Troponin Elevation in Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: The Role of Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction and Right Ventricular Dilatation*

Maternal Sepsis

Sepsis is the second leading cause of pregnancy-related mortality in the United States. Early recognition, treatment, and escalation of care for the obstetric patient affected by sepsis mitigate the risk of mortality and improve patient outcomes. In this article, we provide an overview of maternal sepsis and address topics of maternal pathophysiology, early warning signs, diagnostic criteria, early goal-directed therapy, and contemporary critical care practices. We also present an overview of common etiologies of maternal sepsis and suggested treatment approaches.

Cardiac biomarkers for screening and prognostication of cardiac dysfunction in critically ill patients

AIMS

This study aimed to assess the use of high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTNT) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in screening for cardiac dysfunction [left ventricular (LV) systolic or diastolic dysfunction or right ventricular (RV) dysfunction] in mixed intensive care unit (ICU) patients and establish whether these biomarkers are independently associated with an increased risk of death.

METHODS

We performed a secondary analysis of a single-centre prospective observational study in which consecutive ICU patients were examined with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac biomarkers. Patients with systolic or diastolic LV dysfunction, RV dysfunction or a combination of these were compared with patients with normal cardiac function. Sensitivity and specificity for different cut-off levels were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Regression models were used to evaluate the associations between cardiac biomarkers, sepsis, renal failure and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 276 patients were included. Most of the patients had cardiac dysfunction on TTE (64%). Combined cardiac dysfunction was most prevalent (71 patients, 26%), followed by isolated diastolic LV dysfunction (40 patients, 15%). Levels of hsTNT and NT-proBNP were higher in all types of cardiac dysfunction versus patients with normal cardiac function. The area under the curve (AUC) for hsTNT to detect any cardiac dysfunction was 0.75. An optimal cut-off at 30.5 ng/L rendered a positive predictive value (PPV) of 80% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 58%. The AUC for NT-proBNP to detect any cardiac dysfunction was 0.788. Using an optimal cut-off at 1145 ng/L rendered a PPV of 86% and an NPV of 58%. Using a clinically relevant 90% sensitivity for detecting cardiac dysfunction put the cut-offs at 14.1 ng/L for hsTNT and 247 ng/L for NT-proBNP, resulting in a specificity of 48% and 46%, respectively. Levels of NT-proBNP were associated with sepsis and renal failure (P < 0.001), while levels of hsTNT were associated with renal failure only (P < 0.001) after adjustment for cardiac dysfunction. Levels of biomarkers were associated with an increased risk of 90 day mortality after adjustments for age, Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3, cardiac dysfunction and factors independently associated with biomarker increase (sepsis and renal failure) (P = 0.048 for hsTNT and P < 0.006 for NT-proBNP).

CONCLUSION

Cardiac biomarkers, hsTNT and NT-proBNP, are strongly correlated to cardiac dysfunction in ICU patients and have a robust association with increased mortality. However, the relatively low NPV and the low specificity at relevant sensitivity levels of the biomarkers make them unsuitable for use in screening for cardiac dysfunction.

Types of Septic Cardiomyopathy: Prognosis and Influencing Factors - A Clinical Study

Objective

To explore the prognostic outcomes associated with different types of septic cardiomyopathy and analyze the factors that exert an influence on these outcomes.

Methods

The data collected within 24 hours of ICU admission included cardiac troponin I (cTnI), N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP); SOFA (sequential organ failure assessment) scores, and the proportion of vasopressor use. Based on echocardiographic outcomes, septic cardiomyopathy was categorized into left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, LV diastolic dysfunction, and right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction. Differences between the mortality and survival groups, as well as between each cardiomyopathy subgroup and the non-cardiomyopathy group were compared, to explore the influencing factors of cardiomyopathy.

Results

A cohort of 184 patients were included in this study, with LV diastolic dysfunction having the highest incidence rate (43.5%). The mortality group had significantly higher SOFA scores, vasopressor use, and cTnI levels compared to the survival group; the survival group had better LV diastolic function than the mortality group (p < 0.05 for all). In contrast to the non-cardiomyopathy group, each subgroup within the cardiomyopathy category exhibited elevated levels of cTnI. The subgroup with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction demonstrated a higher prevalence of advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and an increased mortality rate; the RV systolic dysfunction subgroup had higher SOFA scores and NT-proBNP levels, and a higher mortality rate (P < 0.05 for all); the LV systolic dysfunction subgroup had a similar mortality rate (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Patients with advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or coronary artery disease are more prone to develop LV diastolic dysfunction type of cardiomyopathy; cardiomyopathy subgroups had higher levels of cTnI. The RV systolic dysfunction cardiomyopathy subgroup had higher SOFA scores and NT-proBNP levels. The occurrence of RV systolic dysfunction in patients with sepsis significantly increased the mortality rate.

Mortality in patients with septic cardiomyopathy identified by longitudinal strain by speckle tracking echocardiography: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis

BACKGROUND

Septic cardiomyopathy is associated with poor outcomes but its definition remains unclear. In a previous meta-analysis, left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain (LS) showed significant prognostic value in septic patients, but findings were not robust due to a limited number of studies, differences in effect size and no adjustment for confounders.

METHODS

We conducted an updated systematic review (PubMed and Scopus up to 14.02.2023) and meta-analysis to investigate the association between LS and survival in septic patients. We included studies reporting global (from three apical views) or regional LS (one or two apical windows). A secondary analysis evaluated the association between LV ejection fraction (EF) and survival using data from the selected studies.

RESULTS

We included fourteen studies (1678 patients, survival 69.6%) and demonstrated an association between better performance (more negative LS) and survival with a mean difference (MD) of -1.45%[-2.10, -0.80] (p < 0.0001;I2 = 42%). No subgroup differences were found stratifying studies according to number of views used to calculate LS (p = 0.31;I2 = 16%), severity of sepsis (p = 0.42;I2 = 0%), and sepsis criteria (p = 0.59;I2 = 0%). Trial sequential analysis and sensitivity analyses confirmed the primary findings. Grade of evidence was low. In the included studies, thirteen reported LVEF and we found an association between higher LVEF and survival (MD = 2.44% [0.44,4.45]; p = 0.02;I2 = 42%).

CONCLUSIONS

We confirmed that more negative LS values are associated with higher survival in septic patients. The clinical relevance of this difference and whether the use of LS may improve understanding of septic cardiomyopathy and prognostication deserve further investigation. The association found between LVEF and survival is of unlikely clinical meaning.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO number CRD42023432354.

The association between levosimendan and mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Levosimendan is increasingly being used in patients with sepsis or septic shock because of its potential to improve organ function and reduce mortality. We aimed to determine if levosimendan can reduce mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock via meta-analysis.

EVIDENCE SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION

We comprehensively searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases from inception through 1 October 2022. Literature evaluating the efficacy of levosimendan in patients with sepsis or septic shock was included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Two reviewers extracted data and assessed study quality. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate an odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), and P -values for 28-day mortality (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes included changes in indexes reflecting cardiac function before and after treatment, changes in serum lactate levels in the first 24 h of treatment, and the mean SOFA score during the study period. Safety outcomes included rates of tachyarrhythmias and total adverse reactions encountered with levosimendan.

RESULTS

Eleven randomized controlled trials were identified, encompassing a total of 1044 patients. After using levosimendan, there was no statistical difference between groups for 28-day mortality (34.9% and 36.2%; OR: 0.93; 95% CI [0.72-1.2]; P  = 0.57; I 2  = 0%; trial sequential analysis-adjusted CI [0.6-1.42]) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, and more adverse reactions seemed to occur in the levosimendan group, although the septic shock patient's heart function and serum lactate level improved.

CONCLUSION

There was no association between the use of levosimendan and 28-day mortality and SOFA scores in patients with septic shock, though there was statistically significant improvement in cardiac function and serum lactate.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Studies in a Large Animal Model that Simulates the Cardiac Abnormalities of Human Septic Shock

Background

Septic shock, in humans and in our well-established animal model, is associated with increases in biventricular end diastolic volume (EDV) and decreases in ejection fraction (EF). These abnormalities occur over 2 days and reverse within 10 days. Septic non-survivors do not develop an increase in EDV. The mechanism for this cardiac dysfunction and EDV differences is unknown.

Methods

Purpose-bred beagles randomized to receive intrabronchial Staphylococcus aureus (n=27) or saline (n=6) were provided standard ICU care including sedation, mechanical ventilation, and fluid resuscitation to a pulmonary arterial occlusion pressure of over 10mmHg. No catecholamines were administered. Over 96h, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiograms, and invasive hemodynamics were serially performed, and laboratory data was collected. Tissue was obtained at 66h from six septic animals.

Results

From 0-96h after bacterial challenge, septic animals vs. controls had significantly increased left ventricular wall edema (6%) and wall thinning with loss of mass (15%) which was more pronounced at 48h in non-survivors than survivors. On histology, edema was located predominantly in myocytes, the interstitium, and endothelial cells. Edema was associated with significantly worse biventricular function (lower EFs), ventricular-arterial coupling, and circumferential strain. In septic animals, from 0-24h, the EDV decreased from baseline and, despite cardiac filling pressures being similar, decreased significantly more in non-survivors. From 24-48h, all septic animals had increases in biventricular chamber sizes. Survivors biventricular EDVs were significantly greater than baseline and in non-survivors, where biventricular EDVs were not different from baseline. Preload, afterload, or HR differences did not explain these differential serial changes in chamber size.

Conclusion

Systolic and diastolic cardiac dysfunction during sepsis is associated with ventricular wall edema. Rather than differences in preload, afterload, or heart rate, structural alterations to the ventricular wall best account for the volume changes associated with outcome during sepsis. In non-survivors, from 0-24h, sepsis induces a more severe diastolic dysfunction, further decreasing chamber size. The loss of left ventricular mass with wall thinning in septic survivors may, in part explain, the EDV increases from 24-48h. However, these changes continued and even accelerated into the recovery phase consistent with a reparative process rather than ongoing injury.

Acute Myocardial Injury Assessed by High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Levels in Adult Patients with Early Sepsis at a Tertiary Referral Center in Mexico: An Exploratory Study

The objective of the study was to describe the frequency of acute myocardial injury (AMI) assessed by high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) levels and to determine the possible initial risk factors (related to the characteristics of the patient, the disease, and the initial management) in a population of adult patients with early sepsis (within the first 72 h of diagnosis) in a single tertiary hospital center in western Mexico. For the inferential statistics, the proportions of the categorical dichotomous variables were compared using the chi-square test. In all analyses, p values less than 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval were considered significant. We included a total of 64 patients diagnosed with early sepsis, of whom 46 presented elevated hs-cTnI and were classified as having AMI. In our study, the frequency of AMI in patients with early sepsis was 71.87%, and no significant differences were found in all of the characteristics of patients with early sepsis with and without AMI, nor was any significant association found with any of the variables analyzed. In the population of western Mexico, the frequency of AMI in patients with early sepsis, assessed by hs-cTnI levels, is high and similar to that reported in other populations worldwide.

The association between higher cardiac troponin levels and the development of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in septic patients with diabetes mellitus

This study was designed to retrospectively analyze the relationship between the levels of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and the development of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in septic patients with diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, the predictive value of cTnT and cTnI in the LVDD development in those patients was investigated. The clinical information of 159 septic patients with diabetes mellitus treated in the intensive care unit of Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University from June 2016 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were separated into LVDD group (LVFP > 15 mmHg) and non-LVDD group (LVFP ≤ 15 mmHg) based on left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP). The differences in clinical data, echocardiographic parameters, as well as cTnT and cTnI levels between the LVDD and non-LVDD groups were compared. The relationship between the cTnT and cTnI levels and the echocardiographic parameters was studied using Pearson correlation analysis. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the factors that influenced the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were created to evaluate the predictive value of cTnT and cTnI levels for the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes. Totally 159 septic patients with diabetes were included in this study, with 97 patients in the LVDD group and 62 in the non-LVDD group. Compared with the non-LVDD group, patients in the LVDD group had much lower left ventricular (LV) early diastolic peak inflow velocity (E), LV advanced diastolic peak inflow velocity (A), E/A, and early diastolic mitral annular velocity (Em) while significantly higher E/Em. The LVDD group showed much higher levels of cTnI and cTnT than the non-LVDD group (P < 0.05). Significant positive correlation between log10cTnI level and E/Em ratio (r = 0.425, P < 0.001) was revealed by the Pearson correlation analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that E/A, E/Em, cTnI and cTnT were independent risk factors for the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes (P < 0.05). As for ROC curve results, the area under the curve (AUC) of cTnT to predict the development of LVDD in septic patients with diabetes was 0.849 (95% CI 0.788-0.910, P < 0.001); the AUC of cTnI was 0.742 (95% CI 0.666-0.817, P < 0.001). Both cTnT and cTnI are independent risk factors and have predictive value for the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes mellitus.

Research Progress on the Mechanism and Management of Septic Cardiomyopathy: A Comprehensive Review

Sepsis is defined as a kind of life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host immune response to infection and is a leading cause of mortality in the intensive care unit. Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction, also called septic cardiomyopathy, is a common and serious complication in patients with sepsis, which may indicate a bad prognosis. Although efforts have been made to uncover the pathophysiology of septic cardiomyopathy, a number of uncertainties remain. This article sought to review available literature to summarize the existing knowledge on current diagnostic tools and biomarkers, pathogenesis, and treatments for septic cardiomyopathy.

Impact of cardiac troponin release and fluid resuscitation on outcomes of patients with sepsis

BACKGROUND

Septic patients are predisposed to myocardial injury manifested as cardiac troponin release (TnR). Prognostic significance and management implications of TnR and its relationship to fluid resuscitation and outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting has not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

A total of 24,778 patients with sepsis from eICU-CRD, MIMIC-III and MIMIC-IV databases were included in this retrospective study. In-hospital mortality and one-year survival were examined using multivariable regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with overlap weighting adjustment, as well as generalized additive models for fluid resuscitation.

RESULTS

TnR on admission was associated with higher in-hospital mortality [adjusted odds ratios (OR) = 1.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.23-1.43; p < 0.001 in unweighted analysis and adjusted OR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.29-1.50; P < 0.001 with overlap weighting]. One-year mortality was higher in patients with admission TnR (P = 0.002). A trend was noted for association between admission TnR and 1-year mortality [adjusted OR = 1.16; 95% CI = 0.99-1.37; P = 0.067 in unweighted analysis] while the association was statistically significant after overlap weighting (adjusted OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.06-1.47; P = 0.008). Patients with admission TnR were less likely to benefit from more liberal fluid resuscitation. Adequate fluid resuscitation (80 ml/kg in the first 24 h of ICU stay) was associated with lower in-hospital mortality in septic patients without TnR but not in those with admission TnR.

CONCLUSIONS

Admission TnR is significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality and 1-year mortality among septic patients. Adequate fluid resuscitation improves in-hospital mortality in septic patients without but not with admission TnR.

First Sampled High-Sensitive Cardiac Troponin T is Associated With One-Year Mortality in Sepsis Patients and 30- to 365-Day Mortality in Sepsis Survivors

BACKGROUND

Previous studies using cardiac troponin levels to investigate the relationship between myocardial injury and mortality in sepsis patients have been conflicting. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between plasma high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) level and 30-day and 1-year mortality in sepsis patients and 30- to 365-day mortality in sepsis survivors.

METHODS

Sepsis patients requiring vasopressor support and admitted to our institution between 2012 and 2021 (n = 586) were included in this retrospective cohort study. Elevated hs-cTnT values (≥15 ng/L) were divided into quartiles (Q): Q1 15-35 ng/L; Q2 36-61 ng/L; Q3 62-125 ng/L; Q4 126-8630 ng/L. Stratified Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression were used for survival analyses.

RESULTS

First sampled hs-cTnT was elevated in 529 (90%) patients. One-year mortality was 45% (n = 264). Increasing level of hs-cTnT was independently associated with higher adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for 1-year mortality compared with normal levels: Q1 HR 2.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-8.1); Q2 HR 3.5 (95% CI, 1.2-9.8); Q3 HR 4.8 (95% CI, 1.7-13.4); Q4 HR 5.7 (95% CI, 2.1-16). In acute phase survivors, first sampled hs-cTnT was an independent predictor of 30- to 365-day mortality (HR 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6 per loge hs-cTnT).

CONCLUSIONS

First sampled plasma hs-cTnT in critically ill sepsis patients was independently associated with 30-day and 1-year mortality. Importantly, first sampled hs-cTnT was associated with mortality during the convalescence phase (30- to 365-day) and could be a feasible marker to identify acute phase survivors at high risk of death.

Correlation between tissue Doppler-derived left ventricular systolic velocity (S') and left ventricle ejection fraction in sepsis and septic shock: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Tissue Doppler-derived left ventricular systolic velocity (mitral S') has shown excellent correlation to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in non-critically patients. However, their correlation in septic patients remains poorly understood and its impact on mortality is undetermined. We investigated the relationship between mitral S' and LVEF in a large cohort of critically-ill septic patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study between 01/2011 and 12/2020. All adult patients (≥ 18 years) who were admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) with sepsis and septic shock that underwent a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) within 72 h were included. Pearson correlation test was used to assess correlation between average mitral S' and LVEF. Pearson correlation was used to assess correlation between average mitral S' and LVEF. We also assessed the association between mitral S', LVEF and 28-day mortality.

RESULTS

2519 patients met the inclusion criteria. The study population included 1216 (48.3%) males with a median age of 64 (IQR: 53-73), and a median APACHE III score of 85 (IQR: 67, 108). The median septal, lateral, and average mitral S' were 8 cm/s (IQR): 6.0, 10.0], 9 cm/s (IQR: 6.0, 10.0), and 8.5 cm/s (IQR: 6.5, 10.5), respectively. Mitral S' was noted to have moderate correlation with LVEF (r = 0.46). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, average mitral S' was associated with an increase in both 28-day ICU and in-hospital mortality with odds ratio (OR) 1.04 (95% CI 1.01-1.08, p = 0.02) and OR 1.04 (95% CI 1.01-1.07, p = 0.02), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though mitral S' and LVEF may be related, they are not exchangeable and were only found to have moderate correlation in this study. LVEF is U-shaped, while mitral S' has a linear relation with 28-day ICU mortality. An increase in average mitral S' was associated with higher 28-day mortality.

RIGHT VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION IN SEPSIS: AN UPDATED NARRATIVE REVIEW

ABSTRACT

Sepsis is a multisystem disease process, which constitutes a significant public health challenge and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Among other systems, sepsis is known to affect the cardiovascular system, which may manifest as myocardial injury, arrhythmias, refractory shock, and/or septic cardiomyopathy. Septic cardiomyopathy is defined as the reversible systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction of one or both ventricles. Left ventricle dysfunction has been extensively studied in the past, and its prognostic role in patients with sepsis is well documented. However, there is relatively scarce literature on right ventricle (RV) dysfunction and its role. Given the importance of timely detection of septic cardiomyopathy and its bearing on prognosis of patients, the role of RV dysfunction has come into renewed focus. Hence, through this review, we sought to describe the pathophysiology of RV dysfunction in sepsis and what have we learnt so far about its multifactorial nature. We also elucidate the roles of different biomarkers for its detection and prognosis, along with appropriate management of such patient population.

Early Diastolic Peak Velocity of Mitral Valve Annulus and Right Ventricular Systolic Tricuspid Annular Velocity as Predictors in Assessing Prognosis of Patients with Sepsis

Objective

To analyze the epidemiological data of patients with septic cardiomyopathy and investigate the relationship between ultrasonic parameters and prognosis of patients with sepsis.

Methods

In this study, we enrolled patients with sepsis who were treated at the Department of Critical Care Medicine in the Beijing Electric Power Hospital (No.1 Taipingqiao Xili, Fengtai District, Beijing) from January 2020 to June 2022. All patients received standardized treatment. Their general medical status and 28-day prognosis were recorded. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed within 24 hours after admission. We compared the ultrasound indexes between the mortality group and the survival group at the end of 28 days. We included parameters with significant difference in the logistic regression model to identify the independent risk factors for prognosis and evaluated their predictive value using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

Results

We included 100 patients with sepsis in this study; the mortality rate was 33% and the prevalence rate of septic cardiomyopathy was 49%. The peak e' velocity and right ventricular systolic tricuspid annulus velocity (RV-Sm) of the survival group were significantly higher than those of the mortality group (P < 0.05). Results of logistic regression analysis showed that the peak e' velocity and RV-Sm were independent risk factors for prognosis. The area under curve of the peak e' velocity and the RV-Sm was 0.657 and 0.668, respectively (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The prevalence rate of septic cardiomyopathy in septic patients is high. In this study, we found that the peak e' velocity and right ventricular systolic tricuspid annulus velocity were important predictors of short-term prognosis.

Use and Prognostic Implications of Cardiac Troponin in COVID-19

Myocardial injury is common in patients with COVID-19 and is associated with an adverse prognosis. Cardiac troponin (cTn) is used to detect myocardial injury and assist with risk stratification in this population. SARS-CoV-2 infection can play a role in the pathogenesis of acute myocardial injury due to both direct and indirect damage to the cardiovascular system. Despite the initial concerns about an increased incidence of acute myocardial infarction (MI), most cTn increases are related to chronic myocardial injury due to comorbidities and/or acute nonischemic myocardial injury. This review will discuss the latest findings on this topic.

Septic cardiomyopathy: A narrative review

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome of suspected or documented infectious origin, whose outcome is multiorgan failure. Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD), present in more than 50% of septic patients, is characterized by (i) left ventricular (LV) dilatation with normal or low filling pressure, (ii) right and/or LV (systolic and/or diastolic) dysfunction and (iii) reversibility. Since the first definition proposed by Parker et al. in 1984, attempts have been made to define SIMD. Many parameters are used to assess cardiac function in septic patients, sometimes making it more difficult to measure due to the intrinsic hemodynamical changes in this condition. Nevertheless, with advanced echocardiographic techniques, such as speckle tracking analysis, it is possible to diagnose and assess systolic and diastolic dysfunction, even in the earliest stages of sepsis. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging brings new insights into the reversibility of this condition. Many uncertainties still remain regarding the mechanisms, characteristics, treatment and even prognosis of this condition. There are also inconsistent conclusions from studies, therefore this review attempts to summarize our current knowledge of SIMD.

Risk factors of preoperative myocardial injury in patients with gastrointestinal tumors

BACKGROUND

Recent studies indicated that the prognosis of patients with gastrointestinal tumors is frequently influenced by its complications, notably myocardial injury. The main object is to investigate the occurrence and risk factors of myocardial injury in patients with gastrointestinal tumor.

METHODS

1126 patients who received gastrointestinal tumor related surgery from May 2018 to June 2020 in the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively collected and divided into the non-myocardial injury group and the myocardial injury group (high-sensitive cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) ≥ 0.028 ng/ml). The occurrence and risk factors of myocardial injury in patients with gastrointestinal tumor are analyzed. The influence of myocardial injury on the ICU detention time in gastrointestinal tumor patients is also studied.

RESULTS

In total, 78 (6.93%) patients developed myocardial injuries. Compared with patients in the non-myocardial injury group, patients in the myocardial injury group have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (including advanced age and higher smoking ratio), a higher prevalence of comorbidities (such as previous coronary artery disease, hypertension, atrium fibrillation and diabetes), and a higher rate of premedication (such as anticoagulation, β-blocker, Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/Angiotensin II receptor blocker, and diuretic) (all with P-value < 0.05). In addition, patients in the myocardial injury group also presented with a higher revised cardiac risk index (Lee index), higher neutrophil granulocyte ratio, lower hemoglobin, and higher likelihood of impaired cardiac structure and function (all with P-value < 0.05). There was a trend of statistical significance in the ICU detention time between the myocardial injury group and the non-myocardial injury group (1[1,3] vs. 2[1,10], P = 0.064). In this study, there were 7 patients presented with clinical symptoms in the myocardial injury group (chest discomfort in 4 cases, non-compressive precordial chest pain in 1 case, dyspnea in 2 cases). In the multivariate analysis, advanced age, increased Lee index score, increased neutrophil granulocyte ratio, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), increased interventricular septum were independent risk factors for myocardial injury.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, advanced age, increased Lee index, increased neutrophil granulocyte ratio, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, and increased ventricular septum were independent risk factors for preoperative myocardial injury in patients with gastrointestinal tumors. The proportion of clinical symptoms in gastrointestinal tumor patients with myocardial injury was low, indicating the necessity to closely monitor the cardiac status of individuals with gastrointestinal tumors.

Increasing illness severity is associated with global myocardial dysfunction in the first 24 hours of sepsis admission

Background

Septic cardiomyopathy was recognized more than 30 years ago, but the early phase remains uncharacterized as no existing studies captured patients at the time of Emergency Department (ED) presentation, prior to resuscitation. Therapeutic interventions alter cardiac function, thereby distorting the relationship with disease severity and outcomes. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of illness severity on cardiac function during the first 24 h of sepsis admission.

Methods

This was a pre-planned secondary analysis of a prospective observational study of adults presenting to the ED with suspected sepsis (treatment for infection plus either lactate > 2 mmol/liter or systolic blood pressure < 90 mm/Hg) who received < 1L IV fluid before enrollment. Patients had 3 echocardiograms performed (presentation, 3, and 24 h). The primary outcome was the effect of increasing sepsis illness severity, defined by ED Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, on parameters of cardiac function, assessed using linear mixed-effects models. The secondary goal was to determine whether cardiac function differed between survivors and non-survivors, also using mixed-effects models.

Results

We enrolled 73 patients with a mean age of 60 (SD 16.1) years and in-hospital mortality of 23%. For the primary analysis, we found that increasing ED SOFA score was associated with worse cardiac function over the first 24 h across all assessed parameters of left-ventricular systolic and diastolic function as well as right-ventricular systolic function. While baseline strain and E/e' were better in survivors, in the mixed models analysis, the trajectory of Global Longitudinal Strain and septal E/e′ over the first 24 h of illness differed between survivors and non-survivors, with improved function at 24 h in non-survivors.

Conclusions

In the first study to capture patients prior to the initiation of resuscitation, we found a direct relationship between sepsis severity and global myocardial dysfunction. Future studies are needed to confirm these results, to identify myocardial depressants, and to investigate the link with adverse outcomes so that therapeutic interventions can be developed.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13089-022-00282-6.

Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in ARDS Patients

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible presence of diastolic dysfunction and its possible effects in terms of respiratory mechanics, gas exchange and lung recruitability in mechanically ventilated ARDS. Methods: Consecutive patients admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) with ARDS were enrolled. Echocardiographic evaluation was acquired at clinical PEEP level. Lung CT-scan was performed at 5 and 45 cmH₂O. In the study, 2 levels of PEEP (5 and 15 cmH₂O) were randomly applied. Results: A total of 30 patients were enrolled with a mean PaO₂/FiO₂ and a median PEEP of 137 ± 52 and 10 [9–10] cmH₂O, respectively. Of those, 9 patients (30%) had a diastolic dysfunction of grade 1, 2 and 3 in 33%, 45% and 22%, respectively, without any difference in gas exchange and respiratory mechanics. The total lung weight was significantly higher in patients with diastolic dysfunction (1669 [1354–1909] versus 1554 [1146–1942] g) but the lung recruitability was similar between groups (33.3 [27.3–41.4] versus 30.6 [20.0–38.8] %). Left ventricular ejection fraction (57 [39–62] versus 60 [57–60]%) and TAPSE (20.0 [17.0–24.0] versus 24.0 [20.0–27.0] mL) were similar between the two groups. The response to changes of PEEP from 5 to 15 cmH₂O in terms of oxygenation and respiratory mechanics was not affected by the presence of diastolic dysfunction. Conclusions: ARDS patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction presented a higher amount of lung edema and worse outcome.

Septic Cardiomyopathy: From Pathophysiology to the Clinical Setting

The onset of cardiomyopathy is a common feature in sepsis, with relevant effects on its pathophysiology and clinical care. Septic cardiomyopathy is characterized by reduced left ventricular (LV) contractility eventually associated with LV dilatation with or without right ventricle failure. Unfortunately, such a wide range of ultrasonographic findings does not reflect a deep comprehension of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy, but rather a lack of consensus about its definition. Several echocardiographic parameters intrinsically depend on loading conditions (both preload and afterload) so that it may be challenging to discriminate which is primitive and which is induced by hemodynamic perturbances. Here, we explore the state of the art in sepsis-related cardiomyopathy. We focus on the shortcomings in its definition and point out how cardiac performance dynamically changes in response to different hemodynamic clusters. A special attention is also given to update the knowledge about molecular mechanisms leading to myocardial dysfunction and that recall those of myocardial hibernation. Ultimately, the aim of this review is to highlight the unsolved issue in the field of sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy as their implementation would lead to improve risk stratification and clinical care.

The use of cardiac troponins and B-type natriuretic peptide in COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still challenging health care systems worldwide. Over time, it has become clear that respiratory disease is not the only important entity as critically ill patients are also more prone to develop complications, such as acute cardiac injury. Despite extensive research, the mainstay of treatment still relies on supportive care and targeted therapy of these complications. The development of a prognostic model which helps clinicians to diverge patients to an appropriate level of care is thus crucial. As a result, several prognostic markers have been studied in the past few months. Among them are the cardiac biomarkers, especially cardiac troponins T/I and brain natriuretic peptide, which seem to have important prognostic values as several reports have confirmed their strong association with adverse clinical outcomes and death. The use of these biomarkers as part of a prognostic tool could potentially result in more precise risk stratification of COVID-19 patients and divergence to an adequate level of care. However, several caveats persist causing international guidelines to still recommend in favour of a more conservative approach to cardiac biomarker testing for prognostic purposes.

Factors associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with septic shock

Purpose

To investigate risk factors associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) of patients with septic shock.

Materials and methods

Patients with septic shock concomitant with or without LVDD were retrospectively enrolled and divided into the LVDD group (n = 17) and control without LVDD (n = 85). The clinical and ultrasound data were analyzed.

Results

A significant (P < 0.05) difference existed between the two groups in serum creatinine, APACHE II score, serum glucose, triglyceride, BUN, FT4, LAVI, mitral E, average e’, E/average e’, septal e’, septal e’/septal s’, E/septal e’, lateral s’, lateral e’, and E/lateral e’. LAVI > 37 mL/m², septal e’ < 7 cm/s (OR 11.04, 95% CI 3.38–36.05), septal e’/septal s’ < 0.8 (OR 4.09, 95% CI 1.37–12.25), E/septal e’ > 15 (OR 22.86, 95% CI 6.09–85.79), lateral e’ < 8 cm/s (OR 9.16, 95% CI 2.70–31.07), E/lateral e’ > 13 (OR 52, 95% CI 11.99- 225.55), lateral s’ < 10 (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.13–9.99), average e’ > 10, E/average e’ > 10 (OR 9.53, 95% CI 2.49–36.46), APACHE II score > 16 (OR 3.33, 95% CI 1.00–11.03), SOFA > 5 (or 3.43, 95% CI 1.11–10.60), BUN > 12 mmol/L (OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.15–9.87), serum creatinine > 146 μmol/L (OR 5.08, 95% CI 1.69–15.23), serum glucose > 8 mmol/L (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.09–10.40), and triglyceride > 1.8 mmol/L were significant (P < 0.05) risk factors for LVDD. LAVI > 37 ml/m², lateral e’ < 8 cm/s, E/lateral e’ > 13, and SOFA > 5 were significant (P < 0.05) independent risk factors for LVDD. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the cut-off value and AUC were 37.09 mL/m² and 0.85 for LAVI, 8.00 cm/s and 0.89 for lateral e’, 12.86 and 0.82 for E/lateral e’, and 5.00 and 0.69 for SOFA, respectively.

Conclusion

Left atrial volume index, mitral lateral e’, E/lateral e’, and SOFA score are significant independent risk factors for predicting left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with septic shock.

Early echocardiographic assessment of cardiac function may be prognostically informative in unresuscitated patients with sepsis: A prospective observational study

Purpose

The goal of this study was to explore the association cardiac function at Emergency Department (ED) presentation prior to the initiation of resuscitation, and its change at 3-hours, with adverse outcomes in patients with sepsis.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study of patients presenting to an urban ED with suspected sepsis. Patients had a point-of-care echocardiogram performed prior to initiation of resuscitation and again 3 hours later. Left-ventricular (LV) parameters recorded included e’, and E/e’, and ejection fraction (EF); right-ventricular (RV) function was evaluated using tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Logistic and generalized linear regression were used to assess the association of echocardiographic parameters and ≥ 2-point increase in SOFA score at 24 hours (primary outcome) and 24-hours SOFA score and in-hospital mortality (secondary outcomes).

Results

For ΔSOFA ≥ 2 and 24-hour SOFA score, declining LVEF was associated with better outcomes in patients with greater baseline SOFA scores, but worse outcomes in patients with lower baseline scores. A similar relationship was found for ΔTAPSE at 3 hours. Reduced LVEF at presentation was associated with increased mortality after adjusting for ED SOFA score (odds-ratio (OR) 0.76 (CI 0.60–0.96). No relationship between diastolic parameters and outcomes was found. IVF administration was similar across ΔLVEF/TAPSE sub-groups.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that early change in LV and RV systolic function are independently prognostic of sepsis illness severity at 24-hours. Further study is needed to determine if this information can be used to guide treatment and improve outcomes.

A Prospective Observational Study to Determine Incidence and Outcome of Sepsis-induced Cardiomyopathy in an Intensive Care Unit

Introduction

Sepsis leads to left and/or right ventricular systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction resulting in adverse outcomes. Myocardial dysfunction can be diagnosed by echocardiography (ECHO) and early intervention can be planned. There are lacunae in Indian literature regarding the true incidence of septic cardiomyopathy and its influence on the outcome of patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU).

Materials and methods

This prospective observational study was conducted on patients consecutively admitted with sepsis to the ICU of a tertiary care hospital in North India. In these patients, ECHO was performed after 48-72 hours to establish left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, in whom the ICU outcome was analyzed.

Result

The incidence of LV dysfunction was 14%. About 42.86% of patients had isolated systolic dysfunction, 7.14% of patients had isolated diastolic dysfunction, and 50.00% of patients had combined LV systolic and diastolic dysfunctions. The average days of mechanical ventilation in patients without LV dysfunction group (group I) was 2.41 ± 3.82 days as compared to 4.43 ± 4.27 days in patients with LV dysfunction (group II) (p = 0.034). Incidence of all-cause ICU mortality was 11 (12.79%) in group I and 3 (21.43%) in group II (p = 0.409). The mean duration of stay in ICU was 8.26 ± 4.41 days in group I as compared to 13.21 ± 6.83 days in group II.

Conclusion

We concluded that sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM) in ICU is quite prevalent and clinically significant. All-cause ICU mortality and length of ICU stay are prolonged in patients with SICM.

How to cite this article

Bansal S, Varshney S, Shrivastava A. A Prospective Observational Study to Determine Incidence and Outcome of Sepsis-induced Cardiomyopathy in an Intensive Care Unit. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(7):798-803.

The prognostic value of cardiac troponin T in different age groups of traumatic brain injury patients

BACKGROUND

The cardiac dysfunction has been confirmed as a common non-neurological complication and associated with increased mortality in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. As a biological marker of cardiac injury, the cardiac troponin T (TnT) has been verified correlated with the outcome of some non-traumatic brain injury patients. However, the prognostic value of TnT in TBI patients has not been clearly illustrated. We designed this study to explore the association between TnT and the outcome of TBI patients in different age subgroups.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with TBI in a prospective critical care database were eligible for this study. Univariate logistic regression analysis was firstly performed to explore the relationship between included variables and mortality. Then, the real effect of TnT on the outcome of different age subgroups was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusting the confounding effects of other significant risk factors. Finally, we draw receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate the prognostic value of TnT in different age groups of TBI patients.

RESULTS

520 patients were included in this study with a mortality rate of 20.2%. There were 112 (21.5%) non-elderly patients (age < 65) and 408 (78.5%) elderly patients (age ≥ 65). Non-survivors had a higher percentage of previous acute myocardial infarction (p = 0.019) and pupil no-reaction (p = 0.028; p = 0.011) than survivors. Survivors had higher GCS (p < 0.001) and lower TnT than non-survivors (p < 0.001). TnT was significantly associated with mortality in non-elderly patients (p = 0.031) but not in overall patients (p = 0.143) and elderly patients (p = 0.456) in multivariate logistic regression analysis. The AUC (area under the ROC curve) value of TnT in overall, non-elderly and elderly patients was 0.644, 0.693 and 0.632, respectively. Combining TnT with GCS increased the sensitivity of predicting the poor outcome in both non-elderly and elderly TBI patients.

CONCLUSION

The prognostic value of TnT differed between elderly and non-elderly TBI patients. Level of TnT was associated with mortality of non-elderly TBI patients but not elderly patients. Combining the TnT with GCS could increase the sensitivity of prognosis evaluation.

Troponin I Cutoff for Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Sepsis

The diagnostic value and optimal cutoff level of cardiac troponin I in patients with sepsis have not been studied. In this single hospital retrospective study, we assessed the optimal cutoff value of troponin I for diagnosing non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) with type 1 myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with sepsis who had undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention from 2009 to 2019. In total, 5,341 patients (excluding patients with chronic kidney disease) were included, of whom 277 had sepsis or septic shock. Of the 123 patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and sepsis, 77 (62.6%) were diagnosed with NSTEMI with type 1 MI. The receiver-operating characteristic curve showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.705 for diagnosis of NSTEMI with type 1 MI with a troponin I cutoff of >300 ng/L (sensitivity: 68.4%, specificity: 70.2%, Youden index: 0.386). Multiple linear regression showed no significant predictors of NSTEMI with type 1 MI. Troponin level and the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) scores were correlated (R² = 0.0625, p = 0.032) and showed comparable predictive value for 6-month mortality (AUC: 0.637 and 0.611, respectively, p = 0.7651). The optimal troponin I cutoff to effectively diagnose NSTEMI with type 1 MI in patients with sepsis was 300 ng/L.

Biochemical but not imaging parameters are predictive of outcome in septic shock: a pilot study

Background

Septic shock is a severe form of sepsis marked by hypotension with an ominous outcome despite the introduction of modern intensive care. The aim of the present study is to obtain a panel with biomarkers, echocardiographic and vascular parameters to better risk stratify patients and identify those at higher risk of ominous outcome.

Methods

Between May 2013 and April 2016, 35 consecutive patients admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of ASST Great Metropolitan Hospital Niguarda with the diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock were enrolled. All patients underwent rest echocardiography and several circulating biomarkers of myocardial damage or oxidative stress.

Results

The multivariate Cox’s proportional hazard model showed that the only independent prognostic predictor for 30-day mortality was the angiopoietin-2, (HR 1.017, 95% CI 1.000–1.034; P = 0.049). An angiopoietin-2 concentrations ≥ of 33,418 pg/mL was identified as the optimal threshold for the discrimination between survivors and non survivors at the time of admission in ICU, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 68%.

Conclusions

Septic shock has a poor in-hospital outcome even when the best of care is implemented. Among the biochemical parameters angiopoietin was able to identify patients at risk of death. The lowest the value at admission, the highest the risk of in-hospital death. No echocardiographic nor vascular parameter was able to predict outcome in this setting.

Biomarkers Associated with Cardiovascular Disease in COVID-19

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) emerged late December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, China and has since spread rapidly all over the world causing a global pandemic. While the respiratory system is the primary target of disease manifestation, COVID-19 has been shown to also affect several other organs, making it a rather complex, multi-system disease. As such, cardiovascular involvement has been a topic of discussion since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily due to early reports of excessive myocardial injury in these patients. Treating physicians are faced with multiple challenges in the management and early triage of patients with COVID-19, as disease severity is highly variable ranging from an asymptomatic infection to critical cases rapidly deteriorating to intensive care treatment or even fatality. Laboratory biomarkers provide important prognostic information which can guide decision making in the emergency department, especially in patients with atypical presentations. Several cardiac biomarkers, most notably high-sensitive cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), have emerged as valuable predictors of prognosis in patients with COVID-19. The purpose of this review was to offer a concise summary on prognostic cardiac biomarkers in COVID-19 and discuss whether routine measurements of these biomarkers are warranted upon hospital admission.

Complete Blood Count and Myocardial Markers Combination with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score Can Effectively Predict the Mortality in Sepsis: A Derivation and Validation Study

Purpose

The purpose of our study was to explore the prognostic value of complete blood count and myocardial markers combination with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in predicting the 28-day mortality among sepsis patients.

Patients and methods

A retrospective observational cohort study was performed. Three hundred and nineteen sepsis patients who were hospitalized at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China, from January 2019 to September 2021 were included. The clinical and laboratory data, the Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score and SOFA score at the time of the initial sepsis diagnosis were collected, and the predictive values of the single and combination variables for 28-day mortality were compared.

Results

The derivation cohort consisted of 221 patients and included 59 (26.7%) died. The area under the curve (AUC) [95% confidence interval (CI)] of RDW and cTnT were 0.735 (0.663–0.807) and 0.753 (0.678–0.827) for mortality, and the cut-off value were 14.05% and 0.039 ng/mL, respectively. The combination of RDW, cTnT and the SOFA score showed a better performance for the prediction of mortality, and the AUC was significantly higher than that of the SOFA score (0.791 vs 0.726, DeLong test: P=0.032). Multivariate Cox analysis identified that the combination of RDW, cTnT and the SOFA score (HR=6.133, P=0.004) and APACHE II score (HR=1.093, P<0.001) were independent detrimental factors for 28-day mortality. The validation cohort consisted of 98 patients and included 23 (23.5%) died. Similarly, the AUC of the RDW, cTnT and the SOFA score combination is significantly higher than that of the SOFA score (0.821 vs 0.739, DeLong test: P=0.035).

Conclusion

RDW and cTnT showed good performance in predicting 28-day mortality rates among patients with sepsis. Combined RDW and cTnT with the SOFA score can significantly improve the predictive value of SOFA score for the prognosis of sepsis.

Septic cardiomyopathy: Diagnosis and management

There is an extensive body of literature focused on sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction, but results are conflicting and no objective definition of septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) has been established. SCM may be defined as a sepsis-associated acute syndrome of non-ischemic cardiac dysfunction with systolic and/or diastolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and/or right ventricular dysfunction. Physicians should consider this diagnosis in patients with sepsis-associated organ dysfunction, and particularly in cases of septic shock that require vasopressors. Echocardiography is currently the gold standard for diagnosis of SCM. Left ventricular ejection fraction is the most common parameter used to describe LV function in the literature, but its dependence on loading conditions, particularly afterload, limits its use as a measure of intrinsic myocardial contractility. Therefore, repeated echocardiography evaluation is mandatory. Evaluation of global longitudinal strain (GLS) may be more sensitive and specific for SCM than LV ejection fraction (LVEF). Standard management includes etiological treatment, adapted fluid resuscitation, use of vasopressors, and monitoring. Use of inotropes remains uncertain, and heart rate control could be an option in some patients.

The Dilemma: Whether to Proceed or Postpone a Patient With Pyrexia at Induction of Anesthesia for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

Routine surgery may be postponed if a patient has high white blood cells (WBC) and/or pyrexia. However, postponement carries the risk of myocardial ischaemia or infarction in a patient having coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Our case raises this dilemma in a high-risk patient that was further compromised by acute right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. A 51-year-old diabetic with end-stage renal failure, chest pain, and a recent non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) who had previously refused surgery now presented for urgent CABG. During central line insertion, he started shivering and stated that he felt cold. His temperature was not measured pre-intubation, but he felt warm to the touch with no chest pain. Blood pressure (BP) 190/80 mmHg and HR 110 bpm. Iv glyceryl nitrate (GTN) and fentanyl controlled the BP. Cerebral oximetry was used to measure brain regional saturation (rSO₂) with probes placed on the forehead pre-induction. Post-intubation his temperature was 38.1°C, end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO₂) 9.2 kPa, heart rate (HR) 120 bpm. His recent NSTEMI and surgical referral two years previously meant that his ischaemic risk was high, and we decided to proceed with the surgery. During the internal mammary artery (IMA) harvesting and use of a retractor (IMAR), there was a steady fall in the rSO₂ readings along with hypotension and an increase in central venous pressure (CVP) becoming critical after 60 minutes. At this point, the patient went onto cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The patient required triple vasoactive support to wean off CPB. In the intensive care unit (ICU), he required immediate support for RV failure, including nitric oxide. The next day, the patient grew Gram-negative blood cultures. In hindsight, we should have checked his temperature before induction and postponed or postponed post-induction. Regarding the IMAR or any retractor, the operating team will pay much closer attention to any haemodynamic changes resulting from their use and act accordingly. 

The Prognostic Value of Cardiac Biomarkers and Echocardiography in Critical COVID-19

Background: Early risk stratification is crucial in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Myocardial injury is associated with worse outcome. This study aimed to evaluate cardiac biomarkers and echocardiographic findings in critically ill COVID-19 patients and to assess their association with 30-day mortality in comparison to other biomarkers, risk factors and clinical severity scores.

Methods: Prospective, single-center, cohort study in patients with PCR-confirmed, critical COVID-19. Laboratory assessment included high sensitive troponin T (hs-cTnT) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) on admission to ICU: a hs-cTnT ≥ 14 pg/mL and a NT-proBNP ≥ 450 pg/mL were considered as elevated. Transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation was performed within the first 48 h of ICU admission. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Predictive markers for mortality were assessed by ROC analysis and cut-off values by the Youden Index.

Results: A total of 100 patients were included. The median age was 63.5 years, the population was predominantly male (66%). At the time of ICU admission, 47% of patients had elevated hs-cTnT and 39% had elevated NT-proBNP. Left ventricular ejection fraction was below 50% in 19.1%. Elevated cardiac biomarkers (hs-cTnT P-value < 0.001, NT-proBNP P-value = 0.001) and impaired left ventricular function (P-value = 0.011) were significantly associated with mortality, while other biomarkers (D-dimer, ferritin, C-reactive protein) and clinical scores (SOFA) did not differ significantly between survivors and non-survivors. An optimal cut-off value to predict increased risk for 30-day all-cause mortality was 16.5 pg/mL for hs-cTnT (OR 8.5, 95% CI: 2.9, 25.0) and 415.5 pg/ml for NT-proBNP (OR 5.1, 95% CI: 1.8, 14.7).

Conclusion: Myocardial injury in COVID-19 is common. Early detection of elevated hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP are predictive for 30-day mortality in patients with critical COVID-19. These markers outperform other routinely used biomarkers, as well as clinical indices of disease severity in ICU. The additive value of routine transthoracic echocardiography is disputable and should only be considered if it is likely to impact therapeutic management.

Etiology of Myocardial Injury in Critically Ill Patients with Sepsis: A Cohort Study

RATIONALE

Myocardial injury occurs frequently during sepsis and is independently associated with mortality. However, its etiology remains largely unknown.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to assess the relative contributions of hyperinflammation, activated coagulation, and endothelial dysfunction to myocardial injury in critically ill patients with sepsis.

METHODS

We included consecutive patients with sepsis presenting to two tertiary intensive care units in the Netherlands between 2011 and 2013. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hscTnI), as well as a wide range of plasma biomarkers related to inflammation, coagulation, and endothelial function were measured. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to construct latent variables representing each of these pathophysiological constructs, and to subsequently study their associations with troponin elevation while adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS

We analyzed 908 (88%) of 1037 eligible patients, 553 (61%) of whom had raised hs-cTnI levels upon intensive care unit admission. The latent variables included interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and IL-1β for inflammation; platelet count, prothrombin time and protein C for coagulation; and sE-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and angiopoietin-2 for endothelial function. After adjustment for age and cardiovascular comorbidities, SEM analysis showed that activated coagulation was independently associated with elevated troponin during sepsis (standardized regression coefficient 0.551, 95% CI 0.257-0.845, p-value <0.001), whereas hyperinflammation and endothelial dysfunction were not (standardized regression coefficients -0.161, 95% CI -0.418-0.096, and -0.054, 95% CI -0.168-0.060, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that myocardial injury during sepsis is mediated by systemic activation of coagulation, rather than by circulating inflammatory mediators or by activation of the endothelium. These findings may guide evaluation of strategies to protect the myocardium during sepsis. Clinical trial registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01905033).

Extremely high troponin levels induced by septic shock: a case report

Background

Troponin levels can be elevated in various diseases other than acute myocardial infarction, including sepsis. In diseases without myocardial necrosis, the elevated troponin levels are relatively low and normalize quickly.

Case presentation

A 61-year-old Japanese man with impaired consciousness was transported to our hospital. He was diagnosed as having pneumonia and septic shock. His condition was severe, but his clinical course was good. However, his troponin level remained extremely high during admission; on the second day, it was higher than the measurable range. We consulted a cardiologist and performed echocardiography and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy but found no new ischemic changes.

Conclusion

In septic shock, troponin levels can be extremely high, which can persist even after recovery, as in very large myocardial infarctions.

Early Vitamin C, Hydrocortisone, and Thiamine Treatment for Septic Cardiomyopathy: A Propensity Score Analysis

This study investigated the effectiveness of early vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamine among patients with septic cardiomyopathy. In total, 91 patients with septic cardiomyopathy received a vitamin C protocol in September 2018–February 2020. These patients were compared to 75 patients with septic cardiomyopathy who did not receive a vitamin C protocol in September 2016–February 2018. Relative to the control patients, the treated patients were older and more likely to require mechanical ventilation. The vitamin C protocol was associated with a lower risk of intensive care unit mortality in the propensity score (PS)-matched cohort (aHR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.30–0.99) and inverse probability of treatment weighting-matched cohort (aHR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.45–1.00). In the PS-matched cohort (59 patients per group), the vitamin C protocol was associated with decreased values for vasopressor dosage, C-reactive protein concentration, and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score during the 4-day treatment period. Patients who started the vitamin C protocol within 2 h after diagnosis (vs. 2–8 h or ≥8 h) had the highest vasopressor weaning rate and the lowest mortality rate. These results suggest that early treatment using a vitamin C protocol might improve organ dysfunction and reduce mortality among patients with septic cardiomyopathy.

The value of admission Troponin I to predict outcomes in suspected infections in elderly patients admitted in Internal Medicine: results from the SOFA-T collaboration, a multi-center study

Elderly patients affected by suspected infection and declining clinical conditions can be admitted to stepdown units (SDU), but a risk stratification is necessary to optimize their management. Admission troponin I (aTnI) has a prognostic role, however, one of the most commonly used stratification tools, the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (SOFA), does not consider myocardial injury. With this paper, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of a new score, named SOFA-T, considering both SOFA score and aTnI in a cohort of elderly patients admitted to the stepdown beds of two Internal Medicine departments. Patients aged > 65 years admitted in SDU of two different hospitals of the same region in a 12-months timeframe were retrospectively assessed obtaining age, sex, days of admission, in-hospital death, SOFA, aTnI and comorbidities. The best aTnI cutoff for in-hospital death was calculated with ROC curve analysis; dichotomous variables were compared with chi-squared test; continuous variables were compared with t test or Mann-Whitney test. We obtained a cohort of 390 patients. The best aTnI cutoff was 0.31 ng/ml: patients with increased aTnI had higher risk of in-hospital death (OR: 1.834; 95% CI 1.160-2.900; p = 0.009), and higher SOFA (6.81 ± 2.71 versus 5.97 ± 3.10; p = 0.010). Adding aTnI to SOFA increased significantly the area under the curve (AUC_SOFA = 0.68; 95% CI 0.64-0.73; AUC_SOFA-T = 0.71; 95% CI 0.65-0.76; p = 0.0001), with a slight improvement of the prognostic performance. In elderly patients admitted to SDU for suspected infection, sepsis or septic shock, aTnI slightly improves the accuracy of SOFA score of the in-hospital death prediction.

Circulating biomarkers to assess cardiovascular function in critically ill

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Circulatory shock is one of the most common reasons for ICU admission. Mortality rates in excess of 40% necessitate the rapid identification of high-risk patients, as well as the early assessment of effects of initiated treatments. There is an unmet medical need for circulating biomarkers that may improve patient stratification, predict responses to treatment interventions and may even be a target for novel therapies, enabling a better biological rationale to personalize therapy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Apart from established biomarkers such as lactate, ScvO2 or NT-pro-BNP, novel biomarkers, including adrenomedullin, angiopoietins, angiotensin I/II ratios, renin and DPP3 show promise, as they are all associated with well defined, therapeutically addressable molecular pathways that are dysregulated during circulatory shock. Although some of the therapies related to these biomarkers are still in preclinical stages of development, they may represent personalized treatment opportunities for patients in circulatory shock.

SUMMARY

From a molecular perspective, shock represents a highly heterologous syndrome, in which multiple unique pathways are dysregulated. Assessment of the status of these pathways with circulating biomarkers may provide a unique opportunity to detect specific phenotypes and implement personalized medicine in the treatment of circulatory shock.

SIRT1 Mediates Septic Cardiomyopathy in a Murine Model of Polymicrobial Sepsis

BACKGROUND

Cardiac dysfunction, a common complication from severe sepsis, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, the molecular mechanisms of septic cardiac dysfunction are poorly understood. SIRT1, a member of the sirtuin family of NAD+-dependent protein deacetylases, is an important immunometabolic regulator of sepsis, and sustained SIRT1 elevation is associated with worse outcomes and organ dysfunction in severe sepsis. Herein, we explore the role of SIRT1 in septic cardiac dysfunction using a murine model of sepsis.

METHODS

An in vitro model of inflammation in isolated H9c2 cardiomyocytes was used to confirm SIRT1 response to stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), followed by a murine model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) to investigate the molecular and echocardiographic response to sepsis. A selective SIRT1 inhibitor, EX-527, was employed to test for SIRT1 participation in septic cardiac dysfunction.

RESULTS

SIRT1 mRNA and protein levels in cultured H9c2 cardiomyocytes were significantly elevated at later time points after stimulation with LPS. Similarly, cardiac tissue harvested from C57BL/6 mice 36 h after CLP demonstrated increased expression of SIRT1 mRNA and protein compared with sham controls. Administration of EX-527 18 h after CLP reduced SIRT1 protein expression in cardiac tissue at 36 h. Moreover, treatment with EX-527 improved cardiac performance with increased global longitudinal strain and longitudinal strain rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings reveal that SIRT1 expression increases in isolated cardiomyocytes and cardiac tissue after sepsis inflammation. Moreover, rebalancing SIRT1 excess in late sepsis improves cardiac performance, suggesting that SIRT1 may serve as a therapeutic target for septic cardiomyopathy.

Diagnostic Value of High-Sensitivity Troponin T for Subclinical Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Patients with Sepsis

Background

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is common in sepsis. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is a useful emerging tool for evaluating the intrinsic left ventricular systolic function. High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is the most sensitive biomarker of myocardial injury. However, there are limited data regarding the association between hs-cTnT level and left ventricular systolic dysfunction based on STE in septic patients. We performed this prospective study to evaluate the diagnostic value of hs-cTnT level for subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction measured by STE in septic patients according to the sepsis-3 definition.

Methods

Patients with sepsis based on sepsis-3 definition admitted to the intensive care unit were prospectively performed STE and hs-cTnT level within 24 hours after the onset of sepsis. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic variables were collected. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction was defined as a global longitudinal strain of ≥−15%.

Results

During a 19-month period, 116 patients were enrolled in the study. The elevated hs-cTnT level was seen in 86.2% of septic patients, and 43.1% of patients had LVSD on STE. The median hs-cTnT level and the proportion of elevated hs-cTnT level (>14 ng/L) were significantly higher in patients with LVSD than in patients without LVSD. The area under the ROC curves of hs-cTnT to detect LVSD was 0.73 (P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, hs-cTnT (HR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.000 to 1.004; P = 0.025) and septic shock (HR, 7.6; 95% CI, 2.25 to 25.76; P = 0.001) were independent predictors of LVSD.

Conclusion

Our study indicated that the serum hs-cTnT level might be a useful biomarker for detecting LVSD in septic patients.

Admission High-Sensitive Cardiac Troponin T Level Increase Is Independently Associated with Higher Mortality in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

In coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, increases in high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) have been reported to be associated with worse outcomes. In the critically ill, the prognostic value of hs-cTnT, however, remains to be assessed given that most previous studies have involved a case mix of non- and severely ill COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

We conducted, from March to May 2020, in three French intensive care units (ICUs), a multicenter retrospective cohort study to assess in-hospital mortality predictability of hs-cTnT levels in COVID-19 patients.

RESULTS

111 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients (68% of male, median age 67 (58-75) years old) were included. At ICU admission, the median Charlson Index, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, and PaO2/FiO2 were at 3 (2-5), 37 (27-48), and 140 (98-154), respectively, and the median hs-cTnT serum levels were at 16.0 (10.1-31.9) ng/L. Seventy-five patients (68%) were mechanically ventilated, 41 (37%) were treated with norepinephrine, and 17 (15%) underwent renal replacement therapy. In-hospital mortality was 29% (32/111) and was independently associated with lower PaO2/FiO2 and higher hs-cTnT serum levels.

CONCLUSIONS

At ICU admission, besides PaO2/FiO2, hs-cTnT levels may allow early risk stratification and triage in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Distribution of High-Sensitivity Troponin Taken Without Conventional Clinical Indications in Critical Care Patients and Its Association With Mortality

OBJECTIVES

To describe the distribution of high-sensitivity troponin in a consecutive cohort of patients in critical care units, regardless of clinical indication, and its association with clinical outcomes.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

Single-center teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

Consecutive patients admitted to two adult critical care units (general critical care unit and neuroscience critical care unit) over a 6-month period.

INTERVENTIONS

All patients had high-sensitivity troponin tests performed at admission and tracked throughout their critical care stay, regardless of whether the supervising team felt there was a clinical indication. The results were not revealed to patients or clinicians unless clinically requested.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

There were 1,033 patients in the study cohort (general critical care unit 750 and neuroscience critical care unit 283). The median high-sensitivity troponin was 21 ng/L (interquartile range, 7-86 ng/L), with 560 patients (54.2%) above the upper limit of normal as defined by the manufacturer. Admission high-sensitivity troponin concentrations above the upper limit of normal in general critical care unit and neuroscience critical care unit were associated with increasing age, comorbidity, markers of illness severity, and the need for organ support. On adjusted analysis, the high-sensitivity troponin concentration remained an independent predictor of critical care mortality in general critical care unit and neuroscience critical care unit.

CONCLUSIONS

High-sensitivity troponin elevation, taken outside the context of conventional clinical indications, was common in the critically ill. Such elevations were associated with increasing age, comorbidity, illness severity, and the need for organ support. Admission high-sensitivity troponin concentration is an independent predictor of critical care mortality and as such may represent a novel prognostic biomarker at admission.

Cardiovascular Responses During Sepsis

Sepsis is the life-threatening organ dysfunction arising from a dysregulated host response to infection. Although the specific mechanisms leading to organ dysfunction are still debated, impaired tissue oxygenation appears to play a major role, and concomitant hemodynamic alterations are invariably present. The hemodynamic phenotype of affected individuals is highly variable for reasons that have been partially elucidated. Indeed, each patient's circulatory condition is shaped by the complex interplay between the medical history, the volemic status, the interval from disease onset, the pathogen, the site of infection, and the attempted resuscitation. Moreover, the same hemodynamic pattern can be generated by different combinations of various pathophysiological processes, so the presence of a given hemodynamic pattern cannot be directly related to a unique cluster of alterations. Research based on endotoxin administration to healthy volunteers and animal models compensate, to an extent, for the scarcity of clinical studies on the evolution of sepsis hemodynamics. Their results, however, cannot be directly extrapolated to the clinical setting, due to fundamental differences between the septic patient, the healthy volunteer, and the experimental model. Numerous microcirculatory derangements might exist in the septic host, even in the presence of a preserved macrocirculation. This dissociation between the macro- and the microcirculation might account for the limited success of therapeutic interventions targeting typical hemodynamic parameters, such as arterial and cardiac filling pressures, and cardiac output. Finally, physiological studies point to an early contribution of cardiac dysfunction to the septic phenotype, however, our defective diagnostic tools preclude its clinical recognition. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1605-1652, 2021.

Right Ventricular Pulmonary Artery Coupling and Mortality in Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Patients

Background

Impaired right ventricular (RV) pulmonary artery coupling has been associated with higher mortality in patients with chronic heart disease, but few studies have examined this metric in critically ill patients. We sought to evaluate the association between RV pulmonary artery coupling, defined by the ratio of tricuspid annular peak systolic tissue Doppler velocity (TASV)/estimated RV systolic pressure (RVSP), and mortality in cardiac intensive care unit patients.

Methods and Results

Using a database of unique cardiac intensive care unit admissions from 2007 to 2018, we included patients with TASV/RVSP ratio measured within 1 day of hospitalization. Hospital mortality was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression, and 1‐year mortality was analyzed using multivariable Cox proportional‐hazards analysis. We included 4259 patients with a mean age of 69±15 years (40.1% women). Admission diagnoses included acute coronary syndrome in 56%, heart failure in 52%, respiratory failure in 24%, and cardiogenic shock in 12%. The mean TASV/RVSP ratio was 0.31±0.14, and in‐hospital mortality occurred in 7% of patients. Higher TASV/RVSP ratio was associated with lower in‐hospital mortality (adjusted unit odds ratio, 0.68 per each 0.1‐unit higher ratio; 95% CI, 0.58–0.79; P<0.001) and lower 1‐year mortality among hospital survivors (adjusted unit hazard ratio, 0.83 per each 0.1‐unit higher ratio; 95% CI, 0.77–0.90; P<0.001). Stepwise decreases in hospital and 1‐year mortality were observed in each higher TASV/RVSP quintile. The TASV/RVSP ratio remained associated with mortality after adjusting for left ventricular systolic and diastolic function.

Conclusions

A low TASV/RVSP ratio is associated with increased short‐term and long‐term mortality among cardiac intensive care unit patients, emphasizing importance of impaired RV pulmonary artery coupling as a determinant of poor prognosis. Further study is required to determine whether interventions to optimize RV pulmonary artery coupling can improve outcomes.

Calcium sensing receptor as a novel target for treatment of sepsis induced cardio-renal syndrome: Need for exploring mechanisms

Calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) is localized in various organs and plays diverse physiological and pathological roles. Several scientific contributions have suggested the involvement of this cell surface receptor in cardiac and renal diseases. Sepsis is considered to be one of the major causes of ICU admissions. Cardiac dysfunction and acute kidney injury are major manifestations of sepsis and associated with reduced survival. Presently, the treatment approaches for management of sepsis induced cardiac depression and kidney injury are not satisfactory. Activation of CaSR has been demonstrated to induce cardiomyocyte damage upon lipopolysaccaharde (LPS) exposure by enhancing calcium ion levels, ROS (reactive oxygen species) production, promotion of inflammation and apoptosis. In addition, CaSR seems to be a critical regulator of intracellular calcium ion levels, which is directly implicated in induction of mitochondrial dysfunction and release of various pro-apoptotic pathways during sepsis. Certain evidences have also documented the expression of CaSR on neutrophils and T lymphocytes, where it is involved in activation of neutrophils and induces apoptosis of immune cells. Moreover, the expression of CaSR has been confirmed in podocytes, mesangial cells, proximal tubular cells and its activation is responsible for podocyte effacement, mesangial cell proliferation and proximal tubular cell apoptosis. We have analyzed the existing evidences, and critically discussed the possible mechanisms underlying CaSR activation mediated cardiac and renal dysfunction in sepsis condition.

Association between left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and septic acute kidney injury in severe sepsis and septic shock: A multicenter retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) adversely impacts renal function, and E/e' is a significant predictor of adverse kidney events under different clinical conditions. However, no studies have evaluated the association between LVDD and septic acute kidney injury (AKI) among patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

METHODS

This multicenter retrospective study evaluated adult patients with severe sepsis or septic shock between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2019, who underwent echocardiography within 24 hours after admission to an intensive care unit.

RESULTS

A total of 495 adult patients were enrolled in the study. LVDD grades II and III were associated with severe (stage 3) AKI (p < 0.001, p for trend < 0.001). E/e' and e' were risk factors for septic AKI (OR, 1.155; 95% CI, 1.088-1.226, p < 0.001; and OR, 7.218; 95% CI, 2.942-17.712, p < 0.001, respectively) in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of E/e' and e' was 0.728 (95% CI, 0.680-0.777, p < 0.001) and 0.715 (95% CI, 0.665-0.764, p < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

LVDD was associated with septic AKI, and E/e' and e' are useful predictors of septic AKI among patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Protocol No. ChiCTR2000033083).