Shock : molecular, cellular, and systemic pathobiological aspects and therapeutic approaches : the official journal the Shock Society, the European Shock Society, the Brazilian Shock Society, the International Federation of Shock Societies
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Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is an easily applicable method for protecting the heart against a subsequent ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying RIPC are unknown. We examined the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) and in particular the expression of miRNA-1 (miR-1) in RIPC and myocardial ischemia. ⋯ Remote ischemic preconditioning leads to changes in the expression levels of the most abundant cardiac miRNA, miR-1. MicroRNA 1 levels did not correlate with protein levels of BDNF, a known miR-1 target, in vivo. Further studies are needed to explore the biological significance of changes in miR-1 expression levels and the potential interaction with BDNF in RIPC-induced cardioprotection.
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Neonatal sepsis is one of the most fulminating conditions in neonatal intensive care units. Antipathogen and supportive care are administered routinely, but do not deliver satisfactory results. ⋯ Our aim here is to support the new philosophy in neonatal sepsis treatment, which involves the integration of mechanisms that are responsible for cellular dysfunction and organ failure, the recognition of the most important targets, and the selection of safe agents that can stop the neonatal sepsis redox cycle by hitting the hot spots. Redox-active agents that could be beneficial for neonatal sepsis treatment according to these criteria include lactoferrin, interleukin 10, zinc and selenium supplements, ibuprofen, edaravone, and pentoxifylline.
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Acute Alcohol Exposure has an Independent Impact on C-Reactive Protein Levels, Neutrophil CD64 Expression and Subsets of Circulating White Blood Cells Differentiated by Flow Cytometry in Nontrauma Patients.
Acute and massive alcohol exposure (blood alcohol concentration of ≥1 g/L) is a common way to consume alcohol. In a prospective study performed in critically ill nontrauma patients, we compared C-reactive protein (CRP) values, circulating subsets of white blood cells, and neutrophil CD64 indexes recorded at admission to the intensive care unit between abstinent or moderate drinkers (n = 173), patients with acute or chronic alcohol exposure (n = 32), and patients with acute exposure but not chronically exposed to alcohol (n = 27). ⋯ These results were not affected by the presence or absence of infection at admission. Our results suggest that in nontrauma critically ill patients, acute alcohol exposure diminishes inflammation and increases numbers of circulating B and T lymphocytes.
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Comparative Study
Does it Matter if We Get It Right? Impact of Appropriateness of Empiric Antimicrobial Therapy Among Surgical Patients.
Previous studies have shown conflicting evidence regarding the impact of inappropriate, initial antibiotic therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of inappropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of infection among surgical patients. We hypothesized that inappropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy would predict increased mortality risk compared with appropriate therapy. ⋯ Three hundred seventeen (15%) inappropriately treated infectious episodes resulted in death compared with 718 (14%) of the appropriately treated infectious episodes. After adjusting for statistically significant variables, inappropriately treated episodes of infection were not found to be associated with an increased risk for mortality compared with appropriately treated episodes of infection (relative risk, 1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.99 - 1.02; P = 0.36). Our study observed no difference in mortality between appropriately and inappropriately treated infections within a surgical population.
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We aimed to compare outcomes of sepsis patients according to their hemodynamic presentation: cryptic shock (CS), cryptic to overt shock (COS), and overt shock (OS). We analyzed the sepsis registry for adult patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital and met the criteria for severe sepsis or septic shock between August 2008 and March 2012. We classified the patients as having CS, COS, or OS. "Cryptic shock" was defined as severe sepsis with a lactate level of 4 mmol/L or greater and normotension, "COS" was defined as initial CS that progressed to septic shock within 72 h, and "OS" was defined as septic shock on ED arrival. ⋯ A higher blood lactate concentration and respiratory failure were significant risk factors for progression to OS. In conclusion, CS without deterioration to hypotension during initial treatment showed significantly lower mortality than OS. The mortality from CS that progressed to apparent hypotension, however, was comparable to the mortality associated with OS.