Summary Haemostatic changes in septic patients are complex, with both procoagulant and anticoagulant changes. Thirty‐eight patients with severe sepsis and 32 controls were investigated by coagulation screens, individual factor assays, calibrated automated thrombography (CAT), whole blood low‐dose‐tissue factor activated (LD‐TFA) Rotem and LD‐TFA waveform analysis. Thirty‐six of 38 patients had an abnormal coagulation screen. The mean levels of factors II, V (P < 0·05), VII, X, XI and XII, antithrombin and protein C (P < 0·01) was decreased in sepsis compared with controls. The mean factor VIII and fibrinogen level (P < 0·001) was increased. CAT in platelet rich and poor plasma showed a prolonged lag time (P < 0·02), decreased peak thrombin (P < 0·02) and delayed time to peak thrombin (P < 0·001) in sepsis patients, however, the endogenous thrombin potential was equivalent in sepsis and controls. In LD‐TFA Rotem, septic patients had delayed clot times (P = 0·04) but an increased maximum velocity of clot formation (P < 0·01) and area under the clot elasticity curve (P < 0·01). LD‐TFA waveform analysis showed a delayed onset time but an increased rate of clot formation (P < 0·005). In conclusion, global tests of haemostasis suggest that in this patient group, activation of haemostasis is delayed but once initiated thrombin generation and clot formation are normal or enhanced.

No abstract

Activation of haemostasis in sepsis may lead to microvascular thrombosis and progression to multiorgan failure (MOF). Almost all critically ill patients with sepsis have abnormal coagulation screens but these are unlikely to adequately represent the state of a patient’s haemostatic system and global assays may be more useful. Normal controls (n=32) and critically ill patients with sepsis (n=39) were recruited. Coagulation factors, antithrombin (AT) and protein C (PC) were measured. Thrombin generation was measured using the calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT) in platelet rich (PRP) and poor (PPP) plasma. Low dose tissue factor (6pM) activated whole blood Rotem® was measured and the first derivative of the trace gave a velocity of clot firmness. Haemostatic changes in sepsis compared to normal controls Controls Controls mean (SD) Sepsis mean (SD) P Apparent effect of change PT (s) 11.7 (0.5) 19.7 (5.9) 0.001 Anticoagulant aPTT (s) 27 (3.4) 44.1 (18.2) 0.001 Anticoagulant Fibrinogen g/l 2.8 (0.57) 5.3 (2.1) 0.001 Prothrombotic FII IU/dl 100 (12.1) 64 (32.2) 0.001 Anticoagulant FV IU/dl 116 (22.9) 96 (55.2) 0.03 Anticoagulant FVII IU/dl 130 (31.1) 58 (33.5) 0.001 Anticoagulant FVIII IU/dl 107 (31.5) 242 (96) 0.001 Prothrombotic FIX IU/dl 101 (16.5) 112 (51.3) NS Neutral FX IU/dl 123 (16.6) 75 (42.1) 0.001 Anticoagulant FXI IU/dl 116 (15.7) 80 (41) 0.001 Anticoagulant FXII IU/dl 125 (27.8) 56 (29.4) 0.001 Neutral PC % 127 (20) 66 (37) 0.001 Prothrombotic AT IU/dl 103 (8) 64 (29) 0.001 Prothrombotic CAT in PRP Lag time (min) 17 (8) 30 (23) 0.02 Delayed ETP (nM.min) 1395 (488) 1270 (573) NS Neutral Peak thrombin (nM) 76 (40) 55 (31) 0.02 Anticoagulant Time to peak (min) 32 (12) 50 (29) 0.001 Delayed CAT in PPP Lag time (min) 2.4 (0.9) 5.1 (5.4) 0.001 Delayed ETP (nM.min) 1681 (281) 1645 (442) NS Neutral Peak thrombin (nM) 454 (100) 343 (146) 0.001 Anticoagulant Time to peak (min) 4.2 (1.2) 6.8 (6.6) 0.001 Delayed Low dose tissue factor Rotem Clot time (s) 818 (271) 1170 (766) 0.04 Delayed Alpha angle (°) 51 (12) 67 (17) 0.005 Prothrombotic MCF (mm) 51 (12) 67 (17) 0.001 Prothrombotic Max vel (mm/s) 6.5 (3.0) 10.9 (7.4) 0.005 Prothrombotic Time to Vmax (s) 1040 (334) 1079 (650) NS Neutral AUC 51 (12) 62 (24) 0.001 Prothrombotic The results show that despite decreased levels of factors II, V, VII, XI and XII (correlation with decreased albumin, P<0.01, suggesting synthetic dysfunction as well as consumption); global measures of haemostasis show delayed but preserved or enhanced overall thrombin generation and clot formation. We hypothesise that the raised FVIII and normal FIX offset the decreased levels of other factors to maintain total thrombin generation which is delayed due to slowed formation of sufficient initial thrombin to activate FV, VIII and XI and stimulate expression of platelet phospholipids. Raised fibrinogen (correlation with CRP, P<0.001), important in the whole blood Rotem-based method, contributes to the prothrombotic state. The global assays are not sensitive to AT and PC and may underestimate the prothrombotic state. These data suggest that haemostatic changes in sepsis are predominantly prothrombotic and may be important in microvascular thrombosis and progression MOF.

Introduction Community-acquired pneumonia remains a common condition worldwide. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate conditions that could predict a poor outcome. Design Retrospective analyse of 69 patients admitted to the ICU from 1996 to 2003. Demographic data included age, sex and medical history. Etiologic agents, multiorgan dysfunction, nosocomial infections, SAPS II and PORT scores were recorded for each patient. For statistical analysis we used a t test, chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test on SPSS ® . A value of P less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results Forty-seven patients were male and 22 patients were female. Mean age was 52 years. Sixty-seven percent had serious pre-morbid conditions including pulmonary disease (34.8%), cardiac problems (36.2%), diabetes (13%) and chronic liver disease (5.8%); 40.6% were smokers, drug abusers or alcohol dependents. Sixtyeight patients required invasive mechanical ventilation. The average length of ventilation was 13.5 days, median 8 days. The mean SAPS II score was 40.14 and the mean PORT score was 141. The mortality rate was 27.5% (SAPS II estimated mortality, 35%). Complications reported were ARDS (40.6%), septic shock (34.8%), acute renal failure (2.9%), cardiac arrest (8.7%) and nosocomial infeccions (46.4%). Mortality rates were higher for previous hepatic (75%) and metabolic (33%) diseases. We found a close association between crude mortality and SAPS II score (P = 0.003) and development of complications (P = 0.0028). Respiratory dysfunction (P = 0.006) and septic shock (P = 0.022) were most significantly related to mortality. No significant differences were founded regarding age, comorbidities, PORT score, etiologic agents, nosocomial infections and length of invasive mechanical ventilation. Conclusions Previous hepatic chronic disease was strictly related to higher mortality as well as isolation of MRSA. ARDS and septic shock predicted a poor outcome. SAPS II score was the best severity indicator of mortality. Objective It is known that the closed tracheal suction system (CTSS) produces less hemodynamic and gasometric deterioration than an open tracheal suction system (OTSS). Use is limited because no decrease in the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) was found and also because it is more expensive. But, is daily periodic change of the CTSS necessary? The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of VAP using a CTSS without periodic change versus an OTSS. Methods It is a prospective study of ICU patients from 1 January 2004 to 31 October 2004. Patients who required mechanical ventilation (MV) were randomized into two groups: one group was suctioned with CTSS without periodic change and another group with OTSS. An aspirate tracheal swab and a throat swab on admission and afterwards twice weekly were taken. VAP was classified based on throat flora in endogenous and exogenous samples. The statistical analysis was performed by chi-square test and Student's t test, and w...