Journal of critical care
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The aim of the study was to describe the Jordanian patients' experience during their stay in intensive care units (ICUs) and to explore factors that contribute to positive and negative experiences. ⋯ Understanding patients' experiences in the ICU would increase nurses' awareness to patients' stressors. It would help policy makers in designing structural and process-related care activities in a manner that promotes positive patient experiences, which would improve quality of care in general and specifically ICU patients' outcome. The ICU environment was found to adversely affect patients in many aspects. In addition, most patients were able to recall their ICU experience.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2015
Review Meta AnalysisAssociations of fluid overload with mortality and kidney recovery in patients with acute kidney injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Fluid resuscitation is commonly administered to maintain adequate renal perfusion in critically ill patients to prevent or even treat acute kidney injury (AKI). However, recent studies show that fluid overload is common and might be associated with poor outcomes in patients with AKI. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess the associations of fluid overload with mortality and kidney recovery in patients with AKI. ⋯ Fluid overload is associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with AKI. The evidence of the relationship between fluid overload and kidney recovery is insufficient.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2015
ReviewA "three delays" model for severe sepsis in resource-limited countries.
The developing world carries the greatest burden of sepsis-related mortality, but success in managing severe sepsis in resource-limited countries (RLCs) remains challenging. A "three delays" model has been developed to describe factors influencing perinatal mortality in developing nations. This model has been validated across different World Health Organization regions and has provided the framework for policymakers to plan targeted interventions. Here, we propose a three delays model for severe sepsis in RLCs. ⋯ Characterizing the major barriers to effective treatment of severe sepsis in RLCs frames the problem in a language common to global health circles, which may stimulate further research, streamline treatment, and reduce sepsis-related mortality in the developing world.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2015
Psychometric evaluation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale 3 months after acute lung injury.
To conduct a psychometric evaluation of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and to evaluate associations of 2 measures of psychological distress with the HADS Anxiety (HADS-A) and HADS Depression (HADS-D) subscales in acute lung injury (ALI) survivors. ⋯ When evaluated in ALI survivors, the HADS has good internal consistency and a 2-factor structure. The HADS subscales were substantially correlated with the EQ-5D-3L anxiety/depression item and SF-36 mental health-related domain scores, suggesting convergent validity for these measures of psychological distress in ALI survivors.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2015
Early levosimendan administration is associated with decreased mortality after cardiac surgery.
The aim of this study was to assess the effects on postoperative outcome of levosimendan with respect to timing of its administration in cardiac surgery patients. ⋯ Findings of this retrospective analysis favor an "early," that is, intraoperatively up to the first hour after ICU admission, start of perioperative levosimendan treatment to maximize its ability to reduce mortality and morbidity.