SIRS/Sepsis/MODS Flashcards
(110 cards)
According to Zahar et al. (2011), how do pathogen species and infection site influence mortality in severe sepsis and septic shock?
Neither pathogen species nor infection site significantly predicted mortality; host factors like age, severity scores, organ dysfunction, and comorbidities were stronger predictors.
According to Zahar et al. (2011), what clinical implications arise from the finding that pathogen type does not predict mortality?
Emphasize early recognition, resuscitation, and organ support rather than focusing solely on the infecting pathogen; antimicrobial therapy remains important for bacterial clearance but prognosis depends largely on host response.
What limitations did Zahar et al. (2011) acknowledge in their study on sepsis outcomes?
Observational design, potential unmeasured confounders, and heterogeneous patient population.
According to Baron et al. (2013), what are best practices for blood culture collection in suspected sepsis?
Obtain at least two to three sets from separate venipuncture sites before antibiotics, ensure adequate volume, use proper labeling, and optimize transport and handling to maximize yield and minimize contamination.
According to Baron et al. (2013), which organisms commonly represent skin contaminants in blood cultures?
Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Corynebacterium spp., Bacillus spp.; growth in only one culture set may suggest contamination rather than true bacteremia.
What is the importance of the “pre-analytical phase” in microbiologic testing, according to Baron et al. (2013)?
It includes test selection, specimen collection, handling, and transport; this phase is the most error-prone and crucial for diagnostic accuracy.
According to Drewry et al. (2017), what is the impact of fever and antipyretic therapy on mortality in septic patients?
Fever is associated with improved survival; routine antipyretic therapy showed no mortality benefit and may trend toward harm, so fever suppression should be individualized.
According to Henning et al. (2017), what clinical outcome is associated with absence of fever in emergency department patients with suspected septic shock?
Afebrile patients had significantly higher in-hospital mortality and received delayed antibiotics and fluids, suggesting fever absence is a poor prognostic marker.
What are the 5 components of the 1-hour Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) bundle as updated by Levy et al. (2018)?
1) Measure lactate, 2) Obtain blood cultures before antibiotics, 3) Administer broad-spectrum antibiotics, 4) Administer 30 mL/kg crystalloid for hypotension or lactate ≥4 mmol/L, 5) Apply vasopressors if hypotensive after fluids to maintain MAP ≥65 mmHg.
According to Singer et al. (2016) (Sepsis-3), how is sepsis defined?
Life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection.
What are the two main types of lactic acidosis seen in sepsis, as described by Suetrong and Walley (2016)?
Type A (due to tissue hypoxia and anaerobic metabolism) and Type B (due to impaired lactate clearance or increased aerobic glycolysis).
According to Koenig & Verlander (2015), how does peritoneal fluid glucose measurement aid in diagnosing septic peritonitis in dogs?
A blood-to-peritoneal fluid glucose difference >20 mg/dL is highly sensitive and specific for septic peritonitis, reflecting bacterial consumption of glucose.
What is the physiological basis for using vasopressors after fluids in sepsis, as discussed in these studies?
Vasopressors restore vascular tone lost due to nitric oxide and inflammatory mediator–induced vasodilation, maintaining systemic vascular resistance and organ perfusion pressure.
According to Neiman et al. (2020), how does serum total thyroxine (tT4) at ICU admission predict outcomes in critically ill dogs?
Lower tT4 concentrations are significantly associated with increased mortality, reflecting non-thyroidal illness syndrome and impaired metabolic regulation.
According to Khanna et al. (2017) (ATHOS-3 trial), what effect did angiotensin II have in vasodilatory shock patients?
Angiotensin II significantly increased MAP in catecholamine-refractory vasodilatory shock, with a higher proportion of patients achieving target blood pressure compared to placebo.
What are common risks of aggressive fluid resuscitation in sepsis, highlighted across multiple sources?
Fluid overload, pulmonary edema, abdominal compartment syndrome, and worsened oxygen diffusion leading to organ dysfunction.
According to Marik et al. (2017), what was the reported effect of combination therapy with hydrocortisone, vitamin C, and thiamine in septic shock?
The retrospective before-after study suggested a large mortality reduction, though randomized trials are needed for confirmation.
What pathophysiologic mechanisms explain sepsis-related organ dysfunction?
Cytokine storm, endothelial injury, microvascular thrombosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and impaired oxygen utilization.
Why is lactate clearance a better prognostic marker than initial lactate level in sepsis?
Clearance reflects recovery of tissue perfusion and metabolism, correlating better with survival and response to therapy.
How does the absence of fever in sepsis patients relate to immune function and prognosis?
Afebrile patients may have blunted cytokine production, immune exhaustion, or hypothalamic dysfunction, associated with worse outcomes and delayed treatment.
What are the clinical benefits of early recognition and intervention in sepsis, as supported by these studies?
Reduces bacterial load, limits immune-mediated injury, improves organ perfusion, and decreases mortality.
According to Levy et al. (2018), what are the criticisms of the rigid 1-hour SSC bundle for sepsis?
Concerns include possible overtreatment of patients without true sepsis, potential iatrogenic harm, and strain on emergency department resources.
According to Seymour et al. (2017), how does time to antibiotic administration affect mortality in mandated emergency sepsis care?
Each hour delay in antibiotics is associated with a significant increase in in-hospital mortality, emphasizing the need for rapid treatment.
What monitoring strategies optimize fluid therapy and vasopressor titration in septic small animals?
Dynamic assessments like pulse pressure variation (PPV), stroke volume variation (SVV), echocardiography, lactate clearance, and clinical perfusion parameters guide individualized therapy.