Sepsis-associated in-hospital cardiac arrest: Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and potential therapies

Sepsis increases the risk of in-hospital cardiac arrest: a population-based analysis

Sepsis patients have a high risk of developing in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), which portends poor survival. However, little is known about whether the increased incidence of IHCA is due to sepsis itself or to comorbidities harbored by sepsis patients. We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study comprising 20,022 patients admitted with sepsis to hospitals in Taiwan using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). We constructed three non-sepsis comparison cohorts using risk set sampling and propensity score (PS) matching. We used univariate conditional logistic regression to evaluate the risk of IHCA and associated mortality. We identified 12,790 inpatients without infection (matched cohort 1), 12,789 inpatients with infection but without sepsis (matched cohort 2), and 10,536 inpatients with end-organ dysfunction but without sepsis (matched cohort 3). In the three PS-matched cohorts, the odds ratios (OR) for developing ICHA were 21.17 (95% CI 17.19, 26.06), 18.96 (95% CI: 15.56, 23.10), and 1.23 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.33), respectively (p < 0.001 for all ORs). In conclusion, in our study of inpatients across Taiwan, sepsis was independently associated with an increased risk of IHCA. Further studies should focus on identifying the proxy causes of IHCA using real-time monitoring data to further reduce the incidence of cardiopulmonary insufficiency in patients with sepsis.

Identifying Barriers to The Implementation of Communicating Narrative Concerns Entered by Registered Nurses, An Early Warning System SmartApp

BACKGROUND

 Nurses are at the frontline of detecting patient deterioration. We developed Communicating Narrative Concerns Entered by Registered Nurses (CONCERN), an early warning system for clinical deterioration that generates a risk prediction score utilizing nursing data. CONCERN was implemented as a randomized clinical trial at two health systems in the Northeastern United States. Following the implementation of CONCERN, our team sought to develop the CONCERN Implementation Toolkit to enable other hospital systems to adopt CONCERN.

OBJECTIVE

 The aim of this study was to identify the optimal resources needed to implement CONCERN and package these resources into the CONCERN Implementation Toolkit to enable the spread of CONCERN to other hospital sites.

METHODS

 To accomplish this aim, we conducted qualitative interviews with nurses, prescribing providers, and information technology experts in two health systems. We recruited participants from July 2022 to January 2023. We conducted thematic analysis guided by the Donabedian model. Based on the results of the thematic analysis, we updated the α version of the CONCERN Implementation Toolkit.

RESULTS

 There was a total of 32 participants included in our study. In total, 12 themes were identified, with four themes mapping to each domain in Donabedian's model (i.e., structure, process, and outcome). Eight new resources were added to the CONCERN Implementation Toolkit.

CONCLUSIONS

 This study validated the α version of the CONCERN Implementation Toolkit. Future studies will focus on returning the results of the Toolkit to the hospital sites to validate the β version of the CONCERN Implementation Toolkit. As the development of early warning systems continues to increase and clinician workflows evolve, the results of this study will provide considerations for research teams interested in implementing early warning systems in the acute care setting.

In-hospital cardiac arrest due to sepsis - Aetiologies and outcomes in a Swedish cohort study

Objectives

Awareness of causes of cardiac arrest is essential to prevent them. A recent review found that almost every sixth in-hospital cardiac arrest is caused by infection. Few studies have explored how infections cause cardiac arrest.

Aim

To describe the features, mechanisms and outcome of sepsis-related cardiac arrests.

Material and methods

All patients ≥18 years who suffered a cardiac arrest at Karolinska University Hospital between 2007 and 2022 with sepsis as the primary cause were included. Data were collected the Swedish Registry for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and medical records. The primary outcome was survival to discharge.

Results

Out of 2,327 in-hospital cardiac arrests, 5% (n = 123) suffered it due to sepsis, and 17% (21) survived to hospital discharge. Two thirds of patients were admitted to the hospital due to sepsis and suffered their cardiac arrest after a median of four days. About half (n = 59) had deranged vital signs before the event. Most were witnessed in general wards. In all, 47% (n = 58) had asystole and 24% (n = 30) as the first heart rhythm. The respiratory tract was the most common source of infection. Most patients were undergoing antibiotic therapy and one third had a positive microbiological culture with mixed gram-positive bacteria or Escherichia coli in the urine.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that sepsis is an uncommon and not increasing cause of in-hospital cardiac arrest and its outcome is in line with other non-shockable cardiac arrests. Deranged respiratory and/or circulatory vital signs precede the event.

DLK1 overexpression improves sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis in mice through the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway and MMPs

Sepsis is a serious inflammatory disease caused by bacterial infection. Cardiovascular dysfunction and remodeling are serious complications of sepsis, which can significantly affect sepsis patients' mortality. Delta-like homologue 1 (DLK1) has been reported could inhibit cardiac myofibroblast differentiation. However, the function of DLK1 in sepsis is unknown. In the present study, the DLK1 expression was first identified based on the online dataset GSE79962 analysis and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis mouse model. DLK1 expression was significantly reduced in septic heart tissues. In septic mouse heart, CLP operation decreased the fractional shortening (EF) (%) and ejection fraction (FS) (%) and caused significant edema, disordered myofilament arrangement, and degradation and necrosis in myocardial cells; CLP operation also increased collagen deposition and elevated the protein levels of fibrotic markers (α-SMA and F-actin). DLK1 overexpression in septic mice could effectively increase EF (%) and FS (%), attenuate CLP-caused ECM degradation and deposition and partially inhibit the CLP-induced TGF-β1/Smad signaling activation. In conclusion, DLK1 expression was poorly expressed in the CLP-induced septic mouse heart. DLK1 overexpression partially alleviated sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis, with the involvement of the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway and MMPs.

Mortality of in-hospital cardiac arrest among patients with and without preceding sepsis: A national inpatient sample analysis

INTRODUCTION

The impact of preceding sepsis on in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA)-related mortality has not been established. This study aimed to determine the association between IHCA-related mortality and sepsis.

METHODS

This retrospective study used the National Inpatient Sample data from 01/2017 to 12/2019. The study included adults (≥18 years) who suffered from IHCA. The study classified cardiac arrest rhythms as ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation or pulseless electronic activity/asystole. We compared the IHCA-related in-hospital mortality between sepsis and non-sepsis groups in all patients and subgroups divided by cardiac arrest rhythm and age. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the independent association between sepsis and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 357,850 hospitalizations who suffered from IHCA were identified, with sepsis present in 17.6% of patients. IHCA-related in-hospital mortality was 84.8% in sepsis and 68.4% in non-sepsis-related hospitalizations (p < 0.001). IHCA-related in-hospital mortality was higher in sepsis than in non-sepsis groups, regardless of age or cardiac arrest rhythms. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, sepsis was significantly associated with higher mortality with an odds ratio of 2.27 (95% confidence interval: 2.07-2.50, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Sepsis was associated with higher in-hospital cardiac arrest mortality compared to non-sepsis cases, regardless of age and cardiac rhythm.

Lazarus Phenomenon or the Return from the Afterlife-What We Know about Auto Resuscitation

Autoresuscitation is a phenomenon of the heart during which it can resume its spontaneous activity and generate circulation. It was described for the first time by K. Linko in 1982 as a recovery after discontinued cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). J.G. Bray named the recovery from death the Lazarus phenomenon in 1993. It is based on a biblical story of Jesus' resurrection of Lazarus four days after confirmation of his death. Up to the end of 2022, 76 cases (coming from 27 countries) of spontaneous recovery after death were reported; among them, 10 occurred in children. The youngest patient was 9 months old, and the oldest was 97 years old. The longest resuscitation lasted 90 min, but the shortest was 6 min. Cardiac arrest occurred in and out of the hospital. The majority of the patients suffered from many diseases. In most cases of the Lazarus phenomenon, the observed rhythms at cardiac arrest were non-shockable (Asystole, PEA). Survival time after death ranged from minutes to hours, days, and even months. Six patients with the Lazarus phenomenon reached full recovery without neurological impairment. Some of the causes leading to autoresuscitation presented here are hyperventilation and alkalosis, auto-PEEP, delayed drug action, hypothermia, intoxication, metabolic disorders (hyperkalemia), and unobserved minimal vital signs. To avoid Lazarus Syndrome, it is recommended that the patient be monitored for 10 min after discontinuing CPR. Knowledge about this phenomenon should be disseminated in the medical community in order to improve the reporting of such cases. The probability of autoresuscitation among older people is possible.

Aetiology and outcome in hospitalized cardiac arrest patients

Aims

To study aetiologies of in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCAs) and their association with 30-day survival.

Methods and results

Observational study with data from national registries. Specific aetiologies (n = 22) of IHCA patients between April 2018 and December 2020 were categorized into cardiac vs. non-cardiac and six main aetiology categories: myocardial ischemia, other cardiac causes, pulmonary causes, infection, haemorrhage, and other non-cardiac causes. Main endpoints were proportions in each aetiology, 30-day survival, and favourable neurological outcome (Cerebral Performance Category scale 1-2) at discharge. Among, 4320 included IHCA patients (median age 74 years, 63.1% were men), approximate 50% had cardiac causes with a 30-day survival of 48.4% compared to 18.7% among non-cardiac causes (P < 0.001). The proportion in each category were: myocardial ischemia 29.9%, pulmonary 21.4%, other cardiac causes 19.6%, other non-cardiac causes 11.6%, infection 9%, and haemorrhage 8.5%. The odds ratio (OR) for 30-day survival compared to myocardial ischemia for each category were: other cardiac causes OR 1.48 (CI 1.24-1.76); pulmonary causes OR 0.36 (CI 0.3-0.44); infection OR 0.25 (CI 0.18-0.33); haemorrhage OR 0.22 (CI 0.16-0.3); and other non-cardiac causes OR 0.56 (CI 0.45-0.69). IHCA caused by myocardial ischemia had the best favourable neurological outcome while those caused by infection had the lowest OR 0.06 (CI 0.03-0.13).

Conclusion

In this nationwide observational study, aetiologies with cardiac and non-cardiac causes of IHCA were evenly distributed. IHCA caused by myocardial ischemia and other cardiac causes had the strongest associations with 30-day survival and neurological outcome.

Evaluation of Serum Biomarkers and Electroencephalogram to Determine Survival Outcomes in Pediatric Post-Cardiac-Arrest Patients

Cardiac arrest causes primary and secondary brain injuries. We evaluated the association between neuron-specific enolase (NSE), serum S-100B (S100B), electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns, and post-cardiac arrest outcomes in pediatric patients. A prospective observational study was conducted in the pediatric intensive care unit and included 41 post-cardiac arrest patients who underwent EEG and serum sampling for NSE and S100B. The participants were aged 1 month to 18 years who experienced cardiac arrest and underwent CPR after a sustained return of spontaneous circulation for ≥48 h. Approximately 19.5% (n = 8) of patients survived until ICU discharge. Convulsions and sepsis were significantly associated with higher mortality (relative risk: 1.33 [95% CI = 1.09-1.6] and 1.99 [95% CI = 0.8-4.7], respectively). Serum NSE and S100B levels were not statistically associated with the outcome (p = 0.278 and 0.693, respectively). NSE levels were positively correlated with the duration of CPR. EEG patterns were significantly associated with the outcome (p = 0.01). Non-epileptogenic EEG activity was associated with the highest survival rate. Post-cardiac arrest syndrome is a serious condition with a high mortality rate. Management of sepsis and convulsions affects prognosis. We believe that NSE and S100B may have no benefit in survival evaluation. EEG can be considered for post-cardiac arrest patients.

THE INITIAL ION SHIFT INDEX AS A PROGNOSTIC INDICATOR TO PREDICT PATIENT SURVIVAL IN TRAUMATIC DAMAGE CONTROL LAPAROTOMY PATIENTS

ABSTRACT

Objective: The ion shift index (ISI), which considers extracellular fluid ions such as phosphate, calcium, and magnesium, represents the ion shift following ischemia; concentrations of these ions are maintained within narrow normal ranges by adenosine triphosphate-dependent homeostasis. The ISI is defined as follows: {potassium (mmol/L-1) + phosphate (mmol/L-1) + Mg (mmol/L-1)}/calcium (mmol/L-1). This study investigated the possibility of predicting the 30-day survival rate of patients who underwent traumatic damage control laparotomy by comparing ISI and other laboratory findings, as well as the initial Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) and shock indices. Methods: Among the 134 patients who underwent damage control surgery between November 2012 and December 2021, 115 patients were enrolled in this study. Data regarding injury mechanism, age, sex, laboratory findings, vital signs, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Injury Severity Score, Abbreviated Injury Scale score, blood component transfusion, type of surgery, postoperative laboratory outcomes, morbidity, mortality rates, fluids administered, and volume of transfusions were collected and analyzed. Results: In univariate analysis, the odds ratio of the initial ISI was 2.875 (95% confidence interval, 1.52-5.43; P = 0.04), which showed a higher correlation with mortality compared with other indices. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were derived from different multivariable logistic regression models. The initial ISI had high sensitivity and specificity in predicting patient mortality (AUC, 0.7378). In addition, in the model combining the initial ISI, crystalloids, and TRISS, the AUC showed a high value (AUC, 0.8227). Conclusion: The ISI evaluated using electrolytes immediately after admission in patients undergoing traumatic damage control surgery may be a predictor of patient mortality.

The cardioprotective effects of perindopril in a model of polymicrobial sepsis: The role of radical oxygen species and the inflammation pathway

Mortality rates associated with myocardial dysfunction due to sepsis and septic shock are generally high across the world. The present study focused on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of perindopril (PER) for the purpose of preventing the adverse effects of sepsis on the myocardium and developing new alternatives in treatment. The control group received only saline solution via the oral route for 4 days. The second group underwent cecal ligation puncture (CLP), and the third underwent CLP and received PER (2 mg/kg). Rats in the third group received 2 mg/kg PER per oral (p.o.) from 4 days before induction of sepsis. Thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), total thiol (-SH), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB/p65) levels increased in the CLP groups. In contrast, PER (2 mg/kg) decreased the levels of biochemical parameters other than total-SH and decreased 8-OHdG, NF-κB/p65 immunopositivity in rat heart tissues. The data from this study show that impairment of the oxidant/antioxidant balance and inflammatory cytokine levels in favor of inflammation in heart tissue under septic conditions results in severe tissue damage. PER administration before sepsis was shown to exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties by reducing these effects. This in turn increased the importance of PER as new evidence of its protective effects in heart tissue.

Out-of-hospital and in-hospital cardiac arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic: changes in demographics, outcomes and management

During the COVID-19 pandemic, prehospital and hospital services were put under great stress because of limited resources and increased workloads. One expected effect was the increased number of out-of-hospital (OHCA) and in-hospital (IHCA) cardiac arrests that occurred during 2020 compared to previous years. Both direct and indirect mechanisms were involved. In the former case, although the exact mechanisms by which Sars-Cov-2 causes cardiac arrest (CA) are still unknown, severe hypoxia, a dysregulated immune host response and sepsis are probably implicated and are often seen in COVID-19 patients with poor outcomes. In the latter case, the strain on hospitals, changes in treatment protocols, governments' actions to limit the spread of the disease and fear of the contagion naturally affected treatment efficacy and disrupted the CA chain of survival; as expected in OHCA, only a small proportion of patients were positive to COVID-19, and yet reported outcomes were worse during the pandemic. CA patient characteristics were reported, along with modifications in patient management. In this review, we summarise the evidence to date regarding OHCA and IHCA epidemiology and management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dapsone as a Detrimental Cause of Necrotizing Fasciitis With Severe Resistant Neutropenia: A Case Report

Dapsone, which is used for treating dermatological conditions, can lead to neutropenia. Especially, resistant neutropenia makes patients vulnerable to invasive infections, indicating a medical emergency. Febrile neutropenia secondary to dapsone intake should be treated promptly before the development of sepsis, which may lead to shock and death. In addition, necrotizing fasciitis is a severe and potentially fatal soft-tissue infection that rarely develops in healthy individuals with skin lesions. In this report, we present a case of a patient with no comorbidities who presented with necrotizing fasciitis and neutropenia with a history of dapsone intake.

An Overview of Therapy Guidelines for Cardiac Arrest and the Potential Benefits of Hemoglobin-Based Oxygen Carriers

Currently, there is an unmet therapeutic need for the medical management of cardiac arrest, as is evident from the high mortality rate associated with this condition. These dire outcomes can be attributed to the severe nature and poor prognosis of this disorder. However, the current treatment modalities, while helping to augment survival, are limited and do not offer adequate improvements to outcomes. Treatment modalities are particularly lacking when considering the underlying pathophysiology of the metabolic phase of cardiac arrest. In this study, we explore the three phases of cardiac arrest and assess the factors related to positive clinical outcomes and survival for these events. Furthermore, we evaluate the present guidelines for resuscitation and recovery, the issues related to ischemia and tissue reperfusion, and the benefit of oxygen-delivery therapeutic methods including blood transfusion therapy and synthetic hemoglobins (HBOCs). The current therapy protocols are limited specifically by the lack of an efficient method of oxygen delivery to address the metabolic phase of cardiac arrest. In this article, we investigate the next generation of HBOCs and review their properties that make them attractive for their potential application in the treatment of cardiac arrest. These products may be a viable solution to address complications associated with ischemia, reperfusion injury, and organ damage.

Clinical outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest in a tertiary hospital and factors related to 28-day survival: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES:

METHODS:

RESULTS:

CONCLUSIONS:

The Anti-Inflammatory and Antiapoptotic Effects of Nicorandil in Antisepsis Cardiomyopathy

Objective

To observe the effect of nicorandil on septic rats and explore the possible mechanism of its myocardial protection, so as to provide theoretical basis for the treatment of septic cardiomyopathy.

Methods

Sixty male clean SD rats were selected as the research objects and randomly divided into 3 groups by random number method: sham operation group (sham group), cecal ligation and perforation group (CLP group), nicorandil treatment group (nicorandil+CLP group). After the operation, the nicorandil group was pumped with nicorandil diluent 1 ml/h (2 mg/kg/h) with a micropump for 6 hours. The sham group and CLP group were pumped with the same amount of normal saline 1 ml/h for a total of 6 hours. After 24 hours, the survival of the rats in each group was observed. The expression of troponin I (cTnI), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the serum was detected. Then, the ventricle was harvested for the observation of the pathological changes of myocardium. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunostaining were used to detect myocardial tissue apoptosis, and Western blot methods were used to detect protein expression changes in nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways.

Results

24 hours after operation, the survival rate of the rats in the CLP group was 60%. There was a large amount of necrosis of myocardial cells and inflammatory cell infiltration. The survival rate of rats in the nicorandil+CLP group was 75%. Compared with the CLP group, the necrosis of myocardial cells was reduced, and there was still a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration. In the CLP group, myocardial inflammation and apoptosis were significant, and NF-κB pathway was activated. On the contrary, the NF-κB pathway in the nicorandil+CLP group was inhibited, and the expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis factors was inhibited.

Conclusion

Nicorandil can reduce the release of inflammatory factors in septic rats, improve the inflammatory response, reduce myocardial damage, and play a myocardial protective effect. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway.

Roles of LncRNAs in Regulating Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Septic Cardiomyopathy

Sepsis is an abnormal systemic inflammatory response of the host immune system to infection and can lead to fatal multiorgan dysfunction syndrome. Epidemiological studies have shown that approximately 10-70% of sepsis cases can lead to septic cardiomyopathy. Since the pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy is not clear, it is difficult for medical doctors to treat the disease. Therefore, finding effective interventions to prevent and reduce myocardial damage in septic cardiomyopathy is clinically significant. Epigenetics is the study of stable genetic phenotype inheritance that does not involve changing gene sequences. Epigenetic inheritance is affected by both gene and environmental regulation. Epigenetic studies focus on the modification and influence of chromatin structure, mainly including chromatin remodelling, DNA methylation, histone modification and noncoding RNA (ncRNA)-related mechanisms. Recently, long ncRNA (lncRNA)-related mechanisms have been the focus of epigenetic studies. LncRNAs are expected to become important targets to prevent, diagnose and treat human diseases. As the energy metabolism centre of cells, mitochondria are important targets in septic cardiomyopathy. Intervention measures to prevent and treat mitochondrial damage are of great significance for improving the prognosis of septic cardiomyopathy. LncRNAs play important roles in life activities. Recently, studies have focused on the involvement of lncRNAs in regulating mitochondrial dysfunction. However, few studies have revealed the involvement of lncRNAs in regulating mitochondrial dysfunction in septic cardiomyopathy. In this article, we briefly review recent research in this area.

Recent Advances in Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Voriconazole, Mycophenolic Acid, and Vancomycin: A Literature Review of Pediatric Studies

The review includes studies dated 2011-2021 presenting the newest information on voriconazole (VCZ), mycophenolic acid (MPA), and vancomycin (VAN) therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in children. The need of TDM in pediatric patients has been emphasized by providing the information on the differences in the drugs pharmacokinetics. TDM of VCZ should be mandatory for all pediatric patients with invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Wide inter- and intrapatient variability in VCZ pharmacokinetics cause achieving and maintaining therapeutic concentration during therapy challenging in this population. Demonstrated studies showed, in most cases, VCZ plasma concentrations to be subtherapeutic, despite the updated dosages recommendations. Only repeated TDM can predict drug exposure and individualizing dosing in antifungal therapy in children. In children treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), similarly as in adult patients, the role of TDM for MMF active form, MPA, has not been well established and is undergoing continued debate. Studies on the MPA TDM have been carried out in children after renal transplantation, other organ transplantation such as heart, liver, or intestine, in children after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or cord blood transplantation, and in children with lupus, nephrotic syndrome, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, and other autoimmune diseases. MPA TDM is based on the area under the concentration-time curve; however, the proposed values differ according to the treatment indication, and other approaches such as pharmacodynamic and pharmacogenetic biomarkers have been proposed. VAN is a bactericidal agent that requires TDM to prevent an acute kidney disease. The particular group of patients is the pediatric one. For this group, the general recommendations of the dosing may not be valid due to the change of the elimination rate and volume of distribution between the subjects. The other factor is the variability among patients that concerns the free fraction of the drug. It may be caused by both the patients' population and sample preconditioning. Although VCZ, MMF, and VAN have been applied in pediatric patients for many years, there are still few issues to be solve regarding TDM of these drugs to ensure safe and effective treatment. Except for pharmacokinetic approach, pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenetics have been more often proposed for TDM.

Risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest among sepsis survivors in Taiwan: analysis of a nationwide population-based cohort

OBJECTIVES

There is minimal literature examining the association of sepsis with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Using a large national database, we aimed to quantify the risk of OHCA among sepsis patients after hospital discharge.

DESIGN

Population-based cohort study.

SETTING

Nationwide sepsis cohort retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan between 2000 and 2013.

PARTICIPANTS

We included 17 304 patients with sepsis. After hospital discharge, 144 patients developed OHCA within 30 days and 640 between days 31 and 365.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The main outcomes were OHCA events following hospital discharge for sepsis. To evaluate the independent association between sepsis and OHCA after a sepsis hospitalisation, we constructed two non-sepsis comparison cohorts using risk set sampling and propensity score matching techniques (non-infection cohort, non-sepsis infection cohort). We plotted the daily number and daily risk of OHCA within 1 year of hospital discharge between sepsis and matched non-sepsis cohorts. We used Cox regression to evaluate the risk of early and late OHCA, comparing sepsis to non-sepsis patients.

RESULTS

Compared with non-infected patients, sepsis patients had a higher rate of early (HR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.27 to 2.16) and late (HR 1.19, 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.33) OHCA events. This association was independent of age, sex or cardiovascular history. Compared with non-sepsis patients with infections, sepsis patients had a higher rate of both early (HR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.63) and late (HR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.27) OHCA events, especially among patients with cardiovascular disease (OR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.81).

CONCLUSIONS

Sepsis patients had increased risk of OHCA compared with matched non-sepsis controls, which lasted up to 1 year after hospital discharge.

[Paediatric Life Support]

The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) Paediatric Life Support (PLS) guidelines are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). This section provides guidelines on the management of critically ill or injured infants, children and adolescents before, during and after respiratory/cardiac arrest.

A predictive framework in healthcare: Case study on cardiac arrest prediction

Data-driven healthcare uses predictive analytics to enhance decision-making and personalized healthcare. Developing prognostic models is one of the applications of predictive analytics in medical environments. Various studies have used machine learning techniques for this purpose. However, there is no specific standard for choosing prediction models for different medical purposes. In this paper, the ISAF framework was proposed for choosing appropriate prediction models with regard to the properties of the classification methods. As one of the case study applications, a prognostic model for predicting cardiac arrests in sepsis patients was developed step by step through the ISAF framework. Finally, a new modified stacking model produced the best results. We predict 85 % of heart arrest cases one hour before the incidence (sensitivity> = 0.85) and 73 % of arrest cases 25 h before the occurrence (sensitivity> = 0.73). The results indicated that the proposed prognostic model has significantly improved the prediction results compared to the two standard systems of APACHE II and MEWS. Furthermore, compared to previous research, the proposed model has extended the prediction interval and improved the performance criteria.

Independent Risk Factors for Sepsis-Associated Cardiac Arrest in Patients with Septic Shock

The clinical characteristics and laboratory values of patients with septic shock who experience in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) have not been well studied. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of IHCA after admission into the emergency department and to identify the factors that increase the risk of IHCA in septic shock patients. This observational cohort study used a prospective registry of septic shock patients and was conducted at the emergency department of a university-affiliated hospital. The data of 887 adult (age ≥ 18 years) septic shock (defined using the Sepsis-3 criteria) patients who were treated with a protocol-driven resuscitation bundle therapy and were admitted to the intensive care unit between January 2010 and September 2018 were analyzed. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of sepsis-associated cardiac arrest. The patient mean age was 65 years, and 61.8% were men. Sepsis-associated cardiac arrest occurred in 25.3% of patients (n = 224). The 28-day survival rate after cardiac arrest was 6.7%. Multivariate logistic regression identified chronic pulmonary disease (odds ratio (OR) 2.06), hypertension (OR 0.48), unknown infection source (OR 1.82), a hepatobiliary infection source (OR 0.25), C-reactive protein (OR 1.03), and serum lactate level 6 h from shock (OR 1.34). Considering the high mortality rate of sepsis-associated cardiac arrest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, appropriate monitoring is required in septic shock patients with major risk factors for IHCA.

The effect of midodrine on lactate clearance in patients with septic shock: a pilot study

Background: The effect of midodrine on lactate clearance has not been assessed in critically ill patients yet. Objective: The goal of this study was to assess the effect of adjunctive midodrine therapy on lactate clearance in patients with septic shock. Materials & methods: Patients with septic shock were assigned to receive either adjunctive midodrine 10 mg three-times a day for 5 days (midodrine group = 15 patients) or not (control group = 13 patients). Results: The lactate clearance was significantly faster in the midodrine group than the control group (p = 0.049) with a large effect size (ηp2 = 0.141). Conclusion: When midodrine was added to intravenous vasopressors, it significantly accelerated lactate clearance in patients with septic shock. Trial registration number: IRCT20100228003449N25 (Clinicaltrials.gov).

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Paediatric Life Support

These European Resuscitation Council Paediatric Life Support (PLS) guidelines, are based on the 2020 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. This section provides guidelines on the management of critically ill infants and children, before, during and after cardiac arrest.

Post-cardiac arrest syndrome in adult hospitalized patients

Adult In-hospital Cardiac Arrest (IHCA) is defined as the loss of circulation of an in-patient. Following high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), if the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is achieved, the post-cardiac arrest syndrome develops (PCAS). This review is intended to discuss the current diagnosis and treatment of PCAS. To approach this topic, a bibliography search was conducted through direct digital access to the scientific literature published in English and Spanish between 2014 and 2020, in MedLine, SciELO, Embase and Cochrane. This search resulted in 248 articles from which original articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and clinical practice guidelines were selected for a total of 56 documents. The etiologies may be divided into 56% of in-hospital cardiac, and 44% of non-cardiac arrests. The incidence of this physiological collapse is up to 1.6 cases/1,000 patients admitted, and its frequency is higher in the intensive care units (ICU), with an overall survival rate of 13% at one year. The primary components of PCAS are brain injury, myocardial dysfunction and the persistence of the precipitating pathology. The mainstays for managing PCAS are the prevention of cardiac arrest, ventilation support, control of peri-cardiac arrest arrythmias, and interventions to optimize neurologic recovery. A knowledgeable healthcare staff in PCAS results in improved patient survival and future quality of life. Finally, there is clear need to do further research in the Latin American Population.

Survival Following Lay Resuscitation

BACKGROUND

Resuscitation by laypersons is important in bridging the time between the occurrence of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and the arrival of emergency rescue service personnel. Depending on the reason for the cardiac arrest, however, the effectiveness of chest compressions is uncertain. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of lay resuscitation on survival following OHCA of different causes.

METHODS

The data set for analysis comprised all cases of cardiac arrest before the arrival of emergency rescue service personnel that were fully documented in the German Resuscitation Registry in the period 2007-2019. The following endpoints related to resuscitation by bystanders were evaluated-separately for each cause-descriptively and by means of multivariate logistic regression analysis: return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), 30 days' survival/discharged alive from the hospital, and good neurological function at discharge.

RESULTS

Altogether, 40 604 cases of cardiac arrest were included. Resuscitation by laypersons was carried out in 35.1% of these cases. The rate of ROSC was statistically significantly higher after lay resuscitation for OHCA caused by cardiac events, drowning, intoxication, or central nervous system disorders (overall 48.1% versus 41.0%). For all causes-with the exception of trauma/bleeding to death and sepsis- the endpoint 30 days' survival/discharged alive was better with lay resuscitation (overall 17.0% versus 9.5%). In multivariate regression analysis, lay resuscitation was associated with improvement of the endpoint 30 days' survival/discharged alive only for OHCA caused by cardiac events (odds ratio [OR] 1.16) or intoxication (OR 1.81). For all other causes-except hypoxia-lay resuscitation tended to yield better results. Neurological function at discharge was also significantly better (overall 11.5% versus 6.1%) after lay resuscitation for OHCA of all causes except trauma/ bleeding to death, hypoxia, and sepsis.

CONCLUSION

Resuscitation by laypersons is associated with an improved result regarding the endpoint 30 days' survival/discharged alive in cases of OHCA caused by cardiac events and intoxication. These two groups account for 81% of the resuscitation patients in the study. Because there was also a tendency towards higher survival rates following OHCA of other causes (except hypoxia), laypersons should continue to be encouraged to attempt resuscitation in all cases of OHCA, whatever the cause.

Risk Factors for Mortality in Refractory Pediatric Septic Shock Supported with Extracorporeal Life Support

Risk factors for mortality in children with refractory pediatric septic shock who are supported with extracorporeal life support (ECLS) are largely unknown. Therefore, we performed univariable and multivariable analyses to determine risk factors for mortality among children (<19 years) who underwent an ECLS run between January 2012 and September 2014 at eight tertiary pediatric hospitals, and who had septic shock based on 2005 International Consensus Criteria. Of the 514 children treated with ECLS during the study period, 70 were identified with septic shock. The mortality rate was similar between those with (54.3%) and without septic shock (43.7%). Among those with septic shock, significant risk factors for mortality included cardiac failure or extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) as indication for ECLS cannulation compared with respiratory failure (P = 0.003), having a new neurologic event following cannulation (P = 0.032), acquiring a new infection following cannulation (P = 0.005), inability to normalize pH in the 48 hours following ECLS cannulation (P = 0.010), and requiring higher daily volume of platelet transfusions (P = 0.005). These findings can be used to help guide clinical decision making for children with septic shock that is refractory to medical management.

Pediatric In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the United States: A Review

IMPORTANCE

Pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) occurs frequently and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this narrative review is to summarize the current knowledge and recommendations regarding pediatric IHCA and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

OBSERVATIONS

Each year, more than 15 000 children receive CPR for cardiac arrest during hospitalization in the United States. As many as 80% to 90% survive the event, but most patients do not survive to hospital discharge. Most IHCAs occur in intensive care units and other monitored settings and are associated with respiratory failure or shock. Bradycardia with poor perfusion is the initial rhythm in half of CPR events, and only about 10% of events have an initial shockable rhythm. Pre-cardiac arrest systems focus on identifying at-risk patients and ensuring that they are in monitored settings. Important components of CPR include high-quality chest compressions, timely defibrillation when indicated, appropriate ventilation and airway management, administration of epinephrine to increase coronary perfusion pressure, and treatment of the underlying cause of cardiac arrest. Extracorporeal CPR and measurement of physiological parameters are evolving areas in improving outcomes. Structured post-cardiac arrest care focused on targeted temperature management, optimization of hemodynamics, and careful intensive care unit management is associated with improved survival and neurological outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Pediatric IHCA occurs frequently and has a high mortality rate. Early identification of risk, prevention, delivery of high-quality CPR, and post-cardiac arrest care can maximize the chances of achieving favorable outcomes. More research in this field is warranted.

Reduction of in-hospital cardiac arrest with sequential deployment of rapid response team and medical emergency team to the emergency department and acute care wards

Purpose

This study aimed to determine if sequential deployment of a nurse-led Rapid Response Team (RRT) and an intensivist-led Medical Emergency Team (MET) for critically ill patients in the Emergency Department (ED) and acute care wards improved hospital-wide cardiac arrest rates.

Methods

In this single-center, retrospective observational cohort study, we compared the cardiac arrest rates per 1000 patient-days during two time periods. Our hospital instituted a nurse-led RRT in 2012 and added an intensivist-led MET in 2014. We compared the cardiac arrest rates during the nurse-led RRT period and the combined RRT-MET period. With the sequential approach, nurse-led RRT evaluated and managed rapid response calls in acute care wards and if required escalated care and co-managed with an intensivist-led MET. We specifically compared the rates of pulseless electrical activity (PEA) in the two periods. We also looked at the cardiac arrest rates in the ED as RRT-MET co-managed patients with the ED team.

Results

Hospital-wide cardiac arrests decreased from 2.2 events per 1000 patient-days in the nurse-led RRT period to 0.8 events per 1000 patient-days in the combined RRT and MET period (p-value = 0.001). Hospital-wide PEA arrests and shockable rhythms both decreased significantly. PEA rhythms significantly decreased in acute care wards and the ED.

Conclusion

Implementing an intensivist-led MET-RRT significantly decreased the overall cardiac arrest rate relative to the rate under a nurse-led RRT model. Additional MET capabilities and early initiation of advanced, time-sensitive therapies likely had the most impact.

Emerging Trends and Hot Topics in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Research: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2010 to 2019

Background

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a topic of great scientific and clinical interest that has received much attention in the past decade. Our study aimed to predict the trends in CPR research activities and evaluate hot topics via bibliometric means, quantitatively and qualitatively.

Material/Methods

All data were collected from a search of the Web of Science Core Collection on May 12, 2020. Retrieved information was investigated with bibliometric analysis by CiteSpace and VOSviewer software and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology to analyze and predict the trends and hotspots in this field.

Results

Our search returned a total of 9563 articles and reviews on CPR published from 2010 through 2019. The number of original research studies on CPR has been increasing annually. The journal Resuscitation published the greatest number of manuscripts involved CPR, and the leading country and institution with regard to contributions on CPR were the United States and the University of Pennsylvania. Keyword co-occurrence/co-citation-cluster analysis showed that the most popular terms associated with CPR occurred in the manner of cluster labels, such as therapeutic hypothermia and treatment recommendation, among others. In addition, palliative care, sepsis, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and brain injury were identified as new foci through burst detection analysis.

Conclusions

Our study showed that the scientific research focus on CPR is switching from traditional therapeutic treatments to a public health practice, with in-depth understanding and development of CPR-related techniques expanding over the past decade. These results demonstrate trends in the CPR research and detected the possible neo-foci for ensuing research.

Cardiac Arrest Risk During Acute Infections: Systemic Inflammation Directly Prolongs QTc Interval via Cytokine-Mediated Effects on Potassium Channel Expression

BACKGROUND

During acute infections, the risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias is increased, partly because of a higher propensity to develop QTc prolongation. Although it is generally believed that QTc changes almost exclusively result from concomitant treatment with QT-prolonging antimicrobials, direct effects of inflammatory cytokines on ventricular repolarization are increasingly recognized. We hypothesized that systemic inflammation per se can significantly prolong QTc during acute infections, via cytokine-mediated changes in K⁺ channel expression.

METHODS

We evaluated (1) the frequency of QTc prolongation and its association with inflammatory markers, in patients with different types of acute infections, during active disease and remission; (2) the prevalence of acute infections in a cohort of consecutive patients with Torsades de Pointes; (3) the relationship between K⁺ channel mRNA levels in ventricles and peripheral blood mononuclear cells and their changes in patients with acute infection over time.

RESULTS

In patients with acute infections, regardless of concomitant QT-prolonging antimicrobial treatments, QTc was significantly prolonged but rapidly normalized in parallel to CRP (C-reactive protein) and cytokine level reduction. Consistently in the Torsades de Pointes cohort, concomitant acute infections were highly prevalent (30%), despite only a minority (25%) of these cases were treated with QT-prolonging antimicrobials. KCNJ2 K⁺ channel expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell, which strongly correlated to that in ventricles, inversely associated to CRP and IL (interleukin)-1 changes in acute infection patients.

CONCLUSIONS

During acute infections, systemic inflammation rapidly induces cytokine-mediated ventricular electrical remodeling and significant QTc prolongation, regardless concomitant antimicrobial therapy. Although transient, these changes may significantly increase the risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia in these patients. It is timely and warranted to transpose these findings to the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, in which both increased amounts of circulating cytokines and cardiac arrhythmias are demonstrated along with a frequent concomitant treatment with several QT-prolonging drugs. Graphic Abstract: A graphic abstract is available for this article.

Integrin ανβ3 modulates lipopolysaccharide-induced hyperpermeability in cardiac microvascular endothelial cells

Previous studies suggest an association of cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) hyperpermeability with sepsis-related cardiac injury. Our results showed that CMECs permeability was dependent upon concentration and time of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation. Integrin ανβ3 expression decreased after LPS stimulation. Pretreatment with anti-integrin ανβ3 antibody enhanced LPS-induced hyperpermeability. Upregulation of integrin ανβ3 decreased LPS-induced hyperpermeability. F-actin remodeling was enhanced after LPS stimulation and was inhibited by up-regulation of integrin ανβ3. Inhibition of Src or Rac1 reduced CMECs permeability after LPS stimulation, but there were no differences in the phosphorylation of Src and Rac1 when over-expressing or blocking integrin β3. After pretreatment with Src or Rac1 inhibitor, no significant difference was found in the expression of integrin ανβ3 in LPS-induced CMECs. These finding suggested that integrin ανβ3 overexpression decreased LPS-stimulated CMECS permeability by inhibition of cytoskeletal remodeling, but the mechanism might not be mediated via Src/Rac1 signaling.

Cardiac Thrombus Formation During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Cardiac Arrest: Is It Time for Ultrasound-Enhanced Algorithms?

Current guidelines consider thrombosis as a potential (and reversible) cause of cardiorespiratory arrest (CA). However, cardiac thrombus formation (TF) is likely to be the consequence of the forward blood flow ceasing during cardiac standstill. We present the case of a young man who was hospitalized for infective endocarditis, complicated by multiorgan disease and sudden CA on the 5^th day. Prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) warranted a return of spontaneous circulation in 16 min but, unexpectedly, a TF was recognized in the right atrium at echocardiography. The blood clot resolved with rapid administration of endovenous heparin and continued chest compressions. Even though cardiac ultrasound is not ready for a routine use during CPR, the present study confirms a key role in the management of CA patients.

Outcomes of in-hospital paediatric cardiac arrest from a tertiary hospital in a low-income African country

Background: There are scarce data on outcomes of in-hospital paediatric cardiac arrest (CA) in resource-poor settings and none for World Bank-defined low-income countries.Aim: To report the outcomes of in-hospital paediatric CA from a university-affiliated referral hospital in Malawi.Methods: Data were collected prospectively on patients aged 30 days to 13 years who experienced CA and underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi from January through June 2017. Utstein-style reporting guidelines for CAs were used to define outcomes; the primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. A data collection form was used to record patient, arrest and resuscitation characteristics.Results: A total of 135 patients fulfilled the criteria for inclusion in the study. Resuscitation outcomes are presented in Figure 1 using a modified Utstein template. In-hospital CA was associated with 100% mortality. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was obtained in 6% of patients and sustained ROSC in 4%; 24-h survival was zero. The most common admission diagnosis was malaria (51%). Most arrests occurred on the paediatric ward (90%) rather than critical care units. Most resuscitations were led by trainees and mid-level providers (58%) rather than paediatricians (23%).Conclusion: Survival following in-hospital paediatric CA was zero, suggesting that CPR may have no benefit in this tertiary hospital. Future efforts to improve outcomes should focus on advocating better pre-arrest care and research interventions aimed to identify and treat children at risk of CA within the resource constraints of this setting.

One-Year Survival after Inhospital Cardiac Arrest-Does Prearrest Sepsis Matter?

AIM

Cardiac arrest is not a common complication of sepsis, although sepsis has been recognized as one condition behind cardiac arrest. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of sepsis among patients with inhospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), and to determine if sepsis is associated with inferior outcome after IHCA.

METHODS

All consecutive emergency team dispatches in Turku University Hospital in 2011 to 2014 (n = 607) were retrospectively reviewed to identify the patients undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for IHCA (n = 301). The patient records were reviewed for the criteria of severe sepsis, organ dysfunction, and chronic comorbidities before IHCA. Outcome was followed for 1 year.

RESULTS

The criteria for prearrest severe sepsis were met by 83/301 (28%) of the patients, and 93/301 (31%) had multiorgan dysfunction (3 or more organ systems). The patients with severe sepsis had higher mortality than those without severe sepsis, increasing from 30-day mortalities of 63/83 (76%) and 151/218 (69%), respectively (P = 0.256), to 1-year mortalities of 72/83 (87%) and 164/218 (75%), respectively (P = 0.030). Emergency admission, age, immunosuppression, DM, multiorgan dysfunction, and a nonshockable rhythm were independent predictors of 1-year mortality by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Six out of 83 patients with severe sepsis before IHCA (7%) survived 1 year with good neurological outcome (CPC scale 1).

CONCLUSIONS

A high proportion of patients with IHCA have sepsis and multiorgan dysfunction, and their prognosis is worse than the prognosis of patients with IHCA in general.

An intelligent warning model for early prediction of cardiac arrest in sepsis patients

BACKGROUND

Sepsis-associated cardiac arrest is a common issue with the low survival rate. Early prediction of cardiac arrest can provide the time required for intervening and preventing its onset in order to reduce mortality. Several studies have been conducted to predict cardiac arrest using machine learning. However, no previous research has used machine learning for predicting cardiac arrest in adult sepsis patients. Moreover, the potential of some techniques, including ensemble algorithms, has not yet been addressed in improving the prediction outcomes. It is required to find methods for generating high-performance predictions with sufficient time lapse before the arrest. In this regard, various variables and parameters should also been examined.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to use machine learning in order to propose a cardiac arrest prediction model for adult patients with sepsis. It is required to predict the arrest several hours before the incidence with high efficiency. The other goal was to investigate the effect of the time series dynamics of vital signs on the prediction of cardiac arrest.

METHOD

30 h clinical data of every sepsis patients were extracted from Mimic III database (79 cases, 4532 controls). Three datasets (multivariate, time series and combined) were created. Various machine learning models for six time groups were trained on these datasets. The models included classical techniques (SVM, decision tree, logistic regression, KNN, GaussianNB) and ensemble methods (gradient Boosting, XGBoost, random forest, balanced bagging classifier and stacking). Proper solutions were proposed to address the challenges of missing values, imbalanced classes of data and irregularity of time series.

RESULTS

The best results were obtained using a stacking algorithm and multivariate dataset (accuracy = 0.76, precision = 0.19, sensitivity = 0.77, f1-score = 0.31, AUC= 0.82). The proposed model predicts the arrest incidence of up to six hours earlier with the accuracy and sensitivity over 70%.

CONCLUSION

We illustrated that machine learning techniques, especially ensemble algorithms have high potentials to be used in prognostic systems for sepsis patients. The proposed model, in comparison with the exiting warning systems including APACHE II and MEWS, significantly improved the evaluation criteria. According to the results, the time series dynamics of vital signs are of great importance in the prediction of cardiac arrest incidence in sepsis patients.

Valproic acid attenuates sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction in rats by accelerating autophagy through the PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway

AIMS

Sepsis is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Autophagy may play a protective role in sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD). The present study investigated whether valproic acid (VPA), a class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, can attenuate SIMD by accelerating autophagy.

MAIN METHODS

A sepsis model was established via the cecum ligation and puncture of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Cardiac injuries were measured using serum markers, echocardiographic cardiac parameters, and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Cardiac mitochondria injuries were detected with transmission electron microscopy, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and cardiac mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contents. Cardiac oxidative levels were measured using redox markers in the cardiac homogenate. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were performed to detect the expression levels of relative genes and proteins. HDAC binding to the phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) promoters and histone acetylation levels of the PTEN promoters were analyzed via chromatin immunoprecipitation and quantitative RT-PCR.

KEY FINDINGS

VPA can ameliorate SIMD by enhancing the autophagy level of the myocardium to reduce mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, and myocardial inflammation in septic rats. Moreover, this study demonstrated that VPA induces autophagy by inhibiting HDAC1- and HDAC3-mediated PTEN expression in the myocardial tissues of septic rats.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study found that VPA attenuates SIMD through myocardial autophagy acceleration by increasing PTEN expression and inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway. These findings preliminarily suggest that VPA may be a potential approach for the intervention and treatment of SIMD.

Vancomycin Prescribing and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Children With and Without Acute Kidney Injury After Cardiac Arrest

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney injury (AKI) commonly occurs after cardiac arrest. Those subsequently treated with vancomycin are at additional risk for drug-induced kidney injury.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine whether opportunities exist for improved drug monitoring after cardiac arrest.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of children aged 30 days-17 years treated after cardiac arrest in an intensive care unit from January 2010 to September 2014 who received vancomycin within 24 h of arrest. Vancomycin dosing and monitoring were compared between those with and without AKI, with AKI defined as pRIFLE (pediatric risk, injury, failure, loss, end-stage renal disease) stage 2-3 AKI at day 5 using Schwartz formula-calculated estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

RESULTS

Of 43 children, 16 (37%) had AKI at day 5. Age, arrest duration, median time to first vancomycin dose, and the number of doses before and time to first vancomycin concentration measurement were similar between groups. Children with AKI had higher initial vancomycin concentrations than those without AKI (median 16 vs. 7 mg/L; p = 0.003). A concentration was not measured before the second dose in 44% of children with AKI. Initial eGFR predicted day 5 AKI. In children with AKI, the initial eGFR was lower in those with than those without a concentration measurement before the second dose (29 mL/min/1.73 m² [interquartile range (IQR) 23-47] vs. 52 [IQR 50-57]; p = 0.03) but well below normal in both.

CONCLUSIONS

In children with AKI after cardiac arrest, decreased vancomycin clearance was evident early, and early monitoring was not performed universally in those with low initial eGFR. Earlier vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring is indicated in this high-risk population.

Possible Predictive Factors for In-hospital Cardiac Arrest in Patients with Cancer: A Retrospective Single Center Study

BACKGROUND

Despite cancer being the second most common cause of death in the United States, more people are living longer after the diagnosis of cancer than before. Healthcare workers will be treating an increasing number of patients with cancer. Various studies have identified predictors of cardiac arrest in the general population, however, none have been done to identify such factors in cancer patients who form a more vulnerable group with lower survival rate following cardiac arrest.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed charts of all patients with active cancer who experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) and underwent cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from January 2015 to December 2017 at our hospital (n=44, group A). We compared this group to 44 consecutive patients with active cancer admitted to the oncology unit who did not experience cardiac arrest (n=44, group B). We excluded patients in remission.

RESULTS

Both the groups were comparable in terms of age (69 ± 14 vs 68 ± 15, p=0.776) and gender distribution (50% vs 56% males, p=0.521). Prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) (25% vs 11%, p=0.097), hypertension (68% vs 66%, p=0.821), hyperlipidaemia (34% in both groups, p=1.000), tobacco abuse (18% vs 27%, p=0.308), and diabetes mellitus (34% vs 23%, p=0.237) was not significantly different between the two groups. Group with cardiac arrest had significantly higher alanine aminotransferase (100 U/L ± 150 vs 47 U/L ± 87, p=0.043), alkaline phosphatase (288 U/L ± 512 vs 118 U/L ± 80, p=0.032), creatinine (1.8 mg/dl ± 1.74 vs 1.1 mg/dl ± 0.76, p=0.023), international normalised ratio (INR) (2.1 ± 1.5 vs 1.2 ± 0.5, p=0.005), and lower estimated -glomerular filtration rate (43 mL/min/1.73m2 ± 17 vs 51 mL/min/1.73m2 ± 15, p=0.022) on admission. Group A also had significantly higher incidence of sepsis during the hospital course as compared to group B (30% vs 2%, p<0.001). In group A, 11.4% survived to discharge as compared to 95.5% in group B. Significantly higher number of patients in group B were taking chemotherapy (77.27% vs 34.09%, p=0.000046) and radiation therapy (65.9% vs 22.72%, p=0.000046) as compared to group A.

CONCLUSION

Cancer patients who experienced IHCA had worse renal and hepatic function; they were frequently diagnosed with sepsis and had similar cardiovascular risk factors as compared to cancer patients who did not experience cardiac arrest. Furthermore, a higher number of patients with active cancer who did not experience cardiac arrest were on chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiation therapy.

Cyanidin ameliorates endotoxin-induced myocardial toxicity by modulating inflammation and oxidative stress through mitochondria and other factors

Cyanidin, an anthocyanin pigment, demonstrates anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we examined the mechanistic role of cyanidin in endotoxin induced myocardial injury in inflammation and oxidative stress. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced myocardial injury model, cyanidin ameliorated cardiac injury (Lactate dehydrogenase or LDH, Creatine Kinase or CK, cardiac troponin I or cTnI and cardiac myosin light chains 1 or cMLC1), cell death (caspase 3 activity and PARP activity), and improved cardiac function (ejection fraction or EF and end diastolic left ventricular inner dimension or LVID). Cyanidin also attenuated endotoxin induced myocardial injury by modulating inflammatory cytokines (Tumor necrosis factor alpha or TNFα, Interleukin-1 beta or IL-1β, macrophage inflammatory protein 2 or MIP-2 and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 also known as monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 or MCP1) and oxidative stress (protein nitration). Cyanidin modulated redox homeostasis through intracellular oxidized/reduced glutathione. The most striking properties of cyanidin in endotoxin induced mediated myocardial injury was the modulation of mitochondria, its oxidative damage and associated factor Opa1 and Trx1. Thus, our study demonstrated that cyanidin as a constituent of our food chain may be beneficial and has therapeutic potential in sepsis treatment or other myocardial oxidative and/or inflammation induced injuries.

Pulmonary Vasodilator Therapy in Shock-associated Cardiac Arrest

RATIONALE

Many in-hospital cardiac arrests are precipitated by hypotension, often associated with systemic inflammation. These patients are less likely to be successfully resuscitated, and novel approaches to their treatment are needed.

OBJECTIVES

To determine if the addition of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) to hemodynamic-directed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (HD-CPR) would improve short-term survival from cardiac arrest associated with shock and systemic inflammation.

METHODS

In 3-month-old swine (n = 21), LPS was intravenously infused, inducing systemic hypotension. Ventricular fibrillation was induced, and animals were randomized to blinded treatment with either: 1) HD-CPR with iNO, or 2) HD-CPR without iNO. During HD-CPR, chest compression depth was titrated to peak aortic compression pressure of 100 mm Hg, and vasopressor administration was titrated to coronary perfusion pressure greater than or equal to 20 mm Hg. Defibrillation attempts began after 10 minutes of resuscitation. The primary outcome was 45-minute survival.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The iNO group had higher rates of 45-minute survival (10 of 10 vs. 3 of 11; P = 0.001). During cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the iNO group had lower pulmonary artery relaxation pressure (mean ± SEM, 10.9 ± 2.4 vs. 18.4 ± 2.4 mm Hg; P = 0.03), higher coronary perfusion pressure (21.1 ± 1.5 vs. 16.9 ± 1.0 mm Hg; P = 0.005), and higher aortic relaxation pressure (36.6 ± 1.6 vs. 30.4 ± 1.1 mm Hg; P < 0.001) despite shallower chest compressions (5.88 ± 0.25 vs. 6.46 ± 0.40 cm; P = 0.02) and fewer vasopressor doses in the first 10 minutes (median, 4 [interquartile range, 3-4] vs. 5 [interquartile range, 5-6], P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of iNO to HD-CPR in LPS-induced shock-associated cardiac arrest improved short-term survival and intraarrest hemodynamics.