Crit Care Resusc
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A protocol for a phase 3 multicentre randomised controlled trial of continuous versus intermittent β-lactam antibiotic infusion in critically ill patients with sepsis: BLING III.
β-Lactam antibiotics display a time-dependent mechanism of action, with evidence suggesting improved outcomes when administering these drugs via continuous infusion compared with standard intermittent infusion. However, there is no phase 3 randomised controlled trial (RCT) evidence to support one method of administration over another in critically ill patients with sepsis. ⋯ The BLING III study will compare the effect on 90-day mortality of β-lactam antibiotics administered via continuous versus intermittent infusion in 7000 critically ill patients with sepsis.
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Despite the growing number of older patients having major surgery, the normal resting values for the cardiac index of older patients remain unclear. We aim to derive a normative value for such patients. ⋯ The normal range of the cardiac index in older patients may be lower than previously reported. Its rate of decline with age is uncertain, but likely between 3.5 and 8 mL/min/m2 per year. Data on the normal cardiac index in people older than 80 years are scant.
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Two major cardiac arrest trials are evaluating different strategies that may potentially mitigate neurological injury after cardiac arrest and are allowing co-enrolment. However, one trial will target hypothermia and the other will target mild hypercapnia, in which the carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement may be influenced by the choice of temperature adjustment during arterial blood gases (ABGs) measurement. The trials have agreed to standardise assessment by the α-stat method. ⋯ Our survey findings support the acceptability of the decision to apply the α-stat approach across participating sites for both trials.
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Prognostication in patients with post-hypoxic brain injury remains difficult; yet, clinicians are commonly asked to guide decisions regarding withdrawal of life support. We aimed to assess whether electroencephalogram (EEG) is a useful tool in predicting neurological outcome in patients with post-hypoxic myoclonus (PHM). ⋯ This study shows that PHM is associated with a poor but not universally fatal prognosis. Early EEG does not reliably distinguish between good and poor outcomes.