Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2006
Procalcitonin kinetics in the prognosis of severe community-acquired pneumonia.
Procalcitonin (PCT) kinetics is a good prognosis marker in infectious diseases, but few studies of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) have been performed in intensive care units (ICU). We analyzed the relationship between PCT kinetics and outcome in ICU patients with severe CAP. ⋯ Increased PCT from day 1 to day 3 in severe CAP is a poor prognosis factor. A PCT level less than 0.95 ng/ml on day 3 in intubated patients is associated with a favorable outcome.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2006
Saline volume in transvesical intra-abdominal pressure measurement: enough is enough.
The objective was to determine the minimum volume of instillation fluid for intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) measurement, and to evaluate the effect of instillation volume on transvesically measured IAP. ⋯ Using 50 or 100 ml of saline for IAP measurement in critically ill patients results in higher IAP values compared with the use of 10 ml, and possibly, in overestimation of the incidence of intra-abdominal hypertension.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2006
Informed consent for research in ICU obtained before ICU admission.
To analyze the procedure of the informed consent for ICU research obtained before ICU admission. ⋯ Even when the informed consent is obtained in the most optimal conditions for ICU research, its ethical value remains questionable. Indeed, a substantial number of patients were unaware of their study participation, or of the related purpose and risks. When the ICU stay is prolonged, we should at least repeatedly and actively (re)-inform patients about their study participation.