Urine Output Research Articles

Development and validation of an interpretable machine learning for mortality prediction in patients with sepsis.

Sepsis is a leading cause of death. However, there is a lack of useful model to predict outcome in sepsis. Herein, the aim of this study was to develop an explainable machine learning (ML) model for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis based on Sepsis 3.0 criteria. We obtained the data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III database (version 1.4). The overall data was randomly assigned to the training and testing sets at a ratio of 3:1. Following the application of LASSO regression analysis to identify the modeling variables, we proceeded to develop models using Extreme Gradient Boost (XGBoost), Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF) techniques with 5-fold cross-validation. The optimal model was selected based on its area under the curve (AUC). Finally, the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) method was used to interpret the optimal model. A total of 5,834 septic adults were enrolled, the median age was 66 years (IQR, 54-78 years) and 2,342 (40.1%) were women. After feature selection, 14 variables were included for developing model in the training set. The XGBoost model (AUC: 0.806) showed superior performance with AUC, compared with RF (AUC: 0.794), LR (AUC: 0.782) and SVM model (AUC: 0.687). SHAP summary analysis for XGBoost model showed that urine output on day 1, age, blood urea nitrogen and body mass index were the top four contributors. SHAP dependence analysis demonstrated insightful nonlinear interactive associations between factors and outcome. SHAP force analysis provided three samples for model prediction. In conclusion, our study successfully demonstrated the efficacy of ML models in predicting 28-day mortality in sepsis patients, while highlighting the potential of the SHAP method to enhance model transparency and aid in clinical decision-making.

Investigation of the Effect of Cardiopulmonary Bypass on Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter

Objective: We sough to evaluate the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on the intracranial area using ultrasound-guided optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), a noninvasive and easy to use technique. Methods: We prospectively studied 67 patients aged 18–80. Ultrasound (USG) measured the ONSD of the patients, and the threshold ONSD was accepted as 5.5 mm. Patients were divided into two groups according to ONSD during CPB. Group 1: ONSD less than 5.5 mm, and Group 2: ONSD at or greater than 5.5 mm. Demographic data, comorbidities, intraoperative and postoperative findings, and complications were recorded. Results: There was no difference between the groups regarding demographic data and comorbidities (p > 0.05). The amount of fresh frozen plasma and erythrocyte suspension transfusions were statistically significantly higher in Group 2 (p < 0.05). Bleeding between the groups, intravenous fluid administered, and urine output were higher in Group 2 but was not statistically significant. There was no statistical difference in the mean extubation time, intensive care and hospital stay, and postoperative complications between the groups (p > 0.05). There was no mortality in Group 1, but two patients in Group 2 died. A statistically significant increase on ONSD was observed in Group 2 compared to Group 1 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: We observed that the increase in ONSD was greater in open heart surgeries that required increased blood and blood product transfusion. However, prospective studies are needed to investigate its clinical effects.

Vasopressin as adjunctive therapy in pulmonary hypertension associated with refractory systemic hypotension in term newborns.

The use of vasopressin as an adjunctive therapy in pulmonary hypertension associated with refractory systemic hypotension has increased. The objective of our study is to describe its effects on term infants. Retrospective observational study. Setting in a referral level IV neonatal intensive care unit from a middle-income region. The patients are term neonates admitted to our NICU who required vasopressin due to severe Pulmonary Hypertension and refractory hypotension during a 49-month period (December 2019 and December 2023). We identified 68 term infants, all in mechanical ventilation, receiving inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), and a phased protocol management for hypotension. Vasopressin was a started at a mean of 2 days with a mean duration of 80 h. Regarding hemodynamic outcome: diastolic, systolic, and median systemic pressure significantly increased during the first 4 h of treatment, as well as arterial pH and urine output. Accordingly, lactate and Vasoactive Inotropic Score (VIS) score decreased after 4 and 8 h, respectively, after vasopressin was started. Regarding oxygenation markers: oxygen requirements and mean airway pressure decreased significantly (and therefore the oxygenation index decreased in concordance) after 4 h of vasopressin. Echocardiographic indices of pulmonary hypertension progressively improved after vasopressin infusion with a significant decrease of tricuspid ingurgitation velocities and the rate of right-to- left ductal shunt through the ductus arteriosus. In the same way, left and right ventricular output increased after the initiation of vasopressin. This study showed that the use of vasopressin in neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension was associated with a rapid and significant improvement in oxygenation and hemodynamic markers of perfusion, including blood pressure. Its effects begin early during the first hours of treatment.

Biomarker-guided detection of acute kidney injury in abdominal aortic surgery: the new and the old.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in patients undergoing major vascular surgery. Despite significant research efforts in this area, the incidence of AKI remains high, posing a significant challenge to healthcare systems, especially in situations where resources are limited. Early prediction of AKI severity and individualized postoperative care is therefore essential. The primary objective of this exploratory study was to assess the diagnostic value of urine cell-cycle arrest biomarkers [(TIMP-2) × (IGFBP7)] and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) for predicting moderate or severe AKI within 24 h after open aortic surgery, and compared to routine kidney biomarkers. Seventy-five patients undergoing elective aortic surgery were included. Clinical parameters, urine and blood samples were collected preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and 24 h later. AKI was defined using KDIGO criteria. Individual and combined diagnostic performance of biomarkers were evaluated. Of the 75 patients, 61% developed AKI, of which 28% developed moderate or severe AKI within 24 h of surgery. Baseline demographics, comorbidities and kidney parameters did not differ between patients with moderate or severe AKI (AKI II/III) and none or mild AKI (AKI 0/I), except for higher preoperative suPAR levels in later AKI II/III patients. Urine osmolality, Cystatin C and serum creatinine had the highest predictive power for AKI II/III with AUCs of 0.75-0.72. (TIMP-2) × (IGFBP7), and neither (TIMP-2) × (IGFBP7) nor suPAR individually showed superior diagnostic value. Combining CysC or SCr with urine osmolality and 6 h urine output gave the best performance with AUCs of 0.86 (95% CI, 0.74-0.96) and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.75-0.95) respectively. Our study suggests that routine parameters like urine osmolality, CysC, SCr and 6 h urine output perform best in predicting postoperative AKI after aortic surgery compared to the new biomarkers (TIMP-2) × (IGFBP7) and suPAR. Combining biomarkers, particularly CysC or SCr with urine output, urine osmolality, may enhance diagnostic accuracy. Further validation in larger cohorts and clinical settings is warranted to establish their clinical utility.

Analysis of Risk Factors of Difficult Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation after Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Single Center Prospective Study

Abstract Background Weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV( and timing of extubation are crucial components in the postoperative management of cardiac surgery as altered respiratory mechanics and positive pressure ventilation may have significant influence on hemodynamics. Aim: To evaluate risk factors for failure of weaning from mechanical ventilation after pediatric cardiac surgery and to assess the frequency of phrenic nerve injury. Methodology This Cohort study included medical records of 101 children admitted consecutively to Pediatric post-cardiac surgery ICU in Academy of Cardiovascular surgery in Ain Shams university Hospitals between April, 2020 and April, 2021, who had undergone heart surgery. The patients were divided into two groups : - successefully weaned group. - Difficult to wean group. Diaphragmatic ultrasound was done for every difficult weaning patient to assess diaphragmatic paralysis. Result: Age (P < 0.001), Weight (P < 0.001), volum intake (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.017), Diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.004), were significantly lower in patients who showed difficult weaning compared to patients with successful weaning. Furthermore operation time (P < 0.001), use of noradrenaline (P = 0.019), use of adrenaline ( P = 0.017), use of Milirinon ( P = 0.003), respiratory rate ( P = 0.003), inotropic support (P = 0.001), positive fluid balance (P < 0.001), heart failure, renal failure, Pulmonary complications, need of pace maker, sepsis ( P < 0.001), diaphragmatic paralysis ( P < 0.001), transposition of great arteries operations ( P = 0.009), were significantly higher in patients who showed difficult weaning compared to patients with successful weaning. While use of dobutamine, discharge with open chest, reoperation, transfusion > 50 ml / kg, urine output, reoperation bleeding and any operation other than atrial septal defect, transposition of great arteries all did not affect weaning difficulty. Conclusion younger age, operation time, as well as sepsis were the best predictors for difficulty of weaning.

Acute kidney injury in critically ill obstetric patients: Incidence and role of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalcin - A prospective observational cohort study.

Data focussing on acute kidney injury (AKI) in obstetric patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are scarce and even more so regarding the role of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalcin (NGAL) in detecting AKI or predicting outcomes in these patients. Hence, we aim to evaluate the incidence of AKI in obstetric ICU patients and validate the role of urinary and serum NGAL in predicting the onset of AKI and mortality. This prospective observational cohort included 45 obstetric patients admitted in ICU, excluding those with prior renal dysfunction. Serum creatinine and urine output were monitored for the occurrence of AKI during the ICU stay. The outcome of the patient (survival or death) in the ICU and hospital was recorded, and serum and urinary NGAL were determined at the time of ICU admission. AKI occurred in 32 [71.1%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 55.4%, 86.8%] patients during their ICU stay. Serum NGAL showed an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC) of 0.630 (95% CI: 0.417, 0.842) (P = 0.231) for AKI and 0.486 (95% CI: 0.295, 0.676) (P = 0.883) for ICU mortality. Urinary NGAL showed AUROC = 0.472 (95% CI: 0.285, 0.660) (P = 0.772) to predict AKI and 0.430 (95% CI: 0.268, 0.652) (P = 0.684) for ICU mortality. AKI is common amongst critically ill obstetric ICU patients. However, serum and urinary NGAL cannot be advocated to discriminate between patients with or without AKI or between survivors and non-survivors in critically ill obstetric patients.

Efficacy, usage and adverse effects of furosemide in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases can be caused by numerous beginning conditions. The underpinning causes may include heart/ myocardial inflammation, cardio myopathy, coronary vascular complaint (CAD), dyslipidemia, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, and arrhythmia, which may eventually affect heart and liver failure. The study was aimed to determine the efficacy, usage and adverse effects of furosemide in diseased heart conditions. Furosemide is prescribed in the treatment of various cardiovascular illnesses, including monitoring the effects in various age groups, gender and body weights. Considering all the primary parameters of drug dose and secondary parameters of dose duration and their certain categories, we evaluate the results based on the effectiveness of furosemide. The collected and gathered data is analyzed by the suitable statistical methods (Central tendency methods) like Arithmetic mean. The effectiveness of furosemide is rapid and strong in the age group of 39-69yrs with the sodium levels of 132.8mEq/L and the urine output of 2.23L/day. The drug shows potential adverse effects like Ototoxicity, skin irritations and stomach cramps, in people with existing heart conditions. The usage of furosemide is beneficial in heart patients however some people show some potential adverse effects. The drug poses its potential side effects only when the usage is high or in unauthorized dose and also depends on previously existed disease conditions. Keywords: furosemide; cardiovascular diseases; heart failure; ototoxicity; skin irritations; arithmetic mean; hepatic failure

Intraoperative fluid management is not predictive of AKI in major pancreatic surgery: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundPancreatic surgery is associated with a significant risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF). This investigation evaluated the impact of intraoperative volume administration, vasopressor therapy, and blood pressure management on the primary outcome of AKI and the secondary outcome of a CR-POPF after pancreatic surgery.MethodsThis retrospective single-center cohort investigated 200 consecutive pancreatic surgeries (January 2018–December 2021). Patients were categorized for the presence/absence of AKI (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes) and CR-POPF. After univariate analysis, multivariable models were constructed to control for the univariate cofactor differences in the primary and secondary outcomes.ResultsAKI was identified in 20 patients (10%) with significant univariate differences in demographics (body mass index and gender), comorbidities, indices of chronic renal insufficiency, and an increased AKI Risk score. Surgical characteristics, intraoperative fluid, vasopressor, and blood pressure management were similar in patients with and without AKI. Patients with AKI had increased blood loss, lower urine output, and packed red blood cell administration. After multivariate analysis, male gender (OR = 7.9, 95% C.I. 1.8–35.1) and the AKI Risk score (OR = 6.3, 95% C.I. 2.4–16.4) were associated with the development of AKI (p < 0.001). Intraoperative and postoperative volume, vasopressor administration, and intraoperative hypotension had no significant impact in the multivariate analysis. CR-POPF occurred in 23 patients (11.9%) with no significant contributing factors in the multivariate analysis. Patients who developed AKI or a CR-POPF had an increase in surgical complications, length of stay, discharge to a skilled nursing facility, and mortality.ConclusionIn this analysis, intraoperative volume administration, vasopressor therapy, and a blood pressure < 55 mmHg for more than 10 min were not associated with an increased risk of AKI. After multivariate analysis, male gender and an elevated AKI Risk score were associated with an increased likelihood of AKI.

Risk of acute kidney injury after lower urinary tract reconstruction with early NSAID therapy: A propensity matched retrospective analysis

The opioid epidemic response led to increased use of postoperative, non-opioid analgesia. Some pediatric urologists do not routinely use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for fear of causing acute kidney injury (AKI). While previous studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of NSAIDs in children, safety after lower urinary tract reconstruction has not been well characterized. ptUsing the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria for AKI (increase in creatinine ≥0.3mg/dL or increase in creatinine ≥1.5x baseline or urine output <0.5mL/kg/hr for 6h), we hypothesized there would be a difference in the incidence of postoperative AKI between patients who did and did not receive NSAIDs following surgery. Patients 2-18 years old who underwent lower urinary tract reconstruction (i.e., bladder augmentation and/or creation of a catheterizable channel) from 2009 to 2021 and had documented urine output were retrospectively reviewed. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage was calculated from creatinine and cystatin C within 6 months of surgery using the CKiD U25 equations. Patients who received NSAIDs were propensity matched on 11 characteristics with patients undergoing similar surgeries who did not receive NSAIDs. The primary outcome was incidence of AKI within 48h of surgery. The unmatched cohorts included 243 patients. Propensity matching identified 166 patients in the NSAID arm and 41 in the no NSAID arm. 26 patients with CKD stage 2-3 were included. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative AKI based on any KDIGO criteria (17.1% no NSAID versus 16.3% NSAID, p=0.87). Median postoperative opioids fell from 0.88mg/kg in the no NSAID arm to 0.37mg/kg morphine equivalents in the NSAID arm, although this was not statistically significant. Log-rank testing by Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated no difference in time to incidence of low urine output between the groups (p=0.32). In the whole population not stratified by NSAID use, no differences were seen in AKI between those with and without CKD (16.7% with versus 17.9% without CKD). There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative AKI among patients who did and did not receive NSAIDs after lower urinary tract reconstruction, excluding those with advanced CKD. These results support that postoperative NSAIDs were an unlikely source of AKI. However, AKI remained a risk following these surgeries, regardless of NSAID use, likely owing to underlying disease, longer operations, and fluid shifts.

Increased Spironolactone Dosing in Acute Heart Failure Alters Potassium Homeostasis but Does not Enhance Decongestion

The ATHENA-HF (Aldosterone Targeted Neurohormonal Combined with Natriuresis Therapy in Heart Failure) clinical trial found no improvements in natriuretic peptide levels or clinical congestion when spironolactone 100 mg/day for 96 hours was used in addition to usual treatment for acute heart failure. We performed a post hoc analysis of ATHENA-HF to determine whether spironolactone treatment induced any detectable pharmacodynamic effects and whether patients with potentially greater aldosterone activity experienced additional decongestion. Trial subjects previously treated with spironolactone were excluded. We first examined for changes in renal potassium handling. Using the baseline serum potassium level as a surrogate marker of spironolactone activity, we then divided each treatment arm into tertiles of baseline serum potassium and explored for differences in laboratory and clinical congestion outcomes. Among spironolactone-naïve patients, the change in serum potassium did not differ after 24 hours or 48 hours but was significantly greater with spironolactone treatment compared to placebo at 72 hours (0.23 ± 0.55 vs 0.03 ± 0.60 mEq/L; P = 0.042) and 96 hours (0.32 ± 0.51 vs 0.13 ± 0.72 mEq/L; P = 0.046). Potassium supplementation was similar at treatment start and at 24 hours, but spironolactone-treated patients required substantially less potassium replacement at 48 hours (24% vs 36%; P = 0.048), 72 hours (21% vs 37%; P = 0.013), and 96 hours (11% vs 38%; P < 0.001). When the treatment arms were divided into tertiles of baseline serum potassium, there were no differences in the 96-hour log N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels, net fluid loss, urine output, or dyspnea relief in any of the potassium groups, with no effect modification by treatment exposure. Spironolactone 100 mg/day for 96 hours in patients receiving intravenous loop diuresis for acute heart failure has no clear added decongestive ability but does meaningfully limit potassium wasting.

Effective Dose Regimen of Streptozotocin for Inducing Diabetes in a Rat Model

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by an elevated blood sugar level due to problems with insulin synthesis, effect, or both. Various clinical signs follow DM: Hyperglycemia, polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia. Worldwide prevalence is high and predicted to be 592 million by 2035. Animal models are used in the study of diabetes due to ethical issues. Although the streptozotocin (STZ) model is frequently used, it is unreliable due to unexplained acute toxicity and effective dose variability. Objectives: This research was conducted to determine the effective dose regimen of STZ for inducing diabetes in Wister rats. Methods: A total of 28 male Wistar rats (160-190 g) were randomly divided into 4 groups (each 7 rats) and monitored for 21 days after diabetes induction with STZ: Control (CTR), diabetics (DIA)1 (60 mg/kg STZ), DIA2 (60 mg/kg STZ twice at 0 and 24 hours), and DIA3 (60 mg/kg STZ thrice at 0, 24 and 48 hours). Plasma glucose was determined with a glucometer. Body weights, feed intake, and fecal output were weighed with a digital balance, while water intake and urine output were measured with a measuring cylinder. Analyses of data obtained were performed using a one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test at a significance level of P≤0.05. Results: There was a significant (P&lt;0.05) decrease in body weight of the diabetic groups (-15.53%±1.2%, -26.8%±1.2%, -28.5%±1.9%) compared to the CTR (10.5%±2.5%). There was a significant (P&lt;0.05) increase in fasting blood glucose concentrations (135.2±9.0, 273.2±6.5, 257.0±5.3 mg/dL) in the people with diabetes compared to the CTR (79.3±1.1 mg/dL). Water intake (56.9±0.9, 72.1±1.7, 77.8±5.5 mL), feed intake (19.4±0.6, 23.3±1.9, 42.1±2.1 g), voided urine (6.34±0.1, 8.39±0.88, 9.8±0.50 mL) and voided feces (10.4±0.26, 11.7±0.43, 8.5±0.17 g) in the diabetic groups increased significantly (P&lt;0.05) compared to the CTR (26.5±0.8 mL, 13.4±0.3 g, 1.84±0.08 mL, and 6.5±0.33 g, respectively). Conclusion: The dose regimen of 60 mg/kg STZ administered intraperitoneally twice (24 hours apart) sustained diabetes for 21 days. We recommend adopting this dose regimen in STZ-induced diabetic studies in male Wistar rats.

Risk Factors for Intraoperative Hypotension in Elderly Patients Undergoing Fast Track Hip Fracture Surgery under Spinal Anesthesia: A Retrospective Observational Study

Objective: Fast-track hip fracture surgery is urgent. Time-limited preoperative optimization increase the risk of perioperative cardiovascular issues, affecting postoperative outcomes. This study aimed to identify risk factors for intraoperative hypotension in elderly patients undergoing fast-track hip fracture surgery with spinal anesthesia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational analysis was conducted at a university-based hospital. Medical records from 2018 to 2022 were examined to compare variables associated with intraoperative hypotension. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk variables for intraoperative hypotension. Results: The incidence of intraoperative hypotension was 50.1%. Significant factors associated with intraoperative hypotension included a history of previous stroke (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.38–4.21, P = 0.002), a preoperative baseline SBP below 100 mmHg (adjusted OR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.34–4.08, P = 0.003), a preoperative urine output less than 0.5 ml/kg/h (adjusted OR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.07–6.96, P = 0.034), undergoing an intramedullary nail procedure (adjusted OR: 2.64; 95% CI: 1.85–3.77, P &lt; 0.001). Conversely, protective factors included receiving preoperative blood transfusions (adjusted OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.24–0.77, P = 0.004) and receiving a spinal bupivacaine dose of 7.5 mg or above (adjusted OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.36–0.95, P = 0.033). Conclusion: Modifiable factors include ensuring adequate preoperative intravascular volume to optimize urine output and blood pressure, and correcting anemia. Prioritizing these measures for at-risk patients can help prevent complicated hospital stays.

Preferences for Management of Pediatric Pneumonia: A Clinician Survey of Artificially Generated Patient Cases.

It is unknown which factors are associated with chest radiograph (CXR) and antibiotic use for suspected community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. We evaluated factors associated with CXR and antibiotic preferences among clinicians for children with suspected CAP using case scenarios generated through artificial intelligence (AI). We performed a survey of general pediatric, pediatric emergency medicine, and emergency medicine attending physicians employed by a private physician contractor. Respondents were given 5 unique, AI-generated case scenarios. We used generalized estimating equations to identify factors associated with CXR and antibiotic use. We evaluated the cluster-weighted correlation between clinician suspicion and clinical prediction model risk estimates for CAP using 2 predictive models. A total of 172 respondents provided responses to 839 scenarios. Factors associated with CXR acquisition (OR, [95% CI]) included presence of crackles (4.17 [2.19, 7.95]), prior pneumonia (2.38 [1.32, 4.20]), chest pain (1.90 [1.18, 3.05]) and fever (1.82 [1.32, 2.52]). The decision to use antibiotics before knowledge of CXR results included past hospitalization for pneumonia (4.24 [1.88, 9.57]), focal decreased breath sounds (3.86 [1.98, 7.52]), and crackles (3.45 [2.15, 5.53]). After revealing CXR results to clinicians, these results were the sole predictor associated with antibiotic decision-making. Suspicion for CAP correlated with one of 2 prediction models for CAP (Spearman's rho = 0.25). Factors associated with a greater suspicion of pneumonia included prior pneumonia, duration of illness, worsening course of illness, shortness of breath, vomiting, decreased oral intake or urinary output, respiratory distress, head nodding, focal decreased breath sounds, focal rhonchi, fever, and crackles, and lower pulse oximetry. Ordering preferences for CXRs demonstrated similarities and differences with evidence-based risk models for CAP. Clinicians relied heavily on CXR findings to guide antibiotic ordering. These findings can be used within decision support systems to promote evidence-based management practices for pediatric CAP.

Malignant hypertension as a rare cause of thrombotic microangiopathy associated with end-stage renal disease

Malignant hypertension (MH) can precipitate and worsen renal thrombotic microangiopathy. Also, renal thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA) can cause malignant hypertension. Case reports regarding this clinical presentation are limited. A 36-year-old man presented with low urine output and bilateral leg swelling for five days with two episodes of haemoptysis. He was identified as a patient with hypertensive emergency with hypertension mediated organ damage (HMOD) in cardiac and renal functions with thrombotic microangiopathy. Renal biopsy revealed focal acute tubular injury with moderate tubulointerstitial nephritis and hypertensive vascular changes. Multiple anti-hypertensive medications were used for adequate blood pressure control. Despite that, the patient had worsening renal function, and eventually became dependent on haemodialysis. Malignant hypertension has to be considered as one of the aetiologies of TMA as it can lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and poor outcomes. Diagnosis is difficult when both entities are presenting together.

Impact of Norepinephrine and Dopamine Infusion on Renal Arterial Resistive Index during Pre-Emptive Living Donor Kidney Transplantation: Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Background: Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is a crucial treatment for end-stage renal disease, with pre-emptive LDKT (transplantation before dialysis initiation) offering significant benefits in graft function and patient survival. The selection of a vasopressor during LDKT, particularly between norepinephrine and dopamine, and its impact on renal arterial hemodynamics measured using the renal arterial resistive index (RARI) is poorly understood. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study enrolled 347 eligible pre-emptive LDKT recipients from the Seoul St. Mary's Hospital between January 2019 and June 2023. Utilizing propensity score matching (PSM), the patients were categorized into dopamine and norepinephrine groups to compare the effects of these vasopressors on the intraoperative RARI, postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and hourly urine output. The RARI was measured via the Doppler ultrasonography of the renal hilum and parenchyma post-graft vascular and ureteral anastomoses. Results: The preoperative differences in the recipients' and donors' characteristics were mitigated following PSM. The dopamine group exhibited higher intraoperative RARI values at the renal hilum (0.77 ± 0.11 vs. 0.66 ± 0.13, p < 0.001) and parenchyma (0.71 ± 0.1 vs. 0.6 ± 0.1, p < 0.001) compared to those of the norepinephrine group. However, these differences were not statistically significant on postoperative day 7. The norepinephrine infusion adjusted for the propensity scores was associated with significantly lower odds of an RARI > 0.8 (hilum: OR = 0.214, 95% CI = 0.12-0.382, p < 0.001; parenchyma: OR = 0.1, 95% CI = 0.029-0.348, p < 0.001). The early postoperative outcomes showed a higher eGFR (day 1: 30.0 ± 13.3 vs. 25.1 ± 17.4 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.004) and hourly urine output (day 1: 41.8 ± 16.9 vs. 36.5 ± 14.4 mL/kg/h, p = 0.002) in the norepinephrine group. Furthermore, the long-term outcomes were comparable between the groups. Conclusions: Norepinephrine infusion during pre-emptive LDKT is associated with more favorable intraoperative renal arterial hemodynamics, as evidenced by a lower RARI and improved early postoperative renal function compared to those of dopamine. These findings suggest a potential preferential role for norepinephrine in optimizing perioperative management and early graft functions in LDKT recipients. Given the retrospective nature of this study, further prospective studies are needed to confirm these observations. Additionally, the study limitations include the potential for unmeasured confounding factors and the inability to determine causality due to its observational design.

Comparative effectiveness of an individualized model of hemodialysis vs conventional hemodialysis: a study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial (the TwoPlus trial)

BackgroundMost patients starting chronic in-center hemodialysis (HD) receive conventional hemodialysis (CHD) with three sessions per week targeting specific biochemical clearance. Observational studies suggest that patients with residual kidney function can safely be treated with incremental prescriptions of HD, starting with less frequent sessions and later adjusting to thrice-weekly HD. This trial aims to show objectively that clinically matched incremental HD (CMIHD) is non-inferior to CHD in eligible patients.MethodsAn unblinded, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial will be conducted across diverse healthcare systems and dialysis organizations in the USA. Adult patients initiating chronic hemodialysis (HD) at participating centers will be screened. Eligibility criteria include receipt of fewer than 18 treatments of HD and residual kidney function defined as kidney urea clearance ≥3.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 and urine output ≥500 mL/24 h. The 1:1 randomization, stratified by site and dialysis vascular access type, assigns patients to either CMIHD (intervention group) or CHD (control group). The CMIHD group will be treated with twice-weekly HD and adjuvant pharmacologic therapy (i.e., oral loop diuretics, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium binders). The CHD group will receive thrice-weekly HD according to usual care. Throughout the study, patients undergo timed urine collection and fill out questionnaires. CMIHD will progress to thrice-weekly HD based on clinical manifestations or changes in residual kidney function. Caregivers of enrolled patients are invited to complete semi-annual questionnaires. The primary outcome is a composite of patients’ all-cause death, hospitalizations, or emergency department visits at 2 years. Secondary outcomes include patient- and caregiver-reported outcomes. We aim to enroll 350 patients, which provides ≥85% power to detect an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.9 between CMIHD and CHD with an IRR non-inferiority of 1.20 (α = 0.025, one-tailed test, 20% dropout rate, average of 2.06 years of HD per patient participant), and 150 caregiver participants (of enrolled patients).DiscussionOur proposal challenges the status quo of HD care delivery. Our overarching hypothesis posits that CMIHD is non-inferior to CHD. If successful, the results will positively impact one of the highest-burdened patient populations and their caregivers.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT05828823. Registered on 25 April 2023.

Perioperative risk factors for acute kidney injury in major abdominal surgeries: a retrospective observatioal study

Aims: Acute kidney injury (AKI), particularly as a postoperative complication related to surgery, has been independently associated with morbidity and mortality. AKI also develops at a significant rate after major abdominal surgery. In this study, it was aimed to identify the risk factors contributing to the development of AKI following major abdominal surgery. Methods: The study was retrospectively planned. Patients who underwent major abdominal surgery were included in the study. Patients’ demographic data, preoperative laboratory data, intraoperative data, and postoperative data were recorded from patient files. The diagnosis and severity of postoperative acute kidney injury (PO-AKI) were assessed using serum creatinine and/or urine output criteria in accordance with the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines. The patients were divided into two groups: AKI and non-AKI. Results: A total of 64 patients with complete data were included in the study. Among these patients, 6 developed AKI (9.3%). The mean age in the AKI group was found to be statistically significantly higher (p: 0.043). The Frailty index was significantly higher in the AKI group (p: 0.020). Additionally, it was observed that the use of aspirin and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) / angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) was statistically significantly higher in the AKI group (p: 0.022, p: 0.044, respectively). When patients were evaluated in terms of intraoperative parameters, the amount of colloid used, the amount of ES used, and vasopressor usage were found to be statistically significantly higher in the AKI group (p

An empirical study on KDIGO-defined acute kidney injury prediction in the intensive care unit.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome that affects a large fraction of all critically ill patients, and early diagnosis to receive adequate treatment is as imperative as it is challenging to make early. Consequently, machine learning approaches have been developed to predict AKI ahead of time. However, the prevalence of AKI is often underestimated in state-of-the-art approaches, as they rely on an AKI event annotation solely based on creatinine, ignoring urine output. We find that optimal performance is achieved by using GBDT with the time-based stacking technique (AUPRC = 65.7%, compared with the LSTM-based model's AUPRC = 62.6%), which is motivated by the high relevance of time since ICU admission for this task. Both models show mildly reduced performance in the limited training data setting, perform fairly across different subcohorts, and exhibit no issues in gender transfer. The code to reproduce the findings of our manuscript can be found at: https://github.com/ratschlab/AKI-EWS.

Risk factors associated with intraoperative persistent hypotension in pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Intraoperative persistent hypotension (IPH) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is linked to adverse postoperative outcomes, yet its risk factors remain unclear. To clarify the risk factors associated with IPH during PD, ensuring patient safety in the perioperative period. A retrospective analysis of patient records from January 2018 to December 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University identified factors associated with IPH in PD. These factors included age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, comorbidities, medication history, operation duration, fluid balance, blood loss, urine output, and blood gas parameters. IPH was defined as sustained mean arterial pressure < 65 mmHg, requiring prolonged deoxyepinephrine infusion for > 30 min despite additional deoxyepinephrine and fluid treatments. Among 1596 PD patients, 661 (41.42%) experienced IPH. Multivariate logistic regression identified key risk factors: increased age [odds ratio (OR): 1.20 per decade, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-1.33] (P < 0.001), longer surgery duration (OR: 1.15 per additional hour, 95%CI: 1.05-1.26) (P < 0.01), and greater blood loss (OR: 1.18 per 250-mL increment, 95%CI: 1.06-1.32) (P < 0.01). A novel finding was the association of arterial blood Ca2+ < 1.05 mmol/L with IPH (OR: 2.03, 95%CI: 1.65-2.50) (P < 0.001). IPH during PD is independently associated with older age, prolonged surgery, increased blood loss, and lower plasma Ca2+.

Synthetic Angiotensin II ameliorates alterations of systemic hemodynamics, microcirculatory deterioration, and renal damage in septic rats

IntroductionSeptic shock is a systemic infection that causes persistent systemic hypotension, inflammation, tissue hypoperfusion and acute kidney injury (AKI). Despite norepinephrine being the currently recommended vasopressor agent, an alternative vasopressor agent that positively affects peripheral and organ microcirculatory perfusion and oxygenation is needed. This study investigated a new synthetic Angiotensin II agent suitable for improving microcirculatory parameters in a rat model of sepsis-induced systemic hemodynamic dysfunction. Methods48 mechanically ventilated, anesthetized male rats were allocated as control; lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 20 mg/kg) and LPS groups received either ringer acetate (RA), norepinephrine (NE), Angiotensin II (Ang II), or a combination of NE and Ang II. Systemic hemodynamics, renal cortical pO2 and perfusion, and muscle microcirculatory oxygen saturation were evaluated. ResultsMAP was restored in all LPS groups that received Ang II, NE, and NE + Ang II compared to the LPS group alone (p < 0.05). The deterioration of renal microcirculatory cortical oxygen, oxygen delivery, and consumption after sepsis was not restored by any of the resuscitation strategies. However, urine output was improved after Ang II resuscitation compared to the LPS and LPS + RA groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the muscle capillary oxygen saturation and functional capillary density (FCD) were improved by a combined infusion of NE and Ang II (p < 0.05). ConclusionsAng II can improve the MAP in rats in a way comparable to norepinephrine. Ang II increased urine output and muscle capillary oxygenation and reduced renal tissue damage. Our study supports that broad-spectrum vasopressors can benefit tissue perfusion and oxygenation in the resuscitation of septic patients.