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Absztrakt: Bevezetés: Jelenleg nem áll rendelkezésünkre specifikus kuratív kezelés vagy vakcina az új koronavírus-2 (COVID–19, SARS-CoV-2) kezelésére. A súlyos citokinvihar-szindrómával társuló COVID–19-fertőzés kezelésére sürgősen szükséges alternatív kezelési megoldást találni. Célkitűzés: A convalescens plazmaterápia alkalmazása más, súlyos vírusfertőzések kezelésében a túlélés javulását eredményezte, és ígéretes terápiás megközelítés lehet súlyos COVID–19-betegek számára. Módszer: Két kritikus állapotú, COVID–19-fertőzött beteg convalescens friss fagyasztott plazmával történő kezelését mutatjuk be. Eredmények: A plazmaterápia megkezdésekor mindkét beteg gépi lélegeztetésre szorult, és antivirális kezelésben, valamint maximális szupportív ellátásban részesült. A COVID–19-fertőzésből nemrég felépült és a súlyos akut légúti distressz szindrómát okozó koronavírus-2 elleni immunglobulin-G-t termelő donorokból 3 × 200 ml convalescens plazma transzfúzióját alkalmaztuk. A convalescens plazma transzfúzióját követően mindkét betegnél javult az oxigénszaturáció, és a gyulladásos értékeket jelző paraméterek csökkenést mutattak. A convalescens plazma adását megelőző paraméterekhez viszonyítva növekedett a lymphocytaszám, és csökkent az interleukin-6-szint. Mindkét betegnél 2 héten belül megszüntethető volt a gépi lélegeztetés. Nem észleltünk a convalescens plazma adása során súlyos mellékhatást. Következtetések: Megfigyelésünk alapján a convalescens plazmával történő terápia jól tolerálható volt, és javíthatja a betegek gyógyulási arányát. A convalescens plazmával való kezelés optimális dózisának, időpontjának és klinikai előnyeinek meghatározására további nagy, kontrollált vizsgálatok szükségesek. Közleményünk megírásának célja az első két, hazánkban convalescens plazmával sikeresen kezelt, kritikus állapotú COVID–19-fertőzött beteg kórtörténetének bemutatása. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(27): 1111–1121.

Absztrakt: Az elmúlt hónapokban pandémiához vezető, Kínából induló, új koronavírus okozta megbetegedés (COVID–19) rámutatott az emberiség kiszolgáltatottságára. Aktuálisan a COVID–19 kezelésére randomizált kontrollált vizsgálattal igazolt hatékonyságú, törzskönyvezett gyógyszer nem áll rendelkezésre. A súlyos akut légúti tünetegyüttest okozó koronavírus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) a jelen munka írásáig – a legóvatosabb becslések szerint is – közel 4 millió fertőzésért és megközelítőleg 300 000 halálesetért felelős. A patomechanizmus mélyebb megismerése fedte fel, hogy a fatális esetek hátterében az immunválasz diszregulációja, a citokinvihar-szindróma (CRS) áll. Eddigi ismereteink alapján a COVID–19-ben kialakuló citokinvihar sarkalatos szereplője az interleukin-6 (IL6). Esetleírások és kis betegcsoportokon végzett vizsgálatok eredményei alapján az IL6 monoklonális antitest gátló terápia (tocilizumab) eredményesnek mutatkozik a citokinvihar kezelésében. A szerzők egy eset leírása kapcsán foglalják össze a legfrissebb ismereteket a COVID–19 terápiájával kapcsolatosan. A jelen esetismertetés súlyos COVID–19-ben szenvedő betegben kialakult CRS sikeres terápiáját mutatja be, melynek során – a szerzők tudomása szerint – hazánkban elsőként került sor tocilizumab alkalmazására infektológiai osztályon. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(26): 1070–1077.

Large randomized clinical trials in severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have proven efficacy of intravenous tocilizumab. Our aim was to describe the laboratory parameters predicting in-hospital mortality of patients with tocilizumab administration in COVID-19 associated cytokine release syndrome (CRS).We evaluated high-dose (8 mg/kg) intravenous tocilizumab administration in severe and critically ill COVID-19 adult patients fulfilling predefined strict CRS criteria. A single-centre, prospective, observational cohort study was carried out among consecutive adult (≥18 years of age) in-patients with COVID-19 between April 1 and December 31, 2020. The primary endpoint was 28-day all-cause mortality. The changes in laboratory parameters from baseline on day 7 and 14 after administration of tocilizumab were analysed.In total, 1801 patients were admitted to our centre during the study period. One hundred and six patients received tocilizumab, and among them 62 (58.5%) required intensive care unit admittance while 25 (23.6%) deceased. At day 7 after tocilizumab administration, inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, ferritin) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values were significantly lower among survivors. Subsequently, at day 14, differences of IL-6 and LDH levels has become more pronounced between subgroups. Restoration of absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) by day 7 and 14 was insufficient among patients who died.In our cohort, administration of high-dose tocilizumab for COVID-19 patients with CRS demonstrated clinical and sustained biochemical parameter improvement in 76.4%. In this patient population high and increasing LDH, IL-6, and low ALC levels had a predictive role for mortality.

Introduction Data suggests that invasive fungal infections (IFI) might complicate COVID-19. Our goal was to describe characteristics of IFI among critically ill COVID-19 adults. Methods A retrospective observational case-series analysis was done between March–July 2020. Consecutive patients with critical COVID-19 were eligible, and have been included when proven or putative/probable IFI could be confirmed during their course. For COVID-19 diagnosis, ECDC definitions and WHO severity criteria were followed. Candidaemia was diagnosed according to the ESCMID 2012 guideline. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) was defined following EORTC/MSG, ECMM/ISHAM and modified AspICU criteria. Outcome variables were rates of IFIs, in-hospital all-cause mortality, rate and time to negative respiratory SARS-CoV-2 PCR. Results From 90 eligible patients, 20 (22.2%) fulfilled criteria for IFI. Incidence rate for IFI was 2.02 per 100 patient-days at ICU. Patients were mostly elderly males with significant comorbidities, requiring mechanical ventilation because of ARDS. IFI could be classified as candidaemia in 7/20 (40%), putative/probable IPA in 16/20 (80.0%). Isolated species of candidaemia episodes were Candida albicans (4/9, 44.4%), Candida glabrata (3/9, 33.3%), Candida parapsilosis (1/9, 11.1%), Candida metapsilosis (1/9, 11.1%). Mold isolates from lower respiratory tract were Aspergillus fumigatus, BAL galactomannan positivity was prevalent (16/20, 80.0%). Mortality was 12/20 (60.0%) with a median time to death of 31.0±37.0 (5–89) days. Only 9/20 (45.0%) patients reached SARS-CoV-2 PCR negativity after a median time of 20.0±12.0 (3–38) days. Conclusion In this small cohort of critically ill COVID-19 adults, morbidity and mortality related to invasive fungal infections proved to be significant.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a 25 kDa protein belonging to the lipocalin superfamily. It was initially found in activated neutrophils, however, many other cells, like kidney tubular cells, may produce NGAL in response to various insults. Recently, it has been found to have a role in iron metabolism by virtue of its binding with siderophores. It has also been found to have a role in kidney development and tubular regeneration after injury. In experimental studies, it was found to be highly expressed in response to tubular injury. In subsequent clinical studies, urine NGAL has been found to be an early predictor for acute kidney injury (AKI). Newer devices for early bedside detection of NGAL are now available. Since serum creatinine is known to be an inadequate and late marker of AKI, NGAL might soon emerge as a troponin-like early marker for AKI. Recent evidence also suggests its role as a biomarker in a variety of other renal and non-renal conditions.

Introduction. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in the intensive care unit (ICU) and associated with poor outcome. Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a biomarker related to myocardial overload, and is elevated in some ICU patients. There is a high prevalence of both cardiac and renal dysfunction in ICU patients.Aims. To investigate whether plasma BNP levels in the first 48 hours were associated with AKI in ICU patients.Methods. We studied a cohort of 34 consecutive ICU patients. Primary outcome was presence of AKI on presentation, or during ICU stay.Results. For patients with AKI on presentation, BNP was statistically higher at 24 and 48 hours than No-AKI patients (865 versus 148 pg/mL; 1380 versus 131 pg/mL). For patients developing AKI during 48 hours, BNP was statistically higher at 0, 24 and 48 hours than No-AKI patients (510 versus 197 pg/mL; 552 versus 124 pg/mL; 949 versus 104 pg/mL).Conclusion. Critically ill patients with AKI on presentation or during ICU stay have higher levels of the cardiac biomarker BNP relative to No-AKI patients. Elevated levels of plasma BNP may help identify patients with elevated risk of AKI in the ICU setting. The mechanism for this cardiorenal connection requires further investigation.

Purpose. Strategies for volume assessment of critically ill patients are limited, yet early goal-directed therapy improves outcomes. Central venous pressure (CVP), Bioimpedance Vectorial Analysis (BIVA), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are potentially useful tools. We studied the utility of these measures, alone and in combination, to predict changing oxygenation.Methods. Thirty-four mechanically ventilated patients, 26 of whom had data beyond the first study day, were studied. Relationships were assessed between CVP, BIVA, BNP, and oxygenation index (O2I) in a cross-sectional (baseline) and longitudinal fashion using both univariate and multivariable modeling.Results. At baseline, CVP and O2I were positively correlated (R=0.39;P=.021), while CVP and BIVA were weakly correlated (R=-0.38;P=.025). The association between slopes of variables over time was negligible, with the exception of BNP, whose slope was correlated with O2I (R=0.40;P=.044). Comparing tertiles of CVP, BIVA, and BNP slopes with the slope of O2I revealed only modest agreement between BNP and O2I (kappa=0.25;P=.067). In a regression model, only BNP was significantly associated with O2I; however, this was strengthened by including CVP in the model.Conclusions. BNP seems to be a valuable noninvasive measure of volume status in critical care and should be assessed in a prospective manner.

The cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is a disorder of the heart and kidneys whereby acute or chronic dysfunction in one organ may induce acute or chronic dysfunction of the other. The general definition has been expanded into five subtypes reflecting the primacy of organ dysfunction and the time-frame of the syndrome: CRS type 1 = acute worsening of heart function leading to kidney injury and/or dysfunction; CRS type 2 = chronic abnormalities in heart function leading to kidney injury or dysfunction; CRS type 3 = acute worsening of kidney function leading to heart injury and/or dysfunction; CRS type 4 = chronic kidney disease leading to heart injury, disease and/or dysfunction, and CRS type 5 = systemic conditions leading to simultaneous injury and/or dysfunction of heart and kidney. Different pathophysiological mechanisms are involved in the combined dysfunction of heart and kidney in these five types of the syndrome.

International audience; ABSTRACT: Acute cardiovascular dysfunction occurs perioperatively in more than 20% of cardiosurgical patients, yet current acute heart failure (HF) classification is not applicable to this period. Indicators of major perioperative risk include unstable coronary syndromes, decompensated HF, significant arrhythmias and valvular disease. Clinical risk factors include history of heart disease, compensated HF, cerebrovascular disease, presence of diabetes mellitus, renal insufficiency and high-risk surgery. EuroSCORE reliably predicts perioperative cardiovascular alteration in patients aged less than 80 years. Preoperative B-type natriuretic peptide level is an additional risk stratification factor. Aggressively preserving heart function during cardiosurgery is a major goal. Volatile anaesthetics and levosimendan seem to be promising cardioprotective agents, but large trials are still needed to assess the best cardioprotective agent(s) and optimal protocol(s). The aim of monitoring is early detection and assessment of mechanisms of perioperative cardiovascular dysfunction. Ideally, volume status should be assessed by 'dynamic' measurement of haemodynamic parameters. Assess heart function first by echocardiography, then using a pulmonary artery catheter (especially in right heart dysfunction). If volaemia and heart function are in the normal range, cardiovascular dysfunction is very likely related to vascular dysfunction. In treating myocardial dysfunction, consider the following options, either alone or in combination: low-to-moderate doses of dobutamine and epinephrine, milrinone or levosimendan. In vasoplegia-induced hypotension, use norepinephrine to maintain adequate perfusion pressure. Exclude hypovolaemia in patients under vasopressors, through repeated volume assessments. Optimal perioperative use of inotropes/vasopressors in cardiosurgery remains controversial, and further large multinational studies are needed. Cardiosurgical perioperative classification of cardiac impairment should be based on time of occurrence (precardiotomy, failure to wean, postcardiotomy) and haemodynamic severity of the patient's condition (crash and burn, deteriorating fast, stable but inotrope dependent). In heart dysfunction with suspected coronary hypoperfusion, an intra-aortic balloon pump is highly recommended. A ventricular assist device should be considered before end organ dysfunction becomes evident. Extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation is an elegant solution as a bridge to recovery and/or decision making. This paper offers practical recommendations for management of perioperative HF in cardiosurgery based on European experts' opinion. It also emphasizes the need for large surveys and studies to assess the optimal way to manage perioperative HF in cardiac surgery.