Articles: sepsis.
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Critical care medicine · Jun 1992
Review Practice Guideline GuidelineAmerican College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference: definitions for sepsis and organ failure and guidelines for the use of innovative therapies in sepsis.
To define the terms "sepsis" and "organ failure" in a precise manner. ⋯ The use of these terms and techniques should assist clinicians and researchers who deal with sepsis and its sequelae.
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An American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine Consensus Conference was held in Northbrook in August 1991 with the goal of agreeing on a set of definitions that could be applied to patients with sepsis and its sequelae. New definitions were offered for some terms, while others were discarded. Broad definitions of sepsis and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome were proposed, along with detailed physiologic parameters by which a patient may be categorized. ⋯ The use of severity scoring methods when dealing with septic patients was recommended as an adjunctive tool to assess mortality. Appropriate methods and applications for the use and testing of new therapies were recommended. The use of these terms and techniques should assist clinicians and researchers who deal with sepsis and its sequelae.
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Recent developments in the pathophysiology and treatment of sepsis have clearly shown the confusion produced by the imprecise terminology used to define the various facets of the sepsis process. The criteria required to diagnose bacteremia, sepsis, sepsis syndrome or septic shock vary from one author to the other. This inaccuracy accounts for the inability to compare the results of therapeutic investigation from different groups. The aim of this article is to point out the necessity of standardized terminology and to propose definitions which might be appropriate.
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Critical care medicine · May 1992
Comparative StudyRight ventricular dysfunction in septic patients.
To compare right ventricular ejection fraction in trauma and septic patients during the hyperdynamic circulatory phase of these states. ⋯ Hemodynamic measurements comparing septic and trauma patients showed increased cardiac output in both groups and no differences in the pulmonary resistance. Right ventricular ejection fraction in the septic patients was significantly reduced compared with the trauma patients. Therefore, we concluded that right ventricular contractility may be decreased in septic patients.