Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Ischemia/reperfusion after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) induces systemic inflammatory response and activation of endothelium and coagulation, resulting in a post-cardiac arrest syndrome. We analysed circulating (annexin V+) microparticles and their conjugates in resuscitated patients. ⋯ Resuscitated patients show substantially increased levels of different (annexin V+) microparticles and their conjugates immediately and 24 hours after cardiopulmonary resuscitation, suggesting an early onset of inflammation, an ongoing endothelial activation and a procoagulatory state. Additionally, microparticles of CPR patients may contribute to endothelial apoptosis. These results point to an involvement of microparticles in the development of the post-cardiac arrest syndrome.
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Multicenter Study
Impact of ureido/carboxypenicillin resistance on the prognosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Although Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading pathogen responsible for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), the excess in mortality associated with multi-resistance in patients with P. aeruginosa VAP (PA-VAP), taking into account confounders such as treatment adequacy and prior length of stay in the ICU, has not yet been adequately estimated. ⋯ After adjustment, and despite the more frequent delay in the initiation of an adequate antimicrobial therapy in these patients, resistance to ureido/carboxypenicillin was not associated with ICU or hospital death in patients with PA-VAP.
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Comparative Study
Quality of interhospital transport of the critically ill: impact of a Mobile Intensive Care Unit with a specialized retrieval team.
In order to minimize the additional risk of interhospital transport of critically ill patients, we started a mobile intensive care unit (MICU) with a specialized retrieval team, reaching out from our university hospital-based intensive care unit to our adherence region in March 2009. To evaluate the effects of this implementation, we performed a prospective audit comparing adverse events and patient stability during MICU transfers with our previous data on transfers performed by standard ambulance. ⋯ Transfer by MICU imposes less risk to critically ill patients compared to transfer performed by standard ambulance and has, therefore, resulted in an improved quality of interhospital transport of ICU patients in the north-eastern part of the Netherlands.
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We explored the diagnostic value of a urine soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) for early sepsis identification, severity and prognosis assessment, and for secondary acute kidney injury (AKI). We compared this with white blood cell (WBC) counts, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum procalcitonin (PCT), urine output, creatinine clearance (CCr), serum creatinine (SCr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). ⋯ Besides being non-invasive, urine sTREM-1 testing is more sensitive than testing WBC, serum CRP, and serum PCT for the early diagnosis of sepsis, as well as for dynamic assessments of severity and prognosis. It can also provide an early warning of possible secondary AKI in sepsis patients.