The Journal of surgical research
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Therapeutic hypothermia has been proposed to protect organs in some diseases. However, the effect of therapeutic hypothermia on liver injury in sepsis is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of therapeutic hypothermia on liver injury in sepsis. ⋯ Therapeutic hypothermia attenuated liver injury in a polymicrobial sepsis model of rats by enhancing the Akt signaling pathway and decreasing apoptosis.
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Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, unphysiological lung stress (transpulmonary pressure) and strain (the ratio between inflated volume and functional residual capacity) can induce lung injury. Unfortunately, both stress and strain are not measured directly because of technical limitations but predicted from airway plateau pressure (Pplat) and tidal volume (Vt). Recently, some literatures indicated that Pplat and Vt cannot be good surrogates without distinguishing pulmonary ARDS patients (ARDSp) from extrapulmonary ARDS patients. Analyzing them together might distort the truth. Thus, we established animal models of ARDSp to explore whether lung stress and strain can be surrogated precisely by Pplat and Vt. ⋯ Pplat is an adequate surrogate for lung stress, but Vt cannot represent lung strain sufficiently.
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This study tested the hypothesis that blockade of the pH-regulatory protein, Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE1) during prolonged hemorrhagic shock can protect against whole-body ischemia-reperfusion injury, resulting in improved neurological outcomes. ⋯ In this study, NHE1 inhibition with BIIB513 improved vital organ blood flow, prevented the development of metabolic acidosis during prolonged hypovolemia, and facilitated the hemodynamic response to fluid resuscitation, resulting in increased survival and normal neurological outcomes.
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We assessed the short-term outcomes and predictors of 30-d mortality in patients requiring temporary, peripheral extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for postcardiotomy cardiac failure. ⋯ ECMO therapy provides a valuable therapeutic strategy for postcardiotomy myocardial failure but is still limited by high complication rates with fewer than 30% of patients discharged from the hospital. Patient age appears to be an essential preoperative predictor for mortality, and the blood lactate level is a relevant marker for the assessment of efficient ECMO support.
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Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) occurs in up to 25% of mechanically ventilated patients, with an associated mortality up to 50%. Early diagnosis and appropriate empiric antibiotic coverage of VAP are crucial. Given the multitude of noninfectious clinical and radiographic anomalies within trauma patients, microbiology from bronchioalveolar lavage (BAL) is often needed. Empiric antibiotics are administered while awaiting BAL culture data. Little is known about the effects of these empiric antibiotics on patients with negative BAL microbiology if a subsequent VAP occurs during the same hospital course. ⋯ Ventilator-associated pneumonia remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in mechanically ventilated trauma patients. The diagnosis and treatment of VAP continue to be challenging. Once clinically suspected, empiric coverage decreases morbidity and mortality. Our data demonstrate that patients who receive empiric coverage exhibit a significantly different microbiologic profile compared with those who had an initial positive BAL culture. Initial empiric antibiotics in BAL-negative patients were not associated with an increase in multidrug-resistant organisms, hospital, or intensive care unit length of stay, ventilator days, and mortality or secondary infections.