Articles: critical-illness.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Effect of Slower vs Faster Intravenous Fluid Bolus Rates on Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: The BaSICS Randomized Clinical Trial.
Slower intravenous fluid infusion rates could reduce the formation of tissue edema and organ dysfunction in critically ill patients; however, there are no data to support different infusion rates during fluid challenges for important outcomes such as mortality. ⋯ Among patients in the intensive care unit requiring fluid challenges, infusing at a slower rate compared with a faster rate did not reduce 90-day mortality. These findings do not support the use of a slower infusion rate.
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This research aims to explore the impact of serum phosphate on the mortality of critically ill patients. ⋯ Patients with very-high-normal serum phosphate also had worse outcomes, it might be necessary to re-evaluate the definitions of the normal reference range for serum phosphate. Hypophosphataemia and hyperphosphataemia are not the independent risk factors of 28-day or 90-day ICU mortality, which leads us to consider whether phosphate monitoring is not a necessary measure in critically ill patients. But hyperphosphataemia was associated with increased 28-day or 90-day mortality at the medical ICU, which emphasises the potential importance of early diagnosis and treatment of hyperphosphataemia for the patients who were admitted to the medical ICU.
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Objective: To report longitudinal differences in baseline characteristics, treatment, and outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) between the first and second waves of COVID-19 in Australia. Design, setting and participants: SPRINT-SARI Australia is a multicentre, inception cohort study enrolling adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to participating ICUs. The first wave of COVID-19 was from 27 February to 30 June 2020, and the second wave was from 1 July to 22 October 2020. ⋯ In-hospital mortality was similar (12.2% v 14.6%; P = 0.452), but observed mortality decreased over time and patients were more likely to be discharged alive earlier in their ICU admission (hazard ratio, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.13-1.79; P = 0.002). Conclusion: During the second wave of COVID-19 in Australia, ICU length of stay and observed mortality decreased over time. Multiple factors were associated with this, including changes in clinical management, the adoption of new evidence-based treatments, and changes in patient demographic characteristics but not illness severity.
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Observational Study
Investigating the need for therapeutic drug monitoring of imipenem in critically ill patients: Are we getting it right?
The drug levels and clearances of imipenem in critically ill patients are not comprehensively described in current literature, yet it is vital that adequate levels be achieved for therapeutic success. ⋯ The lower proportion of critically ill patients with sub-therapeutic imipenem plasma levels in this study compared with previous studies may be attributed to the practice of higher dosages and the administration method of extended infusions of imipenem/cilastatin in our setting. The results demonstrate a trend of higher mortality in patients with sub-therapeutic imipenem levels, although the results were not statistically significant at this sample size.
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Specialty palliative care (PC) clinicians are frequently asked to discuss prognosis with patients and their families. When conveying information about prognosis, PC clinicians need also to discuss the likelihood of prolonged hospitalization, cognitive and functional disabilities, and death. ⋯ In this article, we present 10 tips for PC clinicians to consider when caring and discussing prognosis for the seriously ill patients along with their caregivers and care teams. This is the second in a three-part series around prognostication in adult and pediatric PC.