Objective To investigate the potential risk factors of organ dysfunction and mortality in the early resuscitation of severe sepsis and septic shock patients.Methods Data were retrospectively analyzed from patients with severe sepsis and septic shock receiving non-cardiac operation and admitted to Department of Critical Care Medicine of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 1st,2013 to December 31st,2015.The patients were divided into the senior group (≥ 65 years old) and the younger group (＜ 65 years old),the high-procalcitonin (PCT) group (PCT ＞ 100 μg/L) and the control group (PCT ≤ 100 μg/L).The stage of early resuscitation was set to the first 6 hours.The diagnostic time and the incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS),acute kidney injury (AKI),and cardiac insufficiency were observed,which also included the usage of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).The total fluid volume and the time of vasopressor usage during the first 6 hours of early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) were also recorded,which aslo included the 28-day mortality.Results 512patients with severe sepsis and septic shock receiving non-cardiac operation were treated according to the guidelines of Surviving Sepsis Campaign:international guidelines for management of severe sepsis and septic shock:2012.EGDT was used during the early resuscitation.The incidence of ARDS,AKI,and cardiac insufficiency was 80.9％ (414/512),71.3％ (365/512),and 61.9％ (317/512) respectively.There were 205 senior patients and 307 younger,as well as 154in high-PCT group and 358 in control group.The 28-day mortality was 30.3％ (155 died).90.8％ of patients (376/414)combined with ARDS were diagnosed before EGDT.95.1％ of patients (347/365) combined with AKI were diagnosed before EGDT,among whom 14.0％ (51/365) were treated with CRRT.153 senior patients combined with cardiac insufficiency were diagnosed no longer than 12 hours after EGDT.Compared with the younger group,the incidences of ARDS and cardiac insufficiency were higher in the senior group [85.9％ (176/205) vs.77.5％ (238/307),82.9％(170/205) vs.32.9％ (147/307),both P ＜ 0.05],so were the time of vasopressor usage during EGDT (hours:5.81 ±0.28vs.5.68 ± 0.52,P ＜ 0.05) was prolonged markedly and the 28-day mortality [42.9％ (88/205) vs.21.8％ (67/307),P ＜0.05] was increased significantly.But the incidence of AKI and the total fluid volume during EGDT were not significantly different between the senior group and the younger group [incidence of AKI:74.1％ (152/205) vs.69.4％ (213/307),total fluid volume (mL):2 769 ± 1 589 vs.2 804± 1 611,both P ＞ 0.05].Compared with the control group,the incidence of ARDS was higher in the high-PCT group [86.4％ (133/154) vs.78.5％ (281/358),P ＜ 0.05].But the incidences of AKI and cardiac insufficiency were not significantly differentiated between the high-PCT group and the control group [77.9％ (120/154) vs.68.4％ (245/358),58.4％ (90/154) vs.63.4％ (227/358),both P ＞ 0.05].Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors of increase in mortality in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock included old age [odds ratio (OR) =1.782,95％ confidence interval (95％CI) =1.173-2.708,P =0.007],ARDS (OR =1.786,95％CI =1.028-3.102,P =0.040),AKI (OR =1.878,95％CI =1.145-3.079,P =0.012),and cardiac insufficiency (OR =4.177,95％CI =2.505-6.966,P =0.000),except for gender (OR =1.112,95％CI =0.736-1.680,P =0.614).Conclusions In the senior postoperative patients with severe sepsis or septic shock,the incidence of ARDS and cardiac insufficiency,and the mortality were increased.The incidence of ARDS was correlated to the severity of infection.Old age,surgery,and EGDT could be the potential risk factors of cardiac insufficiency.

Objective To investigate the accuracy and feasibility of brachial artery peak velocity variation (ΔVpeakbrach) and inferior vena cava variability (VIVC) as indicators of fluid responsiveness in critically ill patients. Methods A single-center prospective observation was conducted. The patients on mechanical ventilation with spontaneously breathing admitted to Department of Critical Care Medicine of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from June 2013 to August 2015 were enrolled. The patients were diagnosed as severe sepsis or sepsis shock. The peak velocity in brachial artery and diameter of the inferior vena cava at the end of inspiration and expiration was measured by bedside portable ultrasonic machine, and then ΔVpeakbrach and VIVC were calculated. The hemodynamic parameters were collected at baseline and after volume expansion (VE). The stroke volume (SV) was measured by pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO). Patients were classified as responders or non-responders according to the variation of SV (ΔSV) increased ≥ 15% or not after VE. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of ΔVpeakbrach and VIVC in predicting volume responsiveness. Results Among 58 patients after VE, 32 patients were defined as responders and the rest 26 were defined as non-responders.There were no differences in gender, age, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score, dose of vasoactive agent, ventilator parameters and infection site. Compared with baseline hemodynamic parameters, heart rate (HR) was decreased (bpm: 95±18 vs. 103±21), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) was increased [mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 92±8 vs. 80±7] after VE in responders; central venous pressure (CVP) was increased after VE in non-responders (mmHg: 11±4 vs. 8±3, all P < 0.05). The ΔVpeakbrach [(15.4±4.3)% vs. (11.2±3.5)%] and VIVC [(18.6±4.1)% vs. (14.3±3.6)%] in responders were significantly increased as compared with those of non-responders (both P < 0.05). The area under ROC curve (AUC) of ΔVpeakbrach for predicting volume responsiveness was 0.816. When the cut-off value of ΔVpeakbrach was ≥ 13.3%, the sensitivity was 71.9%, and the specificity was 80.8%. AUC of VIVC for predicting volume responsiveness was 0.733. When the cut-off value of VIVC was ≥ 19.25%, the sensitivity was 53.1%, and the specificity was 88.5%. Conclusion ΔVpeakbrach and VIVC are reliable indicators for predicting volume responsiveness in critical patients.