BackgroundTo evaluate the prognostic value of endotoxin activity assay (EAA) in adult patients with suspected or proven severe sepsis after cardiac surgeryMethodsBlood samples taken from 81 patients immediately after the diagnosis of severe sepsis were tested with the EAA. Patients were divided into 3 groups: low (<0.4, n = 20), moderate (0.4-0.59, n = 35) and high (≥0.6, n = 26) EAA levels.ResultsGram-negative bacteraemia was found in 19/55 (35%) of cases with ЕАА <0.6 and in 11/26 (42%) of cases with higher ЕАА, p = 0.67. Mortality at 28 days in Groups 1, 2 and 3 was 20%, 43% and 54%, respectively. Patients with an EAA higher than 0.65 had a higher 28-day mortality than those with lower EAA values (18/26 – 69% vs. 19/55 – 34.5%; p = 0.0072). ROC analysis for the prediction of 28-day mortality revealed an AUC for APACHE II scores, EAA and PCT of 0.81, 0.73 and 0.66, respectively.ConclusionsEАА might be useful for recognising patients who have an increased risk of mortality due to severe sepsis.

Aims: The purpose of this publication is to evaluate the first experiences with the supplemental use of selective endotoxin adsorption cartridges in the treatment of critically ill patients complicated by severe sepsis after cardiac surgery. Methods: Thirteen patients with Gram-negative sepsis underwent the procedure of selective lipopolysaccharide (LPS) adsorption using Alteco adsorber (group I) or Toraymyxin™ columns (polymyxin-B-immobilized fiber) (group II). Results: This therapy positively influenced the course of sepsis. After the second procedure, levels of serum endotoxin and procalcitonin markedly decreased in both groups. We also discovered a positive effect on leukocytosis levels and a trend towards normalization of body temperature, improvement of hemodynamic indices and increase of the lung’s oxygenating function. Blood cultures taken several days after the procedure were negative. Conclusion: Our experience with LPS adsorption shows some evidence for the potential efficacy of this method in the treatment of critically ill patients with sepsis. Further investigations are required.

IntroductionAcute liver failure usually develops in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and significantly increases the mortality risk in patients after cardiac surgery.AimTo assess the safety and efficacy of extracorporeal liver support in patients with acute liver failure after cardiac surgery.Material and methodsWe studied 39 adult patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and acute liver failure as postoperative complication, treated with Prometheus therapy. Inclusion criteria comprised clinical and laboratory signs of acute liver failure. Criteria to start Prometheus therapies were: serum bilirubin above 180 µmol/l (reference values: 3–17 µmol/l), hepatocyte cytolysis syndrome (at least 2-fold increase in aspartate aminotranspherase and alanine aminotranspherase concentrations; reference values 10–40 U/l) and decrease in plasma cholinesterase (reference values 4490–13 320 U/l).ResultsExtracorporeal therapy provided stabilization of hemodynamics, decrease in serum total bilirubin and unconjugated bilirubin levels, decrease in cytolysis syndrome severity and positive effect on the synthetic function of the liver. The 28-day survival rate in the group treated with Prometheus therapy was 23%.ConclusionsPrometheus procedures could be recommended as a part of combined intensive care in patients with acute liver failure after cardiac and major vessel surgery. The efficiency of this method could be improved by a multi-factor evaluation of patient condition in order to determine indications for its use.

Introduction: Sepsis still represents an obstacle in modern medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the combined use of lipopolysaccharide adsorption and haemodialysis (HD) with high cut-off haemofilters as part of the complex intensive care of patients with severe sepsis after cardiac surgery. Methods: The study group included 26 patients, 57 (48-62) years of age, with severe sepsis. The inclusion criteria were clinical signs of severe sepsis (systemic inflammatory response syndrome + infection site + failure of two or more organs) together with endotoxin activity assay (EAA) ≥0.6 and procalcitonin (PCT) levels ≥2 ng/ml. Antimicrobial therapy was initiated in the first hour after the diagnosis of severe sepsis and extracorporeal therapy was initiated within 24 h. All of the patients in the study group received standard therapy. Additionally, they received treatment consisting of two LPS adsorption procedures and HD procedures with high cut-off haemofilters in a single circuit. For the control group, 30 comparable patients, 57 (51-61) years of age, were selected and received only standard therapy. Results: After the last HD procedure within the extracorporeal therapy, we noted an increase in the mean arterial pressure from 76 to 90 mm Hg, p < 0.01, and oxygenation index (from 226 to 291, p < 0.02), in addition to decreases in the LPS concentration according to EAA (from 0.73 to 0.59, p < 0.01) and the Limulus amebocyte lysate test (from 1.44 to 0.36 IU/ml, p < 0.01); PCT falls from 8.19 to 2.44 ng/ml, p < 0.01, and sepsis-related organ failure assessment scores decreases from 13 to 10, p = 0.007. When we compared the data between the study group the day after the procedures and the control group 3 days after the start of intensive care, we discovered that there were statistically significant differences in mean arterial pressure (90 vs. 81 mm Hg, p = 0.0004), oxygenation index (291 vs. 229, p = 0.01), and EAA levels (0.59 vs. 0.67, p = 0.05). Differences in the PCT were not significant (2.44 vs. 3.41, p = 0.15). The 28-day survival rate in the study group was higher than that in the control group (65.4 vs. 33.3%, p = 0.03). Conclusion: The combined use of LPS adsorption and HD with high cut-off haemofilters in conjunction with standard therapy is a safe, effective method for treating patients who have severe sepsis.