Active clinical trials for "Toxemia"

Antibiotic dosing in septic patients poses a challenge for clinicians due to the pharmacokinetic changes seen in this population. Piperacillin/tazobactam is often used for empirical treatment, and initial appropriate dosing is crucial for reducing mortality. The investigators aim was to determined the pharmacokinetic profile of piperacillin 4g every 8 hour in 22 patients treated empirically for sepsis and severe sepsis. A PK population model was be established with the dual purpose to assess current standard treatment and to simulate alternative dosing regimens and modes of administration. Time above the minimal inhibitory concentration (T>MIC) predicted for each patient was evaluated against clinical breakpoint MIC for Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (16 mg/L). Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) targets evaluated were 100% f T>MIC and 50% fT>MIC.

Activation of blood platelets is a typical finding in patients with systemic inflammation and sepsis.They seem to mediate key pro-inflammatory mediator secretion, immune-cell activation while their adhesion to the endothelium enhances the pro-coagulatory activity of endothelial cells impairing microcirculation thus, may lead to multiple organ dysfunction. However, the exact effects of bacterial products on platelet function have not been found to be consistent and may vary according to the species, the timing of the study, and the pathogenesis of sepsis. Data vary, including both increased and decreased platelet reactivity and aggregation among patients with sepsis compared to healthy controls. Defining platelet's behaviour during sepsis is particularly important in view of recent findings revealing potential association between antiplatelet therapy and reduction in short term mortality, incidence of acute lung injury and intensive care unit admission in critically ill patients.This study aims to measure P2Y12 mediated platelet reactivity, -using the point-of-care P2Y12 VerifyNow assay, in platelet reactivity units (PRU)- along different stages of sepsis, including bacteremia/uncomplicated infection, sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock. Subgroup follow up of patients going along different stages will also be performed. At the end of this study analysis of clinical and laboratory findings in correlation with platelet reactivity will be performed to assess platelet aggregation during sepsis.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to compare serum total cortisol (STC), salivary cortisol (SaC) and calculated free cortisol (cFC) levels at the baseline and after the ACTH stimulation test, in patients with severe sepsis (SS) and to determine the suitability of SaC and cFC levels instead of STC for the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency in patients with SS. Methods: Thirty patients with SS (15 men, and 15 women) were compared with 16 healthy controls. Low dose ACTH stimulation test (1 µg) was performed on the first, 7th and 28th days of diagnosis of SS. STC and SaC levels were measured during ACTH stimulation test.

The aim of this investigation is to longitudinally quantify host gene expression and serum proteins in children with infectious and non-infectious SIRS. The investigators hypothesize that children with non-infectious SIRS, with bacterial infection associated SIRS, or with viral infection associated SIRS will exhibit distinct patterns of host gene expression and serum proteins. The investigators further hypothesize that it should be possible to discover sets of mRNA or protein biomarkers that will permit unambiguous diagnosis of non-infectious SIRS, SIRS associated with bacterial infection, and SIRS associated with viral infection.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of IgM-enriched immunoglobulins (Pentaglobin) on the endotoxin activity, conventional coagulation parameters, viscoelastic and aggregometric measurements of patients with severe sepsis.

Forearm vasoocclusive testing (VOT) will be performed with laser-doppler spectrophotometry system in septic patients on ICU. Microcirculatory oxygen uptake will be checked for prognostic value and for associations with tissue hypoxia markers and high central venus saturations.

Sepsis is a condition with a high mortality. Septic patients are frequently difficult to identify because of their non-specific presentations. There is also a low sensitivity of clinical judgment among health care personnel, and of existing screening tools, which are in turn typically based on vital parameters. Despite prior research, no unique sepsis biomarker has been identified so far. There is a need for new strategies to identify sepsis which do not rely on vital parameters and traditional laboratory blood tests alone. The hypothesis of the investigators is that a combination of clinical variables measurable in the ambulance can be used to predict sepsis. The aim of the current study is to determine the predictive value of keywords related to symptom presentation, vital parameters and point-of-care (POC) blood tests, alone and in combination, with respect to the outcome sepsis. The study is performed in the Stockholm ambulance setting from April 2017. A total of 956 adult non-trauma patients will be included.

Sepsis is a common syndrome resulting from a dysregulated response to infection. The timing of antibiotic initiation is an important determinant of outcomes for patients presenting to the emergency department with sepsis. The potential effect of care reorganization on very early care for sepsis is unknown. This study will investigate whether multidisciplinary coordination of the initial patient evaluation in the emergency department influences door-to-antibiotic time for septic patients.

Severe sepsis results in over 300,000 Emergency Department (ED) visits and 215,000 deaths annually in the US. Currently there are no effective drug therapies for sepsis. High density lipoprotein (HDL) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic properties and is protective in sepsis. Its functions in sepsis are primarily mediated by its main apolipoprotein, Apo-A1, that: 1) neutralize potent bacterial toxins, 2) protect blood vessel walls from damage, 3) prevent tissue damage through antioxidant properties, and 4) mediate thymocyte apoptosis (critical for survival) and endogenous corticosteroid release. However, recent literature presents inconsistent data on HDL functionality and shows that HDL becomes non-functional during acute inflammatory states called dysfunctional HDL (Dys-HDL). Several causes for Dys-HDL have been hypothesized including the presence of Apo A1 polymorphisms, which may worsen the pathologic inflammatory response in sepsis and have been demonstrated in early sepsis, making Dys-HDL an unstudied potential early marker. This project aims to: 1) determine the presence of Dys-HDL in adult patients with early severe sepsis who present to the ED (Dys-HDL will be tested using a novel cell free assay and HDL Inflammatory Index will be measured), and 2) examine the relationship between Dys-HDL and cumulative organ dysfunction via Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. Results of this study could establish Dys-HDL as an early disease marker for sepsis which is influential in the development of sepsis-induced organ dysfunction.

Neonatal sepsis is an important determinant of adverse neurodevelopmental outcome. The investigators seek to investigate whether neurodevelopmental outcome following neonatal sepsis differs according to whether or not the diagnosis is confirmed by culture. In a secondary analysis of all 3493 infants included in the International Neonatal Immunotherapy Study (INIS) randomized controlled trial of intravenous immunoglobulin for neonatal sepsis, the investigators will evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes according to whether or not the sepsis was culture-proven. The primary outcome is death or major disability at two years. In secondary analyses the investigators will determine neurodevelopmental outcomes according to the causative organism identified. Greater understanding of the impact of culture-positivity on long-term outcomes in the setting of clinical neonatal sepsis is essential to better inform parents about the future prospects of their child and to guide patient follow-up.