Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEfficacy and cardiovascular tolerability of continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration in acute decompensated heart failure: a randomized comparative study.
Recently, continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) has received increased attention in the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). The aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of CVVHDF compared with intravenous furosemide in patients with CHF. ⋯ In CHF, the use of CVVHDF effectively and safely produced greater weight and fluid loss and decreased LOS in the ICU more than the intravenous furosemide with no hemodynamic instability.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Cardiac manifestations in patients with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection needing intensive care.
To characterize the cardiac manifestations in severe pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus [P(H1N1)2009v] infection. ⋯ In our cohort of severe P(H1N1)2009v infection, myocardial injury and dysfunction was frequent and associated with high mortality.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Outcomes for critically ill patients with HIV and severe sepsis in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.
With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), sepsis has become a more frequent ICU diagnosis for patients with HIV infections. Yet, little is known about the etiologies of acute infections in critically ill patients with HIV and the factors that affect in-hospital mortality. ⋯ In this large cohort study, nosocomial/health care-associated infections were common in ICU patients with HIV and severe sepsis. Hospital mortality was associated with acute illness severity, but not clearly associated with variables related to HIV infection. Interventions that aim to prevent or more effectively treat nosocomial infections in critically ill patients with HIV may favorably impact clinical outcomes.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Device-associated infection rates and extra length of stay in an intensive care unit of a university hospital in Wroclaw, Poland: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium's (INICC) findings.
The aim of this study was to determine device-associated health care-associated infections (DA-HAI) rates, microbiologic profile, bacterial resistance, and length of stay in one intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital member of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) in Poland. ⋯ Most DA-HAI rates are lower in Poland than in INICC, but higher than in the National Healthcare Safety Network, expressing the feasibility of lowering infection rates and increasing patient safety.