Daily point-of-care ultrasound-assessment of central venous catheter-related thrombosis in critically ill patients: a prospective multicenter study.

PURPOSE: Central venous catheter (CVC)-related thrombosis (CRT) is a known complication in critically ill patients. However, its clinical significance remains unclear. The objective of the study was to evaluate the occurrence and evolution of CRT from CVC insertion to removal. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was conducted in 28 intensive care units (ICUs). Duplex ultrasound was performed daily from CVC insertion until at least 3 days after CVC removal or before patient discharge from the ICU to detect CRT and to follow its progression. CRT diameter and length were measured and diameter > 7 mm was considered extensive. RESULTS: The study included 1262 patients. The incidence of CRT was 16.9% (95% confidence interval 14.8-18.9%). CRT was most commonly found in the internal jugular vein. The median time from CVC insertion to CRT onset was 4 (2-7) days, and 12% of CRTs occurred on the first day and 82% within 7 days of CVC insertion. CRT diameters > 5 mm and > 7 mm were found in 48% and 30% of thromboses. Over a 7-day follow-up, CRT diameter remained stable when the CVC was in place, whereas it gradually decreased after CVC removal. The ICU length of stay was longer in patients with CRT than in those without CRT, and the mortality was not different. CONCLUSION: CRT is a frequent complication. It can occur as soon as the CVC is placed and mostly during the first week following catheterization. Half of the thromboses are small but one-third are extensive. They are often non-progressive and may be resolved after CVC removal.

The Effects of Alda-1 Treatment on Renal and Intestinal Injuries After Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Pigs.

Aim: After successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), most survivors will develop acute kidney injury and intestinal barrier dysfunction, both of which contribute to the poor outcomes of cardiac arrest (CA) victims. Recently, the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) agonist, Alda-1 was shown to effectively alleviate regional ischemia/reperfusion injury of various organs. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Alda-1 treatment on renal and intestinal injuries after CA and resuscitation in pigs. Methods: Twenty-four male domestic pigs were randomly divided into one of the three groups: sham (n = 6), CPR (n = 10), or CPR+Alda-1 (n = 8). CA was induced and untreated for 8 min, and then CPR was performed for 8 min in the CPR and CPR+Alda-1 groups. At 5 min after resuscitation, a dose of 0.88 mg/kg of Alda-1 was intravenously administered in the CPR+Alda-1 group. The biomarkers of renal and intestinal injuries after resuscitation were regularly measured for a total of 24 h. Subsequently, the animals were euthanized, and then renal and intestinal tissues were obtained for the measurements of ALDH2 activity and expression, and cell apoptosis and ferroptosis. Results: Five of the 10 animals in the CPR group and six of the eight animals in the CPR+Alda-1 group were successfully resuscitated. After resuscitation, the levels of biomarkers of renal and intestinal injuries were significantly increased in all animals experiencing CA and resuscitation compared with the sham group; however, Alda-1 treatment significantly alleviated renal and intestinal injuries compared to the CPR group. Post-resuscitation ALDH2 activity was significantly decreased and its expression was markedly reduced in the kidney and intestine in those resuscitated animals compared with the sham group; nevertheless, both of them were significantly greater in those animals receiving Alda-1 treatment compared to the CPR group. In addition, renal, intestinal apoptosis and ferroptosis after resuscitation were observed in the CPR and CPR+Alda-1 groups, in which both of them were significantly milder in the CPR+Alda1 group than in the CPR group. Conclusions: The activation of ALDH2 by Alda-1 treatment significantly alleviated post-resuscitation renal and intestinal injuries through the inhibition of cell apoptosis and ferroptosis in a pig model of CA and resuscitation.

[Predictive value of carotid ultrasound in combination with passive leg raising on fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of monitor carotid velocity time integral (VTI) and corrected flow time (FTc) by bedside ultrasound before and after passive leg raising (PLR) in predicting fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted. Fifty patients with critical illness admitted to the First People's Hospital of Fuyang Hangzhou from January 2020 to March 2021 were enrolled. The clinical data including the gender, age, body mass index (BMI), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, and the duration of mechanical ventilation were recorded. The changes of carotid VTI and FTc were measured by bedside ultrasound, and the values of heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), stroke volume index (SVI), and intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBVI) were measured by pulse indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) monitor before and after PLR in all patients. According to the changes of SVI before and after PLR, the patients were divided into fluid responsiveness positive group with the change rate of SVI ≥ 15% and fluid responsiveness negative group with the change rate of SVI < 15%. The differences in the values of VTI, FTc, CVP, and ITBVI obtained before and after PLR (ΔVTI, ΔFTc, ΔCVP and ΔITBVI) were calculated and then compared between the two groups. The predictive values of these indicators on fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients were analyzed by receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve), and their relationship with the difference in SVI (ΔSVI) obtained before and after PLR was evaluated by Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: Fifty patients were all enrolled in this study, in which 27 patients were fluid response and 23 patients were fluid nonresponse. Basic clinical data were not different between the two groups. The values of ΔVTI, ΔFTc, ΔCVP, and ΔITBVI in fluid response were all significantly higher than those in fluid nonresponse [ΔVTI (cm): 2.07±1.16 vs. 0.67±0.86, ΔFTc (ms): 4.00±6.10 vs. 0.01±2.26, ΔCVP (cmH2O, 1 cmH2O = 0.098 kPa): 1.67±1.14 vs. 1.00±1.17, ΔITBVI (mL/m2): 98±69 vs. 48±70, all P < 0.05]. ROC curve analysis showed that ΔVTI, ΔFTc, ΔCVP and ΔITBVI were all positive for predicting fluid responsiveness, their area under ROC curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were 0.870 (0.769-0.972), 0.694 (0.547-0.841), 0.684 (0.535-0.832) and 0.709 (0.564-0.855), respectively. When using ΔVTI 0.92 cm, ΔFTc 1.45 ms, ΔCVP 1.50 cmH2O and ΔITBVI 44.50 mL/m2 as the threshold values, the sensitivities were 96.3%, 63.0%, 44.4% and 81.5%, and the specificities were 65.2%, 78.3%, 82.6% and 56.5%, respectively, in which the predictive value of ΔVTI was the largest. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that ΔVTI, ΔFTc, ΔCVP, and ΔITBVI were positively associated with ΔSVI (r values were 0.971, 0.334, 0.440, 0.650, P values were 0.000, 0.018, 0.001, 0.000, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Carotid ΔVTI and ΔFTc monitored by bedside ultrasound before and after PLR could be as effective as conventional indicators in predicting fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients, and the predictive value of ΔVTI was better than others.

Norisoboldine Attenuates Sepsis-Induced Acute Lung Injury by Modulating Macrophage Polarization via PKM2/HIF-1α/PGC-1α Pathway.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of norisopoldine (NOR) on acute lung injury in septic mice. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to establish sepsis induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. The dry and wet weight of mice lung was detected, and the pathological changes of lung were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was detected. Inflammatory factors in BALF were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The polarization of macrophages in lung tissue was detected by flow cytometry. The markers of M1 and M2 macrophages were detected by RT-PCR. LPS induced RAW264.7 cells were treated with NOR. Inflammatory response, macrophage polarization, glycolysis, and M2 pyruvate kinase (PKM2)/hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ co-activator 1-α (PGC-1α) signaling pathway were detected. NOR could effectively alleviate sepsis induced ALI, and reduce the number of total cells, total protein concentration, neutrophils, macrophages in BALF. NOR decreased the level of inflammatory factors and promoted macrophages from M1 to M2 type in vivo and vitro. Moreover, NOR could activated PKM2, and inhibited PKM2 from cytoplasm to nuclear, attenuated HIF-1α expression, and increased PGC-1α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ expression. In addition, NOR inhibited glycolysis and promoted oxidative phosphorylation in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, PKM2 inhibitors could reverse the effect of NOR on PKM2/HIF-1α/PGC-1α signaling pathway in RAW264.7 cells. NOR alleviated sepsis induced AIL in mice, inhibited the inflammatory response, promote M2 polarization of macrophages through regulating PKM2/HIF-1α/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Nutritional status of protein intake in severe pneumonia patients based on dietary nutrition information system.

In order to explore the effect of protein intake on the nutritional status of patients with severe pneumonia (SP) based on a dietary nutrition information system, 108 cases of SP patients of The First people's Hospital of Fuyang were selected as the research objects. Nutrition score of these patients was made by using dietary nutrition information system and then the patients were randomly divided into experimental group and control group. Both groups were treated with basic treatment combined nutrition treatment. At the same time, the experimental group was added with donkey milk, Badanmu, Chamagu compound containing a variety of protein nutritional preparations 20g/d. The changes of intestinal mucosal barrier function in two groups were observed before treatment and 7-14 days after treatment. The results showed that the enteral nutrition (EN) of the experimental group rich in multiple proteins could reduce the levels of blood diamine oxidase (DAO), D-Lactic ac (D-LC) and bacterial endotoxin (BT), protect the intestinal mucosal barrier function of SP patients, improve the gastrointestinal function of SP patients and reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal motility disorder. That is to say, SP patients need not only high protein nutrition supplement but also a variety of protein supply. The nutritional status of protein intake in patients with SP was studied based on dietary nutrition information system. The results provided experimental data for nutritional treatment of patients with SP.

[Design and application of a new gastrointestinal nutrition pipeline].

Gastrointestinal nutrition tube is a special gastrointestinal tube designed for enteral nutrition, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring in severe patients. Clinically, it is inserted into patients' stomach for flushing, provide nutrition through stomach, duodenum or jejunum, and decompress gastrointestinal tract. It also can be used for gastric drainage, gastric juice pH value determination, and early diagnosis and treatment for stomach bleeding and other symptoms. Currently, gastrointestinal nutrition tube can only rely on guidewire and blind manipulation, or by gastroscopy, which may produce damage to the patients, including stimulating the digestive tract mucous membrane, and causing adverse reaction. Therefore, a new type gastrointestinal nutrition line was designed by the medical staff of intensive care unit (ICU) of the First People's Hospital of Fuyang District in Hangzhou according to the technical problems existing in the insertion of gastrointestinal nutrition tube, and National Utility Model Patent of China was obtained (ZL 2019 2 0118506.0). It included V-shaped joint, first pipe, second pipe, function module, supply pipe, scale line, upper clasp, lower clasp, elliptical balloon, elastic guide wire and infusion opening. Compared with the existed technology, it has multiple channels, functions and placement methods. The utility model has a simple structure and reasonable design, which can be very handy to insert and provide nutrient solution.

[Analysis of the difference between indirect calorimetry and predicted energy estimation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the difference between indirect calorimetry (IC) and predicted energy estimation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and its possible factors affecting the difference, to provide reasonable energy supply basis for COPD patients. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted. Twenty-six patients with COPD undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV) admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Hangzhou City Fuyang District First People's Hospital in Zhejiang Province from January to December in 2016 were enrolled. The energy values of patients were calculated by IC and predicted energy estimation, respectively. According to the degree of IC values deviating from the predicted energy estimation, the patients were divided into energy approaching group (IC values deviating from the empirical energy estimation ≤15%) and energy deviation group (IC values deviating from the empirical energy estimation > 15%). Bland-Altman diagram was drawn, and the consistency of the energy target values assessing by two methods was analyzed. The factors influencing the energy value deviation of the two measuring methods were screened by the multivariate Logistic regression and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were enrolled in the final analysis. The energy target value of IC was significantly higher than that of predicted energy estimation (kJ: 7 079.3±1 213.4 vs. 6 527.0±949.8), and the difference between two values was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Bland-Altman heterogeneity analysis showed that the overall consistency of the energy values between the predicted energy estimation and IC was quite good. There were 14 patients in energy approaching group, and 12 in energy deviation group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index (BMI), type of COPD, or acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score between the two groups. In energy deviation group, the IC value of patients was significantly higher than predicted energy estimation (kJ: 7 711.1±1 125.5 vs. 6 556.3±907.9, P < 0.01). However, in energy approaching group, there was no significant difference between the energy values of IC and predicted energy estimation (kJ: 6 539.6±1 037.6 vs. 6 501.9±1 016.7, P > 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that APACHE II score was an independent risk factor inducing the deviation of energy evaluation between IC and predicted energy estimation [odds ratio (OR) = 1.403, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.019-1.932, P = 0.038]. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the APACHE II score increased by 1, and the energy deviation increased by 2.0 kJ (ß = 0.476, 95%CI = 0.004-0.956, P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with COPD, there was a good correlation between predicted energy estimation and the resting energy expenditure measured by IC. APACHE II score was an independent risk factor inducing the deviation of energy evaluation between IC and predicted energy estimation. It is suggested that the target value of energy should be determined by IC for patients with high APACHE II score.

Independent Prognostic Factors for Acute Organophosphorus Pesticide Poisoning.

BACKGROUND: Acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (AOPP) is becoming a significant problem and a potential cause of human mortality because of the abuse of organophosphate compounds. This study aims to determine the independent prognostic factors of AOPP by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. METHODS: The clinical data for 71 subjects with AOPP admitted to our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. This information included the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, admission blood cholinesterase levels, 6-h post-admission blood cholinesterase levels, cholinesterase activity, blood pH, and other factors. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify all prognostic factors and independent prognostic factors, respectively. A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted to analyze the testing power of independent prognostic factors. RESULTS: Twelve of 71 subjects died. Admission blood lactate levels, 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, blood pH, and APACHE II scores were identified as prognostic factors for AOPP according to the univariate analysis, whereas only 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates, and blood pH were independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested that post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates were of moderate diagnostic value. CONCLUSIONS: High 6-h post-admission blood lactate levels, low blood pH, and low post-admission 6-h lactate clearance rates were independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis.