During sepsis, the liver plays a key role. It is implicated in the host response, participating in the clearance of the infectious agents/products. Sepsis also induces liver damage through hemodynamic alterations or through direct or indirect assault on the hepatocytes or through both. Accordingly, liver dysfunction induced by sepsis is recognized as one of the components that contribute to the severity of the disease. Nevertheless, the incidence of liver dysfunction remains imprecise, probably because current diagnostic tools are lacking, notably those that can detect the early liver insult. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, diagnostic tools, and impact on outcome as well as the pathophysiological aspects, including the cellular events and clinical picture leading to liver dysfunction. Finally, therapeutic considerations with regard to the weakness of the pertinent specific approach are examined.

In recent years, fever control in critically ill patients by medications and/or external cooling has gained widespread use, notably in patients suffering from neurological injuries. Nevertheless, such a strategy in septic patients is not supported by relevant data. Indeed, in response to sepsis, experimental and clinical studies argue that fever plays a key role in increasing the clearance of microorganisms, the immune response and the heat shock response. Moreover, fever is a cornerstone diagnostic sign in clinical practice, which aids in early and appropriate therapy, and allows physicians to follow the infection course. After discussing the physiological aspects of fever production, the present review aims to delineate the advantages and drawbacks of fever in septic patients. Finally, the treatment of fever by pharmacological and/or physical means is discussed with regards to their drawbacks, which argues for their careful use in septic patients in the absence of clinical relevance.

The measurement of ocular nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) via ocular ultrasound scanning is a recent non-invasive method for intracranial pressure (ICP) assessment. Few clinical studies have assessed ONSD variations during osmotherapy for the treatment of sustained increased ICP episodes. The aim of our study was to determine the rate of ONSD variation after mannitol administration for increased ICP episodes. We consecutively included in a prospective, observational study, the patients who had severe acute brain injury and monitored with an invasive ICP monitor. For each episode of sustained elevated ICP, the ONSD was measured in the right and left eye with a 7.5-MHz echography probe, and the mean value was reported. Simultaneously, ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) were recorded. All measurements were performed just before and 20 minutes following a 20% mannitol infusion. Data were expressed as medians and interquartile ranges. Thirteen patients were included and analysed (traumatic brain injury, n=10; subarachnoid haemorrhage, n=3). The median value of the mannitol dose infused was 0.54 g/kg (0.49–0.80 g/kg). In all cases, the ONSD was greater than 5.8 mm before osmotherapy. The ONSD significantly decreased after mannitol infusion from 6.3 (6.1–6.7) to 5. mm (5.5–6.3) (p=0.0007). Concomitantly, the intracranial pressure decreased from 35 (32–41) to 25 (22–29) mmHg (p=0.001) and the CPP increased from 47 (50–60) to 66 (59–69) mmHg (p=0.003). The variations of ONSD appear to be an interesting parameter to evaluate the efficacy of osmotherapy for elevated ICP episodes in patients with acute brain injury.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in intensive care unit patients is a major concern. Influenza-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and severe COVID-19 patients are both at risk of developing invasive fungal diseases. We used the new international definitions of influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (IAPA) and COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) to compare the demographic, clinical, biological, and radiological aspects of IAPA and CAPA in a monocentric retrospective study. A total of 120 patients were included, 71 with influenza and 49 with COVID-19-associated ARDS. Among them, 27 fulfilled the newly published criteria of IPA: 17/71 IAPA (23.9%) and 10/49 CAPA (20.4%). Kaplan–Meier curves showed significantly higher 90-day mortality for IPA patients overall (p = 0.032), whereas mortality did not differ between CAPA and IAPA patients. Radiological findings showed differences between IAPA and CAPA, with a higher proportion of features suggestive of IPA during IAPA. Lastly, a wide proportion of IPA patients had low plasma voriconazole concentrations with a higher delay to reach concentrations > 2 mg/L in CAPA vs. IAPA patients (p = 0.045). Severe COVID-19 and influenza patients appeared very similar in terms of prevalence of IPA and outcome. The dramatic consequences on the patients’ prognosis emphasize the need for a better awareness in these particular populations.

Hypophosphatemia (HypoP) is associated with organ dysfunction and mortality. Despite its potential severe consequences, HypoP remains poorly characterized in terms of real prevalence and timing of onset. The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of HypoP defined as blood phosphate <0.8 and < 0.65 mmol/l on one particular day at international level. One-day point prevalence survey conducted by the Section of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Nutrition (MEN) of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) during week 11-2020. In total, 56 adult and 4 paediatric ICUs, from 22 countries participated: 41 ICUs were mixed medico surgical, the 19 others being cardiac, medical or surgical. Phosphate measurements were performed daily in 21 ICUs, and 1-3 times per week in 39 ICUs. On D-Day 909 patients (883 adults) were present and 668/883 (75.7%) had serum/plasma phosphate determined, revealing a HypoP in 103 (15.4%) patients aged 62 [18 to 85] years. Of those, 49 patients presented phosphate <0.65 mmol/l: cases of hypophosphatemia were detected at any time of patient's ICU stay. No HypoP was observed in children. A treatment protocol existed only in 41.1% of adult ICUs, independently of ICU type, or size. Only 41/98 of the HypoP patients (29/41 of patients with phosphate <0.65 mmol/l) were receiving phosphate. HypoP is present at least in 15.4% of ICU patients, and may occur at any time during the ICU stay. The absence of phosphate repletion protocols in 60% of participating ICUs is an unexpected finding, and confirms the necessity for the development of ICU phosphate protocols and guidelines. NCT04201899.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is particularly frequent (46%) in septic shock patients. Inflammation favours AF in the general population, and there is a growing body of evidence that inflammation also plays a role in AF occurring after cardiac surgery but also in the general ICU. How such a finding could modify the therapeutic approach remains elusive. The impact of AF on mortality is not clearly demonstrated in the ICU, with AF reflecting essentially the severity of the underlying disease.