Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Observational Study
Reversible skin microvascular hyporeactivity in patients with immune-mediated thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura.
Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) is a rare disease characterized by arteriolar and capillary microthrombosis precipitating organ failure. However, the contribution of endothelial dysfunction on impaired microvascular blood flow in iTTP patients has been poorly explored. This pilot observational study aimed to explore endothelial-mediated vasoreactivity in iTTP patients at admission and its changes after plasma exchange therapy (PE). ⋯ We highlighted a marked yet reversible skin endothelium-mediated microvascular hyporeactivity in iTTP patients that could participate in organ injury pathophysiology.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Neurological and respiratory effects of lung protective ventilation in acute brain injury patients without lung injury: brain vent, a single centre randomized interventional study.
Lung protective ventilation (LPV) comprising low tidal volume (VT) and high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) may compromise cerebral perfusion in acute brain injury (ABI). In patients with ABI, we investigated whether LPV is associated with increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and/or deranged cerebral autoregulation (CA), brain compensatory reserve and oxygenation. ⋯ The present study found that most patients did not experience any adverse effects of LPV, neither on ICP nor CA. However, in almost a quarter of patients, the ICP rose above the safety limit for interrupting the interventions. Baseline ICP, brain compensatory reserve, and mechanical power can predict a potentially deleterious effect of LPV and can be used to personalize ventilator settings. Trial registration NCT03278769 . Registered September 12, 2017.
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Focused liquid ultrasonography in dropsy protocol for quantitative assessment of subcutaneous edema.
Although subcutaneous edema is a common symptom of critically ill patients, it is still underreported due to the lack of a systematic method for evaluating it. The present study aims to describe the occurrence and distribution of subcutaneous edema, as well as the risk factors associated with it, in critically ill patients using the focused liquid ultrasonography in dropsy (FLUID) protocol, and to assess their impact on ICU mortality. ⋯ The FLUID protocol provides a comprehensive strategy for the semi-quantitative assessment of subcutaneous edema in critically ill patients. In detecting the onset and severity of edema, ultrasound was found to outperform the pitting test. Subcutaneous edema showed a gravity-dependent distribution pattern, and its severity was associated with mortality.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Polymorphism in interferon alpha/beta receptor contributes to glucocorticoid response and outcome of ARDS and COVID-19.
The use of glucocorticoids has given contradictory results for treating acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The use of intravenous Interferon beta (IFN β) for the treatment of ARDS was recently tested in a phase III ARDS trial (INTEREST), in which more than half of the patients simultaneously received glucocorticoids. Trial results showed deleterious effects of glucocorticoids when administered together with IFN β, and therefore, we aimed at finding the reason behind this. ⋯ The distribution of this SNP within clinical study arms may explain the contradictory results of multiple ARDS studies and outcomes in COVID-19 concerning type I IFN signaling and glucocorticoids.