Polymorphisms IL10-819 and TLR-2 are potentially associated with sepsis in Brazilian patients

Genetic variation in immune response is probably involved in the progression of sepsis and mortality in septic patients. However, findings in the literature are sometimes conflicting or their significance is uncertain. Thus, we investigated the possible association between 12 polymorphisms located in the interleukin-6 (IL6), IL10, TLR-2, Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), tumor necrosis factor-α and tumor necrosis factor-β (lymphotoxin α - LTA) genes and sepsis. Critically ill patients classified with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock and 207 healthy volunteers were analyzed and genotyped. Seven of the nine polymorphisms showed similar distributions in allele frequencies between patients and controls. Interestingly, our data suggest that the IL10-819 and TLR-2 polymorphisms may be potential predictors of sepsis.

Delayed hemodynamic monitoring with pulmonary artery catheter is a non-essential care in severe sepsis and septico shock

Objective: Prompt adequate antibiotic therapy, eradication of infection, fluids and vasoactive drugs are themain strategies for initial resuscitation of septic shock. Once initial resuscitative efforts are not effective,invasive hemodynamic monitoring (HM) with pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) has been frequently used toguide filling pressures and optimal doses of vasoactive agents. However, the evidence of benefit from PACuse in septic shock is still a matter of debate. We aimed to determine whether early compared to delayplacement of PAC could have influenced outcome.Methods: Retrospective analysis in a 24-bed general ICU tertiary care university hospital. From January 1999to December 2000, patients admitted with severe sepsis and septic shock and having a PAC inserted werestudied. Early invasive HM was defined whenever a PAC was placed in the first 48 hours, and delayedinvasive HM was placed more than 48 hours after the diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock. Organ failurewas defined as a SOFA score of > 3 points.Results. Among 104 patients submitted to invasive monitoring with PAC, 56 patients had sepsis. Fifty-twopatients with severe sepsis (5, 9.6 por cento) and septic shock (47, 90.4 por cento) were enrolled. Thirty-six patients (69 por cento) hadearly HM and 16 (21 por cento) delayed HM. Overall in-hospital mortality was 69 por cento. The groups had similar APACHEII score (18.6 ± 8.0, early HM; 18.5 ± 3.8, delayed HM), SOFA score (9.4 ± 3.2, early HM; 9.9 ± 4.4, delayed HM)and number of organs failure (1.6 ± 0.9, early HM; 1.8 ± 1.4, delayed HM) at the onset of severe sepsis/septicshock. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher in delayed HM group (87.5 por cento) compared withearly HM (61.3 por cento) (RR: 0.70, CI 95 por cento 0.50-0.96, p < 0.05). Compared with delayed HM, early HM patientsreceived significantly higher amount of fluids (10.3 ± 3.6 L vs 6.8 ± 3.5 L, p = 0.002) within 48 hours from onsetof severe sepsis/septic shock.Conclusion. Delayed monitoring with PAC patients with severe sepsis/septic shock is associated with a veryhigh risk of death and might be considered a non-essential care.

Descompensaçäo cardíaca pós-intoxicaçäo exógena por estricnina: relato de caso / Cardiac descompensation from exogenous intoxication by strychnine: case report

Apresentamos o caso de um paciente intoxicado por estricnina que evoluiu com Insuficiência Cardíaca Congestiva diagnosticada através de ecocardiograma e parâmetros hemodinâmicos conseguidos através de cateter de Swan-Ganz. A intoxicaçao por estricnina nao é comumente encontrada devido à proibiçao de sua comercializaçao, especial atençao tem sido dada a esta droga devido ao seu uso na manufatura de drogas como a cocaína. Alguns autores mostram que a estricnina age sobre centros vasomotores alterando pressao arterial durante as convulsoes, outros mostraram arritmias durante as convulsoes, mas nao comprovaram a existência de cardiotoxidade pela estricnina. A monitorizaçao hemodinâmica foi de bastante auxílio neste caso nao só no sentido de guiar a terapêutica mas também no diagnóstico diferencial do edema pulmonar que, em se tratando de paciente hígido e jovem poderia facilmente ser rotulado como edema "nao cardiogênico". Embora a intoxicaçao por estricnina seja de altíssima mortalidade, com o suporte hemodinâmico e respiratório adequado proporcionamos uma recuperaçao total do paciente, sem seqüela neurológica, renal e pulmonar.