Importance of risk assessment,endoscopic hemostasis,and recent advancements in the management of acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Acute non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding(ANVUGIB)is a common medical emergency in clinical practice.While the incidence has significantly reduced,the mortality rates have not undergone a similar reduction in the last few decades,thus presenting a significant challenge.This editorial outlines the key causes and risk factors of ANVUGIB and explores the current standards and recent updates in risk assessment scoring systems for predicting mortality and endoscopic treatments for achieving hemostasis.Since ANUVGIB predominantly affects the elderly population,the impact of comorbidities may be responsible for the poor outcomes.A thorough drug history is important due to the increasing use of antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants in the elderly.Early risk stratification plays a crucial role in deciding the line of management and predicting mortality.Emerging scoring systems such as the ABC(age,blood tests,co-morbidities)score show promise in predicting mortality and guiding clinical decisions.While conventional endoscopic therapies remain cornerstone approaches,novel techniques like hemostatic powders and over-the-scope clips offer promising alternatives,particularly in cases refractory to traditional modalities.By integrating validated scoring systems and leveraging novel therapeutic modalities,clinicians can enhance patient care and mitigate the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with ANVUGIB.

Sequential organ failure assessment score is superior to other prognostic indices in acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis(AP)is a common surgical condition,with severe AP(SAP)potentially lethal.Many prognostic indices,including;acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score(APACHE II),bedside index of severity in acute pancreatitis(BISAP),Glasgow score,harmless acute pancreatitis score(HAPS),Ranson’s score,and sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)evaluate AP severity and predict mortality.AIM To evaluate these indices'utility in predicting severity,intensive care unit(ICU)admission,and mortality.METHODS A retrospective analysis of 653 patients with AP from July 2009 to September 2016 was performed.The demographic,clinical profile,and patient outcomes were collected.SAP was defined as per the revised Atlanta classification.Values for APACHE II score,BISAP,HAPS,and SOFA within 24 h of admission were retrospectively obtained based on laboratory results and patient evaluation recorded on a secure hospital-based online electronic platform.Data with<10%missing data was imputed via mean substitution.Other patient information such as demographics,disease etiology,and patient outcomes were also derived from electronic medical records.RESULTS The mean age was 58.7±17.5 years,with 58.7%males.Gallstones(n=404,61.9%),alcohol(n=38,5.8%),and hypertriglyceridemia(n=19,2.9%)were more common aetiologies.81(12.4%)patients developed SAP,20(3.1%)required ICU admission,and 12(1.8%)deaths were attributed to SAP.Ranson’s score and APACHE-II demonstrated the highest sensitivity in predicting SAP(92.6%,80.2%respectively),ICU admission(100%),and mortality(100%).While SOFA and BISAP demonstrated lowest sensitivity in predicting SAP(13.6%,24.7%respectively),ICU admission(40.0%,25.0%respectively)and mortality(50.0%,25.5%respectively).However,SOFA demonstrated the highest specificity in predicting SAP(99.7%),ICU admission(99.2%),and mortality(98.9%).SOFA demonstrated the highest positive predictive value,positive likelihood ratio,diagnostic odds ratio,and overall accuracy in predicting SAP,ICU admission,and mortality.SOFA and Ranson’s score demonstrated the highest area under receiver-operator curves at 48 h in predicting SAP(0.966,0.857 respectively),ICU admission(0.943,0.946 respectively),and mortality(0.968,0.917 respectively).CONCLUSION The SOFA and 48-h Ranson’s scores accurately predict severity,ICU admission,and mortality in AP,with more favorable statistics for the SOFA score.

Combining the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PGSGA) and Objective Nutrition Assessment Parameters Better Predicts Malnutrition in Elderly Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background Malnutrition is common in colorectal cancer(CRC)patients,especially in elderly patients.The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment(PG-SGA)is a widely used tool developed to detect malnutrition.The aim of this study was to compare the value of the PG-SGA and objective nutrition assessment parameters,in order to identify a better predictive index for malnutrition in elderly patients with CRC.Methods A total of 131 elderly patients(age≥60 years)with CRC were included and were evaluated for their individual nutritional status using the PG-SGA.Anthropometric and serological indicators were also assayed within 48 h of admission to the hospital.Body composition analysis was implemented by bioelectrical impedance analysis(BIA)instrument.The Chi-squared test,univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis,or Spearman’s rank correlation analysis were used to determine the differences among the above indices and parameters with regard to predicting malnutrition.Results According to the PG-SGA score,the incidence of total malnutrition in elderly patients with CRC was 80.92%(PG-SGA score≥2),which increased with age.It was found that 28%of the patients with PG-SGA classification A(PG-SGA score 0-1)had a low fat-free mass index(FFMI).Compared with those with PG-SGA A,patients with PG-SGA C PG-SGA score≥9)showed an increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and an increased platelet and lymphocyte ratio(PLR)(median=1.78 VS.2.35,P=0.015 and median=108.8 VS.141.6,P=0.001,respectively).In terms of objective nutrition assessment parameters,severely malnourished CRC patients had significantly lower values of serum albumin(ALB),and retinol conjugated protein(RBP)than those who were well-nourished[(38.35±4.84)g/L VS.(40.56±3.44)g/L,P=0.039 and(30.31±15.83)mg/L VS.(39.01±11.95)mg/L,P=0.033,respectively].The Spearman’s rank correlation analysis showed that the PG-SGA findings had positive correlations with the NLR and PLR;while it had negative correlations with the FFMI,body mass index(BMI),ALB,prealbumin,and RBP.Conclusions In clinical practice,a comprehensive nutritional diagnosis,including the PG-SGA score and these objective indicators,can avoid the underdiagnosis of malnutrition,and is more suitable to detect malnutrition(as well as its causes)in elderly patients with CRC.

Management of sepsis in a cirrhotic patient admitted to the intensive care unit:A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND Sepsis is a severe medical condition that occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to an infection,leading to life-threatening organ dysfunction.The"Third international consensus definitions for sepsis and septic shock(Sepsis-3)"defines sepsis as an increase in sequential organ failure assessment score of 2 points or more,with a mortality rate above 10%.Sepsis is a leading cause of intensive care unit(ICU)admissions,and patients with underlying conditions such as cirrhosis have a higher risk of poor outcomes.Therefore,it is critical to recognize and manage sepsis promptly by administering fluids,vasopressors,steroids,and antibiotics,and identifying and treating the source of infection.AIM To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature on the management of sepsis in cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU and compare the management of sepsis between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients in the ICU.METHODS This study is a systematic literature review that followed the PRISMA statement's standardized search method.The search for relevant studies was conducted across multiple databases,including PubMed,Embase,Base,and Cochrane,using predefined search terms.One reviewer conducted the initial search,and the eligibility criteria were applied to the titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles.The selected articles were then evaluated based on the research objectives to ensure relevance to the study's aims.RESULTS The study findings indicate that cirrhotic patients are more susceptible to infections,resulting in higher mortality rates ranging from 18%to 60%.Early identification of the infection source followed by timely administration of antibiotics,vasopressors,and corticosteroids has been shown to improve patient outcomes.Procalcitonin is a useful biomarker for diagnosing infections in cirrhotic patients.Moreover,presepsin and resistin have been found to be reliable markers of bacterial infection in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis,with similar diagnostic performance compared to procalcitonin.CONCLUSION This review highlights the importance of early detection and management of infections in cirrhosis patients to reduce mortality.Therefore,early detection of infection using procalcitonin test and other biomarker as presepsin and resistin,associated with early management with antibiotics,fluids,vasopressors and low dose corticosteroids might reduce the mortality associated with sepsis in cirrhotic patients.

Prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width for severe acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)is a common condition in the intensive care unit(ICU)and has a high mortality.Early evaluation of the severity and prognosis is very important for SAP therapy.Recently,red blood cell distribution(RDW)was associated with mortality of sepsis patients and could be used as a predictor of prognosis.Similarly,RDW may be associated with the prognosis of SAP patients and be used as a prognostic indicator for SAP patients.AIM To investigate the prognostic value of RDW for SAP patients.METHODS We retrospectively enrolled SAP patients admitted to the ICU of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from June 2015 to June 2017.According to the prognosis at 90 d,SAP patients were divided into a survival group and a non-survival group.RDW was extracted from a routine blood test.Demographic parameters and RDW were recorded and compared between the two groups.The receiver operator characteristic(ROC)curve was constructed and Cox regression analysis was performed to investigate the prognostic value of RDW for SAP patients.RESULTS In this retrospective cohort study,42 SAP patients were enrolled,of whom 22 survived(survival group)and 20 died(non-survival group).The baseline parameters were comparable between the two groups.The coefficient of variation of RDW(RDW-CV),standard deviation of RDW(RDW-SD),Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II(APACHE II)score,and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)score were significantly higher in the non-survival group than in the survival group(P<0.05).The RDW-CV and RDW-SD were significantly correlated with the APACHE II score and SOFA score,respectively.The areas under the ROC curves(AUCs)of RDW-CV and RDW-SD were all greater than those of the APACHE II score and SOFA score,among which,the AUC of RDW-SD was the greatest.The results demonstrated that RDW had better prognostic value for predicting the mortality of SAP patients.When the RDW-SD was greater than 45.5,the sensitivity for predicting prognosis was 77.8%and the specificity was 70.8%.Both RDW-CV and RDW-SD could be used as independent risk factors to predict the mortality of SAP patients in multivariate logistic regression analysis and univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis,similar to the APACHE II and SOFA scores.CONCLUSION The RDW is greater in the non-surviving SAP patients than in the surviving patients.RDW is significantly correlated with the APACHE II and SOFA scores.RDW has better prognostic value for SAP patients than the APACHE II and SOFA scores and could easily be used by clinicians for the treatment of SAP patients.

Effect of neutrophil CD64 for diagnosing sepsis in emergency department

BACKGROUND:The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of neutrophil CD64(nCD64)as a novel biomarker in sepsis patients.METHODS:One hundred fifty-one adult patients diagnosed with sepsis and 20 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study.Patients with sepsis were further subdivided into a sepsis group and a septic shock group.nCD64 expression,serum procalcitonin(PCT)level,C-reactive protein(CRP)level,and white blood cell(WBC)count were obtained for each patient,and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)scores were calculated.RESULTS:nCD64 expression was higher in the sepsis group with confirmed infection than in the control group.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve of nCD64 was higher than those of SOFA score,PCT,CRP and WBC for diagnosing infection.The area under the curve(AUC)of nCD64 combined with SOFA score was the highest for all parameters.The AUC of nCD64 for predicting 28-day mortality in sepsis was signifi cantly higher than those of PCT,CRP,and WBC,but slightly lower than that of SOFA score.The AUC of nCD64 or PCT combined with SOFA score was signifi cantly higher than that of any single parameter for predicting 28-day mortality.CONCLUSION:nCD64 expression and SOFA score are valuable parameters for early diagnosis of infection and prognostic evaluation of sepsis patients.

Multicentered prospective investigator initiated study to evaluate the clinical outcomes with extracorporeal cytokine adsorption device (CytoSorb®) in patients with sepsis and septic shock

BACKGROUND Sepsis is a severe clinical syndrome related to the host response to infection.The severity of infections is due to an activation cascade that will lead to an auto amplifying cytokine production:The cytokine storm.Hemoadsorption by CytoSorb®therapy is a new technology that helps to address the cytokine storm and to regain control over various inflammatory conditions.AIM To evaluate prospectively CytoSorb®therapy used as an adjunctive therapy along with standard of care in septic patients admitted to intensive care unit(ICU).METHODS This was a prospective,real time,investigator initiated,observational multicenter study conducted in patients admitted to the ICU with sepsis and septic shock.The improvement of mean arterial pressure and reduction of vasopressor needs were evaluated as primary outcome.The change in laboratory parameters,sepsis scores[acute physiology and chronic health evaluation(APACHE II)and sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)]and vital parameters were considered as secondary outcome.The outcomes were also evaluated in the survivor and nonsurvivor group.Descriptive statistics were used;a P value<0.05 was considered RESULTS Overall,45 patients aged≥18 and≤80 years were included;the majority were men(n=31;69.0%),with mean age 47.16±14.11 years.Post CytoSorb®therapy,26 patients survived and 3 patients were lost to follow-up.In the survivor group,the percentage dose reduction in vasopressor was norepinephrine(51.4%),epinephrine(69.4%)and vasopressin(13.9%).A reduction in interleukin-6 levels(52.3%)was observed in the survivor group.Platelet count improved to 30.1%(P=0.2938),and total lung capacity count significantly reduced by 33%(P<0.0001).Serum creatinine and serum lactate were reduced by 33.3%(P=0.0190)and 39.4%(P=0.0120),respectively.The mean APACHE II score was 25.46±2.91 and SOFA scores was 12.90±4.02 before initiation of CytoSorb®therapy,and they were reduced significantly post therapy(APACHE II 20.1±2.47;P<0.0001 and SOFA 9.04±3.00;P=0.0003)in the survivor group.The predicted mortality in our patient population before CytoSorb®therapy was 56.5%,and it was reduced to 48.8%(actual mortality)after CytoSorb®therapy.We reported 75%survival rate in patients given treatment in<24 h of ICU admission and 68%survival rates in patients given treatment within 24-48 h of ICU admission.In the survivor group,the average number of days spent in the ICU was 4.44±1.66 d;while in the nonsurvivor group,the average number of days spent in ICU was 8.5±15.9 d.CytoSorb®therapy was safe and well tolerated with no adverse events reported.CONCLUSION CytoSorb®might be an effective adjuvant therapy in stabilizing sepsis and septic shock patients.However,it is advisable to start the therapy at an early stage(preferably within 24 h after onset of septic shock).

Assessing the invasion risk of botanical garden's exotic threatened collections to adjacent mountain forests: A case study of Cibodas Botanical Garden

A primary objective of botanical gardens is to conserve threatened plant species from different regions and countries.However,such ex-situ conservation practices for exotic plant species may pose a significant plant invasion risks.In this study,we predict the naturalization probability of exotic threatened plant species of Cibodas Botanical Garden(CBG) collections based on leaf trait(specific leaf area,SLA) or as a function of invasion risk assessment scoring system(Tropical Weed Risk Assessment Protocol,TWRAP).We found that SLA and TWRAP were positively correlated with naturalization probability.The TWRAP model produced higher predictive probabilities with larger uncertainty compared to SLA model.Parmentiera cereifera and Burretiodendron hsienmu are two species that have highest naturalization probability based on SLA model.Chamaedorea oblongata has the highest naturalization probability based on TWRAP model.From practical and management point of view,we recommend the simultaneous use of SLA-based and TWRAP-based invasive species risk assessment to estimate the naturalization risk of exotic threatened collections of botanical gardens to adjacent mountain forests.Finally,given the important conservation value of threatened exotic collection of botanical garden,we need to be aware with the invasion risks of these species.The threatened condition of a plant species is not only caused by its natural characteristics but also may be caused(in fact mostly confounding with) by external disturbance either natural catastrophic or human related activities.Thus,a threatened species may not necessarily a noninvasive species outside their natural distribution ranges.

A method of rule-base optimization based on evaluation

For improving the translation quality of transfer-based MT system,a new metric for rule evaluation was proposed and applied to rule-base optimization.At the same time,a frequency filter was used to delete redundance before new acquired rules were added into rule-base.The new optimization method was applied to a general MT system.Experimental results show that the frequency filter is helpful to provide the knowledge expansion space of MT system for new acquired rules.The translation assessment score of open test corpus (including 2500 Chinese sentences) obtained is increased by 3.58% under 5-gram Nist metric,which is two times of that obtained by previous methods.

Bone mineral density in fracture neck of femur patients:What's the significance?

BACKGROUND The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence(NICE)guidelines have advised further research is required into investigating the added prognostic value of bone mineral density(BMD)in the assessment of fracture risk with the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool(FRAX)score.AIM To investigate the significance of BMD in fracture neck of femur patients and compare it to the outcome of the FRAX score.METHODS Inclusion criteria for this study were all patients who underwent dual-energy Xray absorptiometry(DXA)scan following fracture neck of femur between 2015 and 2017.Analysis of BMD,FRAX scores and patient demographic data was undertaken.RESULTS A total of 69 patients were included in the study,mean age 74.1 years.There was no significant difference between mean BMD of the femoral neck in males(0.65)as compared to females(0.61)(P=0.364).Analyses showed no significant correlation between BMD and menopause age(rs=-0.28,P=0.090).A significant difference was seen of the femoral neck BMD between the different fracture pattern types(P=0.026).A stronger correlation was observed between BMD of femoral neck and FRAX major score(rs=-0.64,P<0.001)than with BMD of lumbar spine and FRAX major score(rs=-0.37,P=0.003).CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that BMD of the femoral neck measured by DXA scan is of added prognostic value when assessing patients for risk of fracture neck of femur in combination with the FRAX predictive scoring system.

Progress on the Study and Practice of Venous Thromboembolism after Operation of Tumor

The incidence rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) of patients after operation is very high. Many studies on VTE have been processed. The pathogenesis, dangerous factors and assessment method of VTE are summarized in this paper. Two theories of pathogenesis, theory of Virchow’s triad and theory of anoxia at the tip of venous valve, are introduced first. The main dangerous factors of VTE such as tumor, perioperative period are discussed then. The main assessment methods of VTE are introduced also. At last, some problems required to be studied deeper have been presented.

Investigation on Blood Glucose Control Nursing of ICU Severe Patients

Objective:To analyze the effect of blood glucose control mursing in intensive care umit (ICU)patients.Methods:The clinical data of 70 severe patients in ICU of ou hospital fom January 2019 to May 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The climical data of 34 patients with routine intervention were divided into the control group,and the clinical data of 36 patients with routine intervention and blood glucose control mursing were divided into the observation group,all were intervened for 14 days.The blood glucose levels and prognosis of the two groups were compared before intervention and at the end of 14 days of intervention,the time required o achieve the standard blood glucose level of the two groups was recorded Results:After 14 days of intervention,the fasting blood glucose level of the observation group was lower than the control group,the difference was satisically significant(P<0.05);the time of blood glucose reaching the standard in the observation group was shorter than that in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);on the 14th day of intervention,the sequential organ failure asessment score(SOFA)score of the two groups was lower than before intervention,the SOFA score of the observation group was lower than control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:The effect of blood glucose control mursing in ICU is better,which effectively controlled the blood glucose level of patients and improved the prognosis of patients.

Ideal scoring system for acute pancreatitis:Quest for the Holy Grail

Clinical scoring systems are required to predict complications,severity,need for intensive care unit admission,and mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis.Over the years,many scores have been developed,tested,and compared for their efficacy and accuracy.An ideal score should be rapid,reliable,and validated in different patient populations and geographical areas and should not lose relevance over time.A combination of scores or serial monitoring of a single score may increase their efficacy.

Effect of the Early Introduction of Mild Mobilization Performed by Nurses on the Recovery of Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Rationale: Recent studies have reported the effectiveness of the early introduction of rehabilitation for preventing muscle weakness in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The early introduction of full-scale rehabilitation by a physical therapist is difficult in some cases because of disease severity and/or patient conditions. However, mild mobilization by a nurse (MMN), as a part of standard care performed, may have a positive effect on patient recovery. We examined the effect of the early introduction of MMN on the recovery of patients in the ICU. Methods: We retrospectively examined patients admitted to Niigata University Hospital’s ICU during between April 2014 and March 2015 who were receiving mechanical ventilation for 7 days or more. Patients were divided into two groups according to the date of initiation of MMN: group L comprised patients for whom MMN was started after 72 hours and group E comprised patients for whom MMN was started within 72 hours after ICU admission. The data were analyzed using the Fisher test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Wilcoxon test. Statistical significance was defined as P Results: Sixty-three patients were included: 42 patients in group L and 21 in group E. There was no significant difference between the two groups in patients’ background, including the type of illness, steroid use, presence of sepsis or diabetes, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score on ICU admission;however, the SOFA score at ICU discharge was significantly decreased in group E compared to that in group L (6.21 versus 4.30;P = 0.034). Conclusion: Our results indicate that MMN may reduce disease severity if started within 72 hours after ICU admission.

A novel comprehensive ALPPS preoperative risk assessment (CAPRA) score is beneficial in creating a treatment strategy for advanced liver malignancy

Curability and safety are essential for patients with advanced liver malignancy undergoing extended liver resection.If the future liver remnant(FLR)volume is insufficient,portal embolization with or without hepatic arterial or venous embolization or a conventional two-stage hepatectomy(TSH)can be performed(1,2).Associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy(ALPPS)was introduced in 2007.

Predictive value of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in combination with the sequential organ failure assessment score in sepsis

Background The prognostic power of n-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide （NT-proBNP） in sepsis is disputable and unstable among different models. We attempt to evaluate the prognostic potential of NT-proBNP in combination with the sequential organ failure assessment （SOFA） score in sepsis. Methods In this retrospective study, 100 consecutive sepsis patients were enrolled. Clinical data such as admission SOFA, the Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation score, shock prevalence, use of lung protective ventilation, vasopressors, and glucocorticoids were recorded. Additionally, serum creatinine （Scrl and Scr3） and NT-proBNP （NT-proBNP1 and NT-proBNP3） were assayed and evaluated at admission and on day 3 respectively. Results ANT-proBNP （NT-proBNP3 minus NT-proBNP1） （P 〈0.001, Hazard ratio （HR）=1.245, 95% confidence interval （CI）, 1.137-1.362） and admission SOFA （P 〈0.001, HR=1.197, 95% CI, 1.106-1.295） were independently related to in-hospital mortality. Their combination was a more robust predictor for in-hospital mortality than either of them individually. Patients with high ANT-proBNP and SOFA had the poorest prognosis. Conclusions In our study, both ANT-proBNP and SOFA were independent predictors of septic patients＇ prognosis. Moreover, the combination of ,~NT-proBNP and admission SOFA provided a novel strategy that contained information regarding both the response to treatment and sepsis severity.

Analysis of the correlation between the longitudinal trajectory of SOFA scores and prognosis in patients with sepsis at 72 hour after admission based on group trajectory modeling

Background:To identify the distinct trajectories of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)scores at 72 h for patients with sepsis in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care(MIMIC)-IV database and determine their effects on mortality and adverse clinical outcomes.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was carried out involving patients with sepsis from the MIMIC-IV database.Group-based trajectory modeling(GBTM)was used to identify the distinct trajectory groups for the SOFA scores in patients with sepsis in the intensive care unit(ICU).The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to investigate the relationship between the longitudinal change trajectory of the SOFA score and mortality and adverse clinical outcomes.Results:A total of 16,743 patients with sepsis were included in the cohort.The median survival age was 66 years(interquartile range:54-76 years).The 7-day and 28-day in-hospital mortality were 6.0%and 17.6%,respectively.Five different trajectories of SOFA scores according to the model fitting standard were determined:group 1(32.8%),group 2(30.0%),group 3(17.6%),group 4(14.0%)and group 5(5.7%).Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that,for different clinical outcomes,trajectory group 1 was used as the reference,while trajectory groups 2-5 were all risk factors associated with the outcome(P<0.001).Subgroup analysis revealed an interaction between the two covariates of age and mechanical ventilation and the different trajectory groups of patients’SOFA scores(P<0.05).Conclusion:This approach may help identify various groups of patients with sepsis,who may be at different levels of risk for adverse health outcomes,and provide subgroups with clinical importance.

Combination of blood lactate level with assessment of blood consumption （ABC） scoring system： A more accurate predictor of massive transfusion requirement

Purpose： Exsanguination is the most common leading cause of death in trauma patients. The massive transfusion （MT） protocol may influence therapeutic strategies and help provide blood components in timely manner. The assessment of blood consumption （ABC） score is a popular MT protocol but has low predictability. The lactate level is a good parameter to reflect poor tissue perfusion or shock states that can guide the management. This study aimed to modify the ABC scoring system by adding the lactate level for better prediction of MTo Methods： The data were retrospectively collected from 165 trauma patients following the trauma acti- vated criteria at Songklanagarind Hospital from January 2014 to December 2014. The ABC scoring system was applied in all patients. The patients who had an ABC score 〉2 as the cut point for MT were defined as the ABC group. All patients who had a score 〉2 with a lactate level 〉4 mmol/dL were defined as the ABC plus lactate level （ABC ＋ L） group. The prediction for the requirement of massive blood transfusion was compared between the ABC and ABC ＋ L groups. The ability of ABC and ABC ＋ L groups to predict MT was estimated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve （AUROC）. Results： Among 165 patients, 15 patients （9%） required massive blood transfusion. There were no sig- nificant differences in age, gender, mechanism of injury or initial vital signs bet^teen the MT group and the non-MT group. The group that required MT had a higher Injury Severity Score and mortality. The sensitivity and specificity of the ABC scoring system in our institution were low （81%, 34%, AUC 0.573）. The sensitivity and specificity were significantly better in the ABC ＋ L group （92%, 42%, AUC = 0.745）. Conclusion： The ABC scoring system plus lactate increased the sensitivity and specificity compared with the ABC scoring system alone.

Lung transplantation as therapeutic option in acute respiratory distress syndrome for coronavirus disease 2019-related pulmonary fibrosis

Background:Critical patients with the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),even those whose nucleic acid test results had turned negative and those receiving maximal medical support,have been noted to progress to irreversible fatal respiratory failure.Lung transplantation(LT)as the sole therapy for end-stage pulmonary fibrosis related to acute respiratory distress syndrome has been considered as the ultimate rescue therapy for these patients.Methods:From February 10 to March 10,2020,three male patients were urgently assessed and listed for transplantation.After conducting a full ethical review and after obtaining assent from the family of the patients,we performed three LT procedures for COVID-19 patients with illness durations of more than one month and extremely high sequential organ failure assessment scores.Results:Two of the three recipients survived post-LT and started participating in a rehabilitation program.Pearls of the LT team collaboration and perioperative logistics were summarized and continually improved.The pathological results of the explanted lungs were concordant with the critical clinical manifestation,and provided insight towards better understanding of the disease.Government health affair systems,virology detection tools,and modern communication technology all play key roles towards the survival of the patients and their rehabilitation.Conclusions:LT can be performed in end-stage patients with respiratory failure due to COVID-19-related pulmonary fibrosis.If confirmed positive-turned-negative virology status without organ dysfunction that could contraindicate LT,LT provided the final option for these patients to avoid certain death,with proper protection of transplant surgeons and medical staffs.By ensuring instant seamless care for both patients and medical teams,the goal of reducing the mortality rate and salvaging the lives of patients with COVID-19 can be attained.

Dynamic Change of Red Cell Distribution Width Levels in Prediction of Hospital Mortality in Chinese Elderly Patients with Septic Shock

Background： The normal range of red cell distribution width （RDW） level is 〈 15%. Several studies have indicated that a high RDW level was associated with mortality in critically ill patients, and the patients with a high RDW level need increased focus in clinical practice. In view of the difficulty in defining the specific value of high RDW level, the key is to focus on the patient with the level beyond the normal upper limit. This study aimed to determine whether dynamic change of RDW levels, rather than the level itself, is predictive of death in elderly patients with septic shock when RDW level is beyond 15%. Methods： Between September 2013 and September 2015- the elderly septic shock patients with RDW level beyond 15% were enrolled in this study. Tile RDW levels were measured at enrollment （day I ）, and days 4 and 7 after enrollment. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment （SOFA） scores were recorded simultaneously. Results： A total of 45 patients, including 32 males and 13 females, were included in the final analysis. Based on their hospital outcomes, these patients were divided into the survivor group （n = 26） and the nonsurvivor group 01 19）. There were no significant differences in age, gender, body mass index, initial level of RDW, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation I1 scores, and SOFA scores between survivors and nonsurvivors. At days 4 and 7 measurement, both RDW level （median [interquartile range]： day 4：15.8 [2.0]% vs. 16.7 [2.01% P = 0.011; and day 7：15.6 [ 1.8]% vs. l 7.7 [2.5]%, P = 0.001 ） and SOFA scores （day 4：7.0 [4.0] vs. 16.0 [5.0], P 〈 0.001, day 7：5.5 [4.0] vs. 17.0 [5.0], P 〈 0.001 ） were significantly lower in survivors than those in nonsurvivors. Dynamic changes of RDW and SOFA scores in survivor group were significantly different from those in nonsurvivor group （all P 〈 0.05）. Continuous increase in RDW level was observed in 10 of the 13 nonsurvivors, but only in 3 of the 26 survivors. The level of RDW7 and dynamic changes significantly correlated with their counterparts of SOFA scores （all P 〈 0.05） whereas the levels of RDWI and RDW4 had no significant con＇elation with their counterparts of SOFA scores （all P 〉 0.05）. Conclusions： Continuous increase in RDW level, rather than the level of RDW itself, was more usethl in predicting hospital death in elderly patients with septic shock when the level of RDW was 〉15%. The dynamic changes of RDW were highly correlated with the SOFA score in the patients.