Antibiotic therapeutic drug monitoring in intensive care patients treated with different modalities of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and renal replacement therapy: a prospective, observational single-center study

Background: Efective antimicrobial treatment is key to reduce mortality associated with bacterial sepsis in patients on intensive care units (ICUs). Dose adjustments are often necessary to account for pathophysiological changes or renal replacement therapy. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly being used for the treatment of respiratory and/or cardiac failure. However, it remains unclear whether dose adjustments are necessary to avoid subtherapeutic drug levels in septic patients on ECMO support. Here, we aimed to evaluate and comparatively assess serum concentrations of continuously applied antibiotics in intensive care patients being treated with and without ECMO. Methods: Between October 2018 and December 2019, we prospectively enrolled patients on a pneumological ICU in southwest Germany who received antibiotic treatment with piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftazidime, meropenem, or linezolid. All antibiotics were applied using continuous infusion, and therapeutic drug monitoring of serum concentrations (expressed as mg/L) was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography. Target concentrations were defned as fourfold above the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of susceptible bacterial isolates, according to EUCAST breakpoints

Retrospektive Analyse zur Genauigkeit der bildgebenden Diagnostik bei Patienten mit Kopf – Hals – Tumoren

Bei Diagnosestellung einer malignen Tumorerkrankung beeinflusst ein möglichst exaktes Staging sowohl des Tumors und der Lymphknoten, als auch von möglichen Fernmetastasen, maßgeblich das therapeutische Vorgehen und die Prognose des Patienten. Wegweisend für diesen Entscheidungsprozess sind, neben Therapiewunsch, Alter und Allgemeinzustand des Patienten, die Befunde der radiologischen Bildgebung. In der vorliegenden retrospektiven Studie wurde die bildgebende Diagnostik bei Patienten mit Kopf – Hals – Tumoren hinsichtlich der Sensitivität, Spezifität und der Genauigkeit überprüft. Dazu wurden die Befunde der radiologischen Bildgebung sowie der postoperativen histologischen Untersuchung des Resektats von insgesamt 286 Patienten aus einem Zeitraum vom 01.01.2006 bis zum 01.09.2010 ausgewertet und miteinander verglichen. Zum Vergleich der Befunde wurde die Stadieneinteilung nach TNM in ihrer 7.Auflage verwendet. Eine Einteilung der Patienten in Gruppen erfolgte anhand der Tumorlokalisation. Unter Berücksichtigung der eingesetzten radiologischen Diagnostik (CT vs. MRT) wurde sowohl das Tumor- (T) als auch das Lymphknoten-Stadium (N) betrachtet. Ferner wurden auch die Befunde der „Ausbreitungsdiagnostik“ erfasst (M-Stadium). Die vorliegende Studie zeigte, dass die Sensitivität und Spezifität für das Tumor- und Nodalstaging auf vergleichbarem Niveau anderer Studien lag. Auch die Genauigkeit der Bildgebung, gemessen anhand des Quotienten aus richtig positiven + richtig negativen Befunden und der Gesamtheit der Befunde, lag auf einem hohen Niveau, jedoch war die Übereinstimmung der Tumor- und Nodalstadien der Bildgebung mit denen aus der histologischen Untersuchung gering. Eine initiale Fernmetastasierung trat häufiger bei fortgeschrittenen Tumoren und metastatischem Lymphknotenbefall auf. Ebenso verhielt es sich mit späteren Metastasierungen und Rezidiven. Von den eingesetzten bildgebenden Verfahren zur Detektion von Fernmetastasen, konnten die Standardröntgenaufnahme des Thorax und die CT des Thorax ihren Stellenwert bei der Metastasensuche unterstreichen. Die Sklettszintigraphie und Röngtenzielaufnahme des Skeletts erbrachten keinen diagnostischen Nutzen bei der Metastasensuche. Als Schlussfolgerung der Studie lässt sich ableiten, dass die Sensitivität und Spezifität der radiologischen Bildgebung für das Tumor- und Nodalstaging auf einem hohen Niveau liegen, das exakte Staging jedoch weiterhin eine diagnostische Herausforderung bleibt. Im Hinblick auf Therapiestrategie, Prognose und möglichem Auftreten von Rezidiven und Spätmetastsierungen kommt dem exakten Tumor- und Nodalstaging jedoch eine übergeordnete Rolle bei der Diagnostik zu. Die Metastasensuche stellt ebenso eine Herausforderung an die bildgebende Diagnostik dar, wobei konventionelle Verfahren nur einen limitierten Nutzen bei der Metastasensuche zu haben scheinen.Accurate staging of tumor, lymph nodes and possible distant metastases at time of diagnosis, has a huge impact on prognosis and choice of treatment approach. Most important for the further approach after diagnosis of a malignant head and neck cancer are the results of imaging and histology examination of the resected tumor, beside patients requests. In this study we investigated the accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of the radiological imaging, which is taking mean part of the staging process of head and neck cancers. For the aim of the study we compared the findings of radiological imaging to those of the histological examination. In total we included a number of 286 patients in a time period from 01.01.2006 to 09.01.2010. For the comparison of the findings we used the tnm staging manual 7th edition. Patients were classified by cancer side. Considering different imaging modalities (CT scans vs. MRI scans) each tumor (t) and nodal (n) stage was compared separately to the findings of histological examination. Findings for distant metastases had been reported separately. Sensitivity and Specificity of radiological imaging in this study were comparable to other studies. The accuracy of radiological imaging was poor compared to the histological findings of resected tumor and lymph nodes. Using the quotient: correct positive finding + correct negative finding / total findings as a description of accuracy, the results of this study were comparable to those of other studies. Distant metastases, as well as recurrent tumors and late onset distant metastases, were more often reported in case of lymph node metastases and/or advanced tumor stages at time of diagnosis. Searching for distant metastases is challenging. In our study we find the best results for CT scan, Chest X Ray for the search of distant metastases. Bone szintigraphie and bone X Ray could not improve the search of distant metastases in this study. As conclusion we can say that an accurate radiological imaging of head and neck cancers, compared to the findings of the histological examination, is still a challenge. Radiological imaging has a key role in the staging process of these tumors and effects decisions for the treatment. The initial tumor and nodal stage has main impact on treatment and prognosis of the patients. Exploration for distant metastases is also important for patients prognosis. CT scan and chest X Ray are most important instruments for the exploration of distant metastases

Extracorporeal life support in COVID‐19‐related acute respiratory distress syndrome: A EuroELSO international survey

International audienceExtracorporeal life support (ECLS) is a means to support patients with acute respiratory failure. Initially, recommendations to treat severe cases of pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with ECLS have been restrained. In the meantime, ECLS has been shown to produce similar outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19 compared to existing data on ARDS mortality. We performed an international email survey to assess how ECLS providers worldwide have previously used ECLS during the treatment of critically ill patients with COVID-19. A questionnaire with 45 questions (covering, e.g., indication, technical aspects, benefit, and reasons for treatment discontinuation), mostly multiple choice, was distributed by email to ECLS centers. The survey was approved by the European branch of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO); 276 ECMO professionals from 98 centers in 30 different countries on four continents reported that they employed ECMO for very severe COVID-19 cases, mostly in veno-venous configuration (87%). The most common reason to establish ECLS was isolated hypoxemic respiratory failure (50%), followed by a combination of hypoxemia and hypercapnia (39%). Only a small fraction of patients required veno-arterial cannulation due to heart failure (3%). Time on ECLS varied between less than 2 and more than 4 weeks. The main reason to discontinue ECLS treatment prior to patient's recovery was lack of clinical improvement (53%), followed by major bleeding, mostly intracranially (13%). Only 4% of respondents reported that triage situations, lack of staff or lack of oxygenators, were responsible for discontinuation of ECLS support. Most ECLS physicians (51%, IQR 30%) agreed that patients with COVID-19-induced ARDS (CARDS) benefitted from ECLS. Overall mortality of COVID-19 patients on ECLS was estimated to be about 55%. ECLS has been utilized successfully during the COVID-19 pandemic to stabilize CARDS patients in hypoxemic or hypercapnic lung failure. Age and multimorbidity limited the use of ECLS. Triage situations were rarely a concern. ECLS providers stated that patients with severe COVID-19 benefitted from ECLS