Tissue oxygen saturation is predictive of lactate clearance in patients with circulatory shock.

Background: Tissue oxygen saturation (StO) decrease could appear earlier than lactate alteration. However, the correlation between StO and lactate clearance was unknown.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study.

Retrospective Study of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients With and Without Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in Wuhan, China.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) might benefit critically ill COVID-19 patients. But the considerations besides indications guiding ECMO initiation under extreme pressure during the COVID-19 epidemic was not clear. We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics and in-hospital mortality of severe critically ill COVID-19 patients supported with ECMO and without ECMO, exploring potential parameters for guiding the initiation during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome: focusing on secondary injury.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the most common severe diseases seen in the clinical setting. With the continuous exploration of ARDS in recent decades, the understanding of ARDS has improved. ARDS is not a simple lung disease but a clinical syndrome with various etiologies and pathophysiological changes.

The effects of UCP2 on autophagy through the AMPK signaling pathway in septic cardiomyopathy and the underlying mechanism.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction plays an important role in the development of septic cardiomyopathy. This study aimed to reveal the protective role of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) in mitochondria through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) on autophagy during septic cardiomyopathy.

Methods: UCP2 knockout mice via a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model and the H9C2 cardiomyocyte cell line in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used to study the effect.

Cross-sectional study for the clinical application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in Mainland China, 2018.

Background: To investigate the epidemiology and in-hospital mortality of veno-venous (VV) and veno-arterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in Mainland China throughout 2018.

Methods: Patients supported by ECMO from 1700 tertiary hospitals in 31 provinces from January 1 to December 31, 2018, were selected from the National Clinical Improvement System database.

Results: The 1700 included hospitals had 2073 cases of ECMO in 2018, including 714 VV and 1359 VA ECMOs.

Induction and deduction in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy: five typical categories.

Sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. The heart is one of the most important oxygen delivery organs, and dysfunction significantly increases the mortality of the body. Hence, the heart has been studied in sepsis for over half a century.

A cross-sectional study of acute cor pulmonale in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients in China.

Background: Increased right ventricle afterload during acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) may induce acute cor pulmonale (ACP), which is associated with a poor clinical outcome. Echocardiography is now considered as a rapid and non-invasive tool for diagnosis of ACP. The aims of this study were to investigate the morbidity and mortality rates of ACP in ARDS patients in intensive care units (ICUs) across the mainland of China and to determine the severity and prognosis of ACP in ARDS patients through an ultrasound protocol (TRIP).

Early initiation renal replacement therapy for fluid management to reduce central venous pressure is more conducive to renal function recovery in patients with acute kidney injury.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication in critically ill patients with septic shock treated in the intensive care unit. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) is a treatment for severe AKI; however, the time of initiation of RRT and factors that affect the recovery of kidney function remains unclear. This study was to explore whether early initiation of RRT treatment for fluid management to reduce central venous pressure (CVP) can help to improve patients' kidney function recovery.

Vimentin modulates apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine release by a human monocytic cell line (THP-1) in response to lipopolysaccharides in vitro.

Background: It has recently been recognized that serum vimentin is elevated in infectious diseases, and that vimentin plays a role in regulating neutrophils and macrophages associated inflammation. However, the mechanisms are unclear. This study was designed to explore the role of vimentin in regulating monocyte survival or apoptosis as well as inflammatory cytokine secretion in response to lipopolysaccharides (LPSs).

Critical hemodynamic therapy oriented resuscitation helping reduce lung water production and improve survival.

Background: Increased extravascular lung water (EVLW) in shock is common in the critically ill patients. This study aimed to explore the effect of cardiac output (CO) on EVLW and its relevant influence on prognosis.

Methods: The hemodynamic data of 428 patients with pulse-indicated continuous CO catheterization from Department of Critical Care Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

Rules of anti-infection therapy for sepsis and septic shock.

Objective: Sepsis is a deadly infection that causes injury to tissues and organs. Infection and anti-infective treatment are the eternal themes of sepsis. The successful control of infection is a key factor of resuscitation for sepsis and septic shock.

Accelerated Autophagy of Cecal Ligation and Puncture-Induced Myocardial Dysfunction and Its Correlation with Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Pathway in Rats.

Background: Recent studies have indicated that autophagy is involved in sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the change of autophagy in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced myocardium dysfunction and its relationship with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway.

Methods: Totally, 12 rats were randomly divided into CLP group or sham-operated (SHAM) group.

Role of Combining Peripheral with Sublingual Perfusion on Evaluating Microcirculation and Predicting Prognosis in Patients with Septic Shock.

Background: Measurement of general microcirculation remains difficult in septic shock patients. The peripheral perfusion index (PI) and sublingual microcirculation monitoring are thought to be possible methods. This study was performed to determine whether assessing microcirculation by PI and a new parameter, proportion of perfusion vessel change rate (△PPV) from sublingual microcirculation monitoring, can be associated with patients' outcome.

Role of Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cell-1 Expression in Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Modulation of CD8 T-cell Differentiation during the Immune Response to Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis.

Background: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-1 (TREM-1) may play a vital role in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) modulation of CD8+ T-cell differentiation through the transcription factors T-box expressed in T-cells and eomesodermin during the immune response to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). This study aimed to investigate whether the mTOR signaling pathway modulates the proliferation and differentiation of CD8+ T-cells during the immune response to IPA and the role TREM-1 plays in this process.

Methods: Cyclophosphamide (CTX) was injected intraperitoneally, and Aspergillus fumigatus spore suspension was inoculated intranasally to establish the immunosuppressed IPA mouse model.

Lung ultrasound can be used to predict the potential of prone positioning and assess prognosis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: It is very important to assess the effectiveness of prone positioning (PP) in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, it is difficult to identify patients who may benefit from PP. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether prone positioning potential (PPP) can be predicted by lung ultrasound in patients with ARDS.

mTOR Modulates Lymphocyte Differentiation through T-bet and Eomesodermin in Response to Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Rats.

Background: Aspergillosis infection is common in the patients with insufficient immunity. The role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), T-box expressed in T-cells (T-bet), and eomesodermin (EOMES) in mediating T lymphocytes differentiation in response to Aspergillus fumigatus infection in immunocompromised rats was investigated in this study.

Methods: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) of immunosuppressive twenty male rats were established and sacrificed at 24 h (n = 5), 48 h (n = 5), 72 h (n = 5), and 96 h (n = 5) after A.

Prognostic value of procalcitonin in pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis was performed to determine the accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting mortality in pneumonia patients with different pathogenic features and disease severities. A systematic search of English-language articles was performed using PubMed, Embase, Web of Knowledge and the Cochrane Library to identify studies. The diagnostic value of PCT in predicting prognosis was determined using a bivariate meta-analysis model.

Analysis of the severity and prognosis assessment of aged patients with community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective study.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a prevalent and potentially life-threatening infection, and has poor prognosis in aged patients. The objective of this study was to compare the potential of admission N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP) levels and scoring models [CURB-65, Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores] to predict outcomes for aged patients with CAP admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and to explore the prognostic factors.

Methods: Clinical data of the patients were collected retrospectively, whose CURB-65, PSI, APACHE II scores were calculated and in whom measurements of proBNP was performed.