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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, acute gastrointestinal injury grade, and gastrointestinal complications after fenestrated or branched endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. METHODS: A total of 17 patients undergoing endovascular aortic repair for thoracoabdominal, juxtarenal, suprarenal or pararenal aneurysm between May 2017 and September 2018 were enrolled. Blood samples were collected preoperatively and during postoperative intensive care. The blood samples were analyzed for intestinal fatty acid-binding protein with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Gastrointestinal function was assessed according to the acute gastrointestinal injury grade every day during postoperative intensive care. RESULTS: Higher concentrations of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein at 24 h and 48 h correlated to higher acute gastrointestinal injury grade on postoperative days 1, 2 and 3 (p=0.032 and p=0.048, p=0.040 and p=0.018, and p=0.012 and p=0.016, respectively). Patients who developed a gastrointestinal complication within 90 days postoperatively had a higher overall acute gastrointestinal injury grade than those who did not develop a gastrointestinal complication (p<0.001), as well as higher concentrations of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein at 48 h (p=0.019). Patients developing gastrointestinal dysfunction (acute gastrointestinal injury grade ≥2) had a higher frequency of complications (p=0.009) and longer length of stay in the intensive care unit (p=0.008). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing endovascular aortic repair for complex aneurysm increased postoperative plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein concentrations and postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction, evaluated using the acute gastrointestinal injury grade, were associated with gastrointestinal complications, indicating that these measures may be useful in the postoperative management of these patients.

Intraabdominal hypertension (IAH) is negative for outcome after intensive care. Little research has focused on medical intervention to improve visceral circulation during IAH. A nitric oxide (NO)-donor was compared with placebo in 25 pigs; each pig was randomized into three groups: PDNO (NO-donor), Control (placebo), or Sham. IAH was induced by CO2 insufflation to 30 mmHg. Sham group had surgical preparation only. Blood gases, invasive venous and arterial blood pressure, intestinal microcirculation and superior mesenteric blood flow were measured. The PDNO group had significantly increased intestinal microcirculation compared with Controls during IAH (last hour, P = 0.009). The mean arterial pressure and abdominal perfusion pressures (APP) were decreased, and the cardiac index were increased in the PDNO group. Also, systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances were lower in the PDNO group compared with Controls. These experimental findings indicate that NO should be further explored with potential application to improve intestinal microcirculation in IAH patients., Funding agencies:Research Committee of Region Örebro County OLL-929955Nyckelfonden at Örebro University Hospital OLL-506681

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leakage is the most serious and unwelcome complication in rectal surgery. It has a great impact on postoperative morbidity and mortality. In this pilot study, changes of mRNA expression in blood were analyzed in an animal model designed to imitate anastomotic leakage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve pigs were randomized into two groups: A sham-operated control group and an experimental group in which iatrogenic rectal perforation was performed. The changes in the mRNA expression at 4 hours after creating the perforation were studied. Microarray analysis was performed using Gene Chip whole porcine genome array. mRNA expression of 19,124 genes was investigated. RESULTS: Significantly increased levels of genes with a fold change greater than 2 were found, including 276 coding for unknown proteins and 48 coding for known proteins. Eleven of those which coded for known proteins were up-regulated with a fold change >4. CONCLUSION: Eleven known genes were highly up-regulated after rectal perforation. These genes were mainly involved in inflammatory response, intracellular signaling and cell membrane regulation. Their corresponding proteins might potentially be clinical biomarkers of anastomotic leakage and should be evaluated in further clinical studies., Funding agency:Committee for Research at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

OBJECTIVE: The distribution of postoperative gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction and its association with outcome were investigated in cardiac surgery patients. Gastrointestinal function was evaluated using the Acute Gastrointestinal Injury (AGI) grade proposed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. DESIGN: Prospective observational study at a single center. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients presenting for elective cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation (ECC). INTERVENTIONS: None. RESULTS: Daily assessment using the AGI grade was performed on the first 3 postoperative days in addition to standard care. For analysis, 3 groups were formed based on the maximum AGI grade: AGI 0, AGI 1, and AGI ≥2. Five hundred and one patients completed the study; 32.7%, 65.1%, and 2.2% of the patients scored a maximum AGI 0, AGI 1, and AGI ≥2, respectively. Patients with AGI grade ≥2 had more frequently undergone thoracic aortic surgery and had longer surgery duration and time on ECC. Patients with AGI grade ≥2 had statistically significant higher frequency of GI complications within 30 days (63.6% vs 1.2% and 5.5% in patients with AGI 0 and AGI 1) and higher 30-day mortality (9.1% vs 0.0% and 1.8% in patients with AGI 0 and AGI 1). CONCLUSIONS: Early GI dysfunction following cardiac surgery was associated with an unfavorable outcome. Increased attention to GI dysfunction in cardiac surgery patients is warranted and the AGI grade could be a helpful adjunct to a structured approach., Funding Agencies:Research Committee of Region Örebro County Nyckelfonden at Örebro University Hospital ALF Funding at Region Örebro County

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Gastrointestinal complications post cardiac surgery are infrequent but difficult to diagnose and carry a high mortality. Plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) concentrations and the relationship between I-FABP, gastrointestinal dysfunction, and postoperative outcomes were investigated in patients who developed gastrointestinal dysfunction (acute gastrointestinal injury [AGI] grade ≥2) and those with normal gastrointestinal function. METHODS: Patients with (AGI 2 group, n = 11) and without (matched controls, AGI 0 group, n = 22) early postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction were extracted from a larger single-center prospective observational study, including adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation, and investigated in this nested case-control analysis. RESULTS: Both groups displayed variations in I-FABP concentrations with higher I-FABP on postoperative Day 1 compared to baseline and postoperative Days 2 and 3 (p < .001 and p = .005, respectively). The AGI 2 group had higher I-FABP concentrations on Day 2 compared to the AGI 0 group (p = .024). I-FABP on Day 2 correlated positively with AGI grade over the first 3 days (p = .036, p = .021 and p = .018, respectively). High I-FABP (defined as fourth quartile concentrations) on Day 1 was associated with more prolonged surgical procedures (p < .05). Furthermore, fourth quartile I-FABP on Day 1 and early gastrointestinal dysfunction were associated with higher frequencies of postoperative organ dysfunction (p < .05) and gastrointestinal complications (p < .05), and higher 365-day mortality. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates an association between intraoperative gastrointestinal injury, postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction and gastrointestinal complications. A high-powered study is needed to further explore this relationship and the interpretation of I-FABP concentrations in individual cardiac surgery patients., Funding Agencies:Research Committee of Region Örebro County OLL-929955ALF Funding at Region Örebro County OLL-526951 OLL-686221 OLL-930064

The impact of acute cardiac dysfunction on the gastrointestinal tract was investigated in anesthetized and instrumented pigs by sequential reductions of cardiac output (CO). Using a cardiac tamponade (n = 6) or partial inferior caval vein balloon inflation (n = 6), CO was controllably reduced for 1 h each to 75% (CO75%), 50% (CO50%), and 35% (CO35%) of the baseline value. Cardiac output in controls (n = 6) was not manipulated and maintained. Mean arterial pressure, superior mesenteric arterial blood flow, and intestinal mucosal perfusion started to decrease at CO50% in the intervention groups. The decrease in superior mesenteric arterial blood flow was non-linear and exaggerated at CO35%. Systemic, venous mesenteric, and intraperitoneal lactate concentrations increased in the intervention groups from CO50%. Global and mesenteric oxygen uptake decreased at CO35%. In conclusion, gastrointestinal metabolism became increasingly anaerobic when CO was reduced by 50%. Anaerobic gastrointestinal metabolism in low CO can be detected using intraperitoneal microdialysis., Funding Agencies:Research Committee of Region Örebro County Nyckelfonden at Örebro University Hospital ALF Grants (Agreement concerning research and education of doctors) at Region Örebro County

BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary bypass and postoperative cardiac dysfunction cause splanchnic hypoperfusion resulting in intra-abdominal anaerobic metabolism and risk for gastrointestinal complications. The intra-abdominal metabolism can be monitored by intraperitoneal measurement of relevant metabolites using microdialysis. The aim of this study was to investigate the intraperitoneal metabolism using microdialysis during and after cardiopulmonary bypass at 34°C. METHODS: In six patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting or aortic valve replacement under cardiopulmonary bypass, microdialysis was used to measure intraperitoneal and subcutaneous glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glycerol and glutamate concentrations, intraoperatively and up to 36 hours postoperatively. Arterial and central venous blood gases were analysed as were haemodynamics and the development of complications. RESULTS: All patients had an ordinary perioperative course and did not develop gastrointestinal complications. The arterial, intraperitoneal and subcutaneous lactate concentrations changed during the perioperative course with differences between compartments. The highest median (interquartile range) concentration was recorded in the intraperitoneal compartment at 1 hour after the end of cardiopulmonary bypass (2.1 (1.9-2.5) mM compared to 1.3 (1.2-1.7) mM and 1.5 (1.0-2.2) mM in the arterial and subcutaneous compartments, respectively). In parallel with the peak increase in lactate concentration, the intraperitoneal lactate/pyruvate ratio was elevated to 33.4 (12.9-54.1). CONCLUSION: In cardiac surgery, intraperitoneal microdialysis detected changes in the abdominal metabolic state, which were more pronounced than could be shown by arterial blood gas analysis. Despite an uneventful perioperative course, patients undergoing low-risk surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass might be subjected to a limited and subclinical intra-abdominal anaerobic state., Funding Agencies:Research Committee of Region Örebro County ALF Grants at Region Örebro County

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) complications following cardiac surgery are infrequent but feared due to high morbidity and mortality. In 2012 new guidelines for grading acute GI injury (AGI score) in the intensive care setting were presented (1). We aimed to apply the AGI score in postoperative cardiac surgical patients. Methods: A total number of 352 adult patients undergoing elective heart surgery with extra-corporeal circulation completed the study. Prospectively, AGI score was assessed daily during the first three post-operative days according to normal GI function (AGI 0), risk of developing GI dysfunction (AGI 1), GI dysfunction (AGI 2), GI failure (AGI 3) and GI failure with severe impact on distant organ function (AGI 4). Results: Ninety-eight percent of the patients were assessed to have a daily peak score of ≤1, but only 36% were completely free from GI symptoms. Seven patients received a peak score of 2–3. The two patients with the highest peak and accumulated AGI scores died later due to GI complications. Conclusions: Postoperative assessment of AGI score in cardiac surgical patients is feasible. A majority presented with a risk of developing GI dysfunction but did not progress further. Early postoperative GI dys-function might predispose for later GI complications, but a larger study population is needed to further investigate this association. Reference:1. Reintam BA et al. Intens Care Med 2012; 38: 384–94.