Medicina intensiva
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Major burn injury triggers severe oxidative stress, a systemic inflammatory response, and a persistent hypermetabolic and hypercatabolic state with secondary sarcopenia, multiorgan dysfunction, sepsis and an increased mortality risk. Calorie deficit, negative protein balance and antioxidant micronutrient deficiency after thermal injury have been associated to poor clinical outcomes. ⋯ These strategies have been shown to be able to minimize acute malnutrition, as well as modulate the immunoinflammatory response, and improve relevant clinical outcomes in this patient population. The purpose of this updating review is to summarize the most current evidence on metabolic response and nutrition therapy in critically ill burn patients.
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Random allocation of treatment or intervention is the key feature of clinical trials and divides patients into treatment groups that are approximately balanced for baseline, and therefore comparable covariates except for the variable treatment of the study. However, in observational studies, where treatment allocation is not random, patients in the treatment and control groups often differ in covariates that are related to intervention variables. These imbalances in covariates can lead to biased estimates of the treatment effect. ⋯ Propensity score analyses attempt to control for confounding in non-experimental studies by adjusting for the likelihood that a given patient is exposed. However, studies with propensity indexes may be confusing, and intensivists are not familiar with this methodology and may not fully understand the importance of this technique. The objectives of this review are: to describe the fundamentals of propensity index methods; to present the techniques to adequately evaluate propensity index models; to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques.
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Observational Study
Results and functional outcomes of acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy admitted to intensive care unit.
To study the results and complications of endovascular treatment (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). To analyse the possible factors related to mortality and level of disability at ICU discharge and one year after stroke. ⋯ The factors relating to a worse functional outcome were symptomatic hemorrhage transformation, lack of recanalization and complications during EVT. The factors relating to mortality were symptomatic hemorrhage and hydrocephalus. Distal flow was achieve in most cases with a low complication rate. Half of the patients presented functional independence one year after the stroke.
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Comment Letter
Improvement opportunities for communication in the ICU.