Refractory Shock Research Articles

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as mechanical circulatory support in adult septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis with individual participant data meta-regression analysis

BackgroundWhile recommended by international societal guidelines in the paediatric population, the use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) as mechanical circulatory support for refractory septic shock in adults is controversial. We aimed to characterise the outcomes of adults with septic shock requiring VA ECMO, and identify factors associated with survival.MethodsWe searched Pubmed, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane databases from inception until 1st June 2021, and included all relevant publications reporting on > 5 adult patients requiring VA ECMO for septic shock. Study quality and certainty in evidence were assessed using the appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute checklist, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach, respectively. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge, and secondary outcomes included intensive care unit length of stay, duration of ECMO support, complications while on ECMO, and sources of sepsis. Random-effects meta-analysis (DerSimonian and Laird) were conducted.Data synthesisWe included 14 observational studies with 468 patients in the meta-analysis. Pooled survival was 36.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23.6%–50.1%). Survival among patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 20% (62.0%, 95%-CI: 51.6%–72.0%) was significantly higher than those with LVEF > 35% (32.1%, 95%-CI: 8.69%–60.7%, p = 0.05). Survival reported in studies from Asia (19.5%, 95%-CI: 13.0%–26.8%) was notably lower than those from Europe (61.0%, 95%-CI: 48.4%–73.0%) and North America (45.5%, 95%-CI: 16.7%–75.8%). GRADE assessment indicated high certainty of evidence for pooled survival.ConclusionsWhen treated with VA ECMO, the majority of patients with septic shock and severe sepsis-induced myocardial depression survive. However, VA ECMO has poor outcomes in adults with septic shock without severe left ventricular depression. VA ECMO may be a viable treatment option in carefully selected adult patients with refractory septic shock.

Refractory Septic Shock (Part 2)

Refractory shock is the shock that does not respond to vasopressor therapy. Refractory shock with a short-term mortality rate of more than 50% is diagnosed in 6-7% of critically ill patients. There is an objective need to Investigate methods of intensive therapy for refractory septic shock.The objective of the study: to analyze literature data on the intensive care of refractory septic shock.Results. The second part of the article analyzes 37 studies, both Russian and foreign ones devoted to the intensive care of refractory shock. At present, based on the analysis of the publication, it is impossible to draw reasonable conclusions about the advantage of one or another method of intensive therapy for refractory shock (veno-venous hemofiltration, the use of angiotensin II and vasopressin, as well as methylene blue, vitamin B12, ECMO) over basic therapy.

Predictors of Lethal Outcomes in Patients with Refractory Septic Shock

Early prediction of disease severity helps clinicians prevent adverse events and/or minimize losses in the event of a life-threatening complication. This provision fully applies to refractory septic shock, in which norepinephrine administration at a dose exceeding 0.5 μg/kg-1/min-1 is needed to maintain mean arterial pressure.The objective: to determine predictors of lethal outcomes in patients with refractory septic shock.Subjects and methods. A retrospective study included 79 patients with refractory septic shock aged from 42 to 74 years (59.7 ± 7.8), with severity of the condition as per SOFA varying from 8 to 16 scores. The predictive value of indicators was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.Results. In multivariate analysis, the only significant predictor of an unfavorable outcome was the SOFA score (adj. OR: 1.626 [95% CI: 1.313; 2.014], p &lt; 0.001). Other putative indicators (age, oxygenation index, lactate and procalcitonin concentrations, and norepinephrine dose) had no predictive value.Conclusion: The SOFA score is an independent predictor of lethality in adult patients with refractory septic shock (аdj. OR: 1.26 [95% CI: 1.313; 2.014], p &lt; 0.001). According to the results of the ROC analysis, along with SOFA, norepinephrine dose was also a significant predictor (AUC 0.989 [95% CI 0.934; 1.000], p &lt; 0.001).

Improving the therapy of generalized forms of Meningococcal infection in children using extracorporeal hemocorrection

Invasive meningococcal infection is a significant cause of death, reaching 80% in septic shock. The Pediatric Research and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases (PRCCID) has developed an algorithm for the treatment of children with invasive meningococcal infection with refractory septic shock and multiple organ failure syndrome, which includes basic drug therapy with polymyxin hemoperfusion in combination with extended methods of extracorporeal hemocorrection.Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of extracorporeal hemocorrection operations in children with invasive meningococcal infection with refractory septic shock and multiple organ failure syndrome.Materials and research methods: to the intensive care unit of the PRCCID for the analyzed period 2006—2020 34 children were hospitalized with invasive meningococcal infection with refractory septic shock and multiple organ failure syndrome. Two groups were formed: Group 1 — children admitted to the PRCCID in the period 2014—2020 (n = 23), who underwent polymyxin hemoperfusion simultaneously with extended methods of extracorporeal hemocorrection, group 2 — children hospitalized in 2006—201 3 (n = 1 1), methods of extracorporeal hemocorrection were not performed. The Mann-Whitney U-test and ANOVA were used to evaluate the results.Results and discussion: the use of extracorporeal hemocorrection operations in the complex therapy of invasive forms of meningococcal infection with refractory septic shock and multiple organ failure syndrome in children provides stabilization of central hemodynamics, reduces clinical and laboratory inflammatory reactions, helps to reduce the dose of vasopressor drugs and parameters of respiratory support, and also increases patient survival rate by 82.6%.

A rare interesting case of fatal air embolism after intravenous contrast during computed tomography

We are reporting a fatal case of air embolism. Although minor cases of air embolism may go unnoticed, this is a case of fatal air embolism after intravenous entry of air, which presented with sudden onset of pulseless electrical activity during a computed tomography scan in the radiology department, requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 15 min. Subsequently, after admission to the intensive care unit, we achieved return of spontaneous circulation. The patient was intubated and ventilated in a shock state. He remained in refractory shock despite of supportive care. Cardiaс arrest was registered again in the catheterization lab and the patient could not be revived after 4 h from the initial cardiac arrest. А computed tomography scan was reported to reveal a significant amount of intra-cardiac air, which was the likely cause patient’s death. The case is a rare condition, which highlights the importance of early diagnosis and delivers a message to the medical staff to have a high index of suspicion in patients who have risk factors, and who develop sudden shock with hypoxemia, in order to treat this potentially life-threatening condition effectively in a timely manner.

Multi-system inflammatory syndrome presenting with refractory shock in an infant, temporally associated with SARS-CoV2 infection

Children with COVID-19 largely remain asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic with gastroenteritis or influenza like presentation. However, few of them go on to develop features of multi-system inflammatory syndrome secondary to dysregulated cytokine release, resulting even in death. We report a 45 days old infant who presented to us with fluid unresponsive shock following protracted vomiting few hours prior to arrival. Eight days prior, child was admitted in COVID Isolation centre with mild illness, after testing positive on rapid Antigen Test and discharged 3 days later. Child when brought was severely acidotic and hence electively intubated. Shock did not improve even following multiple boluses and inotropic support on mechanical ventilation. Encephalopathy, myocardial dysfunction and acute kidney injury, with elevated inflammatory markers post COVID-19 suggested multi-system inflammation syndrome in him. The infant deteriorated rapidly and succumbed even before targeted therapy could be initiated. MIS-C presenting with refractory shock is increasingly being reported in pediatric age group and these children rapidly deteriorate without early recognition and treatment. Clinicians need a heightened suspicion for cytokine storm related complications and institute early immune-modulative therapy, especially during the present COVID-19 pandemic.

Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Supported by Impella: Implications of Advanced Age and Refractory Shock on Outcomes.

Retrospective review. Data were collected for patients at a single community hospital between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019. Thirty-one consecutive adult patients with cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction who received Impella Cardiac Pow support. Shock stages were defined by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention (Stages A-E). None. The primary outcome was in-hospital death across Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention cardiogenic shock stages and in patients greater than or equal to 80 and less than 80 years old. Secondary outcomes were Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 vascular and bleeding complications, stroke, and renal failure requiring dialysis. The median age of the study population was 64 years, with seven patients (23%) being greater than or equal to 80 years old. No patients were in Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention Stage A, whereas there were seven in B, eight in C, six in D, and 10 (32%) in E. Overall in-hospital mortality occurred in 61% of patients. All 10 patients in Stage E died before hospital discharge. Mortality occurred in 54% of patients (13/24) age less than 80 years compared with 86% of those 80 years or older (6/7). A total of 38.7% of patients (12/31) and 32.3% of patients (10/31) experienced Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 bleeding and vascular events, which were evenly distributed across Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention cardiogenic shock Stages. In conclusion, patients with shock in extremis and those 80 years old and older may have a prohibitively high mortality despite Impella use. These findings merit further prospective investigation in a larger number of patients to evaluate the effectiveness of Impella (and other left ventricular mechanical circulatory devices) and the inherent resource utilization in advanced cardiogenic shock and the elderly.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children with COVID-19.

BackgroundMultisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a dangerous pediatric complication of COVID-19.ObjectiveThe purpose of this review article is to provide a summary of the diagnosis and management of MIS-C with a focus on management in the acute care setting.DiscussionMIS-C is an inflammatory syndrome which can affect nearly any organ system. The most common symptoms are fever and gastrointestinal symptoms, though neurologic and dermatologic findings are also well-described. The diagnosis includes a combination of clinical and laboratory testing. Patients with MIS-C will often have elevated inflammatory markers and may have an abnormal electrocardiogram or echocardiogram. Initial treatment involves resuscitation with careful assessment for cardiac versus vasodilatory shock using point-of-care ultrasound. Treatment should include intravenous immunoglobulin, anticoagulation, and consideration of corticosteroids. Interleukin-1 and/or interleukin-6 blockade may be considered for refractory cases. Aspirin is recommended if there is thrombocytosis or Kawasaki disease-like features on echocardiogram. Patients will generally require admission to an intensive care unit.ConclusionMIS-C is a condition associated with morbidity and mortality that is increasingly recognized as a potential complication in pediatric patients with COVID-19. It is important for emergency clinicians to know how to diagnose and treat this disorder.

Impact of benzodiazepines on time to awakening in post cardiac arrest patients

AimAlthough guidelines recommend use of short acting sedation after cardiac arrest, there is significant practice variation. We examined whether benzodiazepine use is associated with delayed awakening in this population. MethodsWe performed a retrospective single center study including comatose patients treated after in- or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from January 2010 to September 2019. We excluded patients who awakened within 6 h of arrest, those who arrested due to trauma or neurological event, those with nonsurvivable primary brain injury and those with refractory shock. Our primary exposure of interest was high-dose benzodiazepine (>10 mg of midazolam equivalents per day) administration in the first 72-h post arrest. Our primary outcome was time to awakening. We used Cox regression to test for an independent association between exposure and outcome after controlling for biologically plausible covariates. ResultsOverall, 2778 patients presented during the study period, 621 met inclusion criteria and 209 (34%) awakened after a median of 4 [IQR 3–7] days. Patients who received high-dose benzodiazepines awakened later than those who did not (5 [IQR 3–11] vs. 3 [IQR 3–6] days, P = 0.004). In adjusted regression, high-dose benzodiazepine exposure was independently associated with delayed awakening (adjusted hazard ratio 0.63 (95% CI 0.43–0.92)). Length of stay, awakening to discharge, and duration of mechanical ventilation were similar across groups. ConclusionHigh-dose benzodiazepine exposure is independently associated with delayed awakening in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest.

Septic Shock

Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Infectious injury leads to inflammation, which leads to additional injury. This cyclical pattern leads to tissue dysfunction, resulting in hypovolemic and vasodilatory shock, hyperdynamic circulatory shock, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular apoptosis, and immunosuppression. Septic patients are unable to use oxygen effectively, leading to organ dysfunction. The key to management of sepsis is early recognition and treatment. Prompt administration of appropriate antibiotics (preferably but not necessarily following culture) is vital to avoiding the morbidity and mortality associated with sepsis. Aggressive fluid resuscitation resulting in improved blood flow to tissues is the mainstay of initial therapy for septic shock. Balancing the needs for improved preload against the consequences of excessive intravascular volume is paramount. There are many methods (e.g., central venous pressure, mixed/central venous saturation, pulse pressure variation, ultrasonography) to determine when a septic shock patient may no longer respond to fluids and requires vasoconstrictors or inotropes for blood pressure control. Early recognition of sepsis, treatment with appropriate antibiotics, and limiting end-organ damage have led to decreased in-hospital mortality associated with septic shock. This review contains 5 figures, 5 tables, and 105 references. Key Words: antibiotic therapy, fluid therapy, resuscitation, sepsis, shock

A fatal toxic shock-like syndrome post COVID-19 infection in a child

BackgroundChildren affected by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) showed various manifestations. Some of them were severe cases presenting with multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) causing multiple organ dysfunction.Case presentationWe report the case of a 12-year-old girl with recent COVID-19 infection who presented with persistent fever, abdominal pain and other symptoms that meet the definition of MIS-C. She had lymphopenia and a high level of inflammatory markers. She was admitted to pediatric intensive care unit since she rapidly developed refractory catecholamine-resistant shock with multiple organ failure. Echocardiography showed a small pericardial effusion with a normal ejection fraction (Ejection Fraction = 60%) and no valvular or coronary lesions. The child showed no signs of improvement even after receiving intravenous immunoglobulin, fresh frozen plasma, high doses of Vasopressors and corticosteroid. His outcome was fatal.ConclusionPediatric patients affected by the new COVID-19 related syndrome may show severe life-threatening conditions similar to Kawasaki disease shock syndrome. Hypotension in these patients results from heart failure and the decreased cardiac output. We report a new severe clinical feature of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children in whom hypotension was the result of refractory vasoplegia.

1277-PUB: Severe DKA in Adolescent at Onset of Type 2 Diabetes and COVID-19

Introduction: Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) increase severity of SARS-CoV2 in adults. In one review of DKA and COVID-19 in adults, 77% had pre-existing diabetes while 10% were newly diagnosed. We report an adolescent with severe DKA and new onset T2D in the setting of COVID-19 infection, who had a complex hospital course. Case: A 14-year old male with BMI of 43.7 kg/m2 and learning disabilities presented with decreased mental status and 4 day history of polydipsia, polyuria and emesis. Initial labs: glucose 546 mg/dl, BOHB 4.4 mmol/L, venous pH 6.94, HCO3 3mmol/L, serum osm 287 mOsm/kg, A1C 12.3%, pancreatic antibodies negative. C-reactive protein, d-dimer, ferritin, CPK, troponin, lipase (4,610 U/L), and amylase (839 U/L) were elevated. Patient received mannitol. No cerebral edema on head CT. Chest/Abd CT showed bilateral lower lobe consolidation of lungs and heterogeneous pancreas with no fluid collection. IV fluids and insulin were started. Nine hours after presentation, mental status declined further and patient required intubation for respiratory failure. At 19 hours, ketosis had resolved but acidosis persisted with arterial pH=7.05. SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab PCR was positive. Course was complicated by multi-organ failure, rhabdomyolysis, and fluid refractory shock requiring vasopressors and renal replacement therapy (max creatinine 5.13 mg/dL). Patient started anticoagulant therapy, but on day 12 left femoral DVT was diagnosed. On hospital day 20 a retroperitoneal hemorrhage was noted. Inflammatory markers normalized by day 43. The patient had significant neurologic deficits and required prolonged rehabilitation after discharge on hospital day 46. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this case of a morbidly obese adolescent with neurocognitive delays, is the first report of an adolescent with COVID-19 presenting with new onset T2D and DKA, who had a hospital course similar in severity to those reported in adult patients. Adolescents with T2D and SARS-CoV2 infection should be monitored for severe disease. Disclosure M. Baby: None. M. S. Litao: None. H. R. Dapul: None. B. Franklin: None. M. Gallagher: None.

Efficacy of Glucocorticoid Administration in Patients with Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies.

The pathophysiology of cardiac arrest (CA) involves over-activation of systemic inflammatory responses, relative adrenal insufficiency, and glycocalyx damage. Corticosteroids have beneficial effects in preventing the perturbation of the endothelial glycocalyx. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the efficacy of glucocorticoids in patients with cardiac arrest. We searched PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane central register for relevant clinical trials and cohort studies until September 2019. We retrieved 7 peer-reviewed published studies for the systematic review. Two studies were clinical trials evaluating 147 patients, while five illustrated cohort design, evaluating 196,192 patients. In total, 196,339 patients were assessed. There was limited evidence and conflicting results to establish a correlation between glucocorticoids and the survival of patients suffering from cardiac arrest. However, the links between these medications and survival-to-admission, survival-to discharge, and 1-year survival rates were strong and consistent in observational studies. The clinical evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of glucocorticoids in CA is limited to observational studies with inconsistent methodology and few clinical trials with a small sample size. Nevertheless, it seems that glucocorticoid supplementation during and after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may have beneficial effects in terms of survival-to-admission, survival to discharge, 1-year survival rates, and an improved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rate, especially in patients with hemodynamic instability and cardiovascular diseases (i.e., refractory hemodynamic shock). Future studies with high-quality, large-scale, long-term intervention and precise baseline characteristics are needed to evaluate the exact effective dose, duration, and efficacy of glucocorticoids in CA.

MO675HEMOADSORPTION WITH CYTOSORB® CARTRIDGE IN PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT – A SERIES OF FOUR CASES

Abstract Background and Aims Hemoadsorption with Cytosorb® cartridge is one of extracorporeal blood purification therapies increasingly used in adult intensive care units in conditions with elevated inflammatory mediators. Many positive experiences of hemodynamic improvement of patients treated with hemoadsorption have resulted in attempts of its application also in critically ill pediatric patients. Here we present a case series of four children treated with hemoadsorption in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of University Medical Centre Ljubljana from September 2018 to January 2019. Method All patients were mechanically ventilated and required vasopressor and inotropic support. Hemoadsorption was used as a rescue therapy after all standard treatments for their underlying condition had been insufficient. CytoSorb® cartridge was coupled with continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (CVVHD, Prismaflex system, Gambro) in pre-filter (ST60 set, Gambro) position. In children &amp;lt;10 kg body weight (2 infants), the extracorporeal circuit was prefilled with a 1:1 mixture of packed red blood cells and saline, with heparin added. Automated regional citrate anticoagulation was used, blood flow was 30-100 ml/min and dialysate flow 500 ml/h. Results The youngest child was 10 days old 1.9 kg premature female with acute liver failure due to gestational alloimmune liver disease. CVVHD was started for hyperammonemia and concomitant CytoSorb® for severe hyperbilirubinemia (335 umol/l). Procedure was discontinued after 6 hours due to uncontrollable sepsis and hemodynamic collapse. We managed to normalize ammonia values and reduce bilirubin concentration (116 umol/l). Further treatment was withdrawn as a result of irreversible multiorgan failure. One month old 2.5 kg female patient was treated in PICU due to necrotizing enterocolitis and refractory septic shock with multiorgan failure. Oliguric acute kidney injury (AKI) required CVVHD and later on Cytosorb ® was added as an attempt to limit severe hyperinflammatory condition. During 19 hours of treatment the need for vasopressor support was increasing and metabolic acidosis was deepening. The patient required a short resuscitation a couple of hours into the procedure due to bradycardia which resulted in catheter and CVVHD circuit thrombosis. Dialysis was discontinued as urgent surgery was necessary. The patient later died of uncontrolled septic shock. Three years old 17 kg male was admitted with meningococcal septic shock, requiring initiation of veno-arterial ECMO. Cytosorb® with CVVHD was started and attached to the ECMO circuit. A significant decline of interleukine-6 (IL-6) was achieved without any procedure-related side effect and treatment was discontinued after 68 hours as patient's clinical status notably improved. The patient survived. Five years old 20 kg female patient, actively treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was admitted with E. coli sepsis. Septic shock was unresponsive to conventional treatment therefore she was started on Cytosorb® with CVVHD as oliguric AKI also developed. Two consecutive procedures were preformed, the first for 31 and the second for 37 hours. Level of IL-6 decreased (from &amp;gt; 5000 ng/L to 1000 ng/L) and lactate level normalized. We achieved reduction in vasopressors and oxygen need during both procedures and patient's overall status greatly improved. Conclusion Although significantly increasing the volume of extracorporeal circuit, the use of Cytosorb® cartridge within CVVHD circuit is technically feasible even in critically ill children with low body weight, if principles of pediatric renal replacement therapy are considered. More efficacy and safety data on Cytosorb® utilization are necessary before inclusion in routine clinical practice. Treatment outcome is highly dependent on primary disease and severity of patient condition.

MO160COVID-19 INFECTION AND ACUTE TUBULOINTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS

BackgroundCOVID-19 infection manifests as pneumonia associated with multiple organ failure, and death. Acute kidney injury is a risk factor for mortality. There is limited scientific literature on COVID-19 infection and allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis, its clinical course and short- and long-term prognosis.MethodWe performed a retrospective study where medical records of 60 patients with histological diagnosis of allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis from January 2009 to November 2020. In these patients, we studied the incidence of COVID-19 infection, clinical characteristics and prognosis from March to the actual date.ResultsOf 60 patients with allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis, 6 (10%) patients were diagnosed with COVID-19. The first case, an 85-year-old woman with a history of metastatic melanoma treated with nivolumab and allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis by immunobiological agents in 2018, diagnosed with mild COVID-19 infection in April 2020 without deterioration of renal function in controls at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. The second case, a 51-year-old woman with a history of large B-cell lymphoma with plasmacytic differentiation and progression to multiple myeloma of lambda light chains and allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis due to chemotherapy since 2019, admitted for acute pyelonephritis and PRES syndrome secondary to first dose of bortezomib complicated with COVID-19 nosocomial pneumonia and acute pancreatitis treated with corticosteroids and broad spectrum antibiotic therapy; she died of abdominal refractory septic shock. The third patient, a 64-year-old man without prior renal impairment, was admitted for severe COVID-19 pneumonia and acute kidney injury secondary to acute tubulointerstitial nephritis of uncertain etiology that required orotracheal intubation and continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration for a week who received methylprednisolone in bolus for 3 days and continued treatment with corticosteroid therapy with complete recovery of renal function and improvement in proteinuria at 3 months of follow-up. The fourth patient, an 82-year-old woman with acute kidney injury AKIN 3 secondary to acute allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis related to ciprofloxacin complicated with severe COVID-19 nosocomial pneumonia, who died despite ventilatory support and high-dose steroids therapy and tocilizumab. The fifth patient, a 75-year-old with a history of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma treated with immunobiological agents and allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis in 2018, admitted in march 2020 for mild COVID-19 pneumonia treated with steroids and hydroxychloroquine without deterioration of respiratory and kidney function. The sixth patient, an 86-years-old man with acute kidney injury AKIN 3 due to acute allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis secondary to proton-binding inhibitors and nosocomial COVID-19 infección with improvement of kidney function with steroids therapy only. ConclusionOur 6 patients with allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis and COVID-19 infection presented different spectrum of the disease. It seems that nosocomial COVID-19 infection in patients admitted with recent diagnosis of acute allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis presented a worse clinical prognosis compared with long-term diagnosed acute tubulointerstitial nephritis. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed.

Management of refractory septic shock. Can intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation be the answer?

Refractory septic shock (RSS) is a subset of septic shock that does not respond to standard resuscitation and to high-dose vasopressor therapy. Management of RSS remains challenging and is associated with increased mortality. There is a dire need to identify a novel therapeutic strategy for the management of RSS. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) are potential options for the management of RSS. Since ECMO is expensive, requires high expertise, and has more complications, IABP can be a feasible therapeutic option. IABP may help clinicians buy the time by supporting the organ perfusion while treating sepsis. Judicious patient selection can be the key. Well designed clinical trials may be the way forward.

Refractory septic shock (Part 1)

Refractory septic shock develops in 6–7% of sepsis patients with short-term lethality rate of more than 50%. It is necessary to assess the effectiveness of intensive therapy methods used in this case.The objective of the review: to analyze publications on the intensive care of refractory septic shock.Results. 56 studies published in the period from January 1, 1990 to September 1, 2020 were analysed, they reflect the effectiveness of some methods used for management of refractory septic shock (treatment of the underlying disease, liquid bolus, the use of norepinephrine, adjuvant therapy, management of metabolic acidosis). The second part of this article will reflect the evaluation of the effectiveness of other approaches to the treatment of this complication.

A Case of HCG-Mediated Hyperthyroidism Related to Metastatic Choriocarcinoma

Introduction: We present a clinical case of a non-seminomatous germ cell choriocarcinoma producing human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and inducing hyperthyroidism. Clinical Case: A 21-year-old male with recently diagnosed metastatic non-seminomatous germ cell choriocarcinoma presented with persistent tachycardia and anxiety. At diagnosis, his β- human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-HCG) was elevated to 6,435 mIU/mL (normal <1 in male) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was within normal limits. At presentation, however, his β-HCG increased to 103,229 mIU/mL, TSH was suppressed <0.02 mcIU/mL (normal 0.3-4.7), and free thyroxine was elevated (FT4) 2.6 ng/dL (normal 0.8-1.7). His thyrotoxicosis improved with initiation of methimazole; however, his TSH remained undetectable due to persistently elevated β-HCG levels. His course was complicated by hemorrhagic shock and acute liver injury in the setting of a presumed intraluminal gastric metastasis, necessitating the discontinuation of methimazole. He was continued on steroids to try to minimize T4 to T3 conversion, but ultimately his thyroid hormones uptrended. He became stable enough to tolerate 5 days of chemotherapy, after which his FT4 quickly normalized. Unfortunately, he continued to suffer from vasodilatory shock and ultimately passed away. Discussion: It has been demonstrated that HCG can bind to the TSH receptor and has thyrotropic activity. The development of hyperthyroidism requires HCG levels >200,000 mIU/mL that are sustained for several weeks (1). It is unknown what the prevalence of hyperthyroidism is in choriocarcinoma, but it has been shown to greatly increase when serum HCG levels are greater than >50,000 mIU/mL (2). Conclusion: Hyperthyroidism can be difficult to recognize in patients suffering from cancer as many of the typical symptoms can also be seen with active malignancy. Patients with HCG-secreting tumors should be evaluated for hyperthyroidism and may benefit from treatment until the underlying cause can be managed.

Tuberculosis in Intensive Care Unit.

About 3.4% of the hospitalized tubercular patients need admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Patients requiring ICU admission had a poor prognosis and high mortality rate (60 vs 25%) as compared to other causes of severe pneumonia. The most common indication for tuberculosis-related ICU admission is acute respiratory failure due to pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (with or without miliary tuberculosis) followed by septic shock with multiple organ dysfunction, adrenal insufficiency, and neurological involvement, especially tubercular meningitis. Tuberculosis patients who require admission to ICU are mostly immunocompromised [human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection] and have underlying miliary tuberculosis or disseminated tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis presenting as ARDS is a rare phenomenon, but a most common cause of admission of tuberculosis patients to ICU. Tuberculous meningitis is the most severe form of tuberculosis with mortality more than 60% and residual neurological disability in 25% cases. Tuberculosis-related septic shock has been found in only 1% of all septic shock patients admitted to ICU. Patients with tuberculosis with refractory shock should be suspected for adrenal insufficiency. A trial of physiologic stress replacement dose of hydrocortisone (200–300 mg) should be given to all critically ill patients with vasopressor-dependent shock after correcting other causes. Diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in critically ill patients has various challenges, namely appropriate sample collection, issues with the route of administration, drug absorption, bioavailability, dose modification in hepatic and renal dysfunction, and interaction with other drugs.How to cite this article: Chaudhry D, Tyagi D. Tuberculosis in Intensive Care Unit. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(Suppl 2):S150–S154.

Hydroxocobalamin in Refractory Septic Shock: A Retrospective Case Series.

Objectives:Refractory septic shock is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Hydroxocobalamin is used to treat postoperative vasoplegia; however, data supporting its use in the setting of refractory septic shock is limited and restricted to case reports. This study evaluates the effect of hydroxocobalamin on mean arterial pressure and vasopressor requirements in a series of patients with refractory septic shock.Design:Single-center, retrospective analysis.Setting:Urban, tertiary-care ICU.Patients:Adult ICU patients with refractory septic shock treated with hydroxocobalamin between August 2018 and January 2020.Interventions:Hydroxocobalamin 5 g IV infusion.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Twenty-six patients were included for the analysis. Administration of hydroxocobalamin was associated with an increase in mean arterial pressure at 1, 6, and 24 hours postdose (+16.3, +14.3, and +16.3 mm Hg, respectively; p < 0.001). Increase in mean arterial pressure from baseline remained statistically significant when controlling for sex, age, and comorbid conditions. There was no change in the norepinephrine equivalents patients required 1 hour following hydroxocobalamin administration, but a statistically significant decrease in norepinephrine equivalent was observed at 6 and 24 hours postdose (p < 0.001).Conclusions:Hydroxocobalamin provides sustained hemodynamic benefit at 24 hours in patients with refractory septic shock.