Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2002
Clinical TrialEvaluation of a new device for noninvasive measurement of nonshunted pulmonary capillary blood flow in patients with acute lung injury.
To evaluate the performance of a new device for noninvasive measurement of nonshunted pulmonary capillary blood flow (PCBF) by partial CO2 rebreathing. ⋯ The new device appears to be clinically useful for the monitoring of PCBF in patients suffering from acute lung injury. Our results suggest that titration of PEEP aimed at improving PCBF can be performed with the new device.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2002
Effects of price information on test ordering in an intensive care unit.
To determine if daily information on the price of common laboratory tests and chest X-ray could significantly influence test ordering by physicians and decrease the costs. ⋯ Providing price information to physicians was associated with a significant reduction for arterial blood gases and urinary electrolytes tests ordered and was significantly cost-saving.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2002
Amylin is associated with delayed gastric emptying in critically ill children.
Amylin is a novel 37 amino acid that is secreted together with insulin from the pancreas in response to enteral nutrient intake. As a potent inhibitor of gastric motility it plays an important role in the control of carbohydrate absorption. In this study we aimed to determine the relationship between amylin levels and gastric emptying in critically ill children. ⋯ The use of gastric residual volumes to define feed intolerance is justified in critically ill children. High serum amylin levels are associated with delayed gastric emptying in these patients. The correlation between serum amylin and insulin levels indicates a degree of preservation of pancreatic hormonal co-release.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2002
Inhaled budesonide in experimental chlorine gas lung injury: influence of time interval between injury and treatment.
To examine the time window between injury and treatment during which nebulized corticosteroid lessens lung injury induced by chlorine gas inhalation. ⋯ Treatment with inhaled budesonide immediately or 30 min after chlorine gas lung injury had similar positive effects on symptoms and signs of pulmonary injury, whereas treatment delayed for 60 min was less effective.
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To evaluate plasma amino acid concentrations and markers of inflammation in the early stage and the course of septic encephalopathy. ⋯ Metabolic disturbances with changes in amino acid levels can occur early in septic patients, without serious liver abnormalities. The present data suggest a possible role of amino acids in the pathogenesis of septic encephalopathy.