Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Quality of life and pruritus in patients with severe sepsis resuscitated with hydroxyethyl starch long-term follow-up of a randomised trial.
The effects of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on patient-centered outcome measures have not been fully described in patients with severe sepsis. We assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and the occurrence of pruritus in patients with severe sepsis randomized to resuscitation with HES 130/0.42 or Ringer's acetate. ⋯ At long-term follow-up patients with severe sepsis assigned to resuscitation with HES 130/0.42 had worse self-perceived HRQoL than those assigned to Ringer's acetate whereas there were no statistically significant differences in the occurrence of pruritus.
-
ADAMTS13 (a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type 1 repeats, member 13) deficiency has been reported in patients with sepsis but its clinical relevance and pathophysiology remain unclear. Our objectives were to assess the clinical significance, prognostic value and pathophysiology of ADAMTS13 deficiency in patients with septic shock with and without disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). ⋯ Septic shock was associated with a functional deficiency of ADAMTS13, independently of DIC. ADAMTS13 functional deficiency is then a prognostic factor for mortality in septic shock patients, independently of DIC.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Interactions between the volume effects of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 and Ringer´s acetate.
The turnover of Ringer´s solutions is greatly dependent on the physiological situation, such as the presence of dehydration or anaesthesia. The present study evaluates whether the kinetics is affected by previous infusion of colloid fluid. ⋯ Starch promoted peripheral accumulation of the later infused Ringer´s acetate solution and markedly prolonged the elimination half-life.
-
Editorial Comment
Antibiotics for the critically ill: more than just selecting appropriate initial therapy.
Critically ill patients with infection provide a number of challenges to clinicians in terms of optimizing their antimicrobial treatment. Of foremost importance, initial antibiotic treatment should be selected as to provide coverage for the causative pathogens. However, the administration of those antibiotics (dosing, interval of administration, duration of infusion, route of administration) should be prescribed in a manner to ensure optimal drug delivery to the site of infection. ⋯ Intensive care unit practitioners should utilize treatment strategies that strive to deliver antibiotics in an individualized manner aimed at attaining desired pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets. The goal of such a treatment strategy is to maximize the likelihood of curing the infection and allowing the critically ill patient the best opportunity for recovery. Effective implementation of antimicrobial optimization delivery strategies will likely require a multi-disciplinary approach including intensivists, pharmacists, and infectious disease specialists.