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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.

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.