Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Multicenter StudyUse of the SOFA score to assess the incidence of organ dysfunction/failure in intensive care units: results of a multicenter, prospective study. Working group on "sepsis-related problems" of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.
To evaluate the use of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in assessing the incidence and severity of organ dysfunction in critically ill patients. ⋯ The SOFA score is a simple, but effective method to describe organ dysfunction/failure in critically ill patients. Regular, repeated scoring enables patient condition and disease development to be monitored and better understood. The SOFA score may enable comparison between patients that would benefit clinical trials.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Comparative StudyRight ventricular end-diastolic volume index as a predictor of preload status in patients on positive end-expiratory pressure.
To evaluate the clinical utility of right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) as measures of preload status in patients with acute respiratory failure receiving treatment with positive end-expiratory pressure. ⋯ CI correlates significantly better with RVEDVI than PAOP at all levels of PEEP up to 50 cm H2O. RVEDVI is a more reliable predictor of volume depletion and preload recruitable increases in CI, especially in patients receiving higher levels of PEEP where PAOP is difficult to interpret.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Comparative StudyImproved outcome after severe head injury with a new therapy based on principles for brain volume regulation and preserved microcirculation.
To assess the new "Lund therapy" of posttraumatic brain edema, based on principles for brain-volume regulation and improved microcirculation. ⋯ The low mortality compared with previous outcome studies strongly indicates that this therapy improves outcome for severe head injuries. However, a randomized, controlled study is needed to reach general acceptance of this new therapy.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Comparative StudyApproximate entropy of respiratory rate and tidal volume during weaning from mechanical ventilation.
To determine the effects of respiratory failure on respiratory rate pattern and tidal volume pattern. ⋯ Respiratory failure causes tidal volume patterns to become increasingly irregular, but increasing respiratory rate has no effect on respiratory rate pattern.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Comparative StudyBlood transfusion and lung function in chronically anemic patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
To study in anemic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) whether blood transfusion reduces minute ventilation and work of breathing (WOB). ⋯ We conclude that red blood cell transfusion in anemic patients with COPD leads to a significant reduction of both the minute ventilation and the WOB. In these patients, transfusion may be associated with unloading of the respiratory muscles, but it may also result in mild hypoventilation.