BackgroundThis study was design to investigate the prognostic value for death at day-28 of lactate course and lactate clearance during the first 24 hours in Intensive Care Unit (ICU), after initial resuscitation.MethodsProspective, observational study in one surgical ICU in a university hospital. Ninety-four patients hospitalized in the ICU for severe sepsis or septic shock were included. In this septic cohort, we measured blood lactate concentration at ICU admission (H0) and at H6, H12, and H24. Lactate clearance was calculated as followed: [(lactateinitial - lactatedelayed)/ lactateinitial] x 100%].ResultsThe mean time between severe sepsis diagnosis and H0 (ICU admission) was 8.0 ± 4.5 hours. Forty-two (45%) patients died at day 28. Lactate clearance was higher in survivors than in nonsurvivors patients for H0-H6 period (13 ± 38% and −13 ± 7% respectively, p = 0.021) and for the H0-H24 period (42 ± 33% and −17 ± 76% respectively, p < 0.001). The best predictor of death at day 28 was lactate clearance for the H0-H24 period (AUC = 0.791; 95% CI 0.6-0.85). Logistic regression found that H0-H24 lactate clearance was independently correlated to a survival status with a p = 0.047 [odds ratio = 0.35 (95% CI 0.01-0.76)].ConclusionsDuring the first 24 hr in the ICU, lactate clearance was the best parameter associated with 28-day mortality rate in septic patients. Protocol of lactate clearance-directed therapy should be considered in septic patients, even after the golden hours.

This study demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge a significantly better performance of TUS than LUS in the diagnosis of ARF. The value of the TUS approach was particularly important to disambiguate cases of hemodynamic pulmonary edema and pneumonia. We suggest that the bedside use of artificial intelligence methods in this setting could pave the way for the development of new clinically relevant integrative diagnostic models.

Background Recent studies suggest that isolated sonographic assessment of the respiratory, cardiac, or neuromuscular functions in mechanically ventilated patients may assist in identifying patients at risk of postextubation distress. The aim of the present study was to prospectively investigate the value of an integrated thoracic ultrasound evaluation, encompassing bedside respiratory, cardiac, and diaphragm sonographic data in predicting postextubation distress. Methods Longitudinal ultrasound data from 136 patients who were extubated after passing a trial of pressure support ventilation were measured immediately after the start and at the end of this trial. In case of postextubation distress (31 of 136 patients), an additional combined ultrasound assessment was performed while the patient was still in acute respiratory failure. We applied machine-learning methods to improve the accuracy of the related predictive assessments. Results Overall, integrated thoracic ultrasound models accurately predict postextubation distress when applied to thoracic ultrasound data immediately recorded before the start and at the end of the trial of pressure support ventilation (learning sample area under the curve: start, 0.921; end, 0.951; test sample area under the curve: start, 0.972; end, 0.920). Among integrated thoracic ultrasound data, the recognition of lung interstitial edema and the increased telediastolic left ventricular pressure were the most relevant predictive factors. In addition, the use of thoracic ultrasound appeared to be highly accurate in identifying the causes of postextubation distress. Conclusions The decision to attempt extubation could be significantly assisted by an integrative, dynamic, and fully bedside ultrasonographic assessment of cardiac, lung, and diaphragm functions.

EudraCT 2009-017153-35; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01199276.

Spinal anesthesia-induced hypotension (SAIH) occurs frequently, particularly in the elderly and in patients undergoing caesarean section. SAIH is caused by arterial and venous vasodilatation resulting from the sympathetic block along with a paradoxical activation of cardioinhibitory receptors. Bradycardia after spinal anesthesia (SA) must always be treated as a warning sign of an important hemodynamic compromise. Fluid preloading (before initiation of the SA) with colloids such as hydroxyethyl starch (HES) effectively reduces the incidence and severity of arterial hypotension, whereas crystalloid preloading is not indicated. Co-loading with crystalloid or colloid is as equally effective to HES preloading, provided that the speed of administration is adequate (ie, bolus over 5 to 10 minutes). Ephedrine has traditionally been considered the vasoconstrictor of choice, especially for use during SAIH associated with bradycardia. Phenylephrine, a α 1 adrenergic receptor agonist, is increasingly used to treat SAIH and its prophylactic administration (ie, immediately after intrathecal injection of local anesthetics) has been shown to decrease the incidence of arterial hypotension. The role of norepinephrine as a possible alternative to phenylephrine seems promising. Other drugs, such as serotonin receptor antagonists (ondansetron), have been shown to limit the blood pressure drop after SA by inhibiting the Bezold-Jarisch reflex (BJR), but further studies are needed before their widespread use can be recommended.

29-0512.

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