Annals of intensive care
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
Systemic antifungal therapy for proven or suspected invasive candidiasis: the AmarCAND 2 study.
In the context of recent guidelines on invasive candidiasis (IC), how French intensive care units (ICUs) are managing IC? ⋯ When SAT is initiated in French ICUs, the IC is ultimately proven for 48 % of patients. Empiric SAT is initiated in severely ill ICU patients. The initial SAT is often adapted, with de-escalation to fluconazole when possible. Mortality rate remains high.
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
ReviewAcute kidney injury in the perioperative period and in intensive care units (excluding renal replacement therapies).
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome that has progressed a great deal over the last 20 years. The decrease in urine output and the increase in classical renal biomarkers, such as blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine, have largely been used as surrogate markers for decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), which defines AKI. However, using such markers of GFR as criteria for diagnosing AKI has several limits including the difficult diagnosis of non-organic AKI, also called "functional renal insufficiency" or "pre-renal insufficiency". ⋯ On the contrary, the kidney delivers an appropriate response aiming to recover optimal systemic physiological haemodynamic conditions. Considering the kidney as insufficient is erroneous because this suggests that it does not work correctly, whereas the opposite is occurring, because the kidney is healthy even in a threatening situation. With current definitions of AKI, normalization of volaemia is needed before defining AKI in order to avoid this pitfall.
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
ReviewNeuroprotective effect of therapeutic hypothermia versus standard care alone after convulsive status epilepticus: protocol of the multicentre randomised controlled trial HYBERNATUS.
Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is a major medical emergency associated with a 50 % morbidity rate. CSE guidelines have recommended prompt management for many years, but there is no evidence to date that they have significantly improved practices or outcomes. Developing neuroprotective strategies for use after CSE holds promise for diminishing morbidity and mortality rates. ⋯ The main study objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic hypothermia (32-34 °C) for 24 h in diminishing 90-day morbidity and mortality (defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale score <5). The HYBERNATUS trial is expected to a decreased proportion of patients with a Glasgow Outcome Scale score lower than 5 after CSE requiring ICU admission and mechanical ventilation. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01359332 (registered on 23 May 2011).
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
ReviewManagement of neutropenic patients in the intensive care unit (NEWBORNS EXCLUDED) recommendations from an expert panel from the French Intensive Care Society (SRLF) with the French Group for Pediatric Intensive Care Emergencies (GFRUP), the French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care (SFAR), the French Society of Hematology (SFH), the French Society for Hospital Hygiene (SF2H), and the French Infectious Diseases Society (SPILF).
Neutropenia is defined by either an absolute or functional defect (acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome) of polymorphonuclear neutrophils and is associated with high risk of specific complications that may require intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Specificities in the management of critically ill neutropenic patients prompted the establishment of guidelines dedicated to intensivists. These recommendations were drawn up by a panel of experts brought together by the French Intensive Care Society in collaboration with the French Group for Pediatric Intensive Care Emergencies, the French Society of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, the French Society of Hematology, the French Society for Hospital Hygiene, and the French Infectious Diseases Society. ⋯ Six fields are covered by the provided recommendations: (1) ICU admission and prognosis, (2) protective isolation and prophylaxis, (3) management of acute respiratory failure, (4) organ failure and organ support, (5) antibiotic management and source control, and (6) hematological management. Most of the provided recommendations are obtained from low levels of evidence, however, suggesting a need for additional studies. Seven recommendations were, however, associated with high level of evidences and are related to protective isolation, diagnostic workup of acute respiratory failure, medical management, and timing surgery in patients with typhlitis.
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy versus noninvasive ventilation in immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory failure: an observational cohort study.
Acute respiratory failure is the main cause of admission to intensive care unit in immunocompromised patients. In this subset of patients, the beneficial effects of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as compared to standard oxygen remain debated. High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) is an alternative to standard oxygen or NIV, and its use in hypoxemic patients has been growing. Therefore, we aimed to compare outcomes of immunocompromised patients treated using HFNC alone or NIV as a first-line therapy for acute respiratory failure in an observational cohort study over an 8-year period. Patients with acute-on-chronic respiratory failure, those treated with standard oxygen alone or needing immediate intubation, and those with a do-not-intubate order were excluded. ⋯ Based on this observational cohort study including immunocompromised patients admitted to intensive care unit for acute respiratory failure, intubation and mortality rates could be lower in patients treated with HFNC alone than with NIV. The use of NIV remained independently associated with poor outcomes.