Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · May 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialWeaning children from mechanical ventilation with a computer-driven protocol: a pilot trial.
Duration of weaning from mechanical ventilation is decreased with the use of written protocols in adults. In children, the use of written protocols has not had such an impact. ⋯ A pediatric randomized trial on mechanical ventilation with a computerized protocol in North America is feasible. A computer-driven protocol that also manages children younger than 2 years old would help to decrease the number of PICU admissions screened in a multicentre trial on this topic.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2013
Long-term outcomes and quality of life in critically ill patients with hematological or solid malignancies: a single center study.
Data concerning long-term outcomes and quality of life (QOL) in critically ill cancer patients are scarce. The aims of this study were to assess long-term outcomes and QOL in critically ill patients with hematological (HM) or solid malignancies (SM) 3 months and 1 year after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge, to compare these with QOL before ICU admission, and to identify prognostic indicators of long-term QOL. ⋯ Long-term outcomes and QOL were poor, particularly in HM. Long-term expectations should play a larger role during multidisciplinary triage decisions upon referral to the ICU.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2013
Validation of a new method based on ultrasound velocity dilution to measure cardiac output in paediatric patients.
To validate a novel method of ultrasound dilution (COstatus(®); Transonic Systems, Ithaca, NY) for measuring cardiac output in paediatric patients after biventricular repair of congenital heart disease. ⋯ Cardiac output by ultrasound dilution showed low bias with wide limits of agreement when compared to measurement derived by the Fick equation. Although measurements through central and peripheral arterial lines were completed with minimal difficulties in the majority of patients, the application of COstatus(®) in neonates with low body surface area may be limited.