C-reactive protein in critically ill cancer patients with sepsis: influence of neutropenia

Introduction  

Several biomarkers have been studied in febrile neutropenia. Our aim was to assess C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in septic critically ill cancer patients and to compare those with and without neutropenia.     

Clinical outcomes of patients requiring ventilatory support in Brazilian intensive care units: a multicenter,prospective, cohort study

Introduction

Contemporary information on mechanical ventilation (MV) use in emerging countries is limited. Moreover, most epidemiological studies on ventilatory support were carried out before significant developments, such as lung protective ventilation or broader application of non-invasive ventilation (NIV). We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics, outcomes and risk factors for hospital mortality and failure of NIV in patients requiring ventilatory support in Brazilian intensive care units (ICU).

Methods

In a multicenter, prospective, cohort study, a total of 773 adult patients admitted to 45 ICUs over a two-month period requiring invasive ventilation or NIV for more than 24 hours were evaluated. Causes of ventilatory support, prior chronic health status and physiological data were assessed. Multivariate analysis was used to identifiy variables associated with hospital mortality and NIV failure.

Results

Invasive MV and NIV were used as initial ventilatory support in 622 (80%) and 151 (20%) patients. Failure with subsequent intubation occurred in 54% of NIV patients. The main reasons for ventilatory support were pneumonia (27%), neurologic disorders (19%) and non-pulmonary sepsis (12%). ICU and hospital mortality rates were 34% and 42%. Using the Berlin definition, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was diagnosed in 31% of the patients with a hospital mortality of 52%. In the multivariate analysis, age (odds ratio (OR), 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01 to 1.03), comorbidities (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.28 to 3.17), associated organ failures (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.20), moderate (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.10 to 3.35) to severe ARDS (OR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.01 to 4.41), cumulative fluid balance over the first 72 h of ICU (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.39 to 4.28), higher lactate (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.27 to 2.50), invasive MV (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.32 to 5.39) and NIV failure (OR, 3.95; 95% CI, 1.74 to 8.99) were independently associated with hospital mortality. The predictors of NIV failure were the severity of associated organ dysfunctions (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.34), ARDS (OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.10 to 4.82) and positive fluid balance (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.02 to 4.30).

Conclusions

Current mortality of ventilated patients in Brazil is elevated. Implementation of judicious fluid therapy and a watchful use and monitoring of NIV patients are potential targets to improve outcomes in this setting.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01268410","term_id":"NCT01268410"}}NCT01268410.     

Long-term mortality after critical care: what is the starting point?

Mortality is still the most assessed outcome in the critically ill patient and is routinely used as the primary end-point in intervention trials, cohort studies, and benchmarking analysis. Despite this, interest in patient-centered prognosis after ICU discharge is increasing, and several studies report quality of life and long-term outcomes after critical illness. In a recent issue of Critical Care, Cuthbertson and colleagues reported interesting results from a cohort of 439 patients with sepsis, who showed high ongoing long-term mortality rates after severe sepsis, reaching 61% at 5 years (from a starting point of ICU admission). Follow-up may start at ICU admission, after ICU discharge, or after hospital discharge. Using ICU admission as a starting point will include patients with a wide range of illness severities and reasons for ICU admission. As a result, important consequences of the ICU, such as rehabilitation and reduced quality of life, may be diluted in an unselected population. ICU discharge is another frequently used starting point. ICU discharge is a marker of better outcome and reduced risk for acute deterioration, making this an interesting starting point for studying long-term mortality, need for ICU readmission, and critical illness rehabilitation. Finally, using hospital discharge as the starting point will include patients with the minimal requirements to sustain an adequate condition in a non-monitored environment but will add a ?survivors bias?; that is, patients who survive critical illness are a special group among the critically ill. In this commentary, we discuss the heterogeneity in long-term mortality from recent studies in critical care medicine ? heterogeneity that may be a consequence simply of changing the follow-up starting point ? and propose a standardized follow-up starting point for future studies according to the outcome of interest.     

CSF and plasma GABA levels in Parkinson's disease

CSF gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels were reduced in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease when compared with age matched controls, but the difference was not significant. However, when the Parkinsonian patients were subdivided, CSF GABA levels were lower in the levodopa treated group than in the untreated group and the controls. There was no difference in plasma GABA levels between Parkinsonian patients and controls.     

Leptomeningeal metastasis: MR imaging

Seven patients with central nervous system neoplasia and leptomeningeal metastases, proved either at initial diagnosis or on follow-up with contrast material-enhanced computed tomography (CT), were evaluated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. In two patients, diffuse sulcal enhancement on CT scans was inapparent on T1- or T2-weighted MR images. Likewise, in four patients diffuse cisternal enhancement on CT scans was not identifiable with MR. Nodular or focal cisternal masses were identified with both CT and MR imaging in three patients; in two, however, MR imaging provided less information. Ependymal and subependymal metastases identified with CT (two patients) were indistinguishable on MR images from periventricular abnormalities of radiation therapy and/or hydrocephalus. These findings suggest that leptomeningeal metastasis may be so subtle or inapparent as to be overlooked with MR imaging alone. Thus, CT and MR imaging should be considered complementary techniques for initial diagnosis and follow-up of tumors with a propensity for leptomeningeal metastasis.     

Osteoid osteoma of the hip stimulating an early onset of osteoarthritis

Thirty-six patients with osteoid osteomas in the hip were retrospectively studied, including 30 with intraarticular nidi and six with extracapsular nidi. Osteoarthritis developed in 50% of those patients with intraarticular lesions; none of the patients with extracapsular lesions had joint changes. Rheumatologic studies were conducted with eight of the patients with osteoarthritis. The cause of the degenerative joint disease is open to speculation. However, as five of the eight patients had major histocompatibility (HLA) markers for rheumatoid arthritis, the presence of this HLA factor may indicate the patients at risk for inflammatory changes in the joint.     

Spiral exchange cannula for the occluded drainage catheter

A technique for exchange of occluded drainage catheters or placement of two guide wires into a target using a spiral exchange cannula is described. A spiral exchange cannula with a preloaded sheath and threads at the distal end is "screwed" into the drainage catheter, and the sheath is advanced over the catheter. This method prevents dislodgment of the drainage catheter and also permits easy catheter exchange when the lumen of the drainage catheter is occluded.     

Acute flaccid paralysis surveillance in Southern Italy

The purpose of this study was to report the results of the first two years' surveillance programme of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) in Southern Italy (Calabria). All paediatric, neurology and infectious diseases wards from 23 hospitals were selected. Stool and serum samples to determine the presence of poliovirus were collected. Throat swabs were taken within 10 days of onset of illness. During the period March 1997-April 1999 eight cases of AFP were reported and four of them, three females and one male, occurred in children younger than 15 y of age, although none was confirmed as poliomyelitis. The rate of non-polio AFP in 1997 and 1998 was, respectively, 0.24 and 0.73 per 100 000 persons under 15 y of age. Our results demonstrated that an active surveillance has permitted us to immediately detect AFP cases and to exclude those due to wild polio virus and to vaccine-associated cases and indicated that our area seems to be 'polio-free'.