Detection of homocysteine and C-reactive protein in the saliva of healthy adults: comparison with blood levels

Inflammation and cardiovascular disease are associated with elevated serum levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and homocysteine. The presence of both molecules in saliva provides an opportunity for development of non-invasive assessments of disease risk. However, salivary CRP and homocysteine reference ranges and their correlation with serum levels are unknown. This study investigated if CRP and homocysteine could be routinely detected in the saliva of healthy adults and the relationship between salivary and blood levels. CRP and homocysteine concentrations were determined using ELISA and enzymatic assays respectively. Homocysteine was detected in only two saliva samples (n = 55). CRP was measurable in all saliva samples (range: 0.05 to 64.3 μg/L; median = 1.2 μg/L) and plasma samples (range: 0.14 to 31.1 mg/L; median = 2.0 mg/L). Regression analysis demonstrated no relationship between CRP concentration in saliva and plasma (R² = 0.001). Generalized linear models including variables such as saliva flow rate and time since eating or drinking also did not pass lack of fit testing. Therefore, a relationship between CRP concentration in saliva and blood could not be established in this group of subjects. More sensitive detection methods are needed to determine if a correlation between salivary and serum homocysteine levels exists.

Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome for Anesthesiologists: A Narrative Review and a Pragmatic Approach to Clinical Care

Post-acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome is a novel, poorly understood clinical entity with life-impacting ramifications. Patients with this syndrome, also known as "COVID-19 long-haulers," often present with nonspecific ailments involving more than one body system. The most common complaints include dyspnea, fatigue, brain fog, and chest pain. There currently is no single agreed-upon definition for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, but most agree that criterion for this syndrome is the persistence of mental and physical health consequences after initial infection. Given the millions of acute infections in the United States over the course of the pandemic, perioperative providers will encounter these patients in clinical practice in growing numbers. Symptoms of the COVID-19 long-haulers should not be minimized, as these patients are at higher risk for postoperative respiratory complications and perioperative mortality for up to seven weeks after initial illness. Instead, a cautious multidisciplinary preoperative evaluation should be performed. Perioperative care should be viewed through the prism of best practices already in use, such as avoidance of benzodiazepines in patients with cognitive impairment and use of lung-protective ventilation. Recommendations especially relevant to the COVID-19 long-haulers include assessment of critical care myopathies and neuropathies to determine suitable neuromuscular blocking agents and reversal, preoperative workup of insidious cardiac or pulmonary pathologies in previously healthy patients, and, thorough medication review, particularly of anticoagulation regimens and chronic steroid use. In this article, the authors define the syndrome, synthesize the available scientific evidence, and make pragmatic suggestions regarding the perioperative clinical care of COVID-19 long-haulers.

Superior vena cava syndrome during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for COVID-19

Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is typically associated with malignant tumors obstructing the SVC, but as many as 40% of cases have other etiologies. SVC obstruction was previously described during veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy (VV ECMO) in children. In this report, we describe a woman with adult respiratory distress syndrome resulting from infection with coronavirus-19 who developed SVC syndrome during VV ECMO. A dual-lumen ECMO cannula was inserted in the right internal jugular vein, but insufficient ECMO circuit flow, upper body edema, and signs of hypovolemic shock were observed. This clinical picture resolved when the right internal jugular vein was decannulated in favor of bilateral femoral venous cannulae. Our report demonstrates that timely recognition of clinical signs and symptoms led to the appropriate diagnosis of an uncommon ECMO complication.

A Brief History of Cardiothoracic Surgical Critical Care Medicine in the United States

Cardiothoracic surgical intensive care has developed in response to advances in cardiothoracic surgery. The invention of the cardiopulmonary bypass machine facilitated a motionless and bloodless surgical field and made operations of increasing complexity feasible. By the mid-1950s, the first successful procedures utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass took place. This was soon followed by the establishment of postoperative recovery units, the precursors to current cardiothoracic surgical intensive care units. These developments fostered the emergence of a new medical specialty: the discipline of critical care medicine. Together, surgeons and intensivists transformed the landscape of acute, in-hospital care. It is important to celebrate these achievements by remembering the individuals responsible for their conception. This article describes the early days of cardiothoracic surgery and cardiothoracic intensive care medicine.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Mortality for Patients With Severe COVID-19

Racial/ethnic disparities in mortality were observed during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, but investigations examining the association between race/ethnicity and mortality during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are limited. We performed a retrospective observational cohort study using the 2020 national inpatient sample. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of mortality in patients of difference race/ethnicity while controlling for confounders. There was a significant association between race/ethnicity and in-hospital mortality ( p < 0.001). Hispanic patients had significantly higher in-hospital mortality compared with White patients (odds ratio [OR] = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-1.67, p < 0.001). Black patients and patients of other races did not have significantly higher in-hospital mortality compared with White patients (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.66-1.02, p = 0.07 and OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.92-1.57, p = 0.18). Other variables that had a significant association with mortality included age, insurance type, Charlson comorbidity index, all patient-refined severity of illness, and receipt of care in a low-volume ECMO center (all p < 0.001). Further studies are needed to understand causes of disparities in ECMO mortality.

Developing Cardiothoracic Surgical Critical Care Intensivists: A Case for Distinct Training

Cardiothoracic surgical critical care medicine is practiced by a diverse group of physicians including surgeons, anesthesiologists, pulmonologists, and cardiologists. With a wide array of specialties involved, the training of cardiothoracic surgical intensivists lacks standardization, creating significant variation in practice. Additionally, it results in siloed physicians who are less likely to collaborate and advocate for the cardiothoracic surgical critical care subspeciality. Moreover, the current model creates credentialing dilemmas, as experienced by some cardiothoracic surgeons. Through the lens of critical care anesthesiologists, this article addresses the shortcomings of the contemporary cardiothoracic surgical intensivist training standards. First, we describe the present state of practice, summarize past initiatives concerning specific training, outline why standardized education is needed, provide goals of such training standardization, and offer a list of desirable competencies that a trainee should develop to become a successful cardiothoracic surgical intensivist.

Refractory Hypoxemia on VV-ECMO: Repetition of a Structured Approach Is Paramount: A Case Report

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is increasingly used to manage severe respiratory failure. Unfortunately, refractory hypoxemia often complicates VV-ECMO support. Both circuit- and patient-related etiologies can drive this, and a structured approach is necessary to diagnose and treat the condition. We present the case of a patient on VV-ECMO for acute respiratory distress syndrome who suffered from several distinct etiologies of refractory hypoxemia over a short timeframe. Frequent recalculation of cardiac output and oxygen delivery enabled early diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. We highlight the need for a structured and oft-repeated approach to this complex problem.

Formal ultrasound curriculum for surgical critical care fellows leads to improvement in comfort and skills in the intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Despite its importance, there are no official guidelines for point of care ultrasound training during surgical critical care fellowship. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the comfort and competency of fellows after implementation of a point of care ultrasound program.

METHODS

Surgical critical care fellows (n = 7) participated in an ultrasound rotation (2021-2022), including dedicated lectures and training with interventional and echocardiography technicians. Pre and post self-assessments were administered evaluating comfort in point of care ultrasound for focused assessment with sonography for trauma, vascular access, drainage procedures, volume status, cardiac activity during arrest, and global cardiac function. Technicians assessed fellow skill in probe orientation, location, image manipulation, machine adjustment, and image quality. All questions were answered on a 7-point Likert scale (1, not-at-all; 7, yes/very much). Pre and post cohorts were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

RESULTS

After the rotation, fellows reported improvement in comfort level for ultrasound-guided technique for focused assessment with sonography for trauma, drainage procedures, volume status, and cardiac assessment. Technician evaluations demonstrated improvement in probe orientation (5 [4-6] vs 7 [7-7], P = .02) and location (5 [3-6] vs 7 [7-7], P = .02), image manipulation (5 [4-5] vs 7 [7-7], P = .02), machine adjustment (5 [4-5] vs 7 [7-7], P = .02), and overall image quality (4 [4-6] vs 7 [7-7], P = .02) after the rotation. All fellows reported the course significantly improved their skill, comfort level, and was worthwhile.

CONCLUSION

All fellows exhibited significant improvement in skill and comfort with point of care ultrasound after this rotation. This is the first study to describe a dedicated ultrasound curriculum for surgical critical care with significant skill acquisition.

The Future of Cardiothoracic Surgical Critical Care Medicine as a Medical Science: A Call to Action

Cardiothoracic surgical critical care medicine (CT-CCM) is a medical discipline centered on the perioperative care of diverse groups of patients. With an aging demographic and an increase in burden of chronic diseases the utilization of cardiothoracic surgical critical care units is likely to escalate in the coming decades. Given these projections, it is important to assess the state of cardiothoracic surgical intensive care, to develop goals and objectives for the future, and to identify knowledge gaps in need of scientific inquiry. This two-part review concentrates on CT-CCM as its own subspeciality of critical care and cardiothoracic surgery and provides aspirational goals for its practitioners and scientists. In part one, a list of guiding principles and a call-to-action agenda geared towards growth and promotion of CT-CCM are offered. In part two, an evaluation of selected scientific data is performed, identifying gaps in CT-CCM knowledge, and recommending direction to future scientific endeavors.