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Background: The aim of this study is to describe clinical characteristics, outcomes and risk factors for death among patients with HIV-related acute kidney injury (AKI) admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU)., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted with HIV-infected AKI patients admitted to the ICU of an infectious diseases hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil. All the patients with confirmed diagnosis of HIV and AKI admitted from January 2004 to December 2011 were included. A comparison between survivors and non-survivors was performed. Risk factors for death were investigated., Results: Among 256 AKI patients admitted to the ICU in the study period, 73 were identified as HIV-infected, with a predominance of male patients (83.6%), and the mean age was 41.2 ± 10.4 years. Non-survivor patients presented higher APACHE II scores (61.4 ± 19 vs. 38.6 ± 18, p = 0.004), used more vasoconstrictors (70.9 vs. 37.5%, p = 0.02) and needed more mechanical ventilation - MV (81.1 vs. 35.3%, p = 0.001). There were 55 deaths (75.3%), most of them (53.4%) due to septic shock. Independent risk factors for mortality were septic shock (OR = 14.2, 95% CI = 2.0-96.9, p = 0.007) and respiratory insufficiency with need of MV (OR = 27.6, 95% CI = 5.0-153.0, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Non-survivor HIV-infected patients with AKI admitted to the ICU presented higher severity APACHE II scores, more respiratory damage and hemodynamic impairment than survivors. Septic shock and respiratory insufficiency were independently associated to death.

Leptospirosis is a common disease in tropical countries, and the kidney is one of the main target organs. Membrane proteins of Leptospira are capable of causing endothelial damage in vitro, but there have been no studies in humans evaluating endothelial glycocalyx damage and its correlation with acute kidney injury (AKI). We performed a cohort study in an outbreak of leptospirosis among military personnel. AKI was diagnosed in 14 of 46 (30.4%) patients. Leptospirosis was associated with higher levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1; 483.1 ± 31.7 versus 234.9 ± 24.4 mg/L, P < 0.001) and syndecan-1 (73.7 ± 15.9 versus 21.2 ± 7.9 ng/mL, P < 0.001) compared with exposed controls. Patients with leptospirosis-associated AKI had increased level of syndecan-1 (112.1 ± 45.4 versus 41.5 ± 11.7 ng/mL, P = 0.021) and ICAM-1 (576.9 ± 70.4 versus 434.9 ± 35.3, P = 0.034) compared with leptospirosis patients with no AKI. Association was verified between syndecan-1 and ICAM-1 with serum creatinine elevation and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels. This association remained even after multivariate analysis including other AKI-associated characteristics. Endothelial injury biomarkers are associated with leptospirosis-associated renal damage., (© The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.)

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and potentially fatal complication in infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical aspects of AKI associated with infectious diseases and the factors associated with mortality., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in patients with AKI who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary infectious diseases hospital from January 2003 to January 2012. The major underlying diseases and clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated., Results: A total of 253 cases were included. The mean age was 46±16 years, and 72% of the patients were male. The main diseases were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (30%), tuberculosis (12%), leptospirosis (11%) and dengue (4%). Dialysis was performed in 70 cases (27.6%). The patients were classified as risk (4.4%), injury (63.6%) or failure (32%). The time between AKI diagnosis and dialysis was 3.6±4.7 days. Oliguria was observed in 112 cases (45.7%). The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores were higher in patients with HIV/AIDS (57±20, p-value=0.01) and dengue (68±11, p-value=0.01). Death occurred in 159 cases (62.8%). Mortality was higher in patients with HIV/AIDS (76.6%, p-value=0.02). A multivariate analysis identified the following independent risk factors for death: oliguria, metabolic acidosis, sepsis, hypovolemia, the need for vasoactive drugs, the need for mechanical ventilation and the APACHE II score., Conclusions: AKI is a common complication in infectious diseases, with high mortality. Mortality was higher in patients with HIV/AIDS, most likely due to the severity of immunosuppression and opportunistic diseases.

Objective: To examine the factors associated with acute kidney injury and outcome in patients with lung disease., Methods: A prospective study was conducted with 100 consecutive patients admitted to a respiratory intensive care unit in Fortaleza (CE), Brazil. The risk factors for acute kidney injury and mortality were investigated in a group of patients with lung diseases., Results: The mean age of the study population was 57 years, and 50% were male. The incidence of acute kidney injury was higher in patients with PaO2/FiO2<200 mmHg (54% versus 23.7%; p=0.02). Death was observed in 40 cases and the rate of mortality of the acute kidney injury group was higher (62.8% versus 27.6%; p=0.01). The independent factor that was found to be associated with acute kidney injury was PaO2/FiO2<200 mmHg (p=0.01), and the independent risk factors for death were PEEP at admission (OR: 3.6; 95%CI: 1.3-9.6; p=0.009) and need for hemodialysis (OR: 7.9; 95%CI: 2.2-28.3; p=0.001)., Conclusion: There was a higher mortality rate in the acute kidney injury group. Increased mortality was associated with mechanical ventilation, high PEEP, urea and need for dialysis. Further studies must be performed to better establish the relationship between kidney and lung injury and its impact on patient outcome.

Influenza A infection has been described as a major viral cause of infection-induced rhabdomyolysis, but to date, only one reported case was described as having been induced by influenza vaccine. We describe a case of a man who had been using statins and developed rhabdomyolysis the day after influenza A H1N1 vaccination. A 58-year-old man was admitted at the emergency room complaining of impaired gait. The patient reported receiving influenza A H1N1 vaccine 5 days prior to the admission, with symptoms beginning the day after the inoculation. He reported ascending weakness, intense myalgia in the lower back, upper and lower limbs. The admission laboratory tests showed serum creatine phosphokinase: 7600 IU/L, creatinine: 3.0 mg/dL, urea: 185 mg/dL, aspartate aminotransferase: 592 IU/L, alanine aminotransferase: 630 IU/L, potassium: 5.4 mEq/L, lactate dehydrogenase: 2828 IU/L. Despite intravenous fluid therapy, the patient still persisted with oliguria and urinary output of 0.17 ml/kg/h. Hemodialysis was initiated and renal function recovery was observed after two weeks. The patient was hemodynamically stable and asymptomatic at hospital discharge. This is a rare side effect of influenza A H1N1 vaccine. Physicians should advise patients to seek medical care when muscle symptoms are present and consider the possibility of rhabdomyolysis due to vaccination. Trials are required to better define the incidence of this important side effect., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Leptospirosis is the most important zoonosis in the world. Patients are typically young men. Several factors are involved in acute kidney injury (AKI) in leptospirosis, including direct nephrotoxic action of the leptospira, hyperbilirubinemia, rhabdomyolysis and hypovolemia. The major histological findings are acute interstitial nephritis and acute tubular necrosis. Leptospirosis-induced AKI is usually nonoliguric and hypokalemic. Tubular function abnormalities precede a decline in the glomerular filtration rate, which could explain the high frequency of hypokalemia. Antibiotic treatment is efficient in the early and late and/or severe phases. For critically ill leptospirosis patients, the following measures are recommended: early and daily hemodialysis; low volume infusion (due to the risk of pulmonary hemorrhage); and lung-protective strategies. Mortality in leptospirosis-associated AKI is around 22%.

Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome characterized by muscle injury, most frequently due to muscle crushing and trauma. However, it may also be induced by non-traumatic causes, for example by means of stinging by Africanized bees. We describe two cases of rhabdomyolysis that presented dialytic acute renal failure after several bee stings.

Context and Objective: Acute renal failure is a common medical problem, with a high mortality rate. The aim of this work was to investigate the risk factors for death among critically ill patients with acute renal failure., Design and Setting: Retrospective cohort at the intensive care unit of Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio, Fortaleza., Methods: Survivors and non-survivors were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to establish risk factors for death., Results: Acute renal failure occurred in 128 patients (33.5%), with mean age of 49 +/- 20 years (79 males; 62%). Death occurred in 80 (62.5%). The risk factors most frequently associated with death were hypotension, sepsis, nephrotoxic drug use, respiratory insufficiency, liver failure, hypovolemia, septic shock, multiple organ dysfunction, need for vasoactive drugs, need for mechanical ventilation, oliguria, hypoalbuminemia, metabolic acidosis and anemia. There were negative correlations between death and: prothrombin time, hematocrit, hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, arterial pH, arterial bicarbonate and urine volume. From multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for death were: need for mechanical ventilation (OR = 3.15; p = 0.03), hypotension (OR = 3.48; p = 0.02), liver failure (OR = 5.37; p = 0.02), low arterial bicarbonate (OR = 0.85; p = 0.005), oliguria (OR = 3.36; p = 0.009), vasopressor use (OR = 4.83; p = 0.004) and sepsis (OR = 6.14; p = 0.003)., Conclusions: There are significant risk factors for death among patients with acute renal failure in intensive care units, which need to be identified at an early stage for early treatment.

A retrospective study was conducted in nine patients with rabies admitted to a hospital of Fortaleza, Brazil. Autopsy was performed in all cases. The ages ranged from three to 81 years and six were males. They all were bitten by dogs. The time between the accident and the hospital admission ranged from 20 to 120 days (mean 45 +/- 34 days). The time until death ranged from one to nine days (mean 3.3 +/- 5.5 days). The signs and symptoms presented were fever, hydrophobia, aerophobia, agitation, disorientation, dyspnea, sialorrhea, vomiting, oliguria, sore throat, pain and hypoesthesia in the site of the bite, headache, syncope, cough, hematemesis, mydriasis, hematuria, constipation, cervical pain and priapism. In three out of six patients, there was evidence of acute renal failure, defined as serum creatinine > or = 1.4 mg/dL. The post-mortem findings in the kidneys were mild to moderate glomerular congestion and mild to intense peritubular capillary congestion. Acute tubular necrosis was seen in only two cases. This study shows some evidence of renal involvement in rabies. Histopathologic findings are nonspecific, so hemodynamic instability, caused by autonomic dysfunction, hydrophobia and dehydration must be responsible for acute renal failure in rabies.

Context: Rhabdomyolysis is a severe and life-threatening condition in which skeletal muscle is damaged. Acute renal failure due to rhabdomyolysis has been widely described and its main pathophysiological mechanisms are renal vasoconstriction, intraluminal cast formation and direct myoglobin toxicity., Objective: To report on a case of acute renal failure (ARF) induced by rhabdomyolysis due to strenuous exercise and alcohol abuse and to describe the pathophysiology of this type of ARF., Case Report: A 39-year-old man arrived at the hospital emergency service with swollen legs and lower extremity compartment syndrome. He was oliguric and had serum creatinine and urea levels of 8.1 mg/dl and 195 mg/dl, respectively. The diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis was made through clinical and laboratory findings (creatine kinase activity of 26320 IU/l). The initial treatment consisted of fluid replacement and forced diuresis. The specific treatment for compartment syndrome, such as fasciotomy, was avoided in order to prevent infection. Partial recovery of renal function was recorded, after ten hemodialysis sessions. Complete recovery was observed after two months of follow-up.

Background: Although acute renal failure (ARF) is a frequent complication of severe leptospirosis, there are few studies on renal function recovery in the literature. The objective of the present study was to verify how and when renal function recovery occurs after leptospirosis ARF., Patients and Methods: 35 patients with leptospirosis ARF (plasma creatinine [P(creat)] > or =133 micromol/l at hospital admission) were prospectively studied during hospitalization, at discharge and 3 and 6 months after discharge. Creatinine clearance, fractional excretion of sodium and potassium, proteinuria and sodium proximal reabsorption were measured under normal sodium diet. Urinary pH and the ratio urinary to plasma osmolality (U/P(osm)) were measured 18 h after food and water withdrawal. All parameters were also measured in 18 healthy volunteers. Presence of laboratorial alterations usually found in leptospirosis were evaluated in the patients. Patients were divided in 2 groups according to their maximum P(creat) value during hospitalization: group 1 ( P(creat) >442 micromol/l, n = 21), and group 2 (P(creat) < or =442 micromol/l, n = 14)., Results: All patients presented with jaundice, fever and myalgia. Bilirubin and creatine kinase were higher in group 1. Oliguria was observed in 11% of all patients and 49% required dialysis; all these patients were from group 1. All renal parameters were normal at the 6th month except U/P(osm) that remained lower than normal. The pattern of renal function recovery was similar in both groups except for urinary volume., Conclusion: After leptospirosis ARF, renal function recovery is fast and complete after 6 months, except for urinary concentration capacity., (Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Two clinical cases of patients who survived after numerous attacks of Africanized bees (600 and 1500 bee stings, respectively) are reported. Clinical manifestation was characterized by diffuse and widespread edema, a burning sensation in the skin, headache, weakness, dizziness, generalized paresthesia, somnolence and hypotension. Acute renal failure developed and was attributed to hypotension, intravascular hemolysis, myoglobinuria due to rhabdomyolysis and probably to direct toxic effect of the massive quantity of injected venom. They were treated with antihistaminic, corticosteroids and fluid infusion. One of them had severe acute renal failure and dialysis was required. No clinical complication was observed during hospital stay and complete renal function recovery was observed in both patients. In conclusion, acute renal failure after bee stings is probably due to pigment nephropathy associated with hypovolemia. Early recognition of this syndrome is crucial to the successful management of these patients.