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Dear editor, The role of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) in the management of severe hypoxia due to coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is a subject of debate. Tavazzi G, Marco P, Mongodi S, Dammassa V, Romito G, Mojoli F. Inhaled nitric oxide in patients admitted to intensive care unit with COVID-19 pneumonia. Tavazzi G, Marco P, Mongodi S, Dammassa V, Romito G, Mojoli F. Inhaled nitric oxide in patients admitted to intensive care unit with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Hip fracture (HF) remains a main issue in the elderly patient. About 1.6 million patients a year worldwide are victims of a HF. Their incidence is expected to rise with the aging of the world’s population. Identifying risk factors is mandatory in order to reduce mortality and morbidity. The aim of the study was to identify risk factors of 1-year mortality after HF surgery. We performed an observational, prospective, single-center study at Amiens University Hospital (Amiens, France). After ethical approval, we consecutively included all patients with a HF who underwent surgery between June 2016 and June 2017. Perioperative data were collected from medical charts and by interviews. Mortality rate at 12 months was recorded. Univariate analysis was performed and mortality risk factors were investigated using a Cox model. 309 patients were analyzed during this follow-up. Mortality at 1 year was 23.9%. Time to surgery over 48 hours involved 181 patients (58.6%) while 128 patients (41.4%) had surgery within the 48 hours following the hospital admission. Independent factors associated with 1-year mortality were: age (HR at 1.059 (95%CI [1.005–1.116], p = 0,032), Lee score ≥ 3 (HR at 1,52 (95% CI [1,052–2,198], p = 0.026) and time to surgery over 48 hours (HR of 1.057 (95% CI [1.007–1.108], p = 0.024). Age, delayed surgical (over 48 hours) management and medical history are important risk factors of 1-year mortality in this French cohort

At this time, if the alveolar injury overcomes the vascular one, the presentation may be a typical ARDS and patients may still require the classic ARDS treatments including the ARDS recommended lung protective strategy. [...]we consider it more useful and truthfully to add AVDS to ARDS rather than to abandon a concept that has proved useful and still keeps all its sense. Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Minnesota and Regions Hospital, St. Paul Minnesota, USA J. J. Marini 2. Department of Anesthesiology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch Straße 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany L. Gattinoni To the Editor, We appreciate the thoughtful letter of Mahjoub and colleagues, whose perspective, while somewhat differently expressed, is quite compatible with ours.

Introduction We have almost no information concerning the value of inferior vena cava (IVC) respiratory variations in spontaneously breathing ICU patients (SBP) to predict fluid responsiveness. Methods SBP with clinical fluid need were included prospectively in the study. Echocardiography and Doppler ultrasound were used to record the aortic velocity-time integral (VTI), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO) and IVC collapsibility index (cIVC) ((maximum diameter (IVCmax)– minimum diameter (IVCmin))/ IVCmax) at baseline, after a passive leg-raising maneuver (PLR) and after 500 ml of saline infusion. Results Fifty-nine patients (30 males and 29 females; 57 ± 18 years-old) were included in the study. Of these, 29 (49 %) were considered to be responders (≥10 % increase in CO after fluid infusion). There were no significant differences between responders and nonresponders at baseline, except for a higher aortic VTI in nonresponders (16 cm vs. 19 cm, p = 0.03). Responders had a lower baseline IVCmin than nonresponders (11 ± 5 mm vs. 14 ± 5 mm, p = 0.04) and more marked IVC variations (cIVC: 35 ± 16 vs. 27 ± 10 %, p = 0.04). Prediction of fluid-responsiveness using cIVC and IVCmax was low (area under the curve for cIVC at baseline 0.62 ± 0.07; 95 %, CI 0.49-0.74 and for IVCmax at baseline 0.62 ± 0.07; 95 % CI 0.49-0.75). In contrast, IVC respiratory variations >42 % in SBP demonstrated a high specificity (97 %) and a positive predictive value (90 %) to predict an increase in CO after fluid infusion. Conclusions In SBP with suspected hypovolemia, vena cava size and respiratory variability do not predict fluid responsiveness. In contrast, a cIVC >42 % may predict an increase in CO after fluid infusion.

IntroductionFluid overload (FO) is a common complication following cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Loop diuretics, particularly furosemide, are widely used to promote sodium and water excretion, but their postoperative use remains largely empirical. International guidelines recommend early assessment of diuretic response using spot urinary sodium concentration, traditionally measured by automated laboratory analysers. Recent advances now enable bedside measurement of natriuresis using point-of-care (POC) urinary sodium sensors. This trial aims to determine whether real-time bedside natriuresis monitoring using a POC device can guide safer and more effective diuretic strategies in the postoperative management of FO.Materials and methodsThe EASY-CS trial is a prospective, single-centre, open-label, randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate whether a natriuresis-guided furosemide titration protocol improves diuresis within 48 hours following cardiac surgery with CPB. A total of 102 adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB and requiring postoperative intravenous (IV) furosemide for FO will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either standard care (n=51; furosemide titration based on clinical judgement) or a natriuresis-guided arm (n=51), in which furosemide dosing is adjusted according to urinary sodium concentration. All patients will receive an initial 20 mg dose of IV furosemide. In the intervention group, urinary sodium will be measured every 6 hours using a POC sodium sensor (LAQUAtwin Na+ metre, Horiba, Japan). If the spot urinary sodium is <70 mmol/L, the furosemide dose will be doubled at the next administration, up to a maximum of 200 mg per bolus. The primary endpoint is cumulative urine output at 48 hours post-randomisation.Secondary outcomes include urinary sodium concentration and urine output at 24 hours, natriuresis at 48 hours, and the venous excess ultrasound score at 48 hours, as determined by transthoracic echocardiography. The study will also assess total loop diuretic dose administered, cumulative fluid balance over 48 hours and the incidence of postoperative complications at day 30, including cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and gastrointestinal events. Safety endpoints include the presence of hypotension, hypokalaemia or acute kidney injury before each diuretic administration. Randomisation will be stratified by EuroSCORE II (<4% vs ≥4%) and baseline serum creatinine (<100 vs≥100 µmol/L). Recruitment has not yet started.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Amiens University hospital (IRB-ID: 2025-A00925-44). The study’s results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT07077772.

Objective To describe current use and diagnostic and therapeutic impacts of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the intensive care unit (ICU). Background POCUS is of growing importance in the ICU. Several guidelines recommend its use for procedural guidance and diagnostic assessment. Nevertheless, its current use and clinical impact remain unknown. Methods Prospective multicentric study in 142 ICUs in France, Belgium, and Switzerland. All the POCUS procedures performed during a 24-h period were prospectively analyzed. Data regarding patient condition and the POCUS procedures were collected. Factors associated with diagnostic and therapeutic impacts were identified. Results Among 1954 patients hospitalized during the study period, 1073 (55 %) POCUS/day were performed in 709 (36 %) patients. POCUS served for diagnostic assessment in 932 (87 %) cases and procedural guidance in 141 (13 %) cases. Transthoracic echocardiography, lung ultrasound, and transcranial Doppler accounted for 51, 17, and 16 % of procedures, respectively. Diagnostic and therapeutic impacts of diagnostic POCUS examinations were 84 and 69 %, respectively. Ultrasound guidance was used in 54 and 15 % of cases for central venous line and arterial catheter placement, respectively. Hemodynamic instability, emergency conditions, transthoracic echocardiography, and ultrasounds performed by certified intensivists themselves were independent factors affecting diagnostic or therapeutic impacts. Conclusions With regard to guidelines, POCUS utilization for procedural guidance remains insufficient. In contrast, POCUS for diagnostic assessment is of extensive use. Its impact on both diagnosis and treatment of ICU patients seems critical. This study identified factors associated with an improved clinical value of POCUS.

Background The mortality rate for a patient with a refractory cardiogenic shock on venoarterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) remains high, and hyperoxia might worsen this prognosis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between hyperoxia and 28-day mortality in this setting. Methods We conducted a retrospective bicenter study in two French academic centers. The study population comprised adult patients admitted for refractory cardiogenic shock. The following arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2 ) variables were recorded for 48 h following admission: the absolute peak PaO 2 (the single highest value measured during the 48 h), the mean daily peak PaO 2 (the mean of each day’s peak values), the overall mean PaO 2 (the mean of all values over 48 h), and the severity of hyperoxia (mild: PaO 2  < 200 mmHg, moderate: PaO 2  = 200–299 mmHg, severe: PaO 2  ≥ 300 mmHg). The main outcome was the 28-day all-cause mortality. Inverse probability weighting (IPW) derived from propensity scores was used to reduce imbalances in baseline characteristics. Results From January 2013 to January 2020, 430 patients were included and assessed. The 28-day mortality rate was 43%. The mean daily peak, absolute peak, and overall mean PaO 2 values were significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the mean daily peak PaO 2 , absolute peak PaO 2 , and overall mean PaO 2 were independent predictors of 28-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval per 10 mmHg increment: 2.65 [1.79–6.07], 2.36 [1.67–4.82], and 2.85 [1.12–7.37], respectively). After IPW, high level of oxygen remained significantly associated with 28-day mortality (OR = 1.41 [1.01–2.08]; P  = 0.041). Conclusions High oxygen levels were associated with 28-day mortality in patients on VA-ECMO support for refractory cardiogenic shock. Our results confirm the need for large randomized controlled trials on this topic.