A matched case-control study on the effectiveness of extracorporeal cytokine adsorption in critically ill patients

Abstract Extracorporeal cytokine adsorption aims to reduce cytokine levels in critically ill patients. However, little convincing data exist to support its widespread use. This retrospective study compared interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in patients treated with or without cytokine adsorber (CytoSorb®). Intensive care patients between Jan 2017 and Dec 2021 who had at least two IL-6 measurements were included. They were divided into an adsorber group and a standard of care group. We screened 3865 patients and included 52 patients in the adsorber group and 94 patients in the standard of care group. Matching was performed and the groups were compared regarding IL-6, lactate, CRP, procalcitonin, vasopressor requirement, and mortality rate. After matching, there were 21 patients in each group. Patients had similar age, ECMO and renal replacement therapy use, baseline noradrenaline requirement, serum lactate, pH, CRP, and IL-6 levels. There were no significant differences in the time course of IL-6, lactate, CRP, procalcitonin and noradrenaline requirement between groups. Two-day and ICU mortality and Kaplan-Meier estimated survival were also comparable. In this matched case-control study no difference in IL-6, inflammatory parameters, noradrenaline requirement or mortality was observed between patients treated with adsorber or standard of care

Biocompatibility parameters with standard and increased dose of citrate in hemodialysis

Background: The dose of citrate needed in regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) to achieve optimal biocompatibility is unknown. We performed a randomized trial comparing two doses (ACTRN12613001340729). Methods: In 30 patients a single hemodialysis with either standard (2.7 mmol/L) or increased dose of citrate (4 mmol/L) was performed. C5a-desArg, myeloperoxidase (MPO), thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), and platelet factor 4 (PF4) were measured and the inner surface of the dialyzer fibers was evaluated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: A good separation of anticoagulation effect was achieved (post-filter ionized calcium 0.20 vs. 0.31 mmol/L, p < 0.05). There was no effect of citrate dose on any of the biocompatibility parameterstransient and parallel increase in PF4 after 30 min and parallel increase in TAT after 4 h were observed. There were no visually detected clotting problems within the circuit and no significant hypocalcemia in either group. SEM clotting score was excellent and comparable in both groups (p = 0.59). Conclusions: Given the excellent results in both groups, absence of between group differences and inability of the increased dose of citrate to completely blunt the small residual increase in PF4 and TAT, we conclude that the standard dose of citrate seems sufficient in RCA for chronic hemodialysis

Tick-borne Encephalitis Associated with Consumption of Raw Goat Milk, Slovenia, 2012

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) developed in 3 persons in Slovenia who drank raw milk; a fourth person, who had been vaccinated against TBE, remained healthy. TBE virus RNA was detected in serum and milk of the source goat. Persons in TBE-endemic areas should be encouraged to drink only boiled/pasteurized milk and to be vaccinated