Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2017
Development of an intensive care unit resource assessment survey for the care of critically ill patients in resource-limited settings.
Capacity to provide critical care in resource-limited settings is poorly understood because of lack of data about resources available to manage critically ill patients. Our objective was to develop a survey to address this issue. ⋯ A reliable cross-sectional survey of available resources to manage critically ill patients can be feasibly administered to health care providers in resource-limited settings. The survey will inform future research focusing on access to critical care where it is poorly described but urgently needed.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2017
Observational StudyChanges of central venous oxygen saturation define fluid responsiveness in patients with septic shock: A prospective observational study.
To evaluate whether the changes of central venous oxygen saturation (Scvo2) after fluid challenge can define fluid responsiveness in patients with septic shock. ⋯ The changes of Scvo2 correlate with the changes of CI, and the changes of Scvo2 define fluid responsiveness in patients with septic shock.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2017
Cardiac troponin T is an important predictor of mortality after cardiac surgery.
Serum troponin (cTnT) levels, a commonly measured biomarker of myocardial injury, has rarely been considered in risk models after cardiac surgery. ⋯ We demonstrate that in patients without preoperative myocardial ischemia, the demonstration of myocardial injury (>0.6 ng/mL) in the postoperative period is highly predictive of in-hospital death.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2017
Observational StudyDecreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level is an early prognostic marker for organ dysfunction and death in patients with suspected sepsis.
We sought to determine whether an early high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) measurement at emergency department (ED) admission is prognostic of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and death in a suspected sepsis cohort. ⋯ Plasma HDL-C level was characterized by early decrease and high stability, and was the best prognostic marker for adverse outcomes in a suspected sepsis cohort.
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Journal of critical care · Apr 2017
Practice GuidelineEvidence-based guidelines for the use of tracheostomy in critically ill patients.
To provide evidence-based guidelines for tracheostomy in critically ill adult patients and identify areas needing further research. ⋯ Percutaneous techniques are associated with a lower risk of infections compared with surgical tracheostomy. Early tracheostomy only seems to reduce the duration of ventilator use but not the incidence of pneumonia, the length of stay, or the long-term mortality rate. The evidence does not support the use of routine bronchoscopy guidance or laryngeal masks during the procedure. Finally, proper prior training is as important or even a more significant factor in reducing complications than the technique used.