Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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As the mortality from critical illness has improved in recent years, there has been increasing focus on patient outcomes after hospital discharge. Neuromuscular weakness acquired in the intensive care unit (ICU) is common, persistent, and often severe. Immobility due to prolonged bed rest in the ICU may play an important role in the development of ICU-acquired weakness. ⋯ Recent studies have demonstrated that early mobility in the ICU is safe and feasible, with a potential reduction in short-term physical impairment. However, early mobility requires a significant change in ICU practice, with reductions in heavy sedation and bed rest. Further research is required to determine whether early mobility in the ICU can improve patients' short-term and long-term outcomes.
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Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenous mediator of vascular tone and host defence. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) results in preferential pulmonary vasodilatation and lowers pulmonary vascular resistance. ⋯ This 'Bench-to-bedside' review focuses on the mechanisms of action of iNO and its clinical applications, with emphasis on acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome. Developments in our understanding of the cellular and molecular actions of NO may help to explain the hitherto disappointing results of randomised controlled trials of iNO.
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Multicenter Study
Impact of emergency intubation on central venous oxygen saturation in critically ill patients: a multicenter observational study.
Central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) has emerged as an important resuscitation goal for critically ill patients. Nevertheless, growing concerns about its limitations as a perfusion parameter have been expressed recently, including the uncommon finding of low ScvO2 values in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Emergency intubation may induce strong and eventually divergent effects on the physiologic determinants of oxygen transport (DO2) and oxygen consumption (VO2) and, thus, on ScvO2. Therefore, we conducted a study to determine the impact of emergency intubation on ScvO2. ⋯ ScvO2 increases significantly in response to emergency intubation in the majority of septic and non-septic patients. When interpreting ScvO2 during early resuscitation, it is crucial to consider whether the patient has been recently intubated or is spontaneously breathing.
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Multicenter Study
Delivered dose of renal replacement therapy and mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury.
The optimal dialysis dose for the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) is controversial. We sought to evaluate the relationship between renal replacement therapy (RRT) dose and outcome. ⋯ After adjustment for multiple variables, these data provide no evidence for a survival benefit afforded by higher dose RRT. However, more-intensive RRT was associated with a favourable effect on ICU stay and duration of mechanical ventilation among survivors. This result warrants further exploration.
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Comparative Study
Is thenar tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation in septic shock related to macrohemodynamic variables and outcome?
The study objectives were to evaluate septic shock-induced alterations in skeletal muscle hemoglobin oxygenation saturation (StO2) using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and forearm skin blood flow velocity using laser Doppler (LD) to determine the relationship of macroperfusion and microperfusion parameters, and to test the relationship of the worst NIRS parameters during the first 24 hours of shock with 28-day prognosis. ⋯ The alteration of StO2 reperfusion slope in septic shock patients compared with healthy volunteers was related with macrohemodynamic, microhemodynamic and metabolic parameters. The addition of the worst value of the day 1 StO2 reperfusion slope improved the outcome prediction of Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and SOFA scores.