Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2000
Comparative StudyInduction of systemic serum procalcitonin and cardiocirculatory reactions after isolated limb perfusion with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha and melphalan.
Isolated, hyperthermic limb perfusion (ILP) with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (rhTNF-alpha) and melphalan is a highly effective treatment for locoregional metastases of malignant melanoma and for advanced soft tissue sarcoma of the limb. The major systemic side effects are characterized by the induction of a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Procalcitonin (PCT), a serum marker of bacterial sepsis, was investigated with respect to its role in SIRS after ILP. ⋯ Serum procalcitonin is induced as part of the SIRS after ILP with rhTNF-alpha/melphalan. It may be induced directly by rhTNF-alpha or other cytokines, because serum peaks of IL-6 and IL-8 precede the peak of PCT. Because there is no correlation between serum levels of PCT and hemodynamic variables, this marker cannot be applied to assess the severity of SIRS reaction after ILP.
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2000
Editorial Comment ReviewProcalcitonin: clinical tool or laboratory curiosity?
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2000
Editorial Comment ReviewShould we be using hypertonic saline to treat intracranial hypertension?
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Critical care medicine · Apr 2000
Comparative StudyEffect of phased chest and abdominal compression-decompression cardiopulmonary resuscitation on myocardial and cerebral blood flow in pigs.
This study was designed to assess the effects of a phased chest and abdominal compression-decompression cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) device, Lifestick, vs. standard CPR on vital organ blood flow in a porcine CPR model. ⋯ Compared with standard CPR, the Lifestick CPR device increased significantly hemodynamic variables and vital organ blood flow during CPR before epinephrine administration.