Determinants of hospital mortality among patients with sepsis or septic shock receiving appropriate antibiotic treatment

Factor XII Activation Promotes Platelet Consumption in the Presence of Bacterial-Type Long-Chain Polyphosphate In Vitro and In Vivo

Objective- Terminal complications of bacterial sepsis include development of disseminated intravascular consumptive coagulopathy. Bacterial constituents, including long-chain polyphosphates (polyP), have been shown to activate the contact pathway of coagulation in plasma. Recent work shows that activation of the contact pathway in flowing whole blood promotes thrombin generation and platelet activation and consumption distal to thrombus formation ex vivo and in vivo. Here, we sought to determine whether presence of long-chain polyP or bacteria in the bloodstream promotes platelet activation and consumption in a coagulation factor (F)XII-dependent manner. Approach and Results- Long-chain polyP promoted platelet P-selectin expression, microaggregate formation, and platelet consumption in flowing whole blood in a contact activation pathway-dependent manner. Moreover, long-chain polyP promoted local fibrin formation on collagen under shear flow in a FXI-dependent manner. Distal to the site of thrombus formation, platelet consumption was dramatically enhanced in the presence of long-chain polyP in the blood flow in a FXI- and FXII-dependent manner. In a murine model, long-chain polyP promoted platelet deposition and fibrin generation in lungs in a FXII-dependent manner. In a nonhuman primate model of bacterial sepsis, pre-treatment of animals with an antibody blocking FXI activation by FXIIa reduced lethal dose100 Staphylococcus aureus-induced platelet and fibrinogen consumption. Conclusions- This study demonstrates that bacterial-type long-chain polyP promotes platelet activation in a FXII-dependent manner in flowing blood, which may contribute to sepsis-associated thrombotic processes, consumptive coagulopathy, and thrombocytopenia.

Septic shock and the use of norepinephrine in an intermediate care unit: Mortality and adverse events

BACKGROUND

Septic shock is associated with high mortality. Aged and multimorbid patients are not always eligible for intensive care units. Norepinephrine is an accepted treatment for hypotension in septic shock. It is unknown whether norepinephrine has a place in treatment outside an intensive care unit and when given peripherally.

OBJECTIVES

To describe mortality, Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE-II), time to mean arterial pressure >65 mmHg, and adverse events in patients with septic shock receiving norepinephrine peripherally in an intermediate care unit.

METHODS

From a retrospective chart review of 91 patients with septic shock treated with norepinephrine for hypotension, ward mortality, 30-, 60- and 90-day mortality, standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and adverse events (necrosis and arrhythmia) were analysed. Administration route via peripheral venous catheter or central venous catheter was registered.

RESULTS

Median age was 81 (43-96) years and median APACHE-II score was 26 (12-42). Observed ward mortality was 27.5% (SMR 0.443, 95% CI: 0.287-0.654), and 30-day and 90-day mortality were 47.2% and 58.2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly patients with septic shock treated with norepinephrine displayed a better survival in the ward and at 30 days than expected. Our retrospective study did not indicate frequent complications when administering norepinephrine via a peripheral venous catheter.

Serum Calprotectin Expression as a Diagnostic Marker for Sepsis in Postoperative Intensive Care Unit Patients

The research was performed to explore the diagnosis value of dynamic serum calprotectin (SC) expression for sepsis in postoperative intensive care unit patients. One hundred sixty-three patients who met the inclusion criteria served as the study group. All cases in the study group were further divided into the sepsis subgroup (51 cases) and the nonsepsis subgroup (112 cases). Fifty healthy volunteers served as the control group. The levels of SC and other laboratory indexes including complete blood counts, leukocytes, the immature-to-total-neutrophil ratio, procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein, and blood lactate were detected, cytokines [interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and interferon-γ] released by neutrophils were also determined. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score were calculated. The factors related to prognosis were analyzed with multivariate logistic regression analysis. The diagnostic accuracies of ΔSC [the differences of SC levels between postoperative day (POD) 1 and POD 2, 3, 5, 7] and ΔPCT (the differences of PCT levels between POD 1 and POD 2, 3, 5, 7) on sepsis were compared with other markers for sepsis. The levels of SC and cytokines were markedly increased on POD 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 in the study group compared with the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The same results were found in the sepsis subgroup compared with the nonsepsis subgroup (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Significant positive correlations between SC and cytokines were confirmed in patients of the study group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). APACHE II scores and the levels of SC and PCT on POD 1 were the variables significantly associated with sepsis. The diagnostic accuracies of ΔSC_1-3 (sensitivity 87%, specificity 89%) and ΔPCT_1-3 (sensitivity 89%, specificity 90%) for sepsis were greater than other ΔSCs and ΔPCTs. It appears that the dynamic changes in SC are of the predictive values for septic patients after major surgeries.

An elevated percentage of reticulated platelet is associated with increased mortality in septic shock patients

Microcirculatory changes and coagulation disturbances are thought to play a key role in sepsis. Some evidence suggests that the percentage of reticulated platelets (RP%) may be a valuable and cost-effective sepsis screening parameter. This was a prospective study in surgical patients to investigate the potential value of RP% as a predictor of mortality in septic shock patients.This was a prospective study conducted in a surgical critical care center of a Chinese tertiary care hospital. Consecutive septic shock patients were enrolled at admission. Age- and sex-matched non-septic patients were recruited as control patients. RP% was determined by flow cytometry in 68 septic shock patients and 68 controls.Compared with survivors, septic patients who died presented with a significantly higher RP% (P < 0.001). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for the RP% association with mortality was 0.867 (95 % CI 0.780-0.953, P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that mortality risk was significantly different when patients were stratified based on RP% (P < 0.001). This association was preserved in a multi-logistic regression analysis that included clinical confounders (P < 0.014).This prospective study demonstrates that increased RP% identifies septic shock patients who have a high risk of death. RP% has the potential to act as a marker for patient stratification in future clinical trials.

Endothelial barrier dysfunction in septic shock

The endothelium provides an essential and selective membrane barrier that regulates the movement of water, solutes, gases, macromolecules and the cellular elements of the blood from the tissue compartment in health and disease. Its structure and continuous function is essential for life for all vertebrate organisms. Recent evidence indicates that the endothelial surface does not have a passive role in systemic inflammatory states such as septic shock. In fact, endothelial cells are in dynamic equilibrium with a myriad of inflammatory mediators and elements of the innate immune and coagulation systems to orchestrate the host response in sepsis. The barrier function of the endothelial surface is almost uniformly impaired in septic shock, and it is likely that this contributes to adverse outcomes. In this review, we will highlight recent advances in the understanding of the signalling events that regulate endothelial function and molecular events that induce endothelial dysfunction in sepsis. Endothelial barrier repair strategies as a treatment for sepsis include modulation of C5a, high-mobility group box 1 and VEGF receptor 2; stimulation of angiopoietin-1, sphingosine 1 phosphate receptor 1 and Slit; and a number of other innovative approaches.

Fetal optimization during maternal sepsis: relevance and response of the obstetric anesthesiologist

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In many labor and delivery units, the obstetric anesthesiologist is often responsible for managing and stabilizing the acutely septic parturient. The management of maternal sepsis has been summarized previously; this study will focus on the implications of maternal sepsis on the fetus, and ways to optimize fetal outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Although the complex pathophysiology of sepsis is being better understood, the incidence of maternal severe sepsis and deaths continues to increase. The differential sensitivities of systemic and uterine vasculature to catecholamines during pregnancy and the role of fetal inflammatory responses have recently been further elucidated. Additional investigations on methods of fetal monitoring are needed to assist in early identification of the compromised fetus. Despite decades of research, management of a septic parturient and her fetus, including the most appropriate resuscitation fluids, vasopressors and hemodynamic monitoring systems to maximize maternal and fetal outcomes, remain controversial.

SUMMARY

In the setting of maternal sepsis, fetal optimization is frequently best accomplished by meeting maternal hemodynamic, oxygenization, and infection treatment goals. Understanding the circulatory and pathophysiologic changes that occur within the uteroplacental unit and fetus is essential to identifying and resolving potential conflicts between maternal and fetal management goals.

Cohort profile: Greifswald approach to individualized medicine (GANI_MED)

BACKGROUND

Individualized Medicine aims at providing optimal treatment for an individual patient at a given time based on his specific genetic and molecular characteristics. This requires excellent clinical stratification of patients as well as the availability of genomic data and biomarkers as prerequisites for the development of novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies. The University Medicine Greifswald, Germany, has launched the "Greifswald Approach to Individualized Medicine" (GANI_MED) project to address major challenges of Individualized Medicine. Herein, we describe the implementation of the scientific and clinical infrastructure that allows future translation of findings relevant to Individualized Medicine into clinical practice.

METHODS/DESIGN

Clinical patient cohorts (N > 5,000) with an emphasis on metabolic and cardiovascular diseases are being established following a standardized protocol for the assessment of medical history, laboratory biomarkers, and the collection of various biosamples for bio-banking purposes. A multi-omics based biomarker assessment including genome-wide genotyping, transcriptome, metabolome, and proteome analyses complements the multi-level approach of GANI_MED. Comparisons with the general background population as characterized by our Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) are performed. A central data management structure has been implemented to capture and integrate all relevant clinical data for research purposes. Ethical research projects on informed consent procedures, reporting of incidental findings, and economic evaluations were launched in parallel.