Articles: function.
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Seizures refractory to third-line therapy are also labeled super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE). These seizures are extremely difficult to control and associated with poor outcome. We aimed to characterize efficacy and side-effects of continuous infusions of pentobarbital (cIV-PTB) treating SRSE. ⋯ cIV-PTB effectively aborts SRSE and complications are infrequent; outcome in this highly refractory cohort of patients with devastating underlying etiologies remains poor. Phenobarbital may be particularly helpful when weaning cIV-PTB.
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Delirium is known to be a predictor of adverse outcomes. In a prospective study Abelha and colleagues showed that postoperative delirium was an independent risk factor for deterioration in functional capacity following discharge. ⋯ Early mobilisation of ICU patients has been demonstrated to decrease delirium and improve functional outcomes. Resources should be directed to appropriate, progressive mobilisation of all critically ill patients as a priority.
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Sleep in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is severely altered. In a large proportion of critically ill patients, conventional sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns are replaced by atypical sleep. On the other hand, some non-sedated patients can display usual sleep EEG patterns. In the latter, sleep is highly fragmented and disrupted and conventional rules may not be optimal. We sought to determine whether sleep continuity could be a useful metric to quantify the amount of sleep with recuperative function in critically ill patients with usual sleep EEG features. ⋯ Sleep continuity measurements could constitute a clinically relevant and reproducible assessment of sleep disruption in non-sedated ICU patients with usual sleep EEG.
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A major consequence of ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW) is diaphragm weakness, which prolongs the duration of mechanical ventilation. Hyperglycemia (HG) is a risk factor for ICUAW. However, the mechanisms underlying HG-induced respiratory muscle weakness are not known. Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) injure multiple tissues during HG, but only one study suggests that excessive ROS generation may be linked to HG-induced diaphragm weakness. We hypothesized that HG-induced diaphragm dysfunction is mediated by excessive superoxide generation and that administration of a specific superoxide scavenger, polyethylene glycol superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD), would ameliorate these effects. ⋯ HG-induced reductions in diaphragm force generation occur largely at the level of the contractile proteins, are associated with depletion of troponin T and increased indices of oxidative stress, findings not previously reported. Importantly, administration of PEG-SOD largely ablated these derangements, indicating that superoxide generation plays a major role in hyperglycemia-induced diaphragm dysfunction. This new mechanistic information could explain how HG alters diaphragm function during critical illness.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Therapeutic effect of inhaled budesonide (Pulmicort(®) Turbuhaler) on the inflammatory response to one-lung ventilation.
Pre-operative nebulised budenoside may improve ventilation pressures and compliance, and reduce the inflammatory response to one-lung ventilation.
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