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Abstract Purpose This study aimed to investigate the impact of body composition variables on hospital mortality compared to other predictive factors among patients with severe pneumonia. Additionally, we aimed to monitor the dynamic changes in body composition variables over the course on days 1, 3, and 8 after intensive care unit (ICU) admission for each patient. Methods We conducted a prospective study, enrolling patients with severe pneumonia admitted to the medical intensive care unit at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from February 2020 to April 2022. We collected clinical data from all patients and assessed their body composition at 1, 3, and 8 days post-ICU admission. On day 1, we analyzed clinical and body composition variables to predict in-hospital mortality. Results Multivariate analysis identified the Modified Nutrition Risk in the Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score and the ratio of total body water to fat-free mass (TBW/FFM) as independent factors associated with in-hospital mortality in severe pneumonia patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined that the TBW/FFM ratio was the most reliable predictive parameter of in-hospital mortality, with a cutoff value of 0.74. General linear regression with repeated measures analysis showed that hospital non-survivors displayed notable fluctuations in body water, fat, and muscle variables over the course of days 1, 3, and 8 after ICU admission. Conclusions The mNUTRIC score and TBW/FFM ratio emerged as independent factors for predicting hospital mortality, with the TBW/FFM ratio demonstrating the highest reliability as a predictive parameter.

Background: Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) often worsens with the deterioration of a patient's condition. Therefore, we hypothesized that monitoring AKI dynamically from day 1 to day 3 was potential to predict hospital mortality. Specifically, we explored whether monitoring AKI dynamically in the intensive care unit (ICU) could be a sepsis phenotype predictive of mortality. A new classification was established based on the change in the AKI stage from admission day 1 and day 3. We compared the hospital mortality, cytokines, and immune response pattern between each group. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 523 patients with sepsis, and we calculated the AKI stages on day 1 and day 3 admission to ICUs.Among these 523 people, 388 of them were assigned to normal, improved, and deteriorated groups according to the changes in the AKI stages. 263 of which did not develop AKI on day 1 and day 3 (normal group). The AKI stage improved in 68 patients (improved group) and worsened in 57 (deteriorated group). We compared the mortality rates between the groups, and identified the relationship between the dynamic AKI status, immune response patterns, and cytokine levels. Results: The hospital mortality rate in the deteriorated group was higher than that in the non-deteriorated group (combination of normal and improved group) (p = 0.004). Additionally, according to the Kaplan–Meier analysis, the non-deteriorated group had a distinct hospital survival curve (p = 0.004). Furthermore, both the overexpression of tumor necrosis factor-α and decreased monocyte expression of human leukocyte antigen-DR were present in the deteriorated group. Conclusions: The deteriorated group was associated with a higher hospital mortality rate, potentially resulting from an abnormal inflammatory response. Worsening AKI in the first 3 days of ICU admission may be a sepsis phenotype predictive of hospital mortality.

Sepsis remains a critical concern in healthcare, and its management is complicated when patients have pre-existing diabetes and varying body mass indexes (BMIs). This retrospective multicenter observational study, encompassing data from 15,884 sepsis patients admitted between 2012 and 2017, investigates the relationship between peak glucose levels and peak glycemic gap in the first 3 days of ICU admission, and their impact on mortality. The study reveals that maintaining peak glucose levels between 141–220 mg/dL is associated with improved survival rates in sepsis patients with diabetes. Conversely, peak glycemic gaps exceeding 146 mg/dL are linked to poorer survival outcomes. Patients with peak glycemic gaps below −73 mg/dL also experience inferior survival rates. In terms of predicting mortality, modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment–Peak Glycemic Gap (mSOFA-pgg) scores outperform traditional SOFA scores by 6.8% for 90-day mortality in overweight patients. Similarly, the modified SOFA-Peak Glucose (mSOFA-pg) score demonstrates a 17.2% improvement over the SOFA score for predicting 28-day mortality in underweight patients. Importantly, both mSOFA-pg and mSOFA-pgg scores exhibit superior predictive power compared to traditional SOFA scores for patients at high nutritional risk. These findings underscore the importance of glycemic control in sepsis management and highlight the potential utility of the mSOFA-pg and mSOFA-pgg scores in predicting mortality risk, especially in patients with diabetes and varying nutritional statuses.

The study aimed to determine whether using body composition data acquired through bio-electrical impedance analysis (BIA) to adjust diet formulas could improve outcomes in septic patients. There were 132 septic patients in medical intensive care units enrolled in the prospective, randomized, double-blind, interventional study. For the intervention group, dietitians had access to BIA data for adjusting diet formulas according to body composition variables on days 1, 3, and 8. The patients were also stratified based on nutritional risk using the modified Nutrition Risk in Critically ill (mNUTRIC) score. Patients with intervention were more likely to achieve caloric and protein intake goals compared to the control group, especially in the low-risk group. The intervention did not significantly affect mortality, but the survival curves suggested potential benefits. The high-risk group had longer ICU stays and mechanical ventilation duration, which were mitigated by the intervention. Certain body composition variables (e.g., extracellular water to total body water ratio and phase angle) showed differences between high-risk and low-risk groups and may be related to patient outcomes. Non-invasive body composition assessment using BIA can help dietitians adjust diet formulas for critically ill septic patients. Body composition variables may be associated with sepsis outcomes, but further research with larger patient numbers is needed to confirm these findings.

Both hypernatremia and an abnormal immune response may increase hospital mortality in patients with sepsis. This study examined the association of hypernatremia with abnormal immune response and mortality in 520 adult patients with sepsis in an intensive care unit (ICU). We compared the mortality and ex vivo lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response differences among patients with hyponatremia, eunatremia, and hypernatremia, as well as between patients with acquired hypernatremia on ICU day 3 and those with sustained eunatremia over first three ICU days. Compared with eunatremia or hyponatremia, hypernatremia led to higher 7 day, 14 day, 28 day, and hospital mortality rates (p = 0.030, 0.009, 0.010, and 0.033, respectively). Compared with sustained eunatremia, acquired hypernatremia led to higher 7, 14, and 28 day mortality rates (p = 0.019, 0.042, and 0.028, respectively). The acquired hypernatremia group nonsignificantly trended toward increased hospital mortality (p = 0.056). Day 1 granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α levels were relatively low in patients with hypernatremia (p = 0.020 and 0.010, respectively) but relatively high in patients with acquired hypernatremia (p = 0.049 and 0.009, respectively). Thus, in ICU-admitted septic patients, hypernatremia on admission and in ICU-acquired hypernatremia were both associated with higher mortality. The higher mortality in patients with hypernatremia on admission was possibly related to the downregulation of G-CSF and TNF-α secretion after endotoxin stimulation. Compared to sustained eunatremia, acquired hypernatremia showed immunoparalysis at first and then hyperinflammation on day 3.

Background: Amphiphilic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PNiPAAm-b-PCL) copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization to form thermosensitive micelles as nanocarriers for bioimaging and carboplatin delivery. Results: The critical micelle concentration increased from 1.8 to 3.5 mg/l following the decrease of the PNiPAAm chain length. The copolymers revealed a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) between 33 and 40°C. The copolymers self-assembled to form spherical particles of 146-199 nm in diameter. Carboplatin in micelles exhibited a slower release at 37°C relative to that at 25°C due to the gel layer formation on the micellar shell above the LCST. The micelles containing dye or carboplatin were intravenously injected into the rats for in vivo bioimaging and drug biodistribution. The bioimaging proiles showed a signiicant accumulation of micelles in the lungs. The micelles could minimize the reticuloendothelial system (RES) recognition of the dye. In vivo biodistribution demonstrated an improved pulmonary accumulation of carboplatin from 2.5 to 3.4 μg/mg by the micelles as compared to the control solution. Carboplatin accumulation in the heart and kidneys was reduced after encapsulation by the micelles. Conclusion: This study supports the potential of PNiPAAm-b-PCL micelles to passively target the lungs and attenuate RES uptake and possible side efects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of diabetes and glucose on the outcomes of patients with sepsis are somewhat conflicting. This retrospective study enrolled 1214 consecutive patients with sepsis, including a subpopulation of 148 patients with immune profiles. The septic patients were stratified according to their Diabetes mellitus (DM) status or peak glucose level (three-group tool; P1: ≤140 mg/dL, P2: 141–220 mg/dL, P3: >220 mg/dL) on day 1. Although the DM group had a lower hazard ratio (HR) for 90-day mortality compared to non-DM patients, the adjusted HRs were insignificant. The modified sequential organ failure assessment-glucose (mSOFA-g) score can predict 90-day survival in patients with and without diabetes (β = 1.098, p < 0.001; β = 1.202, p < 0.001). The goodness of fit of the mSOFA-g score was 5% higher than the SOFA score of the subgroup without diabetes. The SOFA score and human leukocyte antigen-D-related (HLA-DR) expression were comparable between the groups. The P3 group had lower HLA-DR expression on days 1 and 3 and a higher 90-day mortality. The three-group tool was useful for predicting 90-day mortality in patients with separate Kaplan-Meier survival curves and mortality HRs in the construction and validation cohorts. The peak glucose level, instead of diabetes status, can be used as an easy adjunctive tool for mortality risk stratification in critically ill septic patients.

Nutritional status affects the survival of patients with sepsis. This retrospective study analyzed the impact of body mass index (BMI) and modified nutrition risk in critically ill (mNUTRIC) scores on survival of these patients. Data of 1291 patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were extracted. The outcomes were mortality, duration of stay, ICU stay, and survival curve for 90-day mortality. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the risk factors for mortality. Cytokine and biomarker levels were analyzed in 165 patients. The 90-day survival of underweight patients with low mNUTRIC scores was significantly better than that of normal-weight patients with low mNUTRIC scores (70.8% vs. 58.3%, respectively; p = 0.048). Regression model analysis revealed that underweight patients with low mNUTRIC scores had a lower risk of mortality (odds ratio = 0.557; p = 0.082). Moreover, normal-weight patients with low mNUTRIC scores had the lowest human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) level on days 1 (underweight vs. normal weight vs. overweight: 94.3 vs. 82.1 vs. 94.3, respectively; p = 0.007) and 3 (91.8 vs. 91.0 vs. 93.2, respectively; p = 0.047). Thus, being underweight may not always be harmful if patients have optimal clinical nutritional status. Additionally, HLA-DR levels were the lowest in patients with low survival.

Background: This study aimed to identify metabolic parameters at different time points of ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) and investigate their association with response to KDT in pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Methods: Prospectively, twenty-nine patients (0.67~20 years old) with DRE received classic ketogenic diet with non-fasting, gradual KD initiation protocol (GRAD-KD) for 1 year were enrolled. A total of 22 patients remaining in study received blood examinations at baseline, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months of KDT. β-hydroxybutyrate, free carnitine, acylcarnitines, and amino acids were compared between responders (seizure reduction rate ≥ 50%) and non-responders (seizure reduction rate < 50%) to identify the effectiveness of KDT. Results: The 12-month retention rate was 76%. The responders after 12 months of KDT were 59% (13/22). The free carnitine level decreased significantly at 9th months (p < 0.001) but increased toward baseline without symptoms. Propionyl carnitine (C3), Isovaleryl carnitine (C5), 3-Hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine (C5:OH) and methylmalonyl carnitine (C4-DC) decreased but 3-hydroxybutyrylcarnitine (C4:OH) increased significantly at 12th months of KDT. The glycine level was persistently higher than baseline after KDT. KDT responders had lower baseline C3 and long-chain acylcarnitines, C14 and C18, as well as lower C5, C18, and leucine/isoleucine. Conclusions: KDT should be avoided in patients with non-ketotic hyperglycemia. Routine carnitine supplementation is not recommended because hypocarnitinemia was transient and asymptomatic during KDT. Better mitochondrial βoxidation function associates with greater KDT response.

Immune dysfunction is seen both in sepsis patients and in those with malnutrition. This study aimed to determine whether insufficient nutrition and immune dysfunction have a synergistic effect on mortality in critically ill septic patients. We conducted a prospective observational study from adult sepsis patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) between August 2013 and June 2016. Baseline characteristics including age, gender, body mass index, NUTRIC, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were recorded. Immune dysfunction, defined by human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) expression, was tested at days 1, 3, and 7 of ICU admission. The study included 151 patients with sepsis who were admitted to the ICU. The 28-day survivors had higher day 7 caloric intakes (89% vs. 73%, p = 0.042) and higher day 1-HLA-DR expression (88.4 vs. 79.1, p = 0.045). The cut-off points of day 7 caloric intake and day 1-HLA-DR determined by operating characteristic curves were 65.1% and 87.2%, respectively. Immune dysfunction was defined as patients with day 1-HLA-DR < 87.2%. Insufficient nutrition had no influence on survival outcomes in patients with immune dysfunction. However, patients with insufficient nutrition had poor prognosis when they were immune competent. Insufficient nutrition and immune dysfunction did not have a synergistic effect on mortality in critically ill septic patients.