Journal of intensive care medicine
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J Intensive Care Med · Jul 2008
Bispectral index monitoring documents burst suppression during pentobarbital coma.
During pentobarbital coma, electroencephalographic monitoring is used to document burst suppression (3-5 episodes of electrical activity/min). The current study evaluates the association of the bispectral index number and suppression ratio with a burst suppression pattern on electroencephalograph. ⋯ The sensitivity and specificity of a bispectral index value of 10 to 20 were 96% and 92%, respectively, whereas the sensitivity and specificity of a suppression ratio of 65% to 85% were 89% and 88%, respectively, in demonstrating the presence of 3 to 5 bursts/min. Bispectral index monitoring may be easier to perform and may require less technical expertise to interpret.
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J Intensive Care Med · Jul 2008
Role of transcranial Doppler in optimizing treatment of cerebral vasospasm in subarachnoid hemorrhage.
This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in arterial blood pressure management during hypervolemia/hypertension/ hemodilution therapy in patients with vasospasm from subarachnoid hemorrhage and correlate this data with neurologic outcome. The study included 18 adult patients, Hunt and Hess grades III-IV. Complete neurologic assessment was performed. ⋯ On the basis of our results, resistance area product can be used to estimate the optimal arterial blood pressure in hypervolemia/hypertension/hemodilution therapy. An increase in the cerebral blood flow index was associated with better performance on neurologic examination. Estimated cerebral perfusion pressure from transcranial Doppler data analysis showed poor correlation with cerebral perfusion pressure derived from direct measurement of intracranial pressure in patients with cerebral vasospasm (rho = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.11-0.39; P = .2590).
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J Intensive Care Med · May 2008
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients with sepsis.
The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to describe the incidence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and to determine its risk factors and effect on outcome in critically ill patients with sepsis. The study included 81 patients with sepsis admitted to an intensive care unit. In all, 25 patients (31%) developed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. ⋯ Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was independently associated with 28-day mortality (odds ratio = 3.284; 95% confidence interval, 1.126-9.574). The incidence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is high in critically ill patients with sepsis. It occurs more frequently in patients with advanced age, history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, high severity of illness, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction and is associated with increased mortality.
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Fungal infections are increasing nationwide, paralleling increases in the number of immunosuppressed hosts. Most of the candida infections seen in the intensive care unit are likely due to iatrogenic factors such as hyperalimentation, catheters, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and postprocedure complications that are prevalent in intensive care unit patients. Delays in appropriate therapy are common and may compromise care. ⋯ The issue of antifungal prophylaxis has to be balanced against issues of resistance, and current guidelines are reviewed here for prophylactic use of fluconazole only in selected intensive care unit patients. Finally, several new antifungal agents are available to treat the emerging resistant fungi, with better toxic/therapeutic ratios than in the past. Thus, there are an increasing number of safer and more effective options for treating fungal infections in the intensive care unit.
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J Intensive Care Med · May 2008
Comparative StudyIntermittent hemodialysis versus continuous renal replacement therapy for acute renal failure in the intensive care unit: an observational outcomes analysis.
Studies have failed to show a survival difference between intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Comparative cost analyses are limited and fail to control for differences in patient disease severity and comorbid conditions. The authors retrospectively estimated clinical and economic outcomes associated with CRRT and IHD among critically ill patients experiencing acute renal failure (ARF) in 2 tertiary care hospitals in Rochester, Minnesota, between January 1, 2000, and December 12, 2001. ⋯ This observational study suggests that costs may significantly differ by mode of RRT despite similar severity-adjusted patient outcomes. Future prospective comparisons of renal replacement modalities will need to include both clinical and economic outcomes.