Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
-
Sepsis is characterized by systemic immune activation and neutrophil-mediated endothelial barrier integrity compromise, contributing to end-organ dysfunction. Studies evaluating endothelial barrier dysfunction induced by neutrophils from septic patients are lacking, despite its clinical significance. We hypothesized that septic neutrophils would cause characteristic patterns of endothelial barrier dysfunction, distinct from experimental stimulation of normal neutrophils, and that treatment with the immunomodulatory drug β-glucan would attenuate this effect. ⋯ Neutrophils from septic patients exert dramatic compromise of endothelial barrier integrity. This pattern is mimicked by experimental activation of healthy neutrophils. The effect of septic neutrophils on the endothelium depends upon the initial inflammatory event, correlates with organ dysfunction and resolution of sepsis, and is ameliorated by β-glucan.
-
Between 4 and 22% of burn patients presenting to the emergency department are admitted to critical care. Burn injury is characterised by a hypermetabolic response with physiologic, catabolic and immune effects. Burn care has seen renewed interest in colloid resuscitation, a change in transfusion practice and the development of anti-catabolic therapies. A literature search was conducted with priority given to review articles, meta-analyses and well-designed large trials; paediatric studies were included where adult studies were lacking with the aim to review the advances in adult intensive care burn management and place them in the general context of day-to-day practical burn management.
-
Observational Study
Incidence, risk factors and prediction of post-operative acute kidney injury following cardiac surgery for active infective endocarditis: an observational study.
Cardiac surgery is frequently needed in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Acute kidney injury (AKI) often complicates IE and is associated with poor outcomes. The purpose of the study was to determine the risk factors for post-operative AKI in patients operated on for IE. ⋯ Post-operative AKI following cardiopulmonary bypass for IE results from additive hits to the kidney. We identified several potentially modifiable risk factors such as treatment with vancomycin or aminoglycosides or pre-operative anemia.
-
The early, accurate diagnosis and risk stratification of sepsis remains an important challenge in the critically ill. Since traditional biomarker strategies have not yielded a gold standard marker for sepsis, focus is shifting towards novel strategies that improve assessment capabilities. The combination of technological advancements and information generated through the human genome project positions systems biology at the forefront of biomarker discovery. ⋯ The techniques described in this paper not only have the potential to increase the spectrum of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in sepsis, but they may also enable the discovery of new disease pathways. This may in turn lead us to improved therapeutic targets. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview and basic framework for clinicians and clinical researchers to better understand the 'omics technologies' to enhance further use of these valuable tools.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Glycaemic control in Australia and New Zealand before and after the NICE-SUGAR trial: a translational study.
There is no information on the uptake of Intensive Insulin Therapy (IIT) before the Normoglycemia in Intensive Care Evaluation and Surviving Using Glucose Algorithm Regulation (NICE-SUGAR) trial in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and on the bi-national response to the trial, yet such data would provide important information on the evolution of ANZ practice in this field. We aimed to study ANZ glycaemic control before and after the publication of the results of the NICE-SUGAR trial. ⋯ IIT had not been adopted in ANZ before the NICE-SUGAR study and glycaemic control corresponded to that delivered in the control arm of NICE-SUGAR trial. There were only minor changes in practice after the trial toward looser glycaemic control. The rate of moderate hypoglycaemia and mortality decreased along with such changes.