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Objectives To examine the effect of premorbid β-blocker exposure on mortality and organ dysfunction in sepsis. Design Retrospective observational study. Setting ICUs in Australia, the Czech Republic, and the United States. Patients Total of 4,086 critical care patients above 18 years old with sepsis between January 2014 and December 2018. Intervention Premorbid beta-blocker exposure. Measurements and main results One thousand five hundred fifty-six patients (38%) with premorbid β-blocker exposure were identified. Overall ICU mortality rate was 15.1%. In adjusted models, premorbid β-blocker exposure was associated with decreased ICU (adjusted odds ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66-0.97; p = 0.025) and hospital (adjusted odds ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.71-0.99; p = 0.033) mortality. The risk reduction in ICU mortality of 16% was significant (hazard ratio, 0.84, 95% CI, 0.71-0.99; p = 0.037). In particular, exposure to noncardioselective β-blocker before septic episode was associated with decreased mortality. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score analysis showed that premorbid β-blocker exposure had potential benefits in reducing respiratory and neurologic dysfunction. Conclusions This study suggests that β-blocker exposure prior to sepsis, especially to noncardioselective β blockers, may be associated with better outcome. The findings suggest prospective evaluation of β-blocker use in the management of sepsis.

The second part of the review deals in detail with the diagnostics and treatment of toxic alcohols poisoning and management and indication of extracorporeal removal techniques in intoxication with other drugs, theophylline, valproic acid, metformin and metformin associated lactic acidosis, respectively. The extracorporeal treatment enhances the clearance of the toxin and corrects patients metabolic disturbances as well. It is necessary to use this treatment in severe intoxications. Indication of this invasive procedure falls within clinicians and nephrologists competence being advised by a toxicologist. This review could help make fast decisions.

Supporting clearance of a toxic substance by an extracorporeal removal technique is one of the advanced treatment methods applied in poisoned patient management. General indications stem from toxicokinetics of the poison while individual indications are determined by poisoning severity. The first part of this review deals in detail with particular options of extracorporeal treatment in toxicology and also with its specific application when treating lithium and salicylates poisoning or dabigatran overdose. The aim of this review is to facilitate the clinicians and nephrologists decision making whether to indicate this invasive procedure, to communicate and summarize the existing recommendations and to highlight the most important ways of how to treat poisoning by specific toxic substances.

The second part of the review deals in detail with the diagnostics and treatment of toxic alcohols poisoning and management and indication of extracorporeal removal techniques in intoxication with other drugs, theophylline, valproic acid, metformin and metformin associated lactic acidosis, respectively. The extracorporeal treatment enhances the clearance of the toxin and corrects patients metabolic disturbances as well. It is necessary to use this treatment in severe intoxications. Indication of this invasive procedure falls within clinicians and nephrologists competence being advised by a toxicologist. This review could help make fast decisions.

Sepsis is the primary cause of death from infection. However, its early recognition remains a fundamental challenge in clinical practice. In February 2016, a newly revised sepsis definition has been published (SEPSIS-3). Sepsis has been redefined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. In this article, we introduce the updated definition of sepsis, discuss its pros and cons and suggest practical implications. The emphasis is put on basic and comprehensive clinical assessment.definition - early recognition of sepsis - infection - sepsis - septic shock.