Medicina intensiva
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To evaluate procalcitonin clearance as a prognostic biomarker in septic shock. ⋯ ICU mortality was associated to sustained high procalcitonin levels, suggesting that procalcitonin clearance at 48h may be a valuable prognostic biomarker.
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To validate a safety tool used in high-risk sectors (safety briefing) in intensive care medicine. ⋯ Safety briefing is a tool for the documentation of incidents that is simple and easy to use, and is useful for implementing improvements and in influencing safety culture.
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To study the characteristics, evolution and prognosis of patients with infectious endocarditis requiring treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. ⋯ A large proportion of patients with endocarditis require admission to the Intensive Care Unit, presenting a much poorer prognosis. Staphylococcus aureus infection, heart failure, cerebral embolism and SAPS II scores are independent predictors of hospital mortality.
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Lung transplantation is a therapeutic option for pulmonary diseases in which the other treatment options have failed or in cases of rapid disease progression. However, transplantation is not free from complications, and primary graft dysfunction is one of them. Primary graft dysfunction is a form of acute lung injury. ⋯ This consensus document regards primary graft dysfunction as non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema developing within 72 hours of reperfusion and intrinsically attributable to alteration of the lung parenchyma. A number of studies have attempted to identify risk factors and to establish the underlying physiopathology, with a view to developing potential therapeutic options. Such options include nitric oxide and pulmonary surfactant together with supportive measures such as mechanical ventilation or oxygenation bypass.