Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2015
Increased serum bicarbonate in critically ill patients: a retrospective analysis.
Although metabolic alkalosis is a common occurrence, no study has evaluated its prevalence, associated factors or outcomes in critically ill patients. ⋯ An increased serum bicarbonate level is common in critically ill patients; this can be attributed to multiple factors in the majority of cases, and its presence and duration negatively influence patient outcomes.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 2015
Passive leg raising performed before a spontaneous breathing trial predicts weaning-induced cardiac dysfunction.
Weaning-induced cardiac dysfunction is more likely to occur if the heart does not tolerate the changes in loading conditions induced by spontaneous breathing trial (SBT). We hypothesized that the presence of cardiac preload independence before an SBT is associated with weaning failure related to cardiac dysfunction. ⋯ Preload independence assessed by a negative PLR test performed before an SBT predicts weaning failure related to cardiac dysfunction.