Critical care medicine
-
Critical care medicine · Jul 2006
Review Meta Analysis Comparative StudyProcalcitonin as a diagnostic test for sepsis in critically ill adults and after surgery or trauma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To quantify the accuracy of serum procalcitonin as a diagnostic test for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock in adults in intensive care units or after surgery or trauma, alone and compared with C-reactive protein. To draw and compare the summary receiver operating characteristics curves for procalcitonin and C-reactive protein from the literature. ⋯ Procalcitonin represents a good biological diagnostic marker for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock, difficult diagnoses in critically ill patients. Procalcitonin is superior to C-reactive protein. Procalcitonin should be included in diagnostic guidelines for sepsis and in clinical practice in intensive care units.
-
Critical care medicine · Jul 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialReliability and validity of the Pediatric Intensity Level of Therapy (PILOT) scale: a measure of the use of intracranial pressure-directed therapies.
To test the reliability and validity of the Pediatric Intensity Level of Therapy (PILOT) scale, a novel measure of overall therapeutic effort directed at controlling intracranial pressure (ICP) in the setting of severe (Glasgow Coma Scale of
-
Critical care medicine · Jul 2006
Treatment of acute hypertension in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage using American Heart Association guidelines.
To determine the feasibility and safety of treatment of acute hypertension in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage within 24 hrs of symptom onset. Elevated blood pressure, observed in up to 56% of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, may predispose to hematoma expansion; on the other hand, reduction of blood pressure may reduce hematoma expansion and subsequent death and disability. ⋯ We observed a high rate of tolerability among patients with intracerebral hemorrhage who were treated with intravenous nicardipine using mean arterial pressure goals defined by American Heart Association guidelines within 24 hrs of symptom onset.
-
Critical care medicine · Jul 2006
Comparative StudyElevated serum levels of S-100beta protein and neuron-specific enolase are associated with brain injury in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.
We investigated whether serum levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S-100beta protein could be used to evaluate cerebral injury and to predict outcome in severe sepsis and severe septic shock. ⋯ S-100beta and NSE are frequently increased and associated with brain injury in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. S-100beta levels more closely reflected severe encephalopathy and type of brain lesions than NSE and the Glasgow Coma Scale.