[Lactate in emergency medicine]

[Development of violence-associated penetrating trauma in the Düsseldorf metropolitan region over a 5-year period (GewPen study)]

INTRODUCTION

Penetrating injuries are a rare but recurring emergency situation in the out-of-hospital and in-hospital emergency settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of injuries associated with penetrating violence across a German metropolitan region over a 5-year period.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In the retrospective study, a database query of the control center of the Düsseldorf rescue service area was used to identify and descriptively analyze all rescue service operations with penetrating violence-associated injuries in the years 2015, 2017, and 2019. For those patients who were transferred to the major trauma center, a further analysis of the in-hospital course was performed.

RESULTS

In the 3 years 2015, 2017 and 2019 a total of 266 patients (age: 33 ± 14 years, male: 79%) could be recorded (2015 vs. 2017 vs. 2019: n = 81 vs. n = 93 vs. n = 92, respectively). The most common age group involved had an age range of 15-34 years. A particularly higher frequency of emergency calls was found for the areas of Old Town, City Center, and one other district (Oberbilk). A high frequency of rescue missions was found in the nights from Saturday to Sunday between 20.00 p.m. and 04.00 a.m. Rescue missions with emergency physicians on board increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 27 vs. 42%, p = 0.04). The primary weapons used were knives (56%), broken glass bottles (18%) and broken glasses (6%). Out of all patients 71 (27%, injury severity score 11 ± 14) were admitted to the major trauma center. Among these patients, the proportion of immediate surgical care (2015 vs. 2019: 20% vs. 35%, p < 0.05) and positive alcohol detection increased over the years (2015 vs. 2019: 10% vs. 43%, p < 0.05). The 30-day mortality in the 3 years studied was 1.1% (n = 3).

CONCLUSION

Penetrating injuries associated with violence are relevant but rare rescue missions. Future care strategies should focus on deployment of rescue resources close to the scene of the incident ("old town guard", central station), and prevention strategies should focus on weapon prohibition zones. A control of alcohol consumption should be discussed.

Cellular Lactate Spectroscopy Using 1.5 Tesla Clinical Apparatus

Cellular lactate is a key cellular metabolite and marker of anaerobic glycolysis. Cellular lactate uptake, release, production from glucose and glycogen, and interconversion with pyruvate are important determinants of cellular energy. It is known that lactate is present in the spectrum of neoplasms and low malignancy (without necrotic lesions). Also, the appearance of lactate signals is associated with anaerobic glucose, mitochondrial dysfunction, and other inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was the detection of lactate in cell cultures with the use of proton magnetic resonance (¹H MRS) and a 1.5 Tesla clinical apparatus (MR OPTIMA 360), characterized as a medium-field system. In this study, selected metabolites, together with cellular lactate, were identified with the use of an appropriate protocol and management algorithm. This paper describes the results obtained for cancer cell cultures. This medium-field system has proven the possibility of detecting small molecules, such as lactate, with clinical instruments. ¹H MRS performed using clinical MR apparatus is a useful tool for clinical analysis.

[Acute Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department]

Abdominal pain is a common leading symptom in emergency medicine. This symptom complex includes a variety of different causes, ranging from intra-abdominal to extra-abdominal and retroperitoneal pathologies, which can affect all age groups. Abdominal complaints can include diseases ranging from trivialities to life-threatening emergencies. The acute abdominal condition is an interdisciplinary emergency in which interdisciplinary teamwork is mandatory. A rapid initial assessment and risk stratification is necessary in order to detect critically ill patients with an acute need for intervention at an early stage and to provide them with a suitable emergency therapy. A structured approach can identify the most important differential diagnoses.

Postoperative abdominal sepsis induces selective and persistent changes in CTCF binding within the MHC-II region of human monocytes

Background

Postoperative abdominal infections belong to the most common triggers of sepsis and septic shock in intensive care units worldwide. While monocytes play a central role in mediating the initial host response to infections, sepsis-induced immune dysregulation is characterized by a defective antigen presentation to T-cells via loss of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II DR (HLA-DR) surface expression. Here, we hypothesized a sepsis-induced differential occupancy of the CCCTC-Binding Factor (CTCF), an architectural protein and superordinate regulator of transcription, inside the Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II (MHC-II) region in patients with postoperative sepsis, contributing to an altered monocytic transcriptional response during critical illness.

Results

Compared to a matched surgical control cohort, postoperative sepsis was associated with selective and enduring increase in CTCF binding within the MHC-II. In detail, increased CTCF binding was detected at four sites adjacent to classical HLA class II genes coding for proteins expressed on monocyte surface. Gene expression analysis revealed a sepsis-associated decreased transcription of (i) the classical HLA genes HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DPA1 and HLA-DPB1 and (ii) the gene of the MHC-II master regulator, CIITA (Class II Major Histocompatibility Complex Transactivator). Increased CTCF binding persisted in all sepsis patients, while transcriptional recovery CIITA was exclusively found in long-term survivors.

Conclusion

Our experiments demonstrate differential and persisting alterations of CTCF occupancy within the MHC-II, accompanied by selective changes in the expression of spatially related HLA class II genes, indicating an important role of CTCF in modulating the transcriptional response of immunocompromised human monocytes during critical illness.