Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2017
Multicenter Study Observational StudyAbusive Head Trauma and Mortality-An Analysis From an International Comparative Effectiveness Study of Children With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.
Small series have suggested that outcomes after abusive head trauma are less favorable than after other injury mechanisms. We sought to determine the impact of abusive head trauma on mortality and identify factors that differentiate children with abusive head trauma from those with traumatic brain injury from other mechanisms. ⋯ In this large, multicenter series, children with abusive head trauma had differences in prehospital and in-hospital secondary injuries which could have therapeutic implications. Unlike other traumatic brain injury populations in children, female predominance was seen in abusive head trauma in our cohort. Similar mortality rates and refractory intracranial pressure deaths suggest that children with severe abusive head trauma may benefit from therapies including invasive monitoring and adherence to evidence-based guidelines.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2017
Multicenter StudyICU Patients Requiring Renal Replacement Therapy Initiation: Fewer Survivors and More Dialysis Dependents From 80 Years Old.
To assess the role of advanced age on survival and dialysis dependency after initiation of renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury. ⋯ Patients with advanced age represent a substantial subgroup of patients requiring renal replacement therapy in the ICU. From 80 years, age should be considered as an additional risk of dying over the severity of organ failures. Patients 80 years old or older are likely to recover sufficient renal function allowing renal replacement therapy discontinuation when baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate is above 44 mL/min/1.73 m. At 3 months, only 6% were living at home, dialysis independent.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2017
ReviewClinical Experience With IV Angiotensin II Administration: A Systematic Review of Safety.
Angiotensin II is an endogenous hormone with vasopressor and endocrine activities. This is a systematic review of the safety of IV angiotensin II. ⋯ Adverse events associated with angiotensin II were infrequent; however, exacerbation of asthma and congestive heart failure and one fatal cerebral hemorrhage were reported. This systematic review supports the notion that angiotensin II has an acceptable safety profile for use in humans.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2017
Observational StudyCerebral Recovery Index: Reliable Help for Prediction of Neurologic Outcome After Cardiac Arrest.
Early electroencephalography measures contribute to outcome prediction of comatose patients after cardiac arrest. We present predictive values of a new cerebral recovery index, based on a combination of quantitative electroencephalography measures, extracted every hour, and combined by the use of a random forest classifier. ⋯ A cerebral recovery index based on a combination of intermittently extracted, optimally combined quantitative electroencephalography measures provides unequalled prognostic value for comatose patients after cardiac arrest and enables bedside EEG interpretation of unexperienced readers.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2017
Risk Factors for Pediatric Extubation Failure: The Importance of Respiratory Muscle Strength.
Respiratory muscle weakness frequently develops during mechanical ventilation, although in children there are limited data about its prevalence and whether it is associated with extubation outcomes. We sought to identify risk factors for pediatric extubation failure, with specific attention to respiratory muscle strength. ⋯ Neuromuscular weakness at the time of extubation was common in children and was independently associated with reintubation, particularly when postextubation effort was high.