Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2019
Observational StudyRight ventricular dysfunction in neurologically deceased organ donors: An observational study in a tertiary-care organ donor referral centre.
Right ventricular RV dysfunction among transplant recipients correlates with transplant outcome, but its frequency in donors is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of RV dysfunction in potential heart donors." ⋯ We observed a high frequency of RV dysfunction in a sample of potential heart donors. However, the temporal evolution of RV dysfunction, the hemodynamic predictors of RV dysfunction, as well the link between donor RV dysfunction and recipient outcomes need to be assessed with further prospective studies.
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2019
Multicenter StudyMeasuring the nursing workload in intensive care with the Nursing Activities Score (NAS): A prospective study in 16 hospitals in Belgium.
The evaluation of nursing workload is a common practice in intensive care units (ICUs). It allows the calculation of an optimal nurse/patient ratio (N/P) which is a major challenge to ensuring the quality of care while controlling the costs of health care. The objectives of this study were, therefore, to evaluate the N/P ratio and to study nursing activities in intensive care in French-speaking Belgium. ⋯ There is a significant difference in N/P ratio between the Belgian regulation (1/3) and the one calculated by the NAS (1/1.5). A systematic objective assessment of shift workload should be done to avoid N/P ratio differences in intensive care.
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Journal of critical care · Dec 2019
Review Case ReportsSepsis induced cardiomyopathy: Pathophysiology and use of mechanical circulatory support for refractory shock.
Sepsis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SCM) has been recognized as a relevant complication. In this article, the pathophysiology of SCM and the literature regarding the clinical care with a focus on the use of mechanical circulatory support for the rescue of patients with severe SCM are reviewed. Lastly, a pragmatic approach to the care of this complex patient population is provided using a representative case example.