Renal Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Propofol or Midazolam

Effect of propofol versus midazolam on short-term outcomes in patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury

Background

Propofol and midazolam are commonly used sedative drugs in mechanically ventilated patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). However, there is still a lack of relevant studies exploring the influence of midazolam and propofol on the prognosis of patients with Sepsis-associated Acute Kidney Injury (S-AKI).

Patients and methods

A statistical analysis was conducted on 3,745 patients with S-AKI in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database. The patients' baseline characteristics were grouped based on the use of either propofol or midazolam as sedatives. Cox proportional hazards models, logistic regression models, and subgroup analyses were used to compare the effects of propofol and midazolam on the short-term prognosis of S-AKI patients, including 30-day mortality, ICU mortality, and duration of mechanical ventilation.

Results

In the statistical analysis, a total of 3,745 patients were included, with 649 patients using midazolam and 3,096 patients using propofol. In terms of the 30-day mortality, compared to patients using midazolam, S-AKI patients using propofol had a lower ICU mortality (hazard ratio = 0.62, 95% confidence interval: 0.52-0.74, p < 0.001), lower 30-day mortality (hazard ratio = 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.47-0.67, p < 0.001), and shorter mechanical ventilation time (odds ratio = 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.59-0.88, p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier curves showed lower survival probabilities in the midazolam group (p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that propofol was strongly protective of short-term prognosis in older, male, smaller SOFA score CCI score, no heart failure, and comorbid chronic kidney disease patients with S-AKI.

Conclusion

Compared to midazolam, propofol was considered a protective factor for short-term mortality risk and ICU mortality risk in S-AKI patients. Additionally, S-AKI patients using propofol had a lower risk of requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. Overall, propofol may be more beneficial for the short-term prognosis of S-AKI patients compared to midazolam.

Impact of dexmedetomidine on mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a retrospective propensity score matching analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to estimate the effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX) administration on mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI).

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

The study sourced its data from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care Database IV (MIMIC-IV), a comprehensive database of intensive care unit patients.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 15 754 critically ill patients with AKI were enrolled from the MIMIC-IV database.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME

Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and secondary outcome was 180-day mortality.

RESULTS

15 754 critically ill AKI patients were included in our analysis. We found that DEX use decreased in-hospital mortality risk by 38% (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.70) and 180-day mortality risk by 23% (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.85). After adjusting for confounding factors, DEX can reduce all three stages of AKI in in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Our retrospective cohort study suggests that DEX significantly correlates with decreased risk-adjusted in-hospital and 180-day mortality in critically ill AKI patients. Nonetheless, future randomised controlled trials are warranted to validate our findings.

Future Directions in Optimizing Anesthesia to Reduce Perioperative Acute Kidney Injury

BACKGROUND

Perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in surgical patients and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. There are currently few options for AKI prevention and treatment. Due to its complex pathophysiology, there is no efficient medication therapy to stop the onset of the injury or repair the damage already done. Certain anesthetics, however, have been demonstrated to affect the risk of perioperative AKI in some studies. The impact of anesthetics on renal function is particularly important as it is closely related to the prognosis of patients. Some anesthetics can induce anti-inflammatory, anti-necrotic, and anti-apoptotic effects. Propofol, sevoflurane, and dexmedetomidine are a few examples of anesthetics that have protective association with AKI in the perioperative period.

SUMMARY

In this study, we reviewed the clinical characteristics, risk factors, and pathogenesis of AKI. Subsequently, the protective effects of various anesthetic agents against perioperative AKI and the latest research are introduced.

KEY MESSAGE

This work demonstrates that a thorough understanding of the reciprocal effects of anesthetic drugs and AKI is crucial for safe perioperative care and prognosis of patients. However, more complete mechanisms and pathophysiological processes still need to be further studied.

The role of the clinical pharmacist in the prevention of drug-induced acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a disorder that is commonly seen in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and has a detrimental impact on the patients' clinical prognosis. Although a variety of factors contribute to the development of AKI in patients, drug-induced AKI is a common occurrence in the ICU. With the widespread availability of clinical pharmacy services, the clinical pharmacist's consultation service to the healthcare team aids in the resolution of drug-related issues and the enhancement of therapeutic outcomes. The involvement of a clinical pharmacist in the ICU team is expected to minimize the incidence of drug-induced AKI and enhance therapeutic results. Therefore, the goal of our study was to demonstrate the impact of having a clinical pharmacist on the occurrence, stages, and treatment of AKI.

METHODS

The study included two patient groups: intervention (n = 75) (IG) and control (n = 75) (CG) groups. The clinical pharmacist has made recommendations to the ICU team regarding the treatment of IG patients on drug selection, drug administration routes, drug dose adjustment, drug-drug interactions, drug-food or nutritional solution interactions, drug side effect management, and drug incompatibility. No interventions were provided by the clinical pharmacist in the CG patients. The clinical pharmacist visited patients regularly and noted the laboratory findings and pharmacological treatments of patients in the study groups on the patient follow-up forms. The obtained data of IG and CG were compared and statistical methods were used to assess them.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

According to our findings, AKI was found to be more common in CG than in IG (p < 0.05). Stage 1 was shown to be the most common AKI stage in the patients (p > 0.05). The gap between the patients' highest Cr and basal sCr values was less in IG (p < 0.05). When the association between reasons for ICU admission and AKI was investigated, pulmonary edema and acute respiratory failure were found to have a significant and positive relationship with AKI (p < 0.05). Furthermore, it was shown that patients with diabetes and cancer comorbidities were the most vulnerable to developing AKI (p < 0.05). Antibiotics, anaesthetics, and cardiovascular system medication categories were found to have a significant and positive correlation with AKI in patients (p < 0.05). Also, it was revealed that the usage of vancomycin, colistin, ampicillin-sulbactam, clarithromycin, ceftriaxone, midazolam, and dexketoprofen caused AKI (p < 0.05).

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that if a clinical pharmacist is included in the ICU team and provides consultation services to the ICU team regarding patient treatment by performing regular patient follow-up, the incidence of AKI in patients can be minimized and therapeutic outcomes can be improved.

Uncontrolled pain in critically ill patients and acute kidney injury: a hypothesis-generating cohort study

Background

In critically ill patients, acute pain occurs frequently, causes sympathetic activation, release of inflammatory mediators, and potential organ dysfunction, with the kidneys potentially sensitive to inflammation-mediated injury. This study aimed to explore the association between acute pain in critically ill patients and the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI).

Methods

Data from a retrospective cohort of adult patients admitted between June 2013 and June 2016 to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, were analyzed. The main exclusion criteria were ICU length of stay < 48 h, coma, and prior kidney dysfunction. The outcome (AKI) was defined as an elevation in the baseline serum creatinine level of ≥ 0.3 mg/dl and/or > 50% at any time after the first 48 h in the ICU. Multivariable logistic regression and hierarchical cluster analysis were performed.

Results

The isolated incidence of pain was 23.6%, and the incidence of pain duration > 5 days was 10.6%. AKI occurred in 31.7% of the cohort. In multivariable logistic analysis, duration of pain > 5 days (OR 5.25 CI 2.19–12.57 p < 0.01) and mechanical ventilation (MV) ≥ 3 days (OR 5.5 CI 2.3–13.5 p < 0.01) were the variables with positive association with AKI. The hierarchical cluster analysis reinforced the relation between AKI, MV and duration of pain.

Conclusions

Pain is an especially important issue in critically ill patients and in this exploratory study it appears to be associated with AKI development. The search for more rigorous pain control in ICU is crucial and can influence organ dysfunction.

Graphical Abstract

Use of matching methods in observational studies with critical patients and renal outcomes. Scoping review

Introduction: The use of matching techniques in observational studies has been increasing and is not always used appropriately. Clinical experiments are not always feasible in critical patients with renal outcomes, and observational studies are an important alternative. Objective: Through a scoping review, determine the available evidence on the use of matching methods in studies involving critically ill patients and assessing renal outcomes. Methods: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were used to identify articles published between 1992 and 2020 up to week 10, which studied different exposures in the critically ill patient with renal outcomes and used propensity matching methods. Results: Most publications are cohort studies 94 (94. 9 %), five studies (5. 1 %) were cross-sectional. The main pharmacological intervention was the use of antibiotics in seven studies (7. 1%) and the main risk factor studied was renal injury prior to ICU admission in 10 studies (10. 1%). The balance between the baseline characteristics assessed by standardized means, in only 28 studies (28. 2%). Most studies 95 (96 %) used logistic regression to calculate the propensity index. Conclusion: Major inconsistencies were observed in the use of methods and in the reporting of findings. A summary is made of the aspects to be considered in the use of the methods and reporting of the findings with the matching by propensity index.

Propofol use in newborns and children: is it safe? A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To determine the main indications and assess the most common adverse events with the administration of hypnotic propofol in most pediatric clinical scenarios.

SOURCES

A systematic review of PubMed, SciELO, Cochrane, and EMBASE was performed, using filters such as a maximum of five years post-publication, and/or references or articles of importance, with emphasis on clinical trials using propofol. All articles of major relevance were blind-reviewed by both authors according to the PRISMA statement, looking for possible bias and limitations or the quality of the articles.

SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS

Through the search criterion applied, 417 articles were found, and their abstracts evaluated. A total of 69 papers were thoroughly studied. Articles about propofol use in children are increasing, including in neonates, with the majority being cohort studies and clinical trials in two main scenarios: upper digestive endoscopy and magnetic resonance imaging. A huge list of adverse events has been published, but most articles considered them of low risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Propofol is a hypnotic drug with a safe profile of efficacy and adverse events. Indeed, when administered by non-anesthesiologists, quick access to emergency care must be provided, especially in airway events. The use of propofol in other scenarios must be better studied, aiming to reduce the limitations of its administration by general pediatricians.

Re-emergence of TIVA in COVID times

Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is a technique of general anaesthesia (GA) given via intravenous route exclusively. In perspective of COVID-19, TIVA is far more advantageous than inhalational anaesthesia. It avoids the deleterious effects of immunosuppression and lacks any respiratory irritation, thus providing an edge in the current situation. Many peripheral surgeries can be done with the patient breathing spontaneously without any airway device, thus avoiding airway instrumentation leading to droplet and aerosol generation. Intravenous agents can be utilized to provide sedation during regional anaesthesia (RA), which can easily be escalated to contain pain due to sparing of blocks or receding neuraxial anaesthesia. The present narrative review focuses on the merits of adopting TIVA technique during this pandemic so as to decrease the risk and morbidity arising from anaesthetizing COVID-19 patients.

Influence of propofol-based total intravenous anaesthesia on peri-operative outcome measures: a narrative review

Propofol-based total intravenous anaesthesia is well known for its smooth, clear-headed recovery and anti-emetic properties, but there are also many lesser known beneficial properties that can potentially influence surgical outcome. We will discuss the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of propofol and their roles in pain, organ protection and immunity. We will also discuss the use of propofol in cancer surgery, neurosurgery and older patients.

The effect of repetitive exposure to intravenous anesthetic agents on the immunity in mice

Introduction: This study was designed to assess the effect of repetitive exposure to intravenous anesthetic agents on the immunity in mice. Materials and Methods: The mice were divided into six groups: three intravenous anesthetic agents groups (dexmedetomidine, midazolam and propofol groups), and three corresponding control groups (C_D, C_M, and C_P groups). The intravenous injections were administered once per day for 5 days. The immunity of mice was checked after the last intravenous injection. Histopathology and immunochemistry of liver and kidneys were evaluated. Cytokine levels in the blood was also checked. vs. evaluated with cytokine levels in the blood. Results: Cluster of differentiation (CD)4⁺ T cells were significantly less expressed in dexmedetomidine and propofol groups, compared with the corresponding control groups [34.08 ± 5.63% in the dexmedetomidine group vs. 59.74 ± 8.64% in the C_D group, p < 0.05; 25.28 ± 7.28% in the propofol group vs. 61.12 ± 2.70% in the C_p group, p < 0.05]. Apoptosis of CD4⁺ T cells was increased significantly in dexmedetomidine and propofol groups, compared with the corresponding control groups. Histopathological findings of liver and kidneys did not show any specific differences of any of three intravenous anesthetic agents groups with their corresponding control groups, although immunohistochemical examination indicated significantly lower expression of Toll-like receptor-4 from liver and kidneys in dexmedetomidine and propofol groups. The cytokine levels were not different between the groups. Conclusion: Repetitive exposure to dexmedetomidine and propofol reduced the expression of CD4⁺ T cells but did not induce any significant liver or kidney injuries.

Drugs in Development for Acute Kidney Injury

The care of patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) has been limited due to the lack of effective therapeutics that can either prevent AKI during high-risk situations or treat AKI once established. A revolution in the scientific understanding of the pathogenesis of AKI has led to the identification of potential therapeutic targets. These targets include pathways involved in inflammation, cellular repair and fibrosis, cellular metabolism and mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and hemodynamics and oxygen delivery. Many compounds are entering early-phase clinical trials. In addition, efforts to better describe sub-categories of AKI (through endo-phenotyping) hold promise to target therapies more effectively based upon pathways that are operative in the pathogenesis. These advances bring optimism that the care of patients with AKI will be transformed with the hope of better outcomes.

Perioperative sedative use is not associated with acute kidney injury after total hip or knee arthroplasty

Background

The use of sedatives (propofol or dexmedetomidine) is common in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or total hip arthroplasty (THA) under spinal anesthesia. Although propofol and dexmedetomidine have been reported to decrease the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery, their effects on AKI incidence after TKA or THA are still unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between sedative dosage (propofol and dexmedetomidine) and AKI incidence after TKA or THA under spinal anesthesia.

Methods

This retrospective observational study analyzed medical records of adult patients aged 18 years or older who underwent unilateral TKA or THA under spinal anesthesia at a single tertiary care hospital between January 2007 and June 2018. Data were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Results

A total of 5,663 patients were included in the analysis (TKA: 3,570, 63.0%; THA: 2,093, 37.0%), and 147 patients (2.6%) developed AKI in postoperative days 0-3. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that propofol dosage (odds ratio: 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.94, 1.05; P=0.839) and dexmedetomidine dosage (odds ratio: 0.95, 95% confidence interval: 0.84, 1.09; P=0.461) were not significantly associated with AKI incidence.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated no significant association between sedative uses (propofol, dexmedetomidine) and AKI incidence after THA or TKA under spinal anesthesia, and use of such sedatives does not require extreme caution.

Effects of propofol on the inflammatory response during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: a prospective randomized controlled study

Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP) is a minimally invasive procedure; however, some amount of surgical trauma that can trigger systemic inflammation remains. Moreover, pneumoperitoneum during RALRP induces ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). Propofol, an anesthetic, is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In the present study, we compared the effects of propofol with those of desflurane on inflammation and IRI during RALRP via measurements of different biomarkers and evaluation of perioperative renal function. Fifty patients were randomized to receive either desflurane (n = 25) or propofol (n = 25) with remifentanil during RALRP. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha, C-reactive protein, and nitric oxide were measured 10 min after anesthesia induction (T1), 100 min after carbon dioxide (CO₂) insufflation (T2), and 10 min after CO₂ deflation (T3). Perioperative urine outputs and the serum creatinine level at 24 h after surgery were also recorded. We found that IL-6 levels at T2 and T3 were higher than those at T1 in both groups, although the increases were significant attenuated only in the propofol group. The other parameters showed no differences among the three time points in both groups. The intraoperative urine output was significantly higher in the propofol group than in the desflurane group, while the creatinine level showed no significant changes in either group. Our findings suggest that propofol can not only attenuate the inflammatory response during and after pneumoperitoneum in patients undergoing RALRP but also prevent oliguria during pneumoperitoneum.

Predicting acute kidney injury at hospital re-entry using high-dimensional electronic health record data

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), a sudden decline in kidney function, is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, length of stay, and hospital cost. Since AKI is sometimes preventable, there is great interest in prediction. Most existing studies consider all patients and therefore restrict to features available in the first hours of hospitalization. Here, the focus is instead on rehospitalized patients, a cohort in which rich longitudinal features from prior hospitalizations can be analyzed. Our objective is to provide a risk score directly at hospital re-entry. Gradient boosting, penalized logistic regression (with and without stability selection), and a recurrent neural network are trained on two years of adult inpatient EHR data (3,387 attributes for 34,505 patients who generated 90,013 training samples with 5,618 cases and 84,395 controls). Predictions are internally evaluated with 50 iterations of 5-fold grouped cross-validation with special emphasis on calibration, an analysis of which is performed at the patient as well as hospitalization level. Error is assessed with respect to diagnosis, race, age, gender, AKI identification method, and hospital utilization. In an additional experiment, the regularization penalty is severely increased to induce parsimony and interpretability. Predictors identified for rehospitalized patients are also reported with a special analysis of medications that might be modifiable risk factors. Insights from this study might be used to construct a predictive tool for AKI in rehospitalized patients. An accurate estimate of AKI risk at hospital entry might serve as a prior for an admitting provider or another predictive algorithm.

Renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients: who, when, why, and how

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The increasing incidence of acute kidney injury has the immediate effect of a growing need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). Shedding light on the questions of who, when, why, and how RRT should be performed is difficult to accomplish because of ambiguous study results, poor quality evidence, and low standardization.

RECENT FINDINGS

Critically ill patients are exposed to multiple factors known to deteriorate kidney function. Especially severe fluid overload is strongly associated with worse outcome and may be considered as a trigger for initiating RRT. In the absence of life-threatening complications, a strategy of early initiation of RRT might be most advantageous keeping in mind the potential adverse effects of RRT. By providing better hemodynamic stability and superior control of fluid balance continuous RRT is the first choice therapeutic tool as compared with intermittent techniques. The femoral and jugular veins are the preferred insertion sites for temporary catheters. Although data are still weak, there is some preliminary evidence that regional citrate anticoagulation is superior to systemic heparinization.

SUMMARY

The best management of RRT is still a subject of controversy. Continuous RRT with regional citrate anticoagulation via a temporary catheter in a jugular vein is the recommended first choice treatment option in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury.

[Prevention of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients : Recommendations from the renal section of the DGIIN, ÖGIAIN and DIVI]

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney injury (AKI) has both high mortality and morbidity.

OBJECTIVES

To prevent the occurrence of AKI, current recommendations from the renal section of the DGIIN (Deutschen Gesellschaft für Internistische Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin), ÖGIAIN (Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Internistische und Allgemeine Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin) and DIVI (Deutschen Interdisziplinären Vereinigung für Intensiv- und Notfallmedizin) are stated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The recommendations stated in this paper are based on the current Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines, the published statements of the "Working Group on Prevention, AKI section of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine" and the expert knowledge and clinical experience of the authors.

RESULTS

Currently there are no approved clinically effective drugs for the prevention of AKI. Therefore the mainstay of prevention is the optimization of renal perfusion by improving the mean arterial pressure (>65 mm Hg, higher target may be considered in hypertensive patients). This can be done by vasopressors, preferably norepinephrine and achieving or maintaining euvolemia. Hyperhydration that can lead to AKI itself should be avoided. In patients with maintained diuresis this can be done by diuretics that are per se no preventive drug for AKI. Radiocontrast enhanced imaging should not be withheld from patients at risk for AKI; if indicated, however, the contrast media should be limited to the smallest possible volume.

A Review of Anesthetic Effects on Renal Function: Potential Organ Protection

BACKGROUND

Renal protection is a critical concept for anesthesiologists, nephrologists, and urologists, since anesthesia and renal function are highly interconnected and can potentially interfere with one another. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of anesthetic drugs and their effects on renal function remains fundamental to the success of renal surgeries, especially transplant procedures. Some experimental studies have shown that some anesthetics provide protection against renal ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury, but there is limited clinical evidence.

SUMMARY

The effects of anesthetic drugs on renal failure are particularly important in the context of kidney transplantation, since the conditions of preservation following removal profoundly influence the recovery of organ function. Currently, preservation procedures are typically based on the usage of a cold-storage solution. Some anesthetic drugs induce anti-inflammatory, anti-necrotic, and anti-apoptotic effects. A more thorough understanding of anesthetic effects on renal function can present a novel approach for developing organ-protective strategies. The aim of this review is to discuss the effects of different anesthetic drugs on renal function, with particular focus on IR injury. Many studies have demonstrated the organ-protective effects of some anesthetic drugs, specifically propofol, which indicate the potential of some anesthetics to introduce novel organ protective targets. This is not surprising, since lipid emulsions are major components of propofol, which accumulating data show provide organ protective effects against IR injury. Key Messages: Thorough understanding of the interaction between anesthetic drugs and renal function remains fundamental to the delivery of safe perioperative care and to optimizing outcomes after renal surgeries, particularly transplant procedures. Anesthetics can be repurposed for organ protection with more information about their effects, especially during transplant procedures. Here, we review the effects of different anesthetic drugs - specifically those that contain lipids in their structure, with special reference to IR injury.

Novel Therapies for Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common disease with a complex pathophysiology. The old paradigm of identifying renal injury based on location-prerenal, intrarenal, and postrenal-is now being supplanted with a new paradigm based on observable kidney injury patterns. The pathophysiology of AKI on a molecular and microanatomical level includes inflammation, immune dysregulation, oxidative injury, and impaired microcirculation. Treatment has traditionally been supportive, including the avoidance of nephrotoxins, judicious volume and blood pressure management, hemodynamic monitoring, and renal replacement therapy. Fluid overload and chloride-rich fluids are now implicated in the development of AKI, and resuscitation with a balanced, buffered solution at a conservative rate will mitigate risk. Novel therapies, which address specific observable kidney injury patterns include direct oxygen-free radical scavengers such as α-lipoic acid, curcumin, sodium-2-mercaptoethane sulphonate, propofol, and selenium. In addition, angiotensin II and adenosine receptor antagonists hope to ameliorate kidney injury via manipulation of renal hemodynamics and tubulo-glomerular feedback. Alkaline phosphatase, sphingosine 1 phosphate analogues, and dipeptidylpeptidase-4 inhibitors counteract kidney injury via manipulation of inflammatory pathways. Finally, genetic modifiers such as 5INP may mitigate AKI via transcriptive processes.

Acute Kidney Injury as a Risk Factor for Delirium and Coma during Critical Illness

RATIONALE

Acute kidney injury may contribute to distant organ dysfunction. Few studies have examined kidney injury as a risk factor for delirium and coma.

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether acute kidney injury is associated with delirium and coma in critically ill adults.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study of intensive care unit patients with respiratory failure and/or shock, we examined the association between acute kidney injury and daily mental status using multinomial transition models adjusting for demographics, nonrenal organ failure, sepsis, prior mental status, and sedative exposure. Acute kidney injury was characterized daily using the difference between baseline and peak serum creatinine and staged according to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Mental status (normal vs. delirium vs. coma) was assessed daily with the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU and Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Among 466 patients, stage 2 acute kidney injury was a risk factor for delirium (odds ratio [OR], 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-2.26) and coma (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.25-3.34) as was stage 3 injury (OR for delirium, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.57-4.16) (OR for coma, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.85-6.03). Daily peak serum creatinine (adjusted for baseline) values were also associated with delirium (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.18-1.55) and coma (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.20-1.74). Renal replacement therapy modified the association between stage 3 acute kidney injury and daily peak serum creatinine and both delirium and coma.

CONCLUSIONS

Acute kidney injury is a risk factor for delirium and coma during critical illness.

Sedation After Cardiac Surgery: Is One Drug Better Than Another?

The classic high-dose narcotic-based cardiac anesthetic has been modified to facilitate a fast-track, rapid recovery in the intensive care unit (ICU). Postoperative sedation is consequently now an essential component in recovery of the patient undergoing cardiac surgery. It must facilitate the patient's unawareness of the environment as well as reduce the discomfort and anxiety caused by surgery, intubation, mechanical ventilation, suction, and physiotherapy. Benzodiazepines seem well suited for this role, but propofol, opioids, and dexmedetomidine are among other agents commonly used for sedation in the ICU. However, what is an ideal sedative for this application? When compared with benzodiazepine-based sedation regimens, nonbenzodiazepines have been associated with shorter duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay. Current sedation guidelines recommend avoiding benzodiazepine use in the ICU. However, there are no recommendations on which alternatives should be used. In postcardiac surgery patients, inotropes and vasoactive medications are often required because of the poor cardiac function. This makes sedation after cardiac surgery unique in comparison with the requirements for most other ICU patient populations. We reviewed the current literature to try to determine if 1 sedative regimen might be better than others; in particular, we compare outcomes of propofol and dexmedetomidine in postoperative sedation in the cardiac surgical ICU.

Effects of differential-phase remote ischemic preconditioning intervention in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: A single blinded, randomized controlled trial in a parallel group design

STUDY OBJECTIVE

There are two windows of protection for remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC), an early (ERIPC) and a late-phase (LRIPC). While ERIPC has been well studied, works on LRIPC are relatively scarce, especially for the kidneys. We aimed to compare the effects of early-phase versus late-phase RIPC in patients with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN).

DESIGN

A randomized controlled study SETTING: The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 1 May 2012 to 30 October 2013 PATIENTS: Sixty-five ASA 1 to 2 patients scheduled for LPN were located randomly to ERIPC group, LRIPC group and CON group (control).

INTERVENTIONS

Three five-minute cycles of right upper limb ischaemia and reperfusion were performed after induction of anesthesia in ERIPC group. Patients in LRIPC group received similar treatment 24h before surgery, while control patients were not subjected to preconditioning.

MEASUREMENTS

Serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and serum cystatin C (CysC) were evaluated before the induction of anesthesia (0h), 2h (2h) and 6h (6h) after surgery. Unilateral glomerular filtration rates (GFR) were assessed before and after surgery to evaluate overall renal function.

MAIN RESULTS

Serum NGAL and CysC were significantly lower in ERIPC and LRIPC groups at 2h post-operation (P<0.001), 6h post-operation (P<0.001). Additionally, The GFR were significantly lower in ERIPC and LRIPC groups than in CON group at the 3rd month after surgery (P=0.019; P<0.001). Moreover, compared to the ERIPC group, concentration of NGAL and CysC in LRIPC group decreased to a greater extent, while GFR and the percentage of decrement was significantly less in the LRIPC group (P=0.016; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of early-phase or late-phase intervention, limb remote ischemic preconditioning confers protection on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, and the late-phase protection is more prominent.

Prevention of acute kidney injury and protection of renal function in the intensive care unit: update 2017 : Expert opinion of the Working Group on Prevention, AKI section, European Society of Intensive Care Medicine

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney injury (AKI) in the intensive care unit is associated with significant mortality and morbidity.

OBJECTIVES

To determine and update previous recommendations for the prevention of AKI, specifically the role of fluids, diuretics, inotropes, vasopressors/vasodilators, hormonal and nutritional interventions, sedatives, statins, remote ischaemic preconditioning and care bundles.

METHOD

A systematic search of the literature was performed for studies published between 1966 and March 2017 using these potential protective strategies in adult patients at risk of AKI. The following clinical conditions were considered: major surgery, critical illness, sepsis, shock, exposure to potentially nephrotoxic drugs and radiocontrast. Clinical endpoints included incidence or grade of AKI, the need for renal replacement therapy and mortality. Studies were graded according to the international GRADE system.

RESULTS

We formulated 12 recommendations, 13 suggestions and seven best practice statements. The few strong recommendations with high-level evidence are mostly against the intervention in question (starches, low-dose dopamine, statins in cardiac surgery). Strong recommendations with lower-level evidence include controlled fluid resuscitation with crystalloids, avoiding fluid overload, titration of norepinephrine to a target MAP of 65-70 mmHg (unless chronic hypertension) and not using diuretics or levosimendan for kidney protection solely.

CONCLUSION

The results of recent randomised controlled trials have allowed the formulation of new recommendations and/or increase the strength of previous recommendations. On the other hand, in many domains the available evidence remains insufficient, resulting from the limited quality of the clinical trials and the poor reporting of kidney outcomes.