Articles: intensive-care-units.
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The ordering of routine blood test panels in advance is common in intensive care units (ICUs), with limited consideration of the pretest probability of finding abnormalities. This practice contributes to anemia, false positive results, and health care costs. We sought to understand practices and attitudes of Canadian adult intensivists regarding ordering of blood tests in critically ill patients. ⋯ Most respondents to this survey perceived that unnecessary blood testing occurs in the ICU. The survey identified possible strategies to decrease the number of blood tests.
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Rehabilitation treatments for patients with severe burn injury (SBI) are difficult owing to the lack of knowledge, skills, and experience among clinicians and physical and occupational therapists, resulting in serious patient disability. This study retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of rehabilitation treatments jointly considered by physiatrists and rehabilitation therapists (Physiatrist and Registered therapist Operating rehabilitation: PROr) for patients with SBI admitted to our hospital's burn intensive care unit (BICU). Eligible patients were classified into the PROr and standard rehabilitation (SR) groups. ⋯ The PROr group received more types of exercise interventions for a longer time than the SR group. No significant differences in the FAC and Barthel index scores at the first time of rehabilitation were found between the two groups; however, the scores of FAC and Barthel index at BICU and hospital discharges were higher in the PROr group than in the SR group. The PROr program may help in the functional improvement of patients with SBI.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2024
Cytomegalovirus infection in intensive care unit patients with hematological malignancies: Characteristics and clinical outcomes.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is associated with poor outcome in ICU patients. However, data on immunocompromised patients are scarce. This study aims to describe characteristics and outcomes of critically ill hematological patients and CMV infection. CMV disease characteristics and relationship between CMV viral load, CMV disease, coinfections by other pathogens and outcomes are described. ⋯ In critically-ill hematological patients, CMV viral load is independently associated with hospital mortality. Conversely, neither CMV disease nor treatment was associated with outcome suggesting viral load to be a surrogate for immune status rather than a cause of poor outcome.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2024
Interfacility transfer of the critically ill: Transfer status does not influence survival.
To estimate differences in case-mix adjusted hospital mortality between adult ICU patients who are transferred during their ICU-stay and those who are not. ⋯ The transfer of critically ill patients between ICUs in Nova Scotia did not impact case-mix adjusted hospital mortality.