[A man with currant jelly sputum]. / Een man met bessengelei-achtig sputum.

A 40-year-old man presented with acute respiratory distress and a productive cough in the past three days with 'currant jelly' sputum. X-ray showed a right upper lobe infiltrate. Culture of sputum showed Klebsiella pneumoniae, consistent with 'Friedländer' pneumonia. The patient was treated with antibiotics but died after a complicated course.

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for differentiation between Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae.

We compared the Vitek MS and Microflex MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry platform for species differentiation within the Streptococcus mitis group with PCR assays targeted at lytA, Spn9802, and recA as reference standard. The Vitek MS correctly identified 10/11 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 13/13 Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae, and 12/13 S. mitis/oralis. The Microflex correctly identified 9/11 S. pneumoniae, 0/13 S. pseudopneumoniae, and 13/13 S. mitis/oralis. MALDI-TOF is a powerful tool for species determination within the mitis group. Diagnostic accuracy varies depending on platform and database used.

Compartmental apoptosis and neutrophil accumulation in severe peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Migration and activation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and apoptosis are central to inflammatory tissue damage. This study examines the relation of these processes, and their expression in the abdominal, systemic, and bronchoalveolar compartments in patients with severe peritonitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one consecutive patients undergoing laparotomy for severe secondary peritonitis. Eight operated patients without peritonitis and 10 long-term mechanically ventilated noninfected patients served as controls. Peritoneal fluid, blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained on d 0 (day of initial laparotomy), 2, and 3. Levels of chemokines (interleukin (IL)-8 and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1), PMN-counts, PMN activation [myeloperoxidase (MPO), elastase] and apoptosis (nucleosomes) were determined. RESULTS: In peritonitis patients, levels of chemokines and markers of PMN sequestration were increased in all compartments. IL-8 levels were higher in BALF than in plasma, and did not originate from the circulation or from lysis of alveolar cells. Pulmonary nucleosome levels were higher in patients who died (P=0.020), and corresponded with PMN-count in BALF (P<0.001), levels of chemokines (IL-8, P=0.003; MCP-1, P=0.001), and PMN-activation (MPO, P<0.001; elastase P=0.007). CONCLUSION: Severe peritonitis produces an early pulmonary expression of chemoattractants creating a gradient for PMN sequestration and activation into the lung. These parameters are associated with expression of apoptosis in the lung, which is increased in nonsurviving peritonitis patients.

Expression and role of myeloid-related protein-14 in clinical and experimental sepsis.

RATIONALE: Myeloid-related protein-8 (MRP8) and MRP14 can form heterodimers that elicit a variety of inflammatory responses. We showed that MRP8/14 is a ligand for Toll-like receptor-4, and that mice deficient in MRP8/14 are protected against endotoxic shock-induced lethality. OBJECTIVES: To determine (1) the extent of MRP8/14 release in patients with sepsis and/or peritonitis and in healthy humans exposed to LPS and (2) the contribution of MRP8/14 to the host response in murine abdominal sepsis. METHODS: MRP8/14 was measured in 51 patients with severe sepsis, 8 subjects after intravenous injection of LPS, and 17 patients with peritonitis. Host responses to sepsis were compared in mrp14 gene-deficient (and thereby MRP8/14-deficient) and wild-type mice intraperitoneally injected with Escherichia coli. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients with sepsis displayed elevated circulating MRP8/14 concentrations on both Days 0 and 3, and LPS injection resulted in systemic MRP8/14 release in healthy humans. In patients with peritonitis, MRP8/14 levels in abdominal fluid were more than 15-fold higher than in plasma. MRP14-deficient mice displayed improved defense against E. coli abdominal sepsis in an early phase, as indicated by diminished dissemination of the bacteria at 6 hours. In addition, MRP14-deficient mice demonstrated decreased systemic inflammation, as reflected by lower cytokine plasma concentrations, and less severe liver damage. CONCLUSIONS: Human sepsis and endotoxemia are associated with enhanced release of MRP8/14. In abdominal sepsis, MRP8/14 likely occurs primarily at the site of the infection, facilitating bacterial dissemination at an early phase and liver injury.

sTREM-1 is a potential useful biomarker for exclusion of ongoing infection in patients with secondary peritonitis.

Identification of patients with ongoing abdominal infection after emergency surgery for abdominal sepsis is difficult. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether plasma and abdominal fluid sTREM-1 levels can adequately select patients with ongoing abdominal infection. In a single center retrospective observational study, plasma and abdominal fluid samples were collected every 24 h for 4 days in patients who underwent an emergency laparotomy for severe secondary peritonitis. Patients after elective esophagus surgery served as controls. sTREM-1 levels were measured with an ELISA. Plasma sTREM-1 levels were not elevated compared to controls. Abdominal fluid sTREM-1 levels were initially high (median (246 [IQR 121-455] pg/ml), and declined 24 h after surgery (P=0.01). On day 2 and 3, patients with ongoing infection had significantly higher abdominal fluid sTREM-1 levels (319 [180-671] and 245 [173-541] pg/ml, respectively) compared to patients without infection (85 [49-306] and 121 [20-196] pg/ml, respectively). sTREM-1 levels were moderately predictive for persistent infection but had a high negative predictive value (0.86 (95% CI 0.69-0.94) below a cut-off level of 160 pg/ml. In clinical practice, abdominal fluid sTREM-1 levels may be useful for exclusion but not detection of ongoing abdominal infection after surgery for secondary peritonitis.

Systemic and local high mobility group box 1 concentrations during severe infection.

OBJECTIVE: High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been implicated as a late mediator in sepsis. We here sought to determine the extent of HMGB1 release in patients with sepsis stratified to the three most common infectious sources and to determine HMGB1 concentrations at the site of infection during peritonitis or pneumonia. DESIGN: Observational studies in patients and healthy humans challenged with lipopolysaccharide. SETTING: Three intensive care units and one clinical research unit. PATIENTS AND SUBJECTS: Three patient populations were studied: 1) 51 patients with sepsis due to pneumonia (n = 29), peritonitis (n = 12), or urinary tract infection (n = 10); 2) 17 patients with peritonitis; and 3) four patients with community-acquired pneumonia. In addition, eight healthy subjects were studied after intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide (4 ng/kg). INTERVENTIONS: One population of healthy volunteers received lipopolysaccharide intravenously. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients with severe sepsis due to pneumonia displayed elevated circulating HMGB1 concentrations at both days 0 and 3 after inclusion. Patients with sepsis due to peritonitis had elevated HMGB1 levels at day 0 but not at day 3, whereas urinary tract infection was associated with a delayed HMGB1 response, with elevated levels only at day 3. HMGB1 concentrations did not differ between survivors and nonsurvivors and were not correlated to either disease severity or concurrently measured cytokine levels. In line with these observations, although intravenous lipopolysaccharide injection clearly elevated plasma cytokine levels, HMGB1 remained undetectable. In patients with peritonitis, HMGB1 concentrations in abdominal fluid were more than ten-fold higher than in concurrently obtained plasma. In pneumonia patients, HMGB1 levels were higher in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from the site of infection than in lavage fluid from healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: In severe sepsis, the kinetics of HMGB1 release may differ depending on the primary source of infection. In patients with severe infection, HMGB1 release may predominantly occur at the site of infection.

The innate immune response to secondary peritonitis.

Secondary peritonitis continues to cause high morbidity and mortality despite improvements in medical and surgical therapy. This review combines data from published literature, focusing on molecular patterns of inflammation in pathophysiology and prognosis during peritonitis. Orchestration of the innate immune response is essential. To clear the microbial infection, activation and attraction of leukocytes are essential and beneficial, just like the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Exaggeration of these inflammatory systems leads to tissue damage and organ failure. Nonsurvivors have increased proinflammation, complement activation, coagulation, and chemotaxis. In these patients, anti-inflammatory systems are decreased in blood and lungs, whereas the abdominal compartment shows decreased neutrophil activation and decreased or stationary chemokine and cytokine levels. A later down-regulation of proinflammatory mediators with concomitant overexpression of anti-inflammatory mediators leads to immunoparalysis and failure to clear residual bacterial load, resulting in the occurrence of superimposed infections. Thus, in patients with adverse outcome, the inflammatory reaction is no longer contained within the abdomen, and the inflammatory response has shifted to other compartments. For the understanding of the host response to secondary peritonitis, it is essential to realize that the defense systems presumably are expressed differently and, in part, autonomously in different compartments.

Effects of intra-abdominal administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator on coagulation, fibrinolysis and inflammatory responses in experimental polymicrobial peritonitis.

Peritonitis represents a procoagulant state because of activated coagulation and inhibited fibrinolysis. Intra-abdominal fibrin deposition-entrapping bacteria-prevents bacterial spread but impairs bacterial clearance. Activating intra-abdominal fibrinolysis by recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (r-tPA) early during peritonitis may enhance bacterial clearance and reduce inflammation. This study examines effects of abdominal r-tPA lavage on local and distant coagulation, fibrinolysis, and inflammatory responses in experimental polymicrobial peritonitis. Twenty-four hours after cecal ligation and puncture, mice were exposed to therapeutic abdominal lavage with varying doses of r-tPA or saline (controls). Coagulation, fibrinolysis, and inflammation were assessed in abdominal, systemic, and pulmonary compartments (n = 6 per group per time point). Survival was assessed during 96 h (n = 16 per group). Highest-dose (2 mg/mL) r-tPA lavage caused immediate death. High-dose (0.5 mg/mL) r-tPA lavage increased fibrinolysis, demonstrated by low abdominal plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 levels and elevated pulmonary tPA levels, resulting in reduced abdominal bacterial load, chemokine levels, leukocyte influx, and thrombin generation, along with less pulmonary fibrin depositions and organ damage on histological examination (P < 0.05 vs. saline lavage). Low-dose (0.05 mg/mL) r-tPA lavage showed hardly any effect compared with saline lavage. Adversely, abdominal and plasma interleukin (IL) 12 were elevated, whereas IL-10 levels were decreased after high-dose r-tPA lavage (P < 0.05 vs. saline). Survival rate was not affected by any dose of r-tPA lavage compared with saline lavage. Delayed local stimulation of fibrinolysis by peritoneal r-tPA lavage enhanced intra-abdominal bacterial clearance and reduced intra- and extra-abdominal coagulation responses in a dose-dependent manner. Survival rate was unaffected likely due to adverse changes in IL-12 and IL-10 levels.

Peritoneal lavage with activated protein C alters compartmentalized coagulation and fibrinolysis and improves survival in polymicrobial peritonitis.

OBJECTIVE: During peritonitis, intra-abdominal fibrin entraps bacteria and hampers their elimination. Systemic administration of anticoagulant activated protein C improves survival in patients with severe sepsis, but its precise mode of action is unclear. This study in polymicrobial peritonitis assessed the effects of local activated protein C administration in peritoneal lavage fluid on coagulation, fibrinolysis, and survival. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: University-based research laboratory. SUBJECTS: C57BL/6 mice. INTERVENTIONS: Twenty-four hours after induction of peritonitis by cecal ligation and puncture, mice underwent peritoneal lavage with activated protein C (1.0 microg/mL) or saline. Peritoneal lavage fluid, blood, and lungs were sampled after 24, 48, or 72 hrs (n = 8/group/time point). For survival analysis, maximum observation was 96 hrs (n = 22/group). Clotting time, tissue factor expression, thrombin-antithrombin complexes, fibrin degradation products (D-dimers), plasminogen activator, and plasminogen activator inhibitor were used to assess coagulation and fibrinolysis responses. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Activated protein C lavage reduced abdominal bacterial load, abdominal and pulmonary clotting times, D-dimers (p < .05 vs. saline), pulmonary tissue factor expression, and fibrin depositions, without clear effects on systemic thrombin generation. Activated protein C lavage decreased plasma and abdominal tissue plasminogen activator levels with increased inhibitor plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels (p < .05) but had reverse effects on pulmonary fibrinolysis. Survival improved from 55% (saline) to 80% after intra-abdominal activated protein C administration (p = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal lavage with activated protein C may rebalance coagulation and fibrinolysis within compartments and improve survival in polymicrobial peritonitis.

Liver protection by hypothermic perfusion at different temperatures during total vascular exclusion.

INTRODUCTION: In situ hypothermic perfusion (HP) can be applied to attenuate ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury during liver resection under total vascular exclusion (TVE). This study examines the protective effect of cooling by HP at 20 and 28 degrees C as compared with no HP during TVE in a porcine liver I/R model. METHODS: Twenty-one pigs underwent 60 min TVE of the liver followed by 24 h reperfusion. HP was performed via the portal vein using ringerlactate solution of 4 degrees C. Pigs were assigned to three groups: TVE without HP (no-HP, n=9), TVE with HP at 28 degrees C (HP-28, n=6) and TVE with HP at 20 degrees C (HP-20, n=6). RESULTS: Perfusion volumes during TVE were 5.1+/-0.5 and 17.3+/-1.7 l in HP-28 and HP-20, respectively (P<0.05). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) after 24 h reperfusion was 1172+/-440 U/l in no-HP as compared with 223+/-69 and 180+/-22 U/l in HP-28 and HP-20, respectively (P<0.05). No differences in liver function or histopathology were found between the HP-28 and HP-20 groups. CONCLUSIONS: HP at 20 degrees C is equally effective in preserving liver function and preventing hepatocellular injury under TVE as compared with HP at 28 degrees C. HP at 28 degrees C is advised, because of the lesser perfusion volume necessary for cooling of the liver.

Bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase attenuates the inflammatory response in secondary peritonitis in mice.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) contributes importantly to morbidity and mortality in sepsis. Bovine intestinal alkaline phosphatase (BIAP) was demonstrated to detoxify LPS through dephosphorylation. LPS injection combined with BIAP reduced inflammation and improved survival in various experimental settings. In this study, single-dose intravenous administration of BIAP (0.15 IU/g) was applied in a murine cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of polymicrobial sepsis. Saline was given as control (S group). Treatment with BIAP prior to CLP (prophylaxis; BIAP-P group) or shortly after (early treatment; BIAP-ET group) reduced cytokine concentrations in plasma and peritoneal lavage fluid (PLF). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha peak levels decreased from 170 pg/ml (S) to 57.5 (BIAP-P) and 82.5 (BIAP-ET) in plasma and in PLF from 57.5 pg/ml (S) to 35.3 (BIAP-P) and 16.8 (BIAP-ET) (all, P < 0.05). Peak interleukin-6 levels in plasma decreased from 19.3 ng/ml (S) to 3.4 (BIAP-P) and 11.5 (BIAP-ET) and in PLF from 32.6 ng/ml (S) to 13.4 (BIAP-P) and 10.9 (BIAP-ET) (all, P < 0.05). Macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 peak levels in plasma decreased from 2.0 ng/ml (S) to 1.0 (BIAP-P) and 0.7 (BIAP-ET) and in PLF from 6.4 (S) to 2.3 (BIAP-P) and 1.3 ng/ml (BIAP-ET) (all, P < 0.05). BIAP-treated groups showed decreased transaminase activity in plasma and decreased myeloperoxidase activity in the lung, indicating reduced associated hepatocellular and pulmonary damage. Survival was not significantly altered by BIAP in this single-dose regimen. In polymicrobial secondary peritonitis, both prophylactic and early BIAP treatment attenuates the inflammatory response both locally and systemically and reduces associated liver and lung damage.