Acute kidney injury in critical COVID-19 patients: usefulness of urinary biomarkers and kidney proximal tubulopathy

Tubular injury is the main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Proximal tubular dysfunction (PTD) and changes in urinary biomarkers, such as NGAL, TIMP-2, and IGFBP7 product ([TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7]), could precede AKI. We conducted a prospective cohort study from 2020/03/09 to 2020/05/03, which consecutively included all COVID-19 patients who had at least one urinalysis, to assess the incidence of PTD and AKI, and the effectiveness of PTD, NGAL, and [TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7] in AKI and persistent AKI prediction using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs), Kaplan-Meier methodology (log-rank tests), and Cox models. Among the 60 patients admitted to the ICU with proven COVID-19 (median age: 63-year-old (interquartile range: IQR, 55-74), 45 males (75%), median simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II: 34 (IQR, 22-47) and median BMI: 25.7 kg/m2 (IQR, 23.3-30.8)) analyzed, PTD was diagnosed in 29 patients (48%), AKI in 33 (55%) and persistent AKI in 20 (33%). Urinary NGAL had the highest AUC for AKI prediction: 0.635 (95%CI: 0.491-0.779) and persistent AKI prediction: 0.681 (95%CI: 0.535-0.826), as compared to PTD and [TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7] (AUCs <0.6). AKI was independently associated with higher SAPSII (HR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01-1.06, p = 0.005) and BMI (HR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.00-1.14, p = 0.04) and persistent AKI with higher SAPSII (HR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00-1.06, p = 0.048) and nephrotoxic drug use (HR = 3.88, 95%CI: 1.20-12.5, p = 0.02). In conclusion, in critically ill COVID-19 patients, the incidence of PTD and AKI was relatively high. NGAL was the best urinary biomarker for predicting AKI, but only clinical severity was independently associated with its occurrence.

Severe infections requiring intensive care unit admission in patients receiving ibrutinib for hematological malignancies: a groupe de recherche respiratoire en réanimation onco-hématologique (GRRR-OH) study

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, Ibrutinib has become the standard of care in the treatment of several lymphoproliferative diseases such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and several non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Beyond Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibition, Ibrutinib shows broad immunomodulatory effects that may promote the occurrence of infectious complications, including opportunistic infections. The infectious burden has been shown to vary by disease status, neutropenia, and prior therapy but data focusing on severe infections requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission remain scarce. We sought to investigate features and outcomes of severe infections in a multicenter cohort of 69 patients receiving ibrutinib admitted to 10 French intensive care units (ICU) from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2020.

RESULTS

Median time from ibrutinib initiation was 6.6 [3-18] months. Invasive fungal infections (IFI) accounted for 19% (n = 13/69) of severe infections, including 9 (69%; n = 9/13) invasive aspergillosis, 3 (23%; n = 3/13) Pneumocystis pneumonia, and 1 (8%; n = 1/13) cryptococcosis. Most common organ injury was acute respiratory failure (ARF) (71%; n = 49/69) and 41% (n = 28/69) of patients required mechanical ventilation. Twenty (29%; n = 20/69) patients died in the ICU while day-90 mortality reached 55% (n = 35/64). In comparison with survivors, decedents displayed more severe organ dysfunctions (SOFA 7 [5-11] vs. 4 [3-7], p = 0.004) and were more likely to undergo mechanical ventilation (68% vs. 31%, p = 0.010). Sixty-three ibrutinib-treated patients were matched based on age and underlying malignancy with 63 controls receiving conventional chemotherapy from an historic cohort. Despite a higher median number of prior chemotherapy lines (2 [1-2] vs. 0 [0-2]; p < 0.001) and higher rates of fungal [21% vs. 8%, p = 0.001] and viral [17% vs. 5%, p = 0.027] infections in patients receiving ibrutinib, ICU (27% vs. 38%, p = 0.254) and day-90 mortality (52% vs. 48%, p = 0.785) were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

In ibrutinib-treated patients, severe infections requiring ICU admission were associated with a dismal prognosis, mostly impacted by initial organ failures. Opportunistic agents should be systematically screened by ICU clinicians in this immunocompromised population.

Frontal Intermittent Rhythmic Delta Activity Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool of Neurotoxicity After CAR T-Cell Infusion

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies have dramatically improved the prognosis of patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic malignancies; however, cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) occur in ∼100 and 50% of patients, respectively. This study aimed to determine whether EEG patterns may be considered as diagnostic tools for ICANS.

METHODS

Patients who received CAR T-cell therapy at Montpellier University Hospital between September 2020 and July 2021 were prospectively enrolled. Neurologic signs/symptoms and laboratory parameters were monitored daily for 14 days after CAR T-cell infusion. EEG and brain MRI were performed between day 6 and 8 after CAR T-cell infusion. EEG was performed again on the day of ICANS occurrence, if outside this time window. All collected data were compared between patients with and without ICANS.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight consecutive patients were enrolled (14 women; median age: 65 years, interquartile range: [55-74]). ICANS was observed in 17 of 38 patients (44%) after a median time of 6 days after CAR T-cell infusion (4-8). The median ICANS grade was 2 (1-3). Higher C-reactive protein peak (146 mg/L [86-256], p = 0.004) at day 4 (3-6), lower natremia (131 mmol/L [129-132], p = 0.005) at day 5 (3-6), and frontal intermittent rhythmic delta activity (FIRDA, p < 0.001) on EEG between days 6 and 8 after infusion were correlated with ICANS occurrence. FIRDA was only observed in patients with ICANS (N = 15/17, sensitivity of 88%) and disappeared after ICANS resolution, usually after steroid therapy. Except for hyponatremia, no other toxic/metabolic marker was associated with FIRDA (p = 0.002). The plasma concentration of copeptin, a surrogate marker of antidiuretic hormone secretion, assessed at day 7 after infusion, was significantly higher in patients with (N = 8) than without (N = 6) ICANS (p = 0.043).

DISCUSSION

FIRDA is a reliable diagnostic tool for ICANS, with a sensitivity of 88% and a negative predictive value of 100%. Moreover, as this EEG pattern disappeared concomitantly with ICANS resolution, FIRDA could be used to monitor neurotoxicity. Finally, our study suggests a pathogenic pathway that starts with increased C-reactive protein, followed by hyponatremia and eventually ICANS and FIRDA. More studies are required to confirm our results.

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE

This study provides Class III evidence that FIRDA on spot EEG accurately distinguishes patients with ICANS compared with those without after CAR T-cell therapy for hematologic malignancy.

Factors associated with meropenem pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic target attainment in septic critically ill patients treated with extended intermittent infusion or continuous infusion

The use of extended intermittent infusion (EII) or continuous infusion (CI) of meropenem is recommended in ICU patients, but few data comparing these two options are available. We conducted a retrospective cohort study, between 01/01/2019 and 31/03/2020, in a teaching hospital ICU which aimed to determine the meropenem plasma concentrations achieved with CI and EII. We included septic patients treated with meropenem who had ≥1 meropenem plasma trough (Cmin) or steady-state concentration (Css) measurement, as appropriate. Then, we assessed the factors independently associated with attainment of the target concentration (Cmin or Css ≥10 mg/L) and the toxicity threshold (Cmin or Css ≥50 mg/L) using logistic regression models. Among the 70 patients analysed, the characteristics of those treated with EII (N= 33) and CI (N= 37) were balanced with the exception of eGFR: median 30 mL/min/m2 (interquartile range: 30, 84) versus 79 mL/min/m2 (IQR: 30, 124). Of the patients treated with EII, 21 (64%) achieved the target concentration, whereas 31 (97%) of those treated with CI achieved it (P <0.001). Factors associated with target attainment were: CI (odd ratio= 16.28, 95% confidence interval [2.05-407.5]), daily dose ≥40 mg/kg (OR= 12.23, 95%CI [1.76-197.0], P= 0.03) and eGFR (OR= 0.98, 95%CI [0.97-0.99], P= 0.02). Attainment of toxicity threshold was associated with daily dose >70 mg/kg (OR= 35.5, 95%CI [5.61-410.3], P <0.001). In conclusion, our results suggest the use of meropenem CI, at 40-70 mg/kg/day, particularly in septic ICU patients with normal or augmented renal clearance.

Sodium flux during hemodialysis and hemodiafiltration treatment of acute kidney injury: Effects of dialysate and infusate sodium concentration at 140 and 145 mmol/L

BACKGROUND

A higher sodium (Na) dialysate concentration is recommended during renal replacement therapy (RRT) of acute kidney injury (AKI) to improve intradialytic hemodynamic tolerance, but it may lead to Na loading to the patient. We aimed to evaluate Na flux according to Na dialysate and infusate concentrations at 140 and 145 mmol/L during hemodialysis (HD) and hemodiafiltration (HDF).

METHODS

Fourteen AKI patients that underwent consecutive HD or HDF sessions with Na dialysate/infusate at 140 and 145 mmol/L were included. Per-dialytic flux of Na was estimated using mean sodium logarithmic concentration including diffusive and convective influx. We compared the flux of sodium between HD140 and 145, and between HDF140 and 145.

RESULTS

Nine HD140, ten HDF140, nine HD145, and 11 HDF145 sessions were analyzed. A Na gradient from the dialysate/replacement fluid to the patient was observed with dialysate/infusate Na at 145 mmol/L in both HD and HDF (p = 0.01). The comparison of HD145 to HD140 showed that higher Na dialysate induced a diffusive Na gradient to the patient (163 mmol vs. -25 mmol, p = 0.004) and that of HDF145 to -140 (211 vs. 36 mmol, p = 0.03) as well. Intradialytic hemodynamic tolerance was similar across all RRT sessions.

CONCLUSIONS

During both HD and HDF, a substantial Na loading occurred with a Na dialysate and infusate at 145 mmol/L. This Na loading is smaller in HDF with Na dialysate and infusate concentration at 140 mmol/L and inversed with HD140. Clinical and intradialytic hemodynamic tolerance was fair regardless of Na dialysate and infusate.

Non-C. difficile Clostridioides Bacteremia in Intensive Care Patients, France

Article Summary: This multicenter study focusing on critically ill patients showed a strong relationship between hemolysis and mortality.

Usually responsible for soft tissue infections, Clostridioides species can also cause bacteremia, life-threatening infections often requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study to investigate Clostridioides bacteremia in ICUs to describe the clinical and biologic characteristics and outcomes in critically ill patients. We identified 135 patients with Clostridioides bacteremia, which occurred almost exclusively (96%) in patients with underlying conditions. Septic shock and digestive symptoms were the hallmarks of Clostridioides bacteremia in the ICU. We identified 16 different species of Clostridioides, among which C. perfringens accounted for 31% of cases. Despite the high sensitivity of Clostridioides to common antimicrobial drugs, mortality rates were high: 52% for ICU patients and 71% overall at 3 months. In multivariate analysis, the most important factor associated with increased risk for death was the presence of hemolysis. Clostridioides bacteremia often leads to multiple organ failures, which have high mortality rates.

Emerging Invasive Fungal Infections in Critically Ill Patients: Incidence, Outcomes and Prognosis Factors, a Case-Control Study

Comprehensive data on emerging invasive fungal infections (EIFIs) in the critically ill are scarce. We conducted a case-control study to characterize EIFIs in patients admitted to a French medical ICU teaching hospital from 2006 to 2019. Among 6900 patients, 26 (4 per 1000) had an EIFI: Mucorales accounted for half, and other isolates were mainly Saprochaete, Fusarium and Scedosporium. EIFIs occurred mostly in patients with immunosuppression and severe critical illness. Antifungal treatments (mainly amphotericin B) were administered to almost all patients, whereas only 19% had surgery. In-ICU, mortality was high (77%) and associated with previous conditions such as hematological malignancy or cancer, malnutrition, chronic kidney disease and occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome and/or hepatic dysfunction. Day-90 survival rates, calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method, were similar between patients with EIFIs and a control group of patients with aspergillosis: 20%, 95% CI (9- 45) versus 18%, 95% CI (8- 45) (log-rank: p > 0.99). ICU management of such patients should be assessed on the basis of underlying conditions, reversibility and acute event severity rather than the mold species.

Description of neurotoxicity in a series of patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor-modified T (CAR T) cell therapy is a highly promising treatment for haematological malignancies but is frequently associated with cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity. Between July 2018 and July 2019, all patients treated with CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy for relapsing lymphoma were followed-up longitudinally to describe neurological symptoms and their evolution over time. Four different French centres participated and 84 patients (median age 59 years, 31% females) were included. Neurotoxicity, defined as the presence of at least one neurological symptom appearing after treatment infusion, was reported in 43% of the patients. The median time to onset was 7 days after infusion with a median duration of 6 days. More than half of the patients (64%) had grade 1–2 severity and 34% had grade 3–4. CRS was observed in 80% of all patients. The most frequent neurological symptoms were cognitive signs, being severe in 36%, and were equally distributed between language disorders and cognitive disorders without language impairment. Non-pyramidal motor disorders, severe in 11%, were reported in 42% of the patients. Elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) within 4 days after treatment was significantly correlated with the occurrence of grade 3–4 neurotoxicity. Although sometimes severe, neurotoxicity was almost always reversible. The efficacy of steroids and antiepileptic drugs remains unproven in the management of neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicity associated with CAR T-cell therapies occurs in more than 40% of patients. The clinical pattern is heterogeneous but cognitive disorders (not limited to language disorders) and, to a minor degree, non-pyramidal motor disorders, appeared as a signature of severe neurotoxicity.

Short- and Long-Term Outcome of Chronic Dialyzed Patients Admitted to the ICU and Assessment of Prognosis Factors: Results of a 6-Year Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Data about end-stage kidney disease patients admitted to the ICU are scarce, dated, and mostly limited to short-term survival. The aim of this study was to assess the short- and long-term outcome and to determine the prognostic factors for end-stage kidney disease patients admitted to the ICU.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

Medical ICUs in two university hospitals.

PATIENTS

Consecutive end-stage kidney disease patients admitted in two ICUs between 2012 and 2017.

INTERVENTION

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Renal replacement therapy variables, demographic, clinical, and biological data were collected. The requirement of mechanical ventilation and vasopressive drugs were also collected. In-ICU and one-year mortality were estimated and all data were analyzed in order to identify predictive factors of short and long-term mortality. A total of 140 patients were included, representing 1.7% of total admissions over the study period. Septic shock was the main reason for admission mostly of pulmonary origin. Median Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score were at 63 and 6.7, respectively. In-ICU, hospital, and 1-year mortality were 41.4%, 46.4%, and 63%, respectively. ICU mortality was significantly higher as compared with ICU control group non-end-stage kidney disease (25% vs 41.4%; p = 0.005). By multivariate analysis, the short-term outcome was significantly associated with nonrenal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, and with the requirement of mechanical ventilation or/and vasoconstrictive agents during ICU stay. One-year mortality was associated with increased dialysis duration (> 3 yr) and phosphatemia (> 2.5 mmol/L), with lower albuminemia (< 30 g/L) and nonrenal Sequential Organ Failure Assessment greater than 8.

CONCLUSIONS

End-stage kidney disease patients presented frequently severe complications requiring critical care that induced significant short- and long-term mortality. ICU and hospital mortality depended mainly on the severity of the critical event reflected by Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score and the need of mechanical ventilation and/or catecholamines. One-year mortality was associated with both albuminemia and phosphatemia and with prior duration of chronic dialysis treatment, and with organ failure at ICU admission.

One-Year Outcome of Critically Ill Patients With Systemic Rheumatic Disease: A Multicenter Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Critically ill patients with systemic rheumatic disease (SRD) have benefited from better provision of rheumatic and critical care in recent years. Recent comprehensive data regarding in-hospital mortality rates and, most importantly, long-term outcomes are scarce.

RESEARCH QUESTION

The aim of this study was to assess short and long-term outcome of patients with SRD who were admitted to the ICU.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

All records of patients with SRD who were admitted to ICU between 2006 and 2016 were reviewed. In-hospital and one-year mortality rates were assessed, and predictive factors of death were identified.

RESULTS

A total of 525 patients with SRD were included. Causes of admission were most frequently shock (40.8%) and acute respiratory failure (31.8%). Main diagnoses were infection (39%) and SRD flare-up (35%). In-hospital and one-year mortality rates were 30.5% and 37.7%, respectively. Predictive factors that were associated with in-hospital and one-year mortalities were, respectively, age, prior corticosteroid therapy, simplified acute physiology score II ≥50, need for invasive mechanical ventilation, or need for renal replacement therapy. Knaus scale C or D and prior conventional disease modifying antirheumatic drug therapy was associated independently with death one-year after ICU admission.

INTERPRETATION

Critically ill patients with SRD had a fair outcome after an ICU stay. Increased age, prior corticosteroid therapy, and severity of critical illness were associated significantly with short- and long-term mortality rates. The one-year mortality rate was also associated with prior health status and conventional disease modifying antirheumatic drug therapy.

Reversibility of Acute Kidney Injury in Medical ICU Patients: Predictability Performance of Urinary Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 x Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein 7 and Renal Resistive Index

OBJECTIVES

Urinary biomarkers and renal Doppler sonography remain considered as promising tools to distinguish transient from persistent acute kidney injury. The performance of the urinary biomarker, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 and of renal resistive index to predict persistent acute kidney injury showed contradictory results. Our aim was to evaluate the performance of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 and renal resistive index in predicting reversibility of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

Twenty-bed medical ICU in an university hospital.

PATIENTS

Consecutive patients with acute kidney injury.

INTERVENTION

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Renal resistive index was measured within 12 hours after admission, and urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was measured at H0, H6, H12, and H24. Renal dysfunction reversibility was evaluated at day 3. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to evaluate diagnostic performance of renal resistive index and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 to predict a persistent acute kidney injury. Overall, 100 patients were included in whom 50 with persistent acute kidney injury. Renal resistive index was higher in persistent acute kidney injury group. Urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was not significantly different at each time between both groups. The performance of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was poor with respectively an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.57 (95% CI, 0.45-0.68), 0.58 (95% CI, 0.47-0.69), 0.61 (95% CI, 0.50-0.72), and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.46-0.68) at H0, H6, H12, and H24. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for renal resistive index was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.98). A renal resistive index greater than or equal to 0.685 predicting persistent acute kidney injury with 78% (95% CI, 64-88%) sensitivity and 90% (95% CI, 78-97%) specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal resistive index had a good performance for predicting the reversibility of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients. Urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was unable to differentiate transient from persistent acute kidney injury.

Prise en charge du transplanté rénal en réanimation

La transplantation rénale est la thérapeutique de choix de l’insuffisance rénale chronique au stade ultime, son usage est de plus en plus large. Les progrès réalisés dans les traitements immunosuppresseurs ont permis une amélioration de la durée de vie du greffon, mais au prix d’une augmentation des complications cardiovasculaires et infectieuses. Environ 5 % des transplantés rénaux présentent des complications sévères qui nécessitent une prise en charge intensive. Elles sont principalement de cause infectieuse et dominées par la défaillance respiratoire aiguë. L’insuffisance rénale aiguë est commune, elle affecte la fonction du greffon à court et long termes. La prise en charge en réanimation de ces complications doit prendre en compte le terrain particulier du transplanté rénal et les effets délétères de l’immunosuppression, condition nécessaire à une amélioration de la mortalité qui reste à plus de 30 %.

Continuous Veno-Venous High Cut-Off Hemodialysis Compared to Continuous Veno-Venous Hemodiafiltration in Intensive Care Unit Acute Kidney Injury Patients

AIMS

High cut-off (HCO) continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (CVVHD) was compared to high-flux membrane (HFM) continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) in intensive care unit (ICU) acute kidney injury (AKI) in terms of efficiency, hemodynamic tolerance, medium-sized molecules removal, albumin loss, and inflammatory system activation.

METHODS

In a prospective cross-over randomized study, 10 AKI patients underwent successively HCO (Ultraflux EmiC2: β2-microglobulin [β2M] sieving coefficient [SC]: 0.9) CVVHD and HFM (Ultraflux AV1000S: β2M SC: 0.65) -CVVHDF.

RESULTS

Over the 20 sessions, hypotensive and febrile episodes, reduction rates of urea, creatinine, and β2M were similar in both modalities. Though dialysis dose was higher with CVVHDF (36 ± 4 vs. 21 ± 6 mL/Kg/h), urea, creatinine, and β2M instantaneous and plasmatic clearances did not differ except for urea at 12 h. Protein loss, superoxide anion production, cytokines, and growth factors variations were also comparable.

CONCLUSION

HCO CVVHD is well tolerated and is as effective as HFM CVVHDF in clearance of solutes and removal of β2M. It induces neither protein loss nor overproduction of superoxide anion. Video Journal Club "Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco" at http://www.karger.com/?doi=489082.

Protective effect of early low-dose hydrocortisone on ventilator-associated pneumonia in the cancer patients: a propensity score analysis

Background

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a care-related event that could be promoted by immune suppression caused by critical diseases, malignancies and cancer treatments. Low dose of hydrocortisone was proposed for modulation of immune response in the critically ill population.

Methods

In this monocentric observational study, all cancer patients mechanically ventilated for more than 48 h were included. Effect of low-dose hydrocortisone administered during the first 48 h of mechanical ventilation was evaluated applying inverse probability weighting analysis after propensity score assessment. VAP impact on 1-year mortality, ICU length of stay and mechanical ventilation duration was secondarily determined.

Results

Within this cohort, 190 cancer patients were followed. VAP was confirmed in 22.1% of cases in the early hydrocortisone group and confirmed in 42.6% of cases in the no or late hydrocortisone group. Early hydrocortisone exhibited a protective effect on the risk of VAP (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.12–0.44; P < 0.0001). VAP was associated with 1-year mortality (HR 1.60; 95% CI 1.10–2.34; P = 0.017) and increased ICU length of stay (mean extra length of stay: 4.2 days; 95% CI 0.6–7.8).

Conclusions

Immune modulation with low-dose hydrocortisone administered in the first days of mechanical ventilation could protect from VAP occurrence in cancer patients.

Urinary Biomarkers IGFBP7 and TIMP-2 for the Diagnostic Assessment of Transient and Persistent Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Patients

OBJECTIVE

The capability of urinary TIMP-2 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase) and IGFBP7 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein)-NephroCheck Test (NC) = ([TIMP-2] x [IGFBP7]) / 1000)-to predict renal recovery from acute kidney injury (AKI) has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of measurements of ([TIMP-2] x [IGFBP7]) / 1000) over 24 hours to differentiate transient from persistent AKI.

METHODS

Of 460 consecutive adult patients admitted to the ICU, 101 were prospectively studied: 56 men, 62 (52-71) years old. A fresh urine sample was collected at H0, H4, H12 and H24 to determine ([TIMP-2] x [IGFBP7]) / 1000) levels. Areas under the curves of Delta NC H4-Ho and H12-H4 and serum creatinine (sCr) for detection of AKI recovery were compared.

RESULTS

Forty-one (40.6%) patient were diagnosed with AKI: 27 transient and 14 persistent AKI. At admission (H0), AKI patients had a significantly higher NC score than patients without AKI (0.43 [0.07-2.06] vs 0.15 [0.07-0.35], p = 0.027). In AKI groups, transient AKI have a higher NC, at H0 and H4, than persistent AKI (0.87 [0.09-2.82] vs 0.13 [0.05-0.66] p = 0.035 and 0.13 [0.07-0.61] vs 0.05 [0.02-0.13] p = 0.013). Thereafter, NC level decreased in both AKI groups with a Delta NC score H4-H0 and H12-H4 significantly more important in transient AKI. Roc curves showed however that delta NC scores did not discriminate between transient and persistent AKI.

CONCLUSION

In our population, absolute urinary levels of NC score were higher at early hours after ICU admission (H0 and H4) in transient AKI as compared to persistent AKI patients. NC variations (Delta NC scores) over the first 12 hours may indicate the AKI's evolving nature with a more significant decrease in case of transient AKI but were not able to differentiate transient from persistent AKI.

Mortality Associated with Night and Weekend Admissions to ICU with On-Site Intensivist Coverage: Results of a Nine-Year Cohort Study (2006-2014)

Background

The association between mortality and time of admission to ICU has been extensively studied but remains controversial. We revaluate the impact of time of admission on ICU mortality by retrospectively investigating a recent (2006–2014) and large ICU cohort with on-site intensivist coverage.

Patients and Methods

All adults (≥ 18 years) admitted to a tertiary care medical ICU were included in the study. Patients' characteristics, medical management, and mortality were prospectively collected. Patients were classified according to their admission time: week working days on- and off-hours, and weekends. ICU mortality was the primary outcome and adjusted Hazard-ratios (HR) of death were analysed by multivariate Cox model.

Results

2,428 patients were included: age 62±18 years; male: 1,515 (62%); and median SAPSII score: 38 (27–52). Overall ICU mortality rate was 13.7%. Admissions to ICU occurred during open-hours in 680 cases (28%), during night-time working days in 1,099 cases (45%) and during weekends in 649 cases (27%). Baseline characteristics of patients were similar between groups except that patients admitted during the second part of night (00:00 to 07:59) have a significantly higher SAPS II score than others. ICU mortality was comparable between patients admitted during different time periods but was significantly higher for those admitted during the second part of the night. Multivariate analysis showed however that admission during weeknights and weekends was not associated with an increased ICU mortality as compared with open-hours admissions.

Conclusion

Time of admission, especially weeknight and weekend (off-hour admissions), did not influence the prognosis of ICU patients. The higher illness severity of patients admitted during the second part of the night (00:00–07:59) may explain the observed increased mortality.

Daily urinary creatinine predicts the weaning of renal replacement therapy in ICU acute kidney injury patients

Background

In acute kidney injury (AKI), useless continuation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) may delay renal recovery and impair patient’s outcome. In this study, we aimed to identify predictive parameters that may help to a successful RRT weaning for AKI patients.

Methods

We studied 54 surviving AKI patients in which a weaning of RRT was attempted. On the day of weaning (D₀) and the following 2 days (D₁ and D₂), SAPS II and SOFA scores, 24-h diuresis, 24-h urinary creatinine and urea (UCr and UUr), creatinine and urea generation rates (CrGR and UrGR) and clearances (CrCl and UrCl) were collected. Patients who remained free of RRT 15 days after its discontinuation were considered as successfully weaned.

Results

Twenty-six RRT weaning attempts succeeded (S₊) and 28 failed (S₋). Age, previous renal function, SAPS II and SOFA scores were comparable between groups. At D₀, 24-h diuresis was 2300 versus 1950 ml in S₊ and S_−, respectively, p = 0.05. At D₀, D₁ and D₂, 24-h UUr and UCr levels, UrCl and CrCl, and UUr/UrGR and UCr/CrGR ratios were significantly higher in S₊ group. By multivariate analysis, D₁ 24-h UCr was the most powerful parameter that was associated with RRT weaning success with an area under the ROC curve of 0.86 [0.75–0.97] and an odds ratio of 2.01 [1.27–3.18], p = 0.003.

Conclusions

In ICU AKI, 24-h UCr appeared as an efficient and independent marker of a successful weaning of RRT. A 24-h UCr ≥5.2 mmol was associated with a successful weaning in 84 % of patients.

Severity of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in haematology patients: long-term impact and early predictive factors

Severe forms of acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with haematological diseases expose clinicians to specific medical and ethical considerations. We prospectively followed 143 patients with haematological malignancies, and whose lungs were mechanically ventilated for more than 24 h, over a 5-y period. We sought to identify prognostic factors of long-term outcome, and in particular to evaluate the impact of the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome in these patients. A secondary objective was to identify the early (first 48 h from ICU admission) predictive factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome severity. An evolutive haematological disease (HR 1.71; 95% CI 1.13-2.58), moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (HR 1.81; 95% CI 1.13-2.69) and need for renal replacement therapy (HR 2.24; 95% CI 1.52-3.31) were associated with long-term mortality. Resolution of neutropaenia during ICU stay (HR 0.63; 95% CI 0.42-0.94) and early microbiological documentation (HR 0.62; 95% CI 0.42-0.91) were associated with survival. The extent of pulmonary infiltration observed on the first chest X-ray and the diagnosis of invasive fungal infection were the most relevant early predictive factors of the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome.