DOES EARLY USE OF BILEVEL POSITIVE AIRWAY PRESSURE (BIPAP) IN CARDIOTHORACIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT PREVENT REINTUBATION?

Introductıon: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a preferred treatment in acute respiratory failure after operations. Our aim is to investigate the success of early use of bilevel positive airway pressure (BIPAP) after cardiac or thoracic surgeries to prevent reintubation. Methods: In a prospective randomized study, 254 patients were divided into two groups depending on the time period between extubation and the application of BIPAP. In Group 1 BIPAP was applied after extubation within 48 hours after surgery following fulfilling of acute respiratory failure criterias whereas, in Group 2, BIPAP was applied one hour after extubation for two episodes of 20 minute duration and 3 hours apart. Arterial blood gas values (pH, PaO(2), PaCO(2)) at first and fourth hour after BIPAP were collected. Results: In comparison between groups, no significant differences were observed for arterial blood gas values of pH and PaCO(2) at baseline, one and four hours after BIPAP (p > 0.05) however, the PaO(2) values at one and four hours after BIPAP were significantly better in Group 1 in comparison to Group 2 (p < 0.001, p < 0.001; respectively). Reintubation rate was 14 patients (11%) in Group 1 and 7 patients (5.5%) in Group 2 (p = 0.103). Conclusıons: The early and prophylactic use of BIPAP after cardiac or thoracic operations did not provide diminished rates in the postoperative complications such as reintubation

Effect of Leptin and Apelin Preconditioning on Hepatic Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Rats

Leptin and apelin are important adipocytokines involved in a variety of endocrine and paracrine functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of exogenous leptin and apelin preconditioning on hepatic ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Forty mice were assigned to four groups (n = 10): sham-operated control (sham), I/R injury, I/R + leptin (I/R + L), and I/R + apelin (I/R + A). Leptin 100 mu g/kg/day and apelin 2 mu g/kg/day were delivered intraperitoneally starting 3 days prior to surgical procedure in I/R + L and I/R + A groups, respectively. All I/R groups underwent 45 min of warm ischemia, followed by 30 min of reperfusion. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), and liver histopathology were compared between groups. MDA was elevated in I/R, but stayed similar in I/R + L and I/R + A compared to sham. I/R + A had significantly lower MDA compared to I/R. GSH levels did not differ significantly between the groups. ALT and AST were elevated in all I/R groups, but significant reduction was observed in I/R + L and I/R + A compared to I/R. Liver histopathology was mostly mild in I/R + L and I/R + A, in contrast to severe injury observed in the I/R group. Leptin and apelin preconditioning significantly reduced hepatic I/R injury in rats