Frailty is a risk factor for intracranial abscess and is associated with longer length of stay: a retrospective single institution case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial abscess (IA) causes significant morbidity and mortality. The impact of baseline frailty status on post-operative outcomes of IA patients remains largely unknown. The present study evaluated if frailty status can be used to prognosticate outcomes in IA patients. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all IA patients undergoing craniotomy at our institution from 2011 to 2018 (n =18). These IA patients were age and gender matched with patients undergoing craniotomy for intracranial tumor (IT), an internal control for comparison. Demographic and clinical data were collected to measure frailty, using the modified frailty index-11 (mFI-11), pre-operative American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System (ASA), and study their association with post-operative complications, as measured by the Clavien-Dindo Grade (CDG). RESULTS: No significant difference in mFI-11 or ASA score was observed between the IA and IT groups (p = 0.058 and p = 0.131, respectively). IA patients had significantly higher CDG as compared with the control IT patients (p < 0.001). There was a trend towards increasing LOS in the IA group as compared to the IT group (p = 0.053). Increasing mFI and ASA were significant predictors of LOS by multiple linear regression in the IA group (p = 0.006 and p = 0.001, respectively), but not in the control IT group. Neither mFI-11 nor ASA were found to be predictors for CDG in either group. Within this case-control group of patients, we found an increase for odds of having IA with increasing mFI (OR 1.838, CI 95% 1.016-3.362, p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Frail IA patients tend to have more severe postoperative complications. The mFI-11 seems to predict increased resource utilization in the form of LOS. This study provides the initial retrospective data of another neurosurgical pathology where frailty leads to significantly worse outcomes. We also found that mFI may serve as a potential risk factor for severe disease.

Induction of renal tumor necrosis factor-α and other autacoids and the beneficial effects of hypertonic saline in acute decompensated heart failure.

Although administration of hypertonic saline (HSS) in combination with diuretics has yielded improved weight loss, preservation of renal function, and reduction in hospitalization time in the clinical setting of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), the mechanisms that underlie these beneficial effects remain unclear and additional studies are needed before this approach can be adopted on a more consistent basis. As high salt conditions stimulate the production of several renal autacoids that exhibit natriuretic effects, renal physiologists can contribute to the understanding of mechanisms by which HSS leads to increased diuresis both as an individual therapy as well as in combination with loop diuretics. For instance, since HSS increases TNF-α production by proximal tubule and thick ascending limb of Henle's loop epithelial cells, this article is aimed at highlighting how the effects of TNF-α produced by these cell types may contribute to the beneficial effects of HSS in patients with ADHF. Although TNF-α produced by infiltrating macrophages and T cells exacerbates and attenuates renal damage, respectively, production of this cytokine within the tubular compartment of the kidney functions as an intrinsic regulator of blood pressure and Na+ homeostasis via mechanisms along the nephron related to inhibition of Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter isoform 2 activity and angiotensinogen expression. Thus, in the clinical setting of ADHF and hyponatremia, induction of TNF-α production along the nephron by administration of HSS may attenuate Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter isoform 2 activity and angiotensinogen expression as part of a mechanism that prevents excessive Na+ reabsorption in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop, thereby mitigating volume overload.

Efficacy of Primary Surgical Versus Medical Intervention for Treatment of Left-Sided Infective Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Left-sided staphylococcal, streptococcal, and enterococcal infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Our primary aim is to compare clinical outcomes of staphylococcal, streptococcal, and enterococcal IE patients who undergo valve replacement surgery and outcomes of patients who are treated solely with antibiotics. METHODS: All patients were treated medically or surgically for left-sided staphylococcal, streptococcal, or enterococcal IE at our institution from 1998 to 2014 and were retrospectively studied. The primary outcome of interest was 30-day and 1-year mortality, and secondary outcomes included posttreatment septic shock, embolic events, stroke, and end-stage renal disease at 30 days. Inverse probability treatment weights, derived from propensity scores, were used to balance the medical and surgical cohorts across clinical risk factors, The Society of Thoracic Surgeon scores, and pathogens. Outcomes were compared comprehensively and in a staphylococcal-only subanalysis. RESULTS: Study population consisted of 245 surgical patients and 164 medical patients. Mortality at 30 days was higher in the medical cohort, both in aggregate and for staphylococcal only (all, 7% vs 16%, P < .001; staphylococcal only, 7% vs 22%, P < .001). Surgical patients had a higher incidence of septic shock and renal dysfunction; however, stroke and embolic events at 30 days were not different between cohorts. Cox survival analysis demonstrated that surgical treatment provided a 1-year survival benefit, with a hazard ratio of 0.48 (95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 0.64) that was robust regardless of pathogen. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with medical management, valve replacement surgery in patients with left-sided staphylococcal, streptococcal, or enterococcal IE appears to confer a survival advantage at 30 days and 1 year.