Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Dec 2014
Clinical TrialEffectiveness of implementing a wake up and breathe program on sedation and delirium in the ICU.
Mechanically ventilated critically ill patients receive significant amounts of sedatives and analgesics that increase their risk of developing coma and delirium. We evaluated the impact of a "Wake-up and Breathe Protocol" at our local ICU on sedation and delirium. ⋯ Implementing a "Wake Up and Breathe Program" resulted in reduced sedation among critically ill mechanically ventilated patients but did not change the incidence or prevalence of delirium.
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Critical care medicine · Dec 2014
Early Prediction of Persistent Organ Failure by Soluble CD73 in Patients With Acute Pancreatitis.
New biomarkers are needed to better predict the severity of acute pancreatitis. CD73/ecto-5'-nucleotidase is an enzyme that generates adenosine, which dampens inflammation and improves vascular barrier function in several disease models. CD73 also circulates in a soluble form in the blood. We studied whether levels of soluble form of CD73 predict the development of organ failure in acute pancreatitis. ⋯ : Activity of soluble form of CD73 at admission to hospital has prognostic value in predicting the development of the severe form of acute pancreatitis.
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Critical care medicine · Dec 2014
Comparative StudyLipid emulsion rapidly restores contractility in stunned mouse cardiomyocytes: a comparison with therapeutic hypothermia.
Cooling following cardiac arrest can improve survival significantly. However, delays in achieving target temperature may decrease the overall benefits of cooling. Here, we test whether lipid emulsion, a clinically approved drug reported to exert cardioprotection, can rescue heart contractility in the setting of delayed cooling in stunned mouse cardiomyocytes. ⋯ Lipid emulsion improved contractility and rescued contractility in the context of delayed cooling. This protective effect required Akt and Erk signaling. Lipid emulsion might serve as a treatment or adjunct to cooling in ameliorating myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.
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Critical care medicine · Dec 2014
Extent, Risk Factors, and Outcome of Fluid Overload After Pediatric Heart Surgery.
Fluid overload is associated with poor PICU outcomes in different populations. Little is known about fluid overload in children undergoing cardiac surgery. We described fluid overload after cardiac surgery, identified risk factors of worse fluid overload and also determined if fluid overload predicts longer length of PICU stay, prolonged mechanical ventilation (length of ventilation) and worse lung function as estimated by the oxygenation index. ⋯ Fluid overload occurs early after cardiac surgery and is associated with prolonged PICU length of stay and ventilation. Future fluid overload avoidance trials may confirm or refute a true fluid overload-outcome causative association.
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Critical care medicine · Dec 2014
Individualized early goal-directed therapy in systemic inflammation: is full utilization of preload reserve the optimal strategy?
In severe acute pancreatitis, the administration of fluids in the presence of positive fluid responsiveness is associated with better outcome when compared to guiding therapy on central venous pressure. We compared the effects of such consequent maximization of stroke volume index with a regime using individual values of stroke volume index assessed prior to severe acute pancreatitis induction as therapeutic hemodynamic goals. ⋯ Individualized optimization of intravascular fluid status during the early course of severe acute pancreatitis, compared with a treatment strategy of maximizing stroke volume by fluid loading, leads to less vascular endothelial damage, pancreatic edema, and inflammatory response.