Intensive care medicine
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To document the effect of neurocritical care, delivered by specialist staff and based on protocol-driven therapy aimed at intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) targets, on outcome in acute head injury. ⋯ Specialist neurocritical care with protocol-driven therapy is associated with a significant improvement in outcome for all patients with severe head injury. Such management may also benefit patients requiring no surgical therapy, some of whom may need complex therapeutic interventions. We found it impossible to predict need for such interventions from clinical features at presentation. These data suggest that specialist critical care with ICP/CPP guided therapy may benefit patients with severe head injury.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2002
Super high flux hemofiltration: a new technique for cytokine removal.
To test whether hemofiltration using a hemofilter with large pores (super high flux hemofiltration) achieves effective cytokine removal. ⋯ High volume ultrafiltration using a super high flux filter achieved cytokine clearances comparable to, or greater than, those currently achieved for urea during standard continuous renal replacement therapy.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2002
Psychiatric adjustment following meningococcal disease treated on a PICU.
To describe the psychiatric status of child survivors of meningococcal disease and their mothers. ⋯ A significant proportion of children surviving meningococcal disease and their parents are likely to suffer psychological stress symptoms to a degree that warrants attention.
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Intensive care medicine · May 2002
Prone positioning in acute respiratory failure: survey of Belgian ICU nurses.
To determine the frequency of use and attitudes towards prone positioning in patients with acute respiratory failure. ⋯ Prone positioning is approached with some reluctance by ICU staff. If the use of prone positioning in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome is deemed worthwhile, discussion and development of departmental protocols may facilitate its use.