Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 2024
Multicenter Study Observational StudyThe use of echocardiography in the management of shock in critical care: a prospective, multi-centre, observational study.
Echocardiography is recommended as a first-line tool in the assessment of patients with shock. The current provision of echocardiography in critical care is poorly defined. The aims of this work were to evaluate the utilisation of echocardiography in patients presenting to critical care with shock, its impact on decision making, and adherence to governance guidelines. ⋯ Use of echocardiography in the assessment of patients with shock remains heterogenous. When echocardiography is used, it improves diagnostic certainty or changes management in most patients. Future research should explore barriers to increasing use of echocardiography in assessing patients presenting with shock.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 2024
Randomized Controlled TrialLong-term mortality and health-related quality of life with lower versus higher oxygenation targets in intensive care unit patients with COVID-19 and severe hypoxaemia.
The aim of this study was to evaluate one-year outcomes of lower versus higher oxygenation targets in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and severe hypoxaemia. ⋯ Among adult ICU patients with COVID-19 and severe hypoxaemia, one-year mortality results were most compatible with benefit of the lower oxygenation target, which did not appear to result in more survivors with poor quality of life.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 2024
Randomized Controlled TrialCoaching doctors to improve ethical decision-making in adult hospitalized patients potentially receiving excessive treatment. The CODE stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial.
The aim of this study was to assess whether coaching doctors to enhance ethical decision-making in teams improves (1) goal-oriented care operationalized via written do-not-intubate and do-not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNI-DNACPR) orders in adult patients potentially receiving excessive treatment (PET) during their first hospital stay and (2) the quality of the ethical climate. ⋯ This study suggests that coaching doctors regarding ethical decision-making in teams safely improves goal-oriented care operationalized via written DNI-DNACPR decisions in hospitalized patients, however without concomitantly improving the quality of the ethical climate.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 2024
Randomized Controlled Trial"It's all about setting the stage." The nurse facilitator trial: perceived outcomes and implementation issues. A qualitative study among ICU clinicians and nurse facilitators.
For the first time in France, a randomised controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of a nurse facilitator on family psychological symptoms. We sought to explore the implementation of the intervention, how it was experienced by clinicians, as well as the barriers and facilitators to implementing the change. ⋯ Participants believed the facilitator intervention potentially improved families' experience. However, they also highlighted emotional difficulties and tensions with some members of the participating teams, due to competing territories and ambiguous role definitions. Facilitators' failure to affect decision-making suggests their role in enhancing goal-concordant care was inadequate within the setting.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 2024
Tracheal intubation in critically ill adults with a physiologically difficult airway. An international Delphi study.
Our study aimed to provide consensus and expert clinical practice statements related to airway management in critically ill adults with a physiologically difficult airway (PDA). ⋯ Using a Delphi method, agreement among a panel of international experts was reached for 53 statements providing guidance to clinicians worldwide on safe tracheal intubation practices in patients with a physiologically difficult airway to help improve patient outcomes. Well-designed studies are needed to assess the effects of these practice statements and address the remaining uncertainties.