Nutritional responsiveness affects novel neutrophil parameters and reduces in-hospital mortality and costs in elective cancer oesophagectomy - a single centre, prospective, observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Malnutrition in surgical patients remains a common issue affecting the perioperative period. Oesophageal cancer is a disease associated with one of the highest malnutrition rates. Assessment of patient nutritional status remains a challenge due to limited validated tools. Novel parameters to identify malnourished patients and the effectiveness of preoperative nutritional intervention might improve treatment results in the perioperative period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective, observational, single-centre study of patients scheduled for elective oesophagectomy. The primary aim of this study was to establish the correlation between neutrophil reactivity intensity (NEUT-RI) and neutrophil granularity intensity (NEUT-GI) and patients' nutritional status. We divided patients into nutritional responders (R group) and nutritional non-responders (NR group) defined as regaining at least 25% of the maximum preoperative body weight loss during the preoperative period. RESULTS: The R group had significantly shorter intensive care unit (ICU) stays: 5.5 (4-8) vs. 13 (7-31) days ( P = 0.01). It resulted in a lower cost of ICU stays in the R group: 4775.2 (3938.9-7640.7) vs. 12255.8 (7787.6-49108.7) euro in the NR group ( P = 0.01). Between the R group and the NR group, we observed statistically significant differences in both preoperative NEUT-RI (48.6 vs. 53.4, P = 0.03) and NEUT-GI (154.6 vs. 159.3, P = 0.02). Apart from the T grade, the only preoperative factor associated with reduced mortality was the nutritional responsiveness: 11.1% vs. 71.4% ( P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative nutritional responsiveness affects neutrophil intensity indexes and reduces in-hospital mortality and costs associated with hospital stay. Further research is required to determine the correlation between novel neutrophil parameters and patients' nutritional status.

Continuous lumbar erector spinae plane block as an alternative to epidural analgesia in pain treatment in patients undergoing hip replacement surgery - a prospective pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Postoperative pain associated with hip replacement surgery can be severe, decreasing the patient's mobility and satisfaction with perioperative treatment. Regional techniques are commonly used as postoperative analgesia in hip surgery patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a prospective pilot study on patients undergoing hip replacement surgery. We anesthetized each participant with spinal technique and allocated patients according to postoperative analgesia to the continuous epidural group and the continuous lumbar erector spinae plane block (ESPB) group. We measured postope-rative oxycodone consumption with patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) demands. At several points, we evaluated the patients' pain at rest and during activity on the visual analog scale (VAS, 0-10), their quadriceps femoris' muscle strength on the Lovett scale (0-5), and their ability to sit, stand upright, and walk on the Timed Up and Go test. Moreover, we assessed the patients' recovery through the Quality of Recovery 40 (QoR-40) questionnaire on the first postoperative day. RESULTS: We found lower oxycodone consumption via PCA in the epidural than in the ESPB group (9.1 (mean) mg (5.2-13.0) (confidence interval) vs. 15.5 mg (9.8-21.3), P = 0.049). Patients in the ESPB group had more demands with PCA than participants in the epidural group (10.5 (median) (6-16) (interquartile range) vs. 25 (16-51), P = 0.016). We did not find differences between the groups in the other outcomes or in terms of postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the continuous lumbar ESPB group is equivalent to epidural analgesia as a pain treatment technique in patients undergoing hip replacement surgery.

Malnutrition risk in elective surgery patients and effectiveness of preoperative nutritional interventions at a pre-anaesthetic clinic: a 4-year apart, single-centre, observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 44% of all patients hospitalised for an elective surgical procedure have a malnutrition risk. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of malnutrition risk at a pre-anaesthetic clinic and the feasibility of introducing nutritional support. The primary objective of this study was to assess malnutrition risk prevalence in patients referred to a pre-anaesthetic clinic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective observational study. The study was divided into two phases: one in 2020 and the other in 2023. Consecutive patients scheduled for an elective surgical procedure at a pre-anaesthetic clinic were asked to participate in the study by filling out the questionnaire. We divided the patients into two groups based on the GLIM criteria. RESULTS: We included a total of 467 patients, including 214 from 2020 and 253 from 2023. In the total sample, 93 (19.9%) patients met the GLIM criteria for malnutrition risk, and 37 (7.9 %) fulfilled the ESPEN criteria for preoperative nutritional support. Out of 93 patients at malnutrition risk, 41 (44%) had BMI > 25 kg m -2 . The number of patients with indications for preoperative nutritional support in all departments remained similar across both time points. However, the number of patients receiving preoperative ONS almost doubled over the study period (36.8% in 2020 vs. 72.2% in 2023). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition risk was consistently high among our elective surgery patients. Not all patients with indications for preoperative nutritional support received it. As such, pre-anaesthetic clinics might be one of the major links in the nutritional programme chains of hospitals.

The use of the ERAS protocol in malnourished and properly nourished patients undergoing elective surgery: a questionnaire study.

INTRODUCTION: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is a modern approach to perioperative management. This study aimed to evaluate compliance with certain aspects of the ERAS protocol in malnourished and properly nourished patients undergoing elective surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire study was conducted among 197 patients undergoing elective surgery at the university hospital. We divided patients into two groups according to nutritional status. RESULTS: The study's results showed that 67 patients (34%) lost weight before admission (the weight-loss group). Twenty-five participants (37%) in the weight-loss group and 15 patients (12%) in the preserved-weight group underwent surgery due to cancer ( P < 0.001). More patients in the weight loss group (45 of 67) than in the preserved-weight group (40 of 129, P < 0.001) limited their food intake a week before the surgery. The preserved-weight group participants were mobilized earlier than the weight-loss group ( P = 0.04). The median number of hours since drinking their last fluids and eating their last meals before the surgery were 12.2 hours and 25.4 hours for both groups, respectively. Only eight patients received preoperative carbohydrate loading. We found higher serum protein concentrations in the preserved-weight group (7.10 [0.5] vs. 6.92 [0.71], P = 0.023); however, white blood cell count was higher in the weight-loss group (7.85 (2.28) vs.7.10 (0.50), P = 0.04). Both groups were highly satisfied with their hospital treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed relatively high malnutrition in patients undergoing elective surgery. As a standard of perioperative care in the studied centre, the ERAS protocol implementation level is low.

Serum Ketone Levels May Correspond with Preoperative Body Weight Loss in Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery: A Single-Center, Prospective, Observational Feasibility Study.

Although nutritional-risk scoring systems allow the determination of the patient's malnutrition at admission, additional tools might be useful in some clinical scenarios. Previous medical history could be unavailable in unconscious or demented patients. This study aimed to assess the ketone bodies serum levels in patients undergoing elective surgeries and to determine the possible correlation between ketone bodies serum levels and preoperative body weight loss. The study included 21 patients who underwent elective surgery. Hyperketonemia, defined as ketone bodies over 1 mmol/L, was observed in seven (33.3%) patients. Patients with hyperketonemia had significantly higher preoperative percentage body weight loss (p = 0.04) and higher nutritional risk scores prior to surgery (p = 0.04). Serum glucose and the percentage of body weight loss were associated with increased ketone bodies serum levels (Odds Ratios: 0.978 (0.961-0.996, p = 0.019) and 1.222 (1.0-1.492, p = 0.05), respectively). A significant linear correlation was found between the percentage of body weight loss and both ketones bodies (r2 = 0.25, p = 0.02) and albumin serum levels (r2 = 0.19, p = 0.04). Our study's results might suggest a positive association between preoperative body weight loss and ketone bodies serum levels. The observation between increased ketone bodies serum levels in patients and preoperative body mass loss merits further research.

The Effectiveness of Transversus Abdominis Plane and Quadratus Lumborum Blocks in Acute Postoperative Pain Following Cesarean Section-A Randomized, Single-Blind, Controlled Trial.

Acute pain intensity related to cesarean section (CS) may be extensive and is often underestimated. This may influence mothers' quality of life and their children's development. Regional analgesia techniques that include transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) and quadratus lumborum block (QLB) have proven their efficacy in the postoperative period after CS. Although several randomized controlled studies and one meta-analysis have investigated the utility of TAPB and QLB in the reduction of acute and chronic pain after CS, only one study directly compared both types of regional blocks and revealed superiority of QLB over TAPB. Our study aimed to reevaluate the effectiveness of transversus TAPB and QLB in controlling acute postoperative pain after CS. We recruited 197 women with singleton pregnancies undergoing CS under spinal anesthesia. The patients were randomized to receive either TAPB or QLB after CS. The acute postoperative pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after the operation. No significant difference in acute postoperative pain intensity between the groups was found. The patients who received TAPB had a higher demand for supplemental morphine injections (p < 0.039). In our study, none of the evaluated regional blocks demonstrated an advantage over the other regarding acute postoperative pain management.

Association of Gender, Painkiller Use, and Experienced Pain with Pain-Related Fear and Anxiety among University Students According to the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-9.

Anxiety and fear are determinants of acute and chronic pain. Effectively measuring fear associated with pain is critical for identifying individuals' vulnerable to pain. This study aimed to assess fear of pain among students and evaluate factors associated with pain-related fear. We used the Fear of Pain Questionnaire-9 to measure this fear. We searched for factors associated with fear of pain: gender, size of the city where the subjects lived, subject of academic study, year of study, the greatest extent of experienced pain, frequency of painkiller use, presence of chronic or mental illness, and past hospitalization. We enrolled 717 participants. Median fear of minor pain was 5 (4-7) fear of medical pain 7 (5-9), fear of severe pain 10 (8-12), and overall fear of pain 22 (19-26). Fear of pain was associated with gender, frequency of painkiller use, and previously experienced pain intensity. We found a correlation between the greatest pain the participant can remember and fear of minor pain (r = 0.112), fear of medical pain (r = 0.116), and overall fear of pain (r = 0.133). Participants studying medicine had the lowest fear of minor pain while stomatology students had the lowest fear of medical pain. As students advanced in their studies, their fear of medical pain lowered. Addressing fear of pain according to sex of the patient, frequency of painkiller use, and greatest extent of experienced pain could ameliorate medical training and improve the quality of pain management in patients.

Risk factors and outcomes for acute respiratory failure in coronavirus disease 2019: An observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread throughout Europe. However, there is a lack of data on the full clinical course of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Europe, especially in the population that developed acute respiratory failure (ARF). OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors associated with developing ARF during SARS-CoV-2 infection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was an observational study of 60 adult patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data were collected from March 26, 2020 to May 26, 2020 in a tertiary academic hospital in Poland. All patients reached final outcome (discharge from the hospital or death). We divided patients into 2 groups based on whether they developed ARF, compared their clinical data, and performed multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (36%) from the observed cohort developed ARF. Logistic regression identified that a high sequential organ failure assessment score at admission (odds ratio (OR) = 6.97 (1.57-30.90, p = 0.011)), and a long time from admission until pneumonia (OR = 1.41 (1.06-1.87, p = 0.016)), correlated with ARF development. D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) differed both statistically and clinically between ARF and non-ARF groups. The mortality rate in the observed cohort of patients was 13.3%, and it was 32% in the group that developed ARF. CONCLUSIONS: Routine vigilant examination of the above markers may identify patients at the highest risk of ARF early on during COVID-19 infection.

Unfractionated Heparin Versus Subcutaneous Nadroparin in Adults Supported With Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: a Retrospective, Multicenter Study.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) requires constant management of coagulation. Whereas unfractionated heparin remains the anticoagulant of choice, experienced centers report high bleeding rates. Biocompatibility of the extracorporeal circuit enables management of anticoagulation with subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparins only. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of anticoagulation with subcutaneous nadroparin compared with unfractionated heparin during respiratory ECMO in patients. We assessed for thrombotic complications and number of bleeding and life-threatening bleeding events. Additionally, we evaluated the change in resistance to flow in the oxygenator and the number of transfused blood products. Nadroparin and unfractionated heparin were comparable in terms of number of bleeding (34 vs. 53%; p = 0.12), life-threatening bleeding (2.8 vs. 9.3%; p = 0.26) events, and daily red blood cell transfusion rates (0.79 units/patient/day vs. 0.71 units/patient/day in nadroparin group; p = 0.87) during respiratory ECMO. The relative change in resistance to flow in the oxygenator was similar between groups (8.03 vs. 11.6%; p = 0.27). Nadroparin seemed equivalent to unfractionated heparin in the number of thrombotic and hemorrhagic events as well as in the daily red blood cell transfusion rates during venovenus-ECMO.

Influence of Early versus Late supplemental ParenteraL Nutrition on long-term quality of life in ICU patients after gastrointestinal oncological surgery (hELPLiNe): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition plays a major role in intensive care unit (ICU) treatment, influencing ICU length of stay and patient's survival. If preferable enteral nutrition administration is not feasible, ESPEN and ASPEN guidelines recommend initiation of a supplemental parenteral route between the first and seventh day, but exact timing remains elusive. While rapid development in critical care enabled significant reduction in the mortality rate of ICU patients, this improvement also tripled the number of patients going to rehabilitation. Thus, it is quality of life after ICU that has become the subject of interest of clinicians and healthcare policy-makers. A growing body of evidence indicates that protein turnover in the early phase of critical illness may play a crucial role in the preservation of lean body mass. A negative protein balance may lead to muscle wasting that persists weeks and months after ICU stay, resulting in deterioration of physical functioning. Folliwing oncological gastrointestinal tract surgery, patients are threatened with negative protein turnover due to cancer and extensive surgical insult. METHODS: This is a multi-centre, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial. The study population includes patients admitted to ICU units after major oncological gastrointestinal surgery that require supplemental parenteral nutrition. After initiation of enteral nutrition, the intervention group receives remaining daily requirement via supplemental parenteral nutrition on the first day of ICU stay while the control group is not supplemented parenterally until the seventh day of ICU stay while enteral nutrition is gradually increased. Primary endpoint: long-term quality of life measured in the physical component score (PCS) of SF-36 questionnaire at 3 and 6 months after ICU admission. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first trial to investigate the influence of early supplemental parenteral nutrition on long-term quality of life after major oncological gastrointestinal surgery. We assume that, particularly in this population of patients, early supplemental parenteral nutrition may increase the long-term quality of life. The study construction also allows establishment of patients' PCS SF-36 score prior to surgery and mean change in PCS SF-36 score during the recovery period, which is rarely seen in studies on critically ill patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03699371 registered on 12 October 2018.

Hemoadsorption in isolated conjugated hyperbilirubinemia after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support. Cholestasis of sepsis: A case report and review of the literature on differential causes of jaundice in ICU patient.

Hyperbilirubinemia occurs in up to 40% of critically ill. In ICU, hyperbilirubinemia is an independent factor that influences patients' morbidity and mortality. Jaundice can reflect the course of disease or be caused by treatment (e.g. extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)), thus can be difficult to differentiate. Sepsis was also associated with development of jaundice secondary to intrahepatic cholestasis. Prolonged cholestasis should be addressed to avoid liver damage. The patient with diagnosis of septic shock and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome was retrieved to our hospital for ECMO. Three days after initiation of ECMO, the patient developed jaundice, with increase of bilirubin, Gamma-glutamyltransferase and Alkaline phosphatase, without elevation of alanine aminotransferase and INR. Although ECMO was stopped, bilirubin serum levels were increasing, reaching the peak of 18.41 mg/dL of total and 15.67 mg/dL of direct bilirubin. Abdominal computed tomography showed homogeneous liver and non-dilated bile ducts. Viral hepatitis was excluded. CIOMS/RUCAM score was 0. Sepsis-related cholestasis was diagnosed. Despite cessation of sedation, the patient remained unconscious. Hemoadsorption therapy was initiated due to prolonged high levels of conjugated bilirubin. After 48 h of CytoSorb treatment, total bilirubin level was decreased to 2.4 mg/dL, the patient regained spontaneous eyes opening and could be transferred to regional hospital. Hyperbilirubinemia did not return in 3 months. Sepsis-related cholestasis is a diagnosis of exclusion that should be considered in case of jaundice in critically ill patients. In our patient, CytoSorb was a useful therapeutic option in prolonged cholestasis. Adsorption therapy was able to facilitate long-term regain of balance between inflammatory process, cytokine production and bilirubin turnover in the liver.

Procalcitonin dynamics, lactates, and haemoglobin serum levels might be a useful predictive tool of mortality in patients undergoing veno-venous extracorporeal oxygenation membrane support. Single centre experience.

BACKGROUND: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is a well-established therapeutic option in respiratory failure refractory to mechanical ventilation. Due to the growing popularity of VV-ECMO, new methods to improve patient outcome are desired. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of patient age, sequential organ failure assessment score, respiratory ECMO survival prediction score, and early laboratory results on mortality of patients undergoing VV-ECMO. METHODS: The study population included 39 patients who underwent VV-ECMO between 2016 and 2019. The study compared the laboratory results during the first three days of therapy. The parameters included procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, haemoglobin, lactates, arterial blood partial pressure of carbon dioxide and oxygen. RESULTS: The decrease of procalcitonin by 10% between the 1st and the 3rd day was more often observed in the positive outcome group (71.4% vs. 38.9%, P = 0.041). Serum lactate concentrations at the 1st day corresponded with the negative outcome (AUC = 0.70, P = 0.026). The negative outcome group had a higher occurrence of serum lactates of 2 mmol L-1 at the 1st day (P = 0.039). The haemoglobin levels at the 1st and 3rd day corresponded with patients' outcome (AUC = 0.69, P = 0.023 and AUC = 0.074, P = 0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed significant differences in early laboratory results between patients with a positive and negative outcome. In our opinion, serum lactate, haemoglobin and procalcitonin concentrations should be monitored daily to ensure an optimal therapeutic strategy and improve patient outcome. Our study provides valuable observations on predictive tools in VV-ECMO and possible directions for future research.