Revista Brasileira de terapia intensiva
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Rev Bras Ter Intensiva · Jul 2017
ReviewWhat every intensivist should know about acute respiratory distress syndrome and diffuse alveolar damage.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a challenging entity for the intensivist. The pathological hallmark of the acute phase is diffuse alveolar damage, which is present in approximately half of living patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. It is clear that respiratory support for acute respiratory distress syndrome has gradually been improving over recent decades. ⋯ The hypothesis that pharmacological negative results may be explained by the histological heterogeneity of acute respiratory distress syndrome has been supported by the recent demonstration that acute respiratory distress syndrome with diffuse alveolar damage constitutes a specific clinical-pathological entity. Given that diffuse alveolar damage is a pathological diagnosis and that open lung biopsy (the most common technique to obtain lung tissue) has several side effects, it is necessary to develop surrogate biomarkers for diffuse alveolar damage. The aim of this narrative review is to address the following three topics related to acute respiratory distress syndrome: (a) the relationship between acute respiratory distress syndrome and diffuse alveolar damage, (b) how diffuse alveolar damage could be surrogated in the clinical setting and
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Rev Bras Ter Intensiva · Jul 2017
Delirium in a Latin American intensive care unit. A prospective cohort study of mechanically ventilated patients.
To establish the prevalence of delirium in a general intensive care unit and to identify associated factors, clinical expression and the influence on outcomes. ⋯ This Latin American prospective cohort investigation confirmed specific factors important for the development of delirium and the outcome of death among general intensive care unit patients. In both analyses, we found that the duration of mechanical ventilation was a predictor of untoward outcomes.
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Rev Bras Ter Intensiva · Jul 2017
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in acute respiratory distress syndrome due to influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 pneumonia. A single-center experience during the 2013-2014 season.
This report aimed to describe the outcomes of the patients with severe H1N1 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome who were treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy. ⋯ The survivors were relatively young and discharged with good functional status (i.e., enhancing quality-adjusted life-years-saved). Our experience shows that even a relatively new extracorporeal membrane oxygenation program can play an important role in that capacity and provide excellent outcomes for the sickest patients.