Node Oligorecurrence in Prostate Cancer: A Challenge.

Within the oligometastatic state, oligorecurrent lymph node disease in prostate cancer represents an interesting clinical entity characterized by a relatively indolent biology that makes it unique: it can be treated radically, and its treatment is usually associated with a long period of control and excellent survival. Additionally, it is an emergent situation that we are facing more frequently mainly due to (a) the incorporation into clinical practice of the PSMA-PET that provides strikingly increased superior images in comparison to conventional imaging, with higher sensitivity and specificity; (b) the higher detection rates of bone and node disease with extremely low levels of PSA; and (c) the availability of high-precision technology in radiotherapy treatments with the incorporation of stereotaxic body radiotherapy (SBRT) or stereotaxic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) technology that allows the safe administration of high doses of radiation in a very limited number of fractions with low toxicity and excellent tolerance. This approach of new image-guided patient management is compelling for doctors and patients since it can potentially contribute to improving the clinical outcome. In this work, we discuss the available evidence, areas of debate, and potential future directions concerning the utilization of new imaging-guided SBRT for the treatment of nodal recurrence in prostate cancer.

Treatment Landscape of Nonmetastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Window of Opportunity.

The treatment for nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) is a highly unmet medical need. The classic treatment approach for these patients-androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone-until metastatic progression is now considered suboptimal. Several randomized phase III clinical trials have demonstrated significant clinical benefits-including significantly better overall survival (OS)-for treatments that combine ADT with apalutamide, enzalutamide, and darolutamide. As a result, these approaches are now included in treatment guidelines and are considered a standard of care. In the present article, we discuss the changing landscape of the management of patients with nmCRPC.

Hypotonic versus isotonic maintenance fluids in critically ill children: a multicenter prospective randomized study.

AIM: Study the influence of hypotonic (HT) and isotonic (IT) maintenance fluids in the incidence of dysnatraemias in critically ill children. METHODS: Prospective, randomized study conducted in three paediatric intensive care units (PICU). One hundred and twenty-five children requiring maintenance fluid therapy were included: 62 received HT fluids (50-70 mmol/L tonicity) and 63 IT fluids (156 mmol/L tonicity). Age, weight, cause of admission, sodium and fluid intake, and diuresis were collected. Blood electrolytes were measured on admission, 12 and 24 h later. RESULTS: Blood sodium levels at 12 h were 133.7±2.7 mmol/L in HT group vs. 136.8±3.5 mmol/L in IT group (p=0.001). Adjusted for age, weight and sodium level at PICU admission, the blood sodium values of patients receiving HT fluids decrease by 3.22 mmol/L (CI: 4.29/2.15)(p=0.000). Adjusted for age, weight and hyponatraemia incidence at admission, patients receiving HT fluids increased the risk of hyponatraemia by 5.8-fold (CI: 2.4-14.0) during the study period (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Hypotonic maintenance fluids increase the incidence of hyponatraemia because they decrease blood sodium levels in normonatraemic patients. IT maintenance fluids do not increase the incidence of dysnatraemias and should be considered as the standard maintenance fluids.

Intervention to reduce catheter-related bloodstream infections in a pediatric intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: Identification of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) risk factors and determination of whether intervention related to identified risk factors would reduce CR-BSI rates. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, interventional and interrupted time-series study. SETTING: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in a university hospital. METHODS: During a 7-year period, 609 central venous catheters (CVC) were placed in 389 patients. CR-BSI risk factors were determined by multivariate analysis during two periods (January 2000-November 2002 and January 2003-April 2007). An intervention to reduce identified risk factors was performed after the first period. CR-BSI rates per 1,000 catheters-days were compared during the two periods. RESULTS: The CR-BSI rate was 11.94 [(95% CI 7.94-15.94)/1,000 catheter-days during the first period]. Weight [OR 0.96 (0.91-0.99)], parenteral nutrition (PN) [OR 3.38 (1.40-8.19)] and indwelling time (IT) [OR 1.08 (1.02-1.14)] were CR-BSI risk factors. Practice changes aimed at reducing PN and IT were introduced. PN decreased from 49.8% [95% CI (49.7-49.9)] to 26.7% [(95% CI 26.6-26.8)] (p < 0.001), and IT dropped from 9.92 (95% CI 9.09-10.75) to 8.13 (95% CI 7.47-8.79) days (p < 0.001). The CR-BSI rate was reduced to 3.05 (95% CI 0.93-5.17)/1,000 catheter-days. During the last period, PN and IT were no longer CR-BSI risk factors. Type of catheterisation (guide wire exchange) [OR 6.66 (1.40-31.7)] was the only CR-BSI risk factor. CONCLUSIONS: PN and IT were independent CR-BSI risk factors during the first period. An intervention focused on PN and IT reduction resulted in a sustained decrease of CR-BSI rates in our PICU.

Non invasive ventilation after extubation in paediatric patients: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) may be useful after extubation in children. Our objective was to determine postextubation NIV characteristics and to identify risk factors of postextubation NIV failure. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in an 8-bed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Following PICU protocol, NIV was applied to patients who had been mechanically ventilated for over 12 hours considered at high-risk of extubation failure -elective NIV (eNIV), immediately after extubation- or those who developed respiratory failure within 48 hours after extubation -rescue NIV (rNIV)-. Patients were categorized in subgroups according to their main underlying conditions. NIV was deemed successful when reintubation was avoided. Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to identify predictors of NIV failure. RESULTS: There were 41 episodes (rNIV in 20 episodes). Success rate was 50% in rNIV and 81% in eNIV (p = 0.037). We found significant differences in univariate analysis between success and failure groups in respiratory rate (RR) decrease at 6 hours, FiO2 at 1 hour and PO2/FiO2 ratio at 6 hours. Neurologic condition was found to be associated with NIV failure. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified no variable as independent NIV outcome predictor. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that postextubation NIV seems to be useful in avoiding reintubation in high-risk children when applied immediately after extubation. NIV was more likely to fail when ARF has already developed (rNIV), when RR at 6 hours did not decrease and if oxygen requirements increased. Neurologic patients seem to be at higher risk of reintubation despite NIV use.

Mechanical complications during central venous cannulations in pediatric patients.

OBJECTIVE: Identification of early mechanical complications (EMC) of central venous catheterizations (CVC) in pediatric patients and determination of EMC risk factors. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Pediatric intensive-care unit in a university hospital. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Eight-hundred and twenty-five CVC were performed in 546 patients. Age, weight, gender, mechanical ventilation, analgesia, resident CVC failure, CVC indication, admission diagnosis, emergency or scheduled procedure, type of catheter (diameter, lumen number), catheter final location, number of attempts, and EMC were recorded. Risk factors for EMC were determined by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Median patient age was 22.0 months (0-216 months). CVC was an emergency procedure in 421 (51%) cases, scheduled in 336 (40.7%), and guide-wire exchanged in 68 (8.2%). There were 293 (35.5%) internal jugular, 116 (14.1%) subclavian, and 416 (50.4%) femoral catheters. CVC was performed by staff physicians in 35.8% cases, supervised residents in 43.4%, and staff after resident failure in 20.8%. 151 EMC occurred in 144 CVC (17.5%). The most common EMC were arterial puncture (n = 60; 7.2%), catheter malposition (n = 39; 4.7%), arrhythmias (n = 19; 2.3%), and hematoma (n = 12; 1.4%). Resident failure to perform CVC (OR 2.53; CI 95% 1.53-4.16), high venous access (subclavian or jugular) (OR 1.91; CI 95% 1.26-2.88), and number of attempts (OR 1.10; CI 95% 1.03-1.17) were independently associated with EMC. CONCLUSIONS: EMC of CVC were common in a teaching university hospital, but severe complications were very uncommon. Resident failure to perform CVC, high venous access, and number of attempts were independent risk factors for EMC of CVC.

Predictive factors of non invasive ventilation failure in critically ill children: a prospective epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVE: Identification of predictive factors for non-invasive ventilation (NIV) failure and determination of NIV characteristics. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in a University Hospital. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: A total of 116 episodes were included. Clinical data collected were respiratory rate (RR), heart rate and FiO(2) before NIV began. Same data and expiratory and support pressures were collected at 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h. Conditions precipitating acute respiratory failure (ARF) were classified into two groups: type 1 (38 episodes) and type 2 (78 episodes). Ventilation-perfusion impairment was the main respiratory failure mechanism in type 1, and hypoventilation in type 2. Factors predicting NIV failure were determined by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Most common admission diagnoses were pneumonia (81.6%) in type 1 and bronchiolitis (39.7%) and asthma (42.3%) in type 2. Complications secondary to NIV were detected in 23 episodes (20.2%). NIV success rate was 84.5% (68.4% in type 1 and 92.3% in type 2). Type 1 patients showed a higher risk of NIV failure compared to type 2 (OR 11.108; CI 95%, 2.578-47.863). A higher PRISM score (OR 1.138; CI 95%, 1.022-1.267), and a lower RR decrease at 1 h and at 6 h (OR 0.926; CI 95%, 0.860-0.997 and OR 0.911; CI 95%, 0.837-0.991, respectively) were also independently associated with NIV failure. CONCLUSIONS: NIV is a useful respiratory support technique in paediatric patients. Type 1 group classification, higher PRISM score, and lower RR decrease during NIV were independent risk factors for NIV failure.

Acute-phase reactants after paediatric cardiac arrest. Procalcitonin as marker of immediate outcome.

OBJECTIVE: Procalcitonin (PCT) and C reactive protein (CRP) have been used as infection parameters. PCT increase correlates with the infection's severity, course, and mortality. Post-cardiocirculatory arrest syndrome may be related to an early systemic inflammatory response, and may possibly be associated with an endotoxin tolerance. Our objective was to report the time profile of PCT and CRP levels after paediatric cardiac arrest and to assess if they could be use as markers of immediate survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study set in an eight-bed PICU of a university hospital was performed during a period of two years. Eleven children younger than 14 years were admitted in the PICU after a cardiac arrest. PCT and CRP plasma concentrations were measured within the first 12 and 24 hours of admission. RESULTS: In survivors, PCT values increased 12 hours after cardiac arrest without further increase between 12 and 24 hours. In non survivors, PCT values increased 12 hours after cardiac arrest with further increase between 12 and 24 hours. Median PCT values (range) at 24 hours after cardiac arrest were 22.7 ng/mL (0.2 - 41.0) in survivors vs. 205.5 ng/mL (116.6 - 600.0) in non survivors (p < 0.05). CRP levels were elevated in all patients, survivors and non-survivors, at 12 and 24 hours without differences between both groups. CONCLUSION: Measurement of PCT during the first 24 hours after paediatric cardiac arrest could serve as marker of mortality.

Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein as markers of systemic inflammatory response syndrome severity in critically ill children.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the clinical value of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP) and leucocyte count in the diagnosis of paediatric sepsis and in the stratification of patients according to severity. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). PATIENTS: Ninety-four children. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS: Leucocyte count, PCT and CRP were measured when considered necessary during the PICU stay. Patients were classified, when PCT and CRP were measured, into one of six categories (negative, SIRS, localized infection, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock) according to the definitions of the American College of Chest Physicians /Society of Critical Care Medicine. A total of 359 patient day episodes were obtained. Leucocyte count did not differ across the six diagnostic classes considered. Median plasma PCT concentrations were 0.17, 0.43, 0.79, 1.80, 15.40 and 19.13 ng/ml in negative, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), localized infection, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock groups, respectively, whereas median plasma CRP concentrations were 1.35, 3.80, 6.45, 5.70, 7.60 and 16.2 mg/dl, respectively. The area under the ROC curve for the diagnosis of septic patients was 0.532 for leucocyte count (95% CI, 0.462-0.602), 0.750 for CRP (95% CI, 0.699-0.802) and 0.912 for PCT (95% CI, 0.882-0.943). We obtained four groups using CRP values and five groups using PCT values that classified a significant percentage of patients according to the severity of the different SIRS groups. CONCLUSIONS: PCT is a better diagnostic marker of sepsis in critically ill children than CRP. The CRP, and especially PCT, may become a helpful clinical tool to stratify patients with SIRS according to disease severity.