Masatsugu Ohuchi

Association of the Plasma Platelet-Derived Microparticles to Platelet Count Ratio with Hospital Mortality and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy in Critically Ill Patients

AIM The role of platelet-derived microparticles (PDMPs) in the crosstalk between coagulopathy and inflammation in critically ill patients remains unclear. The aim of this cohort observational study was to investigate the associations between the PDMP levels and hospital mortality or disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). METHODS This study included 119 patients who were admitted to the ICU. The PDMP levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay three times a week, for a total of 372 samples. We calculated the maximum (max) PDMP value, max PDMP/platelet (PDMP/Plts) ratio (converted to the PDMP levels per 10(4) platelets) and nadir platelet count during the ICU stay. Baseline patient data and scores, including the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) DIC score, were collected, and potential predictors were analyzed for possible associations with hospital mortality. RESULTS The max PDMP/Plts ratio was significantly different comparing the survivors (n=98: median, 2.54) and non-survivors (n=21: median 17.59; p＜0.001). There was a weak but statistically significant negative correlation between the max PDMP level and nadir platelet count (r=-0.332, p＜0.001). The max PDMP level and max PDMP/Plts ratio were higher in the DIC group (81.48 and 9.27, respectively) than in the non-DIC group (34.88 and 2.35, p=0.001 and p＜0.001, respectively). The max PDMP/Plts ratio was the only variable found to be independently associated with hospital mortality according to a multivariate logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS PDMPs are involved in the development of DIC but are not related to hospital mortality. There is a good association between the PDMP/Plts ratio and hospital mortality and/or DIC in critically ill patients.

Thoracolithiasis diagnosed by thoracoscopy under local anesthesia.

A 68‐year‐old woman was referred to our hospital for a lung nodule identified on chest radiography. Computed tomography (CT) showed a 10‐mm calcified nodule in the left thoracic cavity. On follow‐up CT, the nodule was found in a different location within the left thoracic cavity. Thoracoscopy was performed under local anesthesia, removing a pearl‐like pleural stone. Thoracolithiasis was therefore diagnosed without any complications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on thoracoscopy under local anesthesia for the diagnosis of thoracolithiasis. When thoracolithiasis is suspected, thoracoscopy under local anesthesia is minimally invasive and useful, and could be considered as an option for definite diagnosis.

Systemic air embolism during pleural lavage for empyema

Pleural lavage has been considered a convenient and safe method that is often performed for empyema. We report a case of systemic air embolism that developed during pleural lavage. A 53-year-old man with empyema in the organizing phase suddenly developed paralysis of the left side of the body and altered level of consciousness during pleural lavage, which was performed in a sitting position without negative pressure suction. Systemic air embolism was diagnosed based on computed tomography. In this case, use of fibrinolytic agents, positioning during pleural lavage, and pressure in an empyema cavity may have predisposed to development of systemic air embolism. Conversion from thoracoscopic therapy to open decortication or fenestration should be considered to prevent this type of complication.