scholarly journals Pituitary–Adrenal Responses and Glucocorticoid Receptor Expression in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (21) ◽  
pp. 11473
Author(s):  
Dimitra A. Vassiliadi ◽  
Alice G. Vassiliou ◽  
Ioannis Ilias ◽  
Stylianos Tsagarakis ◽  
Anastasia Kotanidou ◽  
...  

The hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis was described as the principal component of the stress response 85 years ago, along with the acute-phase reaction, and the defense response at the tissue level. The orchestration of these processes is essential since systemic inflammation is a double-edged sword; whereas inflammation that is timely and of appropriate magnitude is beneficial, exuberant systemic inflammation incites tissue damage with potentially devastating consequences. Apart from its beneficial cardiovascular and metabolic effects, cortisol exerts a significant immunoregulatory role, a major attribute being that it restrains the excessive inflammatory reaction, thereby preventing unwanted tissue damage. In this review, we will discuss the role of the HPA axis in the normal stress response and in critical illness, especially in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Finally, a chapter will be dedicated to the findings from clinical studies in critical illness and COVID-19 on the expression of the mediator of glucocorticoid actions, the glucocorticoid receptor (GCR).

Author(s):  
Angela N. Vizzini ◽  
Mireille H. Hamdan

Nutritional care of critically ill patients prompts considerations unique to this patient population. For many years it has been postulated that the inflammation and stress response that accompany critical illness contribute to hypermetabolism and increased nutrient requirements. There is a reasonable consensus that nutrition therapy tailored to the patient’s energy and protein requirements aids in recovery, maintains lean muscle mass, and decreases infectious complications. This chapter addresses nutritional issues in critically ill patients and suggests appropriate interventions and monitoring to prevent complications and facilitate recovery from critical illness.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. e13073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice G. Vassiliou ◽  
Georgios Floros ◽  
Edison Jahaj ◽  
Georgios Stamogiannos ◽  
Sofianna Gennimata ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Jonathan E. Sevransky ◽  
William Checkley ◽  
Timothy D. Girard ◽  
Steven M. Pastores ◽  
Sajid Shahul ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 2935
Author(s):  
Jose Bordon ◽  
Ozan Akca ◽  
Stephen Furmanek ◽  
Rodrigo Silva Cavallazzi ◽  
Sally Suliman ◽  
...  

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia is the main cause of the pandemic’s death toll. The assessment of ARDS and time on invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) could enhance the characterization of outcomes and management of this condition. This is a city-wide retrospective study of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia from 5 March 2020 to 30 June 2020. Patients with critical illness were compared with those with non-critical illness. We examined the severity of ARDS and other factors associated with (i) weaning patients off IMV and (ii) mortality in a city-wide study in Louisville, KY. Of 522 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, 219 (41.9%) were critically ill. Among critically ill patients, the median age was 60 years; 53% were male, 55% were White and 32% were African American. Of all critically ill patients, 52% had ARDS, and 38% of these had severe ARDS. Of the 25% of patients who were weaned off IMV, those with severe ARDS were weaned within eleven days versus five days for those without severe ARDS, p = 0.023. The overall mortality for critically ill patients was 22% versus 1% for those not critically ill. Furthermore, the 14-day mortality was 31% for patients with severe ARDS and 12% for patients without severe ARDS, p = 0.019. Patients with severe ARDS versus non-severe ARDS needed twice as long to wean off IMV (eleven versus five days) and had double the 14-day mortality of patients without severe ARDS.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Koch ◽  
Ralf Weiskirchen ◽  
Jan Bruensing ◽  
Hanna Dückers ◽  
Lukas Buendgens ◽  
...  

In systemic inflammation and sepsis, endothelial activation and microvascular dysfunction are characteristic features that promote multiorgan failure. As symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) impacts vascular tension and integrity via modulating nitric oxide (NO) pathways, we investigated circulating SDMA in critical illness and sepsis. 247 critically ill patients (160 with sepsis, 87 without sepsis) were studied prospectively upon admission to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) and on day 7, in comparison to 84 healthy controls. SDMA serum levels were significantly elevated in critically ill patients at admission to ICU compared to controls and remained stably elevated during the first week of ICU treatment. The highest SDMA levels were found in patients with sepsis. SDMA levels closely correlated with disease severity scores, biomarkers of inflammation, and organ failure (renal, hepatic, and circulatory). We identified SDMA serum concentrations at admission as an independent prognostic biomarker in critically ill patients not only for short-term mortality at the ICU but also for unfavourable long-term survival. Thus, the significant increase of circulating SDMA in critically ill patients indicates a potential pathogenic involvement in endothelial dysfunction during sepsis and may be useful for mortality risk stratification at the ICU.


Author(s):  
Wandong Hong ◽  
Qin Chen ◽  
Songzan Qian ◽  
Zarrin Basharat ◽  
Vincent Zimmer ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to investigate the clinical features and laboratory findings of patients with and without critical COVID-19 pneumonia and identify predictors for the critical form of the disease.MethodsDemographic, clinical, and laboratory data of 63 COVID-19 pneumonia patients were retrospectively reviewed. Laboratory parameters were also collected within 3–5 days, 7–9 days, and 11–14 days of hospitalization. Outcomes were followed up until March 12, 2020.ResultsTwenty-two patients developed critically ill pneumonia; one of them died. Upon admission, older patients with critical illness were more likely to report cough and dyspnoea with higher respiration rates and had a greater possibility of abnormal laboratory parameters than patients without critical illness. When compared with the non-critically ill patients, patients with serious illness had a lower discharge rate and longer hospital stays, with a trend towards higher mortality. The interleukin-6 level in patients upon hospital admission was important in predicting disease severity and was associated with the length of hospitalization.ConclusionsMany differences in clinical features and laboratory findings were observed between patients exhibiting non-critically ill and critically ill COVID-19 pneumonia. Non-critically ill COVID-19 pneumonia also needs aggressive treatments. Interleukin-6 was a superior predictor of disease severity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 2078-2088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Djillali Annane ◽  
Stephen M. Pastores ◽  
Bram Rochwerg ◽  
Wiebke Arlt ◽  
Robert A. Balk ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Rizvan Abdullaev ◽  
Oksana Komissarova ◽  
Yuriy Berezovskiy ◽  
Evgeniy Gretsov

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Lin ◽  
Shanhui Ge ◽  
Wanmei He ◽  
Mian Zeng

Abstract Background: The effects of combined diabetes and glycemic control strategies on the short-term prognosis in patients with a critical illness are currently ambiguous. The objectives of our study were to determine whether comorbid diabetes affects short-term prognosis and the optimal range of glycemic control in critically ill patients.Methods: We performed this study with the critical care database. The primary outcomes were 28-day mortality in critically ill patients with comorbid diabetes and the optimal range of glycemic control. Association of comorbid diabetes with 28-day mortality was assessed by multivariable Cox regression model with inverse probability weighting. Smooth curves were applied to fit the association for glucose and 28-day mortality.Results: Of the 33,680 patients enrolled in the study, 8,701 (25.83%) had diabetic comorbidity. Cox model with inverse probability weighting showed that the 28-day mortality rate was reduced by 29% (HR=0.71, 95% CI 0.67-0.76) in the group with diabetes in comparison to the group without diabetes. The E value of 2.17 indicated robustness to unmeasured confounders. The effect of the association between comorbid diabetes and 28-day mortality was generally in line for all subgroup variables, significant interactions were observed for glucose on first day, admission type, and use of insulin or not (Interaction P <0.05). A V-shaped relationship was observed between glucose concentrations and 28-day mortality in patients without diabetes, with the lowest 28-day mortality corresponding to the glucose level was 101.75 mg/dl (95% CI 94.64-105.80 mg/dl); whereas in patients with comorbid diabetes, the effect of glucose concentration on 28-day mortality was structurally softer than in those with uncomorbid diabetes. Lastly, of all patients, hyperglycemia had the greatest deleterious effect on patients admitted to CSRU.Conclusions: Our study further confirmed the protective effect of comorbid diabetes on the short-term prognosis of critically ill patients, resulting in an approximately 29% reduction in 28-day mortality. Besides, we also demonstrated the personalized glycemic control strategy for critically ill patients. Lastly, clinicians should be aware of the occurrence and the prompt management of hyperglycemia in critically ill patients admitted to the CSRU.


Author(s):  
Priya S. Dhawan ◽  
Jennifer A. Tracy

Acquired weakness in critically ill patients is common, affecting between one-third to one-half of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Exposure to simultaneous stressors such as metabolic derangements, fluid and electrolyte shifts, infection, catabolic stress, and medications put patients in the ICU at risk for damage to both nerve and skeletal muscle with substantial and often lasting morbidity. Critical illness polyneuropathy is a length-dependent, axonal peripheral neuropathy occurring in patients in the ICU and unrelated to the primary illness. Critical illness myopathy is an ICU-associated muscle disorder occurring independently of denervation and uniquely identified by electrophysiologic and histologic characteristics.


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