Journal of critical care
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2012
Hypothermia attenuates the severity of oxidative stress development in asphyxiated newborns.
This retrospective case-control study aimed to examine the development of oxidative stress in asphyxiated infants delivered at more than 37 weeks of gestation. ⋯ This study demonstrated that hypothermia attenuated the development of systemic oxidative stress in asphyxiated newborns.
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2012
Plasma C-reactive protein levels are associated with mortality in elderly with acute lung injury.
The plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) level is considered to be a predictor of severity in both hospital- and community-acquired pneumonias, whereas recent reports have shown that higher CRP levels lead to better outcomes in patients with acute lung injury (ALI). To explain this discrepancy, we evaluated the relationship among plasma CRP levels, etiology, affectors of CRP production, and mortality in patients with ALI. ⋯ The plasma CRP level may be a predictor of mortality in elderly patients with ALI.
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2012
Fractional excretion of urea as a diagnostic index in acute kidney injury in intensive care patients.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a dynamic process that evolves from an early reversible condition to an established disease. Value of urine indices in the event of AKI is uncertain in critically ill patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of fractional excretion of urea (FeU) for differentiating persistent from transient AKI in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. ⋯ Fractional excretion of urea less than 40% was found to be a sensitive and specific index in differentiating transient from persistent AKI in intensive care unit patients especially if diuretics had been administered.
-
Journal of critical care · Oct 2012
A method for estimation of plasma albumin concentration from the buffering properties of whole blood.
Hypoalbuminemia is strongly associated with poor clinical outcome. Albumin is usually measured at the central laboratory rather than point of care, but in principle, information exists in the buffering properties of whole blood to estimate plasma albumin concentration from point of care measurements of acid-base and oxygenation status. This article presents and evaluates a new method for doing so. ⋯ This new method may be a valuable tool in screening and monitoring plasma albumin concentration in acutely ill patients, from measurements taken at the point of care.