Clinics
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To determine the relationship between enteral nutrition discontinuation and outcome in general critically ill patients. ⋯ The determination of the difference between prescribed and received enteral nutrition seemed to be a useful prognostic marker and is feasible to be incorporated into a gastrointestinal failure score.
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Ischemic stroke may result from transient or permanent reductions of regional cerebral blood flow. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils have been described as the earliest inflammatory cells to arrive in ischemic tissue. CXCR1/2 receptors are involved in the recruitment of these cells. However, the contribution of these chemokine receptors during transient brain ischemia in mice remains poorly understood. In this work, we investigated the effects of reparixin, an allosteric antagonist of CXCR1/2 receptors, in a model of middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion in mice. ⋯ Our results suggest that the blockade of the CXCR1/2 receptors by reparixin promotes neuroprotective effects by reducing the levels of polymorphonuclear infiltration in the brain and the tissue damage associated with middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion.
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Observational Study
Infection as an independent risk factor for mortality in the surgical intensive care unit.
Medical and surgical intensive care unit patients represent two different populations and require different treatment approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate the parameters associated with mortality in medical and surgical intensive care units. ⋯ Although the presence of infection is associated with a high mortality in both the medical and surgical intensive care units, the results of this prospective study suggest that infection has a greater impact in patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit. Measures and trials to prevent and treat sepsis may be most effective in the surgical intensive care unit population.
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To determine the incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and non-tuberculous mycobacterial isolates in the routine setting of a large general hospital using an "in-house" multiplex polymerase chain reaction method and to establish a paradigm for the definitive identification of mycobacteria isolated using semi-automated equipment. ⋯ Several non-tuberculous mycobacterial species were identified, primarily M. avium, but other potentially pathogenic species were also frequently observed, including M. fortuitum, M. abscessus, and M. kansasii. The expeditious communication of these data to the clinical staff was fundamental for the diagnosis of clinical cases. Even in settings where tuberculosis is of major importance, the incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria infection is substantial.
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Comparative Study
Effects of terlipressin and naloxone compared with epinephrine in a rat model of asphyxia-induced cardiac arrest.
To evaluate the hemodynamic and metabolic effects of terlipressin and naloxone in cardiac arrest. ⋯ In this rat model of asphyxia-induced cardiac arrest, terlipressin and naloxone were effective vasopressors in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and presented better metabolic profiles than epinephrine. Terlipressin provided better hemodynamic stability than epinephrine.