Abstract
Objectives: We sought to determine the effect of acute electrolyte and osmolar shifts on brain volume and neurologic function in patients with liver failure and severe hepatic encephalopathy. Design: Retrospective analysis of brain CT scans and clinical data. Setting: Tertiary care hospital ICUs. Patients: Patients with acute or acute-on-chronic liver failure and severe hepatic encephalopathy. Interventions: Clinically indicated CT scans and serum laboratory studies. Measurements and Main Results: Change in intracranial cerebrospinal fluid volume between sequential CT scans was measured as a biomarker of acute brain volume change. Corresponding changes in serum osmolality, chemistry measurements, and Glasgow Coma Scale were determined. Associations with cerebrospinal fluid volume change and Glasgow Coma Scale change for initial volume change assessments were identified by Spearman's correlations (rs) and regression models. Consistency of associations with repeated assessments was evaluated using generalized estimating equations. Forty patients were included. Median baseline osmolality was elevated (310 mOsm/Kg [296-321 mOsm/Kg]) whereas sodium was normal (137 mEq/L [134-142 mEq/L]). Median initial osmolality change was 9 mOsm/kg (5-17 mOsm/kg). Neuroimaging consistent with increased brain volume occurred in 27 initial assessments (68%). Cerebrospinal fluid volume change was more strongly correlated with osmolality (r = 0.70; p = 4 × 10-7) than sodium (r = 0.28; p = 0.08) change. Osmolality change was independently associated with Glasgow Coma Scale change (p = 1 × 10-5) and cerebrospinal fluid volume change (p = 2.7 × 10-5) in initial assessments and in generalized estimating equations using all 103 available assessments. Conclusions: Acute decline in osmolality was associated with brain swelling and neurologic deterioration in severe hepatic encephalopathy. Minimizing osmolality decline may avoid neurologic deterioration.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 280-289 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Critical care medicine |
Volume | 46 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2018 |
Funding
Supported, in part, by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant Number KL2TR001424, and the National Institutes of Health, Grant Number L30 NS098427 and by departmental funding from the Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology in the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Drs. Liotta, Rasmussen-Torvik, Sorond, and Maas received support for article research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Liotta is supported by a KL2 career development grant awarded through the North-western University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. Dr. Liotta’s institution received funding from NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant Number KL2TR001424; he received funding from the NIH, Northwestern University, and NIH Grant Number L30 NS098427; and he disclosed that his institution received grant support from Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valves II Trial (Edwards Lifesciences), TranS-catheter Aortic Valve RepLacement System U.S. Feasibility Trial (Direct Flow Medical), and SAGE-547 Clinical Trial (SAGE therapeutics) for his work on those clinical trials. Dr. Ganger received funding from Abbvie, Gil-ead, and Merck. Dr. Naidech’s institution received funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, K18 HS023437. Dr. Maas’ institution received funding from the NIH. The remaining authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest. For information regarding this article, E-mail: [email protected]
Keywords
- Cerebral edema
- Coma
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Liver failure
- Renal replacement therapy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine