Publications by authors named "M R Pollmanns"
Early Dynamics of Portal Pressure Gradient After TIPS Insertion Predict Mortality.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther
January 2025
Background: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement leads to a reduction in portal pressure and an improvement in survival in patients with recurrent and refractory ascites and variceal haemorrhage. Prediction of post-TIPS survival is primarily determined by factors identified before the TIPS procedure, as data collected during or after TIPS implantation are limited. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of early hemodynamic changes after TIPS placement on survival, in order to refine post TIPS management.
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- ACLF is a complex condition characterized by acute worsening of liver disease and organ failure, prompting this study to create a machine learning model to predict patient mortality in the ICU.
- The research analyzed data from 206 ICU patients at RWTH Aachen University Hospital and developed a predictive model using logistic regression, achieving an impressive accuracy with an AUROC of 0.96.
- The resulting Aachen ACLF ICU (ACICU) score outperforms existing mortality predictors and provides a user-friendly tool for assessing the likelihood of mortality in critically ill patients with ACLF.
Background: Adiponectin, an adipokine with anti-inflammatory properties, has been implicated in various liver diseases. This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic value of serum adiponectin levels in critically ill patients with liver disease.
Methods: This observational study included 161 critically ill patients admitted to the medical ICU of RWTH Aachen University Hospital due to acute liver failure or decompensated advanced chronic liver disease.
Article Synopsis
- Differentiating acute liver failure (ALF) from acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is crucial for organ transplant referrals and urgency, particularly in patients with new liver disease.
- A study measuring serum leptin levels in 160 critically ill liver disease patients found that ALF patients had significantly higher leptin concentrations compared to those with ACLF or decompensated advanced chronic liver disease (dACLD).
- Serum leptin levels below 56 pg/mL were very effective in ruling out ALF, with a negative predictive value of 98.8%, and the leptin levels remained stable over the first 48 hours of ICU treatment.
Diagnostic routine and knowledge about the therapy regimes of infectious diseases like malaria gain in importance due to globalization, global warming, and increasing numbers of refugees. We report a case of a 66-year-old patient who presented with severe abdominal pain, most prominent in the left upper abdomen. He was recently hospitalized with severe falciparum malaria, diagnosed after returning from a trip around the world.
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