Journal of critical care
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Thrombin generation and fibrin clot formation under hypothermic conditions: An in vitro evaluation of tissue factor initiated whole blood coagulation.
Despite trauma-induced hypothermic coagulopathy being familiar in the clinical setting, empirical experimentation concerning this phenomenon is lacking. In this study, we investigated the effects of hypothermia on thrombin generation, clot formation, and global hemostatic functions in an in vitro environment using a whole blood model and thromboelastography, which can recapitulate hypothermia. ⋯ Induced hypothermic conditions directly affect the rate of thrombin generation and clot formation, whereas global clot stability remains intact.
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Consistency of communication among intensive care unit staff as perceived by family members of patients surviving to discharge.
We hypothesize that intensive care unit (ICU) families frequently perceive that they have received inconsistent information from staff about their relatives and that these inconsistencies influence abilities to make medical decisions, as well as satisfaction. ⋯ Episodes involving inconsistent information from staff as perceived by families may be quite prevalent and may influence decision-making abilities and satisfaction.
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor as a prognostic biomarker in critically ill patients.
The aim of this study was to assess the role of blood soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels in the diagnosis and prognostication of sepsis in critically ill patients. ⋯ In ICU patients, serum suPAR concentrations have limited use for identifying sepsis, but their time course correlated with the degree of organ dysfunction, and they have prognostic value in septic and nonseptic populations.
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Does high-dose vasopressor therapy in medical intensive care patients indicate what we already suspect?
This study was conducted to determine the association between vasopressor requirement and outcome in medical intensive care patients in an environment where treatment is not withdrawn. ⋯ The requirement for high-dose vasopressor therapy at any time during ICU admission was associated with a very high mortality rate in the ICU and the hospital.
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2014
Effect of type II diabetes mellitus on outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition, whereas the presence of diabetes has been shown to be protective in its development. We undertook this study to assess the association of type II diabetes mellitus with clinical outcomes in patients with ARDS. ⋯ The presence of type II diabetes mellitus is not associated with clinical outcomes in ARDS, even when its presence is adjusted by body mass index.