Cytokine and radical inhibition in septic intestinal barrier failure

[The variants of enteral distress syndrome correction with peritonitis]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of a new treatment regimen for patients with widespread peritonitis with an accent on enteroprotection based on the use of a drug of the metabolic type of action of remaxol and physiotherapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Clinical and laboratory studies of 82 patients with widespread peritonitis, mainly with grade 2 severity according to the Mannheim peritonitis Index, severe form - according to the ARASNE II scale. In the 1st group (28) patients underwent intraoperative intestinal intubation in the traditional way; in the 2nd (22) - intestinal intubation according to the original method; in the 3rd (32) - intestinal intubation according to the original method and combined use of remaxol (parenterally, enterally and intraperitoneally). An intestinal tube of an original design was used, which allows electrical stimulation of the duodenum in the postoperative period. The study evaluates clinical data, the results of instrumental and laboratory studies: ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity, assessment of the functional state of the small intestine, a number of indicators of homeostasis.

RESULTS

It was shown that in patients with acute widespread peritonitis who underwent intestinal intubation according to the original method (group 2), as well as in combination with remaxol (group 3), the postoperative period was relatively more favorable. One of the factors optimizing the course of the disease was the relatively rapid restoration of the structural and functional state of the small intestine due to its electrical stimulation. The clinical and laboratory positive effect was especially significant in the 3rd group of patients, in which the use of remaxol, which has a membrane-stabilizing effect, played a special role in the enteroprotective effect. Timely correction of enteral distress syndrome resulted in a significant decrease in the severity of the syndrome of endogenous intoxication and oxidative stress, which was important in significantly improving the results of treatment of patients.

CONCLUSION

The use of technical innovations in the form of an original nasointestinal tube, which allows to quickly restore intestinal motility due to electrical stimulation, as well as the use of remaxol (parenterally, enterally and intraperitoneally) significantly optimize the course of the early postoperative period of patients with acute widespread peritonitis.

[Nasointestinal intubation in surgery of acute intestinal obstruction and peritonitis: past, present and future]

The authors analyze history of development nasointestinal intubation for abdominal decompression in patients acute intestinal obstruction and widespread peritonitis, contribution of Russian and foreign surgical schools to improvement and popularization of this technique. Advisability, clinical efficacy, advantages and disadvantages of this method are stated. The prospects of nasointestinal intubation in the foreseeable future are considered in these patients. Certain technical features of nasointestinal intubation and complications are described. The causes of negative attitude of foreign surgeons to nasointestinal intubation and motivation for refusing of this technique are discussed. Considering the arguments of supporters and opponents, the authors conclude that complete rejection of this technique is premature. A differentiated approach to nasointestinal intubation according to strict indications seems to be more legitimate than categorical rejection.

Atezolizumab alleviates the immunosuppression induced by PD‑L1‑positive neutrophils and improves the survival of mice during sepsis

Atezolizumab can reduce immunosuppression caused by T lymphocyte apoptosis in various cancer types. The current study aimed to investigate whether this drug can also alleviate immunosuppression during sepsis. For that purpose, a C57BL/6 mouse sepsis model was generated. Mice were randomly assigned to three groups: Sham, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and atezolizumab groups. Atezolizumab was administered <em>in vivo</em> by intraperitoneal injection. The expression of programmed death ligand‑1 (PD‑L1) on neutrophils and programmed death‑1 (PD‑1) on T lymphocytes was evaluated, and endotoxin concentration, intestinal permeability, ileum histopathological score and tight junction protein expression were assessed to determine the extent of disease in each group. The rate of T lymphocyte apoptosis was determined to assess the effects of atezolizumab on T lymphocyte apoptosis <em>in vivo</em> and <em>in vitro</em>. Survival times were also recorded to compare mouse prognosis during sepsis. In the CLP group, the proportion of PD‑L1+ neutrophils was significantly higher at 48, 72 and 96 h in blood, and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h in bone marrow, compared with those of the sham group (P&lt;0.05). The proportion of PD‑1+ T lymphocytes was also upregulated at 72 h in blood. In the atezolizumab group, endotoxin concentration, intestinal permeability and ileum histopathological score were lower compared with those in the CLP group (P&lt;0.05), whereas the expression of claudin‑1 and occludin proteins on ileum was higher compared with that in the CLP group (P&lt;0.05). Both <em>in vivo</em> and <em>in vitro</em> experiments indicated that the rate of T lymphocyte apoptosis following atezolizumab treatment was lower compared with that in the CLP group (P&lt;0.05). Survival analysis demonstrated that mice in the atezolizumab group survived longer compared with those in the CLP group (P&lt;0.05). The current study demonstrated that treatment with atezolizumab may be an effective method for treating immunosuppression induced by sepsis.

Intestinal permeability changes, systemic endotoxemia, inflammatory serum markers and sepsis after Whipple's operation for carcinoma of the pancreas head

POURPOSE

The aim was to evaluate the relationship between failure of gut barrier function, inflammatory markers and septic complications after pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

METHODOLOGY

44 patients were enrolled in this prospective observational clinical study and underwent curative open pancreatoduodenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas. All patients underwent assessment of intestinal permeability using the lactulose/manitol excretions ratios (L/M ratio), endotoxemia, IL-1β, IL-6, CRP, and elastase levels before surgery and on postoperative days 1, 3 and 7. Septic complication was defined as a specific clinical condition related to infection by bacterium, virus, or fungus in a specific organ/compartment with positive culture.

RESULTS

Septic complications developed in 25% of patients. There were no significant differences in preoperative L/M ratio, endotoxine, CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, and elastase levels between sepsis-positive and sepsis-negative groups. All patients showed a significant increase in intestinal permeability, endotoxemia, IL-1, IL-6, CRP and elastase on the first postoperative day. At postoperative day 7, the sepsis-positive group continued to demonstrate an increase in intestinal permeability, endotoxemia and elastase; a significant difference was observed between the two groups (P = 0.02), whereas there was no significant difference in IL-1, IL-6, and CRP levels.

CONCLUSION

The pattern of change of intestinal permeability, systemic endotoxemia, and elastase concentration in the postoperative period is significantly higher in patients in whom sepsis develops, while the concentration of IL-1β, IL-6 and CRP do not permit to distinguish infection from inflammation.

[Integrated approach to correction enteral insufficiency in early postoperative period]

AIM

The purpose of the research was to study the effectiveness of enteral insufficiency correction at an acute peritonitis by applying minimally invasive techniques, electrical stimulation and rehabilitation of the bowel and abdominal intestine using Remaxol drug.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The analysis of the results of clinical and laboratory examination and treatment of 110 patients with acute diffuse peritonitis. In the comparison group (62 patients) in the early postoperative period applied standardized treatment, including software reorganization of the abdominal cavity, in the study group (48 patients) -- a comprehensive treatment that includes software laparoscopic sanation abdominal electrical stimulation of the duodenum, and intra-abdominal (single dose, 200 ml), and intracolonic (200 ml, 2 times daily) administration Remaxol. It was noted a significant improvement in treatment outcomes, including reduced mortality by 2.3 times, the shortening of hospital stay by 1.3 times.

RESULTS

The major component of the positive effect of the developed scheme of therapy is its ability to promptly arrest the effects of enteral insufficiency, maintain the functional status of the liver. The relatively rapid recovery of motor and intestinal barrier function leads to a lowering of enteral insufficiency syndrome, which along with increased liver detoxification ability underlies the significant reduction of endogenous intoxication in three days. An important contribution to the effectiveness of the treatment makes intra and intracolonic administration Remaxol. The drug, possessing antioxidant, antihypoxic, hepatoprotective effects, contributes to the relatively rapid improvement of the barrier function of the peritoneum and intestines, detoxification ability of the liver recovery that significantly contributes to the relief of endogenous intoxication.

[Enteral distress syndrome in surgery: definition, pathogenesis, diagnosis]

It was performed a comprehensive experimental and clinical study of functional and metabolic status of the intestine in acute peritonitis, pancreatic necrosis, acute intestinal obstruction. We obtained objective data of impaired barrier function based on levels of toxins in arterial and mesenteric venous blood. Association of organ and organismic homeostatic changes was revealed. It was proved an important role of membrane-destabilizing processes in intestinal epithelium as a cause of enteral insufficiency. Leading trigger mechanisms of lipid metabolic disorders were determined. Enteral distress syndrome was determined as pathological response to acute abdominal surgical diseases. Enteral distress syndrome is a complex of pathological processes due to membrane-destabilizing mechanisms, impaired intestinal barrier function followed by progression of endogenous intoxication. This syndrome significantly aggravates the course of acute surgical abdominal diseases.

Controlling the cytokine storm in severe bacterial diarrhoea with an oral Toll-like receptor 4 antagonist

Shigella dysenteriae causes the most severe of all infectious diarrhoeas and colitis. We infected rhesus macaques orally and also treated them orally with a small and non-absorbable polypropyletherimine dendrimer glucosamine that is a Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) antagonist. Antibiotics were not given for this life-threatening infection. Six days later, the clinical score for diarrhoea, mucus and blood was 54% lower, colon interleukin-8 and interleukin-6 were both 77% lower, and colon neutrophil infiltration was 75% less. Strikingly, vasculitis did not occur and tissue fibrin thrombi were reduced by 67%. There was no clinical toxicity or adverse effect of dendrimer glucosamine on systemic immunity. This is the first report in non-human primates of the therapeutic efficacy of a small and orally bioavailable TLR antagonist in severe infection. Our results show that an oral TLR4 antagonist can enable controlled resolution of the infection-related-inflammatory response and can also prevent neutrophil-mediated gut wall necrosis in severe infectious diarrhoeas.