Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Comparative Study
Effects of intravenous furosemide on mucociliary transport and rheological properties of patients under mechanical ventilation.
The use of intravenous (IV) furosemide is common practice in patients under mechanical ventilation (MV), but its effects on respiratory mucus are largely unknown. Furosemide can affect respiratory mucus either directly through inhibition of the NaK(Cl)2 co-transporter on the basolateral surface of airway epithelium or indirectly through increased diuresis and dehydration. We investigated the physical properties and transportability of respiratory mucus obtained from 26 patients under MV distributed in two groups, furosemide (n = 12) and control (n = 14). ⋯ In contrast, no significant changes were observed in the control group. The remaining parameters did not change significantly in either group. Our results support the hypothesis that IV furosemide might acutely impair MCT in patients under MV.
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Comparative Study
Assessment of tissue oxygen tension: comparison of dynamic fluorescence quenching and polarographic electrode technique.
Dynamic fluorescence quenching is a technique that may overcome some of the limitations associated with measurement of tissue partial oxygen tension (PO2). We compared this technique with a polarographic Eppendorf needle electrode method using a saline tonometer in which the PO2 could be controlled. We also tested the fluorescence quenching system in a rodent model of skeletal muscle ischemiahypoxia. ⋯ Measurement of tissue PO2 using fluorescence quenching is at least as accurate as measurement using the Eppendorf needle electrode in vitro, and may prove useful in vivo for assessment of tissue oxygenation.
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Comparative Study
ICUs worldwide: an overview of critical care medicine in South Africa.
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Comment Letter Comparative Study
Concerns about the effectiveness of critical incident stress debriefing in ameliorating stress reactions.