Our results suggest that oral sildenafil is a safe and effective alternate for persistent pulmonary hypertension following congenital heart surgery in children.

BackgroundThe neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is gaining interest as an independent predictor of survival in patients with various clinical conditions. No study to date has reported an association between inflammation-based prognostic scores, including the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), NLR, platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and Prognostic Index (PI), and mortality in patients with gastrointestinal perforation (GIP). We compared the prognostic value of these measures.FindingsA total of 32 patients with GIP were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were assessed according to the GPS, NLR, PLR, PI, and PNI. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify variables associated with mortality. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were also performed. Overall survival rates (in-hospital mortality) were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and differences in survival rates between groups were compared by the log-rank test. Multivariate analysis of significant variables revealed NLR (HR 1.257, 95% CI 1.035–1.527, P = 0.021) and PLR (HR 1.004, 95% CI 1.001–1.007, P = 0.016) at the time of admission to the intensive care unit to be independently associated with in-hospital mortality. AUC analysis revealed Sequential Organ Failure Assessment-Glasgow Coma Scale (SOFA-GCS) (0.73) to be superior to NLR (0.57) and PLR (0.58) for predicting mortality, and a high SOFA-GCS score was associated with reduced overall survival (P < 0.05).ConclusionsNLR and PLR were superior to other inflammation-based prognostic scores in predicting the mortality of patients with GIP.

Background: Sepsis remains a major cause of mortality in critically ill patients. This study aimed to determine whether presepsin is a predictor of septic acute kidney injury (AKI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and shock. Methods: A total of 83 adult patients diagnosed with sepsis were prospectively examined. Presepsin values were measured immediately after intensive care unit (ICU) admission and on Days 2, 3, and 5 after ICU admission. Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, Prognostic Index, and Prognostic Nutritional Index were also examined at baseline. For category classification, total scores were calculated (hereafter, ''inflammation-presepsin scores [iPS]'') as follows: a score of 1 was assigned if the presepsin value and inflammation-based prognostic scores at baseline were above cutoffs determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for 28-day mortality; a score of 0 was assigned if they were below the cutoffs (total score range, 0-2 points). Presepsin values, inflammation-based prognostic scores, and iPS were compared between patients with septic AKI, ARDS, DIC, or shock and those without these disorders. Results: ROC curve analyses identified the following variables as predictors: presepsin on Days 1 and 2 for septic AKI; presepsin on Days 1 to 3; and iPS-GPS for septic ARDS; and presepsin on Day 2 and Dpresepsin (Day 2-Day 1) for septic DIC. Multivariate analysis revealed presepsin on Day 2 to be a predictor of septic DIC. Conclusion: Presepsin is a predictor of septic AKI, ARDS, and DIC. Combining presepsin values with GPS improved the specificity for predicting septic ARDS relative to using baseline presepsin values alone.

Background Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) rarely causes lower respiratory tract infections, although most reported cases of B. cereus pneumonia are fatal despite intensive antibiotic therapy. We present a case of B. cereus pneumonia in an immunocompetent patient.Case presentationAn 81-year-old woman was transferred from a district general hospital to our hospital for treatment of congestive heart failure. The patient presented with a nonproductive cough, dyspnea, edema in both lower extremities, orthopnea, fever, and occult blood in the stool. A chest radiograph indicated bilateral pleural effusion and pulmonary congestion. After diuretic therapy and chest drainage, bilateral pleural effusion and pulmonary congestion improved. On day 2, she experienced severe respiratory distress. B. cereus was isolated from two blood sample cultures. On day 4, her condition had progressed to severe respiratory distress (PaO2/FiO2 ratio = 108). A chest radiograph and computed tomography indicated extensive bilateral infiltrates. She was transferred to the intensive care unit and was intubated. B. cereus was also isolated from five blood sample cultures at that time. After isolating B. cereus, we switched antibiotics to a combination of imipenem and levofloxacin, which were effective. She had no history of immunodeficiency, surgery, ill close contacts, risk factors for HIV or tuberculosis, recent central venous catheter insertion, or anthrax vaccination. She improved and was discharged from the intensive care unit after several days.ConclusionThis is a rare case of B. cereus pneumonia in an immunocompetent patient, who subsequently recovered. Bacillus should be considered as a potential pathogen when immunocompetent patients develop severe pneumonia.

Background Sepsis is the most common cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) among critically ill patients. This study aimed to determine whether presepsin is a predictor of septic acute kidney injury, renal replacement therapy initiation (RRTi) in sepsis patients, and prognosis in septic AKI patients. Methods Presepsin values were measured immediately after ICU admission (baseline) and on Days 2, 3, and 5 after ICU admission. Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio, Prognostic Index, and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) were measured at baseline, and total scores (“inflammation-presepsin scores [iPS]”) were calculated for category classification. Presepsin values, inflammation-based prognostic scores, and iPS were compared between patients with and without septic AKI or RRTi and between survivors and non-survivors. Results Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses identified the following variables as predictors of septic AKI and RRTi in sepsis patients: presepsin on Day 1 (AUC: 0.73) and Day 2 (AUC: 0.71) for septic AKI, and presepsin on Day 1 (AUC: 0.71), Day 2 (AUC: 0.9), and Day 5 (AUC: 0.96), Δpresepsin (Day 2 – Day 1) (AUC: 0.84), Δpresepsin (Day 5 – Day 1) (AUC: 0.93), and PNI (AUC: 0.72) for RRTi. Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified presepsin on Day 2 as a predictor of prognosis in septic AKI patients. Conclusions Presepsin and PNI were found to be predictors of septic AKI, RRTi in sepsis patients, and prognosis in septic AKI patients.