American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2020
Multicenter Study Observational StudyInvasive Tracheobronchial Aspergillosis in Critically Ill Patients with Severe Influenza.
Rationale: Invasive tracheobronchial aspergillosis (ITBA) is an uncommon but severe clinical form of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in which the fungal infection is entirely or predominantly confined to the tracheobronchial tree. Objectives: To analyze the diagnostic and prognostic differences between tracheobronchial aspergillosis and pulmonary aspergillosis without tracheobronchial lesions among patients admitted to the ICU with severe influenza. Methods: This retrospective, observational study included critically ill patients with influenza associated with pulmonary aspergillosis from three hospital ICUs between 2010 and 2019. ⋯ Conclusions: ITBA was associated with higher severity scores, mortality, and serum and BAL fluid galactomannan and 1,3-β-d-glucan concentrations than invasive pulmonary aspergillosis without tracheobronchial lesions. ITBA should be systematically researched by bronchoscopic examination in ICU patients with concomitant pulmonary aspergillosis and influenza. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04077697).
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2020
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPlasma Cortisol, Aldosterone, and Ascorbic Acid Concentrations in Patients with Septic Shock do not Predict Treatment Effect of Hydrocortisone on Mortality: A Nested Cohort Study.
Rationale: Whether biomarkers can identify subgroups of patients with septic shock with differential treatment responses to hydrocortisone is unknown. Objectives: To determine if there is heterogeneity in effect for hydrocortisone on mortality, shock resolution, and other clinical outcomes based on baseline cortisol, aldosterone, and ascorbic acid concentrations. Methods: From May 2014 to April 2017, we obtained serum samples from 529 patients with septic shock from 22 ICUs in Australia and New Zealand. ⋯ Elevated free cortisol was significantly associated with 90-day mortality (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.00-1.27; P = 0.04), but total cortisol, aldosterone, and ascorbic acid were not. Conclusions: In patients with septic shock, there was no heterogeneity in effect of adjunctive hydrocortisone on mortality, shock resolution, or other clinical outcomes based on cortisol, aldosterone, and ascorbic acid concentrations. Plasma aldosterone and ascorbic acid concentrations are not associated with outcome.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2020
Chemokine (C-X-C motif) Ligand 4 is a Restrictor of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection and an Indicator of Clinical Severity.
Rationale: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of childhood respiratory infections worldwide; however, no vaccine is available, and treatment options are limited. Identification of host factors pivotal to viral replication may inform the development of novel therapies, prophylaxes, or diagnoses. Objectives: To identify host factors involved in RSV replication and to evaluate their potential for disease management. ⋯ Compared with non-RSV infections, RSV infections induced elevated CXCL4 concentrations both in plasma and airway samples from mice and pediatric patients. The airway CXCL4 concentration was correlated with viral load and disease severity in patients (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that CXCL4 is an RSV restriction factor that can block viral entry and serve as an indicator of clinical severity in RSV infections.