Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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The epidemiology of severe acute renal failure has dramatically changed in the past decade. Its leading cause is sepsis and the syndrome develops mostly in the intensive care unit as part of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. After the significant improvements obtained from the mid 1970s to the mid 1990s, the past decade has seen a dramatic evolution in technology leading to new machines and new techniques for renal and multiple organ support. ⋯ At the same time, patients with sepsis seem to benefit from the use of increased doses, as in the case of high-volume hemofiltration or of increased membrane permeability and sorbents as in the case of continuous plasmafiltration adsorption. The humoral theory of sepsis and the peak concentration hypothesis have spurred a significant interest in the use of such extracorporeal therapies for renal support and possibly for the therapy of sepsis. Ongoing research and prospective studies will further elucidate the role of such therapies in this setting.
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Comparative Study
Natriuretic peptide testing for the evaluation of critically ill patients with shock in the intensive care unit: a prospective cohort study.
Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is useful in evaluating heart failure, but its role in evaluating patients with shock in the intensive care unit (ICU) is not clear. ⋯ Elevated levels of NT-proBNP do not necessarily correlate with high filling pressures among patients with ICU shock, but marked elevation in NT-proBNP is strongly associated with ICU death. Low NT-proBNP values in patients with ICU shock identifed those at lower risk for death, and may be useful in excluding the need for pulmonary artery catheter placement in such patients.
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Comparative Study Controlled Clinical Trial
Impact of computerized physician order entry on medication prescription errors in the intensive care unit: a controlled cross-sectional trial.
Medication errors in the intensive care unit (ICU) are frequent and lead to attributable patient morbidity and mortality, increased length of ICU stay and substantial extra costs. We investigated if the introduction of a computerized ICU system (Centricity Critical Care Clinisoft, GE Healthcare) reduced the incidence and severity of medication prescription errors (MPEs). ⋯ The ICU computerization, including the medication order entry, resulted in a significant decrease in the occurrence and severity of medication errors in the ICU.
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A significant proportion of trauma patients require tracheostomy during intensive care unit stay. The timing of this procedure remains a subject of debate. ⋯ This review summarizes the potential advantages of tracheostomy versus endotracheal intubation, the different indications for tracheostomy in trauma patients and studies examining early versus late tracheostomy. It also reviews the predictors of prolonged mechanical ventilation, which may guide the decision regarding the timing of tracheostomy.
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Comparative Study
CC and CXC chemokine levels in children with meningococcal sepsis accurately predict mortality and disease severity.
Chemokines are a superfamily of small peptides involved in leukocyte chemotaxis and in the induction of cytokines in a wide range of infectious diseases. Little is known about their role in meningococcal sepsis in children and their relationship with disease severity and outcome. ⋯ Initial-phase serum levels of chemokines in patients with meningococcal sepsis can predict mortality and can correlate strongly with disease severity. Chemokines may play a key role in the pathophysiology of meningococcal disease and are potentially new targets for therapeutic approaches.