Predicting Reprisal of Solid Cancer Treatment and 60-Month Survival after Medical Intensive Care: A Single-Centre Cohort Study.

Introduction: Our study aimed to identify relevant features associated with the reprisal of antineoplastic treatment in patients with solid cancers after unplanned admittance to the intensive care unit (ICU) and to assess 60th-month survival in patients with solid neoplasms admitted to the ICU.

Methods: This single-centre retrospective study of critically ill patients with active cancers was performed over a 13-year period (2005-2018). Patients' characteristics, overall survival, and antineoplastic treatment reprisal were extracted from digital medical files and compared.

Clinical description and outcome of overall varicella-zoster virus-related organ dysfunctions admitted in intensive care units: the VAZOREA cohort study.

Background: Due to aging population and increasing part of immunocompromised patients, a raise in life-threatening organ damage related to VZV can be expected. Two retrospective studies were already conducted on VZV in ICU but focused on specific organ injury. Patients with high-risk of VZV disease still must be identified.

Patient-Level Meta-Analysis of Low-Dose Hydrocortisone in Adults with Septic Shock.

BACKGROUND: Trials and study-level meta-analyses have failed to resolve the role of corticosteroids in the management of patients with septic shock. Patient-level meta-analyses may provide more precise estimates of treatment effects, particularly subgroup effects. METHODS: We pooled individual patient data from septic shock trials investigating the adjunctive use of intravenous hydrocortisone.

An Atypical Case of Microscopic Polyangiitis Associated With Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Complete Atrioventricular Block Mistaken for Infectious Pneumonia.

The association between antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis and hematologic malignancy has been previously described and remains a rare phenomenon (although potentially underdiagnosed). We report the case of an 81-year-old patient with myelodysplastic syndrome who was managed for an infectious-appearing pneumonia, which subsequently complicated into complete heart block and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with a fatal outcome. The final diagnosis is severe hemorrhagic alveolitis due to ANCA-associated vasculitis meeting the criteria for microscopic polyangiitis.

Use of almitrine in spontaneously breathing patients with COVID-19 treated with high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy and with persistent hypoxemia.

Background: Almitrine, a selective pulmonary vasoconstrictor in hypoxic area, improves oxygenation in mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 but its effects in spontaneously breathing patients with COVID-19 remain to be determined.

Methods: We prospectively studied the effects of almitrine (16 µg/kg/min over 30 min followed by continuous administration in responders only) in 62 patients (66% of male, 63 [53-69] years old) with COVID-19 treated with high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNO) and with persistent hypoxemia, defined as a PaO/FiO ratio < 100 with FiO > 80% after a single awake prone positioning session. Patients with an increase in PaO/FiO ratio > 20% were considered as responders.

Incidence, Outcomes and Risk Factors of Recurrent Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in COVID-19 Patients: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

Background: High incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) has been reported in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Among these patients, we aimed to assess the incidence, outcomes and risk factors of VAP recurrences. Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective study in three French intensive care units (ICUs).

Impact of prolonged requirement for insulin on 90-day mortality in critically ill patients without previous diabetic treatments: a post hoc analysis of the CONTROLING randomized control trial.

Background: Stress hyperglycemia can persist during an intensive care unit (ICU) stay and result in prolonged requirement for insulin (PRI). The impact of PRI on ICU patient outcomes is not known. We evaluated the relationship between PRI and Day 90 mortality in ICU patients without previous diabetic treatments.

Impact of Isolation Time of COVID-19 Patients in Intensive Care Unit on Healthcare Workers Contamination and Nursing Care Intensity.

Background: The optimal isolation time of COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) is debated. We investigated the impact of two different COVID-19 patient isolation time strategies on healthcare workers (HCW) contamination, intensity of nursing care and potential associated adverse events.

Methods: We prospectively included all consecutive COVID-19 patients and HCW in our ICU in the first two pandemic waves (March to May 2020 and August to November 2020).

Characteristics of Cardiac Injury in Critically Ill Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Background: Cardiac injury has been reported in up to 30% of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. However, cardiac injury is defined mainly by troponin elevation without description of associated structural abnormalities and its time course has not been studied.

Research Question: What are the ECG and echocardiographic abnormalities as well as their time course in critically ill COVID-19 patients?

Study Design And Methods: The cardiac function of 43 consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to two ICUs was assessed prospectively and repeatedly, combining ECG, cardiac biomarker, and transthoracic echocardiographic analyses from ICU admission to ICU discharge or death or to a maximum follow-up of 14 days.

Incidence, clinical features and outcome of Takotsubo syndrome in the intensive care unit.

Background: Most diseases encountered in the intensive care unit are associated with major stress that can potentially trigger Takotsubo syndrome. Many severe cardiovascular complications are associated with Takotsubo syndrome, yet little is known about Takotsubo syndrome in the intensive care unit.

Aims: We sought to determine the incidence of Takotsubo syndrome, and to describe its clinical features and outcome in an intensive care unit.

Comparison of presumed cardiac and respiratory causes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Aims Of The Study: Most interventional and observational studies include cardiac arrest from cardiac origin. However, an increasing proportion of cardiac arrest results from an extra-cardiac origin, mainly respiratory. The aim of our study was to compare the characteristics and outcome of cardiac arrest patients according to the presumed cardiac or respiratory causes.

Is Inappropriate Response to Cosyntropin Stimulation Test an Indication of Corticosteroid Resistance in Septic Shock?

We recently published a comparison of two hydrocortisone dosage regimens in patients with septic shock. We compare the results conferred by the two regimens as a function of the response to cosyntropin stimulation test (CST). Patients with septic shock were treated by one of two hydrocortisone regimens: either a 50-mg intravenous bolus every 6 h during 7 days (200 mg group; n = 49), or a 100-mg initial bolus followed by a continuous infusion of 300 mg daily for 5 days (300 mg group; n = 50).

Causes and Characteristics of Death in Intensive Care Units: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Background: Different modes of death are described in selected populations, but few data report the characteristics of death in a general intensive care unit population. This study analyzed the causes and characteristics of death of critically ill patients and compared anticipated death patients to unexpected death counterparts.

Methods: An observational multicenter cohort study was performed in 96 intensive care units.

Association of serum lactate with outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Aims: Lactate reflects hypoxic insult in many conditions and is considered as a prognosis factor. But, after cardiac arrest, its interest is still debated. Our study aimed to assess the prognosis value of lactate in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia.

Effects of Increasing Hydrocortisone to 300 mg Per Day in the Treatment of Septic Shock: a Pilot Study.

Purpose: The Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines recommend hydrocortisone in septic shock only when fluid resuscitation and vasopressors fail to restore hemodynamic stability. Hydrocortisone administration modalities are supported only by low-grade recommendations. Our main objective here was to determine differences in 28-day mortality between two low-dose hydrocortisone regimens for the treatment of septic shock.

A therapeutic challenge: catastrophic anti-phospholipid syndrome with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage.

Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) complicating primary catastrophic anti-phospholipid syndrome (CAPS) was diagnosed in a 50-year-old female patient. Treatment strategies are limited for this often life-threatening autoimmune disease that requires aggressive immunosuppression. In the absence of clinically validated treatment strategies, high-dose steroids associated with plasma exchange and eventually intravenous immunoglobulins were used to manage the disease.

Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy presenting with cardiogenic shock successfully treated with milrinone: a case report.

We report the case of a middle age patient presenting with Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) complicated by cardiogenic shock that was successfully handled with milrinone. A 64-year old man presented with cardiogenic shock after benzodiazepine and alcohol intoxication. A slight elevation of troponin and typical left ventricular ballooning without coronary lesions suggested TTC.

Long-term outcomes and cardiac surgery in critically ill patients with infective endocarditis.

Aims: To assess long-term outcomes and the management of critical left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) and evaluate the impact of surgery.

Methods And Results: Among the 198 patients included prospectively for IE across 33 adult intensive care units (ICU) in France from 1 April 2007 to 1 October 2008, 137 (69%) were dead at a median follow-up time of 59.5 months.

The early phase of human sepsis is characterized by a combination of apoptosis and proliferation of T cells.

Purpose: T cell activation as well as unresponsiveness has been described in separate studies in sepsis. Our aim was to establish the coexistence of both T cell fate in human sepsis.

Patients And Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 48 patients presenting with severe sepsis or septic shock and 15 healthy controls.

Transthoracic Echocardiography with Doppler Tissue Imaging predicts weaning failure from mechanical ventilation: evolution of the left ventricle relaxation rate during a spontaneous breathing trial is the key factor in weaning outcome.

Introduction: There is growing evidence to suggest that transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) should be used to identify the cardiac origin of respiratory weaning failure.

The Aims Of Our Study Were: first, to evaluate the ability of transthoracic echocardiography, with mitral Doppler inflow E velocity to annular tissue Doppler Ea wave velocity (E/Ea) ratio measurement, to predict weaning failure from mechanical ventilation in patients, including those with atrial fibrillation; and second, to determine whether the depressed left ejection fraction and/or diastolic dysfunction participate in weaning outcome.

Methods: The sample included patients on mechanical ventilation for over 48 hours.