Withholding of Life-Sustaining Treatment and Mortality in ICU Patients with Severe Acute COPD Exacerbations: A Retrospective French Cohort.

Background: Data on withholding life-support (WLS) decisions during acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the intensive care unit (ICU) are scarce. This study aimed to identify factors associated with these decisions and their impact on mortality.

Methods: We conducted a monocentric retrospective cohort study on all patients admitted to our ICU between 2015 and 2021 for a severe acute exacerbation of COPD.

Iloprost for the Treatment of Severe Septic Shock with Persistent Hypoperfusion: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Preclinical and preliminary clinical data suggest that iloprost may improve tissue perfusion in septic shock. However, its effect on organ failure remains unclear. To investigate whether iloprost provides organ protection in septic shock with hypoperfusion.

Amoxicillin crystalluria and amoxicillin-induced crystal nephropathy: a narrative review.

Amoxicillin crystalluria (AC) refers to the precipitation of amoxicillin in the urine as amoxicillin trihydrate crystals. Amoxicillin-induced crystal nephropathy (AICN) refers to the obstruction of kidney tubules by amoxicillin trihydrate crystals, resulting in acute kidney injury. Usually considered rare and not serious, AC and AICN would be more frequent in patients receiving high-dose i.

Respiratory Infection Triggering Severe Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Data are scarce on respiratory infections during severe acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to investigate respiratory infection patterns in the intensive care unit (ICU) and identify variables associated with infection type and patient outcome.

Methods: A retrospective, single-centre cohort study.

Immunoadsorption-Based HLA Desensitization in Patients Awaiting Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation: An Interventional, Non-Randomised, Single Cohort Study.

Whether immunoadsorption (IADS) as part of desensitization protocols could facilitate deceased donor kidney transplantation (KT) in highly sensitized (HS) patients remains to be proven. We retrospectively analyzed our IADS based desensitization protocol for deceased donor KTs between 2013 and 2018. Fifteen HS patients (age 52 years [40-56]) were included.

Additional Benefits of Rituximab and Plasma Exchange on Top of Standard Induction Therapy in Kidney Transplant Recipients With a Negative CDC Crossmatch but High Preformed Donor Specific Antibody Titer.

Optimal induction strategy in highly sensitized kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is still a matter of debate. The place of therapies, such as plasma exchange and rituximab, with potential side effects and high cost, is not clearly established. We compared two induction strategies with (intensive) or without (standard) rituximab and plasma exchange in KTRs with high levels of preformed DSA transplanted between 2012 and 2019.

When breast cancer comes to the ICU: outcomes and prognostic factors.

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent neoplasm in women in North American and European countries. Data about intensive care unit (ICU) requirements and the related outcomes are scarce. Furthermore, long-term outcome after ICU discharge has not been described.

Clinical significance of thrombocytopenia in patients with septic shock: An observational retrospective study.

Purpose: Whether thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients accounts for a bystander of severity or drives specific complications is unclear. We addressed the effect of thrombocytopenia on septic shock, with emphasis on intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired bleeding, infections and thrombotic complications.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective (2008-2019) single-center study of patients with septic shock.

A specific molecular signature in SARS-CoV-2-infected kidney biopsies.

Acute kidney injury is one of the most important complications in patients with COVID-19 and is considered a negative prognostic factor with respect to patient survival. The occurrence of direct infection of the kidney by SARS-CoV-2, and its contribution to the renal deterioration process, remain controversial issues. By studying 32 renal biopsies from patients with COVID-19, we verified that the major pathological feature of COVID-19 is acute tubular injury (ATI).

Risk Factors of AKI in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Time-Dependent Competing Risk Analysis on Severe COVID-19 Patients.

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently observed in patients with COVID-19 admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). Observational studies suggest that cardiovascular comorbidities and mechanical ventilation (MV) are the most important risk factors for AKI. However, no studies have investigated the renal impact of longitudinal covariates such as drug treatments, biological variations, and/or MV parameters.

Trends in clinical characteristics and outcomes of all critically ill COVID-19 adult patients hospitalized in France between March 2020 and June 2021: a national database study.

Introduction: Studies regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were mainly performed in the initial wave, but some small-scale data points to prognostic differences for patients in successive waves. We therefore aimed to study the impact of time on prognosis of ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients.

Method: We performed a national retrospective cohort study, including all adult patients hospitalized in French ICUs from March 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, and identified three surge periods.

Assessment of Functional and Nutritional Status and Skeletal Muscle Mass for the Prognosis of Critically Ill Solid Cancer Patients.

Simple and accessible prognostic factors are paramount for solid cancer patients experiencing life-threatening complications. The aim of this study is to appraise the impact of functional and nutritional status and skeletal muscle mass in this population. We conducted a retrospective (2007−2020) single-center study by enrolling adult patients with solid cancers requiring unplanned ICU admission.

Nephrosclerosis in young patients with malignant hypertension.

Background: Nephrosclerosis is one of the histopathological consequences of severe or malignant hypertension (MH), some of the pathophysiology of which has been extrapolated from essential polygenetic arterial hypertension. Despite our recent description of unsuspected ciliopathies with MH, causes of MH in young patients with severe renal impairment are poorly understood.

Methods: To refine and better describe the MH phenotype, we studied clinical and prognostic factors in young patients receiving a kidney biopsy following their first episode of MH.

Use of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen and risk factors for high-flow nasal cannula oxygen failure in critically-ill patients with COVID-19.

Background: High-flow nasal oxygen therapy (HFNC) may be an attractive first-line ventilatory support in COVID-19 patients. However, HNFC use for the management of COVID-19 patients and risk factors for HFNC failure remain to be determined.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we included all consecutive COVID-19 patients admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) in the first (Mars-May 2020) and second (August 2020- February 202) French pandemic waves.

Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura prognosis is affected by blood pressure.

Background: The prevalence, prognostic role, and diagnostic value of blood pressure in immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) and other thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) remain unclear.

Methods: Using a national cohort of iTTP ( = 368), Shigatoxin-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome ( = 86), atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome ( = 84), and hypertension-related thrombotic microangiopathy ( = 25), we sought to compare the cohort's blood pressure profile to assess its impact on prognosis and diagnostic performances.

Results: Patients with iTTP had lower blood pressure than patients with other TMAs, systolic (130 [interquartile range (IQR) 118-143] vs 161 [IQR 142-180] mmHg) and diastolic (76 [IQR 69-83] vs 92 [IQR 79-105] mmHg, both  < 0.

: A Mini-Review of Acute Kidney Injury Related to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Critically Ill Patients.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most frequent causes of organ failure encountered in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Because of its predisposition to occur in the most critically ill patients, it is not surprising to observe a high frequency of AKI in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, few studies have been carried out to assess the epidemiology of AKI in subgroups of ARDS patients using recommended KDIGO criteria.

Outcomes of Patients With Active Cancer and COVID-19 in the Intensive-Care Unit: A Multicenter Ambispective Study.

Background: Several studies report an increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients. However, data in the intensive care unit (ICU) are scarce.

Research Question: We aimed to investigate the association between active cancer and mortality among patients requiring organ support in the ICU.

Mitral valve repair is better than mitral valve replacement in native mitral valve endocarditis: Results from a prospective matched cohort.

Background: In native mitral valve infective endocarditis (NMIE), the respective values of mitral valve repair (MVRep) and replacement (MVR) are still debated.

Aim: To compare MVRep and MVR in a large prospective matched cohort.

Methods: Between 2010 and 2017, all consecutive patients operated on for NMIE in our centre were included prospectively.