Objective To explore the effects of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) and its components on the condition and prognosis of patients with Severe Pneumonia. Methods 306 patients with severe pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to July 2023 were included as study subjects.The patients were divided into MS and non-MS groups according to whether they were combined with MS,and into survival and death groups according to 28-day prognosis,and the general data, laboratory indexes, condition and prognostic indexes of the two groups were compared; multifactorial logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with severe pneumonia. ResultsThe levels of test indicators such as body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), blood lactate,white blood cell count(WBC),urea phosphate (Urea), creatinine (SCr),as well as the incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), shock,multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), rate of endotracheal intubation and mortality, ICU treatment cost,and total treatment cost of the MS group were significantly higher than those of the non-MS group; the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and oxygenation index (OI) of the MS group were significantly lower than those of the non-MS group (P<0.05).Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of death from severe pneumonia was 1.276 times higher in combined MS than in no combined MS (95%CI: 1.013, 5.114, P=0.047). Subgroup analyses also showed that the risk of death from non-viral severe pneumonia was 2.147 times higher in those with MS than those without (95%CI: 1.175, 8.428, P=0.023). ConclusionSevere pneumonia with MS may be more severe and may have a worse prognosis.
Objective To investigate the pleural effusion lymphocyte subsets in patients with pneumonia complicated with pleural effusion and its relationship with the occurrence of critical illness. MethodsPatients with pneumonia complicated with pleural effusion (246 cases) admitted to our hospital from January 2020 to June 2022 were selected as the research subjects. According to the severity of pneumonia, they were divided into a critical group (n=150) and a non-critical group (n=96). After 1:1 matching by propensity score matching method, there were 60 cases in each group. The general data of the two groups were compared. CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio were detected by flow cytometry. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of critical pneumonia, and a nomogram prediction model was constructed and evaluated. The relationship between PSI score and lymphocyte subsets in pleural effusion was analyzed by local weighted regression scatter smoothing (LOWESS). Results After matching, the differences between the two groups of patients in the course of disease, heat peak, heat course, atelectasis, peripheral white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer (D-D), procalcitonin (PCT) and hemoglobin were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the non-critical group, the proportion of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ cells in critical group was lower (P<0.05), and the proportion of CD8+ cells was higher (P<0.05). Combined atelectasis, increased course of disease, fever peak and fever course, increased WBC, CRP, D-D, CD8+ and PCT levels, and decreased CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ and Hb levels were independent risk factors for the occurrence of critical pneumonia (P<0.05). The nomogram prediction model based on independent influencing factors had high discrimination, accuracy and clinical applicability. There was a certain nonlinear relationship between pneomonia severity index and CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+. Conclusions Lymphocyte subsets in pleural effusion are closely related to the severity of pneumonia complicated with pleural effusion. If CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ are abnormal, attention should be paid to the occurrence of severe pneumonia.
Objective
To evaluate the methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews/meta-analyses related to the efficacy and safety of corticosteroid-assisted treatment for severe pneumonia.
Methods
PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data and VIP databases were searched by computer, and the systematic reviews/meta-analyses of corticosteroid hormone as an auxiliary means for the treatment of severe pneumonia which were published from establishment of the databases to October 25th, 2018 were searched. A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Review-2 (AMSTAR-2) was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies, and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used to evaluate the quality of literature reports.
Results
A total of 16 systematic reviews/meta-analyses were included, all of which were non-Cochrane systematic reviews. In terms of methodological quality assessed by AMSTAR-2, there was no plan in all studies; only one study explained the reasons for inclusion in the study type; eight studies did not describe the dose and follow-up time of the intervention/control measures in detail; three studies did not indicate the evaluation tools and did not describe the risk bias; six studies did not explicitly examine publication bias. In terms of reporting quality assessed by PRISMA, all studies had no pre-registered study protocol or registration number; thirteen studies did not describe the specific amount of articles retrieved from each database; three studies did not present their retrieval strategies or excluded reasons in detail; no funding sources were identified in included studies; eight studies reported both whether the study was funded and whether there was a conflict of interest.
Conclusions
At present, there are many systematic review/meta-analysis studies on the efficacy and safety of corticosteroid-assisted treatment for severe pneumonia, and the overall quality of the study has been gradually improved. However, the common problems in the study are relatively prominent. The follow-up period and dose of intervention in the study of severe pneumonia are different, so the baseline is difficult to be unified. Suggestions: strengthening the training of researchers, standardize the research process, and report articles in strict accordance with the PRISMA statement; subgroup analysis being conducted according to the dose and duration of the hormone.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical features of Legionella-associated cavitary pneumonia, and to explore the diagnosis, treatment planning, and clinical management of patients.MethodsThe data of a patient with severe Legionella-associated cavitary pneumonia were collected and analyzed. Databases including PubMed, Ovid, Wanfang, VIP and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched for pertinent literatures, using the keyword "Legionella, lung abscess or cavitary pneumonia" in Chinese and English from Jan. 1990 to Jun. 2019. The related literature was reviewed.ResultsA 60-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital because of fever, cough, and expectoration for five days. On presentation, his temperature was 38.3 °C, and pulmonary auscultation revealed rales on the left side of the lungs. Culture of lower airway secretions obtained by bronchoscopy revealed Legionella pneumophila infection, and serotype 6. Chest computerized tomography showed a consolidation in the left lung and an abscess in the left upper lobe. The patient was discharged from the hospital after three months of anti-Legionella treatment (Mosfloxacin, Azithromycin, etc.). Fifteen manuscripts, including 18 cases, were retrieved from databases. With the addition of our case, a total of 19 cases were analyzed in detail. There were 15 males and four females, aged from 4 months to 73 years old. Most of them (14/19, 73.7%) were accompanied by multiple underlying diseases. Initial empiric antimicrobial therapy failed in 15 (78.9%) cases, and 7 (36.8%) patients required combination therapy. The courses of antimicrobial treatment were from 3 to 49 weeks. All except one patient were fully recovered and discharged from hospital.ConclusionsLegionella pneumonia with pulmonary abscess or cavity is rare and often presents with fever. Pulmonary imaging shows infiltration in the initial, but can be free of cavities or abscesses. Most patients have basic diseases. Severe patients often need to be treated in combination with antibiotics for long periods of time.
ObjectiveTo explore the correlation of serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (sNGAL) with inflammatory response in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and assess the diagnostic value of sNGAL for severe CAP (SCAP).MethodsFrom January 2018 to June 2019, a total of 85 patients with CAP were enrolled in this study. Age, length of hospital stay, the levels of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, white blood cell count,C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procalcitonin, and CURB-65 score were compared between patients with SCAP (n=34) and patients without SCAP (n=51). The correlations of sNGAL with serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, white blood cell count, CRP, IL-6, procalcitonin, and CURB-65 score were assessed with Spearman’s correlation analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for sNGAL diagnosing SCAP was examined. ResultsCompared with patients without SCAP, SCAP patients demonstrated older age, longer hospital stay, higher serum CRP and IL-6 concentritions, and higher CURB-65 score (P<0.05). The Spearman’s correlation test showed that sNGAL was positively correlated with serum CRP, IL-6, PCT and CURB-65 score (rs=0.472, 0.504, 0.388, and 0.405, respectively; P<0.01). According to ROC analysis, the area under curve of sNGAL for diagnosing SCAP were 0.816, with a sensitivity of 76.56% and a specificity of 74.4% when the cut-off value was 171.0 ng/mL.ConclusionssNGAL concentration is positively correlated with the serverity of CAP. It can be regarded as a reliable indicator for diagnosis of SCAP in patients with CAP.
Objective To explore the thromboembolic events and mortality in patients with different types of severe pneumonia, and to analyze the related high-risk factors. Methods A total of 161 severe pneumonia patients who admitted in intensive care unit from January 2018 to February 2023 were included in the study. The patients were divided into a COVID-19 group (n=88) and a community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) group (n=73) according to the type of pneumonia, and divided into a thrombosis group and a non-thrombosis group according to the occurrence of thrombosis. The patients were followed-up until discharge or in-hospital death, registering the occurrence of thrombotic events. Results During the in-hospital stay, 32.9% of CAP and 36.4% of COVID-19 patients experienced thrombotic events (P>0.05). In CAP group all the events (including 24 paitents) were venous thromboses, while in COVID-19 group 31 patients were venous and 3 were arterial thromboses (2 were cerebral infarction, and 1 with myocardial infarction). There were statistically significant difference in gender, age, venous thromboembolism score (VTE score), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and procalcitonin (PCT) between the TE group and the Non-TE group. Logistic regression analysis showed that thrombotic events was associated with sex, age and APTT; gender (female: OR=2.47, 95%CI 1.13 - 5.39, P<0.05) and age (OR=1.04, 95%CI 1.01 - 1.07, P<0.05) were positively associated with thrombotic events. During the in-hospital follow-up, 44.3% of CAP patients and 42.5% of COVID-19 patients died (P>0.05). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that APACHEⅡ score was more accurate in predicting mortality of severe pneumonia, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.77 (95%CI 0.70 - 0.84, sensitivity 74.3%, specificity 68.1%), the AUC of the VTE score was 0.61 (95%CI 0.53 - 0.70, Sensitivity 31.4%, specificity 81.7%); the AUC of the creatinine was 0.64 (95%CI 0.56 - 0.73, sensitivity 72.9%, specificity 51.2%). While the Kappa value for kidney disease was 0.409 (P<0.05) presenting moderate consistency. Conclusions The incidence of thromboembolic events and mortality are high in patients with different types of severe pneumonia. Thrombophilia was associated with sex, age, and APTT. APACHEⅡ score, VTE score, and creatinine value were independent risk factors for predicting death from severe pneumonia.
Objective
Since the first case of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus infection in humans identified in Suining, Sichuan province on January 25th, 2017, there were other five severely ill patients confirmed in the following 3 weeks. It is urgent to find out the common clinical characters of these patients, so that to make sure the optimal ways for early diagnosis and treatment for H7N9 virus infection in community hospitals or primary hospitals as soon as possible.
Methods
The early symptoms, the data of early laboratory findings, the early imaging study, the early process of diagnosis and treatment of these six patients were collected and analyzed.
Results
All six patients had high fever, dry cough, hypocalcemia, and hypophosphatemia, with advanced CT image lesions manifested as consolidation and ground-grass opacity in bilateral lower lung lobes. Some patients had typically leukopenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia. And most of them had a history of direct exposure to live poultry before complaining of flu-like syndromes. However, the flu can not be effectively controlled by routine anti-infection.
Conclusion
The human infection with H7N9 virus can be early identified by combining the epidemiology of live poultry exposure, the symptoms of high fever, dry cough, dramatical leukopenia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, the typical CT image, and the rapidly worsen clinical condition.
ObjectiveTo discuss the risk factors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with severe pneumonia.MethodsData of 80 patients with severe pneumonia admitted in our ICU were analyzed retrospectively, and they were divided into two groups according to development of ARDS, which was defined according to the Berlin new definition. The age, gender, weight, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health EvaluationⅡscore, lactate, PSI score and LIPS score, etc. were collected. Statistical significance results were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis after univariate analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to analyze the predictive value of the parameter for ARDS after severe pneumonia.ResultsForty patients with severe pneumonia progressed to ARDS, there were 4 moderate cases and 36 severe cases according to diagnostic criteria. Univariate analysis showed that procalcitonin (t=4.08, P<0.001), PSI score (t=10.67, P<0.001), LIPS score (t=5.14, P<0.001), shock (χ2=11.11, P<0.001), albumin level (t=3.34, P=0.001) were related to ARDS. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that LIPS ［odds ratio (OR) 0.226, 95%CI=4.62-5.53, P=0.013］ and PSI (OR=0.854, 95%CI=132.2-145.5, P=0.014) were independent risk factors for ARDS. The predictive value of LIPS and PSI in ARDS occurrence was significant. The area under ROC curve (AUC) of LIPS was 0.901, the cut-off value was 7.2, when LIPS ≥7.2, the sensitivity and specificity were both 85.0%. AUC of PSI was 0.947, the cut-off value was 150.5, when PSI score ≥150.5, the sensitivity and specificity were 87.5% and 90.0% respectively.ConclusionsPSI and LIPS are independent risk factors of ARDS in patients with severe pneumonia, which may be references for guiding clinicians to make an early diagnosis and treatment plan.
Objective
To explore the effect of early rehabilitation treatment on complications and prognosis of elderly patients with sever pneumonia undergoing mechanical ventilation.
Methods
The patients who meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an early rehabilitation group and a control group, with 35 cases in each group. On basis of same routine treatment, the early rehabilitation group was treated with early rehabilitation. The early rehabilitation methods included exercise therapy, electrical stimulation therapy, swallowing therapy, cough training and wheelchair-bed transfer training, etc. The patients received individual training methods according to their conditions. The difference of two groups were observed in the rates of ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW), ventilator-associate pneumonia (VAP), the incidence of delirium, the mechanical ventilation time, ICU-hospital time, total hospital time, 30-day hospital mortality, extubation fail rate and tracheotomy rate.
Results
Compare with the control group, the incidence of ICU-AW (14.28% vs. 37.14%), VAP (8.57% vs. 28.57%), and delirium (40.00% vs. 65.71%) in the early rehabilitation group were significantly reduced (all P<0.05). The duration of delirium [(3.50±1.31) dvs. (6.40±1.47) d], the ventilation time [(6.32±2.19) d vs. (9.40±4.43) d], ICU hospitalization time [(10.80±3.64) d vs. (15.31±3.85) d] and total hospitalization time [(22.52±7.56) d vs. (30.22±11.54) d] of the early rehabilitation group were significantly lower than the control group (all P<0.001). The tracheotomy rate and 30-day hospital mortality of the early rehabilitation group were significantly lower than the control group (25.71%vs. 51.42% and 28.57% vs. 54.28%, both P<0.05). There was no significant difference in extubation fail rate (5.71%vs. 11.42%, P>0.05). In the early rehabilitation group, there were no complications such as pipe prolapse, limb injury or serious arrhythmia.
Conclusion
Early rehabilitation can reduce the incidence of ICU-AW, VAP, delirium in elderly patients with severe pneumonia, help to shorten the mechanical ventilation time, ICU hospitalization time and total hospitalization time, reduce extubation failure rate and tracheotomy rate, so it is safe and effective, and worthy of being popularized and applied.
Objective
To establish a model for prognosis analysis of severe community-acquired pneumonia in order to find the independent risk factors for mortality.
Methods
The data of 88 patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia enrolled from 533 community-acquired pneumonia patients in Fujian Provincial Hospital from April 2012 to December 2015 were analyzed, they were divided into a survival group and a death group according to prognosis. The clinical materials of basic data of the population, clinical manifestation, treatment and prognosis and pulmonary severity indexes were collected. Then univariate analysis was used to screen risk factors of death before logistic multivaritae regression was applied to explore independent risk factors.
Results
The different pathogen groups including viral, bacterial, mixed infection, negative and other groups were compared and no differences were found in mortality (all P>0.05). Univariate analysis revealed antibiotics treatment before admission, higher APACHEⅡ score, higher Chalison's score, septicopyemia, and higher level of procalcitonin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood glucose, lactate could increase death risk for the patients. While antiviral treatment and no invasive mechanical ventilation were determined as protective factors. Logistic multivaritae regression showed three factors including higher lactate and higher serum BUN and higher heart rates were independent death risk factors [OR values were 4.704 (95%CI 0.966-22.907), 1.264 (95%CI 0.994-1.606), and 1.081 (95%CI 1.003-1.165), respectively]. Whereas no invasive mechanical ventilation was protective factor (OR=0.033, 95%CI 0.001-0.764).
Conclusion
The patients with higher lactate and BUN, higher heart rate and accepting invasive mechanical ventilation have poor prognosis.
