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Background: Serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a well-known biomarker of acute kidney injury. Serum NGAL was recently proposed as a potential predictor of mortality in post cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS) patients following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the potential predictive value of NGAL for neurological outcomes is unknown. Therefore, we assessed the potential predictive value of NGAL for neurological outcomes after OHCA. We also compared its predictive value with that of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) as an established biomarker.Methods: Blood samples were prospectively collected from 43 PCAS patients following OHCA. Serum NGAL was measured on days 1 and 2, and NSE was measured on day 2. These biomarkers were compared between patients with favourable (cerebral performance category [CPC] 1-2) and unfavourable (CPC 3-5) outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed.Results: Serum NGAL and NSE on day 2 (both P < 0.001), but not NGAL on day 1 (P = 0.609), were significantly different between the favourable and unfavourable groups. In ROC curve analysis, the sensitivity and specificity were 83% and 85%, respectively, for NGAL (day 2) at a cutoff value of 204 ng/mL and were 84% and 100% for NSE (day 2) at a cutoff value of 28.8 ng/mL. The area under the ROC curve of NGAL (day 2) was equivalent to that of NSE (day 2) (0.830 vs. 0.918). Additionally, the area under the ROC curve in subgroup of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) > 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 38, 0.978 vs. 0.923) showed the potential of NGAL predictability.Conclusions: Serum NGAL might predict the neurological outcomes of PCAS patients, and its predictive value was equivalent to that of NSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a well-known biomarker of acute kidney injury. Serum NGAL was recently proposed as a potential predictor of mortality in post cardiac arrest syndrome (PCAS) patients following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, the potential predictive value of NGAL for neurological outcomes is unknown. Therefore, we assessed the potential predictive value of NGAL for neurological outcomes after OHCA. We also compared its predictive value with that of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) as an established biomarker., Methods: Blood samples were prospectively collected from 43 PCAS patients following OHCA. Serum NGAL was measured on days 1 and 2, and NSE was measured on day 2. These biomarkers were compared between patients with favourable (cerebral performance category [CPC] 1-2) and unfavourable (CPC 3-5) outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed., Results: Serum NGAL and NSE on day 2 (both P < 0.001), but not NGAL on day 1 (P = 0.609), were significantly different between the favourable and unfavourable groups. In ROC curve analysis, the sensitivity and specificity were 83% and 85%, respectively, for NGAL (day 2) at a cutoff value of 204 ng/mL and were 84% and 100% for NSE (day 2) at a cutoff value of 28.8 ng/mL. The area under the ROC curve of NGAL (day 2) was equivalent to that of NSE (day 2) (0.830 vs. 0.918). Additionally, the area under the ROC curve in subgroup of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) > 20 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (n = 38, 0.978 vs. 0.923) showed the potential of NGAL predictability., Conclusions: Serum NGAL might predict the neurological outcomes of PCAS patients, and its predictive value was equivalent to that of NSE.

Background: Late defecation was recently reported to be associated with worse clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. However, more research is needed to examine the causes and clinical significance of late defecation. The objectives of this study were to investigate the risk factors for late defecation and its association with the outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients., Methods: Patients in an ICU for ≥7 days between January and December 2011 were retrospectively assessed. Based on the time between admission and the first defecation, they were assigned to early (<6 days; n = 186) or late (≥6 days; n = 96) defecation groups. Changes in clinical variables between admission and ICU day 7 were assessed to investigate the effects of late defecation. The clinical outcomes were ICU mortality, length of ICU stay, and length of mechanical ventilation., Results: Late enteral nutrition (odds ratio (OR) 3.42; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.88-6.22; P < 0.001), sedatives (OR 3.07; 95 % CI 1.71-5.52; P < 0.001), and surgery (OR 1.86; 95 % CI 1.01-3.42; P = 0.047) were the independent risk factors for late defecation. The median (interquartile) changes in body temperature (0.3 [-0.4 to 1.0] vs 0.7 [0.1 to 1.5] °C; P = 0.004), serum C-reactive protein concentration (1.6 [-0.5 to 6.6] vs 3.5 [0.7 to 8.5] mg/dL; P = 0.035), and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (-1 [-2 to 1] vs 0 [-1 to 2]; P = 0.008) between admission and ICU day 7 were significantly greater in the late defecation group than in the early defecation group. ICU stay was significantly longer in the late defecation group (12 [9 to 19] vs 16 [10 to 23] days; P = 0.021), whereas ICU mortality and the length of mechanical ventilation were similar in both groups., Conclusions: Late enteral nutrition, sedatives, and surgery were independent the risk factors for late defecation in critically ill patients. Late defecation was associated with prolonged ICU stay.

Background: The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis modulates the inflammatory response during sepsis. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), which counteracts the anti-inflammatory activity of glucocorticoid (GC), is one of the mediators of the development of inflammation. An inflammatory imbalance involving GC and MIF might be the cause or result of adrenal insufficiency. Our objective was to clarify the relationship between serum MIF and adrenal function in the HPA axis of sepsis patients using the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test., Methods: An observational study was performed in a university intensive care unit over a two-year period. Of 64 consecutive sepsis patients, 41 were enrolled. The enrolled patients underwent an ACTH stimulation test within 24 h of the diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock. Clinical and laboratory parameters, including serum MIF and cortisol, were measured., Results: Based on their responses to the ACTH stimulation test, the patients were divided into a normal adrenal response (NAR) group (n = 22) and an adrenal insufficiency (AI) group (n = 19). The AI group had significantly more septic shock patients and higher prothrombin time ratios, serum MIF, and baseline cortisol than did the NAR group (P < 0.05). Serum MIF correlated significantly with the SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) score, prothrombin time ratio, and delta max cortisol, which is maximum increment of serum cortisol concentration after ACTH stimulation test (rs = 0.414, 0.355, and -0.49, respectively, P < 0.05). Serum MIF also correlated significantly with the delta max cortisol/albumin ratio (rs = -0.501, P = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified the threshold serum MIF concentration (19.5 ng/mL, P = 0.01) that segregated patients into the NAR and AI groups., Conclusions: The inverse correlation between serum MIF and delta max cortisol or the delta max cortisol/albumin ratio suggests that high serum MIF reflects an insufficient adrenal response in the HPA axis. Serum MIF could be a valuable clinical marker of adrenal insufficiency in sepsis patients.