Elevated Serum Total Bilirubin Level Is Associated with Poor Outcomes in Pediatric Patients with Sepsis-Associated Liver Injury

Association between lactate-to-albumin ratio and 28-days all-cause mortality in patients with sepsis-associated liver injury: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The mortality rate of sepsis-associated liver injury (SALI) is relatively high, but there is currently no authoritative prognostic criterion for the outcome of SALI. Meanwhile, lactate-to-albumin ratio (LAR) has been confirmed to be associated with mortality rates in conditions such as sepsis, heart failure, and respiratory failure. However, there is a scarcity of research reporting on the association between LAR and SALI. This study aimed to elucidate the association between LAR and the 28-day mortality rate of SALI.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, data were obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (v2.2). Adult patients with SALI were admitted to the intensive care unit in this study. The LAR level at admission was included, and the primary aim was to assess the relationship between the LAR and 28-day all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 341 patients with SALI (SALI) were screened. They were divided into a survival group (241) and a non-survival group (100), and the 28-day mortality rate was 29.3%. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that for every 1-unit increase in LAR, the 28-day mortality risk for SALI patients increased by 21%, with an HR of 1.21 (95% CI 1.11 ~ 1.31, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that in patients with SALI, a higher LAR is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality within 28 days of admission. This suggests that LAR may serve as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes in SALI patients.

P2Y2 purinergic receptor gene deletion protects mice from bacterial endotoxin and sepsis-associated liver injury and mortality

The liver plays a significant role in regulating a wide range of metabolic, homeostatic, and host-defense functions. However, the impact of liver injury on the host's ability to control bacteremia and morbidity in sepsis is not well understood. Leukocyte recruitment and activation lead to cytokine and chemokine release, which, in turn, trigger hepatocellular injury and elevate nucleotide levels in the extracellular milieu. P2Y2 purinergic receptors, G protein-coupled and activated by extracellular ATP/UTP, are expressed at the cell surface of hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells. We sought to determine whether P2Y2 purinergic receptor function is necessary for the maladaptive host response to bacterial infection and endotoxin-mediated inflammatory liver injury and mortality in mice. We report that P2Y2 purinergic receptor knockout mice (P2Y2-/-) had attenuated inflammation and liver injury, with improved survival in response to LPS/galactosamine (LPS/GalN; inflammatory liver injury) and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP; polymicrobial sepsis). P2Y2-/- livers had attenuated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activation, matrix metallopeptidase-9 expression, and hepatocyte apoptosis in response to LPS/GalN and attenuated inducible nitric oxide synthase and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 protein expression in response to CLP. Implicating liver injury in the disruption of amino acid homeostasis, CLP led to lower serum arginine and higher bacterial load and morbidity in the WT mice, whereas serum arginine levels were comparable to sham-operated controls in P2Y2-/- mice, which had attenuated bacteremia and improved survival. Collectively, our studies highlight the pathophysiological relevance of P2Y2 purinergic receptor function in inflammatory liver injury and dysregulation of systemic amino acid homeostasis with implications for sepsis-associated immune dysfunction and morbidity in mice.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our studies provide experimental evidence for P2Y2 purinergic receptor-mediated potentiation of inflammatory liver injury, morbidity, and mortality, in two well-established animal models of inflammatory liver injury. Our findings highlight the potential to target P2Y2 purinergic signaling to attenuate the induction of "cytokine storm" and prevent its deleterious consequences on liver function, systemic amino acid homeostasis, host response to bacterial infection, and sepsis-associated morbidity and mortality.

Incidence, predictors and outcome of sepsis-associated liver injury in children: a prospective observational study

Sepsis-associated liver injury (SALI) occurs as a result of the systemic and microcirculatory changes that happen because of sepsis. Its prognostic significance in the paediatric population is unclear. We enrolled all children < 19 years, admitted between July, 2020 and July, 2021 to the paediatric unit (ward or intensive care unit) with a diagnosis of sepsis for this study. Clinical and biochemical parameters of children with sepsis who developed SALI were compared with those without SALI to determine the risk factors of SALI and its impact on in-hospital mortality. A total of 127 children, median age 72 (1-204) months, 74 males were included. SALI developed in 45 (31.3%) at a median 1 (1-13) days after the diagnosis of sepsis. The SALI pattern was cholestatic in 18 (40%), hepatocellular in 17 (37.7%) and hypoxic hepatitis in 10 (22.3%). Paediatric sequential organ failure assessment (pSOFA) was an independent predictor of SALI - OR 1.17 (95% CI 1.067-1.302), p = 0.001. A pSOFA score of > 9.5 predicted the development of SALI with 66.7% sensitivity and 77.1% specificity. SALI was an independent predictor of mortality in children with sepsis - OR 1.9 (95% CI 1.3-3.4), p = 0.01.   Conclusions: SALI develops in 45 (31.3%) with sepsis. A higher pSOFA score is associated with SALI. Children who develop SALI have a ~ twofold higher risk of mortality than those without SALI. What is Known: • During the process of sepsis, the liver plays a role by scavenging bacteria and producing inflammatory mediators. However, at times the liver itself becomes a target of the dysregulated inflammatory response. This is known as sepsis-associated liver injury (SALI). • The incidence of sepsis-associated liver injury and its prognostic significance in children is not known.. What is New: • SALI develops in one-third children with sepsis and is associated with a higher pSOFA score. • Children who develop SALI have a higher risk of mortality.

Circulating Vitronectin Predicts Liver Injury and Mortality in Children With Sepsis: A Prospective Observational Study

Vitronectin (VTN) is a key regulator of coagulation, but clinical relevance of serum VTN in pediatric sepsis remains poorly defined. The aim of this study was to access the value of serum VTN level on pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission in children with sepsis. Pediatric patients with sepsis were enrolled from January 2018 to December 2018. The serum VTN levels were determined on PICU admission, and the association of serum VTN level with PICU mortality and organ dysfunction was assessed. Serum VTN levels were significantly lower in nonsurvivors compared with survivors, in patients with septic shock compared with patients with sepsis, or in patients with sepsis-associated acute liver injury (ALI) compared with patients without ALI. Serum VTN level was associated with PICU mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 0.958, 95% CI: 0.927-0.996; P = .010) or ALI (OR: 0.956, 95% CI: 0.915-0.999; P = .046), but not shock (OR: 0.996, 95% CI: 0.977-1.016; P =.716). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for VTN in predicting the occurrence of ALI during PICU stay and PICU mortality were 0.760 (95% CI: 0.627- 0.893) and 0.737 (95% CI: 0.544-0.931), respectively. Moreover, VTN plus pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) III had a better clinical utility according to decision curve analysis compared with VTN or PRISM III alone. These findings suggest that serum VTN level is associated with sepsis-associated ALI and PICU mortality, and VTN plus PRISM III is a powerful predictor of PICU mortality in pediatric patients with sepsis, which have a better clinical benefit compared with VTN or PRISM III alone.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Ameliorates Liver Injury and Hypoxic Hepatitis in Rat Model of CLP-Induced Sepsis

BACKGROUND

Probiotic use to prevent gastrointestinal infections in critical care has shown great promise in recent clinical trials. Although well-documented benefits of probiotic use in intestinal disorders, the potential for probiotic treatment to ameliorate liver injury and hypoxic hepatitis following sepsis has not been well explored.

METHODS

In order to evaluate, if Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) treatment in septic rats will protect against liver injury, this study used 20-22-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats which were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture to establish sepsis model and examine mRNA and protein levels of IL-1β, NLRP3, IL-6, TNF-a, VEGF, MCP1, NF-kB and HIF-1α in the liver via real-time PCR, Elisa and Western blot.

RESULTS

This study showed that LGG treatment significantly ameliorated liver injury following experimental infection and sepsis. Liver mRNA and protein levels of IL-1β, NLRP3, IL-6, TNF-a, VEGF, MCP1, NF-kB and HIF-1α were significantly reduced in rats receiving LGG.

CONCLUSIONS

Thus, our study demonstrated that LGG treatment can reduce liver injury following experimental infection and sepsis and is associated with improved hypoxic hepatitis. Probiotic therapy may be a promising intervention to ameliorate clinical liver injury and hypoxic hepatitis following systemic infection and sepsis.