Current opinion in critical care
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We describe clinical and diagnostic features of various autoimmune and viral encephalitis subtypes. ⋯ Autoimmune and viral encephalitides can resemble one another and sometimes autoimmune encephalitis may be triggered by viral infections. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to both causes, which emphasizes the importance of clinical diagnosis before laboratory confirmation.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Apr 2018
Is hemoglobin good for cerebral oxygenation and clinical outcome in acute brain injury?
The purpose of this review is to highlight the role of hemoglobin in cerebral physiology and pathophysiology. We review the existing as well as recent evidence detailing the effects of red blood cell transfusion on cerebral oxygenation and clinical outcome. ⋯ Hemoglobin is important for cerebral oxygenation and strategies to minimize anemia should be undertaken. Although higher hemoglobin levels are associated with less cerebral ischemia and better clinical outcome, whether this remains true whenever red blood cell transfusion is used to achieve this result remains unclear.
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Recent advances in our understanding of the epidemiology of ARDS has generated key insights into the incidence, risk factors, demographics, management and outcomes from this devastating clinical syndrome. ⋯ ARDS exerts a substantial disease burden, with 40% of patients dying in hospital. Diverse factors, including patient-related factors such as age and illness severity, country level socioeconomic status, and ventilator management and ICU organizational factors each contribute to outcome from ARDS. Addressing these issues provides opportunities to improve outcome in patients with ARDS.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Feb 2018
ReviewLong-term outcome after the acute respiratory distress syndrome: different from general critical illness?
To review the current research data on long-term outcome and health-related quality of life in survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and to compare these findings with those from non-ARDS patients surviving critical illness. ⋯ Surviving ARDS is associated with a long-term substantial reduction in health-related quality of life and such a reduction does not differ from findings in patients surviving other critical illness. In further research, a special attention should be paid to prevention measures of the 'post intensive care syndrome' as well as to patient important domains, which might better explain the patient's and families' demands.