Diagnosis and treatment criteria were recently updated based on the Sepsis-3 guidelines, which recommend the sequential organ failure assessment for accurate characterization of organ dysfunction. Large randomized controlled trials have found neutral results with early goal-directed therapy. To improve outcomes, treatment bundles incorporating standards for early sepsis treatment, including antibiotic and steroid treatment, were developed. Thus, future research should address the effects of steroids and immune-modulating agents on refractory septic shock as well as the development of new coagulopathy therapies and dynamic assessment tools.
Diagnosis ; Sepsis ; Shock, Septic ; Steroids ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare the performance of two popularly used early sepsis diagnostic criteria, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and quick Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), using statistical and machine learning approaches. METHODS: This retrospective study examined patient visits in Emergency Department (ED) with sepsis related diagnosis. The outcome was 28-day in-hospital mortality. Using odds ratio (OR) and modeling methods (decision tree [DT], multivariate logistic regression [LR], and naïve Bayes [NB]), the relationships between diagnostic criteria and mortality were examined. RESULTS: Of 132,704 eligible patient visits, 14% died within 28 days of ED admission. The association of qSOFA ≥2 with mortality (OR = 3.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.96–3.17) greater than the association of SIRS ≥2 with mortality (OR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.18–1.26). The area under the ROC curve for qSOFA (AUROC = 0.70) was significantly greater than for SIRS (AUROC = 0.63). For qSOFA, the sensitivity and specificity were DT = 0.39, LR = 0.64, NB = 0.62 and DT = 0.89, LR = 0.63, NB = 0.66, respectively. For SIRS, the sensitivity and specificity were DT = 0.46, LR = 0.62, NB = 0.62 and DT = 0.70, LR = 0.59, NB = 0.58, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The evidences suggest that qSOFA is a better diagnostic criteria than SIRS. The low sensitivity of qSOFA can be improved by carefully selecting the threshold to translate the predicted probabilities into labels. These findings can guide healthcare providers in selecting risk-stratification measures for patients presenting to an ED with sepsis.
Artificial Intelligence ; Bays ; Diagnosis ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Health Personnel ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Machine Learning* ; Medical Informatics ; Methods* ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sepsis ; Severity of Illness Index ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; Trees

Bacterial infection is an important cause of death in patients with liver cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognostic impact of bacterial infection in hospitalized patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We retrospectively analyzed data from 409 patients consecutively admitted to a tertiary referral center with ALD diagnosis. Of a total of 544 admissions, 133 (24.4%) cases presented with bacterial infection, of which 116 were community-acquired whereas 17 were hospital-acquired. The common types of infection were pneumonia (38%), biliary tract infection (17%), soft tissue infection (12%), and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (9%). Diabetes, serum Na <135 mM/L, albumin <2.5 g/dL, C-reactive protein > or =20 mg/L, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) positivity were independently associated with bacterial infection in patients with ALD. Overall 30-day and 90-day mortalities in patients with bacterial infection were significantly (P < 0.001) higher than those without infection (22.3% vs. 5.1% and 32.3% vs. 8.2%, respectively). Furthermore, bacterial infection (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.049-4.579, P = 0.037), SIRS positivity (HR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.240-4.861, P = 0.010), Maddrey's discriminant function score > or =32 (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.036-5.222, P = 0.041), and hemoglobin <12 g/dL (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.081-5.450, P = 0.032) were independent predictors of short-term mortality. In conclusion, bacterial infection and SIRS positivity predicted short-term prognosis in hospitalized patients with ALD. A thorough evaluation at admission or on clinical deterioration is required to detect possible infection with prompt management.
Adult ; Aged ; Bacterial Infections/complications/*diagnosis/mortality ; C-Reactive Protein/analysis ; Candida/isolation & purification ; Female ; Gram-Negative Bacteria/isolation & purification ; Gram-Positive Bacteria/isolation & purification ; Hemoglobins/analysis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic/complications/*diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patients ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin/analysis ; Sodium/blood ; Survival Analysis ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome/complications/diagnosis ; Tertiary Care Centers

OBJECTIVESepsis is the major cause of death in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The clinical manifestations of early sepsis is very similar to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) caused by non-infectious reason. This study aimed to investigate the expression of miRNA and inflammatory cytokines in plasma in pediatric sepsis patients and its clinical significance.

METHODForty children with sepsis seen in Shenzhen children's hospital PICU from April 2012 to March 2013 were enrolled in this study, the median age was 0.75 (0.52, 1.90) years; 27 were males and 13 females, of whom 16 had severe sepsis. We selected 20 postsurgical patients with SIRS and 15 healthy children as a control group. The expression levels of plasma miR-21, miR-125b, miR-132, miR-146a, miR-155 and miR-223 were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). The predictive value of miRNA, PCT and CRP for sepsis were evaluated by Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). TNF-α and IL-10 levels in plasma detected by Cytometric Beads Array (CBA). Quantitative data of normal distribution was compared with ANOVA among the three groups and LSD-t test between two groups. To non-normal distribution of data, multiple comparisons among three groups were conducted by Kruskal-Wallis H test and differences between two groups were assessed by Mann-Whitney U test for post hoc analysis.

RESULTThere were no significant differences between the age and gender of each group. Expression of miR-21, miR-125b, miR-132 and miR-155 in plasma had no significant difference in each group (all P > 0.05). MiR-146a and miR-223 levels in sepsis were upregulated compared with SIRS group and control group [(5.7 ± 3.5)×10(-5) vs. (2.4 ± 1.6)×10(-5) and (2.6 ± 1.2)×10(-5), (12.5 ± 7.7)×10(-4) vs. (8.3 ± 3.4)×10(-4) and (5.3 ± 2.2)×10(-4), all P < 0.01], expression levels of miR-223 in SIRS increased as compared to control group (P < 0.01). MiR-146a levels in severe sepsis were higher than those of the general sepsis [ (7.1 ± 3.3)×10(-5) vs. (4.6 ± 2.6)×10(-5), P < 0.01]. CRP and PCT levels are all higher in sepsis and SIRS groups than control group (all P < 0.01). The area under ROC curve (AUC) of miR-146a, miR-223, PCT and CRP to predict sepsis were 0.815 (95%CI: 0.708-0.922), 0.678(95%CI: 0.537-0.818), 0.706 (95%CI: 0.571-0.842) and 0.588 (95%CI: 0.427-0.748). Expression levels of IL-10 and IL-10/TNF-α in sepsis were upregulated compared with and SIRS group and the control group (all P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between miR-146a, miR-223 and IL-10 and IL-10/TNF-α (r = 0.545, 0.305, 0.562, 0.373, all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe expression levels of miR-146a and miR-223 in plasma in pediatric patients with sepsis was significantly upregulated, and had a positive correlation with IL-10 and IL-10/TNF-α, which may be used as early diagnostic markers and can reflect the severity of condition to a certain degree.

Biomarkers ; blood ; Calcitonin ; blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; blood ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Sepsis ; blood ; diagnosis ; Severity of Illness Index ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; blood ; diagnosis ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

Gout occurs as a response to monosodium urate crystal, that is present in joints, bones and soft tissue. The classic symptoms of gouty arthritis are recurrent attacks of acute, markedly painful monoarticular or oligoarticular inflammation; but polyarthritis and chronic arthritis can also occur. Differential diagnosis from infectious arthritis is important. A definitive diagnosis requires the direct identification of urate crystals in the joint, and the exclusion of infection. We report the case of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), developed from acute polyarticular gout. SIRS is characterized by loss of local control of inflammation, or an overly activated response resulting in an exaggerated systemic response. The SIRS was presumably due to systemic effects of a localized inflammatory response to urate crystals.
Arthritis ; Arthritis, Gouty ; Arthritis, Infectious ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gout ; Inflammation ; Joints ; Sepsis ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; Uric Acid

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate whether obtaining serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) helps the differential diagnosis between sepsis and non-sepsis and predicts disease severity in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 132 consecutive adult patients with SIRS who visited the ED. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and serum PCT levels were compared between sepsis and non-sepsis groups upon ED admission. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (MODS), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) III scores were calculated, and their correlations with CRP and PCT levels were evaluated. The PCT and CRP levels were assessed to predict sepsis in terms of comparing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Eighty patients were included in the sepsis group. The levels of PCT and CRP in the sepsis group were significantly higher. In the sepsis group, the initial serum PCT correlated with the SOFA and MODS scores, and this also correlated in the non-sepsis group, but CRP did not. No differences were found when the PCT and CRP ROCs were compared. CONCLUSIONS: Correlation between PCT and severity in the non-sepsis group is considered to be clinically meaningless because of low levels. Additionally, PCT levels had similar diagnostic value for sepsis as CRP levels. PCT is recommended for prediction of severity in sepsis patients in ED, but not for differential diagnosis between sepsis and non-sepsis.
Adult ; APACHE ; C-Reactive Protein ; Calcitonin ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Multiple Organ Failure ; Organ Dysfunction Scores ; Prospective Studies ; Protein Precursors ; ROC Curve ; Sepsis ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) classification system and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in predicting the severity of the systemic inflammatory response in living-donor liver transplantation patients. Recipients of liver graft were allocated to a recipient group (n = 39) and healthy donors to a donor group (n = 42). The association between the CTP classification, the MELD scores and perioperative cytokine concentrations in the recipient group was evaluated. The pro-inflammatory cytokines measured included interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha; the anti-inflammatory cytokines measured included IL-10 and IL-4. Cytokine concentrations were quantified using sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassays. The IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 concentrations in the recipient group were significantly higher than those in healthy donor group patients. All preoperative cytokine levels, except IL-6, increased in relation to the severity of liver disease, as measured by the CTP classification. Additionally, all cytokine levels, except IL-6, were significantly correlated preoperatively with MELD scores. However, the correlations diminished during the intraoperative period. The CTP classification and the MELD score are equally reliable in predicting the severity of the systemic inflammatory response, but only during the preoperative period.
Adult ; Cytokines/*blood ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-10/blood ; Interleukin-1beta/blood ; Interleukin-4/blood ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*classification/*surgery ; Liver/pathology ; *Liver Transplantation ; Living Donors ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Severity of Illness Index ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome/*diagnosis ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood

This study aimed to assess the influence of lobectomy and pneumonectomy on cardiac rhythm and on the dimensions and function of the right-side of the heart. Twelve dogs undergoing lobectomy and eight dogs undergoing pneumonectomy were evaluated preoperatively and one month postoperatively with electrocardiography and Doppler echocardiography at rest. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) was estimated by the tricuspid regurgitation jet (TRJ) via the pulse wave Doppler velocity method. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria (SIRS) were also evaluated based on the clinical and hematological findings in response to lobectomy and pneumonectomy. Following lobectomy and pneumonectomy, we predominantly detected atrial fibrillation and varying degrees of atrioventricular block (AVB). Dogs that died within seven days of the lobectomy (n = 2) or pneumonectomy (n = 1) had complete AVB. Preoperative right atrial, right ventricular, and pulmonary artery dimensions increased gradually during the 30 days (p<0.05) following pneumonectomy, but did not undergo significant changes during that same period after lobectomy. Mean PASP was 56.0 +/- 4.5 mmHg in dogs having significant TRJ after pneumonectomy. Pneumonectomy, but not lobectomy, could lead to increases (p<0.01) in the SIRS score within the first day post-surgery. In brief, it is important to conduct pre- and postoperative cardiac evaluation of dogs undergoing lung resections because cardiac problems are a common postoperative complication after such surgeries. In particular, complete AVB should be considered a life-threatening complication after pneumonectomy and lobectomy. In addition, pneumonectomy appears to increase the likelihood of pulmonary hypertension development in dogs.
Animals ; Atrial Fibrillation/diagnosis/veterinary ; Atrioventricular Block/diagnosis/*veterinary ; Blood Pressure/physiology ; Dogs ; Echocardiography/veterinary ; Electrocardiography/veterinary ; Pneumonectomy/adverse effects/*veterinary ; Postoperative Care/methods/*veterinary ; Postoperative Complications/diagnosis/*veterinary ; Preoperative Care/methods/*veterinary ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome/diagnosis/etiology/veterinary ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency/diagnosis/etiology/veterinary

OBJECTIVETo investigate the significance of CD11b expression in neutrophils and lymphocytes in children with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS).

METHODSCD11b expression in neutrophils and lymphocytes was measured using flow cytometry in 36 children with SIRS (SIRS group) and 28 children with infectious disease but without SIRS (control group). The sensitivity and specificity of neutrophil CD11b for diagnosis of SIRS were evaluated.

RESULTSDuring the acute phase, an increased CD11b expression in neutrophils (96.7+/-8.1%) was observed in the SIRS group compared with the control group (85.1+/-5.1%) (p<0.05). Using neutrophil CD11b expression >92.2% as a cut-off value for diagnosis of SIRS, the sensitivity and the specificity were 97.2 % and 92.9% respectively. Lymphocytic CD11b expression in the SIRS group (13.4+/-8.6%) was lower than that in the control group (19.2+/-6.4%) in the acute phase (p<0.05). In the SIRS group, lymphocytic CD11b expression was remarkably suppressed in the severe sepsis subgroup (7.27+/-3.04%), showing significantly decreased expression compared with the non-infectious subgroup (19.3+/-2.9%) and the sepsis subgroup (15.9+/-12.5%) (p<0.01). In the convalescence stage lymphocytic CD11b expression in the SIRS group was similar to that in the control group.

CONCLUSIONSCD11b expression in neutrophils may serve as a reliable indicator for diagnosis of SIRS. The down-regulation of lymphocytic CD11b expression might be a signal of the condition aggravation in children with SIRS.

C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; CD11b Antigen ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Infant ; Lymphocytes ; chemistry ; Male ; Neutrophils ; chemistry ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; diagnosis ; immunology

OBJECTIVESepsis and septic shock remain a common problem that results in significant mortality and morbidity in pediatric intensive care units (PICU). According to literature, the use of more physiologic steroid replacement therapy is associated with hemodynamic and survival benefits in adult patients with relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) and catecholamine-resistant septic shock. But little information is available in children. The aim of the current prospective study was to determine the prevalence of adrenal insufficiency in children with sepsis and septic shock using a low-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test (1 microg/1.73 m2) in children.

METHODSThe authors performed cortisol estimation at baseline and after low-dose (1 microg/1.73 m2) ACTH stimulation at 30 mins in children during the first 24 hours in patients with sepsis or septic shock admitted to our PICU. Adrenal insufficiency was defined as a response < or = 90 microg/L. Absolute adrenal insufficiency (AAI) was further defined as baseline cortisol (T0) < 200 microg/L and RAI insufficiency by T0 > or = 200 microg/L.

RESULTSSixty-two consecutive cases with sepsis and septic shock admitted to PICU of Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Children's Hospital from April, 2006 to March, 2007. The median age was 37.6 months (range, 2 - 168 months), and their gender distribution was 42 (67.7%) males and 20 (32.3%) females, 53 cases had sepsis (85.5%) and 9 had septic shock (14.5%). The mean pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) was 79.3 +/- 9.2 and median pediatric risk of mortality score (PRMSIII) 11.3 (5 - 19), respectively. Overall mortality of sepsis and septic shock was 27.42%. The evaluation of adrenal insufficiency was conducted as follows. (1) The mean cortisol levels at baseline (T0) and 30 mins after ACTH stimulation (T1) were (318.6 +/- 230.4) microg/L, (452.3 +/- 230.7) microg/L and (454.7 +/- 212.7) microg/L, (579.3 +/- 231.9) microg/L in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock group, respectively. There were no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). (2) The proportion of patients with adrenal insufficiency in the study population was 40.3% as defined by a response < or = 90 microg/L post test. The proportion of patients with adrenal insufficiency in sepsis and septic shock were 39.6% and 44.4%, respectively (chi2) = 0.073, P > 0.05). (3) The serum T0 and T1 levels were (320.5 +/- 223.9) microg/L, (462.3 +/- 212.0) microg/L and (384.3 +/- 258.3) microg/L, (500.7 +/- 470.6) microg/L, respectively, and the proportion of patients with adrenal insufficiency were 37.8% and 47.1% in the survivors and the dead (P > 0.05). The levels of T0 and T1 were related to the PCIS (P < 0.05). The morbidity of adrenal insufficiency was not related to the PCIS, PRISMIII, and number of organ that developed functional insufficiency (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSAdrenal insufficiency may occur in patients with sepsis and septic shock in children. ACTH stimulation test may be helpful to determine whether corticosteroid therapy has a survival benefit in patients with relative adrenal insufficiency. A low-dose ACTH stimulation test can be used to evaluate the adrenal function status of severe sepsis and septic shock in children.

Adolescent ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; metabolism ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Male ; Prospective Studies ; Sepsis ; physiopathology ; Shock, Septic ; physiopathology ; Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome ; physiopathology