Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · May 2009
Multicenter StudyPatient-ventilator asynchrony during non-invasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure: a multicenter study.
To determine the prevalence of patient-ventilator asynchrony in patients receiving non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for acute respiratory failure. ⋯ Patient-ventilator asynchrony is common in patients receiving NIV for acute respiratory failure. Our results suggest that leaks play a major role in generating patient-ventilator asynchrony and discomfort, and point the way to further research to determine if ventilator functions designed to cope with leaks can reduce asynchrony in the clinical setting.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2009
Caspofungin for prevention of intra-abdominal candidiasis in high-risk surgical patients.
Thirty to forty percent of patients with recurrent gastrointestinal perforation/anastomotic leakage or acute necrotizing pancreatitis develop intra-abdominal invasive candidiasis (IC). A corrected Candida colonization index (CCI) > or =0.4 is a powerful predictor of IC. Fluconazole prevents intra-abdominal IC in this setting, but azole-resistant Candida species are emerging. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of caspofungin for prevention of intra-abdominal IC in high-risk surgical patients. ⋯ Caspofungin may be efficacious and safe for prevention of intra-abdominal candidiasis in high-risk surgical patients. This needs to be further investigated in randomized trials.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2009
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialIntravascular cooling for rapid induction of moderate hypothermia in severely head-injured patients: results of a multicenter study (IntraCool).
To evaluate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of a new method of intravascular temperature management for inducing moderate hypothermia (MHT). ⋯ Intravascular methods to induce MHT combined with precooling with cold saline at 4 degrees C appear to be feasible and effective in reducing ICP in patients with high ICP refractory to first-line therapeutic measures.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of synbiotic therapy on the incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia in critically ill patients: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
To investigate the effect of enteral Synbiotic 2000 FORTE (a mixture of lactic acid bacteria and fibre) on the incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in critically ill patients. ⋯ Enteral administration of Synbiotic 2000 FORTE has no statistically significant impact on the incidence of VAP in critically ill patients.