The statements and opinions expressed in COVID-19 Curbside Consults are based on experience and the available literature as of the date posted. While we try to regularly update this content, any offered recommendations cannot be substituted for the clinical judgment of clinicians caring for individual patients.

The multi-organ failure syndrome associated with acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is thought to be mediated by overwhelming systemic inflammation triggered by both microbial and non-microbial factors. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) has been proven to be an efficacious therapy in autoimmune conditions and altered immunity, with more recent data supporting its use in the management of liver failure. Few therapies have been shown to improve survival in critically ill patients with liver failure who are not expected to survive until liver transplantation (LT), who are ineligible for LT or who have no access to LT. TPE has been shown to reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines, modulate adaptive immunity with the potential to lessen the susceptibility to infections, and reduce the levels of albumin-bound and water-bound toxins in liver failure. In patients with acute liver failure, high volume TPE has been shown to reduce the vasopressor requirement and improve survival, particularly in patients not eligible for LT. Standard volume TPE has also been shown to reduce mortality in certain sub-populations of patients with ACLF. TPE may be most favorably employed as a bridge to LT in patients with ACLF. In this review, we discuss the efficacy and technical considerations of TPE in both acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Prone position ventilation (PPV) improves mortality in severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but outcomes following its use in lung transplant recipients are not known. We report the case of a 42-year-old Caucasian man who presented with severe ARDS from Bordetella pertussis, 5 years after bilateral sequential lung transplant for cystic fibrosis. He was managed with PPV for 22 days and had a prolonged ICU stay complicated by hypoxic ischemic optic neuropathy leading to blindness. Since his discharge from the ICU 6 months ago, his FEV1 has recovered to 47% predicted compared to his pre-ICU peak FEV1 of 85% predicted, suggesting recovery of lung function. This is the first report of optic nerve damage and vision loss in patients undergoing PPV. Our report also suggests that, in appropriately selected lung transplant recipients, severe hypoxemia could potentially be managed with prone ventilation.

Hypernatremia is a frequent cause of intensive care unit admission. The patient presented in this article had hypernatremia refractory to D5W (dextrose 5% water) therapy, which led to a complex investigation. Workup revealed central diabetes insipidus most likely secondary to flare up of neurosarcoidosis. The challenge in terms of diagnosis was a presentation with low urine output in the setting of hypernatremia resistant to treatment with desmopressin. This case unfolded the role of hypothyroidism causing secondary renal dysfunction and hence needed continued treatment with thyroxine in addition to treatment for hypernatremia.

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