Articles: critical-illness.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of APACHE II and III scoring systems for mortality prediction in critical surgical illness.
To determine whether the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III (APACHE III), an updated version of APACHE II that contains a larger number of postoperative patients in the normative database, offers better prediction in critical surgical illness. ⋯ In institutions or groups of patients where APACHE II underestimates mortality, APACHE III may be corrective. However, the differences are subtle and may be difficult to detect in smaller studies.
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Clin Intensive Care · Jan 1995
Subjective psychological status of severely ill patients discharged from mechanical ventilation.
To evaluate psychological status in consecutive survivors of ICU who needed mechanical ventilation (MV). ⋯ These results showed that psychological status is poor in ventilated ICU patients, which should be considered in their care.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand Suppl · Jan 1995
ReviewQuantifying pulmonary oxygen transfer deficits in critically ill patients.
The clinical picture describing oxygen transfer deficits in literature is complicated by inconsistent terminology, and a weak perception of the influence total errors of measured and estimated values have on clinical decision-making. Clinical and analytical terminology: Terms like hypoxia, hypoxaemia and tissue hypoxia in clinical literature are often used synonymously. In present terminology, arterial hypoxia (pO2(a)) is considered to be based on measurements of oxygen tension in arterial blood. ⋯ A calculated shunt of 20-29% may be life threatening in a patient with limited cardiovascular function. A calculated shunt greater than 30% usually requires significant cardiopulmonary support. The necessity of sampling mixed-venous blood seems to be the most limiting factor for a widespread clinical use of shunt calculations.
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Intensive care medicine · Jan 1995
Pronounced elevation in circulating calcitonin in critical care patients is related to the severity of illness and survival.
To study circulating levels of calcitonin in critically ill patients in relation to the severity of illness and survival. ⋯ Pronounced elevations in circulating iCT were seen during the first 24 h critically ill patients. As the major part of the iCT consisted of high molecular weight CT this would not induce hypocalcemia. Rather, the elevated iCT would be regarded as a part of the metabolic responses to illness.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand Suppl · Jan 1995
ReviewEffects of catecholamines on regional perfusion and oxygenation in critically ill patients.
Multiple organ failure is the major cause of death in patients with sepsis. Bacterial translocation from the gut is considered to induce and maintain sepsis. Therefore, the splanchnic region plays an important role in the pathogenesis and treatment of sepsis. ⋯ Catecholamines with beta mimetic effects are often used to increase DO2. The question as to whether dobutamine or dopamine should be used first in treatment of septic shock cannot be answered yet. Whether treatment with low dose dopamine or dopexamine actually improves renal function and splanchnic oxygenation is the purpose of ongoing studies.