Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialCarbamezapine for pain management in Guillain-Barré syndrome patients in the intensive care unit.
To evaluate carbamezapine (CBZ) for neuritic pain relief in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ The pain in GBS has a dual origin, and we recommend CBZ as an adjuvant to treat pain in GBS patients, during the recovery phase in the ICU, to reduce the narcotic requirement.
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To describe the goals of sedative use in the intensive care unit and review the pharmacology of commonly used sedative drugs as well as to review pertinent publications in the literature concerning the comparative pharmacology of these drugs, with emphasis on outcomes related to sedation and comparative pharmacoeconomics. ⋯ An individualized approach to sedation based on knowledge of drug pharmacology is needed because of confounding variables including concurrent patient illness, depth of sedation, and concomitant use of analgesic agents. (Crit Care Med 2000; 28:854-866)
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2000
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialA cost-effectiveness analysis of the application of nitric oxide versus oxygen gas for near-term newborns with respiratory failure: results from a Canadian randomized clinical trial.
To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of the use of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) vs. oxygen administered to near-term (gestational age > or =34 wks) newborns with severe respiratory illness that were referred for consideration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ⋯ The small numbers of patients in the trials precluded significant results. Further, our results have a short-term time horizon (discharge to home or death). Thus, for non-CDH patients, the favorable ratio provides very qualified evidence in favor of NO.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2000
Comparative StudyEvaluation of a thoracic bioimpedance cardiac output monitor during cardiac catheterization.
To evaluate the accuracy and precision of an advanced thoracic bioimpedance cardiac output monitor by comparing it with conventional thermodilution. ⋯ The correlation between conventional thermodilution and thoracic bioimpedance cardiac output estimates was good and the standard deviation of the differences was lower than that reported for commercially available devices. The system can be used in the cardiac catheterization lab for reliable and continuous noninvasive measurement of cardiac output.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2000
Multicenter StudyRepeat computed tomographic scan within 24-48 hours of admission in children with moderate and severe head trauma.
To asses the yield and contribution of a routine predetermined repeat head computed tomographic (CT) scan within 24-36 hrs in pediatric patients with moderate to severe head trauma. ⋯ A second routine prescheduled head CT scan within 24-36 hrs after admission in pediatric patients with moderate to severe head trauma is unlikely to yield any change in therapy. Clinically and intracranial pressure-oriented CT scan may better select and diagnose patients who require changes in therapy, including surgery. Studies aimed to determine the ideal timing for the second are warranted.