Extravascular lung water index improves the diagnostic accuracy of lung injury in patients with shock

Introduction: The diagnosis of acute lung injury (ALI) may be more robust if more accurate physiological markers can be identified. Extravascular lung water (EVLW) is one possible marker, and it has been shown to correlate with respiratory function and mortality in patients with sepsis. Whether EVLW confers diagnostic value in a general population with shock, as well as which index performs best, is unclear. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of various EVLW indices in patients with shock. Methods: We studied a prospective, observational cohort of 51 patients with shock admitted to a tertiary ICU. EVLW was measured within 6 hours of ICU admission and indexed to actual body weight (EVLW/ABW), predicted body weight (EVLW/PBW) and pulmonary blood volume (EVLW/PBV). The relationship of these indices to the diagnosis and severity of lung injury and ICU mortality were studied. Positive and negative likelihood ratios, pre- and posttest odds for diagnosis of lung injury and mortality were calculated. Results: All EVLW indices were higher among patients with lung injury and significantly correlated with respiratory parameters. Furthermore, all EVLW indices were significantly higher in nonsurvivors. The use of EVLW improves the posttest OR for the diagnosis of ALI, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and severe lung injury (sLI) by up to eightfold. Combining increased EVLW and a diagnosis of ALI, ARDS or sLI increases the posttest odds of ICU mortality. EVLW/ABW and EVLW/PBV demonstrated the best diagnostic performance in this population. Conclusions: EVLW was associated with degree of lung injury and mortality, regardless of the index used, confirming that it may be used as a bedside indicator of disease severity. The use of EVLW as a bedside test conferred added diagnostic value for the identification of patients with lung injury

Assessing left ventricular systolic function in shock: evaluation of echocardiographic parameters in intensive care

Introduction: Assessing left ventricular (LV) systolic function in a rapid and reliable way can be challenging in the critically ill patient. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and reliability of, as well as the association between, commonly used LV systolic parameters, by using serial transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Methods: Fifty patients with shock and mechanical ventilation were included. TTE examinations were performed daily for a total of 7 days. Methods used to assess LV systolic function were visually estimated, "eyeball" ejection fraction (EBEF), the Simpson single-plane method, mean atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPDm), septal tissue velocity imaging (TDIs), and velocity time integral in the left ventricular outflow tract (VTI). Results: EBEF, AVPDm, TDIs, VTI, and the Simpson were obtained in 100%, 100%, 99%, 95% and 93%, respectively, of all possible examinations. The correlations between the Simpson and EBEF showed r values for all 7 days ranging from 0.79 to 0.95 (P < 0.01). the Simpson correlations with the other LV parameters showed substantial variation over time, with the poorest results seen for TDIs and AVPDm. The repeatability was best for VTI (interobserver coefficient of variation (CV) 4.8%, and intraobserver CV, 3.1%), and AVPDm (5.3% and 4.4%, respectively), and worst for the Simpson method (8.2% and 10.6%, respectively). Conclusions: EBEF and AVPDm provided the best, and Simpson, the worst feasibility when assessing LV systolic function in a population of mechanically ventilated, hemodynamically unstable patients. Additionally, the Simpson showed the poorest repeatability. We suggest that EBEF can be used instead of single-plane Simpson when assessing LV ejection fraction in this category of patients. TDIs and AVPDm, as markers of longitudinal function of the LV, are not interchangeable with LV ejection fraction

The heart in the critically ill patient- an echocardiographic study

The thesis describes aspects of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function examined with echocardiography in patients with systemic inflammation and shock. Background: Myocardial depression is a well-known complication in critically ill patients with shock. Echocardiography is increasingly used for assessing left ventricular (LV) function in these patients. Aims: 1) To describe the feasibility and reliability of LV systolic function parameters, and the association between different types of measurements 2) To investigate the time course of LV systolic and diastolic function parameters 3) To examine the relation of LV longitudinal function to other LV function parameters and biomarkers 4) To determine whether LV function parameters and cardiac biomarkers are associated with mortality. Methods: Transthoracic echocardiographic, hemodynamic parameters as well as laboratory measurements were assessed daily for a total of 7 days. Measurements from day 1 were assessed for their relation to short (28-day) and long term (1-year) mortality. Results: LV systolic function parameters were easily obtainable (93% to 100%) and had acceptable repeatability (coefficient of variation 3.1% to 10.6%). Eyeball ejection fraction and atrioventricular plane displacement¹ provided the most reliable results. The different parameters variably correlated to each other, and showed substantial variation over time (r= 0.101 to 0.949). LV systolic function parameters improved over time whereas most LV diastolic function parameters did not. The LV longitudinal parameter mitral annular plane excursion (MAPSE)¹ correlated significantly with markers of both LV systolic and diastolic function and with the cardiac biomarker high-sensitive troponin T. MAPSE was significantly associated with 28-day mortality but not long term mortality. High-sensitive TNT was an independent marker of 1-year mortality and was a univariate predictor of 28-day mortality. Some echocardiographic measurements of LV filling pressure were significantly associated with 1-year mortality. Conclusion: Transthoracic echocardiography is variably feasible in hemodynamically unstable, ventilated patients with different methods of measuring LV systolic function. Eyeball EF is reliable and can be used instead of more formal methods of EF quantification. The addition of parameters assessing LV longitudinal function, for example, MAPSE, is an advantage. MAPSE seemed even to reflect LV diastolic function and myocardial injury. Serial evaluations over the seven-day observation period revealed that most markers of LV diastolic function remained unchanged despite improvement of LV systolic function, markers of critical illness and systemic hemodynamic parameters. Echocardiographic measurements of LV filling pressure should be assessed as they may be related to long term mortality. The association of the cardiac biomarker high-sensitive Troponin with long term mortality was strong. ¹The terms atrioventricualar plane displacement (AVPD) and mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) are used interchangeably

Mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) in shock: a valuable echocardiographic parameter in intensive care patients

Background: Assessing left ventricular (LV) dysfunction by echocardiography in ICU patients is common. The aim of this study was to investigate mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) in critically ill patients with shock and its relation to LV systolic and diastolic function, myocardial injury and to outcome. Methods: In a prospective, observational, cohort study we enrolled 50 patients with SIRS and shock despite fluid resuscitation. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) measuring LV function was performed within 12 hours after admission and daily for a 7-day observation period. TTE and laboratory measurements were related to 28-day mortality. Results: MAPSE on day 1 correlated significantly with LV ejection fraction (LVEF), tissue Doppler indices of LV diastolic function (e, E/e) and high-sensitive troponin T (hsTNT) (p< 0.001, p= 0.039, p= 0.009, p= 0.003 respectively) whereas LVEF did not correlate significantly with any marker of LV diastolic function or myocardial injury. Compared to survivors, non-survivors had a significantly lower MAPSE (8 [IQR 7.5-11] versus 11 [IQR 8.9-13] mm; p= 0.028). Other univariate predictors were age (p= 0.033), hsTNT (p=0.014) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (p=0.007). By multivariate analysis MAPSE (OR 0.6 (95% CI 0.5- 0.9), p= 0.015) and SOFA score (OR 1.6 (95% CI 1.1-2.3), p= 0.018) were identified as independent predictors of mortality. Daily measurements showed that MAPSE, as sole echocardiographic marker, was significantly lower in most days in non-survivors (p<0.05 at day 1-2, 4-6). Conclusions: MAPSE seemed to reflect LV systolic and diastolic function as well as myocardial injury in critically ill patients with shock. The combination of MAPSE and SOFA added to the predictive value for 28-day mortality

Fluid balance monitoring by cuff-occluded rate of rise of peripheral venous pressure in haemodialysis patients.

Cuff-occluded rate of rise of peripheral venous pressure has been proposed to reflect volume changes in experimental studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in cuff-occluded rate of rise of peripheral venous pressure associated with fluid removal by haemodialysis in six adult patients with chronic renal failure on intermittent haemodialysis. Measurements were carried out before and after each haemodialysis session. The volume of fluid removed (indexed to body surface area) linearly correlated with changes in cuff-occluded rate of rise of peripheral venous pressure (r = 0.84; r(2 ) =( ) 0.70; p = 0.037). Cuff-occluded rate of rise of peripheral venous pressure may be feasible for future clinical monitoring of individual fluid balance

Adrenomedullin and endothelin-1 are associated with myocardial injury and death in septic shock patients

Background: Adrenomedullin and endothelin-1 are hormones with opposing effects on the cardiovascular system. Adrenomedullin acts as a vasodilator and seems to be important for the initiation and continuation of the hyperdynamic circulatory response in sepsis. Endothelin-1 is a vasoconstrictor and has been linked to decreased cardiac performance. Few studies have studied the relationship between adrenomedullin and endothelin-1, and morbidity and mortality in septic shock patients. High-sensitivity troponin T (hsTNT) is normally used to diagnose acute cardiac injury but is also prognostic for outcome in intensive care. We investigated the relationship between mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM), C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-proET-1), and myocardial injury, measured using transthoracic echocardiography and hsTNT in septic shock patients. We were also interested in the development of different biomarkers throughout the ICU stay, and how early measurements were related to mortality. Further, we assessed if a positive biomarker panel, consisting of MR-proADM, CT-proET-1, and hsTNT changed the odds for mortality. Methods: A cohort of 53 consecutive patients with septic shock had their levels of MR-proADM, CT-proET-1, hsTNT, and left ventricular systolic functions prospectively measured over 7 days. The relationship between day 1 levels of MR-proADM/CT-proET-1 and myocardial injury was studied. We also investigated the relationship between biomarkers and early (7-day) and later (28-day) mortality. Likelihood ratios, and pretest and posttest odds for mortality were calculated. Results: Levels of MR-proADM and CT-proET-1 were significantly higher among patients with myocardial injury and were correlated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction. MR-proADM and hsTNT were significantly higher among 7-day and 28-day non-survivors. CT-proET-1 was also significantly higher among 28-day but not 7-day non-survivors. A positive biomarker panel consisting of the three biomarkers increased the odds for mortality 13-fold to 20-fold. Conclusions: MR-proADM and CT-proET-1 are associated with myocardial injury. A biomarker panel combining MR-proADM, CT-proET-1, and hsTNT increases the odds ratio for death, and may improve currently available scoring systems in critical care.Funding Agencies|Region Halland County Council</p