Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Oct 2002
Impact of allogenic packed red blood cell transfusion on nosocomial infection rates in the critically ill patient.
To determine whether critically ill patients who receive allogenic packed red blood cell transfusions are at increased risk of developing nosocomial infections during hospitalization. ⋯ Transfusion of packed red blood cells is associated with nosocomial infection. This association continues to exist when adjusted for probability of survival and age. In addition, mortality rates and length of intensive care unit and hospital stay are significantly increased in transfused patients.
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Critical care medicine · Oct 2002
Characterization of a myocardial depressant factor in meningococcal septicemia.
Identification and characterization of myocardial depressant factors present in meningococcal septicemia. ⋯ Myocardial depression in meningococcal sepsis is mediated in part by circulating myocardial depressant factors. Myocardial depressant factors are also released when whole blood or peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy donors are exposed to heat-killed meningococci. Release of the factors appears to be mediated through endotoxin-induced activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, since lipopolysaccharide-binding protein augments release in a dose-responsive manner. Partial physicochemical characterization of the factors has been achieved.