[Early progressive organ failure in patients with severe acute pancreatitis].

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of early multiple organ failure in 152 patients with severe acute pancreatitis admitted to the intensive care unit for the period from 2002 to 2009. The group of patients with early progressive multiple organ failure had high early (29%) and overall mortality (45%) rate, infectious complications rate (39%) and long intensive care unit stay (median - 8 (5; 18) days). Based on the statistical analysis of data the criteria to predicted risk progression of multiple organ failure on admission were: APACHE II score ≥12, SOFA score ≥4, failure >2 organs/systems, Ranson score ≥7.

[Permanent venovenous hemofiltration in the complex therapy of severe acute pancreatitis].

Regardless of modern achievements in intensive therapy the mortality from severe acute pancreatitis progressed to a polyorganic insufficiency reaches 60%. Analysis of mortality structures shows that more than 50% of patients die from severe acute pancreatitis in first 72 hours, which is indicated as early severe pancreatitis. In the recent years the experimental and clinical studies proved that continuous vein to vein hemifiltration in the early stage allowes to lower the severity of poliorgan insufficiency and early death. The aim of the study was to measure the efficiency of vein to vein hemifiltration in the complex treatment of early severe acute pancreatitis. The retrospective analysis consisted of 106 patients, which were divided into 2 groups. 1st with vein to vein hemifiltration in the dose of less than 30ml/kg/h (n = 45) and more than 30 ml/kg/h (n = 20) respectively, the 3rd group did not receive vein to vein hemifiltration (n = 41). The study showed the decrease of early mortality (14 days) in the 2nd group (p = 0.022) and a tendency of decrease in the 2nd group (p = 0.093) compared to the 3rd group. The median interval from admission to death in the first two groups was 14 days while in the 3rd group it was only 5 days. The use of vein to vein hemifiltration in complex therapy of early severe acute pancreatitis patients allows to lower the early mortality. The best results were reached in the 2nd group.

[Selective adsorption of endotoxin in the complex treatment of patients with severe sepsis].

Severe sepsis and septic shock remain the most serious problem of critical care medicine today with a mortality of 25-80%. Bacterial endotoxin is of considerable importance in the pathogenesis of sepsis. A selective hemosorbent in which endotoxin adsorption is accomplished via its binding to a synthetic peptide (LPS-A) has been recently designed in Sweden. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of using the LPS-A in the complex treatment of patients with severe sepsis. Eight patients in whom the course of the underlying disease was complicated by the development of gram-negative sepsis in the postoperative period were examined. The patients had an APACHE II score of 20.4 +/- 4.5 LPS-A was performed using the hemosorbent Alteco LPS (Lund, Sweden) and an Aquarius hemoprocessor (Edwards Lifesciences) (U.S.A.). The use of LPS-A caused a significant reduction in endotoxin levels by 2.9 times. The level of procalcitonin was increased in all patients; after a LPS-A session, it was significantly decreased by 1.9 times. The use of LPS-A resulted in diminished tachycardia, elevated blood pressure and could reduce the doses of vasopressor amines. There was an improvement in lung gas exchange parameters. A study of the effect of LPS-A on the immune system showed a significant reduction (36.6%) in neutrophil oxygen-dependent metabolism according to the data of the spontaneous HCT test, a 2.4-fold decrease in large circulating immune complexes, and a rise in the count of mononuclear cells that died both by necrosis and apoptosis, the count of the cells significantly increased by 5.3 times in late apoptosis. A LPS-A session caused a significant drop in the blood level of endotoxin and procalcitonin and it was accompanied by a trend toward better hemodynamics and lung gas exchange and alleviated organ dysfunction. At the same time LPS-A showed the ambiguous effect on immune system parameters, which calls for further study.

[Apoptosis of mononuclear cells and dead leukocytes in venous blood of septic patients].

Apoptosis of mononuclear cells, dead leukocyte and CD95+ lymphocytes content in venous blood of 15 patients were evaluated by flow cytometry within 2-3 day after diagnosis of sepsis. The number of CD95+ lymphocytes increased in 40% of the cases and that of lymphocytes expressing Fas receptor decreased in 27%. The number of mononuclear cells in venous blood increased 7 times compared with physiological norm; this rise was a reliable predictor of the unfavourable outcome of the disease. Elimination of dead leukocytes by granulocytophoresis produced good therapeutic result.

[Immunomodulatory effect of extracorporeal hemocorrection in patients with surgical sepsis].

The study was undertaken to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of various methods of extracorporeal hemocorrection in septic patients. Thirty-two patients in whom the course of the underlying disease was complicated by the development of sepsis were examined. A package of therapeutic measures involved debridement of an infection focus, de-escalation antibacterial therapy, nutritional support, and immunomodulatory therapy. All the patients underwent procedures of plasma filtration and continuous venovenous hemofiltration; granulocytopheresis was carried out in 5 patients. Granulocytopheresis was shown to eliminate dead leukocytes from the bloodstream within a few hours, which contributed to clinical improvement. Plasmafiltration in patients with sepsis resulted to a reduction in the degree of a systemic inflammatory reaction, to normalization of coagulation homeostasis, which indirectly affected immunological parameters. Continuous venovenous hemofiltration made it possible to make continuous elimination of the low and average molecular-weight substances, corrected liquid balance, and well affected gas exchange in the lung.

[The level of dead blood leukocytes in sepsis and the significance of their elimination by extracorporeal hemocorrection techniques].

Sepsis with 18-to-33% mortality also remains the most serious problem of modem medicine today. Forty-five patients treated at the N. V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute of Emergency Care in June 2006 to February 2008 were examined. Twenty-seven primary blood donors were examined to determine the physiological concentration of dead leukocytes. Two groups of patients were formed according to the signs of a systemic inflammatory reaction (SIR). A study group included 29 patients in whom the course of the underlying disease was complicated by the development of sepsis. All the patients from the study group underwent extracorporeal hemocorrection techniques (EHT): plasma filtration (PF) and continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVHF). A granulocytopheresis procedure was performed in 4 patients. A control group comprised 16 patients without clinical signs of SIR. The blood taken from patients with sepsis showed the significant increase in the levels of dead leukocytes as compared with both the physiological normal values and the values obtained in patients without signs of systemic inflammation, which significantly correlates with the severity of organ dysfunction. The elevated content of dead leukocytes is an independent risk factor for a poor outcome. Plasma filtration used in sepsis patients facilitates a significant reduction in the blood concentration of dead leukocytes. The first experience with granulocytopheresis in patients with severe sepsis, a leukemoid reaction and high absolute concentrations of dead leukocytes is indicative of its clinical effectiveness, which is manifested itself by the elimination of dead leukocytes.