Project description:BackgroundSevere malarial anemia (SMA) remains a major cause of pediatric illness and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Here we test the hypothesis that prenatal exposures, reflected by soluble inflammatory mediators in cord blood, can condition an individual's susceptibility to SMA.MethodsIn a Tanzanian birth cohort (n = 743), we measured cord blood concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), TNF receptors I and II (TNF-RI and TNF-RII), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ). After adjusting for conventional covariates, we calculated the hazard ratios (HR) for time to first SMA event with log(e) cytokine concentrations dichotomized at the median, by quartile, and per standard deviation (SD) increase.ResultsLow levels of TNF, TNF-RI, IL-1β, and IL-5 and high levels of TNF-RII were associated statistically significantly and respectively with approximately 3-fold, 2-fold, 8-fold, 4-fold, and 3-fold increased risks of SMA (Hb < 50 g/L). TNF, TNF-RI, and IL-1β concentrations were inversely and log-linearly associated with SMA risk; the HR (95% confidence interval [CI]) per 1-SD increase were respectively 0.81 (.65, 1.02), 0.76 (.62, .92), and 0.50 (.40, .62).ConclusionsThese data suggest that proinflammatory cytokine levels at birth are inversely associated with SMA risk and support the hypothesis that pediatric malarial disease has fetal origins.
Project description:To determine whether treatment with a protocolized sepsis guideline in the emergency department was associated with a lower burden of organ dysfunction by hospital day 2 compared to nonprotocolized usual care in pediatric patients with severe sepsis.Retrospective cohort study.Tertiary care children's hospital from January 1, 2012, to March 31, 2014.Patients older than 56 days old and younger than 18 years old with international consensus defined severe sepsis and who required PICU admission within 24 hours of emergency department arrival were included.The exposure was the use of a protocolized emergency department sepsis guideline. The primary outcome was complete resolution of organ dysfunction by hospital day 2. One hundred eighty nine subjects were identified during the study period. Of these, 121 (64%) were treated with the protocolized emergency department guideline and 68 were not. There were no significant differences between the groups in age, sex, race, number of comorbid conditions, emergency department triage level, or organ dysfunction on arrival to the emergency department. Patients treated with protocolized emergency department care were more likely to be free of organ dysfunction on hospital day 2 after controlling for sex, comorbid condition, indwelling central venous catheter, Pediatric Index of Mortality-2 score, and timing of antibiotics and IV fluids (adjusted odds ratio, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.7-10.4).Use of a protocolized emergency department sepsis guideline was independently associated with resolution of organ dysfunction by hospital day 2 compared to nonprotocolized usual care. These data indicate that morbidity outcomes in children can be improved with the use of protocolized care.
Project description:PURPOSE:Endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) is expressed mainly in endothelial cells and is involved in regulation of the cytoprotective and anticoagulant pathways of protein C. We assessed whether haplotypes in the EPCR gene modify the risk of severe sepsis and/or septic shock (SS/SS) development in critically ill patients. METHODS:Three polymorphisms in the EPCR gene were genotyped in 389 Caucasian critically ill patients, hospitalized in the intensive care units of two major hospitals in Athens, Greece. Multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for age, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores, sex, and diagnosis was performed to determine the effect of haplotypes H1 and H3 in the EPCR gene on the development of SS/SS. RESULTS:H2 carriers versus all other genotypes combined had a nonsignificant excess of SS/SS (p = 0.087). SS/SS occurred in 38.8% of critically ill patients carrying minor alleles belonging to both H1 and H3 haplotypes, in 58.0% of H1 carriers, 64.3% of H3 carriers, and 65.2% of patients carrying all common alleles (H2). Compared with H2 carriers, the odds ratios (OR) for developing SS/SS were 0.34 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.16-0.76, p = 0.008] for simultaneous H1 and H3 carriers, 0.65 (95% CI 0.37-1.13, p = 0.123) for H1 carriers, and 0.82 (95 % CI 0.39-1.70, p = 0.590) for H3 carriers. CONCLUSIONS:Our results indicate that simultaneous carriers of minor alleles belonging to both the H1 and H3 haplotypes may be at reduced risk of developing SS/SS in this cohort of critically ill patients.
Project description:Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is the most common cause of severe mitral regurgitation. It has been reported that MVP patients-candidates for mitral valve repair (MVRep)-showed an alteration in the antioxidant defense systems as well as in the L-arginine metabolic pathway. In this study, we investigate if oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction are an MVP consequence or driving factors. Forty-five patients undergoing MVRep were evaluated before and 6 months post surgery and compared to 29 controls. Oxidized (GSSG) and reduced (GSH) forms of glutathione, and L-arginine metabolic pathway were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods while osteoprotegerin (OPG) through the ELISA kit and circulating endothelial microparticles (EMP) by flow cytometry. Six-month post surgery, in MVP patients, the GSSG/GSH ratio decreased while symmetric and asymmetric dimethylarginines levels remained comparable to the baseline. Conversely, OPG levels significantly increased when compared to their baseline. Finally, pre-MVRep EMP levels were significantly higher in patients than in controls and did not change post surgery. Overall, these results highlight that MVRep completely restores the increased oxidative stress levels, as evidenced in MVP patients. Conversely, no amelioration of endothelial dysfunction was evidenced after surgery. Thus, therapies aimed to restore a proper endothelial function before and after surgical repair could benefit MVP patients.
Project description:ObjectivesTo evaluate risk factors for poor functional outcome in 28-day survivors after an episode of severe sepsis.DesignRetrospective cohort study examining data from the Researching Severe Sepsis and Organ Dysfunction in Children: A Global Perspective trial (NCT00049764).SettingOne hundred and four pediatric centers in 18 countries.SubjectsChildren with severe sepsis who required both vasoactive-inotropic infusions and mechanical ventilation and who survived to 28 days (n = 384).InterventionsNone.Measurements and main resultsPoor functional outcome was defined as a Pediatric Overall Performance Category score greater than or equal to 3 and an increase from baseline when measured 28 days after trial enrollment. Median Pediatric Overall Performance Category at enrollment was 1 (interquartile range, 1-2). Median Pediatric Overall Performance Category at 28 days was 2 (interquartile range, 1-4). Thirty-four percent of survivors had decline in their functional status at 28 days, and 18% were determined to have a "poor" functional outcome. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with poor functional outcome compared to the white referent group (risk ratio = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.0-3.0). Clinical factors associated with increased risk of poor outcome included CNS and intra-abdominal infection sources compared to the lung infection referent category (risk ratio = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.4-5.6 and 2.4; 95% CI: 1.0-4.5, respectively); a history of recent trauma (risk ratio = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.4-5.4); receipt of cardiopulmonary resuscitation prior to enrollment (risk ratio = 5.1; 95% CI: 2.9-5.7); and baseline Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score of 20-29 (risk ratio = 2.8; 95% CI: 1.2-5.2) and Pediatric Risk of Mortality III greater than or equal to 30 (risk ratio = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.6-8.0) compared to the referent group with Pediatric Risk of Mortality III scores of 0-9.ConclusionsIn this sample of 28-day survivors of pediatric severe sepsis diminished functional status was common. This analysis provides evidence that particular patient characteristics and aspects of an individual's clinical course are associated with poor functional outcome 28 days after onset of severe sepsis. These characteristics may provide opportunity for intervention in order to improve functional outcome in pediatric patients with severe sepsis. Decline in functional status 28 days after onset of severe sepsis is a frequent and potentially clinically meaningful event. Utilization of functional status as the primary outcome in future pediatric sepsis clinical trials should be considered.
Project description:OBJECTIVES:To describe the epidemiology, morbidity, and mortality of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in children with severe sepsis. DESIGN:Secondary analysis of a prospective, cross-sectional, point prevalence study. SETTING:International, multicenter PICUs. PATIENTS:Pediatric patients with severe sepsis identified on five separate days over a 1-year period. INTERVENTIONS:None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Of 567 patients from 128 PICUs in 26 countries enrolled, 384 (68%) developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome within 7 days of severe sepsis recognition. Three hundred twenty-seven had multiple organ dysfunction syndrome on the day of sepsis recognition. Ninety-one of these patients developed progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, whereas an additional 57 patients subsequently developed new multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, yielding a total proportion with severe sepsis-associated new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome of 26%. Hospital mortality in patients with progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome was 51% compared with patients with new multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (28%) and those with single-organ dysfunction without multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (10%) (p < 0.001). Survivors of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome also had a higher frequency of moderate to severe disability defined as a Pediatric Overall Performance Category score of greater than or equal to 3 and an increase of greater than or equal to 1 from baseline: 22% versus 29% versus 11% for progressive, new, and no multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Development of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome is common (26%) in severe sepsis and is associated with a higher risk of morbidity and mortality than severe sepsis without new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Our data support the use of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome as an important outcome in trials of pediatric severe sepsis although efforts are needed to validate whether reducing new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome leads to improvements in more definitive morbidity and mortality endpoints.
Project description:Endothelial dysfunction underlies the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease, which in turn is associated with osteoporotic fractures. Here, we examined the association of two markers of endothelial dysfunction with incident hip fracture risk in older adults but found no statistically significant associations between them.Purpose/introductionEndothelial dysfunction underlies the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Vascular disease, in turn, is associated with the risk of osteoporotic fractures, such as hip fractures. Here, we examine whether two measures of endothelial dysfunction are related to hip fracture risk.MethodsParticipants for this study were 2792 individuals (mean age 78.6 years) who had flow-mediated dilation (FMD) measured after ischemia in the forearm and 2255 adults (mean age 73.3 years) with measured soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (siCAM) levels, a constitutive endothelial cell membrane protein associated with the initiation of atherosclerosis. Mean follow-up was 9.7 and 11.7 years, respectively. There were 375 and 265 incident hip fractures, respectively, in each group.ResultsIn Cox proportional hazards models, there was no significant association between FMD response and incident hip fracture (HR per 1% higher FMD was 0.98 [0.93, 1.04]; p = 0.44). In exploratory analyses, when data were examined dichotomously, participants in the lowest 80% of FMD (≤ 4.5%) had an adjusted 1.29 (0.98, 1.68; p = 0.067) higher hazard of hip fracture compared to participants in the upper 20% of FMD change. There were no significant associations between siCAM and incident hip fracture whether examined as a continuous or dichotomized variable.ConclusionsAmong older adults, two measures of endothelial dysfunction were not significantly associated with hip fracture risk. There was a trend for higher fracture risk with lower FMD.
Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate the prognostic performance of the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 (PIM2), ferritin, lactate, C-reactive protein (CRP), and leukocytes, alone and in combination, in pediatric patients with sepsis admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).MethodsA retrospective study was conducted in a PICU in Brazil. All patients aged 6 months to 18 years admitted with a diagnosis of sepsis were eligible for inclusion. Those with ferritin and C-reactive protein measured within 48h and lactate and leukocytes within 24h of admission were included in the prognostic performance analysis.ResultsOf 350 eligible patients with sepsis, 294 had undergone all measurements required for analysis and were included in the study. PIM2, ferritin, lactate, and CRP had good discriminatory power for mortality, with PIM2 and ferritin being superior to CRP. The cutoff values for PIM2 (> 14%), ferritin (> 135ng/mL), lactate (> 1.7mmol/L), and CRP (> 6.7mg/mL) were associated with mortality. The combination of ferritin, lactate, and CRP had a positive predictive value of 43% for mortality, similar to that of PIM2 alone (38.6%). The combined use of the three biomarkers plus PIM2 increased the positive predictive value to 76% and accuracy to 0.945.ConclusionsPIM2, ferritin, lactate, and CRP alone showed good prognostic performance for mortality in pediatric patients older than 6 months with sepsis. When combined, they were able to predict death in three-fourths of the patients with sepsis. Total leukocyte count was not useful as a prognostic marker.
Project description:To evaluate the prevalence of myocardial dysfunction and its prognostic value in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.Adult septic patients admitted to an intensive care unit were prospectively studied using transthoracic echocardiography within the first 48 hours after admission and thereafter on the 7th-10th days. Echocardiographic variables of biventricular function, including the E/e' ratio, were compared between survivors and non-survivors.A total of 99 echocardiograms (53 at admission and 46 between days 7 - 10) were performed on 53 patients with a mean age of 74 (SD 13) years. Systolic and diastolic dysfunction was present in 14 (26%) and 42 (83%) patients, respectively, and both types of dysfunction were present in 12 (23%) patients. The E/e' ratio, an index of diastolic dysfunction, was the best predictor of hospital mortality according to the area under the ROC curve (0.71) and was an independent predictor of outcome, as determined by multivariate analysis (OR = 1.36 [1.05 - 1.76], p = 0.02).In septic patients admitted to an intensive care unit, echocardiographic systolic dysfunction is not associated with increased mortality. In contrast, diastolic dysfunction is an independent predictor of outcome.
Project description:MotivationSepsis is a leading cause of death and disability in children globally, accounting for ∼3 million childhood deaths per year. In pediatric sepsis patients, the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is considered a significant risk factor for adverse clinical outcomes characterized by high mortality and morbidity in the pediatric intensive care unit. The recent rapidly growing availability of electronic health records (EHRs) has allowed researchers to vastly develop data-driven approaches like machine learning in healthcare and achieved great successes. However, effective machine learning models which could make the accurate early prediction of the recovery in pediatric sepsis patients from MODS to a mild state and thus assist the clinicians in the decision-making process is still lacking.ResultsThis study develops a machine learning-based approach to predict the recovery from MODS to zero or single organ dysfunction by 1 week in advance in the Swiss Pediatric Sepsis Study cohort of children with blood-culture confirmed bacteremia. Our model achieves internal validation performance on the SPSS cohort with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 79.1% and area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) of 73.6%, and it was also externally validated on another pediatric sepsis patients cohort collected in the USA, yielding an AUROC of 76.4% and AUPRC of 72.4%. These results indicate that our model has the potential to be included into the EHRs system and contribute to patient assessment and triage in pediatric sepsis patient care.Availability and implementationCode available at https://github.com/BorgwardtLab/MODS-recovery. The data underlying this article is not publicly available for the privacy of individuals that participated in the study.Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.