Intensive care medicine
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To assess the prognostic value of procalcitonin levels during the clinical course of meningococcal disease in children. ⋯ Procalcitonin levels on admission are related to severity. In the case of a short disease history (duration of petechiae), PCT levels are also related to mortality. Although PCT levels are elevated in all patients, the levels per se do not allow a prediction about survival versus non-survival, this is in contrast to other markers and scores (PRISM).
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Intensive care medicine · Nov 2002
Pressurized bag pump and syringe pump arterial flushing systems: an unrecognized hazard in neonates?
Hand-held flushing of radial arterial lines at 0.5 ml/s in neonates can result in retrograde embolization of flush solution into the central arterial circulation. We studied flush flow velocities during intermittent arterial line purging using a flow regulating device with an infusion bag pump and a syringe pump system. ⋯ Based on data about critical flow velocities through an radial arterial cannula in neonates, both tested flushing systems carry the risk of exceeding the critical value of 0.5 ml/s. They are likely to cause retrograde embolization of flushing solution into the central arterial circulation with the associated risk of clot and air embolization. In vivo studies should identify margins of safety to minimize the risk of retrograde flushing into the central arterial circulation.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 2002
Multicenter StudyEffect of centre-, patient- and procedure-related factors on intensive care resource utilisation after cardiac surgery.
To determine associations between intensive care resource utilisation and centre-, patient- and procedure-related factors. ⋯ In European ICUs resource utilisation is highly variable after cardiac surgery. Up to two thirds more patients could be treated with current ICU resources if the most efficient strategies and structures were applied across all centres.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 2002
Multicenter StudyIntermittent versus continuous renal replacement therapy for acute renal failure in intensive care units: results from a multicenter prospective epidemiological survey.
To describe the current practice of hemodialysis in acute renal failure (ARF) and to estimate the impact of hemodialysis modality on patient outcome. ⋯ Renal replacement therapy mode was not found to have any prognostic value. Randomized controlled trials should be undertaken to assess this important question.