Outcome Of Severe Sepsis Research Articles

Sepsis Epidemiology and Outcomes in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of Alkhadra Hospital, Tripoli, Libya

Despite the various interventions and therapies that have been implemented to improve the quality of life for children with sepsis, the prevalence and death rates continue to increase. This issue is a major public health problem that requires the continuous improvement of the guidelines and the identification of new strategies. The aim of the study was to identify the prevalence and outcomes of severe sepsis among children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This study was conducted in PICU of Alkhadra Hospital in 2023 as a hospital-based retrospective study. All children who were admitted to the PICU from 2017 to 2022 were included. Data was collected from hospital file records, which included the following: age of patient, gender, comorbidities of patients, and source of admission; origin of sepsis; type of PICU admission; primary site of infection; organ dysfunction present at screening; and patient outcomes. Of the 1284 total admissions to the PICU, 128 patients (9.96%) met the definition of sepsis. Most patients (78.9%) were less than 6 years old. Respiratory problems and congenital malformations were the most common co-morbidities, with reported rates of 18.8% and 10.2%, respectively. The emergency department was the most common source of admission (67.2%). Nearly all patients had good overall performance, whereas (21.1%) of the patients were in a coma. 77.3% discharged during the study, and 22.7% died. Although decreasing the incidence through preventive measures is ideal, early recognition and treatment of sepsis will decrease both short- and long-term complications and related mortality of at-risk infants and children.

R406 reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced neutrophil activation

Modulating SYK has been demonstrated to have impacts on pathogenic neutrophil responses in COVID-19. During sepsis, neutrophils are vital in early bacterial clearance but also contribute to the dysregulated immune response and organ injury when hyperactivated. Here, we evaluated the impact of R406, the active metabolite of fostamatinib, on neutrophils stimulated by LPS. We demonstrate that R406 was able to effectively inhibit NETosis, degranulation, ROS generation, neutrophil adhesion, and the formation of CD16low neutrophils that have been linked to detrimental outcomes in severe sepsis. Further, the neutrophils remain metabolically active, capable of releasing cytokines, perform phagocytosis, and migrate in response to IL-8. Taken together, this data provides evidence of the potential efficacy of utilizing fostamatinib in bacterial sepsis.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of heparin-binding protein in sepsis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sepsis remains a leading cause of death worldwide. In this context, heparin-binding protein (HBP) has emerged as a possible biomarker, drawing significant attention for its diagnostic and prognostic usefulness in septic patients. Despite this advancement, the literature yields conflicting results. This study is intended to critically evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of HBP in critically ill septic patients. We searched multiple databases, including PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and EBSCO, to identify relevant studies on April 27, 2023. We included studies investigating sepsis or its severe outcomes that reported HBP levels and the required data to create 2 × 2 tables. We used R version 4.2.2 and R Studio to analyze the pooled diagnostic accuracy outcomes. The diagmeta package was utilized to calculate the optimum cutoff value. In our meta-analysis, we incorporated 28 studies including 5508 patients. The analysis revealed that HBP has a sensitivity of 0.71 (95% CI: 0.60; 0.79) and a specificity of 0.68 (95% CI: 0.51; 0.81) in diagnosing sepsis, respectively. HBP demonstrated moderate prognostic accuracy for mortality at a cutoff value of 161.415 ng/mL, with a sensitivity and specificity of 72%, and for severe sepsis outcomes at a cutoff value of 58.907 ng/mL, with a sensitivity and specificity of 71%. Our findings indicate a relatively moderate diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of HBP for sepsis. Future studies are required to verify the accuracy of HBP as a biomarker for sepsis.

Machine learning for the early prediction of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with sepsis in the ICU based on clinical data

BackgroundAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a fatal outcome of severe sepsis. Machine learning models are helpful for accurately predicting ARDS in patients with sepsis at an early stage. ObjectiveWe aim to develop a machine-learning model for predicting ARDS in patients with sepsis in the intensive care unit (ICU). MethodsThe initial clinical data of patients with sepsis admitted to the hospital (including population characteristics, clinical diagnosis, complications, and laboratory tests) were used to predict ARDS, and screen out the crucial variables. After comparing eight different algorithms, namely, XG boost, logistic regression, light GBM, random forest, GaussianNB, complement NB, support vector machine (SVM), and K nearest neighbors (KNN), rebuilding a prediction model with the best one. When remodeling with the best algorithm, 10% was randomly selected to test, and the remaining was trained for cross-validation. Using the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, accuracy, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, F1 score, kappa value, and clinical decision curve to evaluate the model's performance. Eventually, the application in the model illustrated by the SHAP package. ResultsTen critical features were screened utilizing the lasso method, namely, PaO2/PAO2, A-aDO2, PO2(T), CRP, gender, PO2, RDW, MCH, SG, and chlorine. The prior ranking of variables demonstrated that PaO2/PAO2 was the most significant variable. Among the eight algorithms, the performance of the Gaussian NB algorithm was significantly better than that of the others. After remodeling with the best algorithm, the AUC in the training and validation sets were 0.777 and 0.770, respectively, and the algorithm performed well in the test set (AUC = 0.781, accuracy = 78.6%, sensitivity = 82.4%, F1 score = 0.824). A comparison of the overlap factors with those of previous models revealed that the model we developed performs better. ConclusionSepsis-associated ARDS can be accurately predicted early via a machine learning model based on existing clinical data. These findings are helpful for accurate identification and improvement of the prognosis in patients with sepsis-associated ARDS.

Children with severe sepsis: relationship between community level income and morbidity and mortality.

Health disparities surrounding pediatric severe sepsis outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to measure the relationship between indicators of socioeconomic status and mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), and readmission rates among children hospitalized with severe sepsis. Children 0-18 years old, hospitalized with severe sepsis in the Nationwide Readmissions Database (2016-2018) were included. The primary exposure was median household income by ZIP Code of residence, divided into quartiles. We identified 15,214 index pediatric severe sepsis hospitalizations. There was no difference in hospital mortality rate or readmission rate across income quartiles. Among survivors, patients in Q1 (lowest income) had a 2 day longer LOS compared to those in Q4 (Median 10 days [IQR 4-21] vs 8 days [IQR 4-18]; p < 0.0001). However, there was no difference after adjusting for multiple covariates. Children living in Q1 had a 2 day longer LOS versus their peers in Q4. This was not significant on multivariable analysis, suggesting income quartile is not driving this difference. As pediatric severe sepsis remains an important source of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children, more sensitive metrics of socioeconomic status may better elucidate any disparities. Children with severe sepsis living in the lowest income ZIP Codes may have longer hospital stays compared to peers in higher income communities. More precise metrics of socioeconomic status are needed to better understand health disparities in pediatric severe sepsis.

Clinical outcomes of severe sepsis and septic shock patients with left ventricular dysfunction undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy

Baseline left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is associated with subsequent risks of acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality in patients with sepsis. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in hemodynamically unstable patients with severe sepsis and septic shock combined with LV dysfunction. In this multicenter retrospective study, severe sepsis and septic shock patients with LV dysfunction were classified into one of two groups according to the timing of CRRT: the early group (before AKI was detected) or the control group (patients with AKI). Patients from the control group received an accelerated strategy or a standard strategy of CRRT. The primary outcome was all-cause intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. Patients were weighted by stabilized inverse probability of treatment weights (sIPTW) to overcome differences in baseline characteristics. After sIPTW analysis, the ICU mortality was significantly lower in the early group than the control group (27.7% vs. 63.5%, p < 0.001). Weighted multivariable analysis showed that early CRRT initiation was a protective factor for the risk of ICU mortality (OR 0.149; 95% CI 0.051–0.434; p < 0.001). The ICU mortality was not different between the accelerated- and standard-strategy group (52.5% vs. 52.9%, p = 0.970). Early CRRT in the absence of AKI is suggested for hemodynamically unstable patients with severe sepsis and septic shock combined with LV dysfunction since it benefits survival outcomes.

Outcomes of Patients with Sepsis in a Pediatric Emergency Department after Automated Sepsis Screening

To determine the effect of an automated sepsis screening tool on treatment and outcomes of severe sepsis in a pediatric emergency department (ED). Retrospective cohort study of encounters of patients with severe sepsis in a pediatric ED with a high volume of pediatric sepsis cases over a 2-year period. The automated sepsis screening algorithm replaced a manual screen 1year into the study. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients treated for sepsis while in the ED. Secondary outcomes were time from ED arrival to first intravenous (IV) antibiotic and first IV fluid bolus, volume of fluid administered in the ED, 30-day mortality, intensive care unit-free days, and hospital-free days. In year 1 of the study, 8910 of 61 026 (14.6%) of encounters had a manual sepsis screen; 137 patients met criteria for severe sepsis. In year 2, 100% of 61 195 encounters had an automated sepsis screen and there were 136 cases of severe sepsis. There was a higher proportion of patients with severe sepsis who had an active malignancy and indwelling central venous catheter in year 2. There were no differences in the proportion of patients treated for sepsis in the ED, time to first IV antibiotic or first IV fluid bolus, fluid volume delivered in the ED, hospital-free days, intensive care unit-free days, or 30-day mortality after implementation of the automated screening algorithm. An automated sepsis screening algorithm introduced into an academic pediatric ED with a high volume of sepsis cases did not lead to improvements in treatment or outcomes of severe sepsis in this study.

Incidence and Outcome of Subclinical Acute Kidney Injury Using penKid in Critically Ill Patients.

Rationale: Subclinical acute kidney injury (sub-AKI) refers to patients with low serum creatinine but elevated alternative biomarkers of AKI. Its incidence and outcome in critically ill patients remain, however, largely unknown. Plasma proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid) has been proposed as a sensitive biomarker of glomerular function.Objectives: In this ancillary study of two cohorts, we explored the incidence and outcome of sub-AKI based on penKid.Methods: A prospective observational study in ICUs was conducted. FROG-ICU (French and European Outcome Registry in ICUs) enrolled 2,087 critically ill patients, and AdrenOSS-1 (Adrenomedullin and Outcome in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock-1) enrolled 583 septic patients. The primary endpoint was 28-day mortality after ICU admission. Sub-AKI was defined by an admission penKid concentration above the normal range (i.e., >80 pmol/L) in patients not meeting the definition of AKI. A sensitivity analysis was performed among patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate above 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 at ICU admission.Measurements and Main Results: In total, 6.1% (122/2,004) and 6.7% (39/583) of patients from the FROG-ICU and AdrenOSS-1 cohorts met the definition of sub-AKI (11.6% and 17.5% of patients without AKI). In patients without AKI or with high estimated glomerular filtration rate, penKid was associated with higher mortality (adjusted standardized hazard ratio [HR], 1.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.8]; P = 0.010; and HR, 1.6 [95% confidence interval, 1.3-1.8]; P < 0.0001, respectively) after adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities, diagnosis, creatinine, diuresis, and study. Patients with sub-AKI had higher mortality compared with no AKI (HR, 2.4 [95% confidence interval, 1.5-3.7] in FROG-ICU and 2.5 [95% confidence interval, 1.1-5.9] in AdrenOSS-1).Conclusions: Sub-AKI defined using penKid occurred in 11.6-17.5% of patients without AKI and was associated with a risk of death close to patients with AKI.

COVID-19, septic shock and syndrome of disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome. Part 2

The article discusses the issues of hemostatic system disorders in patients with COVID-19. Strengthening the coagulopathy characteristic of DIC-syndrome, is a key sign of deterioration and an unfavorable prognosis in COVID-19 patients. Data obtained by Chinese colleagues demonstrates that a significantly increased level of D-dimer is one of the predictors of death. The article also highlights the preliminary recommendations of the International society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH, 2020) to identify markers such as D-dimer, prothrombin time and platelet count as significant predictive markers in severe COVID-19 patients. The necessity of anticoagulant therapy in hospitalized patients is justified.&#x0D; The article discusses the features of sepsis in pregnant women. Data from a meta-analysis of 19 studies evaluating pregnancy complications and outcomes in patients with various coronavirus infections are presented. Despite the complicated course of pregnancy, there were no cases of vertical transmission of viral infection.&#x0D; In the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 complications with the formation of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, multi-organ dysfunction, super inflammation and cytokine storm play a leading role. In connection with viral sepsis, the article discusses the role of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis as a hyperinflammatory syndrome characterized by fulminant and fatal hypercytokinemia with multiple organ failure, the role of hyperferritinemia in predicting the outcomes of severe sepsis. Groups of patients at high risk of death are discussed, as well as the need for anticoagulant and anti-cytokine therapy in patients with COVID-19.

Clinical outcome of severe sepsis and septic shock in critically ill children.

Information concerning the clinical outcome of severe sepsis and septic shock among the burden of tropical infections in children is limited, particularly in low-income settings. We conducted a prospective consecutive cohort study in all children aged 1 month to 16 years needing paediatric intensive care between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018. Demographic details, presenting symptoms and duration, associated co-morbidity and organ dysfunction were recorded. Clinical and laboratory parameters discriminating between survivors and non-survivors were evaluated. Most presented with respiratory or central nervous system derangement along with cardiovascular dysfunction. Haematological involvement was almost invariably found on diagnostic evaluation. Those children with ≥3 systems involved had higher odds of mortality. Dengue was seen in half the patients, being the commonest tropical infection. Not surprisingly, non-survivors were younger, had rapid progression of illness and needed ventilation more often within the first hour of admission. However, in multivariable regression analysis, only procalcitonin levels were associated with increased risk of mortality. We conclude that that tropical infections causing severe sepsis and septic shock are an important cause of mortality. There are, however, no clinical parameters which differentiate reliably between survivors and non-survivors.

Effect of magnesium supplementation on lactate clearance in critically ill patients with severe sepsis: a randomized clinical trial.

In this study, changes in lactate clearance following magnesium supplementation were evaluated in critically ill patients with severe sepsis. Fifty-eight patients with severe sepsis were randomly assigned to receive either magnesium (n = 30) or placebo (n = 28). Patients in the magnesium group received intravenous magnesium sulfate to maintain serum magnesium level around 3 mg/dL for 3 days. The placebo group received the same volume of normal saline. Change in lactate clearance was considered primary outcome of the study. Mean increase in the lactate clearance in the magnesium group was significantly higher than the placebo group on day 2 (27.53% vs. 23.79% respectively, p < 0.001) and day 3 (49.83% vs. 37.02% respectively, p < 0.001). Time to lactate clearance was also significantly shorter in the magnesium group than the placebo group (47.28 ± 20.59 vs. 61.20 ± 24.31 h respectively, p = 0.03). Sepsis-related mortality was not significantly different but median length of ICU stay was significantly shorter in the magnesium group than the placebo group (8 vs. 15 days respectively, p < 0.01). Magnesium supplementation increased lactate clearance in critically ill patients with severe sepsis. Optimizing serum magnesium level near the upper limit of the normal range may improve severe sepsis outcomes.

Effects of End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide-Guided Fluid Resuscitation on Outcomes in a Cecal Ligation and Puncture Induced Rat Model of Sepsis.

Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used to cause severe sepsis in male Sprague-Dawley rats. There are four groups in this study: sham (n = 5), CLP (n = 10), end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) (n = 10), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) (n = 10). In ETCO2 group, fluid resuscitation (FR) began when ETCO2 at most 25 mmHg. In MAP group, FR began when MAP at most 100 mmHg. Electrocardiogram, aortic pressure, core temperature, and ETCO2 values were recorded at baseline, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h post-CLP. Lactate level, cardiac output (CO), perfused small vessel density (PSVD), and microvascular flow index (MFI) were assessed at the same time points as above. The results showed that MAP, CO, and ETCO2 gradually decreased after CLP. After FR, MAP, ETCO2, and CO in the ETCO2 group increased compared with the MAP group 12 h after CLP (all P < 0.05). Lactate level remains high in MAP group while decreasing in the ETCO2 group 8 h post-CLP. Both PSVD and MFI deteriorated after CLP in CLP group, though significantly improved in the ETCO2 group 8 h post-CLP. The average survival time in the ETCO2 group was significantly greater than MAP group (14.95 ± 3.90 h vs. 11.15 ± 1.76 h; t = 2.804, P = 0.012). Moreover, ETCO2 showed a negative correlation with lactic acid levels and a positive correlation with CO, PSVD, and MFI. In conclusion, ETCO2 can guide FR implement and improve outcomes of severe sepsis in CLP-inducted rat model. ETCO2 might be a potential index to guiding early FR in severe sepsis.

Relationship Between Statin Use and Outcomes in Patients Having Cardiac Arrest (from a Nationwide Cohort Study in Taiwan)

Pretreatment with statins is associated with improved outcomes in severe sepsis, acute coronary syndrome, and stroke. Patients with cardiac arrest experience sepsis-like syndrome and ischemia reperfusion injuries in the heart and brain. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of statin use before cardiac arrest on outcomes in cardiac arrest patients. Medical records of 142,131 adult patients who experienced nontraumatic cardiac arrest and were resuscitated between 2004 and 2011 were analyzed. Patients were grouped into 2 groups: the "statin group" comprised patients who had received statin treatment for at least 30 days before the cardiac arrest event; the "never statin group" comprised patients who had no statin use within 30 days before the event. Patients with previous statin treatment had better chance of survival to hospital discharge (6.1% vs 4.3%, p <0.0001) and 1-year survival (4.8% vs 3.2%, p <0.0001) after propensity score matching. Previous statin use was an independent predictor for 1-year survival (adjusted odds ratio 1.41, 95% confidence interval 1.16 to 1.71; p = 0.001). A favorable outcome effect of statin on 1-year survival was observed in the presence of diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score greater than 5 in the subgroup analysis. In conclusion, statin use before cardiac arrest is associated with 1-year survival in a propensity score-matched nationwide cohort study.

Prognostic value of Amino Terminal Pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) in patient with severe sepsis and septic shock in an ICU of tertiary care hospital of Bangladesh.

Background: Severe sepsis and septic shock are the leading cause of ICU admission. Despite the adequate resuscitation, septic shock is frequently associated with multiple system organ failure (MSOF) and death. This study examined the clinical utility of the level of NT-proBNP as an indicator of outcome in severe sepsis and septic shock.Objectives: to find relationship between level of NT-Pro-BNP and the outcome of the patients of severe sepsis and septic shock.Design: This Prospective observational study done in ICU of BIRDEM General Hospital.Method: All consecutive patients who were diagnosed as severe sepsis and septic shock according to SSC (Surviving Sepsis Campaign) guidelines fulfilling the selection criteria were included in the study. Informed written consent was taken from patient’s first degree relatives. Just after admission of severe sepsis and septic shock patients into ICU and development of severe sepsis or septic shock of previously admitted ICU patients, blood sample for serum NT-proBNP level was sent to hospital laboratory. 28 days were taken as follow up period for all patients in this study. Outcome was measured by mortality. Those who were discharged or transferred were classified as survivors and those who were died, categorized as non survivors. Those who were neither discharged nor dead during the study period were classified as survivors. Patient’s resusci-tation and management were done according to the standard ICU protocol of BIRDEM General Hospital.Result: A total 127 of patients fulfilled the criteria of sepsis and septic shock and study inclusion criteria during the study period. The mean &amp; SD of age in this study was 63.69 ± 17.79 years. 52% (n = 66) were male &amp; 48% (n = 61) were female. Here DM was the most common (83.5%) comorbidity and predominant diagnoses were Pneumonia (58.3%) &amp; UTI (30.7%). Among 127 patients, 24.4% (n=31) were in septic shock and 75.6% (n= 96) patients present with severe sepsis. Level of NT-proBNP of severe sepsis patients were 4608.64 ± 7712.12 &amp; Level of NT-proBNP of septic shock patients were 19239.06 ± 13058.05 (P&lt;0.0001). Among 31 (24.4%) septic shock patients, 32.2% (n=10) patients were survivor and NT-proBNP level was 7333.50 ± 10624 pg/ml; 67.8% (n=21) patients were non survivor and NT-proBNP level was 24908.38 ± 10017.87 pg/ml (P &lt;0.001). In this study among 96 (75.6%) patients with severe sepsis, 88.7% (n=86) were survivor and NT-proBNP level was 2436.41 ± 3755.03 pg/ml; 11.3% (n=11) patients were non-survivors and NT-proBNP level was 21238.36 ± 10095.34 pg/ml (P&lt;0.0001).Conclusion: Severe sepsis and septic shock are the leading cause of ICU admission and also leading cause of death. Our study showed that, elderly with diabetes mellitus had developed more sepsis. Pneumonia and UTI are commonest cause of sepsis.Sepsis causes extreme inflammatory reactions involving all organs of whole body including heart, causing release of NT-proBNP. Raised level of this biomarker associated with increased rate of mortality.Bangladesh Crit Care J September 2018; 6(2): 65-70

The role of biomarkers of endothelial activation in predicting morbidity and mortality in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock in intensive care: A prospective observational study

IntroductionEndothelial dysfunction plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of sepsis. The study aimed to illustrate the associations between the dynamic change (from day 1 to day 7) in biomarker concentration of endothelial dysfunction and outcomes in severe sepsis and septic shock in the intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and methodsWe studied 102 patients enrolled in the Beijing Chao-yang Hospital affiliated with the Capital Medical University. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the prognostic values of the circulating adhesion Angiopoietin-2/Angiopoietin-1 ratio (Ang-2/Ang-1) and Angiopoietin-1/Tie-2 ratio (Ang-1/Tie-2), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and thrombomodulin (TM). Spearman's rank correlation and a multiple regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between the change in sequential organ failure assessment (Δ SOFA) score (SOFA score at day 7 minus SOFA score at day 1) and the levels of Δ Ang-2/Ang-1 and Δ Ang-1/Tie-2 ratios, ΔsICAM-1, ΔsVCAM-1 and Δ sTM. ResultsThe Ang-2/Ang-1 ratio, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and sTM levels significantly increased from day 1 to day 7 (all p = 0.045), and the Ang-1/Tie-2 ratio level markedly decreased from day 1 and day 7 (p = 0.027) in non-survivors. The biomarkers at Days 1 and 7 had significant prognostic value for 90-day mortality in severe sepsis and septic shock in ICU. The difference in biomarkers for endothelial dysfunction were suggested to be effective, independent predictors of changes in Δ SOFA. ConclusionsEndothelial dysfunction may constitute an independent contributor to sepsis-associated outcomes in ICU.

Health-Related Quality of Life after Pediatric Severe Sepsis.

Background: Pediatric severe sepsis is a public health problem with significant morbidities in those who survive. In this article, we aim to present an overview of the important studies highlighting the limited data available pertaining to long-term outcomes of survivors of pediatric severe sepsis. Materials and Methods: A review of literature available was conducted using PUBMED/Medline on pediatric severe sepsis outcomes. Long-term outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQL) following severe sepsis was defined as any outcome occurring after discharge from the hospital following an episode of severe sepsis which affected either the survivor or the survivor’s family members. Results: Many children are discharged with worse clinical and functional outcomes, depending on their diagnosis, treatments received, psychological effects, and the impact of their illness on their parents. Additionally, they utilize healthcare services more than their peers and are often readmitted soon after discharge. However, pediatric HRQL studies with worthwhile outcome measures are limited and the current data on pediatric sepsis is mainly retrospective. Conclusions: There is significant and longstanding morbidity seen in children and their families following a severe sepsis illness. Further prospective data are required to study the long-term outcomes of sepsis in the pediatric population.

Early Lactate Clearance Rate is an Indicator of Outcome in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock

Background: Lactate clearance is an important marker of global tissue hypoxia and might be used as an indicator of outcome in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. This study was done to see the association between lactate clearance with the outcome of the patients of severe sepsis and septic shock among the patients who were admitted in the Department of Critical Care Medicine of BIRDEM General Hospital.Methods: This observational study was done in the Department of Critical Care Medicine, BIRDEM General Hospital from August 2015 to July 2016. At zero hour (during admission), first sample of serum lactate was sent and second sample after 6 hours of resuscitation for calculation of lactate clearance rate. Patients having lactate clearance e”10% were classified as high lactate clearance (HLC) and &lt;10% were low lactate clearance (LLC).Results: Total 186 patients (male 96, female 90, mean age 63.07±14.17 years) with severe sepsis (80) and septic shock (106) were enrolled. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was the most common co morbidity (76.9%) and predominant diagnosis was pneumonia (90.3%). Among patients with septic shock, 51.9% (55/106) had LLC and 48.1% (51/106) had HLC. Among patients with severe sepsis, 28.8% (23/80) had LLC and 71.2% (57/80) had HLC. Among 57 patients of HLC group of severe sepsis, 73.6% (n= 42) were survivors and 26.3% (n=15) were non-survivor and 23 patients of LLC group of severe sepsis, 26.09% (n=6) were survivors and 73.91% (n=17) were-non survivors (p=&lt;0.001). Among 51 patients of HLC group of septic shock, 78.43% (n=40) were survivors and 21.57% (n=11) were non-survivors and 55 patients of LLC group of septic shock, 29.09% (n=16) were survivors and 70.91% (n=39) were non-survivors (p=&lt;0.001).Conclusion: Patients with HLC after 6 hours of management had better outcome than LLC.Birdem Med J 2018; 8(3): 223-228

Proenkephalin A 119-159 (Penkid) Is an Early Biomarker of Septic Acute Kidney Injury: The Kidney in Sepsis and Septic Shock (Kid-SSS) Study

IntroductionSepsis is the leading cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients. The Kidney in Sepsis and Septic Shock (Kid-SSS) study evaluated the value of proenkephalin A 119-159 (penkid)—a sensitive biomarker of glomerular function, drawn within 24 hours upon intensive care unit (ICU) admission and analyzed using a chemiluminescence immunoassay—for kidney events in sepsis and septic shock.MethodsThe Kid-SSS study was a substudy of Adrenomedullin and Outcome in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock (AdrenOSS) (NCT02393781), a prospective, observational, multinational study including 583 patients admitted to the intensive care unit with sepsis or septic shock and a validation cohort of 525 patients from the French and euRopean Outcome reGistry in Intensive Care Units (FROG-ICU) study. The primary endpoint was major adverse kidney events (MAKEs) at day 7, composite of death, renal replacement therapy, and persistent renal dysfunction. The secondary endpoints included AKI, transient AKI, worsening renal function (WRF), and 28-day mortality.ResultsMedian age was 66 years (interquartile range 55–75), and 28-day mortality was 22% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19%−25%). Of the patients, 293 (50.3%) were in shock upon ICU admission. Penkid was significantly elevated in patients with MAKEs, persistent AKI, and WRF (median = 65 [IQR = 45–106] vs. 179 [114–242]; 53 [39–70] vs. 133 [79–196] pmol/l; and 70 [47–121] vs. 174 [93–242] pmol/l, all P < 0.0001), also after adjustment for confounding factors (adjusted odds ratio = 3.3 [95% CI = 1.8–6.0], 3.9 [95% CI = 2.1–7.2], and 3.4 [95% CI = 1.9–6.2], all P < 0.0001). Penkid increase preceded elevation of serum creatinine with WRF and was low in renal recovery.ConclusionAdmission penkid concentration was associated with MAKEs, AKI, and WRF in a timely manner in septic patients.

The impact of smoking on patient outcomes in severe sepsis and septic shock

BackgroundTo assess, in the setting of severe sepsis and septic shock, whether current smokers have worse outcomes compared to non-smokers.MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of immunocompetent adult patients with severe sepsis and septic shock at a tertiary medical center. The primary outcome was the effect of active smoking on hospital mortality. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to assess categorical outcomes. Wilcoxon rank-sum was utilized to test the differences in continuous outcomes among the varied smoking histories. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of smoking and mortality, need for vasopressors, mechanical ventilation, and ICU admission.ResultsOf the 1437 charts reviewed, 562 patients were included. Current smokers accounted for 19% (107/562) of patients, while 81% (455/562) were non-smokers. The median hospital length of stay in survivors was significantly longer in current smokers versus non-smokers (8 vs 7 days, p = 0.03). There was a trend towards a higher mortality among current smokers, but this failed to meet statistical significance (OR 1.81, 95% CI 0.92–3.54, p = 0.08). On multivariable analysis, current smoking was associated with the need for mechanical ventilation (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.06–5.34, p = 0.04), but that association was not observed with the need for vasopressors (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.01–4.36, p = 0.58) nor ICU admission (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.41–2.13, p = 0.86).ConclusionsIn patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, current smoking was associated with a longer hospital stay, the need for mechanical ventilation, and trended towards a higher mortality. Larger multicenter prospective case-control studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Management and Outcome of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department in a Tertiary Hospital

Severe sepsis and septic shock are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and need immediate medical attention. Early recognition, fluid resuscitation and early antimicrobials are the mainstays of sepsis therapy. This study analyzed the management strategies of severe sepsis and septic shock and evaluated its impact. A prospective study was conducted on patients admitted through emergency department of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital of Nepal, who were diagnosed with severe sepsis and septic shock. A total of 85 patients were diagnosed as severe sepsis and septic shock with 45 female patients and mean age 47.69 years ranging from 18 to 83 years. Pneumonia (45.9%) was found to be the major source of infection. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics and vassopressor at emergency department were ceftriaxone (24.7%) and norepinephrine (44.7%) respectively. The mean length of stay in Emergency department was 13.01 ± 7.03 h, while it was 11.27 ± 5.26 days in hospital. A total of 31 (36.5%) septic patients died. Deceased patients were found to have greater age, higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score and presence of co-morbid conditions. This study looked in-depth on management and outcome of patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Mortality from severe sepsis and septic shock were high, but similar to other studies.