Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery according to Risk/Injury/Failure/Loss/End-stage, Acute Kidney Injury Network, and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes classifications.
The epidemiology of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery depends on the definition used. Our aims were to evaluate the Risk/Injury/Failure/Loss/End-stage (RIFLE) criteria, the AKI Network (AKIN) classification, and the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification for AKI post-cardiac surgery and to compare the outcome of patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) with historical data. ⋯ The AKIN classification correlated better with mortality than did the RIFLE criteria. Mortality of patients needing RRT after cardiac surgery has improved significantly during the last 20 years.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Multicenter StudyRapid response teams, do not resuscitate orders, and potential opportunities to improve end-of-life care: a multicentre retrospective study.
Rapid response teams (RRTs) were created to stabilize acutely ill patients on the ward, but recent studies suggest that RRTs may improve end-of-life care (EOLC). To learn more about the role of the RRT in EOLC at our institutions, we conducted a retrospective review. ⋯ RRT consultation is an important milestone for many patients approaching EOL. RRTs frequently participate in EOL discussions and decision-making, but they may miss opportunities to facilitate EOLC.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Dose modulation: a new concept of antibiotic therapy in the critically ill patient?
Considerable evidence has shown that adequate antibiotic therapy is of utmost importance in the critically ill septic patient. However, antibiotic concentration may be insufficient early in infection course. We propose the concept of dose modulation, meaning front-line variability of antibiotic dose, according to patient and microorganism characteristics, followed by its reduction after clinical response and patient recovery. Therefore, dose modulation means concentrating the largest weight of antibiotics at the front-end, when the microbial load is higher and the pharmacokinetic changes poses the highest risk of underdosing and nibbling off antibiotic dose, when the sepsis syndrome is improving, guided by pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Intensive care unit-acquired hypernatremia is an independent predictor of increased mortality and length of stay.
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of hypernatremia acquired after intensive care unit (ICU) admission on mortality and length of stay (LOS). ⋯ Hypernatremia developed following ICU admission in 4.3% of patients. Hypernatremia was independently associated with a 40% increase in risk for hospital mortality and a 28% increase in ICU LOS. Severity, but not duration of ICU-acquired hypernatremia was associated with hospital mortality.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Effectiveness of end-expiratory lung volume measurements during the lung recruitment maneuver for patients with atelectasis.
The aim of this study was to determine whether the relative change in the end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) obtained by the recruitment maneuver (RM) can serve as an indicator of the change in the P/F ratio. ⋯ These results suggest that the ΔEELV obtained by intermittent stepwise RM can serve as an indicator of the change in the P/F ratio.