Prognostic role of urinary ketone body in patients with sepsis-associated encephalopathy without hepatic failure: a retrospective cohort study.

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is defined as a dysfunction of the central nervous system experienced during sepsis with variable clinical features. The study aims to identify the prognostic role of urinary ketone bodies in relation to clinical outcomes in patients with SAE. The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database was used to conduct a retrospective cohort study. We recruited 427 patients with SAE admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) from the MIMIC-III database. Patients with SAE were divided into a survival group (380 patients) and a non-survival group (47 patients). We used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the multivariate logistic regression analysis to analyze the relationship between the level of urinary ketone bodies and the clinical prognosis in patients with SAE. The primary outcome was the relationship between urinary ketone body levels and 28-day mortality of SAE. The secondary outcomes were the relationship between urinary ketone body levels and length of ICU stays, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Glasgow Coma Scale, mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, and the use of vasopressors. The 28-day mortality of patients with SAE was 11.0%. Urinary ketone body levels were not significantly associated with the 28-day mortality of patients with SAE. Urinary ketone body levels were associated with SOFA score and the use of vasopressors in patients with SAE. The SOFA score was an independent risk factor for the 28-day mortality in patients with SAE. Urinary ketone body levels were significantly associated with SOFA score and the use of vasopressors in patients with SAE. Furthermore, the SOFA score can predict the prognosis of short-term outcomes of patients with SAE. Therefore, we should closely monitor the changes of urinary ketone bodies and SOFA score and intervene in time.

More attention should be paid to Omicron-associated sepsis: a multicenter retrospective study in south China.

Background: The Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is highly transmissible but causes less severe disease compared to other variants. However, its association with sepsis incidence and outcomes is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of Omicron-associated sepsis, as per the Sepsis 3.0 definition, in hospitalized patients, and to explore its relationship with clinical characteristics and prognosis. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included adults hospitalized with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection across six tertiary hospitals in Guangzhou, China from November 2022 to January 2023. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and its components were calculated at hospital admission to identify sepsis. Outcomes assessed were need for intensive care unit (ICU) transfer and mortality. Receiver operating characteristic curves evaluated the predictive value of sepsis versus other biomarkers for outcomes. Results: A total of 299 patients (mean age: 70.1±14.4 years, 42.14% female) with SOFA score were enrolled. Among them, 152 were categorized as non-serious cases while the others were assigned as the serious group. The proportion of male patients, unvaccinated patients, patients with comorbidity such as diabetes, chronic cardiovascular disease, and chronic lung disease was significantly higher in the serious than non-serious group. The median SOFA score of all enrolled patients was 1 (interquartile range, 0-18). In our study, 147 patients (64.19%) were identified as having sepsis upon hospital admission, with the majority of these septic patients (113, representing 76.87%) being in the serious group, the respiratory, coagulation, cardiovascular, central nervous, and renal organ SOFA scores were all significantly higher in the serious compared to the non-serious group. Among septic patients, 20 out of 49 (40.81%) had septic shock as indicated by lactate measurement within 24 hours of admission, and the majority of septic patients were in the serious group (17/20, 76.87%). Sepsis was present in 118 out of 269 (43.9%) patients in the general ward, and among those with sepsis, 34 out of 118 (28.8%) later required ICU care during hospitalization. By contrast, none of the patients without sepsis required ICU care. Moreover, the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with than without sepsis. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of patients infected with Omicron present with sepsis upon hospital admission, which is associated with a poorer prognosis. Therefore, early recognition of viral sepsis by evaluation of the SOFA score in hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 patients is crucial.

How well does peripheral blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predict the severity and prognosis of hemorrhagic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: We explored the blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a prognostic marker and its relation with mortality and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge and at 3 months following ICH and also compared NLR with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. METHODS: The investigators calculated the NIHSS score, SOFA score, ICH score and NLR of 90 adult patients within 3 days of onset of stroke with evidence of hemorrhagic stroke in brain imaging and correlated it with in-hospital mortality, 3-month mortality and mRS at 3 months following stroke using regression analysis. RESULTS: Out of 90 individuals, there were 54 (60%) males and 36 (40%) females. The mRS score at 3 months significantly related to the admission NLR ratio >7 and SOFA score. Similarly, the in-hospital death and 3-month mortality was related to the admission NLR ratio >7 and ICH score. However, at a cut off value of NLR>3 for assessing the prognosis of the patients, we did not get significant results for mRS at 3 months following stroke and for in-hospital and 3-month mortality. CONCLUSION: A high NLR ratio >7 predicted worse outcomes in terms of mortality and morbidity at 3-months following haemorrhagic stroke. Hence, like ICH score, NLR can predict 3-month mortality following an acute haemorrhagic stroke and can also predict morbidity following 3 months of brain haemorrhage.

Meropenem plus Ertapenem and Ceftazidime-Avibactam plus Aztreonam for the Treatment of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Caused by Pan-Drug Resistant Klebsiella pneumonia.

INTRODUCTION: Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) account for about 70% of infections in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In recent years, pan-drug resistant (PDR) strains, strains that are not susceptible to any antibiotic, have been emerged and new treatment strategies are required. RESULTS: Fifty eligible patients were recruited in the three groups. A statistically significant reduction in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was observed in the control group on day 4 in comparison to day 0 of VAP (p = 0.005). The Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS) was also reduced on day 4 (p = 0.0016) and day 7 in comparison to day 0 (p = 0.001). Patients that received combination therapy, CAZ-AVI + ATM and DCT, presented with a lower SOFA score and CPIS on day 7 in comparison to day 0 (p = 0.0288 and p = 0.037, respectively). No differences in the ΔSOFA score and ΔCPIS were found between the groups. The control group presented with a significantly lower ICU stay and duration of mechanical ventilation (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively). There was no difference in mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis. This study was conducted in a mixed ICU in the University Hospital of Larissa, Thessaly, Greece during a three-year period (2020-2022). Patients suffering from ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) due to carbapenem-resistant K. pneumonia (CR-KP) were divided in three different groups: the first one was treated using ceftazidime-avibactam plus aztreonam (CAZ-AVI + ATM group), the second was treated using double carbapenems (DCT group), and the last one (control group) received appropriate therapy since the strain was susceptible in vitro to at least to one antibiotic. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with CAZ-AVI +ATM or DCT may offer a clinical benefit in patients suffering with infections due to PDR K. pneumoniae. Larger studies are required to confirm our findings.

Mid-Regional Pro-Adrenomedullin Can Predict Organ Failure and Prognosis in Sepsis?

Sepsis causes immune dysregulation and endotheliitis, with an increase in mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM). The aim of the study is to determine an MR-proADM value that, in addition to clinical diagnosis, can identify patients with localized infection or those with sepsis/septic shock, with specific organ damage or with the need for intensive care unit (ICU) transfer and prognosis. The secondary aim is to correlate the MR-proADM value with the length of stay (LOS). In total, 301 subjects with sepsis (124/301 with septic shock) and 126 with localized infection were retrospectively included. In sepsis, MR-proADM ≥ 3.39 ng/mL identified acute kidney injury (AKI); ≥2.99 ng/mL acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); ≥2.28 ng/mL acute heart failure (AHF); ≥2.55 ng/mL Glascow Coma Scale (GCS) < 15; ≥3.38 multi-organ involvement; ≥3.33 need for ICU transfer; ≥2.0 Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score ≥ 2; and ≥3.15 ng/mL non-survivors. The multivariate analysis showed that MR-proADM ≥ 2 ng/mL correlates with AKI, anemia and SOFA score ≥ 2, and MR-proADM ≥ 3 ng/mL correlates with AKI, GCS < 15 and SOFA score ≥ 2. A correlation between mortality and AKI, GCS < 15, ICU transfer and cathecolamine administration was found. In localized infection, MR-proADM at admission ≥ 1.44 ng/mL identified patients with AKI; ≥1.0 ng/mL with AHF; and ≥1.44 ng/mL with anemia and SOFA score ≥ 2. In the multivariate analysis, MR-proADM ≥ 1.44 ng/mL correlated with AKI, anemia, SOFA score ≥ 2 and AHF. MR-proADM is a marker of oxidative stress due to an infection, reflecting severity proportionally to organ damage.

Prognostic accuracy of initial and 24-h maximum SOFA scores of septic shock patients in the emergency department.

Background: We compared the prognostic accuracy of in-hospital mortality of the initial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFAini) score at the time of sepsis recognition and resuscitation and the maximum SOFA score (SOFAmax) using the worst variables in the 24 h after the initial score measurement in emergency department (ED) patients with septic shock. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study using a multicenter prospective registry of septic shock patients in the ED between October 2015 and December 2019. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The prognostic accuracies of SOFAini and SOFAmax were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve. Results: A total of 4860 patients was included, and the in-hospital mortality was 22.1%. In 59.7% of patients, SOFAmax increased compared with SOFAini, and the mean change of total SOFA score was 2.0 (standard deviation, 2.3). There was a significant difference in in-hospital mortality according to total SOFA score and the SOFA component scores, except cardiovascular SOFA score. The AUC of SOFAmax (0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-0.72) was significantly higher than that of SOFAini (AUC, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.66-0.69) in predicting in-hospital mortality. The AUCs of all scores of the six components were higher for the maximum values. Conclusion: The prognostic accuracy of the initial SOFA score at the time of sepsis recognition was lower than the 24-h maximal SOFA score in ED patients with septic shock. Follow-up assessments of organ failure may improve discrimination of the SOFA score for predicting mortality.

The Value of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) Score and Serum Lactate Level in Sepsis and Its Use in Predicting Mortality.

Background and objective Sepsis is a major health burden that leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and severity prediction using various scoring systems can reduce the mortality rate, particularly in developing nations. There are two aims of this study. One is to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and serum lactate levels in patients with sepsis to predict mortality. The other aim is to evaluate the relationship between the SOFA score and lactate so that we may be able to use lactate as a surrogate predictor of organ dysfunction and mortality in sepsis. Methods An observational prognostic accuracy study was conducted in the Department of General Surgery, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, between 1 July 2021 and 1 October 2022. We selected 128 patients, calculated their SOFA and lactate levels, and divided them into survivors and non-survivors according to their outcomes after seven days of assessment. The SOFA score and serum lactate levels were assessed as predictors of mortality, and their correlation was studied. Results We observed a significant decreasing trend in the value of the mean SOFA, maximum SOFA, mean lactate, and maximum lactate among survivors, whereas an increasing trend for the same was observed in non-survivors. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed the best diagnostic accuracy of the mean lactate (area under the curve {AUC}=0.996, 95% confidence interval {CI}=0.964-1.00, p≤0.0001). The maximum lactate (AUC=0.987, 95% CI=0.949-0.999, p≤0.0001) and mean SOFA scores (AUC=0.986, 95% CI=0.948-0.999, p≤0.0001) were good at predicting the mortality in sepsis. A slightly lower diagnostic accuracy was found for the maximum SOFA score (AUC=0.969, 95% CI=0.923-0.992, p≤0.0001). There was a strong correlation between the mean lactate and the mean SOFA with a correlation coefficient of 0.883 and p=0.0001. A good correlation was found between maximum lactate and maximum SOFA too (correlation coefficient=0.873, p≤0.0001). Conclusion This study highlights the different predictors of mortality in the patients with sepsis. The maximum lactate was the most accurate in predicting mortality in sepsis. It also demonstrates how serum lactate, due to its strong correlation with the SOFA score, can be used in its place to predict mortality in sepsis and organ dysfunction.

Exploring Extended White Blood Cell Parameters for the Evaluation of Sepsis among Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Units.

Sepsis is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in intensive care units. This case-control study aimed to investigate the haematology cell population data and extended inflammatory parameters for sepsis management. The study included three groups of patients: sepsis, non-sepsis, and healthy controls. Patients suspected of having sepsis underwent a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) evaluation and had blood drawn for blood cultures, complete peripheral blood counts (CBC), and measurements of various markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). We observed significant changes in numerous CBC parameters and extended inflammation parameters (EIPs), in addition to significant biochemical analysis markers CRP and IL-6 in sepsis cohorts. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that combining different CBC parameters and EIPs were effective to profile these patients. Two different models have been developed using white blood cell counts and their extended parameters. Our findings indicate that the absolute counts of white blood cells, and the EIPs which reflect their activation states, are important for the prediction and assessment of sepsis, as the body responds to an insult that triggers an immune response. In an emergency situation, having timely updates on patient conditions becomes crucial for guiding the management process. Identifying trends in these specific patient groups will aid early diagnosis, complementing clinical signs and symptoms, especially as CBC is the most commonly ordered test in a diagnostic workup.

Risk factors for postoperative disseminated intravascular coagulation in surgical patients with non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia.

PURPOSE: The prognostic impact of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in surgical patients with non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is unclear. This study aimed to confirm the association between postoperative DIC and prognosis and to identify preoperative risk factors associated with postoperative DIC. METHODS: This retrospective study included 52 patients who underwent emergency surgery for NOMI between January 2012 and March 2022. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis with the log-rank test was used to compare 30-day survival and hospital survival between patients with and without postoperative DIC. In addition, univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the preoperative risk factors for postoperative DIC. RESULTS: The 30-day and hospital mortality rates were 30.8% and 36.5%, respectively, and the incidence rate of DIC was 51.9%. Compared to patients without DIC, patients with DIC showed significantly lower rates of 30-day survival (41.5% vs 96%, log-rank P < 0.001) and hospital survival (30.2% vs 86.4%, log-rank, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses showed that the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) DIC score (OR = 2.697; 95% CI, 1.408-5.169; P = 0.003) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (OR = 1.511; 95% CI, 1.111-2.055; P = 0.009) were independent risk factors for postoperative DIC in surgical patients with NOMI. CONCLUSION: The development of postoperative DIC is a significant prognostic factor for 30-day and hospital mortalities in surgical patients with NOMI. In addition, the JAAM DIC score and SOFA score have a high discriminative ability for predicting the development of postoperative DIC.

A Comparison of ICU Mortality Scoring Systems Applied to COVID-19.

Background Over the past three years, COVID-19 has been a major source of mortality in intensive care units around the world. Many scoring systems have been developed to estimate mortality in critically ill patients. Our intent with this study was to compare the efficacy of these systems when applied to COVID-19. Methods The was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to 16 hospitals in Texas from February 2020 to March 2022. The Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and 4C Mortality scores were calculated on the initial day of ICU admission. Primary endpoints were all-cause mortality, ICU length of stay, and hospital length of stay. Results Initially, 62,881 patient encounters were assessed, and the cohort of 292 was selected based on the inclusion of the requisite values for each of the scoring systems. The median age was 56 +/- 14.93 years and 61% of patients were male. Mortality was defined as patients who expired or were discharged to hospice and was 78%. The different scoring systems were compared using logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) analysis to compare the accuracy of prediction of the mortality and length of stay. The multivariate analysis showed that SOFA, APACHE II, SAPS II, and 4C scores were all significant predictors of mortality. The SOFA score had the highest AUC, though the confidence intervals for all of the models overlap therefore one model could not be considered superior to any of the others. Linear regression was performed to evaluate the models' ability to predict ICU and hospital length of stay, and none of the tested systems were found to be significant predictors of length of stay. Conclusion The SOFA, APACHE II, ISARIC 4-C, and SAPS II scores all accurately predicted mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19. The SOFA score trended to perform the best.

Medication regimen complexity (MRC-ICU) for in-hospital mortality prediction in COVID-19 patients.

Purpose: The medication regimen complexity-intensive care unit (MRC-ICU) score was developed prior to the existence of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to assess if MRC-ICU could predict in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19. Methods: A single-center, observational study was conducted from August 2020 to January 2021. The primary outcome of this study was the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) for in-hospital mortality for the 48-hour MRC-ICU. Age, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), and World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Severity Classification were assessed. Logistic regression was performed to predict in-hospital mortality as well as WHO Severity Classification at 7 days. Results: A total of 149 patients were included. The median SOFA score was 8 (IQR 5-11) and median MRC-ICU score at 48 hours was 15 (IQR 7-21). The in-hospital mortality rate was 36% (n = 54). The AUROC for MRC-ICU was 0.71 (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 0.62-0.78) compared to 0.66 for age, 0.81 SOFA, and 0.72 for the WHO Severity Classification. In univariate analysis, age, SOFA, MRC-ICU, and WHO Severity Classification all demonstrated significant association with in-hospital mortality, while SOFA, MRC-ICU, and WHO Severity Classification demonstrated significant association with WHO Severity Classification at 7 days. In univariate analysis, all 4 characteristics showed significant association with mortality; however, only age and SOFA remained significant following multivariate analysis. Conclusion: In the first analysis of medication-related variables as a predictor of severity and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19, MRC-ICU demonstrated acceptable predictive ability as represented by AUROC; however, SOFA was the strongest predictor in both AUROC and regression analysis.

Outcomes of patients with acute respiratory failure on veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation requiring additional circulatory support by veno-venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Objective: Veno-venous (V-V) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used to support patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In case of additional cardio-circulatory failure, some experienced centers upgrade the V-V ECMO with an additional arterial return cannula (termed V-VA ECMO). Here we analyzed short- and long-term outcome together with potential predictors of mortality. Design: Multicenter, retrospective analysis between January 2008 and September 2021. Setting: Three tertiary care ECMO centers in Germany (Hannover, Bonn) and Switzerland (Zurich). Patients: Seventy-three V-V ECMO patients with ARDS and additional acute cardio-circulatory deterioration required an upgrade to V-VA ECMO were included in this study. Measurements and main results: Fifty-three patients required an upgrade from V-V to V-VA and 20 patients were directly triple cannulated. Median (Interquartile Range) age was 49 (28-57) years and SOFA score was 14 (12-17) at V-VA ECMO upgrade. Vasoactive-inotropic score decreased from 53 (12-123) at V-VA ECMO upgrade to 9 (3-37) after 24 h of V-VA ECMO support. Weaning from V-VA and V-V ECMO was successful in 47 (64%) and 40 (55%) patients, respectively. Duration of ECMO support was 12 (6-22) days and ICU length of stay was 32 (16-46) days. Overall ICU mortality was 48% and hospital mortality 51%. Two additional patients died after hospital discharge while the remaining patients survived up to two years (with six patients being lost to follow-up). The vast majority of patients was free from higher degree persistent organ dysfunction at follow-up. A SOFA score > 14 and higher lactate concentrations at the day of V-VA upgrade were independent predictors of mortality in the multivariate regression analysis. Conclusion: In this analysis, the use of V-VA ECMO in patients with ARDS and concomitant cardiocirculatory failure was associated with a hospital survival of about 50%, and most of these patients survived up to 2 years. A SOFA score > 14 and elevated lactate levels at the day of V-VA upgrade predict unfavorable outcome.

Septic Shock: Phenotypes and Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is a heterogeneous syndrome that results in life-threatening organ dysfunction. Our goal was to determine the relevant variables and patient phenotypes to use in predicting sepsis outcomes. METHODS: We performed an ancillary study concerning 119 patients with septic shock at intensive care unit (ICU) admittance (T0). We defined clinical worsening as having an increased sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score of ≥ 1, 48 h after admission (ΔSOFA ≥ 1). We performed univariate and multivariate analyses based on the 28-day mortality rate and ΔSOFA ≥ 1 and determined three patient phenotypes: safe, intermediate and unsafe. The persistence of the intermediate and unsafe phenotypes after T0 was defined as a poor outcome. RESULTS: At T0, the multivariate analysis showed two variables associated with 28-day mortality rate: norepinephrine dose and serum lactate concentration. Regarding ΔSOFA ≥ 1, we identified three variables at T0: norepinephrine dose, lactate concentration and venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference (P(v-a)CO2). At T0, the three phenotypes (safe, intermediate and unsafe) were found in 28 (24%), 70 (59%) and 21 (18%) patients, respectively. We thus suggested using an algorithm featuring norepinephrine dose, lactate concentration and P(v-a)CO2 to predict patient outcomes and obtained an area under the curve (AUC) of 74% (63-85%). CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the fact that identifying relevant variables and phenotypes may help physicians predict patient outcomes.

The Presence of Bacteremia Indicates Higher Inflammatory Response and Augments Disease Severity in Adult Patients with Urinary Tract Infections.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the association between the presence of bacteremia and increase in the requirement for intensive care in adult patients with urinary tract infection (UTI). The study also analyzed the differences in clinical features between patients with versus without bacteremia. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective screening of the medical records of adult patients admitted during a 4-month period at a single medical center. We excluded patients with concomitant infections and patients whose urine and blood samples were not collected in the emergency department (ED). The included patients were allocated to two groups-bacteremia and nonbacteremia groups-according to the blood culture results for samples collected in the ED. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 637 patients, including 158 (24.8%) patients in the bacteremia group and 479 (75.2%) patients in the nonbacteremia group. Compared with the patients in the nonbacteremia group, those in the bacteremia group satisfied more systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria; they had a higher white cell count, C-reactive protein level, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores; and had a greater requirement for intensive care (bacteremia vs. nonbacteremia; SIRS: 79.1% vs. 49.9%, p = 0.000; leukocytosis: 68.2% vs. 57.6%, p = 0.000; elevation of CRP: 96.2% vs. 78.6%, p = 0.000; SOFA: 39.2% vs. 23.2%, p = 0.000; requirement for intensive care: 13.9% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.000, respectively). According to the results of multivariate logistic regression, bacteremia and sepsis were independent factors associated with the requirement for intensive care. CONCLUSIONS: Bacteremia increased the requirement for intensive care in patients with UTI. Physicians can identify bacteremia using inflammatory markers, the SIRS criteria, and SOFA scores.

Sepsis subphenotyping based on organ dysfunction trajectory.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is a heterogeneous syndrome, and the identification of clinical subphenotypes is essential. Although organ dysfunction is a defining element of sepsis, subphenotypes of differential trajectory are not well studied. We sought to identify distinct Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score trajectory-based subphenotypes in sepsis. METHODS: We created 72-h SOFA score trajectories in patients with sepsis from four diverse intensive care unit (ICU) cohorts. We then used dynamic time warping (DTW) to compute heterogeneous SOFA trajectory similarities and hierarchical agglomerative clustering (HAC) to identify trajectory-based subphenotypes. Patient characteristics were compared between subphenotypes and a random forest model was developed to predict subphenotype membership at 6 and 24 h after being admitted to the ICU. The model was tested on three validation cohorts. Sensitivity analyses were performed with alternative clustering methodologies. RESULTS: A total of 4678, 3665, 12,282, and 4804 unique sepsis patients were included in development and three validation cohorts, respectively. Four subphenotypes were identified in the development cohort: Rapidly Worsening (n = 612, 13.1%), Delayed Worsening (n = 960, 20.5%), Rapidly Improving (n = 1932, 41.3%), and Delayed Improving (n = 1174, 25.1%). Baseline characteristics, including the pattern of organ dysfunction, varied between subphenotypes. Rapidly Worsening was defined by a higher comorbidity burden, acidosis, and visceral organ dysfunction. Rapidly Improving was defined by vasopressor use without acidosis. Outcomes differed across the subphenotypes, Rapidly Worsening had the highest in-hospital mortality (28.3%, P-value < 0.001), despite a lower SOFA (mean: 4.5) at ICU admission compared to Rapidly Improving (mortality:5.5%, mean SOFA: 5.5). An overall prediction accuracy of 0.78 (95% CI, [0.77, 0.8]) was obtained at 6 h after ICU admission, which increased to 0.87 (95% CI, [0.86, 0.88]) at 24 h. Similar subphenotypes were replicated in three validation cohorts. The majority of patients with sepsis have an improving phenotype with a lower mortality risk; however, they make up over 20% of all deaths due to their larger numbers. CONCLUSIONS: Four novel, clinically-defined, trajectory-based sepsis subphenotypes were identified and validated. Identifying trajectory-based subphenotypes has immediate implications for the powering and predictive enrichment of clinical trials. Understanding the pathophysiology of these differential trajectories may reveal unanticipated therapeutic targets and identify more precise populations and endpoints for clinical trials.

Surgical Management of Infective Endocarditis Complicated With Acute Cerebral Infarction　- Preoperative Management Using Modified Rankin Scale and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) Score.

Background: The optimal timing of surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) with acute cerebral infarction (CI) remains controversial. We examined the surgery policy at Ise Red Cross Hospital after negative blood cultures and antibiotic administration for at least 2 weeks. Methods and Results: Thirty-nine IE patients who underwent surgery between 2012 and 2020 were divided into Groups S (n=13; with acute CI) and N (n=26; without acute CI). Patients with IE who underwent conservative treatment were classified as group C (n=16). At the time of IE diagnosis, the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was significantly higher in Group S than Group N (mean [±SD] 3.9±0.6 vs. 2.8±1.3; P=0.009). However, there was no significant difference between Groups S and N moments before surgery (3.0±1.5 vs. 2.1±1.5, respectively; P=0.10) or at discharge (2.7±0.8 vs. 2.6±0.9, respectively; P=0.89). There were no significant differences in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score between groups. There were no differences in intra- and postoperative outcomes between Groups S and N. In Group C, the mRS score was significantly higher at discharge than in Group S (2.7±0.8 vs. 4.4±0.8, respectively; P<0.001), and long-term results were poor (P=0.004). Conclusions: Preoperative management and the timing of surgery for IE patients using the mRS and SOFA scores at our institution were reasonable.

Prognostic value of PaO2/FiO2, SOFA and D-dimer in elderly patients with sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic value for predicting mortality of partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2), the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and D-dimer in elderly patients with sepsis. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled elderly patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2019 and October 2020. Patients were divided into a survival group and a non-survival group. Biomarkers, SOFA, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Glasgow Coma Scale scores were recorded within 24 h after admission to the ICU. RESULTS: A total of 135 elderly patients with sepsis were enrolled in the study: 89 were in the survival group and 46 were in the non-survival group at 28 days. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that PaO2/FiO2, SOFA and D-dimer were independently associated with 28-day mortality. The predictive performance for mortality of the combination of PaO2/FiO2, SOFA score and D-dimer (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.926) was higher than the values for the individual factors (0.761, 0.745 and 0.878, respectively). CONCLUSION: The combination of PaO2/FiO2, SOFA score and D-dimer represents a promising tool and biomarker for predicting 28-day mortality of the elderly patients with sepsis.

Active Surveillance Cultures and Procalcitonin in Combination With Clinical Data to Guide Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy in Hospitalized Medical Patients With Sepsis.

Objective: The prevalence of colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) has increased over the last decade, reaching levels as high as 23% in certain patient populations. Active surveillance cultures (ASC) represent a valuable tool to identify patients colonized with MDRO to apply preventive measures, reduce transmission, and guide empiric antimicrobial therapy. There is a paucity of data evaluating the impact of admission ASCs to predict future infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concordance between ASCs results and the development of clinical infection by the same microorganism identified in the surveillance swab ("swab-related infection"), in hospitalized septic patients, and to evaluate the presence of specific risk factors associated with the development of a swab-related infection. Methods: All adults admitted to the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Medicine Department of the University Hospital Campus Bio-Medico of Rome with a diagnosis of infection or any other medical reason with admission surveillance swabs (rectal or nasal) between January 2018 and February 2021 were included in the study. A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients that developed infections with concordant MDROs identified on ASC, and the risk factors for swab-related infection. Secondary outcomes were need of intensive care unit transfer, length of stay, sepsis or septic shock development, and all-cause mortality. Results: A total of 528 patients were included in the study, of which 97 (18.3%) had a positive surveillance swab. Among patients with positive surveillance swabs, 18 (18.5%) developed an infection with the same microorganism recovered from the swab, 57 (58.8%) developed an infection with a different microorganism than that recovered from the surveillance swab, and 22 (22.7%) did not develop an infection during hospitalization. The number of colonized sites, an interventional procedure within the previous 3 months, a Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) score ≥ 2, and a quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (q-SOFA) score ≥ 2 were associated with a significantly higher risk of developing a swab-related infection. SIRS and q-SOFA scores ≥ 2 and procalcitonin ≥ 0.43 ng/ml help for identifying patients with a swab-related infection. Conclusion: Patients with positive surveillance swabs were at increased risk for development of infections by the same MDRO identified in surveillance swabs (swab-related infection). This study is the first to show that the positivity of surveillance swabs, in combination with anamnestic data, PCT values, and SIRS or q-SOFA scores, serves as a valuable tool to help clinicians predict patients at higher risk for swab-related infection development and guide the administration of appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy in septic patients.

Evolving Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients: A Single Center Retrospective Study.

Background and Objectives: Within a year, COVID-19 has advanced from an outbreak to a pandemic, spreading rapidly and globally with devastating impact. The pathophysiological link between COVID-19 and acute kidney injury (AKI) is currently being debated among scientists. While some studies have concluded that the mechanisms of AKI in COVID-19 patients are complex and not fully understood, others have claimed that AKI is a rare complication of COVID-19-related disorders. Considering this information gap and its possible influence on COVID-19-associated AKI management, our study aimed to explore the prevalence of AKI and to identify possible risk factors associated with AKI development among COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study included 83 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the isolation department in a tertiary hospital in Zagazig City, Egypt between June and August 2020. Patients younger than 18 years of age, those diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease, or those on nephrotoxic medications were excluded. All study participants had a complete blood count, liver and renal function tests, hemostasis parameters examined, inflammatory markers, serum electrolytes, routine urinalysis, arterial blood gas, and non-enhanced chest and abdominal computer tomography (CT) scans. Results: Of the 83 patients, AKI developed in 24 (28.9%) of them, of which 70.8% were in stage 1, 8.3% in stage 2, and 20.8% in stage 3. Patients with AKI were older than patients without AKI, with hypertension and diabetes being the most common comorbidities. Risk factors for AKI include increased age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and a higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Conclusions: AKI occurs in a considerable percentage of patients with COVID-19, especially in elderly males, those with hypertension, diabetes, and a higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score. Hence, the presence of AKI should be taken into account as an important index within the risk spectrum of disease severity for COVID-19 patients.