Objective To investigate the pleural effusion lymphocyte subsets in patients with pneumonia complicated with pleural effusion and its relationship with the occurrence of critical illness. MethodsPatients with pneumonia complicated with pleural effusion (246 cases) admitted to our hospital from January 2020 to June 2022 were selected as the research subjects. According to the severity of pneumonia, they were divided into a critical group (n=150) and a non-critical group (n=96). After 1:1 matching by propensity score matching method, there were 60 cases in each group. The general data of the two groups were compared. CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio were detected by flow cytometry. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of critical pneumonia, and a nomogram prediction model was constructed and evaluated. The relationship between PSI score and lymphocyte subsets in pleural effusion was analyzed by local weighted regression scatter smoothing (LOWESS). Results After matching, the differences between the two groups of patients in the course of disease, heat peak, heat course, atelectasis, peripheral white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer (D-D), procalcitonin (PCT) and hemoglobin were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the non-critical group, the proportion of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ cells in critical group was lower (P<0.05), and the proportion of CD8+ cells was higher (P<0.05). Combined atelectasis, increased course of disease, fever peak and fever course, increased WBC, CRP, D-D, CD8+ and PCT levels, and decreased CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ and Hb levels were independent risk factors for the occurrence of critical pneumonia (P<0.05). The nomogram prediction model based on independent influencing factors had high discrimination, accuracy and clinical applicability. There was a certain nonlinear relationship between pneomonia severity index and CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+. Conclusions Lymphocyte subsets in pleural effusion are closely related to the severity of pneumonia complicated with pleural effusion. If CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ are abnormal, attention should be paid to the occurrence of severe pneumonia.
Objective To investigate the role of mitochondrial autophagy mediated by PINK1 (homologous phosphatase tensin induced kinase 1) /Parkin (Parkinson’s protein) signaling pathway in severe pneumonia of rats. Methods Twenty rats were randomly divided into control group and model group (severe pneumonia model), with 10 rats in each group, to explore the effects of severe pneumonia on lung function and pathology in rats. Then, 30 rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and mdivi-1 (mitochondrial autophagy inhibitor) group, with 10 rats in each group, to further explore the effects of severe pneumonia on mitochondrial autophagy indicators of rats. ResultsCompared with the control group, the resting ventilation volume [(3.44±0.22) vs. (1.58±0.18) mL/min] and airway resistance ratio (77.48±3.84 vs. 47.76±5.54) in the model group were decreased (P<0.05). In the model group, the lung tissue was injured and a large number of inflammatory cells were infiltrated. The protein and mRNA expression levels of Parkin, PINK1 and microtubule-associated protein1 light chain 3 in lung tissues of model group were increased (P<0.05). Compared with model group, the ratio of resting ventilator-to-airway resistance in mdivi-1 group increased (P<0.05). The injury and inflammatory infiltration of lung tissue were improved in mdivi-1 group. The expression levels of Parkin, PINK1 and microtubule-associated protein1 light chain 3 protein and mRNA in lung tissues of mdivi-1 group were decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion Mdivi-1 can improve the abnormal lung function structure in rats with severe pneumonia, and the mechanism may be related to mitochondrial autophagy mediated by PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway.
Objective To explore the effects of Metabolic Syndrome (MS) and its components on the condition and prognosis of patients with Severe Pneumonia. Methods 306 patients with severe pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to July 2023 were included as study subjects.The patients were divided into MS and non-MS groups according to whether they were combined with MS,and into survival and death groups according to 28-day prognosis,and the general data, laboratory indexes, condition and prognostic indexes of the two groups were compared; multifactorial logistic regression was used to analyze the independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with severe pneumonia. ResultsThe levels of test indicators such as body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), blood lactate,white blood cell count(WBC),urea phosphate (Urea), creatinine (SCr),as well as the incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), shock,multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), rate of endotracheal intubation and mortality, ICU treatment cost,and total treatment cost of the MS group were significantly higher than those of the non-MS group; the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and oxygenation index (OI) of the MS group were significantly lower than those of the non-MS group (P<0.05).Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of death from severe pneumonia was 1.276 times higher in combined MS than in no combined MS (95%CI: 1.013, 5.114, P=0.047). Subgroup analyses also showed that the risk of death from non-viral severe pneumonia was 2.147 times higher in those with MS than those without (95%CI: 1.175, 8.428, P=0.023). ConclusionSevere pneumonia with MS may be more severe and may have a worse prognosis.
Objective To investigate the clinical features, imaging features, diagnosis and treatment of severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia in order to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment and reduce the mortality rate. Methods The clinical data of 7 patients with severe Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia diagnosed in Fujian Provincial Hospital from October 2019 to July 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Among the 7 cases, there were 5 males and 2 females, aged 59 to 69 years. The main clinical manifestations were fever, cough, sputum, dyspnea, and some symptoms of digestive and nervous systems. The total number of white blood cells was normal or slightly higher in 7 patients, the absolute value of lymphocytes was decreased, C-reactive protein was significantly increased, and respiratory failure occurred in all 7 patients. Chest CT showed large patchy consolidation shadows accompanied by air bronchogram signs, which progressed in a short period, followed by a small amount of pleural effusion. The specific DNA fragments of Chlamydia psittaci were identified by metagenomic next-generation sequencing in all 7 patients. Six patients were treated with doxycycline, 1 with azithromycin, and 7 relieved with improved symptoms and imaging. Conclusions For elderly patients with acute onset, high fever with cough, difficulty breathing, especially with a history of poultry or birds, whose chest images suggest large consolidation effusion shadows, empirical antibiotic for community-acquired pneumonia is invalid, psittacosis chlamydia pneumonia should be highly suspected. Therefore second-generation sequencing of respiratory secretions is necessary so as to determine the pathogens. Tetracycline class antibiotic treatment should be given as soon as possible after the diagnosis of psittacosis chlamydia pneumonia.
Objective To explore the thromboembolic events and mortality in patients with different types of severe pneumonia, and to analyze the related high-risk factors. Methods A total of 161 severe pneumonia patients who admitted in intensive care unit from January 2018 to February 2023 were included in the study. The patients were divided into a COVID-19 group (n=88) and a community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) group (n=73) according to the type of pneumonia, and divided into a thrombosis group and a non-thrombosis group according to the occurrence of thrombosis. The patients were followed-up until discharge or in-hospital death, registering the occurrence of thrombotic events. Results During the in-hospital stay, 32.9% of CAP and 36.4% of COVID-19 patients experienced thrombotic events (P>0.05). In CAP group all the events (including 24 paitents) were venous thromboses, while in COVID-19 group 31 patients were venous and 3 were arterial thromboses (2 were cerebral infarction, and 1 with myocardial infarction). There were statistically significant difference in gender, age, venous thromboembolism score (VTE score), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and procalcitonin (PCT) between the TE group and the Non-TE group. Logistic regression analysis showed that thrombotic events was associated with sex, age and APTT; gender (female: OR=2.47, 95%CI 1.13 - 5.39, P<0.05) and age (OR=1.04, 95%CI 1.01 - 1.07, P<0.05) were positively associated with thrombotic events. During the in-hospital follow-up, 44.3% of CAP patients and 42.5% of COVID-19 patients died (P>0.05). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that APACHEⅡ score was more accurate in predicting mortality of severe pneumonia, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.77 (95%CI 0.70 - 0.84, sensitivity 74.3%, specificity 68.1%), the AUC of the VTE score was 0.61 (95%CI 0.53 - 0.70, Sensitivity 31.4%, specificity 81.7%); the AUC of the creatinine was 0.64 (95%CI 0.56 - 0.73, sensitivity 72.9%, specificity 51.2%). While the Kappa value for kidney disease was 0.409 (P<0.05) presenting moderate consistency. Conclusions The incidence of thromboembolic events and mortality are high in patients with different types of severe pneumonia. Thrombophilia was associated with sex, age, and APTT. APACHEⅡ score, VTE score, and creatinine value were independent risk factors for predicting death from severe pneumonia.
Objective To evaluate the predictive value of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to albumin (Alb) ratio (LAR) in the prognosis of severe pneumonia patients complicated with DIC. Methods A total of 312 patients with severe pneumonia hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from January 1, 2018 to March 1, 2023 were retrospectively collected. The clinical parameters, such as gender, age, underlying diseases, and lactate dehydrogenase, albumin etc. l of the first test on admission were collected. LAR, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ) within 24 hours were calculated. The firstly endpoint of the study was the incidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), the secondary endpoint was the 30-day in-hospital mortality in severe pneumonia patients with DIC. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the risk factors of severe pneumonia with DIC. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the predictive value of LAR for the incidence of DIC in patients with severe pneumonia. Results The level of LAR was higher in the severe pneumonia patients with DIC than the severe pneumonia patients without DIC [LAR median ratio 12.72 (8.72, 21.89) vs. 7.23 (5.63, 10.90), P<0.001]. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that LAR [OR=1.071, 95%CI 1.038 - 1.106, P<0.001] was the independent risk factor of the incidence of DIC in the patients with severe pneumonia. ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC for LAR to predict the incidence of DIC was 0.723, 95%CI 0.650 - 0.796, P<0.001. When the LAR cut-off value was 8.08, the sensitivity was 79.7% and the specificity was 56.1%. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis curve showed that the patients in the above LAR cut-off value group had a significantly lower 30-day survival rate than those in the below LAR cut-off value group (P<0.001). In the subgroup analysis and numerical variable transformed analysis, LAR was still the risk factor of DIC. Conclusion The increased LAR is a high risk factor of the incidence of DIC and mortality in patients with severe pneumonia, which is useful for predicting prognosis of patients with severe pneumonia.
ObjectiveTo investigate the high-risk factors for death in infants with severe pneumonia. MethodsWe analyzed hospitalized infants and young children diagnosed with severe pneumonia from January 2011 to December 2013, and investigated the risk factors for death. ResultsA total of 1 411 infants with severe pneumonia were included in the analysis. The mortality rate was 3.12%. In single factor analysis, the following factors were significant:age, severe infection, artificial feeding, congenital heart diseases, bad habitation, repeated infection history, surgical history, multi-organ dysfunction, internal environment disorder, multiple drug-resistant strains infection. The results of Logistic multiple regression analysis showed that there were statistical significance in severe infection, repeated infection history, Multiple drug-resistant strains infection, multi-organ dysfunction, and internal environment disorder. ConclusionInfants with severe pneumonia should be intensively monitored and actively treated for reducing the mortality rate if they have one of the following high-risk factors:age, congenital heart diseases, repeated infection history, multiple drug-resistant strains infection, surgical history, multi-organ dysfunction, and internal environment disorder.
Objective To explore the effect of early rehabilitation treatment on complications and prognosis of elderly patients with sever pneumonia undergoing mechanical ventilation. Methods The patients who meeting the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an early rehabilitation group and a control group, with 35 cases in each group. On basis of same routine treatment, the early rehabilitation group was treated with early rehabilitation. The early rehabilitation methods included exercise therapy, electrical stimulation therapy, swallowing therapy, cough training and wheelchair-bed transfer training, etc. The patients received individual training methods according to their conditions. The difference of two groups were observed in the rates of ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW), ventilator-associate pneumonia (VAP), the incidence of delirium, the mechanical ventilation time, ICU-hospital time, total hospital time, 30-day hospital mortality, extubation fail rate and tracheotomy rate. Results Compare with the control group, the incidence of ICU-AW (14.28% vs. 37.14%), VAP (8.57% vs. 28.57%), and delirium (40.00% vs. 65.71%) in the early rehabilitation group were significantly reduced (all P<0.05). The duration of delirium [(3.50±1.31) dvs. (6.40±1.47) d], the ventilation time [(6.32±2.19) d vs. (9.40±4.43) d], ICU hospitalization time [(10.80±3.64) d vs. (15.31±3.85) d] and total hospitalization time [(22.52±7.56) d vs. (30.22±11.54) d] of the early rehabilitation group were significantly lower than the control group (all P<0.001). The tracheotomy rate and 30-day hospital mortality of the early rehabilitation group were significantly lower than the control group (25.71%vs. 51.42% and 28.57% vs. 54.28%, both P<0.05). There was no significant difference in extubation fail rate (5.71%vs. 11.42%, P>0.05). In the early rehabilitation group, there were no complications such as pipe prolapse, limb injury or serious arrhythmia. Conclusion Early rehabilitation can reduce the incidence of ICU-AW, VAP, delirium in elderly patients with severe pneumonia, help to shorten the mechanical ventilation time, ICU hospitalization time and total hospitalization time, reduce extubation failure rate and tracheotomy rate, so it is safe and effective, and worthy of being popularized and applied.
Objectives To systematically review the efficacy and safety of de-escalation therapy for severe pneumonia. Methods We searched PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data databases and the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn) to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of de-escalation therapy for patients with severe pneumonia from inception to June, 2017. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Meta-analysis was then performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 13 RCTs involving 1 860 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: the de-escalation therapy group was superior to the control group on clinical cure rate (RR=1.28, 95%CI 1.20 to 1.35, P<0.000 01), the total hospitalization time (MD=–6.86, 95%CI –9.12 to –4.59,P<0.000 01), remission time of complications (MD=–6.26, 95%CI –8.43 to –4.10,P<0.000 01) and mortality (RR=0.48, 95%CI 0.28 to 0.82,P=0.001). Reported cases of adverse reactions were rare, in which the degree of reactions ranged from mild to moderate. The safety was fairly satisfactory. Conclusions Current evidence shows that de-escalation therapy for patients with severe pneumonia has improved efficacy compared with conventional treatments, and can significantly shorten the total hospitalization time and reduce mortality. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high quality studies are required to verify above conclusions.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the effectiveness of Xuebijing injection combined with routine therapy versus routine therapy alone in treating severe pneumonia. MethodsDatabases including PubMed (1990-2013.4), EMbase (1990-2013.4), The Cochran Library (Issue 4, 2013), CNKI (1982-2013.4), WangFang Data (1990-2013.4), VIP (1989-2013.4) and CBM (1978-2013.4) were searched from inception to April, 2013, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on Xuebijing injection for severe pneumonia. Studies were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, data were extracted, and methodological quality was evaluated. Meta-analysis was then performed using RevMan 5.2 software. ResultsA total of 12 studies involving 860 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, routine therapy plus Xuebijing injection had higher total effective and excellent rates, and the combined therapy reduced the average hospitalization days, and they had better improvement in WBC, CRP, CPIS, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α. ConclusionThis current evidence shows that Xuebijing injection has a better clinical efficacy in treating severe pneumonia. Traditional Chinese herbs with the function of "promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis" may exert their pharmacological effects via a multi-target way in treating severe pneumonia, which have a great potential for both clinical work and scientific research. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, better designed RCTs are needed to support Xuebijing's clinical efficacy in the treatment of severe pneumonia.