summary, the C allele of the AQP3 polymorphism (rs17553719) shows an association with increased AQP3 expression and IL-33 concentration accompanied by decreased survival in patients with sepsis.

[Immunometabolism in Sepsis]. / Immunmetabolismus in der Sepsis.

Immunometabolism is a fascinating field of research that investigates the interactions between metabolic processes and the immune response. This intricate connection plays a pivotal role in regulating inflammatory reactions and consequently exerts a significant impact on the course of sepsis. The proinflammatory response during an immune reaction is closely tied to a high energy demand in immune cells. As a result, proinflammatory immune cells rapidly require substantial amounts of energy in the form of ATP, necessitating a fundamental and swift shift in their metabolism, i.e., their means of generating energy. This entails a marked increase in glycolysis within the proinflammatory response, thereby promptly meeting the energy requirements and providing essential metabolic building blocks for the biosynthesis of macromolecules. Alongside glycolysis, there is heightened activity in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). The PPP significantly contributes to NADPH production within the cell, thus maintaining redox equilibrium. Elevated PPP activity consequently leads to an increased NADPH level, resulting in enhanced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). While these molecules are crucial for pathogen elimination, an excess can also induce tissue damage. Simultaneously, there are dual interruptions in the citric acid cycle. In the cellular resting state, the citric acid cycle acts as a sort of "universal processor", where metabolic byproducts of glycolysis, fatty acid breakdown, and amino acid degradation are initially transformed into NADH and FADH2, subsequently yielding ATP. While the citric acid cycle and its connected oxidative phosphorylation predominantly generate energy at rest, it becomes downregulated in the proinflammatory phase of sepsis. The two interruptions lead to an accumulation of citrate and succinate within cells, reflecting mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, the significantly heightened glycolysis through fermentation yields lactate, a pivotal metabolite for sepsis diagnosis and prognosis. Conversely, cells in an anti-inflammatory state revert to a metabolic profile akin to the resting state: Glycolysis is attenuated, PPP is suppressed, and the citric acid cycle is reactivated. Of particular interest is that not only does the immune reaction influence metabolic pathways, but this connection also operates in reverse. Thus, modulation of metabolic pathways also modulates the immunity of the corresponding cell and thereby the state of the immune system itself. This could potentially serve as an intriguing avenue in sepsis therapy.

Intravenous IgM-enriched immunoglobulins in critical COVID-19: a multicentre propensity-weighted cohort study.

BACKGROUND: A profound inflammation-mediated lung injury with long-term acute respiratory distress and high mortality is one of the major complications of critical COVID-19. Immunoglobulin M (IgM)-enriched immunoglobulins seem especially capable of mitigating the inflicted inflammatory harm. However, the efficacy of intravenous IgM-enriched preparations in critically ill patients with COVID-19 is largely unclear. METHODS: In this retrospective multicentric cohort study, 316 patients with laboratory-confirmed critical COVID-19 were treated in ten German and Austrian ICUs between May 2020 and April 2021. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Analysis was performed by Cox regression models. Covariate adjustment was performed by propensity score weighting using machine learning-based SuperLearner to overcome the selection bias due to missing randomization. In addition, a subgroup analysis focusing on different treatment regimens and patient characteristics was performed. RESULTS: Of the 316 ICU patients, 146 received IgM-enriched immunoglobulins and 170 cases did not, which served as controls. There was no survival difference between the two groups in terms of mortality at 30 days in the overall cohort (HRadj: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.55 to 1.25; p = 0.374). An improved 30-day survival in patients without mechanical ventilation at the time of the immunoglobulin treatment did not reach statistical significance (HRadj: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.05 to 1.08; p = 0.063). Also, no statistically significant difference was observed in the subgroup when a daily dose of ≥ 15 g and a duration of ≥ 3 days of IgM-enriched immunoglobulins were applied (HRadj: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.41 to 1.03; p = 0.068). CONCLUSIONS: Although we cannot prove a statistically reliable effect of intravenous IgM-enriched immunoglobulins, the confidence intervals may suggest a clinically relevant effect in certain subgroups. Here, an early administration (i.e. in critically ill but not yet mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients) and a dose of ≥ 15 g for at least 3 days may confer beneficial effects without concerning safety issues. However, these findings need to be validated in upcoming randomized clinical trials. Trial registration DRKS00025794 , German Clinical Trials Register, https://www.drks.de . Registered 6 July 2021.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on non-COVID induced sepsis survival.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on health care systems worldwide, which has led to increased mortality of different diseases like myocardial infarction. This is most likely due to three factors. First, an increased workload per nurse ratio, a factor associated with mortality. Second, patients presenting with COVID-19-like symptoms are isolated, which also decreases survival in cases of emergency. And third, patients hesitate to see a doctor or present themselves at a hospital. To assess if this is also true for sepsis patients, we asked whether non-COVID-19 sepsis patients had an increased 30-day mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is a post hoc analysis of the SepsisDataNet.NRW study, a multicentric, prospective study that includes septic patients fulfilling the SEPSIS-3 criteria. Within this study, we compared the 30-day mortality and disease severity of patients recruited pre-pandemic (recruited from March 2018 until February 2020) with non-COVID-19 septic patients recruited during the pandemic (recruited from March 2020 till December 2020). RESULTS: Comparing septic patients recruited before the pandemic to those recruited during the pandemic, we found an increased raw 30-day mortality in sepsis-patients recruited during the pandemic (33% vs. 52%, p = 0.004). We also found a significant difference in the severity of disease at recruitment (SOFA score pre-pandemic: 8 (5 - 11) vs. pandemic: 10 (8 - 13); p < 0.001). When adjusted for this, the 30-day mortality rates were not significantly different between the two groups (52% vs. 52% pre-pandemic and pandemic, p = 0.798). CONCLUSIONS: This led us to believe that the higher mortality of non-COVID19 sepsis patients during the pandemic might be attributed to a more severe septic disease at the time of recruitment. We note that patients may experience a delayed admission, as indicated by elevated SOFA scores. This could explain the higher mortality during the pandemic and we found no evidence for a diminished quality of care for critically ill sepsis patients in German intensive care units.

Effect of Intraoperative Handovers of Anesthesia Care on Mortality, Readmission, or Postoperative Complications Among Adults: The HandiCAP Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Intraoperative handovers of anesthesia care are common. Handovers might improve care by reducing physician fatigue, but there is also an inherent risk of losing critical information. Large observational analyses report associations between handover of anesthesia care and adverse events, including higher mortality. Objective: To determine the effect of handovers of anesthesia care on postoperative morbidity and mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a parallel-group, randomized clinical trial conducted in 12 German centers with patients enrolled between June 2019 and June 2021 (final follow-up, July 31, 2021). Eligible participants had an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status 3 or 4 and were scheduled for major inpatient surgery expected to last at least 2 hours. Interventions: A total of 1817 participants were randomized to receive either a complete handover to receive anesthesia care by another clinician (n = 908) or no handover of anesthesia care (n = 909). None of the participating institutions used a standardized handover protocol. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was a 30-day composite of all-cause mortality, hospital readmission, or serious postoperative complications. There were 19 secondary outcomes, including the components of the primary composite, along with intensive care unit and hospital lengths of stay. Results: Among 1817 randomized patients, 1772 (98%; mean age, 66 [SD, 12] years; 997 men [56%]; and 1717 [97%] with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status of 3) completed the trial. The median total duration of anesthesia was 267 minutes (IQR, 206-351 minutes), and the median time from start of anesthesia to first handover was 144 minutes in the handover group (IQR, 105-213 minutes). The composite primary outcome occurred in 268 of 891 patients (30%) in the handover group and in 284 of 881 (33%) in the no handover group (absolute risk difference [RD], -2.5%; 95% CI, -6.8% to 1.9%; odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.10; P = .27). Nineteen of 889 patients (2.1%) in the handover group and 30 of 873 (3.4%) in the no handover group experienced all-cause 30-day mortality (absolute RD, -1.3%; 95% CI, -2.8% to 0.2%; OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.34 to 1.10; P = .11); 115 of 888 (13%) vs 136 of 872 (16%) were readmitted to the hospital (absolute RD, -2.7%; 95% CI, -5.9% to 0.6%; OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.61 to 1.05; P = .12); and 195 of 890 (22%) vs 189 of 874 (22%) experienced serious postoperative complications (absolute RD, 0.3%; 95% CI, -3.6% to 4.1%; odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.28; P = .91). None of the 19 prespecified secondary end points differed significantly. Conclusions and Relevance: Among adults undergoing extended surgical procedures, there was no significant difference between the patients randomized to receive handover of anesthesia care from one clinician to another, compared with the no handover group, in the composite primary outcome of mortality, readmission, or serious postoperative complications within 30 days. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04016454.

The Pro-Inflammatory Deletion Allele of the NF-κB1 Polymorphism Is Characterized by a Depletion of Subunit p50 in Sepsis.

The functionally important NF-κB1 promoter polymorphism (-94ins/delATTG) significantly shapes inflammation and impacts the outcome of sepsis. However, exploratory studies elucidating the molecular link of this genotype-dependent pattern are lacking. Accordingly, we analyzed lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from both healthy volunteers (n = 20) and septic patients (n = 10). All individuals were genotyped for the -94ins/delATTG NF-κB1 promoter polymorphism. We found a diminished nuclear activity of the NF-κB subunit p50 in ID/DD genotypes after 48 h of lipopolysaccharide stimulation compared to II genotypes (p = 0.025). This was associated with higher TNF-α (p = 0.005) and interleukin 6 concentrations (p = 0.014) and an increased production of mitochondrial radical oxygen species in ID/DD genotypes (p = 0.001). Although ID/DD genotypes showed enhanced activation of mitochondrial biogenesis, they still had a significantly diminished cellular ATP content (p = 0.046) and lower mtDNA copy numbers (p = 0.010) compared to II genotypes. Strikingly, these findings were mirrored in peripheral blood mononuclear cells taken from septic patients. Our results emphasize the crucial aspect of considering NF-κB subunits in sepsis. We showed here that the deletion allele of the NF-κB1 (-94ins/delATTG) polymorphism was associated with the lower nuclear activity of subunit p50, which, in turn, was associated with aggravated inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.

AQP5-1364A/C Polymorphism Affects AQP5 Promoter Methylation.

The quantity of aquaporin 5 protein in neutrophil granulocytes is associated with human sepsis-survival. The C-allele of the aquaporin (AQP5)-1364A/C polymorphism was shown to be associated with decreased AQP5 expression, which was shown to be relevant in this context leading towards improved outcomes in sepsis. To date, the underlying mechanism of the C-allele-leading to lower AQP5 expression-has been unknown. Knowing the detailed mechanism depicts a crucial step with a target to further interventions. Genotype-dependent regulation of AQP5 expression might be mediated by the epigenetic mechanism of promoter methylation and treatment with epigenetic-drugs could maybe provide benefit. Hence, we tested the hypothesis that AQP5 promoter methylation differs between genotypes in specific types of immune cells.: AQP5 promoter methylation was quantified in cells of septic patients and controls by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and quantified by a standard curve. In cell-line models, AQP5 expression was analyzed after demethylation to determine the impact of promoter methylation on AQP5 expression. C-allele of AQP5-1364 A/C promoter polymorphism is associated with a five-fold increased promoter methylation in neutrophils (p = 0.0055) and a four-fold increase in monocytes (p = 0.0005) and lymphocytes (p = 0.0184) in septic patients and healthy controls as well. In addition, a decreased AQP5 promoter methylation was accompanied by an increased AQP5 expression in HL-60 (p = 0.0102) and REH cells (p = 0.0102). The C-allele which is associated with lower gene expression in sepsis is accompanied by a higher methylation level of the AQP5 promoter. Hence, AQP5 promoter methylation could depict a key mechanism in genotype-dependent expression.

Plasma Proteomics Enable Differentiation of Lung Adenocarcinoma from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major risk factor for the development of lung adenocarcinoma (AC). AC often develops on underlying COPD; thus, the differentiation of both entities by biomarker is challenging. Although survival of AC patients strongly depends on early diagnosis, a biomarker panel for AC detection and differentiation from COPD is still missing. Plasma samples from 176 patients with AC with or without underlying COPD, COPD patients, and hospital controls were analyzed using mass-spectrometry-based proteomics. We performed univariate statistics and additionally evaluated machine learning algorithms regarding the differentiation of AC vs. COPD and AC with COPD vs. COPD. Univariate statistics revealed significantly regulated proteins that were significantly regulated between the patient groups. Furthermore, random forest classification yielded the best performance for differentiation of AC vs. COPD (area under the curve (AUC) 0.935) and AC with COPD vs. COPD (AUC 0.916). The most influential proteins were identified by permutation feature importance and compared to those identified by univariate testing. We demonstrate the great potential of machine learning for differentiation of highly similar disease entities and present a panel of biomarker candidates that should be considered for the development of a future biomarker panel.

Die neue internationale Sepsis-Leitlinie der Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2021.

The new Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guideline was substantially revised in 2021. These updated recommendations are intended to guide intensivists in providing adequate care to adult patients with sepsis or septic shock. In particular, the current SSC guideline emphasizes early recognition and stringent management in the first hours after the onset of sepsis. In particular, the implementation of acute interventions should help to improve the chances of survival of sepsis patients.This article summarizes the most important recommendations for acute therapy and presents them as a comparative overview to the previous SSC guideline and the German S3 guideline. This should allow the reader to adopt the knowledge from the new guideline into clinical practice as quickly as possible in order to improve the quality of treatment of patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Repeated determination of moxifloxacin concentrations in interstitial space fluid of muscle and subcutis in septic patients.

BACKGROUND: For an effective antimicrobial treatment, it is crucial that antibiotics reach sufficient concentrations in plasma and tissue. Currently no data exist regarding moxifloxacin plasma concentrations and exposure levels in tissue under septic conditions. OBJECTIVES: To determine the pharmacokinetics of moxifloxacin in plasma and interstitial space fluid over a prolonged period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten septic patients were treated with 400 mg of moxifloxacin once a day; on days 1, 3 and 5 of treatment plasma sampling and microdialysis in the subcutis and muscle of the upper thigh were performed to determine concentrations of moxifloxacin in different compartments. This trial was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS, register number DRKS00012985). RESULTS: Mean unbound fraction of moxifloxacin in plasma was 85.5±3.4%. On day 1, Cmax in subcutis and muscle was 2.8±1.8 and 2.5±1.3 mg/L, respectively, AUC was 24.8±15.1 and 21.3±10.5 mg·h/L, respectively, and fAUC0-24/MIC was 100.9±62.9 and 86.5±38.3 h, respectively. Cmax for unbound moxifloxacin in plasma was 3.5±0.9 mg/L, AUC was 23.5±7.5 mg·h/L and fAUC0-24/MIC was 91.6±24.8 h. Key pharmacokinetic parameters on days 3 and 5 showed no significant differences. Clearance was higher than in healthy adults, but tissue concentrations were comparable, most likely due to a lower protein binding. CONCLUSIONS: Surprisingly, the first dose already achieved exposure comparable to steady-state conditions. The approved daily dose of 400 mg was adequate in our patient population. Thus, it seems that in septic patients a loading dose on the first day of treatment with moxifloxacin is not required.

Aquaporin 5 -1364A/C Promoter Polymorphism Is Associated with Pulmonary Inflammation and Survival in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THIS TOPIC: Acute respiratory distress syndrome is defined according to clinical criteria, but lack of precise characterization may contribute to negative trials and impede personalized care. Polymorphisms of aquaporin-5, a key mediator of inflammation, may impact outcome. WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: In acute respiratory distress syndrome attributable to bacterial pneumonia, the C-allele of the aquaporin-5 -1364A/C promoter polymorphism is associated with less pulmonary inflammation and greater survival. This may improve characterization of acute respiratory distress syndrome and ultimately facilitate individualized care. BACKGROUND: The aquaporin-5 (AQP5) -1364A/C promoter single-nucleotide polymorphism is associated with an altered AQP5 expression and mortality in sepsis. Because AQP5 expression alters neutrophil cell migration, it could affect pulmonary inflammation and survival in bacterially evoked acute respiratory distress syndrome. Accordingly, the authors tested the hypotheses that the AC/CC genotype in patients with bacterially evoked pneumonia resulting in acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with (1) attenuated pulmonary inflammation and (2) higher 30-day survival. METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, bronchoalveolar lavage and blood sampling were performed within 24 h of intensive care unit admission. In 136 Caucasian patients with bacterially evoked acute respiratory distress syndrome, genotype of the AQP5 -1364A/C promoter polymorphism, bronchoalveolar lavage total protein, albumin, white cell concentrations, and lactate dehydrogenase activity were measured to evaluate the relationship between genotypes and survival. RESULTS: AC/CC patients as well as survivors showed lower bronchoalveolar lavage protein (0.9 mg/ml vs. 2.3 mg/ml, P < 0.001 and 1.6 mg/ml vs. 2.6 mg/ml, P = 0.035), albumin (0.2 mg/ml vs. 0.6 mg/ml, P = 0.019 and 0.3 mg/ml vs. 0.6 mg/ml, P = 0.028), leukocytes (424 /ml vs. 1,430/ml; P = 0.016 and 768 /ml vs. 1,826/ml; P = 0.025), and lactate dehydrogenase activity (82 U/l vs. 232 U/l; P = 0.006 and 123 U/l vs. 303 U/l; P = 0.020). Thirty-day survival was associated with AQP5 -1364A/C genotypes (P = 0.005), with survival of 62% for AA genotypes (58 of 93) but 86% for C-allele carriers (37 of 43). Furthermore, multiple proportional hazard analysis revealed the AA genotype was at high risk for death within 30 days (hazard ratio, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.38 to 9.07; P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: In acute respiratory distress syndrome attributable to bacterial pneumonia, the C-allele of the AQP5 -1364A/C promoter polymorphism is associated with an attenuated pulmonary inflammation and higher 30-day survival. Thus, the AQP5 genotype impacts on inflammation and prognosis in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Meta-Analysis of Electroacupuncture in Cardiac Anesthesia and Intensive Care.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture treatment has been employed in China for over 2500 years and it is used worldwide as analgesia in acute and chronic pain. Acupuncture is also used in general anesthesia (GA). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) in addition to GA in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: We searched 3 databases (Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science-from 1965 until January 31, 2017) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including patients undergoing cardiac surgery and receiving GA alone or GA + EA. As primary outcomes, we investigated the association between GA + EA approach and the dosage of intraoperative anesthetic drugs administered, the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), the postoperative dose of vasoactive drugs, the length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and the levels of troponin I and cytokines. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 477 citations, but only 7 prospective RCTs enrolling a total of 321 patients were included. The use of GA + EA reduced the dosage of intraoperative anesthetic drugs (P < .05), leading to shorter MV time (P < .01) and ICU stay (P < .05) as well as reduced postoperative dose of vasoactive drugs (P < .001). In addition, significantly lower levels of troponin I (P < .01) and tumor necrosis factor α (P < .01) were observed. CONCLUSION: The complementary use of EA for open-heart surgery reduces the duration of MV and ICU stay, blunts the inflammatory response, and might have protective effects on the heart. Our findings stimulate future RCT to provide definitive recommendations.

Increased circulating microRNA-122 is associated with mortality and acute liver injury in the acute respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Acute liver injury in patients with ARDS decreases survival but early stages may be easily missed due to the lack of sufficient biomarkers signalling its onset. Accordingly, we tested in ARDS patients the hypotheses that microRNA-122, the foremost liver-related microRNA (miR), 1) is an sensitive and specific early predictor for potential liver injury and 2) analysed its impact on 30-day-survival. METHODS: We collected clinical data and analysed blood samples from 119 ARDS patients within the first 24 h of ICU admission and from 20 patients undergoing elective abdominal non-liver surgery serving as controls. Total circulating miR was isolated from serum and relative miR-122 expression was measured (using specific probes and spiked-in miR-54), as were liver function and 30-day survival. Acute liver injury was defined as a total bilirubin concentration ≥ 3.0 mg/dl, an ALT activity ≥350 U/l, and an INR ≥2.0. RESULTS: 30-day survival of the entire ARDS-cohort was 69% but differed between patients with normal liver function (77%) and acute liver injury (19% p <  0.001). miR-122 expression was 20fold higher in non-survivors (95%-CI 0.0149-0.0768; p = 0.001) and almost 4fold greater in survivors (95%-CI: 0.0037-0.0122; p = 0.005) compared to controls (95%-CI 0.0008-0.0034) and correlated with markers of liver cell integrity/function [ALT (p <  0.001, r = 0.495), AST (p <  0.001, r = 0.537), total bilirubin (p = 0.025, r = 0.206), INR (p = 0.001, r = 0.308), and GLDH (p <  0.001, r = 0.489)]. miR-122 serum expression discriminated survivors and non-survivors (AUC: 0.78) better than total bilirubin concentration (AUC: 0.66). Multivariable Cox-regression analysis revealed both acute liver injury (HR 7.6, 95%-CI 2.9-19.8, p <  0.001) and miR-122 (HR 4.4, 95%-CI 1.2-16.1, p = 0.02) as independent prognostic factors for 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Increased miR-122 serum expression is an early and independent risk factor for 30-day mortality in ARDS patients and potentially reveal an acute liver injury earlier than the conventional markers of liver cell integrity.