Multiple organ failure continues to be the primary cause of death after trauma and sepsis. This clinical syndrome represents the transition from a hypermetabolic response to injury to a syndrome of progressive organ failures and death. Risk factors include: perfusion deficits, persistent foci of dead or injured tissue, an uncontrolled focus of infection, the presence of the respiratory distress syndrome, persistent hypermetabolism, and preexisting fibrotic liver disease. Once initiated, most treatment modalities for the organ failure syndrome become progressively ineffective including: ventilation, antibiotics, nutrition, and surgery. The best treatment remains prevention and rapid control of risk factors including restoration of oxygen transport and aggressive nutrition support. There seems to be no treatment "magic bullet" either experimentally or clinically once the syndrome has occurred. The metabolic response to injury involves alterations in physiology and in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and amino acids. These changes seem to reflect the modulation of the end-organs by the mediator systems activated in response to the stress stimuli. The transition from hypermetabolism to organ failure appears to reflect the clinical appearance of liver failure. It is hypothesized that this liver failure may represent a state of regulatory dysfunction induced in large part by the activated hepatic macrophage, the Kupffer cell. The activation of these macrophages is hypothesized to represent the final stage of a series of stimulating events, eg. hypoxia, endotoxin, bacteria, and gut translocated toxins. The precise monokine(s) responsible are not yet completely characterized, although Interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) appear to be involved as do prostaglandins (Pg) such as PgE2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Surgical Infection Society last published guidelines on antimicrobial therapy for intra-abdominal infections in 1992 (Bohnen JMA, et al., Arch Surg 1992;127:83-89). Since then, an appreciable body of literature has been published on this subject. Therefore, the Therapeutics Agents Committee of the Society undertook an effort to update the previous guidelines, primarily using data published over the past decade. An additional goal of the Committee was to characterize its recommendations according to contemporary principles of evidence-based medicine. To develop these guidelines, the Committee carried out a systematic search for all English language articles published between 1990 and 2000 related to antimicrobial therapy for intra-abdominal infections. This literature was reviewed individually and collectively by the Committee, and categorized according to the type of study and its quality. Additional articles published prior to 1990 were also utilized when necessary. By a process of iterative consensus, the Committee developed provisional guidelines for antimicrobial therapy for intra-abdominal infections based on this evidence. Following extensive review by members of the Society, these guidelines were approved for publication in final form by the Council of the Surgical Infection Society. This executive summary delineates the Society's current recommendations for antimicrobial therapy of patients with intra-abdominal infections. Topics discussed include the selection of patients needing therapeutic antimicrobials, duration of antimicrobial therapy, acceptable antimicrobial regimens, and identification and treatment of higher-risk patients. Guidelines for patient selection and specific antimicrobial regimens were based on relatively good evidence, but those regarding optimal duration of therapy and treatment of higher-risk patients relied mostly on expert opinion, since there was a paucity of high-quality studies on those issues. Relevant areas for future investigation include the safety, convenience, and cost-effectiveness of available antimicrobial regimens for lower-risk patients, and better means for identifying and treating higher-risk patients with intra-abdominal infections.
Background: Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is increasingly used for nutrition support after patients are discharged from the hospital. Catheter‐related bloodstream infections (CR‐BSI) are a common and potentially fatal complication of HPN. The risk factors for development of CR‐BSI in the outpatient setting are poorly understood. Methods : We conducted an observational, retrospective study of 225 patients discharged from Barnes‐Jewish Hospital on HPN between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2009. HPN complications were defined as any cause that led to either premature discontinuation of HPN therapy or catheter replacement. CR‐BSI events were identified by provider documentation. We calculated the overall complication rate and the complication rate specifically due to CR‐BSI. Backward stepwise Cox regression analyses were used to assess for independent predictors of catheter‐related complications. Results : In total, 111 of 225 patients (49%) developed complications while receiving HPN (incidence = 5.06 episodes/1000 catheter days). Sixty‐eight of 225 patients (30%) required catheter removal for CR‐BSI (incidence = 3.10 episodes/1000 catheter days). Independent predictors of line removal specifically due to infection included anticoagulant use, ulcer or open wound, and Medicare or Medicaid insurance. The following risk factors were associated with catheter‐associated complications and/or CR‐BSI: the presence of ulcers, the use of systemic anticoagulants, public insurance (Medicare or Medicaid), and patient age. Independent predictors of line removal for any complication included age and anticoagulant use. Conclusion : Catheter‐related complications were extremely common in patients receiving HPN. Healthcare providers caring for individuals who require HPN should be aware of risk factors for complications.
Background: Emergency laparotomy for abdominal trauma is associated with high rates of surgical site infection (SSI). A protocol for antimicrobial prophylaxis (AMP) for trauma laparotomy was implemented to determine whether SSI could be reduced by adhering to established principles of AMP. Patients and Methods: A protocol utilizing ertapenem administered immediately before initiation of trauma laparotomy was adopted. Compliance with measures of adequate AMP were determined before and after protocol implementation, as were rates of SSI and other infections related to abdominal trauma. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to determine risk factors for development of infection related to trauma laparotomy. Results: Over a four-year period, 320 patient operations were reviewed. Ertapenem use for prophylaxis increased to 54% in the post-intervention cohort. Compliance with individual measures of appropriate AMP improved modestly. Overall, infections related to trauma laparotomy decreased by 46% (absolute decrease of 13%) in the post-intervention cohort. Multivariable analysis confirmed that treatment during the post-intervention phase was associated with this decrease, with a separate analysis suggesting that ertapenem use was an important factor in this decrease. Conclusions: Development of a standardized protocol for AMP in trauma laparotomy led to decreases in infectious complications after that procedure.
Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Early recognition and treatment are the cornerstones of management.Review of the English-language literature.For both sepsis and septic shock "antimicrobials [should be] be initiated as soon as possible and within one hour" (Surviving Sepsis Campaign). The risk of progression from severe sepsis to septic shock increases 8% for each hour before antibiotics are started. Selection of antimicrobial agents is based on a combination of patient factors, predicted infecting organism(s), and local microbial resistance patterns. The initial drugs should have activity against typical gram-positive and gram-negative causative micro-organisms. Anaerobic coverage should be provided for intra-abdominal infections or others where anaerobes are significant pathogens. Empiric antifungal or antiviral therapy may be warranted. For patients with healthcare-associated infections, resistant micro-organisms will further complicate the choice of empiric antimicrobials. Recommendations are given for specific infections.Early administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs is one of the most important, if not the most important, treatment for patients with sepsis or septic shock. Drugs should be initiated as soon as possible, and the choice of should take into account patient factors, common local pathogens, hospital antibiograms and resistance patterns, and the suspected source of infection. Antimicrobial agent therapy should be de-escalated as soon as possible.
