Current opinion in critical care
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Acute kidney injury is a heterogeneous syndrome and as such is associated with multiple predisposing conditions and causes all of which affect outcomes. Such heterogeneity may conceal the potential benefit of therapies when generally applied to patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). The discovery of pathophysiology-based subphenotypes could be of benefit in allocating current and future therapies to specific groups. ⋯ Subphenotyping may help reduce heterogeneity under the umbrella term of acute kidney injury. Despite challenges remain, the identification of AKI subphenotypes has opened the potential of AKI research focused on better targeted therapies.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Dec 2022
ReviewFluid balance in pediatric critically ill patients (with and without kidney dysfunction).
The issues of fluid balance and fluid overload are currently considered crucial aspects of pediatric critically ill patients' care. ⋯ Current evidence on fluid balance in critically ill children is mainly based on retrospective and observational studies, and intense research should be recommended in this important field. In theory, active decongestion of patients with fluid overload could improve mortality and other clinical outcomes, but randomized trials or advanced pragmatic studies are needed to better understand the optimal timing, patient characteristics, and tools to achieve this.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Dec 2022
ReviewCoronavirus disease 2019 aftermath: psychological trauma in ICU healthcare workers.
We aim to describe the extent of psychological trauma and moral distress in healthcare workers (HCW) working in the intensive care unit (ICU) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, we review reports on prevalence of mental health symptoms, highlight vulnerable populations and summarize modifiable risk factors associated with mental health symptoms in ICU HCW. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted ICU HCW worldwide. The psychological trauma, manifesting as posttraumatic stress disorder, burnout, anxiety, and depression, is substantial and concerning. Urgent action by lawmakers and healthcare administrators is required to protect ICU HCW and sustain a healthy workforce.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Dec 2022
ReviewOpportunities in digital health and electronic health records for acute kidney injury care.
The field of digital health is evolving rapidly with applications relevant to the prediction, detection and management of acute kidney injury (AKI). This review will summarize recent publications in these areas. ⋯ Further research is required to overcome barriers to the validation and implementation of ML models for AKI care. Simpler electronic systems within the electronic medical record can lead to improved care in some but not all settings, and careful consideration of local context and implementation strategy is recommended.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Dec 2022
ReviewPragmatic platform trials to improve the outcome of patients with acute kidney injury.
There is an important need for improved diagnostic strategies and treatment among patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Classical randomized clinical trials have generated relevant results in AKI but are associated with shortcomings, such as high costs and sometimes lack of generalizability. In this minireview, we discuss the value and limits of pragmatic trials and platform trials for AKI research. ⋯ Pragmatic and platform trials can provide clinical answers in 'real-life' settings, facilitate a significant sample size enrollment at a limited cost, and provide results that can have a faster implementation in clinical practice.