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Purpose: We aimed to study the association of body temperature and other admission factors with outcomes of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) adult patients requiring ICU admission.Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter study on patients diagnosed with HSE in 47 ICUs in France, between 2007 and 2017. Fever was defined as a body temperature higher or equal to 38.3 °C. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with poor outcome at 90 days, defined by a score of 3-6 (indicating moderate-to-severe disability or death) on the modified Rankin scale.Results: Overall, 259 patients with a score on the Glasgow coma scale of 9 (6-12) and a body temperature of 38.7 (38.1-39.2) °C at admission were studied. At 90 days, 185 (71%) patients had a poor outcome, including 44 (17%) deaths. After adjusting for age, fever (OR = 2.21; 95% CI 1.18-4.16), mechanical ventilation (OR = 2.21; 95% CI 1.21-4.03), and MRI brain lesions > 3 lobes (OR = 3.04; 95% CI 1.35-6.81) were independently associated with poor outcome. By contrast, a direct ICU admission, as compared to initial admission to the hospital wards (i.e., indirect ICU admission), was protective (OR = 0.52; 95% CI 0.28-0.95). Sensitivity analyses performed after adjustment for functional status before admission and reason for ICU admission yielded similar results.Conclusions: In HSE adult patients requiring ICU admission, several admission factors are associated with an increased risk of poor functional outcome. The identification of potentially modifiable factors, namely, elevated admission body temperature and indirect ICU admission, provides an opportunity for testing further intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The severity and course of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) are correlated with the mortality rate. Early detection of SA-AKI subphenotypes might facilitate the rapid provision of individualized care., Patients and Methods: In this post-hoc analysis of a multicenter prospective study, we combined conventional kidney function variables with serial measurements of urine (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 [TIMP-2])* (insulin-like growth factor-binding protein [IGFBP7]) at 0, 6, 12, and 24 h) and then using an unsupervised hierarchical clustering of principal components (HCPC) approach to identify different phenotypes of SA-AKI. We then compared the subphenotypes with regard to a composite outcome of in-hospital death or the initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT)., Results: We included 184 patients presenting SA-AKI within 6 h of the initiation of catecholamines. Three distinct subphenotypes were identified: subphenotype A (99 patients) was characterized by a normal urine output (UO), a low SCr and a low [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] level; subphenotype B (74 patients) was characterized by existing chronic kidney disease (CKD), a higher SCr, a low UO, and an intermediate [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] level; and subphenotype C was characterized by very low UO, a very high [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] level, and an intermediate SCr level. With subphenotype A as the reference, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) [95%CI] for the composite outcome was 3.77 [1.92-7.42] ( p  < 0.001) for subphenotype B and 4.80 [1.67-13.82] ( p  = 0.004) for subphenotype C., Conclusions: Combining conventional kidney function variables with urine measurements of [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] might help to identify distinct SA-AKI subphenotypes with different short-term courses and survival rates.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of patients admitted to the intensive care unit with severe pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2, comparing them according to successive waves, and to identify prognostic factors for morbidity and mortality., Materials and Methods: This single-center retrospective observational descriptive study was conducted from March 10, 2020, to October 17, 2021. All adult patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia presenting acute respiratory failure were included. COVID 19 diagnosis was confirmed by RT-PCR testing of respiratory specimens. The primary endpoint was ICU mortality. Secondary endpoints were the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) or bronchopulmonary aspergillosis., Results: Over the study period, 437 patients were included of whom 282 (65%) patients were ventilated for 9 [5;20] days. Among the studied population, 38% were treated for one or more episodes of VAP, and 22 (5%) for bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. ICU mortality was 26% in the first wave, then fell and stabilized at around 10% in subsequent waves (p = 0.02). Increased age, Charlson index, SOFA score and lactatemia on admission were predictive of mortality. Survival at 90 days was 85% (95% CI 82-88) and was unaffected by the presence of VAP. However, the occurrence of bronchopulmonary aspergillosis increased mortality to 36%., Conclusion: In this study, we observed mortality in the lower range of those previously reported. Risk factors for mortality mainly included age and previous comorbidities. The prognosis of these critically ill Covid 19 patients improved over the four waves, underlining the likely beneficial effect of vaccination and dexamethasone., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine, in critically ill patients treated with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), the incidence of adverse events as well as the incidence of secondary infections and its predictive factors., Design: A multicenter retrospective cohort study of an intensive care population treated with TPE to collect adverse events and infectious complications. The characteristics of patients who developed an infection after plasma exchange were compared with those of patients who did not., Setting: Four ICUs of French university hospitals., Patients: All adults admitted between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2019, who received at least one plasma exchange session were included., Interventions: None., Measurements and Main Results: A total of 711 TPE sessions were performed on 124 patients. The most frequent TPE indications were thrombotic microangiopathies ( n = 32, 26%), myasthenia gravis ( n = 25, 20%), and acute polyradiculoneuropathy ( n = 12, 10%). Among the 124 patients, 22 (21%) developed arterial hypotension, 12 (12%) fever, and 9 (9%) electrolyte disturbance during TPE. Moreover, 60 (48%) presented at least one infectious complication: ventilator-associated pneumonia 42, pneumonia 13, bacteremia 18 (of which 6 catheter-related infections) viral reactivation 14. Independent risk factors for ICU-acquired infection were the ICU length of stay (24 vs. 7 d; hazard ratio [HR]: 1.09 [1.04-1.15], p < 0.001) and invasive mechanical ventilation (92% vs. 35%; HR: 16.2 [5.0-53.0], p < 0.001)., Conclusions: In critically ill patients treated with TPE, adverse events occurring during the procedure remain moderately frequent and are mostly not life-threatening. Infectious complications, mainly ventilation-associated pneumonia, are frequent in this population. The need of mechanical ventilation and longer ICU stay is associated with an increased risk of infection., Competing Interests: The authors disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Society of Critical Care Medicine.)

Objectives: The use of extended intermittent infusion (EII) or continuous infusion (CI) of meropenem is recommended in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, but few data comparing these two options are available. This retrospective cohort study was conducted between 1 January 2019 and 31 March 2020 in a teaching hospital ICU. It aimed to determine the meropenem plasma concentrations achieved with CI and EII., Methods: The study included septic patients treated with meropenem who had one or more meropenem plasma trough (Cmin) or steady-state concentration (Css) measurement(s), as appropriate. It then assessed the factors independently associated with attainment of the target concentration (Cmin or Css ≥ 10 mg/L) and the toxicity threshold (Cmin or Css ≥ 50 mg/L) using logistic regression models., Results: Among the 70 patients analysed, the characteristics of those treated with EII (n = 33) and CI (n = 37) were balanced with the exception of estimates glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): median 30 mL/min/m 2 (IQR 30, 84) vs. 79 mL/min/m 2 (IQR 30, 124). Of the patients treated with EII, 21 (64%) achieved the target concentration, whereas 31 (97%) of those treated with CI achieved it (P < 0.001). Factors associated with target attainment were: CI (OR 16.28, 95% CI 2.05-407.5), daily dose ≥ 40 mg/kg (OR 12.23, 95% CI 1.76-197.0; P = 0.03) and eGFR (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99; P = 0.02). Attainment of toxicity threshold was associated with daily dose > 70 mg/kg (OR 35.5, 95% CI 5.61-410.3; P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The results suggest the use of meropenem CI at 40-70 mg/kg/day, particularly in septic ICU patients with normal or augmented renal clearance., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: A higher sodium (Na) dialysate concentration is recommended during renal replacement therapy (RRT) of acute kidney injury (AKI) to improve intradialytic hemodynamic tolerance, but it may lead to Na loading to the patient. We aimed to evaluate Na flux according to Na dialysate and infusate concentrations at 140 and 145 mmol/L during hemodialysis (HD) and hemodiafiltration (HDF)., Methods: Fourteen AKI patients that underwent consecutive HD or HDF sessions with Na dialysate/infusate at 140 and 145 mmol/L were included. Per-dialytic flux of Na was estimated using mean sodium logarithmic concentration including diffusive and convective influx. We compared the flux of sodium between HD140 and 145, and between HDF140 and 145., Results: Nine HD140, ten HDF140, nine HD145, and 11 HDF145 sessions were analyzed. A Na gradient from the dialysate/replacement fluid to the patient was observed with dialysate/infusate Na at 145 mmol/L in both HD and HDF (p = 0.01). The comparison of HD145 to HD140 showed that higher Na dialysate induced a diffusive Na gradient to the patient (163 mmol vs. -25 mmol, p = 0.004) and that of HDF145 to -140 (211 vs. 36 mmol, p = 0.03) as well. Intradialytic hemodynamic tolerance was similar across all RRT sessions., Conclusions: During both HD and HDF, a substantial Na loading occurred with a Na dialysate and infusate at 145 mmol/L. This Na loading is smaller in HDF with Na dialysate and infusate concentration at 140 mmol/L and inversed with HD140. Clinical and intradialytic hemodynamic tolerance was fair regardless of Na dialysate and infusate., (© 2022 The Authors. Artificial Organs published by International Center for Artificial Organ and Transplantation (ICAOT) and Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: The objective of this prospective, single-center study was to explore the mid-term outcomes 6 to 9 months after hospitalization in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for severe COVID-19 infection., Methods: Patients systematically underwent biological tests, pulmonary function tests, chest computed tomography (CT) scan, and psychological tests., Results: Among 86 patients, including 71 (82.6%) men, median age of 65.8 years (56.7; 72.4), 57 (71.3%) patients presented post-COVID-19 asthenia, 39 (48.1%) muscle weakness, and 30 (36.6%) arthralgia. Fifty-two (64.2%) patients had a decreased diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) <80% and 16 (19.8%) had DLCO <60%. Chest CT-scans showed ground glass opacities in 35 (40.7%) patients, and reticular changes in 28 patients (33.7%), including fibrosis-like changes in 18 (21.7%) patients. Reticular changes and DLCO <60% were associated with length of stay in ICU, and reticular changes with higher maximal CRP level. The psychological questionnaires found 37.7% suffered from depression, 23.5% from anxiety, 42.4% from insomnia, and 9.4% from post-traumatic stress. Being female was associated with a higher frequency of depression and anxiety, with depression scores being associated with obesity., Conclusions: Many patients hospitalized in ICU for severe COVID-19 infection have mid-term sequelae. Additional studies on the prognostic factors seem necessary.

Tubular injury is the main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Proximal tubular dysfunction (PTD) and changes in urinary biomarkers, such as NGAL, TIMP-2, and IGFBP7 product ([TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7]), could precede AKI. We conducted a prospective cohort study from 2020/03/09 to 2020/05/03, which consecutively included all COVID-19 patients who had at least one urinalysis, to assess the incidence of PTD and AKI, and the effectiveness of PTD, NGAL, and [TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7] in AKI and persistent AKI prediction using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs), Kaplan-Meier methodology (log-rank tests), and Cox models. Among the 60 patients admitted to the ICU with proven COVID-19 (median age: 63-year-old (interquartile range: IQR, 55-74), 45 males (75%), median simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II: 34 (IQR, 22-47) and median BMI: 25.7 kg/m 2 (IQR, 23.3-30.8)) analyzed, PTD was diagnosed in 29 patients (48%), AKI in 33 (55%) and persistent AKI in 20 (33%). Urinary NGAL had the highest AUC for AKI prediction: 0.635 (95%CI: 0.491-0.779) and persistent AKI prediction: 0.681 (95%CI: 0.535-0.826), as compared to PTD and [TIMP-2]•[IGFBP7] (AUCs <0.6). AKI was independently associated with higher SAPSII (HR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01-1.06, p  = 0.005) and BMI (HR = 1.07, 95%CI: 1.00-1.14, p  = 0.04) and persistent AKI with higher SAPSII (HR = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.00-1.06, p  = 0.048) and nephrotoxic drug use (HR = 3.88, 95%CI: 1.20-12.5, p  = 0.02). In conclusion, in critically ill COVID-19 patients, the incidence of PTD and AKI was relatively high. NGAL was the best urinary biomarker for predicting AKI, but only clinical severity was independently associated with its occurrence.

Importance: Current guidelines recommend brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for clinical management of patients with severe herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). However, the prognostic value of brain imaging has not been demonstrated in this setting., Objective: To investigate the association between early brain MRI data and functional outcomes of patients with HSE at 90 days after intensive care unit (ICU) admission., Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter cohort study was conducted in 34 ICUs in France from 2007 to 2019 and recruited all patients who received a clinical diagnosis of encephalitis and exhibited cerebrospinal fluid positivity for herpes simplex virus DNA in the polymerase chain reaction analysis. Data analysis was performed from January to April 2020., Exposures: All patients underwent a standard brain MRI during the first 30 days after ICU admission., Main Outcomes and Measures: MRI acquisitions were analyzed by radiologists blinded to patients' outcomes, using a predefined score. Multivariable logistic regression and supervised hierarchical classifiers methods were used to identify factors associated with poor outcome at 90 days, defined by a score of 3 to 6 (indicating moderate-to-severe disability or death) on the Modified Rankin Scale., Results: Overall, 138 patients (median [interquartile range {IQR}] age, 62.6 [54.0-72.0] years; 75 men [54.3%]) with an admission median (IQR) Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9 (6-12) were studied. The median (IQR) delay between ICU admission and MRI was 1 (1-7) days. At 90 days, 95 patients (68.8%) had a poor outcome, including 16 deaths (11.6%). The presence of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI signal abnormalities in more than 3 brain lobes (odds ratio [OR], 25.71; 95% CI, 1.21-554.42), age older than 60 years (OR, 7.62; 95% CI, 2.02-28.91), and the presence of diffusion-weighted MRI signal abnormalities in the left thalamus (OR, 6.90; 95% CI, 1.12-43.00) were independently associated with poor outcome. Machine learning models identified bilateral diffusion abnormalities as an additional factor associated with poor outcome (34 of 39 patients [87.2%] with bilateral abnormalities had poor outcomes) and confirmed the functional burden of left thalamic lesions, particularly in older patients (all 11 patients aged >60 years had left thalamic lesions)., Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that in adult patients with HSE requiring ICU admission, extensive MRI changes in the brain are independently associated with poor functional outcome at 90 days. Thalamic diffusion signal changes were frequently observed and were associated with poor prognosis, mainly in older patients.

Comprehensive data on emerging invasive fungal infections (EIFIs) in the critically ill are scarce. We conducted a case-control study to characterize EIFIs in patients admitted to a French medical ICU teaching hospital from 2006 to 2019. Among 6900 patients, 26 (4 per 1000) had an EIFI: Mucorales accounted for half, and other isolates were mainly Saprochaete , Fusarium and Scedosporium . EIFIs occurred mostly in patients with immunosuppression and severe critical illness. Antifungal treatments (mainly amphotericin B) were administered to almost all patients, whereas only 19% had surgery. In-ICU, mortality was high (77%) and associated with previous conditions such as hematological malignancy or cancer, malnutrition, chronic kidney disease and occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome and/or hepatic dysfunction. Day-90 survival rates, calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, were similar between patients with EIFIs and a control group of patients with aspergillosis: 20%, 95% CI (9- 45) versus 18%, 95% CI (8- 45) (log-rank: p > 0.99). ICU management of such patients should be assessed on the basis of underlying conditions, reversibility and acute event severity rather than the mold species.

Critically ill patients with systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) have a fair prognosis, while those with interstitial lung disease (ILD) have a poorer outcome. However, the prognosis of SRD patients with ILD admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) remains unclear. We conducted a case-control study to investigate the outcomes of critically ill SRD-ILD patients. Consecutive SRD-ILD patients admitted to five ICUs from January 2007 to December 2017 were compared to SRD patients without ILD. Mortality rates were compared between groups, and prognostic factors were then identified. One hundred and forty critically ill SRD patients were included in the study. Among the 70 patients with SRD-ILD, the SRDs were connective tissue diseases (56%), vasculitis (29%), sarcoidosis (13%), and spondylarthritis (3%). Patients were mainly admitted for acute exacerbation of SRD-ILD (36%) or infection (34%). ICU, in-hospital, and one-year mortality rates in SRD-ILD patients were higher than in SRD patients without ILD ( n = 70): 40% vs. 16% ( p < 0.01), 49% vs. 19% ( p < 0.01), and 66% vs. 40% ( p < 0.01), respectively. Hypoxemia, high sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, and admission for ILD acute exacerbation were associated with ICU mortality. In conclusion, ILD worsened the outcomes of SRD patients admitted to the ICU. Admissions related to SRD-ILD acute exacerbation and the severity of the acute respiratory failure were associated with ICU mortality.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Background: The urine biomarkers tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) have been validated for predicting and stratifying AKI. In this study, we analyzed the utility of these biomarkers for distinguishing between transient and persistent AKI in the early phase of septic shock., Methods: We performed a prospective, multicenter study in 11 French ICUs. Patients presenting septic shock, with the development of AKI within the first 6 h, were included. Urine [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] was determined at inclusion (0 h), 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. AKI was considered transient if it resolved within 3 days. Discriminative power was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis., Results: We included 184 patients, within a median [IQR] time of 1.0 [0.0-3.0] h after norepinephrine (NE) initiation; 100 (54%) patients presented transient and 84 (46%) presented persistent AKI. Median [IQR] baseline urine [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] was higher in the persistent AKI group (2.21 [0.81-4.90] (ng/ml) 2 /1000) than in the transient AKI group (0.75 [0.20-2.12] (ng/ml) 2 /1000; p < 0.001). Baseline urine [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] was poorly discriminant, with an AUROC [95% CI] of 0.67 [0.59-0.73]. The clinical prediction model combining baseline serum creatinine concentration, baseline urine output, baseline NE dose, and baseline extrarenal SOFA performed well for the prediction of persistent AKI, with an AUROC [95% CI] of 0.81 [0.74-0.86]. The addition of urine [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] to this model did not improve the predictive performance., Conclusions: Urine [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] measurements in the early phase of septic shock discriminate poorly between transient and persistent AKI and do not improve clinical prediction over that achieved with the usual variables., Trial Registration: NCT02812784.

Objectives: Urinary biomarkers and renal Doppler sonography remain considered as promising tools to distinguish transient from persistent acute kidney injury. The performance of the urinary biomarker, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 and of renal resistive index to predict persistent acute kidney injury showed contradictory results. Our aim was to evaluate the performance of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 and renal resistive index in predicting reversibility of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients., Design: Prospective observational study., Setting: Twenty-bed medical ICU in an university hospital., Patients: Consecutive patients with acute kidney injury., Intervention: None., Measurements and Main Results: Renal resistive index was measured within 12 hours after admission, and urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was measured at H0, H6, H12, and H24. Renal dysfunction reversibility was evaluated at day 3. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to evaluate diagnostic performance of renal resistive index and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 to predict a persistent acute kidney injury. Overall, 100 patients were included in whom 50 with persistent acute kidney injury. Renal resistive index was higher in persistent acute kidney injury group. Urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was not significantly different at each time between both groups. The performance of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was poor with respectively an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.57 (95% CI, 0.45-0.68), 0.58 (95% CI, 0.47-0.69), 0.61 (95% CI, 0.50-0.72), and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.46-0.68) at H0, H6, H12, and H24. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for renal resistive index was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.98). A renal resistive index greater than or equal to 0.685 predicting persistent acute kidney injury with 78% (95% CI, 64-88%) sensitivity and 90% (95% CI, 78-97%) specificity., Conclusions: Renal resistive index had a good performance for predicting the reversibility of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients. Urinary tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 x insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 was unable to differentiate transient from persistent acute kidney injury.

Aim: To determine whether the urine biomarkers tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) can identify patients who will develop severe acute kidney injury (AKI) soon after cardiac arrest., Methods: We performed a prospective, multicentre study in three French ICUs. The performance of [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] was assessed for urine samples collected a median [IQR] of 240 [169-315] minutes post-collapse. The primary end-point was severe AKI (KDIGO stage 3), within 48 h of admission., Results: Of the 115 patients analyzed, 32 (28%) developed severe AKI. Eleven of these required renal replacement therapy. The median [IQR] baseline [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] level was higher in patients who developed severe AKI (1.57 [0.80-6.62] (ng/ml) 2 /1000) than in those who did not (0.17 [0.05-0.59] (ng/ml) 2 /1000; p < 0.001). The baseline [TIMP2]*[IGFBP7] predicted -severe AKI with an area under the curve [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 0.91 [0.84-0.95], an optimal cut-off value of 0.39 (ng/ml) 2 /1000, a sensitivity [95%CI] of 97% [84-100], and a specificity of 72% [61-82]. A cut-off of 2.0 (ng/ml) 2 /1000 yielded a specificity of 98% [92-100]. For predicting severe AKI, baseline [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] was significantly more discriminant than baseline SCr (AUC [95%CI]: 0.73 [0.63-0.84]; p = 0.005), and slightly but not significantly more discriminant than baseline UO (AUC [95%CI]: 0.86 [0.78‒0.94], p = 0.08) Combining the baseline [TIMP2]*[IGFBP7] with baseline SCr and UO significantly improved the latter markers' predictive performance., Conclusion: Urine [TIMP-2]*[IGFBP7] effectively identify patients with a risk of severe AKI. Below a cut-off of 0.39 (ng/ml) 2 /1000, the risk of severe AKI is low., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: To examine whether the new urinary biomarkers TIMP2 and IGFBP7 can predict progression within 24 hours and 72 hours from mild and moderate (KDIGO 1 or 2) to severe (KDIGO 3) AKI in patients with septic shock., Methods: A prospective, multicenter observational study performed in three French ICUs. The urinary biomarkers TIMP2∗IGFBP7 were analyzed at the early phase (<6 hours) of patients admitted for septic shock with mild and moderate AKI., Results: Among the 112 patients included, 45 (40%) progressed to the KDIGO 3 level 24 hours after inclusion (KDIGO 3 H24) and 47 (42%) 72 hours after inclusion (KDIGO 3 H72). The median urinary TIMP2∗IGFBP7 at inclusion (baseline) were higher in the KDIGO 3 group than in the KDIGO<3 group at H24 and H72. All covariates with a p value < 0.1 in the univariate analysis were included in stepwise multiple logistic regression models to identify factors independently associated with the risk of KDIGO 3 at H24 and H72. TIMP2∗IGFBP7 remained independently associated with KDIGO 3 at H24 and H72. Baseline posology of norepinephrine, baseline urine output, and baseline serum creatinine remained also significantly associated with progression to KDIGO 3 at H24. Baseline TIMP2∗IGFBP7 and baseline urinary output had the best AUC ROC. A baseline TIMP2∗IGFBP7 > 2.0 (ng/ml) 2 /1,000 identified the population at high risk of KDIGO 3 H24 (relative risk 4.19 (1.7-10.4)) with a sensitivity of 76% (60-87) and a specificity of 81% (69-89). But the diagnostic performance at H72 of baseline TIMP2∗IGFBP7 was poor (AUC: 0.69 (0.59-0.77))., Conclusion: The urinary TIMP2∗IGFBP7 concentration and the urine output at the early phase of septic shock are independent factors to identify the population at high risk of progression from mild and moderate to severe AKI over the next 24 but not 72 hours. A TIMP2∗IGFBP7 concentration > 2.0 (ng/ml) 2 /1,000 quadruples the risk of KDIGO 3 AKI within 24 hours. This trial is registered with (NCT03547414).

Introduction: Obtaining suitable results unaffected by pre- or postanalytical phases is pivotal for clinical chemistry service. We aimed comparison and stability of nine biochemical analytes after centrifugation using Barricor™ plasma tubes with mechanical separator vs standard Vacutainer® lithium heparin tubes., Materials and Methods: We collected samples on six healthy volunteers and nine patients from intensive care units into 6 mL plastic Vacutainer® lithium heparin tubes and 5.5 mL plastic Barricor™ plasma tubes. All tubes were centrifuged within 30 minutes after venipuncture. First, we compared results of nine biochemical analytes from lithium heparin tubes with Barricor™ tubes for each analyte using Passing-Bablok and Bland-Altman analyses. Second, we calculated the difference of analyte concentrations between baseline and time intervals in tubes stored at + 4 °C. Based on the total change limit we calculated the maximum allowable concentrations percentage change from baseline., Results: The majority of correlation coefficients were close to 0.99 indicating good correlation in the working range. Bland-Altman analyses showed an acceptable concordance for all analytes. In consequence, the Barricor™ tube might be an alternative to regular lithium heparin tube. Stability with this new generation tube is improved for eight analytes (except for aspartate aminotransferase) in comparison with regular lithium heparin tubes., Conclusions: By using Barricor™ tubes and prompt centrifugation, supplemental analysis or re-analysis for eight analytes including alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, C-reactive protein, high sensitivity troponin T, lactate dehydrogenase, NT-pro BNP, potassium and sodium could be performed within 72 h of specimen collection., Competing Interests: Potential conflict of interest: None declared.

Aims: High cut-off (HCO) continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (CVVHD) was compared to high-flux membrane (HFM) continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) in intensive care unit (ICU) acute kidney injury (AKI) in terms of efficiency, hemodynamic tolerance, medium-sized molecules removal, albumin loss, and inflammatory system activation., Methods: In a prospective cross-over randomized study, 10 AKI patients underwent successively HCO (Ultraflux EmiC2: β2-microglobulin [β2M] sieving coefficient [SC]: 0.9) CVVHD and HFM (Ultraflux AV1000S: β2M SC: 0.65) -CVVHDF., Results: Over the 20 sessions, hypotensive and febrile episodes, reduction rates of urea, creatinine, and β2M were similar in both modalities. Though dialysis dose was higher with CVVHDF (36 ± 4 vs. 21 ± 6 mL/Kg/h), urea, creatinine, and β2M instantaneous and plasmatic clearances did not differ except for urea at 12 h. Protein loss, superoxide anion production, cytokines, and growth factors variations were also comparable., Conclusion: HCO CVVHD is well tolerated and is as effective as HFM CVVHDF in clearance of solutes and removal of β2M. It induces neither protein loss nor overproduction of superoxide anion. Video Journal Club "Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco" at http://www.karger.com/?doi=489082., (© 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Though on-line intermittent hemodiafiltration (OL-IHDF) is a routine therapy for chronic dialysis patients, it is not yet widespread used in critically ill patients. This study was undergone to evaluate efficiency and tolerance of OL-IHDF and to appreciate inflammatory consequences of its use in intensive care unit (ICU)-acute kidney injury (AKI) patients., Methods: In this prospective cohort study conducted in a medical academic ICU in France, 30 AKI patients who underwent OL-IHDF were included. OL-HDF used an ultrapure water production: AQ 1250 line with double reverse osmosis, a generator 5008 with a 1.8m 2 dialyzer with Polysulfone membrane (Fresenius Medical Care). Tolerance and efficiency of OL-IHDF were evaluated as well as its inflammatory risk by the measurement of plasma concentrations of proinflammatory (Interleukin 6, IL1β, IL8, Interferon γ) and anti-inflammatory (IL4, IL10) cytokines, Epidermal growth factor (EGF), Vascular Endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Macrophage Chemoattractive Protein-1 (MCP-1) before and after sessions., Results: Intradialytic hypotensive events were observed during 27/203 OL-IHDF sessions accounting for a mal-tolerated session's rate at 13.3%. Mean delivered urea Kt/V per session was 1.12 ± 0.27 with a percentage of reduction for urea, creatinine, β2-microglobulin and cystatine C at 61.6 ± 8.8%, 55.3 ± 6.7%, 51.5 ± 8.7% and 44.5 ± 9.8% respectively. Production of superoxide anion by leukocytes, mean levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and plasmatic concentrations of EGF, VEGF and MCP-1 did not differ before and after OL-IHDF sessions. We observed however a significant decrease of mean TNFα plasmatic concentrations from 8.2 ± 5.8 to 4.8 ± 3.5 pg/ml at the end of OL-IHDF., Conclusions: OL-IHDF was not associated with an increase in pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress or EGF, VEGF and MCP-1 in AKI patients and seems therefore a secure and feasible modality in ICUs.

Objective: The capability of urinary TIMP-2 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase) and IGFBP7 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein)-NephroCheck Test (NC) = ([TIMP-2] x [IGFBP7]) / 1000)-to predict renal recovery from acute kidney injury (AKI) has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of measurements of ([TIMP-2] x [IGFBP7]) / 1000) over 24 hours to differentiate transient from persistent AKI., Methods: Of 460 consecutive adult patients admitted to the ICU, 101 were prospectively studied: 56 men, 62 (52-71) years old. A fresh urine sample was collected at H0, H4, H12 and H24 to determine ([TIMP-2] x [IGFBP7]) / 1000) levels. Areas under the curves of Delta NC H4-Ho and H12-H4 and serum creatinine (sCr) for detection of AKI recovery were compared., Results: Forty-one (40.6%) patient were diagnosed with AKI: 27 transient and 14 persistent AKI. At admission (H0), AKI patients had a significantly higher NC score than patients without AKI (0.43 [0.07-2.06] vs 0.15 [0.07-0.35], p = 0.027). In AKI groups, transient AKI have a higher NC, at H0 and H4, than persistent AKI (0.87 [0.09-2.82] vs 0.13 [0.05-0.66] p = 0.035 and 0.13 [0.07-0.61] vs 0.05 [0.02-0.13] p = 0.013). Thereafter, NC level decreased in both AKI groups with a Delta NC score H4-H0 and H12-H4 significantly more important in transient AKI. Roc curves showed however that delta NC scores did not discriminate between transient and persistent AKI., Conclusion: In our population, absolute urinary levels of NC score were higher at early hours after ICU admission (H0 and H4) in transient AKI as compared to persistent AKI patients. NC variations (Delta NC scores) over the first 12 hours may indicate the AKI's evolving nature with a more significant decrease in case of transient AKI but were not able to differentiate transient from persistent AKI., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: The association between mortality and time of admission to ICU has been extensively studied but remains controversial. We revaluate the impact of time of admission on ICU mortality by retrospectively investigating a recent (2006-2014) and large ICU cohort with on-site intensivist coverage., Patients and Methods: All adults (≥ 18 years) admitted to a tertiary care medical ICU were included in the study. Patients' characteristics, medical management, and mortality were prospectively collected. Patients were classified according to their admission time: week working days on- and off-hours, and weekends. ICU mortality was the primary outcome and adjusted Hazard-ratios (HR) of death were analysed by multivariate Cox model., Results: 2,428 patients were included: age 62±18 years; male: 1,515 (62%); and median SAPSII score: 38 (27-52). Overall ICU mortality rate was 13.7%. Admissions to ICU occurred during open-hours in 680 cases (28%), during night-time working days in 1,099 cases (45%) and during weekends in 649 cases (27%). Baseline characteristics of patients were similar between groups except that patients admitted during the second part of night (00:00 to 07:59) have a significantly higher SAPS II score than others. ICU mortality was comparable between patients admitted during different time periods but was significantly higher for those admitted during the second part of the night. Multivariate analysis showed however that admission during weeknights and weekends was not associated with an increased ICU mortality as compared with open-hours admissions., Conclusion: Time of admission, especially weeknight and weekend (off-hour admissions), did not influence the prognosis of ICU patients. The higher illness severity of patients admitted during the second part of the night (00:00-07:59) may explain the observed increased mortality., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: In acute kidney injury (AKI), useless continuation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) may delay renal recovery and impair patient's outcome. In this study, we aimed to identify predictive parameters that may help to a successful RRT weaning for AKI patients., Methods: We studied 54 surviving AKI patients in which a weaning of RRT was attempted. On the day of weaning (D0) and the following 2 days (D1 and D2), SAPS II and SOFA scores, 24-h diuresis, 24-h urinary creatinine and urea (UCr and UUr), creatinine and urea generation rates (CrGR and UrGR) and clearances (CrCl and UrCl) were collected. Patients who remained free of RRT 15 days after its discontinuation were considered as successfully weaned., Results: Twenty-six RRT weaning attempts succeeded (S+) and 28 failed (S-). Age, previous renal function, SAPS II and SOFA scores were comparable between groups. At D0, 24-h diuresis was 2300 versus 1950 ml in S+ and S-, respectively, p = 0.05. At D0, D1 and D2, 24-h UUr and UCr levels, UrCl and CrCl, and UUr/UrGR and UCr/CrGR ratios were significantly higher in S+ group. By multivariate analysis, D1 24-h UCr was the most powerful parameter that was associated with RRT weaning success with an area under the ROC curve of 0.86 [0.75-0.97] and an odds ratio of 2.01 [1.27-3.18], p = 0.003., Conclusions: In ICU AKI, 24-h UCr appeared as an efficient and independent marker of a successful weaning of RRT. A 24-h UCr ≥5.2 mmol was associated with a successful weaning in 84 % of patients.

Aims: To evaluate the capability of an electrolytes-enriched solution to prevent metabolic disorders during continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF)., Methods: Serum biochemistry and clinical tolerance were compared during CVVHDF treatments with an electrolyte-enriched (Phoxilium) or standard solutions in 10 acute renal failure patients., Results: As compared to standard fluids, serum potassium and phosphate levels were maintained in the normal range with Phoxilium without any supplementation but total serum calcium levels were significantly lower. Bicarbonatemia was slightly higher (24-26 vs. 21.5-24.5 mmol/l, p < 0.05) with conventional solutions and was associated with a significant increased level of pH (>7.44). Despite the absence of glucose in the Phoxilium solution, blood glucose levels and glucose supplementation were similar between treatments. Clinical tolerance and efficiency of CVVHDF sessions were comparable., Conclusion: Phoxilium effectively prevented hypophosphatemia and hypokalemia during CVVHDF. It was, however, associated with a slight metabolic acidosis and hypocalcemia compared with conventional solutions., (© 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Assessment of volume status is essential to best manage hyponatremic patients but is not always accurate in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of C-terminal portion of pro-arginine-vasopressin (CT-pro-AVP), a surrogate biomarker of vasopressin release, in assessing intravascular volume (IVV) depletion in hypoosmolar hyponatremic patients., Methods: Plasma CT-pro-AVP and urea-to-creatinine ratio (Ur/Cr) were performed in 131 hospitalized patients presenting chronic severe hypoosmolar hyponatremia. At hospital discharge, their IVV was evaluated regardless of CT-pro-AVP concentrations. All patients were then classified as decreased or as normal/expanded IVV group., Results: Plasma CT-pro-AVP levels were higher in patients with decreased IVV (34.6 vs. 11.3 pmol/L, p<0.001) and exhibited a reliable performance for assessment of decreased IVV (ROC AUC at 0.717 [95% CI 0.629-0.805]). The combination of CT-pro-AVP and Ur/Cr resulted in an improved ROC AUC up to 0.787 (95% CI 0.709-0.866)., Conclusions: Our findings support the hypothesis that CT-pro-AVP plasma level may reflect IVV and would be a tool for its assessment. This performance has been magnified by its combination with Ur/Cr. A dual-marker strategy may help clinicians to optimize the management of severe hyponatremia especially in case of confusing clinical presentations., (Copyright © 2015 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)