Case report of scrub typhus complicated by hypokalemia and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, has a wide range of clinical manifestations, including meningoencephalitis, acute renal failure, pneumonitis, myocarditis, and septic shock. However, there are no documented cases of scrub typhus with hypokalemia. In this report, we present a case of scrub typhus with hypokalemia and multiple organ failure syndrome, highlighting the importance of electrolyte imbalance in patients with scrub typhus. CASE REPORT: A 59-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain that had been present for 1 day. On admission, the physical examination and laboratory test results indicated that the patient had renal, liver, and circulatory failure, and hypokalemia. She developed meningitis and disseminated intravascular coagulation during hospitalization. She recovered with appropriate management, and was discharged on day 17. CONCLUSION: This report highlights the potential for atypical presentations of scrub typhus, including a previously undocumented association with hypokalemia. Although the contribution of hypokalemia to the patient's clinical course remains uncertain, this case underscores the importance of considering electrolyte imbalance in the management of patients with scrub typhus. Further research is warranted to better understand the relationship between scrub typhus and electrolyte imbalance.

Síndrome de disfunción orgánica múltiple progresiva en embarazo adolescente: reporte de caso clínico / Progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in adolescent pregnancy: Case report

Introducción El embarazo adolescente es un proceso fisiológico, pero puede evolucionar con parto prematuro, patologías obstétricas o médicas graves, mortalidad o secuelas para madre e hijo/a. Nuestro objetivo es reportar el síndrome de disfunción orgánica múltiple progresiva secundario a pielonefritis y sepsis ocurrido durante el preparto, parto y puerperio de embarazo adolescente y sus secuelas. Caso clínico Adolescente de 14 años, con embarazo de 27 semanas de gestación controlado desde las 8 hasta 25 semanas. Ingresó de urgencia en unidad de alto riesgo obstétrico por signos de parto prematuro, pielonefritis e injuria renal aguda. Se inició tratamiento con cefazolina intravenosa y betametasona para maduración pulmonar, nifedipino oral y sulfato de magnesio para prevención del parto prematuro y protección neuronal fetal, evolucionando con hipotensión sostenida y shock séptico. A las 13 horas después del ingreso, fue trasladada a unidad de paciente crítico donde evolucionó con falla orgánica múltiple persistente y progresiva durante 28 días, afectando sucesivamente los sistemas cardiovascular, hematológico, respiratorio y gastrointestinal. Se trató con drogas vasoactivas, antibióticos, ventilación mecánica invasiva, ultrafiltración, hemodiálisis, drenaje pleural y colecistectomía. A las 24 horas de ingreso a cuidado intensivo, ocurrió el parto prematuro vaginal. La embarazada desarrolló enfermedad renal crónica etapa KDIGO 5 ( V) y se encuentra en espera de trasplante renal. Por su parte, la recién nacida prematura viva presentó asfixia neonatal severa, displasia broncopulmonar y encefalopatía hipóxico-isquémica. Conclusiones El embarazo adolescente complicado es una emergencia sanitaria. El diagnóstico y manejo oportuno de la pielonefritis, shock séptico y disfunción orgánica asociada a la sepsis pueden evitar mortalidad y secuelas permanentes materna y/o neonatal.

Introduction Adolescent pregnancy is a physiological process, but it can evolve with premature delivery, severe obstetric or clinical pathologies, mortality, or sequelae for mother and child. We aim to report the progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome secondary to pyelonephritis and sepsis during prepartum, delivery, and puerperium of adolescent pregnancy and its sequelae. Case report A 14-year-old adolescent with a pregnancy of 27 weeks of gestation controlled from 8 to 25 weeks. She was urgently admitted to the high-risk obstetric unit due to signs of preterm labor, pyelonephritis, and acute renal injury. Treatment was started with intravenous cefazolin and betamethasone for lung maturation, oral nifedipine, and magnesium sulfate to prevent preterm labor and fetal neuronal protection, evolving with sustained hypotension and septic shock. At 13 hours after admission, she was transferred to the intensive care unit, where she evolved with persistent and progressive multiple organ failure for 28 days, progressively affecting the cardiovascular, hematologic, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems. She was treated with vasoactive drugs, antibiotics, invasive mechanical ventilation, ultrafiltration, hemodialysis, pleural drainage, and cholecystectomy. Twenty-four hours after admission to intensive care, preterm vaginal delivery occurred. She developed chronic kidney disease stage KDIGO 5 (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes V) and is awaiting renal transplantation. On the other hand, the preterm newborn presented severe neonatal asphyxia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Conclusion Complicated adolescent pregnancy is a health emergency. Avoiding delays in the diagnosis and treatment of pyelonephritis, septic shock and the progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome can prevent mortality and permanent sequelae, both maternal and neonatal.

Dapagliflozin in patients with critical illness: rationale and design of the DEFENDER study / Dapagliflozina em pacientes com doença crítica: justificativa e desenho do estudo DEFENDER

ABSTRACT Background: Critical illness is a major ongoing health care burden worldwide and is associated with high mortality rates. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors have consistently shown benefits in cardiovascular and renal outcomes. The effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in acute illness have not been properly investigated. Methods: DEFENDER is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, open-label trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin in 500 adult participants with acute organ dysfunction who are hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to receive dapagliflozin 10mg plus standard of care for up to 14 days or standard of care alone. The primary outcome is a hierarchical composite of hospital mortality, initiation of kidney replacement therapy, and intensive care unit length of stay, up to 28 days. Safety will be strictly monitored throughout the study. Conclusion: DEFENDER is the first study designed to investigate the use of a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor in general intensive care unit patients with acute organ dysfunction. It will provide relevant information on the use of drugs of this promising class in critically ill patients. ClinicalTrials.gov registry: NCT05558098

RESUMO Antecedentes: A doença crítica é um importante ônus permanente da assistência médica em todo o mundo e está associada a altas taxas de mortalidade. Os inibidores do cotransportador de sódio-glicose do tipo 2 têm demonstrado consistentemente benefícios nos desfechos cardiovasculares e renais. Os efeitos dos inibidores do cotransportador de sódio-glicose do tipo 2 em doenças agudas ainda não foram devidamente investigados. Métodos: O DEFENDER é um estudo de iniciativa do investigador, multicêntrico, randomizado, aberto, desenhado para avaliar a eficácia e a segurança da dapagliflozina em 500 participantes adultos com disfunção orgânica aguda hospitalizados na unidade de terapia intensiva. Os participantes aptos serão randomizados 1:1 para receber 10mg de dapagliflozina e o tratamento padrão por até 14 dias ou apenas o tratamento padrão. O desfecho primário é um composto hierárquico de mortalidade hospitalar, início de terapia renal substitutiva e tempo de internação na unidade de terapia intensiva, até 28 dias. O monitoramento da segurança será rigoroso durante todo o estudo. Conclusão: O DEFENDER é o primeiro estudo desenvolvido para investigar o uso de um inibidor do cotransportador de sódio-glicose do tipo 2 em pacientes de unidade de terapia intensiva geral com disfunção orgânica aguda. O estudo fornecerá informações relevantes sobre o uso de medicamentos dessa classe promissora em pacientes críticos. Registro ClincalTrials.gov: NCT05558098

Hyperacute Liver Failure with Multi-organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) by Leptospirosis: A Case Report

Introduction: Leptospirosis may have multi-organ involvement in its severe form with potentially life-threatening consequences. However, acute fulminant hepatic failure is very uncommonly reported. A case study is presented here with fulminant hepatic failure and a diagnostic dilemma for etiology. Case history: A 40-year-old man with no significant medical history presented with fever, muscle pain, weakness, and pain in the upper abdomen. On clinical work, he has developed multi-organ hepatic, respiratory, and renal failure. A timely workup was done, but due to the rapid progression of the disease, the patient succumbed to the disease in the intensive care unit by the time his report for positive leptospirosis test arrived. Conclusion: Leptospirosis must be considered as an important differential diagnosis of acute liver failure patients. An early suspicion for leptospirosis in patients with fulminant hepatic failure and multi-organ failure in India particularly in the rainy season is warranted owing to its high mortality rate.

Mortalidad de la sepsis en la unidad de cuidados intensivos / Mortality from sepsis in intensive care unit

INTRODUCCIÓN. La sepsis es un estado de disfunción multisistémica, que se produce por una respuesta desregulada del huésped a la infección. Diversos factores influyen en la gravedad, manifestaciones clínicas y progresión de la sepsis, tales como, heterogeneidad inmunológica y regulación dinámica de las vías de señalización celular. La evolución de los pacientes depende del tratamiento oportuno, las escalas de puntuación clínica permiten saber la mortalidad estimada. OBJETIVO. Evaluar la mortalidad en la unidad de cuidados intensivos; establecer el manejo y la utilidad de aplicar paquetes de medidas o "bundlers" para evitar la progresión a disfunción, fallo multiorgánico y muerte. METODOLOGÍA. Modalidad de investigación tipo revisión sistemática. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en bases de datos como Google académico, Mendeley, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, revistas como New England Journal Medicine, Critical Care, Journal of the American Medical Association, British Medical Journal. Se obtuvo las guías "Sobreviviendo a la sepsis" actualización 2021, 3 guías internacionales, 10 estudios observacionales, 2 estudios multicéntricos, 5 ensayos aleatorizados, 6 revisiones sistémicas, 5 metaanálisis, 1 reporte de caso clínico, 4 artículos con opiniones de expertos y actualizaciones con el tema mortalidad de la sepsis en UCI con un total de 36 artículos científicos. RESULTADOS. La mortalidad de la sepsis en la unidad de cuidados intensivos, fue menor en el hospital oncológico de Guayaquil, seguido de Australia, Alemania, Quito, Francia, Estados Unidos de Norteamérica y Vietnan, La mortalidad más alta se observa en pacientes con enfermedades del tejido conectivo. DISCUSIÓN. La aplicación de los paquetes de medidas o "bundlers" en la sepsis, se asocia con una mejor supervivencia y menores días de estancia hospitalaria. CONCLUSIÓN. Las escalas SOFA, APACHE II y SAPS II ayudan a predecir la mortalidad de forma eficiente, en la detección y el tratamiento temprano en pacientes con enfermedades agudas y de alto riesgo.

INTRODUCTION. Sepsis is a state of multisystem dysfunction, which is caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Several factors influence the severity, clinical manifestations and progression of sepsis, such as immunological heterogeneity and dynamic regulation of cell signaling pathways. The evolution of patients depends on timely treatment, clinical scoring scales allow to know the estimated mortality. OBJECTIVE. To evaluate mortality in the intensive care unit; to establish the management and usefulness of applying bundlers to prevent progression to dysfunction, multiorgan failure and death. METHODOLOGY. Systematic review type research modality. A bibliographic search was carried out in databases such as Google Scholar, Mendeley, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, journals such as New England Journal Medicine, Critical Care, Journal of the American Medical Association, British Medical Journal. We obtained the guidelines "Surviving Sepsis" update 2021, 3 international guidelines, 10 observational studies, 2 multicenter studies, 5 randomized trials, 6 systemic reviews, 5 meta-analyses, 1 clinical case report, 4 articles with expert opinions and updates on the subject of sepsis mortality in ICU with a total of 36 scientific articles. RESULTS. The mortality of sepsis in the intensive care unit, was lower in the oncological hospital of Guayaquil, followed by Australia, Germany, Quito, France, United States of America and Vietnam, The highest mortality is observed in patients with connective tissue diseases. DISCUSSION. The application of bundlers in sepsis is associated with better survival and shorter days of hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS. The SOFA, APACHE II and SAPS II scales help to predict mortality efficiently in the early detection and treatment of patients with acute and high-risk disease.

Effect and safety of double plasma molecular absorption in treatment of patients with severe wasp stings injury: a multicenter historical cohort study / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To compare the effect and safety of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH)+double plasma molecular absorption (DPMA)+hemoperfusion (HP), CVVH+HP, and CVVH+plasma exchange (PE) in treatment of patient with severe wasp stings injury.Methods:Multicenter, historical cohort study and superiority test were used. From July 2020 to October 2022, patients with wasp sting injury and multiple organ damage admitted to the intensive care units (ICU) of five hospitals were consecutively screened and recruited into the CVVH+DPMA+HP group (intervention group). Propensity score matching was used to establish historical cohorts. Patients with severe wasp sting injury who hospitalized from January 2016 to June 2020 in each ICU were collected and matched 1∶1 with the intervention group, and divided into CVVH+HP group and CVVH+PE group according to their actual hemopurification protocols (historical control groups). The primary outcome was the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score on days 3 and 7 after initiation of treatment. Secondary outcomes included complications, length of ICU and hospital stays, and all-cause mortality. Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression was used to analyze the prognosis of patients.Results:After propensity score matching, 56 patients in intervention group and each of the two historical control groups were matched successfully. There were no significant differences in age, gender, comorbidities, biochemical test indices and critical illness scores among the groups. After treatment, APACHE Ⅱ score markedly declined in all groups, and the decrease was faster in the intervention group; treatment with DPMA [hazard ratio ( HR) = 1.04, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.02-1.08, P = 0.00], the decreased levels of body temperature ( HR = 1.02, 95% CI was 1.00-1.03, P = 0.02), serum creatine kinase (CK; HR = 0.98, 95% CI was 0.96-1.00, P = 0.05) and myoglobin (MYO; HR = 2.88, 95% CI was 1.24-6.69, P = 0.01) were independent risk factors for APACHE Ⅱ score decline to the target value (15 scores). There were no significant differences in the incidence of bleeding complications, filter or perfusion thrombosis, blood pressure reduction, catheter-related infection and anaphylaxis among the groups. Conclusion:CVVH+DPMA+HP regimen can significantly reduce the APACHE Ⅱ score of patients with severe wasp sting injury, and the efficacy is superior to CVVH+HP and CVVH+PE regimens, with safety.

A case report of heat stroke with early severe brain edema / 环境与职业医学

Heat stroke can be divided into two types: exertional and classic, mainly manifested as a clear history of exposure to hot temperature/high heat environment or intense physical activity in hot environment, core temperature exceeding 40 ℃, accompanied by central nervous system changes (altered consciousness, epilepsy, psychiatric symptoms, etc.) and multiple organ damage, including respiratory failure, impaired liver and kidney function, rhabdomyolysis, coagulation disorders, abdominal distension, and diarrhea. Its pathology may be manifested as organ endothelial cell damage, inflammatory response, extensive thrombosis, and bleeding tendency. The main treatment measures are cooling therapy, and when combined with other organ damage, organ support or replacement therapy should be carried out in time, including blood transfusion to improve coagulation function and blood purification therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may improve the prognosis of patients with ischemic hypoxic encephalopathy. We reported a case of a firefighter with sudden impaired consciousness and high fever during forest fire fighting. The patient was sent to a local hospital and his head computed tomography (CT) results showed unclear cerebral gyrus, suggesting severe cerebral edema, and finally diagnosed as heat stroke. After being transferred to Liuzhou Workers' Hospital, his condition continued to deteriorate and signs of multiple organ failure appeared. The patient's cerebral edema was reversed and further development of heat stroke was prevented through early cooling, sedation and anti-epilepsy, endotracheal intubation ventilator-assisted breathing, anti-infection, fluid resuscitation, infusion of fresh frozen plasma and platelets to improve coagulation function, immunomodulatory therapy, renal replacement therapy, and timely artificial liver therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was ordered during the rehabilitation phase, and the patient recovered well at discharge, leaving no obvious neurological sequelae. Its prognosis is much better than that predicted at admission.

Analysis of therapeutic plasma exchange combined with continuous venovenous hemofiltration in the treatment of children with severe sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic potential of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) combined with continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) in the treatment of children with severe sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).Methods:It was a prospective randomized controlled study (RCT) involving 70 children with severe sepsis and MODS admitted to Anyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital from February 2019 to February 2023.According to random number table method, they were randomly divided into combination group (35 cases) and CVVH group (35 cases). Patients in the CVVH group were treated with CVVH alone, and those in the combination group were treated with TPE combined with CVVH.The antibiotic use time of the two groups was recorded and compared by the t test.The prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), partial prothrombin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), and serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and soluble receptor (sFLT) levels before treatment and 48 h and 72 h after treatment were compared by the repeated measurement ANOVA for the overall comparison at multiple time points, and LSD- t test for pair-wise comparison.The 28-day survival of the two groups was recorded and compared by the Chi- square test. Results:The PT, TT and APTT at 48 h and 72 h after treatment were significantly lower in the combination group than those of CVVH group (all P<0.05). The FIB at 48 h[(2.15±0.42) g/L vs.(1.84±0.31) g/L]and 72 h after treatment [(2.89±0.27) g/L vs.(2.49±0.20) g/L]were significantly higher in the combination group than those of CVVH group (all P<0.05). The duration of antibiotic use in the combination group was significantly shorter than that of CVVH group [(11.33±1.16) d vs.(13.54±1.92) d, t=5.828, P<0.05]. Serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α at 48 h and 72 h were significantly lower in the combination group than those of CVVH group (all P<0.05). Serum levels of HMGB1, TLR4 and sFLT at 48 h and 72 h were significantly lower in the combination group than those of CVVH group (all P<0.05). The 28-day survival of the combination group was significantly higher than that of CVVH group (94.29% vs.77.14%, χ2=4.200, P=0.040). Conclusions:TPE combined with CVVH can improve the coagulation function and inflammatory factor levels in children with severe sepsis and MODS, which may achieve therapeutic objectives by regulating the levels of HMGB1, TLR4 and sFLT, and improve the short-term prognosis.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic risk factors of patients with colchicine poisoning / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with colchicine poisoning, and analyze the risk factors affecting the prognosis of colchicine poisoning and its value in the prognostic assessment.Methods:Patients with colchicine poisoning admitted to the Emergency Intensive Care Unit of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from December 2017 to October 2022 were retrospectively included and divided into the survival group and death group according to the 14-d outcome. The general conditions of the two groups of patients were compared, and the clinical characteristics of patients with colchicine poisoning were analyzed. The differences of laboratory indexes, electrocardiogram, cardiac ultrasound and other clinical indexes during the first admission of patients between the two groups were compared, and their value in the prognosis evaluation of patients with colchicine poisoning was explored.Results:There were 41 patients with colchicine poisoning, aged 15-85 years, including 35 males and 6 females. There were 27 patients (65.9%) in the survival group and 14 patients (34.1%) in the death group, including accumulative poisoning (58.7%) and suicide poisoning (41.3%). The main clinical manifestations of patients with colchicine poisoning were gastrointestinal symptoms (82.93%), multiple organ dysfunction (78.05%), infectious fever (73.17%), myocardial damage (48.78%), coagulation dysfunction (46.34%), and bone marrow suppression (41.46%). Intestinal obstruction (19.51%) and rhabdomyolysis (2.44%) occurred in some patients. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the increase in absolute value of QTc interval ( OR=1.028, 95% CI: 1.000~1.056, P<0.05), lactic acid ( OR=1.599, 95% CI: 1.088~2.350, P<0.05), prothrombin time ( OR=1.205, 95% CI: 1.002~1.450, P<0.05), D-dimer ( OR=1.242, 95% CI: 1.089~1.417, P<0.05), and alkaline phosphatase ( OR=1.013, 95% CI: 1.002~1.024, P<0.05) were the risk factors for the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning. The decrease in the absolute value of ADL score ( OR=0.947, 95% CI: 0.909~0.988, P<0.05) and indirect bilirubin ( OR=0.756, 95% CI: 0.572~0.999, P<0.05) were the protective factors for the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning. D-dimer (AUC=0.913), lactic acid (AUC= 0.875) and alkaline phosphatase (AUC=0.770) had predictive value for the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning, and their cut-off values were 8.965 mg/L, 4.05 mmol/L and 230.5 U/L, respectively. Conclusions:The patients with colchicine poisoning have multiple organ dysfunction on admission, and are in a critical condition. The early levels of D-dimer, lactic acid and alkaline phosphatase could effectively predict the prognosis of patients with colchicine poisoning.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation phenotype is regulated by the TRPM7 channel during sepsis

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is an uncontrolled inflammatory response against a systemic infection that results in elevated mortality, mainly induced by bacterial products known as endotoxins, producing endotoxemia. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is frequently observed in septic patients and is associated with organ failure and death. Sepsis activates endothelial cells (ECs), promoting a prothrombotic phenotype contributing to DIC. Ion channel mediated calcium permeability participates in coagulation. The transient reception potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) non-selective divalent cation channel that also contains an α-kinase domain, which is permeable to divalent cations including Ca2+, regulates endotoxin-stimulated calcium permeability in ECs and is associated with increased mortality in septic patients. However, whether endothelial TRPM7 mediates endotoxemia-induced coagulation is not known. Therefore, our aim was to examine if TRPM7 mediates coagulation during endotoxemia. RESULTS: The results showed that TRPM7 regulated endotoxin-induced platelet and neutrophil adhesion to ECs, dependent on the TRPM7 ion channel activity and by the α-kinase function. Endotoxic animals showed that TRPM7 mediated neutrophil rolling on blood vessels and intravascular coagulation. TRPM7 mediated the increased expression of the adhesion proteins, von Willebrand factor (vWF), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and P-selectin, which were also mediated by the TRPM7 α-kinase function. Notably, endotoxin-induced expression of vWF, ICAM-1 and P-selectin were required for endotoxin-induced platelet and neutrophil adhesion to ECs. Endotoxemic rats showed increased endothelial TRPM7 expression associated with a procoagulant phenotype, liver and kidney dysfunction, increased death events and an increased relative risk of death. Interestingly, circulating ECs (CECs) from septic shock patients (SSPs) showed increased TRPM7 expression associated with increased DIC scores and decreased survival times. Additionally, SSPs with a high expression of TRPM7 in CECs showed increased mortality and relative risk of death. Notably, CECs from SSPs showed significant results from the AUROC analyses for predicting mortality in SSPs that were better than the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that sepsis-induced DIC is mediated by TRPM7 in ECs. TRPM7 ion channel activity and α-kinase function are required by DIC-mediated sepsis-induced organ dysfunction and its expression are associated with increased mortality during sepsis. TRPM7 appears as a new prognostic biomarker to predict mortality associated to DIC in SSPs, and as a novel target for drug development against DIC during infectious inflammatory diseases.

Preditores de mortalidade e tempo médio de sobrevivência dos pacientes críticos / Predictores de mortalidad y tiempo promedio de supervivencia de los pacientes críticos / Predictors of mortality and median survival time of critically ill patients

Resumo Objetivo Analisar os preditores de mortalidade e o tempo médio de sobrevivência dos pacientes internados nas unidades de terapias intensivas. Métodos Coorte prospectiva, realizada no período de agosto de 2018 a julho de 2019, em quatro Unidades de Terapia Intensiva (UTI) de adultos, da rede pública e privada do Estado de Sergipe. Foram incluídos todos os pacientes adultos, desde que possuíssem o tempo de permanência mínima de 24 horas na unidade. O desfecho primário foi o óbito. Os desfechos secundários foram: diálise, lesão por pressão, lesão renal aguda, necessidade de ventilação mecânica invasiva por mais de 48 horas, infecção e o tempo de internação. Resultados Dos 432 pacientes, houve predomínio de óbito em pacientes do sexo masculino, com idade mais avançada e procedentes da unidade de emergência. A presença de insuficiência cardíaca, valores de creatinina >1,5 mg/dL na admissão, diabetes mellitus, doença hepática e tabagismo também tiveram associação com o desfecho óbito. Quanto aos demais preditores, destacaram-se o maior tempo de internação; maiores escores do Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Simplified Acute Phisiology (SAPS 3) e Nursing Activies Score (NAS), além do uso de noradrenalina. O uso do fentanil foi associado ao aumento do tempo de sobrevida e o tempo médio de sobrevivência geral foi 28 dias. Conclusão Os preditores de mortalidade dos pacientes internados em UTI de Sergipe foram o maior tempo de internação; os maiores escores de SOFA, SAPS-3 e NAS; creatinina >1,5mg/dl na admissão; uso de drogas vasopressoras e a necessidade de diálise.

Resumen Objetivo Analizar los predictores de mortalidad y el tiempo promedio de supervivencia de los pacientes internados en unidades de cuidados intensivos. Métodos Cohorte prospectivo, realizado durante el período de agosto de 2018 a julio de 2019, en cuatro Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de adultos, de la red pública y privada del estado de Sergipe. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes adultos, con tiempo de permanencia mínima de 24 horas en la unidad. El criterio principal de valoración fue la defunción. Los criterios secundarios fueron: diálisis, úlcera por presión, lesión renal aguda, necesidad de ventilación mecánica invasiva durante más de 48 horas, infección y el tiempo de internación. Resultados De los 432 pacientes, hubo un predominio de defunciones en pacientes del sexo masculino, con edad más avanzada y procedentes de la unidad de emergencia. La presencia de insuficiencia cardíaca, valores de creatinina >1,5 mg/dL en la admisión, diabetes mellitus, enfermedad hepática y tabaquismo también estuvieron asociados con el desenlace de defunción. Con relación a los demás predictores, se destacaron el mayor tiempo de internación; mayores puntuaciones del Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Simplified Acute Phisiology (SAPS 3) y Nursing Activies Score (NAS), además del uso de noradrenalina. El uso de fentanilo estuvo asociado con el aumento del tiempo de sobrevida y el tiempo promedio de supervivencia general fue de 28 días. Conclusión Los predictores de mortalidad de los pacientes internados en una UCI de Sergipe fueron: el mayor tiempo de internación; los puntajes más altos de SOFA, SAPS-3 y de NAS; creatinina >1,5mg/dl en la admisión; uso de drogas vasoactivas y la necesidad de diálisis.

Abstract Objective To analyze the predictors of mortality and the average survival time of patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Units. Methods This is a prospective cohort, carried out from August 2018 to July 2019, in four adult Intensive Care Units (ICU) from the public and private network of the State of Sergipe. All adult patients were included, provided they had a minimum length of stay of 24 hours in the unit. The primary outcome was death. Secondary outcomes were dialysis, pressure injury, Acute Kidney Injury, need for invasive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours, infection, and length of hospital stay. Results Of the 432 patients, there was a predominance of death in male patients, older and coming from the emergency unit. The presence of heart failure, creatinine values >1.5 mg/dL at admission, diabetes mellitus, liver disease and smoking were also associated with the death outcome. As for the other predictors, the longest hospital stay, higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Simplified Acute Physiology (SAPS 3) and Nursing Activities Score (NAS) scores, in addition to the use of noradrenaline, stand out. The use of fentanyl was associated with increased survival time and the overall median survival time was 28 days. Conclusion The mortality predictors of patients admitted to the ICU in Sergipe were longer length of stay; the highest SOFA, SAPS-3 and NAS scores; creatinine >1.5mg/dl on admission; use of vasopressor drugs and the need for dialysis.

Treatment of Critical COVID-19 Case Complicated with Multiple Organ Dysfunction based on “Cold-dampness Entering Ying （营）” Theory： A Case Report / 中医杂志

“Cold-dampness entering ying （营）” is the key to the worsening of cold-dampness epidemic， and is more common in the elderly or critically ill cases of cold-dampness epidemic with pathogen exuberance and healthy qi deficiency. This paper reported a case of critically ill COVID-19 combined with multiple organ dysfunction treated by integrative traditional Chinese and western medicine based on “cold-dampness entering ying” theory. The patient did not have high fever after being infected with SARS-Cov-2， but D-dimer continued to increase， and she developed multiple thrombosis throughout the body and multiple organ dysfunctions such as pulmonary embolism， edema， oliguria， and shock. The patient were with enlarged and dusky tongue， with yellow， thick and greasy coating， and sublingual blood stasis， and thready， rapid and rough pulse. All these were characteristic manifestations of “cold-dampness entering ying”， and was differentiated as cold-dampness stasis. For the treatment， symptomatic and supportive western medicine of improving heart function， anti-infection， relieving asthma， stopping cough and reducing phlegm was given as the basic therapy， and additionally， traditional Chinese medicine to open the constraint and the blocked， save from collapse and restore yang， boost qi and relieve collapse， invigorate blood and drain water was used， usually with Modified Poge Zilong Xuanbai Chengqi Decoction （破格子龙宣白承气汤加减）， which was in accordance with the pathogenesis and thus achieving good effect.

Value of Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and albumin-bilirubin score combined with β2-microglobulin in predicting liver cirrhosis with acute kidney injury / 临床肝胆病杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of combined determination of Model for End-Stage Liver Disease （MELD） score， albumin-bilirubin （ALBI） score， and β2-microglobulin in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis with acute kidney injury （AKI）. MethodsClinical data were collected from 258 patients with liver cirrhosis who attended The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2019 to October 2022， and according to the presence or absence of AKI， they were divided into AKI group with 117 patients and non-AKI group with 141 patients. The changes in each index were compared between the two groups and between the patients with different stages of kidney injury. The independent samples t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups； the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison between multiple groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was plotted to evaluate the efficacy of each index in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis with AKI. ResultsCompared with the non-AKI group， the AKI group had significantly higher age （t=2.307， P=0.022）， proportion of patients with hepatic encephalopathy （χ2=18.064， P<0.001） or with spontaneous peritonitis （χ2=16.397， P<0.001）， mortality rate （χ2=45.251， P<0.001）， levels of creatinine （Z=-8.737， P<0.001） and β2-microglobulin （Z=-8.829， P<0.001）， and scores of CTP （Z=-4.058， P<0.001）， ALBI （t=2.563， P=0.011）， and MELD （Z=-5.628， P<0.001）， as well as a significantly shorter length of hospital stay （Z=-3.391， P=0.001）. There were significant differences in creatinine， β2-microglobulin， MELD score， and ALBI score between the patients with stage 1， 2 or 3 AKI （P<0.05）， while there was no significant difference in CTP score between these three groups （P>0.05）. The combined determination of ALBI score， MELD score， and β2-microglobulin had an area under the ROC curve （AUC） of 0.837 （95% confidence interval ［CI］： 0.782 — 0.892）， with a sensitivity of 75.2% and a specificity of 90.8%； ALBI score combined with MELD score had an AUC of 0.700 （95%CI： 0.636 — 0.764）， ALBI score combined with β2 microglobulin had an AUC of 0.823 （95%CI： 0.765 — 0.881）， and MELD combined with and β2 microglobulin had an AUC of 0.835 （95%CI： 0.779 — 0.890）， suggesting that combined determination of ALBI score， MELD score， and β2-microglobulin had a better diagnostic efficacy than ALBI score， MELD score， or β2-microglobulin used alone or in pairs， as well as a better diagnostic efficacy than creatinine. ConclusionCombined determination of ALBI score， MELD score， and β2-microglobulin has a relatively high value in the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis with AKI.

Early diagnostic value of mNGS for 15 cases with critical rickettsial disease in Hainan / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for patients with critically ill atypical rickettsial infections in the early diagnosis and therapy.Methods:From Jan 2020 to Aug 2022, clinical features, blood biochemical results, imaging data and mNGS results in patients with unexplained critical illnesses were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the positive rate of mNGS and weil felix reaction.Results:All 15 patients with rickettsial disease had fever, 12 cases had headache, but only 3 had a typical rash or scab of diagnostic significance, 6 had septic shock and all had multi-organ dysfunction; blood mNGS tests were positive in 15 cases, of which 10 had Orientia tsutsugamushi detected in their blood and the remaining five had Rickettsia moschata detected in their blood. The positive rate of mNGS was significantly higher than that of the weil felix reaction (15/15 vs 0, P<0.001). All patients were given doxycycline and other treatments after diagnosis, of which 14 improved and were discharged, and one died 1 week after discharge due to critical condition and abandonment of treatment. Conclusion:mNGS can improve the detection rate of atypical rickettsiae in patients with negative routine test results, which can provide valuable reference basis for early diagnosis and early anti-infection treatment of patients with critical rickettsial disease.

Clinical profile and outcome of paraquat poisoning at a tertiary care centre in North Karnataka, a retrospective observational study

Background: Paraquat is a herbicide commonly used for controlling weeds in India. The primary target organs for paraquat poisoning are the lungs and the kidneys. Acute cases of poisoning with paraquat are admitted to the hospital with various stages of acute kidney injury. Aim: To study the clinical presentation and outcome of paraquat poisoning in a tertiary care setting. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad. In this study we included the data of all patients admitted to the hospital with paraquat poisoning for a period of three-year and four months between January 2018 to April 2021. Results: A total of 12 participants were included in the final analysis. All the patients consumed paraquat with the suicidal intention only. The quantity of paraquat ingested was quite varied, ranging from as low as 5ml to as high as 200ml. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) was diagnosed in 58.3% of patients. Among which three patients were in stage 1, one was in stage 2, and three were in stage 3. The mortality rate was 58.33%. The major cause of death for these patients was multiple organ dysfunction syndromes (71.42 %). Conclusion: Acute kidney injury is the major clinical outcome of paraquat poisoning other than lung injury. This may result in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and mortality. Paraquat poisoning is due to consumption with suicidal intent. Most of them were young. Early management with hemoperfusion may have a positive effect on reducing mortality.

Síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica en cuidados intensivos pediátricos

Introducción: La sepsis es un proceso potencialmente letal caracterizado por una disfunción orgánica motivada por la respuesta del huésped a la infección y que conlleva a un desequilibrio inmunológico: proinflamatorio e inmunosupresión. Objetivo: Caracterizar el síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica en cuidados intensivos pediátricos. Métodos: Investigación descriptiva transversal realizada en el Hospital Pediátrico Docente "Pepe Portilla" de Pinar del Río durante el periodo 2015-2018. La muestra quedó constituida por todos los pacientes que ingresaron en cuidados intensivos pediátricos del citado hospital con diagnóstico de síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica de causa infecciosa o no. Se revisaron las historias clínicas y se elaboró un modelo de recogida de datos en correspondencia con el modelo 241-485-02 del sistema de información del síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica. Resultados: Hubo un predominio de la afección en pacientes con edades entre 1-4 años 122 (44 %). casos Se recibieron en estadio de sepsis 169 (61 %) pacientes El mayor número de casos, 70,4 % tuvo origen extrahospitalario. La neumonía como causa, se diagnosticó en 52 % de los pacientes. En los pacientes con estadios avanzados 17 (70,9 %) casos fue superior el número de defunciones. Conclusiones: La sepsis continúa siendo un importante problema de salud. Es necesario el ingreso precoz en las unidades de cuidados intensivos pediátricos para lograr una atención integral de estos pacientes.

Introduction: Sepsis is a potentially lethal process characterized by an organ dysfunction motivated by the host's response to infection and leading to an immune, pro-inflammatory and immunosuppression imbalance. Objective: To characterize systemic inflammatory response syndrome in pediatric intensive care units. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive research carried out at "Pepe Portilla" Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Pinar del Río during the period 2015-2018. The sample consisted of all patients admitted in the pediatric intensive care unit at the aforementioned hospital with a diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome of infectious or non-infectious cause. The medical records were reviewed and a data collection model was developed in correspondence with model 241-485-02 of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome information system. Results: There was a predominance of the condition in patients aged between 1-4 years, 122 cases (44%). 169 (61%) patients were received in sepsis stage. The highest number of cases, 70.4% had out-of-hospital origin. Pneumonia was diagnosed as a cause in 52% of patients. In patients with advanced stages (17 cases (70.9%)), the number of deaths was higher. Conclusions: Sepsis continues to be a major health problem. Early admission to pediatric intensive care units is necessary to achieve comprehensive care for these patients.

Ética do uso de escores prognósticos em unidade de terapia intensiva: revisão integrativa / Ethics in the use of prognostic scores in intensive care units: an integrative review / Ética del uso de puntajes pronósticos en una unidad de cuidados intensivos: una revisión integradora

Resumo O enfrentamento da covid-19 suscitou uma série de problemas na área da saúde, em razão do aumento da demanda de cuidados intensivos. Para solucionar a crise causada pela escassez de recursos de alta complexidade, a tomada de decisão tem se norteado por escores prognósticos, porém esse processo inclui uma dimensão moral, ainda que esta seja menos evidente. Mediante revisão integrativa, este artigo buscou refletir sobre a razoabilidade da utilização de indicadores de gravidade para definir a alocação de recursos escassos na saúde. Observou-se que o trabalho realizado em situações de escassez de recursos provoca sobrecarga moral, convergindo para busca por soluções padronizadas e objetivas, como a utilização de escores prognósticos. Conclui-se que seu uso isolado e indiscriminado não é eticamente aceitável e merece avaliação cautelosa, mesmo em situações emergenciais, como a da covid-19.

Abstract Facing COVID-19 caused many problems in the healthcare field, due to the rise in the intensive care demand. To solve this crisis, caused by the scarcity of resources of high complexity, decision-making has been guided by prognostic scores; however, this process includes a moral dimension, although less evident. With na integrative review, this article sought to reflect on the reasonability of using severity indicators to define the allocation of the scarce resources in healthcare. We observed that the work carried out on resource scarcity situations causes moral overload, converging to the search for standard and objective solutions, such as the use of prognostic scores. We conclude that their isolated and indiscriminate use is not ethically acceptable and deserves cautious evaluation, even in emergency situations, such as COVID-19.

Resumen La lucha contra el Covid-19 implicó una serie de problemas en el área de la salud, debido al aumento de la demanda de cuidados intensivos. Para solucionar la crisis provocada por la escasez de recursos de alta complejidad, la toma de decisiones estuvo orientada por puntuaciones pronósticas, pero este proceso incluye una dimensión moral aún menos evidente. A partir de una revisión integradora, este artículo buscó reflexionar sobre la razonabilidad de utilizar indicadores de gravedad para definir la asignación de recursos escasos en salud. El trabajo realizado en situaciones de escasez de recursos genera sobrecarga moral, llevando a la búsqueda de soluciones estandarizadas y objetivas, como el uso de puntuaciones de pronóstico. Se concluye que su uso aislado e indiscriminado no es éticamente aceptable y merece una cuidadosa evaluación, incluso en situaciones de emergencia, como la del Covid-19.

Disfunción crónica de órganos en pacientes con drepanocitosis. Parte I: manifestaciones cardiorrespiratorias / Chronic organ dysfunction in patients with sickle cell anemia. Part I: cardiorespiratory manifestations

Introducción: En la actualidad la mayoría de los pacientes con anemia falciforme alcanzan la adultez. La disfunción crónica de órganos constituye la causa primaria de muerte y representa un desafío en el manejo de estos enfermos. Objetivo: Analizar los aspectos generales de la disfunción orgánica crónica en pacientes con drepanocitosis y profundizar en las alteraciones cardiorrespiratorias. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión de los artículos publicados en los últimos diez años con el uso de los buscadores PubMed, SciELO y Google Académico. Los términos de búsqueda fueron: anemia de células falciformes, disfunción orgánica, mortalidad, hipertensión pulmonar, enfermedad pulmonar crónica, asma, apnea obstructiva del sueño. Análisis y síntesis de la información: Con el aumento de la expectativa de vida, en el manejo de los pacientes con drepanocitosis, gana en relevancia el diagnóstico precoz y el tratamiento oportuno de la disfunción crónica de órganos. Este es un proceso que comienza en la infancia, pero se hace más evidente en la etapa adulta. Las manifestaciones cardiorrespiratorias más comunes y con impacto en la morbilidad y en la mortalidad son: la hipertensión pulmonar y la enfermedad pulmonar crónica. Se describen aspectos relacionado con la prevalencia, diagnóstico, implicaciones en la evolución de los enfermos y aspectos relacionados con su tratamiento. Conclusiones: La hipertensión pulmonar y la enfermedad pulmonar crónica son frecuentes en pacientes con drepanocitosis. Ambas complicaciones tienen un impacto negativo en la evolución de estos enfermos y se asocian a aumento de la mortalidad. La detección temprana de estas afecciones, permite tomar acciones terapéuticas para disminuir sus consecuencias(AU)

Introduction: Currently, most patients with sickle cell disease reach adulthood. Chronic organ dysfunction constitutes the primary cause of death and represents a challenge in the management of these patients. Objectives: To analyze the general aspects of chronic organic dysfunction in patients with sickle cell disease and to delve into the cardiorespiratory ones. Methods: A review of the articles published in the last ten years was carried out using the PubMed, SciELO and Google Scholar search engines. The search terms were: sickle cell anemia, organ dysfunction, mortality, pulmonary hypertension, chronic lung disease, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea. Information analysis and synthesis: With the increase in life expectancy, in the management of patients with sickle cell disease, early diagnosis and timely treatment of chronic organ dysfunction gain relevance. This is a process that begins in childhood, but becomes more apparent in adulthood. The most common cardiorespiratory manifestations with an impact on morbidity and mortality are: pulmonary hypertension and chronic lung disease. Aspects related to prevalence, diagnosis, implications in the evolution of patients and aspects related to their treatment are described. Conclusions: Pulmonary hypertension and chronic lung disease are frequent in patients with sickle cell disease. Both complications have a negative impact on the evolution of these patients and are associated with increased mortality. Early detection of these conditions allows therapeutic actions to be taken to reduce their consequences(AU)

Utilidad de la plasmaféresis terapéutica en pacientes críticos con disfunción orgánica / Usefulness of therapeutic plasmapheresis in critical patients with organ dysfunction

Introducción: La aféresis terapéutica es el procedimiento que separa y remueve el plasma de la sangre total, con el objetivo de eliminar componentes considerados responsables patógenos de una enfermedad o de sus manifestaciones clínicas Objetivos: Analizar los aspectos generales de la aplicación de la técnica de plasmaféresis como alternativa de tratamiento en pacientes críticos con disfunción orgánica. Métodos: Se realizó una investigación bibliográfica-documental acerca del tema. Se consultaron fundamentalmente las bases de datos de SciELO y Pubmed de los últimos diez años. Análisis y síntesis de la información: Se describen los aspectos de la plasmaféresis, desde sus criterios de indicación; así como la aplicación del procedimiento en los pacientes con disfunción orgánica y sus resultados en la evolución del paciente. Conclusiones: Con la utilización de la plasmaféresis se encontró mejoría de los parámetros clínicos y de laboratorio en la mayoría de los pacientes en disfunción orgánica al egreso de la unidad de cuidados intensivos(AU)

Introduction: Therapeutic apheresis is the procedure that separates and removes plasma from whole blood, thus eliminating components considered pathogenic of a disease or its clinical manifestations. Objectives: To analyze the general aspects of de application of the plasmapheresis technique as an alternative treatment in oncohematological patients wish organic dysfunction. Methods: A bibliographic- documentary investigation was carried out on de subject The Scielo and Pubmed data bases were consulted. Analysis and synthesis of information: The technical aspects of plasmapheresis are described, based on its indication criteria, as well as the application of de technique in patients with organic dysfunction and its results in the evolution of the patient. Conclusions: With the use of the plasmapheresis technique improvement in clinical and laboratory parameters was found in the majority of organ dysfunction patients upon discharge from the intensive care unit(AU)

Clinical value of myoglobin in predicting multiple organ dysfunction in wasp sting patients / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and risk factors of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) caused by wasp sting.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect the general data of wasp sting patients who had a clear history of wasp sting disease and clinical manifestations from June 2016 to December 2020 and were first diagnosed as wasp sting in hospital. Patients with hematological diseases, malignant tumors, severe liver and kidney dysfunction, cardiac insufficiency, and patients who had received hormone therapy before admission were excluded. Patients who were unable to obtain effective laboratory results due to hemolysis or other reasons within 48 h of admission were also excluded. The white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil count (NEU), lymphocyte count (LYM), hemoglobin count (HB), myoglobin (Mb/MYO), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), albumin (ALB), K, Na, and Cl of the blood samples collected within 48 h after admission were recorded. Patients were divided into the MODS group and non-MODS group according to whether MODS occurred during hospitalization. Uni- and multivariate analysis were used to analyze the factors affecting the occurrence of MODS in wasp sting patients during hospitalization, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive effect of myoglobin level on the occurrence of MODS in wasp sting patients during hospitalization.Results:Mb, WBC, NEU, APTT and serum potassium in the MODS group [3890.00 (1416.90-4057.00) ng/mL, (21.99 ± 8.18) × 10 9/L, (19.61 ± 7.33)× 10 9/L, (93.75 ± 45.77) s, and (4.99 ± 0.95) mmol/L] were significantly higher than those in the non-MODS group [73.50 (34.30-264.20) ng/mL, (13.40 ± 4.14)× 10 9/L, (11.18±4.73)× 10 9/L, (37.00 ± 17.16) s, and (4.05 ± 0.56) mmol/L] (all P < 0.05); blood chlorine and ALB [(101.50 (98.25-105.00) mmol/L and (35.36 ± 6.44) g/L)] were significantly lower than those in the non-MODS group [(105.00 (103.00-107.00) mmol/L and (40.71 ± 5.48) g/L)] (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NEU ( OR = 0.729, 95% CI: 0.542~0.981), Mb ( OR = 0.999, 95% CI: 0.998~1.000), and APTT ( OR = 0.951, 95% CI: 0.921~0.982) were independent risk factors for MODS in wasp sting patients. ROC curve analysis showed that NEU, Mb and APTT could be used to evaluate the occurrence of MODS in wasp sting patients. Among them, Mb had the highest predictive value (AUC = 0.950, 95 % CI: 0.891~0.982). The optimal cutoff value of Mb for predicting the occurrence of MODS in wasp sting patients was 515.30 ng/mL, and the corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 90.62% and 87.23%, respectively. Conclusion:Mb is an independent risk factor for MODS in wasp sting patients, which can be used as a good predictor of MODS in wasp sting patients.