Journal of intensive care medicine
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Fluid management in critical illness has undergone extensive reevaluation in the past decade. Since a significant percentage of critically ill patients develop acute kidney injury (AKI), optimal fluid management is even more paramount to prevent the ill effects of either underhydration or overhydration. ⋯ A number of prospective randomized trials are planned to provide an adequately powered assessment of the effect of EGDT or earlier renal replacement therapy initiation in patients with, or at risk for AKI. The aim of this analytical review is to use existing clinical and physiological studies to support a 3-phase model of fluid management in the critically ill patient with AKI.
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J Intensive Care Med · Jul 2014
Agitation during prolonged mechanical ventilation at a long-term acute care hospital: risk factors, treatments, and outcomes.
The prevalence, risk factors, treatment practices, and outcomes of agitation in patients undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) in the long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) setting are not well understood. We compared agitation risk factors, management strategies, and outcomes between patients who developed agitation and those who did not, in LTACH patients undergoing PMV. ⋯ Agitation among the LTACH patients undergoing PMV is associated with greater delirium and use of antipsychotics and restraints but does not influence weaning success or LTACH stay. Strategies focused on agitation prevention and treatment in this population need to be developed and formally evaluated.
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J Intensive Care Med · Jul 2014
Fluid resuscitation in septic shock: the effect of increasing fluid balance on mortality.
To determine whether progressively increasing fluid balance after initial fluid resuscitation for septic shock is associated with increased mortality. ⋯ In patients with septic shock resuscitated according to current guidelines, a more positive fluid balance at 24 hours is associated with an increase in the risk of mortality. Optimal survival occurred at neutral fluid balance and up to 6-L positive fluid balance at 24 hours after the development of septic shock.
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J Intensive Care Med · Jul 2014
Plasma brain natriuretic peptide and troponin levels in severe sepsis and septic shock: relationships with systolic myocardial dysfunction and intensive care unit mortality.
The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels as mortality prognosticator and predictor for myocardial dysfunction in severe sepsis and septic shock. Baseline clinical and biological variables were collected from 47 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock. Ventricular systolic function assessed by echocardiography was measured over a 5-day period. ⋯ In critically ill patients, sepsis induces significant increase in BNP and cTnI levels. High BNP and cTnI plasma levels during ICU admission appear to be associated with poor outcome of sepsis. Time course of BNP levels seems helpful to discriminate between surviving and nonsurviving patients with sepsis and to detect myocardial dysfunction where troponin levels fail to do so.
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J Intensive Care Med · Jul 2014
Observational StudySNAP II index: an alternative to the COMFORT scale in assessing the level of sedation in mechanically ventilated pediatric patients.
Sedation monitoring is essential in pediatric patients on ventilatory support to achieve comfort and safety. The COMFORT scale was designed and validated to assess the level of sedation in intubated pediatric patients. However, it remains unreliable in pharmacologically paralyzed patients. ⋯ Previous studies suggested that the SNAP II index is a reliable and sensitive indicator of the level of consciousness in adult patients. Despite its potential, no data are currently available in the pediatric critically ill population on ventilatory support. This is the first pilot study assessing the potential application of the SNAP II index in critically ill pediatric patients by comparing it to the commonly used COMFORT scale.