Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1995
ReviewMaintaining blood flow in the extracorporeal circuit: haemostasis and anticoagulation.
To review the methods and developments in maintaining extracorporeal circuits in critically ill patients. ⋯ Heparin is the mainstay of anticoagulation for the extracorporeal circuit although the complex abnormalities of the coagulation system in critically ill patients are associated with a considerable risk of bleeding. Alternative therapeutic agents and physical strategies (prostacyclin, low molecular weight heparin, sodium citrate, regional anticoagulation, heparin bonding and attention to circuit design) may reduce the risk of bleeding but expense and difficulty in monitoring are disadvantages.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1995
Comparative StudyThe predictive value of four scoring systems in liver transplant recipients.
To compare 4 general severity classification scoring systems concerning prognosis of outcome in 123 liver transplant recipients. The compared scoring systems were: the mortality prediction model (admission model and 24 h model); the simplified acute physiology score; the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (Apache II) and the acute organ systems failure score. ⋯ General disease classification systems, such as the mortality prediction model, simplified acute physiology score or acute physiology and chronic health evaluation are good mortality prediction models in patients after liver transplantation. We suggest that there is no need for improvement of a special scoring system.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1995
Pronounced elevation in circulating calcitonin in critical care patients is related to the severity of illness and survival.
To study circulating levels of calcitonin in critically ill patients in relation to the severity of illness and survival. ⋯ Pronounced elevations in circulating iCT were seen during the first 24 h critically ill patients. As the major part of the iCT consisted of high molecular weight CT this would not induce hypocalcemia. Rather, the elevated iCT would be regarded as a part of the metabolic responses to illness.