Background
Several methods have been proposed to measure cerebrovascular autoregulation (CA) in traumatic brain injury (TBI), but the lack of a gold standard and the absence of prospective clinical ...data on risks, impact on care and outcomes of implementation of CA-guided management lead to uncertainty.
Aim
To formulate statements using a Delphi consensus approach employing a group of expert clinicians, that reflect current knowledge of CA, aspects that can be implemented in TBI management and CA research priorities.
Methods
A group of 25 international academic experts with clinical expertise in the management of adult severe TBI patients participated in this consensus process. Seventy-seven statements and multiple-choice questions were submitted to the group in two online surveys, followed by a face-to-face meeting and a third online survey. Participants received feedback on average scores and the rationale for resubmission or rephrasing of statements. Consensus on a statement was defined as agreement of more than 75% of participants.
Results
Consensus amongst participants was achieved on the importance of CA status in adult severe TBI pathophysiology, the dynamic non-binary nature of CA impairment, its association with outcome and the inadvisability of employing universal and absolute cerebral perfusion pressure targets. Consensus could not be reached on the accuracy, reliability and validation of any current CA assessment method. There was also no consensus on how to implement CA information in clinical management protocols, reflecting insufficient clinical evidence.
Conclusion
The Delphi process resulted in 25 consensus statements addressing the pathophysiology of impaired CA, and its impact on cerebral perfusion pressure targets and outcome. A research agenda was proposed emphasizing the need for better validated CA assessment methods as well as the focused investigation of the application of CA-guided management in clinical care using prospective safety, feasibility and efficacy studies.
The end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) is frequently measured in cardiac arrest (CA) patients, for management and for predicting survival. Our goal was to study the PaCO2 and ETCO2 in hypothermic ...cardiac arrest patients.
We included patients with refractory CA assessed for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Hypothermic patients were identified from previously prospectively collected data from Poland, France and Switzerland. The non-hypothermic CA patients were identified from two French cohort studies. The primary parameters of interest were ETCO2 and PaCO2 at hospital admission. We analysed the data according to both alpha-stat and pH-stat strategies.
We included 131 CA patients (39 hypothermic and 92 non-hypothermic). Both ETCO2 (p < 0.001) and pH-stat PaCO2 (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in hypothermic compared to non-hypothermic patients, which was not the case for alpha-stat PaCO2 (p = 0.15). The median PaCO2-ETCO2 gradient was greater for hypothermic compared to non-hypothermic patients when using the alpha-stat method (46 mmHg vs 30 mmHg, p = 0.007), but not when using the pH-stat method (p = 0.10). Temperature was positively correlated with ETCO2 (p < 0.01) and pH-stat PaCO2 (p < 0.01) but not with alpha-stat PaCO2 (p = 0.5). The ETCO2 decreased by 0.5 mmHg and the pH-stat PaCO2 by 1.1 mmHg for every decrease of 1° C of the temperature. The proportion of survivors with an ETCO2 ≤ 10 mmHg at hospital admission was 45% (9/25) for hypothermic and 12% (2/17) for non-hypothermic CA patients.
Hypothermic CA is associated with a decrease of the ETCO2 and pH-stat PaCO2 compared with non-hypothermic CA. ETCO2 should not be used in hypothermic CA for predicting outcome.
Due to the lack of available evidence on pediatric trauma care organization, no French national guideline has been developed. This survey aimed to describe the management of pediatric trauma patients ...in France.
In this cross-sectional survey, an electronic questionnaire (previously validated) was distributed to intensive care physicians from tertiary hospitals via the GFRUP (Groupe Francophone de Réanimation et Urgences Pédiatriques) mailing list.
We collected 37 responses from 28 centers with available data, representing 100% of French level-1 pediatric trauma centers. Most of the pediatric centers (n = 21, 75%) had a written local protocol on pediatric trauma care. In most centers (n = 17, 61%), patients with severe trauma could be admitted in various locations, including the adult or pediatric emergency department or the intensive care unit. Usually, the location of the trauma room depended on the patients’ age and/or severity of trauma. In 12 centers in which trauma could be managed by adult physicians (n = 12/18, 70%), a physician with pediatric expertise (anesthesiologist or intensive care physician) could be called according to the patient's age or severity of trauma. The cut-off patient age for considering pediatric expertise was mainly 3–5 years (n = 10, 83%).
Although most French level-1 pediatric trauma centers have a local protocol for pediatric trauma management, organization is very heterogeneous in France. Guidelines should focus on collaboration between professionals and hospital facilities in order to improve outcomes of children with trauma.
Factors underlying the amplitude of exercise performance reduction at altitude and the development of high‐altitude illnesses are not completely understood. To better describe these mechanisms, we ...assessed cardiorespiratory and tissue oxygenation responses to hypoxia in elite high‐altitude climbers. Eleven high‐altitude climbers were matched with 11 non‐climber trained controls according to gender, age, and fitness level (maximal oxygen consumption, VO2max). Subjects performed two maximal incremental cycling tests, in normoxia and in hypoxia (inspiratory oxygen fraction: 0.12). Cardiorespiratory measurements and tissue (cerebral and muscle) oxygenation were assessed continuously. Hypoxic ventilatory and cardiac responses were determined at rest and during exercise; hypercapnic ventilatory response was determined at rest. In hypoxia, climbers exhibited similar reductions to controls in VO2max (climbers −39 ± 7% vs controls −39 ± 9%), maximal power output (−27 ± 5% vs −26 ± 4%), and arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2). However, climbers had lower hypoxic ventilatory response during exercise (1.7 ± 0.5 vs 2.6 ± 0.7 L/min/%; P < 0.05) and lower hypercapnic ventilatory response (1.8 ± 1.4 vs 3.8 ± 2.5 mL/min/mmHg; P < 0.05). Finally, climbers exhibited slower breathing frequency, larger tidal volume and larger muscle oxygenation index. These results suggest that elite climbers show some specific ventilatory and muscular responses to hypoxia possibly because of genetic factors or adaptation to frequent high‐altitude climbing.
Abstract Purpose Global mortality of polytraumatised patients presenting pelvic ring fractures remains high (330%), despite improvements in treatment algorithms in Level I Trauma Centers. Many ...classifications have been developed in order to identify and analyse these pelvic ring lesions. However, it remains difficult to predict intra-pelvic haemorrhage. The aim of this study was to identify pelvic ring anatomical lesions associated with significant blood loss, susceptible to lead to life-threatening haemorrhage. Material and method This study focused on a retrospective analysis of patients’ medical files, all of whom were admitted to one of the shock rooms of Grenoble University Hospital, France, between January 2004 and December 2008. Treatment was given according to the institutional algorithm of the Alps Trauma Center and Emergency North Alpine Network Trauma System (TRENAU). Different hemodynamical parameters at arrival were measured, and the fractures were classified according to Young and Burgess, Tile, Letournel and Denis. One hundred and ninety seven patients were analysed. They were subdivided into two groups, embolised (Group E) and non-embolised (Group NE). Results Group NE included 171 patients with a mean age of 40.2 ± 8.7 years (15–90). Group E included 26 patients with a mean age of 41.6 ± 5.3 years (18–67). Twenty-six patients died during the initial treatment phase. Eleven belonged to Group E and 15 to Group NE. Mortality was significantly higher in Group E (42.3% vs 8.8% in Group NE) ( p < 0.05). There were significantly many more Tile C unstable fractures in Group E ( p = 0.0014), and anterior lesions, according to Letournel, with pubic symphysis disruption were significantly more likely to lead to active bleeding treated by selective embolisation ( p = 0.0014). Posterior pelvic ring lesions with iliac wing fracture and transforaminal sacral fractures (Denis 2) were also more frequently associated with bleeding treated by embolisation ( p = 0.0088 and p = 0.0369 respectively). Discussion/conclusion It appears that in our series the primary identification and classification of osteo-ligamentous lesions (according to Letournel and Denis’ classifications) allows to anticipate the importance of bleeding and to adapt the management of patients accordingly, in order to quickly organise angiography with embolisation.
The mechanisms by which hypertonic sodium lactate (HSL) solution act in injured brain are unclear. We investigated the effects of HSL on brain metabolism, oxygenation, and perfusion in a rodent model ...of diffuse traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Thirty minutes after trauma, anaesthetised adult rats were randomly assigned to receive a 3 h infusion of either a saline solution (TBI–saline group) or HSL (TBI–HSL group). The sham–saline and sham–HSL groups received no insult. Three series of experiments were conducted up to 4 h after TBI (or equivalent) to investigate: 1) brain oedema using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and brain metabolism using localized 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (n = 10 rats per group). The respiratory control ratio was then determined using oxygraphic analysis of extracted mitochondria, 2) brain oxygenation and perfusion using quantitative blood-oxygenation-level-dependent magnetic resonance approach (n = 10 rats per group), and 3) mitochondrial ultrastructural changes (n = 1 rat per group).
Compared with the TBI–saline group, the TBI–HSL and the sham-operated groups had reduced brain oedema. Concomitantly, the TBI–HSL group had lower intracellular lactate/creatine ratio 0.049 (0.047–0.098) vs 0.097 (0.079–0.157); P < 0.05, higher mitochondrial respiratory control ratio, higher tissue oxygen saturation 77% (71–79) vs 66% (55–73); P < 0.05, and reduced mitochondrial cristae thickness in astrocytes 27.5 (22.5–38.4) nm vs 38.4 (31.0–47.5) nm; P < 0.01 compared with the TBI–saline group. Serum sodium and lactate concentrations and serum osmolality were higher in the TBI–HSL than in the TBI–saline group.
These findings indicate that the hypertonic sodium lactate solution can reverse brain oxygenation and metabolism dysfunction after traumatic brain injury through vasodilatory, mitochondrial, and anti-oedema effects.
French regional trauma network: the Rhone-Alpes example Bouzat, P.; David, J.S.; Tazarourte, K.
British journal of anaesthesia : BJA,
June 2015, 20150600, 2015-Jun, 2015-06-00, 20150601, Letnik:
114, Številka:
6
Journal Article
To date, the decision to set up therapeutic extra-corporeal life support (ECLS) in hypothermia-related cardiac arrest is based on the potassium value only. However, no information is available about ...how the analysis should be performed. Our goal was to compare intra-individual variation in serum potassium values depending on the sampling site and analytical technique in hypothermia-related cardiac arrests.
Adult patients with suspected hypothermia-related refractory cardiac arrest, admitted to three hospitals with ECLS facilities were included. Blood samples were obtained from the femoral vein, a peripheral vein and the femoral artery. Serum potassium was analysed using blood gas (BGA) and clinical laboratory analysis (CL).
Of the 15 consecutive patients included, 12 met the principal criteria, and 5 (33%) survived. The difference in average potassium values between sites or analytical method used was ≤1 mmol/L. The agreement between potassium values according to the three different sampling sites was poor. The ranges of the differences in potassium using BGA measurement were - 1.6 to + 1.7 mmol/L; - 1.18 to + 2.7 mmol/L and - 0.87 to + 2 mmol/L when comparing respectively central venous and peripheral venous, central venous and arterial, and peripheral venous and arterial potassium.
We found important and clinically relevant variability in potassium values between sampling sites. Clinical decisions should not rely on one biological indicator. However, according to our results, the site of lowest potassium, and therefore the preferred site for a single potassium sampling is central venous blood. The use of multivariable prediction tools may help to mitigate the risks inherent in the limits of potassium measurement.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03096561.
Although Patient Blood Management (PBM) is recommended by international guidelines, little evidence of its effectiveness exists in abdominal surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ...benefits of the implementation of a PBM protocol on transfusion incidence and anaemia-related outcomes in major urological and visceral surgery.
In this before-after study, a three-pillar PBM protocol was implemented in 2020–2021 in a tertiary care centre, including preoperative correction of iron-deficiency anaemia, intraoperative tranexamic acid administration, and postoperative restrictive transfusion. A historical cohort (2019) was compared to a prospective cohort (2022) after the implementation of the PBM protocol. The primary outcome was the incidence of red blood cell transfusion intraoperatively or within 7 days after surgery.
Data from 488 patients in the historical cohort were compared to 499 patients in the prospective cohort. Between 2019 and 2022, screening for iron deficiency increased from 13.9% to 69.8% (p < 0.01), tranexamic acid administration increased from 9.5% to 84.6% (p < 0.01), and median haemoglobin concentration before transfusion decreased from 77 g.L−1 to 71 g.L−1 (p = 0.02). The incidence of red blood cell transfusion decreased from 11.5% in 2019 to 6.6% in 2022 (relative risk 0.58, 95% CI 0.38−0.87, p = 0.01). The incidence of haemoglobin concentration lower than 100 g.L−1 at discharge was 24.2% in 2019 and 21.8% in 2022 (p = 0.41). The incidence of medical complications was comparable between the groups.
The implementation of a PBM protocol over a two-year period was associated with a reduction of transfusion in major urological and visceral surgery.
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