Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Feb 2016
Health-related quality-of-life among survivors of acute kidney injury in the intensive care unit: a systematic review.
To summarize evidence on long-term health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) among survivors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Among survivors of critical illness complicated by AKI, HRQL was impaired when referenced to population norms, but it was not significantly different from that of survivors without AKI. Physical limitations and disabilities were more commonly exhibited by AKI patients. Importantly, the impaired HRQL was generally perceived as acceptable to patients, most of whom expressed willingness to undergo similar treatment in the future.
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Intensive care medicine · Feb 2016
Comparative StudyAcute respiratory distress syndrome mimickers lacking common risk factors of the Berlin definition.
Some patients presenting with acute respiratory failure and meeting the Berlin criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) lack exposure to common risk factors (CRF). These so-called ARDS mimickers often lack histological diffuse alveolar damage. We aimed to describe such ARDS mimickers lacking CRF (ARDS CRF-) in comparison with others (ARDS CRF+). ⋯ The absence of CRF among patients with ARDS is common and associated with a higher risk of mortality. For such atypical ARDS, a complete diagnostic workup, including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology and chest CT scan patterns, should be performed to identify those patients who might benefit from specific therapies, including corticosteroids.