This document discusses the stress response pattern seen in critically ill patients. It describes the metabolic changes that occur across multiple organ systems as part of the body's adaptive response to critical illness and injury. These include increases in oxygen demand, protein catabolism, and changes in endocrine and immune function. Recognizing the typical ebb and flow phases of this stress response enables clinicians to better predict patient trajectories, guide diagnostic and therapeutic decisions, and identify unexpected deviations from the expected pattern.
2. The evolution of a discreet injury into a
syndrome that spans neulologic, endocrine
and metabolic systems, sometimes leading to
radical changes in end organ
dysfunction…….. Fundamental characteristic
of critical illness
Many metabolic changes describe the
syndrome but without interpretation these
observations merely remain isolated facts
unable to guide clinical management.
3. In his framework, Cuthbertson said the
physiology of critical illness was an adaptive
response .
Metabolic changes from normal are necessary
to heal serious injury.
This concept informs the scientific inquiry
into which processes are biologically useful
or harmful and which should be
supplemented and suppressed………
nutrition, care of endocrine systems and
intervention in immunologic signaling.
4. The predictable pattern in response to injury
The role of interventions that depend on this
pattern
Diagnostic utility of comparing patient’s
clinical data to the stress response pattern.
5. Hypermetabolism is a hallmark of critical
illness…………. Ebb and flow in which a
period of hypoperfusion to maintain survival
followed by a healing period.
6. Cardiac output
oxygen delivery
substrate delivery
stress hormones
Time course varies by stress:
Classically 6-7 days
Energy
Expenditure
Ebb Phase
Shock and
hypoperfusion
Flow Phase
hypermetabolism
Peak
amplitude
influenced
by the
type of
stressor
7. • Characterized by hypovolemic shock
• Priority is to maintain life/homeostasis
Cardiac output
Oxygen consumption
Blood pressure
Tissue perfusion
Body temperature
Metabolic rate
Cuthbertson DP, et al. Adv Clin Chem 1969;12:1-55
Welborn MB. In: Rombeau JL, Rolandelli RH, eds. Enteral and Tube Feeding. 3rd ed. 1997
8. • Catecholamines
• Glucocorticoids
• Glucagon
• Release of cytokines, lipid mediators
• Acute phase protein production
Cuthbertson DP, et al. Adv Clin Chem 1969;12:1-55
Welborn MB. In: Rombeau JL, Rolandelli RH, eds. Enteral and Tube Feeding. 3rd ed. 1997
9. Glucose and lactate metabolism increases in
brain tissue during stress so also amino-acid
metabolism……….
Encephalopathy of critical illness due to –
◦ Increase of Aromatic amino acids and metabolites
◦ Impaired Global cerebral function …..causing
delirium to coma
10. Stress increases the peripheral tissue oxygen
consumption…… icn.COP, dec. PVR,
Redistribution of blood
O2 consumption is highest in the tissues with
the highest level of leucocytes suggests that
delivery is increased to feed cells that repair
tissue and control infection.
Capillary beds leak…..loss of tight junctions…
formation of peripheral oedema, Decrease O2
delivery in vital tissues, myocardial damage,
11. Body Water
Tissue oedema and intravascular
resuscitation increase body water and patient
gains weight.
ECW and EVV expand with loss of ICF….free
movement of water from the IVS to the
EVS.This has implication on the electrolyte
balance.
12. Electrolytes:
Hypernatremia: insensible water loss,
diuretics
Hyponatremia: water retention, dilutional
Hypokallemia, hypomagnesemia,
hyperphosphatemia: intracellular ions
Hypophosphataemia: exhaustion of
phosphate, refeeding syndrome.
14. 10 20 30 40
28
24
20
16
12
8
4
0
Nitrogen
Excretion
(g/day)
Days
Long CL, et al. JPEN 1979;3:452-456
15. Adapted from Long CL, et al. JPEN 1979;3:452-456
Basal Metabolic Rate
Cirugía
mayor
Cirugía
electiva
Infección
Sepsis
grave
Quemadura
moderada a grave
Nitrogen
Loss
in
Urine
Major
Surgery
Elective
Surgery
Infection
Severe
Sepsis
Moderate to Severe
Burn
16. The sensitivity of pulmonary gas exchange to
systemic perturbations reflects how often
pulmonary insufficiency accompanies the stress
response.
Inc O2 consumption and CO2 production put
greater demand on the pulmonary system.
Tacypnoea, Type 1 and Type 11 respiratory
failure ensue.
Inc. capillary permeability
Perivascular fluid flux wet lungs
(NCPO)
Inflammatory infiltration
Aspiration, altered immune function : inc risk of
pulmonary infection
17. Inc. Protein turnover in the GIT causes
intestinal oedema and villous atrophy
Worsening stress gastric and large bowel
illeus.
Enteral nutrition thus suffers
Impaired excretion of bilirubin and
metabolites.
18. Redistribution of bloodflow to the peripheries
causes renal perfusion to be “stolen”…
Decreasing perfusion, circulating
mediators…syndrome of oliguria, tubular
dysfunction.
Metabollically active tubular cells suspend
function till stress resolved……extreme
condition is AKI.
19. The stress response involves a complex
immunologic and neurologic signalling.
20. Cells of the innate
immune system
recognize
microorganisms and
initiate responses
through pattern-
recognition
receptors called toll
like receptors
(TLRs).
21.
22. TLR4 mutations have been identified in humans
and may make persons more susceptible to
infection.
[J Exp Med 1993;177:89-97., Nat Genet
2000;25:187-91.]
23. Triggering Receptor expressed on myeloid cells
A receptor of the immunoglobulin superfamily, that
regulates the function of myeloid cells
activates neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages
Amplifies the response of Toll like receptors and
potentiates secretion of pro inflammatory cytokines
J Infect Dis,2003; 187(Suppl.2): S397–401
24.
25.
26. Inhibition of NF- B activation
restores systemic hypotension,
ameliorates septic myocardial dysfunction and
vascular derangement,
inhibits multiple proinflammatory gene expression,
diminishes intravascular coagulation,
reduces tissue neutrophil influx,
prevents microvascular endothelial leakage.
prevents multiple organ injury
improves survival in rodent models of septic shock
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 290: L622-L645, 2006
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•
32. Stress Hyperglycemia:
◦ Dt inc cortisol, catecholamines and glucagon
◦ Altered peripheral response to insulin
Vasopressin secretion from posterior pituitary
increases in Shock but may become depleted
dt neuroendocrine exhaustion.
Sick euthyroid syndrome
Disorders of sleep cycle
Altered immunologic function.
33. Hendon etal : Betablockers in burnt children
to reduce muscle mass….NEJM 2001
Blood sugar control in the ICU
Corticosteroids in Septic shock
In one study supplementation of Growth
Hormone increased mortality.
Dotrecogen alpha
……….misdirected attempts to alter stress
metabolism can have adverse events.
34. Available data present a small perspective on the
diagnostic and therapeutic implications of stress
metabolism.
Although variable ,the pattern includes increased
oxygen delivery, catabolism, and evolving organ
dysfunction.
The astute clinician should be able to diagnose
new injuries like secondary infection make timely
interventions and anticipate the need for
resuscitation or diuresis and whether to escalate
or taper therapies….
Signals that hypermetabolism is decreasing
indicate source control of inflammatory
response…..
Concept of Chronic critical illness.
35. The stress response concept is a valuable
framework for organising care for the
critically ill patient.
Recognising worsening or worsening
regulatory inflammatory signals should guide
care.
Must anticipate deviations from the predicted
pattern.
36. Critical illness increases global metabolism as an
adaptive response to facilitate healing after
injury.
Stress response : the ebb and flow phase
followed by anabolism protein building …….. is
manifested in every organ in the body.
A good intensivist can exploit their knowledge of
the stress response by predicting the pattern ,
mapping patient physiology to the expected
changes and making diagnostic and therapeutic
decisions based on expected trajectory or
unexpected variation from the common stress
response pattern.