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Cardiac amyloidosis is defined by extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins in the heart. The most frequent cases of cardiac amyloidosis are caused by transthyretin and light chain amyloidosis. This condition is underdiagnosed, and its incidence has been continuously rising in recent studies because of the aging of the population and the development of noninvasive multimodal diagnostic tools. Amyloid infiltration affects all cardiac tunics and causes heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, aortic stenosis, arrythmia, and conductive disorder. Innovative, specific therapeutic approaches have demonstrated an improvement in affected organs and the global survival of patients. This condition is no longer considered rare and incurable. Thus, better knowledge of the disease is mandatory. This review will provide a digest of the clinical signs and symptoms of cardiac amyloidosis, the diagnostic tools used to confirm the diagnosis, and current symptomatic and etiopathogenic management considerations according to guidelines and recommendations.

Background Little is known on the outcome and risk factors for mortality of patients admitted in Intensive Care units (ICUs) for Acute cholangitis (AC). Methods Retrospective multicenter study included adults admitted in eleven intensive care units for a proven AC from 2005 to 2018. Risk factors for in-hospital mortality were identified using multivariate analysis. Results Overall, 382 patients were included, in-hospital mortality was 29%. SOFA score at admission was 8 [5–11]. Biliary obstruction was mainly related to gallstone (53%) and cancer (22%). Median total bilirubin and PCT were respectively 83 µmol/L [50–147] and 19.1 µg/L [5.3–54.8]. Sixty-three percent of patients ( n   = 252) had positive blood culture, mainly Gram-negative bacilli (86%) and 14% produced extended spectrum beta lactamase bacteria. At ICU admission, persisting obstruction was frequent (79%) and biliary decompression was performed using therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (76%) and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (21%). Adjusted mortality significantly decreased overtime, adjusted OR for mortality per year was 0.72 [0.54–0.96] ( p  = 0.02). In a multivariate analysis, factors at admission associated with in-hospital mortality were: SOFA score (OR 1.14 [95% CI 1.05–1.24] by point, p  = 0.001), lactate (OR 1.21 [95% CI 1.08–1.36], by 1 mmol/L, p  < 0.001), total serum bilirubin (OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.12–1.41], by 50 μmol/L, p  < 0.001), obstruction non-related to gallstones ( p  < 0.05) and AC complications (OR 2.74 [95% CI 1.45–5.17], p  = 0.002). Time between ICU admission and biliary decompression > 48 h was associated with in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 2.73 [95% CI 1.30–6.22], p  = 0.02). Conclusions In this large retrospective multicenter study, we found that AC-associated mortality significantly decreased overtime. Severity of organ failure, cause of obstruction and local complications of AC are risk factors for mortality, as well as delayed biliary drainage > 48 h.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide. A clinical series of Kawasaki-like multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS), occurring after SARS-CoV-2 infection, have been described in children (MIS-C) and adults (MIS-A), but the pathophysiology remains unknown. We describe a case of post-COVID-19 MIS-A in a 46-year-old man with biopsy-proven renal thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Specific complement inhibition with eculizumab was initiated promptly and led to a dramatic improvement of renal function. Our case suggests that that TMA could play a central role in the pathophysiology of post-COVID-19 MIS-A, making complement blockers an interesting therapeutic option.

Background Hypoxia is common during daily nursing procedures (DNPs) routinely performed on mechanically ventilated patients. The impact of automated ventilation on the incidence and severity of blood oxygen desaturation during DNPs remains unknown. Methods A prospective randomized controlled crossover trial was carried out in a French intensive care unit to compare blood oxygen pulse saturation (SpO 2 ) during DNPs performed on patients mechanically ventilated in automated and conventional ventilation modes (AV and CV, respectively). All patients with FiO 2  ≤ 60% and without prone positioning or neuromuscular blocking agents were included. Patients underwent two DNPs on the same day using AV (INTELLiVENT-ASV®) and CV (volume control, biphasic positive airway pressure, or pressure support ventilation) in a randomized order. The primary outcome was the percentage of time spent with SpO 2 in the acceptable range of 90–95% during the DNP. Results Of the 265 included patients, 93% had been admitted for a medical pathology, the majority for acute respiratory failure (52%). There was no difference between the two periods in terms of DNP duration, sedation requirements, or ventilation parameters, but patients had more spontaneous breaths and lower peak airway pressures during the AV period ( p  <  0.001). The percentage of time spent with SpO 2 in the acceptable range during DNPs was longer in the AV period than in the CV period (48 ± 37 vs. 43 ± 37, percentage of DNP period; p  = 0.03). After adjustment, AV was associated with a higher number of DNPs carried out with SpO 2 in the acceptable range (odds ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.28 to 2.6; p  = 0.001) and a lower incidence of blood oxygen desaturation ≤ 85% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.85; p  = 0.01). Conclusion AV appears to reduce the incidence and severity of blood oxygen desaturation during daily nursing procedures (DNPs) in comparison to CV. Trial registration This study was registered in clinical-trial.gov ( NCT03176329 ) in June 2017. Graphical abstract

Introduction: Aim of this study is to analyse the characteristics of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) inpatients infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, including coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who developed VAP from March to May 2020 (VAP COVID-19). They were compared to non-COVID-19 patients who developed VAP from January 2011 to December 2019 (VAP NO COVID-19) and COVID-19 patients who did not develop VAP (NO VAP COVID-19). Results: Overall, 42 patients were included in the VAP COVID-19group, 37 in the NO VAP COVID-19 group, and 188 in the VAP NO COVID-19 group. VAP COVID-19 had significantly higher rates of shock (71% vs. 48%, p = 0.009), death in ICU (52% vs. 30%, p = 0.011), VAP recurrence (28% vs. 4%, p < 0.0001), positive blood culture (26% vs. 13%, p = 0.038), and polymicrobial culture (28% vs. 13%, p = 0.011) than VAP NO COVID-19. At the multivariate analysis, death in patients with VAP was associated with shock (p = 0.032) and SARS-CoV-2 (p = 0.008) infection. Conclusions: VAP in COVID-19 patients is associated with shock, bloodstream, and polymicrobial infections.

Fast and reliable assays to precisely define the nature of the infectious agents causing sepsis are eagerly anticipated. New molecular biology techniques are now available to define the presence of bacterial or fungal DNA within the bloodstream of sepsis patients. We have used a new technique (VYOO®) that allows the enrichment of microbial DNA before a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for pathogen detection provided by SIRS-Lab (Jena, Germany). We analyzed 72 sepsis patients and 14 non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) patients. Among the sepsis patients, 20 had a positive blood culture and 35 had a positive microbiology in other biological samples. Of these, 51.4% were positive using the VYOO® test. Among the sepsis patients with a negative microbiology and the non-infectious SIRS, 29.4% and 14.2% were positive with the VYOO® test, respectively. The concordance in bacterial identification between microbiology and the VYOO® test was 46.2%. This study demonstrates that these new technologies offer great hopes, but improvements are still needed.

To investigate the factors associated with isolates in intensive care unit (ICU) before and after an antimicrobial stewardship program. Monocentric retrospective cohort study. Patients admitted to the ICU in 2007-2014 were included. Characteristics of patients were compared to overall ICU population. Clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients before (2007-2010) and after (2011-2014) the beginning of the AMP were compared. Overall, 5,263 patients were admitted to the ICU, 274/5,263 (5%) had a isolate during their staying. In 2011-2014, the percentage isolates reduced (7% vs 4%, ≤ .0001). Patients with had higher rates of in-hospital death (43% 20%, < .0001) than overall ICU population. In 2011-2014, rates of multidrug-resistant (11% 2%, = .0020), fluoroquinolone-resistant (35% vs 12%, < .0001), and ceftazidime-resistant (23% vs 8%, = .0009) reduced. Treatments by fluoroquinolones (36% vs 4%, ≤ .0001), carbapenems (27% vs 9%, = .0002), and third-generation cephalosporins (49% vs 12 , ≤ .0001) before isolation reduced while piperacillin (0% vs 13%, < .0001) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (8% vs 26%, = .0023) increased. Endotracheal intubation reduced in 2011-2014 (61% vs 35%, < .0001). Fluoroquinolone-resistance was higher in patients who received endotracheal intubation (29% vs 17%, = .0197). Previous treatment by fluoroquinolones (OR = 2.94, = .0020) and study period (2007-2010) (OR = 2.07, = .0462) were the factors associated with fluoroquinolone-resistance at the multivariate analysis. Antibiotic susceptibility in isolates was restored after the reduction of endotracheal intubation, fluoroquinolones, carbapenems, and third-generation cephalosporins and the increased use of molecules with a low ecological footprint, as piperacillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

To compare the efficacy and safety of adjusted-dose unfractionated heparin with that of regional citrate anticoagulation in intensive care patients treated by continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). Prospective, randomized, clinical trial in a 32-bed medical and surgical ICU in a university teaching hospital. ICU patients with acute renal failure requiring continuous renal replacement therapy, without cirrhosis, severe coagulopathy, or known sensitivity to heparin. Before the first CVVH run patients were randomized to receive anticoagulation with heparin or trisodium citrate. Patients eligible for another CVVH run received the other study medication in a cross-over fashion until the fourth circuit. Forty-nine circuits (hemofilters) were analyzed: 23 with heparin and 26 with citrate. The median lifetime of hemofilters was 70 h (interquartile range 44-140) with citrate anticoagulation and 40 h (17-48) with heparin (p=0.0007). One major bleeding occurred during heparin anticoagulation and one metabolic alkalosis (pH=7.60) was noted with citrate after a protocol violation. Transfusion rates (units of red cells per day of CVVH) were, respectively, 0.2 (0.0-0.4) with citrate and 1.0 (0.0-2.0) with heparin (p=0.0008). Regional citrate anticoagulation seems superior to heparin for the filter lifetime and transfusion requirements in ICU patients treated by continuous renal replacement therapy.

Introduction. The risk of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) bacterial acquisition in patients with β-lactam allergy has been poorly investigated. In a previous study conducted over a 6-year long period (2007-2012), we found that patients with declared β-lactam allergy had a higher risk of ESBL bacterial carriage at admission in intensive care unit (ICU), but they had not a higher risk of ESBL bacterial acquisition. We present the final results of the study which was eventually conducted over a 12-year long period (2007-2018). Materials and Methods. The study included all patients admitted in ICU and receiving antibiotic treatment from January 2007 to December 2018. ESBL bacterial acquisition was the main clinical outcome. Mortality in ICU, multidrug resistant bacterial carriage at admission and discharge were the secondary outcomes. Results. Overall, 3332 patients were included, 132/3332 (3.9%) were labelled β-lactam allergic, while 3200/3332 (96.1%) did not presented β-lactam allergy. No significant difference in rates of ESBL acquisition was detected (4/132, 3% vs. 78/3200, 2.4%; p=0.17). Patients with β-lactam allergy had higher rates of ESBL bacterial carriage at admission (19/132, 14.4% vs. 248/3200, 7.8%, p=0.01) and at discharge (22/132, 16.7% vs. 351/3200, 11%, p=0.04) than nonallergic patients. No differences in mortality, duration of hospitalization, and carriage of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus were reported. Female gender was the only factor associated with β-lactam allergy at the multivariate analysis. Conclusions. This study confirms that patients with declared β-lactam allergy had not a higher risk of ESBL bacterial acquisition during hospitalization in ICU. However, they had a higher ESBL bacterial carriage at admission.