IntroductionPatients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at risk for developing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. A clinical algorithm has been validated to discriminate colonization from putative invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (PIPA) in Aspergillus-positive respiratory tract cultures of critically ill patients. We focused on critically ill patients with COPD who met the criteria for PIPA.MethodsThis matched cohort study included critically ill patients with COPD from two university hospital intensive care units (ICUs). We studied the risk factors for PIPA as well as the impact of PIPA on short- and long-term outcomes. Whether PIPA was associated with a pattern of bacterial colonization and/or infection 6 months before and/or during ICU stay was assessed. In addition, antifungal strategies were reviewed.ResultsFifty cases of PIPA in critically ill patients with COPD in the ICU were matched with one hundred control patients with COPD. The ICU short- and the long-term (at 1 year) mortality were significantly increased in the PIPA group (p < 0.001 for all variables). PIPA was a strong independent risk factor for mortality in the ICU (odds ratio 7.44, 95 % confidence interval 2.93–18.93, p < 0.001) before vasopressor therapy, renal replacement therapy, and duration of mechanical ventilation. Before ICU admission, the use of corticosteroids and antibiotics significantly increased the risk of PIPA (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively). No significant difference in bacterial etiologic agents responsible for colonization and/or infection was found between the groups. Antifungal treatment was started in 64 % of PIPA cases, with a poor impact on the overall outcome.ConclusionsPIPA was a strong death predictor in critically ill patients with COPD. The use of corticosteroids and antibiotics before ICU admission was a risk factor for PIPA. PIPA was not associated with a specific bacterial pattern of colonization or infection. Prompting antifungal treatment in critically ill patients with COPD who have PIPA may not be the only factor involved in prognosis reversal.

BackgroundKidney transplantation following uncontrolled donation after circulatory death (uDCD) presents a high risk of delayed graft function due to prolonged warm ischemia time. In order to minimise the effects of ischemia/reperfusion injury during warm ischemia, normothermic recirculation recently replaced in situ perfusion prior to implantation in several institutions. The aim of this study was to compare these preservation methods on kidney graft outcomes.MethodsThe primary endpoint was the one-year measured graft filtration rate (mGFR). We collected retrospective data from 64 consecutive uDCD recipients transplanted over a seven-year period in a single centre.ResultsThirty-two grafts were preserved by in situ perfusion and 32 by normothermic recirculation. The mean ± SD mGFR at 1 year post-transplantation was 43.0 ± 12.8 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the in situ perfusion group and 53.2 ± 12.8 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the normothermic recirculation group (p = 0.01). Estimated GFR levels were significantly higher in the normothermic recirculation group at 12 months (p = 0.01) and 24 months (p = 0.03) of follow-up. We did not find any difference between groups regarding patient and graft survival, delayed graft function, graft rejection, or interstitial fibrosis.ConclusionsFunction of grafts preserved by normothermic recirculation was better at 1 year and the results suggest that this persists at 2 years, although no difference was found in short-term outcomes. Despite the retrospective design, this study provides an additional argument in favour of normothermic recirculation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12882-017-0805-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.