Prognostic robustness of serum creatinine based AKI definitions in patients with sepsis: a prospective cohort study

Background: It is unclear how modifications in the way to calculate serum creatinine (sCr) increase and in the cut-off value applied, influences the prognostic value of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). We wanted to evaluate whether these modifications alter the prognostic value of AKI for prediction of mortality at 3 months, 1 and 2 years. Methods: We prospectively included 195 septic patients and evaluated the prognostic value of AKI by using three different algorithms to calculate sCr increase: either as the difference between the highest value in the first 24 h after ICU admission and a pre-admission historical (Delta HIS) or an estimated (Delta EST) baseline value, or by subtracting the ICU admission value from the sCr value 24 h after ICU admission (Delta ADM). Different cut-off levels of sCr increase (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mg/dl) were evaluated. Results: Mortality at 3 months, 1 and 2 years in AKI defined as Delta ADM > 0.3 mg/dl was 48.1 %, 63.0 % and 63.0 % vs 27.7 %, 39.8 % and 47.6 % in no AKI respectively (OR(95%CI): 2.42(1.06-5.54), 2.58(1.11-5.97) and 1.87(0.81-4.33); 0.3 mg/dl was the lowest cut-off value that was discriminatory. When AKI was defined as Delta HIS > 0.3 mg/dl or Delta EST > 0.3 mg/dl, there was no significant difference in mortality between AKI and no AKI. Conclusions: The prognostic value of a 0.3 mg/dl increase in sCr, on mortality in sepsis, depends on how this sCr increase is calculated. Only if the evolution of serum creatinine over the first 24 h after ICU admission is taken into account, an association with mortality is found

Prognostic value of troponins in acute coronary syndrome depends upon patient age

Peer reviewedPostprin

Prognostic value of routine laboratory variables in prediction of breast cancer recurrence.

The prognostic value of routine laboratory variables in breast cancer has been largely overlooked. Based on laboratory tests commonly performed in clinical practice, we aimed to develop a new model to predict disease free survival (DFS) after surgical removal of primary breast cancer. In a cohort of 1,596 breast cancer patients, we analyzed the associations of 33 laboratory variables with patient DFS. Based on 3 significant laboratory variables (hemoglobin, alkaline phosphatase, and international normalized ratio), together with important demographic and clinical variables, we developed a prognostic model, achieving the area under the curve of 0.79. We categorized patients into 3 risk groups according to the prognostic index developed from the final model. Compared with the patients in the low-risk group, those in the medium- and high-risk group had a significantly increased risk of recurrence with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30-2.38) and 4.66 (95% CI 3.54-6.14), respectively. The results from the training set were validated in the testing set. Overall, our prognostic model incorporating readily available routine laboratory tests is powerful in identifying breast cancer patients who are at high risk of recurrence. Further study is warranted to validate its clinical application

Prognostic value of thyroid hormone levels in patients evaluated for liver transplantation

The thyroid hormones T4, T3, rT3 and TSH were assayed in 134 adult patients evaluated and accepted as potential liver transplant candidates at the Universty of Pittsburgh from March, 1981 to December, 1983. The subsequent course of these patients was evaluated with respect to the levels of these hormones obtained at the time of acceptance for transplantation. T4 levels were increased significantly while their T3 levels were reduced (both p < 0.01) in those who survived and were discharged home as compared to either those who died waiting to be transplanted or died following the procedure. As a result, the ratio of T3/T4 was reduced markedly (p < 0.01) in those who were transplanted and survived as compared to those not transplanted or dying following transplantation. Importantly, the rT3 levels clearly separated (p < 0.01) those who would die prior to transplantation from those who would survive to be transplanted. Finally, the ratio rT3/T3 even more clearly separates those who will die prior to transplantation (p < 0.01) from the other two groups. These data suggest that thyroid hormone levels, particularly rT3 levels, might be useful in setting priorities for which patients referred for a transplantation evaluation should be accepted into the program and in determining who among accepted patients should be operated upon in preference to others also accepted and waiting to be transplanted. Copyright © 1985 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease

Predictive significance of the six-minute walk distance for long-term survival in chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure

Background: The 6-min walk distance ( 6-MWD) is a global marker of functional capacity and prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD), but less explored in other chronic respiratory diseases. Objective: To study the role of 6-MWD in chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure ( CHRF). Methods: In 424 stable patients with CHRF and non-invasive ventilation ( NIV) comprising COPD ( n = 197), restrictive diseases ( RD; n = 112) and obesity-hypoventilation- syndrome ( OHS; n = 115), the prognostic value of 6-MWD for long- term survival was assessed in relation to that of body mass index (BMI), lung function, respiratory muscle function and laboratory parameters. Results: 6-MWD was reduced in patients with COPD ( median 280 m; quartiles 204/350 m) and RD ( 290 m; 204/362 m) compared to OHS ( 360 m; 275/440 m; p <0.001 each). Overall mortality during 24.9 (13.1/40.5) months was 22.9%. In the 424 patients with CHRF, 6-MWD independently predicted mortality in addition to BMI, leukocytes and forced expiratory volume in 1 s ( p <0.05 each). In COPD, 6-MWD was strongly associated with mortality using the median {[} p <0.001, hazard ratio ( HR) = 3.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.24-6.38] or quartiles as cutoff levels. In contrast, 6-MWD was only significantly associated with impaired survival in RD patients when it was reduced to 204 m or less (1st quartile; p = 0.003, HR = 3.31, 95% CI: 1.73-14.10), while in OHS 6-MWD had not any prognostic value. Conclusions: In patients with CHRF and NIV, 6-MWD was predictive for long- term survival particularly in COPD. In RD only severely reduced 6-MWD predicted mortality, while in OHS 6-MWD was relatively high and had no prognostic value. These results support a disease-specific use of 6-MWD in the routine assessment of patients with CHRF. Copyright (C) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

Prognostic Value of Treadmill Exercise Echocardiography

[Abstract] Introduction and objectives. Exercise echocardiography (EE) is useful for diagnosing coronary disease, but little is known about its value for risk stratification. We aimed to determine: a) whether data from EE supplemented clinical data and data from exercise testing and resting echocardiography in predicting cardiac events; and b) whether the number and location of abnormal regions and their responses to exercise influenced risk stratification. Patients and method. The 2,436 patients referred for EE were followed up for 2.1 ±1.5 years. Some 120 serious cardiovascular events (i.e., non-fatal myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death) occurred before revascularization. Results. In 1203 patients (49%), EE gave abnormal results. There were 89 events in patients with an abnormal result (7.3%) and 31 in those with a normal result (2.5%; P <.0001). Multivariate analysis of clinical data, and data from exercise testing, resting echocardiography, and EE showed that male sex (RR=1.7; 95% CI, 1.1–2.8; P = .02), metabolic equivalents or METs (RR=0.9; 95% CI, 0.86–0.98; P=.01), peak heart rate × blood pressure (RR= 0.9; 95% CI, 0.9; P=.002), resting wall motion score index (RR=2.5; 95% CI, 1.5–4.1; P <.0001), and number of abnormal regions at peak exercise (RR=1.4; 95% CI, 1.2–1.7; P<.0001) were independently associated with the risk of a serious event (final model χ2, 170; incremental P <.0001). The same variables, excluding sex, were independently associated with cardiovascular death (final model χ2, 169; incremental P = .01). Conclusions. Exercise echocardiography supplements clinical data and data from exercise testing and resting echocardiography in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease.[Resumen] Introducción y objetivos. Aunque la ecocardiografía de ejercicio es útil para el diagnóstico de la enfermedad coronaria, hay menos datos referentes a su valor pronós-tico. El objetivo de este estudio fue esclarecer: a) si hay un valor incremental de la ecocardiografía en el pico del ejercicio respecto a las variables clínicas, la prueba de esfuerzo y la ecocardiografía en reposo, y b) si el número y la localización de los territorios afectados, así como el tipo de respuesta al ejercicio, influyen en la estratificación. Pacientes y método. En 2.436 pacientes referidos para ecocardiografía de ejercicio se realizó un seguimien-to de 2,1 ± 1,5 años. Hubo 120 eventos (infarto no fatal o muerte cardiovascular) antes de la revascularización. Resultados. La ecocardiografía fue anormal en 1.203 pacientes (49%). Hubo 89 eventos en pacientes con resul-tado anormal (7,3%) frente a 31 con resultado normal (2,5%; p < 0,001). Mediante un análisis multivariable de variables clínicas, de la prueba de esfuerzo y de la ecocardiografía en reposo y ejercicio encontramos que las variables asociadas de manera independiente con el riesgo de eventos eran: ser varón (riesgo relativo [RR] = 1,7; interva-lo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 1,1–2,8; p = 0,02), los equiva-lentes metabólicos o MET (RR = 0,9; IC del 95%, 0,9–1,0; p = 0,01), el producto frecuencia cardíaca × presión arterial (RR = 0,9; IC del 95%, 0,9–1,0; p = 0,02), el índice de moti-lidad segmentaria basal (RR = 2,5; IC del 95%, 1,5–4,1; p < 0,0001) y el número de territorios afectados (RR = 1,4; IC del 95%, 1,2-1,7; p < 0,0001) (χ2 final = 170, valor incremental de la ecocardiografía en el máximo esfuerzo; p < 0,0001). Las mismas variables, excepto el sexo, estaban asociadas con la muerte (χ2 final = 169, valor incremental de la ecocardiografía de ejercicio; p = 0,01). Conclusiones. La ecocardiografía en el máximo ejercicio incrementa el valor pronóstico de las variables clínicas, la prueba de esfuerzo y la ecocardiografía de reposo

Hemorheological Parameters: Prognostic Value and Measuerment

7

Left ventricular systolic function evaluated by strain echocardiography and relationship with mortality in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. a systematic review and meta-analysis

Sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction is associated with poor outcomes, but traditional measurements of systolic function such as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) do not directly correlate with prognosis. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) utilizing speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) could be a better marker of intrinsic left ventricular (LV) function, reflecting myocardial deformation rather than displacement and volume changes. We sought to investigate the prognostic value of GLS in patients with sepsis and/or septic shock