Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into intensive care practices can enhance patient care by providing real-time predictions and aiding clinical decisions. However, biases in AI models can undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, particularly in visual representations of healthcare professionals. This work aims to examine the demographic representation of two AI text-to-image models, Midjourney and ChatGPT DALL-E 2, and assess their accuracy in depicting the demographic characteristics of intensivists. ⋯ Significant biases in AI images of intensivists generated by ChatGPT DALL-E 2 and Midjourney reflect broader cultural issues, potentially perpetuating stereotypes of healthcare worker within the society. This study highlights the need for an approach that ensures fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics in AI applications for healthcare.
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The main aim of the study whether changes in central venous-to-arterial CO2 difference (ΔP(v-a)CO2) and central venous oxygen saturation (ΔScvO2) induced by volume expansion (VE) are reliable parameters to define fluid responsiveness (FR) in sedated and mechanically ventilated septic patients. We also sought to determine whether the degree of FR was related to baseline ScvO2 and P(v-a)CO2 levels. ⋯ In mechanically critically ill patients, ΔP(v-a)CO2 and ΔScvO2 are reliable parameters to define FR and can be used in the absence of CI measurement. The response to VE was independent of baseline ScvO2 and P(v-a)CO2 levels. Clinical trial registration The study was registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov registry: NCT03225378, date: July 20, 2017.
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Evidence on the benefits of fiber-supplemented enteral nutrition (EN) in critically ill patients is inconsistent, and critical care nutrition guidelines lack recommendations based on high-quality evidence. This systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) aims to provide a current synthesis of the literature on this topic. ⋯ Very low-certainty evidence suggests that fiber-supplemented EN has clinical benefits. High-quality multicenter RCTs with large sample sizes are needed to substantiate any firm recommendation for its routine use in this group of patients. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023492829.
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Review
Pressure support, patient effort and tidal volume: a conceptual model for a non linear interaction.
Pressure support ventilation (PSV) is a form of assisted ventilation which has become frequently used, with the aim of partially unloading the patient's inspiratory muscles. Both under- and over-assistance should be avoided to target a lung- and diaphragm- protective ventilation. Herein, we propose a conceptual model, supported by actual data, to describe how patient and ventilator share the generation of tidal volume (Vt) in PSV and how respiratory system compliance (Crs) affects this interaction. ⋯ This range of assistance may be considered the "adequate PSV assistance" required by the patient, while higher and lower levels may result in over- and under-assistance respectively. As we also show, the determinants of over- and under- assistance borders depend on the combination of Crs and the inspiratory effort which the patient is able to sustain over a period of time. These concepts can be applied at the bedside to understand if the level of assistance is adequate to patient's demand, focusing on the variation of relevant parameters (Vt, Pmus and pressure-muscle-index) as patient reaction to a change in the level of assistance.