Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 1995
Multicenter StudyArtificial nutrition support in intensive care units in Spain. Nutritional and Metabolic Working Group of the Spanish Society of Intensive Care Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMIUC).
A multicenter survey to study the use of nutritional support in patients admitted to the ICU in Spain. ⋯ Nutritional support is a common practice in the treatment of ICU patients in our country. All information concerning its use is necessary to optimize it.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 1995
Comparative Study Clinical TrialParalysis has no effect on chest wall and respiratory system mechanics of mechanically ventilated, sedated patients.
To evaluate the separate effects of sedation and paralysis on chest wall and respiratory system mechanics of mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients. ⋯ This study demonstrates the lack of additive effects of muscle paralysis in mechanically ventilated, sedated patients. Also in view of the possible side effects of muscle paralysis, our results question the usefulness of generalized administration of neuromuscular blocking drugs in mechanically ventilated patients.
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Intensive care medicine · Oct 1995
Deterioration of respiratory function after intra-hospital transport of critically ill surgical patients.
To evaluate the impact of intra-hospital transport of artificially ventilated patients on respiratory function, and to define predictors that may allow estimation of the risk of post-transport pulmonary deterioration. ⋯ Intra-hospital transport of ventilated critically ill patients may result in a considerable and long-standing deterioration of respiratory function. Patients ventilated with positive end-expiratory pressure are at an increased risk and the indication for procedures away from the ICU has to be weighted carefully in these subjects.
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As a result of the previous shortage of tools to assess objectively the overall physiological status of the respiratory system in infants and young children, it has been difficult to measure the degree of physiological disorder or the response to therapy in respiratory diseases such as BPD, the pediatric version of ARDS, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, asthma and croup in this patient population. The newborn- four-year old child is particularly difficult to study because of their lack of cooperation and size. The recent progress in computer technology made pulmonary function testing available for this age range and opened up new possibilities for monitoring changes in disease processes affecting the respiratory system. ⋯ Not all of these techniques need to be applied to all infants in the ICU. Not all the assumptions upon which some of the techniques we have described are based will prove true. Any such methods which do not withstand solid scientific testing must be quickly discarded and replaced with better and (hopefully) easier methods.