Elimination of fosfomycin during dialysis with the Genius system in septic patients.

To assess fosfomycin (FOS) elimination in patients with sepsis and acute kidney injury (AKI) undergoing slow-extended daily dialysis (SLEDD) with the Genius system in a prospective observational study. After ethics committee approval ten patients with sepsis and AKI stage 3 underwent daily SLEDD sessions of eight hours. FOS was applied i.v. at doses of 3 × 5 g per day. FOS serum levels were measured pre- and post hemofilter before, during, and after SLEDD sessions, and instantaneous clearance was calculated. In five of the patients, we analyzed FOS levels after the first dose, in the other five patients serum levels were measured during ongoing therapy. FOS was eliminated rapidly via the hemofilter. FOS clearance decreased from 152 ± 10 mL/min (start of SLEED session) to 43 ± 38 mL/min (end of SLEDD session). In 3/5 first-dose patients after 4-6 h of SLEDD the FOS serum level fell below the EUCAST breakpoint of 32 mg/L for Enterobacterales and Staphylococcus species. In all patients with ongoing fosfomycin therapy serum levels were high and above the breakpoint at all times. FOS toxicity or adverse effects were not observed. FOS serum concentrations exhibit wide variability in critically ill patients with sepsis and AKI. FOS is eliminated rapidly during SLEDD. A loading dose of 5 g is not sufficient to achieve serum levels above the EUCAST breakpoint for common bacteria in all patients, considering that T > MIC > 70% of the dosing interval indicates sufficient plasma levels. We thus recommend a loading dose of 8 g followed by a maintenance dose of 5 g after a SLEDD session in anuric patients. We strongly recommend therapeutic drug monitoring of FOS levels in critically ill patients with AKI and dialysis therapy.

[New kidney function tests: Renal functional reserve and furosemide stress test]. / Neue Nierenfunktionstests: Renal-funktionelle Reserve und Furosemidstresstest.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in 30-50% of all intensive care patients. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) has to be initiated in 10-15%. The early in-hospital mortality is about 50%. Up to 20% of all survivors develop chronic kidney disease after intensive care discharge and progress to end-stage kidney disease within the next 10 years. For timely initiation of prophylactic or therapeutic interventions, it is crucial to exactly determine the actual kidney function, i. e., glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and to gain insight into the further development of kidney function. Traditionally, renal function has been estimated using serum levels of creatinine or urea. Unfortunately, both are notoriously unreliable and insensitive in intensive care patients. Cystatin C has fewer non-GFR determinants when compared to creatinine and is more sensitive and accurate to detect early decreases of GFR. At present, new functional tests are discussed, namely the furosemide stress test (FST) and renal functional reserve (RFR). The FST consists of an intravenous infusion of 1.0-1.5 mg/kgBW furosemide to critically ill patients with AKI. An increase in urine output to >100 ml/h is indicative of a GFR >20 ml/min and almost certainly excludes progression to AKI stage III and need for RRT. Estimation of RFR can be made by short-term oral or intravenous administration of a high protein load. A subsequent increase in GFR defines the presence and the magnitude of functional reserve which can be activated. Loss of RFR is an indicator of loss of functioning nephron mass and incomplete recovery following AKI. Both FST and RFR can help to improve diagnosis and care of high-risk patients with acute and chronic kidney disease.

[Basal tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy. Induction of a pheochromocytoma after general anesthesia]. / Basale Tako-Tsubo-Kardiomyopathie. Erstmanifestation eines Phäochromozytoms nach einer Allgemeinanästhesie.

A 71-year-old female patient developed acute myocardial failure immediately after cataract surgery under general anesthesia. Subsequently performed laevocardiography demonstrated a basal ballooning of the left ventricle characteristic of basal tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy. The basal tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy was induced by a previously asymptomatic pheochromocytoma. The left ventricular function recovered completely within 4 days without specific treatment.

Prognosis in adult AML is precisely predicted by the DISC-assay using the chemosensitivity-index Ci.

We prospectively investigated the correlation between DISC-assay results and clinical response and also survival in patients with AML using a new method of evaluation.