Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Remifentanil versus fentanyl for analgesia based sedation to provide patient comfort in the intensive care unit: a randomized, double-blind controlled trial [ISRCTN43755713].
This double-blind, randomized, multicentre study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of remifentanil and fentanyl for intensive care unit (ICU) sedation and analgesia. ⋯ Analgesia based sedation with remifentanil titrated to response provided effective sedation and rapid extubation without the need for propofol in most patients. Fentanyl was similar, probably because the dosing algorithm demanded frequent monitoring and adjustment, thereby preventing over-sedation. Rapid offset of analgesia with remifentanil resulted in a greater incidence of pain, highlighting the need for proactive pain management when transitioning to longer acting analgesics, which is difficult within a double-blind study but would be quite possible under normal circumstances.
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Vasopressin is emerging as a rational therapy for vasodilatory shock states. In part 1 of the review we discussed the structure and function of the various vasopressin receptors. ⋯ Finally, we summarize the clinical studies of vasopressin in shock states, which to date have been relatively small and have focused on physiologic outcomes. Because of potential adverse effects of vasopressin, clinical use of vasopressin in vasodilatory shock should await a randomized controlled trial of the effect of vasopressin's effect on outcomes such as organ failure and mortality.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Offset of pharmacodynamic effects and safety of remifentanil in intensive care unit patients with various degrees of renal impairment.
This open label, multicentre study was conducted to assess the times to offset of the pharmacodynamic effects and the safety of remifentanil in patients with varying degrees of renal impairment requiring intensive care. ⋯ Remifentanil was well tolerated, and the offset of pharmacodynamic effects was not prolonged either as a result of renal dysfunction or prolonged infusion up to 72 hours.
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The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a devastating constellation of clinical, radiological and pathological signs characterized by failure of gas exchange and refractory hypoxia. Despite nearly 30 years of research, no specific pharmacological therapy has yet proven to be efficacious in manipulating the pathophysiological processes that underlie this condition. ⋯ They are also used widely in clinical practice and are well tolerated in critically ill patients. The present review examines the evidence supporting a role for beta2-agonists as a specific pharmacological intervention in patients with ARDS.
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The aims of the present study were to assess patients' memories of their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) over time, using the Italian version of the ICU Memory (ICUM) tool, and to examine the relationship between memory and duration of ICU stay and infection. ⋯ The ICUM tool is of value in a setting and language different from those in which it was created and used. Delusional memories are the most stable recollections, and are frequently associated both with lack of clear memory of ICU experience and with presence of infection during ICU stay.