Transfusão de sangue em pacientes críticos: estado da arte

Anemia is one of the most common abnormal findings in critically ill patients, and many of these patients will receive a blood transfusion during their intensive care unit stay. However, the determinants of exactly which patients do receive transfusions remains to be defined and have been the subject of considerable debate in recent years. Concerns and doubts have emerged regarding the benefits and safety of blood transfusion, in part due to the lack of evidence of better outcomes resulting from randomized studies and in part related to the observations that transfusion may increase the risk of infection. As a result of these concerns and of several studies suggesting better or similar outcomes with a lower transfusion trigger, there has been a general tendency to decrease the transfusion threshold from the classic 10 g/dL to lower values. In this review, we focus on some of the key studies providing insight into current transfusion practices and fueling the current debate on the ideal transfusion trigger.A transfusão no paciente crítico vem sendo alvo de discussões recentes considerando seus reais benefícios na redução de morbi-mortalidade e os riscos associados ao procedimento. Nos últimos anos, alguns estudos controlados e randomizados tiveram como objetivo comparar desfechos clínicos entre pacientes que receberam transfusão de maneira mais liberal (hemoglobina alvo em torno de 9 g/dL) e transfusão de maneira mais restritiva (hemoglobina em torno de 7 g/dL). Os resultados demonstram a não superioridade da estratégia liberal comparada com a restritiva. Além disso, em alguns subgrupos de pacientes menos graves ou de menor idade, a transfusão foi associada com piores desfechos clínicos. Os riscos da transfusão de sangue no paciente crítico incluem desde incidência maior de infecções bacterianas, infecções virais, imunodepressão, reações hemolíticas e lesões teciduais inflamatórias, dentre outros. Algumas estratégias vêm sendo analisadas com o objetivo de redução dos riscos da transfusão e incluem leucorredução, implementação de medidas visando minimizar o tempo de estocagem entre outras. Consensos e recomendações recentes sugerem estratégia restritiva transfusional, estimulando uma prática que visa minimizar as perdas sanguíneas, reduzir o limiar crítico da hemoglobina, detectar anemia e tratá-la, e utilizar estratégias à transfusão, como o uso de antifibrinolíticos e da eritropoietina. O objetivo dessa revisão é avaliar à luz dos conhecimentos atuais as evidências em torno da transfusão no paciente crítico em diferentes situações, propondo a racionalização das indicações de transfusão, considerando metas a serem atingidas, com o objetivo de minimizar a morbi-mortalidade do paciente crítico

cardiovascular manifestations in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus

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Challenges and Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome in Cancer Patients

Cancer and cardiovascular disease are the leading causes of mortality in the world. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and coronary artery disease in cancer patients is elevated, and it is associated with high mortality. Several mechanisms, such as the proinflammatory and procoagulant states present in cancer patients, may contribute to these scenarios. Oncological therapy can predispose patients to acute thrombosis, accelerated atherosclerosis and coronary spasm. Treatment decisions must be individualized and based on the cancer history and balancing bleeding and thrombosis risks

Intensive Perioperative Glucose Control Does Not Improve Outcomes of Patients Submitted to Open-Heart Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between different target levels of glucose and the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: We designed a prospective study in a university hospital where 109 consecutive patients were enrolled during a six-month period. All patients were scheduled for open-heart surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. One group consisted of 55 patients and had a target glucose level of 80-130 mg/dl, while the other contained 54 patients and had a target glucose level of 160-200 mg/dl. These parameters were controlled during surgery and for 36 hours after surgery in the intensive care unit. Primary outcomes were clinical outcomes, including time of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit, infection, hypoglycemia, renal or neurological dysfunction, blood transfusion and length of stay in the hospital. The secondary outcome was a combined end-point (mortality at 30 days, infection or length of stay in the intensive care unit of more than 3 days). A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The anthropometric and clinical characteristics of the patients from each group were similar, except for weight and body mass index. The mean glucose level during the protocol period was 126.69 mg/dl in the treated group and 168.21 mg/dl in the control group (p<0.0016). There were no differences between groups regarding clinical outcomes, including the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit, blood transfusion, postoperative infection, hypoglycemic event, neurological dysfunction or 30-day mortality (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In 109 patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, both protocols of glycemic control in an intraoperative setting and in the intensive care unit were found to be safe, easily achieved and not to differentially affect clinical outcomes

COVID-19 and Hypercoagulable State: A New Therapeutic Perspective

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Diaphragmatic pacing stimulation in spinal cord injury: anesthetic and perioperative management

OBJECTIVE: The standard therapy for patients with high-level spinal cord injury is long-term mechanical ventilation through a tracheostomy. However, in some cases, this approach results in death or disability. The aim of this study is to highlight the anesthetics and perioperative aspects of patients undergoing insertion of a diaphragmatic pacemaker. METHODS: Five patients with quadriplegia following high cervical traumatic spinal cord injury and ventilator-dependent chronic respiratory failure were implanted with a laparoscopic diaphragmatic pacemaker after preoperative assessments of their phrenic nerve function and diaphragm contractility through transcutaneous nerve stimulation. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01385384. RESULTS: The diaphragmatic pacemaker placement was successful in all of the patients. Two patients presented with capnothorax during the perioperative period, which resolved without consequences. After six months, three patients achieved continuous use of the diaphragm pacing system, and one patient could be removed from mechanical ventilation for more than 4 hours per day. CONCLUSIONS: The implantation of a diaphragmatic phrenic system is a new and safe technique with potential to improve the quality of life of patients who are dependent on mechanical ventilation because of spinal cord injuries. Appropriate indication and adequate perioperative care are fundamental to achieving better results

The Heart and COVID-19: What Cardiologists Need to Know

In face of the pandemic of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the management of patients with cardiovascular risk factors and/or disease is challenging. The cardiovascular complications evidenced in patients with COVID-19 derive from several mechanisms, ranging from direct viral injury to complications secondary to the inflammatory and thrombotic responses to the infection. The proper care of patients with COVID-19 requires special attention to the cardiovascular system aimed at better outcomes