Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2013
Volume-independent elastance: a useful parameter for open-lung positive end-expiratory pressure adjustment.
A decremental positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) trial after full lung recruitment allows for the adjustment of the lowest PEEP that prevents end-expiratory collapse (open-lung PEEP). For a tidal volume (Vt) approaching zero, the PEEP of minimum respiratory system elastance (PEEP(minErs)) is theoretically equal to the pressure at the mathematical inflection point (MIP) of the pressure-volume curve, and seems to correspond to the open-lung PEEP in a decremental PEEP trial. Nevertheless, the PEEP(minErs) is dependent on Vt and decreases as Vt increases. To circumvent this dependency, we proposed the use of a second-order model in which the volume-independent elastance (E1) is used to set open-lung PEEP. ⋯ PEEPminE1 better identifies the open-lung PEEP independently of the adjusted Vt, and may be a practical, more individualized approach for PEEP titration.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Mar 2013
Single-dose application of antithrombin as a potential alternative anticoagulant during continuous renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients with advanced liver cirrhosis: a retrospective data analysis.
Adequate anticoagulation is essential to achieve efficient and cost-effective continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). However, in critically ill patients with advanced liver cirrhosis, this goal is challenging because of the concomitant bleeding disorder. Therefore, the evaluation of alternative anticoagulants is necessary. ⋯ Our data suggest that anticoagulation with single doses of AT may be an alternative to continuously administered low-dose heparin in critically ill patients with advanced liver cirrhosis during CRRT. However, additional controlled trials are necessary to confirm our findings.