Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón

About: Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón is a healthcare organization based out in Madrid, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 11975 authors who have published 12386 publications receiving 244847 citations.

Serotonin Skews Human Macrophage Polarization Through HTR2B and HTR7

Abstract: Besides its role as a neurotransmitter, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT) regulates inflammation and tissue repair via a set of receptors (5HT1–7) whose pattern of expression varies among cell lineages. Considering the importance of macrophage polarization plasticity for inflammatory responses and tissue repair, we evaluated whether 5HT modulates human macrophage polarization. 5HT inhibited the LPS-induced release of proinflammatory cytokines without affecting IL-10 production, upregulated the expression of M2 polarization–associated genes (SERPINB2, THBS1, STAB1, COL23A1), and reduced the expression of M1-associated genes (INHBA, CCR2, MMP12, SERPINE1, CD1B, ALDH1A2). Whereas only 5HT7 mediated the inhibitory action of 5HT on the release of proinflammatory cytokines, both 5HT2B and 5HT7 receptors mediated the pro-M2 skewing effect of 5HT. In fact, blockade of both receptors during in vitro monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation preferentially modulated the acquisition of M2 polarization markers. 5HT2B was found to be preferentially expressed by anti-inflammatory M2(M-CSF) macrophages and was detected in vivo in liver Kupffer cells and in tumor-associated macrophages. Therefore, 5HT modulates macrophage polarization and contributes to the maintenance of an anti-inflammatory state via 5HT2B and 5HT7, whose identification as functionally relevant markers for anti-inflammatory/homeostatic human M2 macrophages suggests their potential therapeutic value in inflammatory pathologies.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia after heart surgery: a prospective analysis and the value of surveillance.

Abstract: Objective To determine the frequency, etiology, and risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and purulent tracheobronchitis (TBX) in patients who have undergone heart surgery. To study the predictive role of systematic surveillance cultures. Design Prospective study. Setting Heart surgery intensive care unit. Patients Intubated heart surgical patients. Interventions Systematic tracheal aspirate and protected brush catheter cultures of all intubated patients. Measurements and Main Results Studied were the frequency of lower respiratory tract infection in ventilated patients and the role of surveillance cultures. The frequency of VAP was 7.87% (34.5 per 1,000 days of mechanical ventilation), and the criteria for purulent tracheobronchitis was fulfilled by 8.15% of patients (31.13 per 1,000 days of mechanical ventilation). After multivariate analysis, the variables independently associated with the development of respiratory tract infection were central nervous system disorder (relative risk [RR] = 4.7), ulcer disease (RR = 3.6), New York Heart Association score ≥3 (RR = 4), need for mechanical circulatory support (RR = 6.8), duration of mechanical ventilation >96 hrs (RR = 12.3), and reintubation (RR = 63.7). Mortality in our study was as follows: VAP patients, 57.1%; purulent tracheobronchitis patients, 20.7%; colonized patients, 11.5%; and noncolonized patients, 1.6%. Regular surveillance cultures were taken from all ventilated patients to assess the anticipative value of the cultures in predicting respiratory tract infection. A total of 1,626 respiratory surveillance samples were obtained. Surveillance cultures effectively predicted only one episode of VAP and one of tracheobronchitis. Conclusions Patients undergoing heart surgery have a high frequency of VAP. VAP is associated with a poor prognosis. In this study, surveillance cultures failed as an anticipative diagnostic method.

A research agenda on the management of intra-abdominal candidiasis: results from a consensus of multinational experts

Abstract: intra-abdominal candidiasis (IAC) may include Candida involvement of peritoneum or intra-abdominal abscess and is burdened by high morbidity and mortality rates in surgical patients. Unfortunately, international guidelines do not specifically address this particular clinical setting due to heterogeneity of definitions and scant direct evidence. In order to cover this unmet clinical need, the Italian Society of Intensive Care and the International Society of Chemotherapy endorsed a project aimed at producing practice recommendations for the management of immune-competent adult patients with IAC. A multidisciplinary expert panel of 22 members (surgeons, infectious disease and intensive care physicians) was convened and assisted by a methodologist between April 2012 and May 2013. Evidence supporting each statement was graded according to the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Diseases (ESCMID) grading system. Only a few of the numerous recommendations can be summarized in the Abstract. Direct microscopy examination for yeast detection from purulent and necrotic intra-abdominal specimens during surgery or by percutaneous aspiration is recommended in all patients with nonappendicular abdominal infections including secondary and tertiary peritonitis. Samples obtained from drainage tubes are not valuable except for evaluation of colonization. Prophylactic usage of fluconazole should be adopted in patients with recent abdominal surgery and recurrent gastrointestinal perforation or anastomotic leakage. Empirical antifungal treatment with echinocandins or lipid formulations of amphotericin B should be strongly considered in critically ill patients or those with previous exposure to azoles and suspected intra-abdominal infection with at least one specific risk factor for Candida infection. In patients with nonspecific risk factors, a positive mannan/antimannan or (1→3)-β-d-glucan (BDG) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result should be present to start empirical therapy. Fluconazole can be adopted for the empirical and targeted therapy of non-critically ill patients without previous exposure to azoles unless they are known to be colonized with a Candida strain with reduced susceptibility to azoles. Treatment can be simplified by stepping down to an azole (fluconazole or voriconazole) after at least 5–7 days of treatment with echinocandins or lipid formulations of amphotericin B, if the species is susceptible and the patient has clinically improved. Specific recommendations were elaborated on IAC management based on the best direct and indirect evidence and on the expertise of a multinational panel.

Association between complications and death within 30 days after noncardiac surgery.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Among adults undergoing contemporary noncardiac surgery, little is known about the frequency and timing of death and the associations between perioperative complications and mortality. We aimed to establish the frequency and timing of death and its association with perioperative complications. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients aged 45 years and older who underwent inpatient noncardiac surgery at 28 centres in 14 countries. We monitored patients for complications until 30 days after surgery and determined the relation between these complications and 30-day mortality using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: We included 40 004 patients. Of those, 715 patients (1.8%) died within 30 days of surgery. Five deaths (0.7%) occurred in the operating room, 500 deaths (69.9%) occurred after surgery during the index admission to hospital and 210 deaths (29.4%) occurred after discharge from the hospital. Eight complications were independently associated with 30-day mortality. The 3 complications with the largest attributable fractions (AF; i.e., potential proportion of deaths attributable to these complications) were major bleeding (6238 patients, 15.6%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2–3.1; AF 17.0%); myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery [MINS] (5191 patients, 13.0%; adjusted HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.9–2.6; AF 15.9%); and sepsis (1783 patients, 4.5%; adjusted HR 5.6, 95% CI 4.6–6.8; AF 12.0%). INTERPRETATION: Among adults undergoing noncardiac surgery, 99.3% of deaths occurred after the procedure and 44.9% of deaths were associated with 3 complications: major bleeding, MINS and sepsis. Given these findings, focusing on the prevention, early identification and management of these 3 complications holds promise for reducing perioperative mortality. Study registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, no. NCT00512109.