Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialHeparin/N-acetylcysteine: An adjuvant in the management of burn inhalation injury: A study of different doses.
Nebulized heparin may reduce fibrin cast formation and reduce the degree of airway obstruction in burn inhalation injury. ⋯ Nebulized heparin 10,000 IU decreased lung injury scores and duration of mechanical ventilation but had no effect on length of ICU stay and mortality. Moreover, nebulized heparin 10,000 IU was safe and had no effect on coagulation parameters.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Auditory-evoked potentials during coma: Do they improve our prediction of awakening in comatose patients?
The mismatch negativity (MMN), an auditory event-related potential, has been identified as a good indicator of recovery of consciousness during coma. We explored the predictive value of the MMN and other auditory-evoked potentials including brainstem and middle-latency potentials for predicting awakening in comatose patients after cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock. ⋯ The MMN is a good predictor of awakening in comatose patients after cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock and can be measured days before awakening encouraging ongoing life support.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Racial differences in withdrawal of mechanical ventilation do not alter mortality in neurologically injured patients.
Racial differences in withdrawal of mechanical ventilation (WMV) have been demonstrated among patients with severe neurologic injuries. We ascertained whether such differences might be accounted for by imbalances in socioeconomic status or disease severity, and whether such racial differences impact hospital mortality or result in greater discharge to long-term care facilities. ⋯ Surrogates of nonwhite neurologically injured patients chose WMV less often even after correcting for socioeconomic status and other confounders. This difference in end-of-life decision making does not appear to alter hospital mortality but may result in more survivors left in a disabled state.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Predictors of extraventricular drain-associated bacterial ventriculitis.
Bacterial ventriculitis (BV) may develop in patients requiring external ventricular drains (EVDs). The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of EVD-associated BV onset. ⋯ An association exists between CSF sampling frequency and the development of EVD-associated BV. Larger prospective studies should be aimed at identifying causal relationships between these variables.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Review Meta AnalysisFluid resuscitation with hydroxyethyl starches in patients with sepsis is associated with an increased incidence of acute kidney injury and use of renal replacement therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.
Fluid resuscitation is a key intervention in sepsis, but the type of fluids used varies widely. The aim of this meta-analysis is to determine whether resuscitation with hydroxyethyl starches (HES) compared with crystalloids affects outcomes in patients with sepsis. ⋯ Fluid resuscitation practice with HES as in the meta-analyzed studies is associated with increased an increase in AKI incidence, need of RRT, RBC transfusion, and 90-day mortality in patients with sepsis. Therefore, we favor the use of crystalloids over HES for resuscitation in patients with sepsis.