2013 Oct - Comparison of cold crystalloid and colloid infusions for induction of therapeutic hypothermia in a porcine model of cardiac arrest

Roman Skulec, Anatolij Truhlar, Zdenek Turek, Renata Parizkova, Pavel Dostal, Shawn Hicks, Christian Lehmann, Vladimir Cerny Critical Care 2013, 17:R242 (16 October 2013)

Introduction: Large-volume cold intravenous infusion of crystalloids has been used for induction of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest. However, the effectiveness of cold colloids has not been evaluated. Therefore, we performed an experimental study to investigate the cooling effect of cold normal saline compared to colloid solution in a porcine model of ventricular fibrillation.

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2013 Sep - Longer storage duration of red blood cells is associated with an increased risk of acute lung injury in patients with sepsis

David R Janz, Zhiguo Zhao, Tatsuki Koyama, Addison K May, Gordon R Bernard, Julie A Bastarache, Pampee P Young, Lorraine B Ware Annals of Intensive Care 2013, 3:33 (24 September 2013)

Background: The storage duration of red blood cells transfused to critically ill patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Whether the association exists between storage duration of red blood cells transfused to patients with sepsis and the risk of developing ALI/ARDS is unknown. We aimed to determine the association of the storage duration of red blood cells transfused to patients with sepsis and risk of developing acute lung injury in the subsequent 96 hours, with comparator trauma and nonsepsis/nontrauma groups.

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2013 Sep - Propofol infusion syndrome resuscitation with extracorporeal life support: a case report and review of the literature

Michael Mayette, Jeremy Gonda, Joe L Hsu, Frederick G Mihm Annals of Intensive Care 2013, 3:32 (23 September 2013)

We report a case of propofol infusion syndrome (PRIS) in a young female treated for status epilepticus. In this case, PRIS rapidly evolved to full cardiovascular collapse despite aggressive supportive care in the intensive care unit, as well as prompt discontinuation of the offending agent...

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2013 Sep - Development and standardization of a furosemide stress test to predict the severity of acute kidney injury

Chawla LS, Davison DL, Brasha-Mitchell E, Koyner JL, Arthur JM, Tumlin JA, Shaw AD, Trevino S, Kimmel PL, Seneff MG.; Crit Care. 2013 Sep 20;17(5):R207. [Epub ahead of print]

BACKGROUND: In the setting of early acute kidney injury (AKI), no test has been shown to definitively predict the progression to more severe stages. Materials and Methods: We investigated the ability of a furosemide stress test (FST) (one-time dose of 1.0 or 1.5 mg/kg depending on prior furosemide-exposure) to predict the development of Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) Stage-III in two cohorts of critically ill subjects with early AKI. Cohort 1 was a retrospective cohort who received a FST in the setting of AKI in critically ill patients part of Southern AKI Network. Cohort 2 was a prospective multicenter group of critical patients who received their FST in the setting of early AKI.

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2013 Sep - Rhabdomyolysis

Zimmerman JL, Shen MC.; Chest. 2013 Sep;144(3):1058-65.

Rhabdomyolysis is a well-known clinical syndrome of muscle injury associated with myoglobinuria, electrolyte abnormalities, and often acute kidney injury (AKI). The pathophysiology involves injury to the myocyte membrane and/or altered energy production that results in increased intracellular calcium concentrations and initiation of destructive processes...

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2013 Aug - Comparison of thermodilution measured extravascular lung water with chest radiographic assessment of pulmonary oedema in patients with acute lung injury

Lisa M Brown, Carolyn S Calfee, James P Howard, Thelma R Craig, Michael A Matthay, Daniel F McAuley Annals of Intensive Care 2013, 3:25 (11 August 2013)

Background: Acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) are characterized by pulmonary oedema, measured as extravascular lung water (EVLW). The chest radiograph (CXR) can potentially estimate the quantity of lung oedema while the transpulmonary thermodilution method measures the amount of EVLW. This study was designed to determine whether EVLW as estimated by a CXR score predicts EVLW measured by the thermodilution method and whether changes in EVLW by either approach predict mortality in ALI/ARDS.

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2013 Aug - Transcranial doppler assessment of cerebral perfusion in critically ill septic patients: a pilot study

Charalampos Pierrakos, Aurélie Antoine, Dimitrios Velissaris, Isabelle Michaux, Pierre Bulpa, Patrick Evrard, Michel Ossemann, Alain Dive Annals of Intensive Care 2013, 3:28 (22 August 2013)

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of Transcranial Doppler (TCD) in assessing cerebral perfusion changes in septic patients.

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2013 Jul - Pharmacological interventions in acute respiratory distress syndrome

Antoine Roch, Sami Hraiech, Stéphanie Dizier, Laurent Papazian Annals of Intensive Care 2013, 3:20 (3 July 2013)

Pharmacological interventions are commonly considered in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and neuromuscular blockers (NMBs) are used in patients with severe hypoxemia. No outcome benefit has been observed with the systematic use of iNO. However, a sometimes important improvement in oxygenation can occur shortly after starting administration. Therefore, its ease of use and its good tolerance justify iNO optionally combined with almitirne as a rescue therapy on a trial basis...

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2013 Sep - Early propranolol treatment induces lung heme-oxygenase-1, attenuates metabolic dysfunction, and improves survival following experimental sepsis

Wilson J, Higgins D, Hutting H, Serkova N, Baird C, Khailova L, Queensland K, Weitzel L, Tran ZV, Wischmeyer PE.; Crit Care. 2013 Sep 10;17(5):R195. [Epub ahead of print]

Pharmacological agents that block beta-adrenergic receptors have been associated with improved outcome in burn injury. It has been hypothesized other injuries leading to a hypermetabolic state, such as septic shock, may also benefit from beta-blockade, however outcome data in experimental models has been contradictory. Thus, we investigated the effect of beta-blockade with propranolol on survival, hemodynamics, lung heat shock protein (HSP) expression, metabolism and inflammatory markers in a rat cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model of sepsis.

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2013 Aug - Risk factors for acute kidney injury in critically ill patients receiving high intravenous doses of colistin methanesulfonate and/or other nephrotoxic antibiotics: a retrospective cohort study

Monica Rocco, Luca Montini, Elisa Alessandri, Mario Venditti, Amalia Laderchi, Gennaro De Pascale, Giammarco Raponi, Michela Vitale, Paolo Pietropaoli, Massimo Antonelli Critical Care 2013, 17:R174 (14 August 2013)

Introduction: Use of colistin methanesulfonate (CMS) was abandoned in the 1970s because of excessive nephrotoxicity, but it has been reintroduced as a last-resort treatment for extensively drug-resistant infections caused by gram-negative bacteria (Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia). We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate risk factors for new-onset acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients receiving high intravenous doses of colistin methanesulfonate and/or other nephrotoxic antibiotics.

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2013 Aug - A protocol for resuscitation of severe burn patients guided by transpulmonary thermodilution and lactate levels: A 3-year prospective cohort study

Manuel Sanchez-Sanchez, Abelardo Garcia-de-Lorenzo, Eva Herrero, Teresa Lopez, Beatriz Galvan, Maria J Asensio, Lucia Cachafeiro, Cesar Casado Critical Care 2013, 17:R176 (15 August 2013)

Introduction: The use of urinary output and vital signs to guide initial burn resuscitation may lead to suboptimal resuscitation. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring may result in over-resuscitation. This study aimed to evaluate the results of a goal direct burn resuscitation protocol that used standard measures of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and urine output, plus transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) and lactate levels to adjust fluid therapy to achieve a minimum level of preload to allow for sufficient vital organ perfusion.

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2013 Aug - Routine use of Staphylococcus aureus rapid diagnostic test in patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia

Marc Leone, Francois Malavieille, Laurent Papazian, Bertrand Meyssignac, Nadim Cassir, Julien Textoris, Francois Antonini, Bernard La Scola, Claude Martin, Bernard Allaouchiche, Sami Hraiech Critical Care 2013, 17:R170 (6 August 2013)

Introduction: In patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), administration of an appropriate empirical antimicrobial treatment is associated with improved outcomes, leading to the prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics including drugs active against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In order to avoid the overuse of antibiotics, the present study aimed to evaluate the technical characteristics of a rapid diagnostic test (Cepheid Xpert assay) in patients with suspected VAP.

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2013 Aug - Anti-arrhythmia drugs for cardiac arrest: a systemic review and meta-analysis

Yu Huang, Qing He, Min Yang, Lei Zhan Critical Care 2013, 17:R173 (12 August 2013)

Introduction:  Anti-arrhythmia agents have been used in the treatment of cardiac arrest, and we aimed to review the relevant clinical controlled trials in order to assess the effects of anti-arrhythmics during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

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2013 Jul - Factors influencing the implementation of antibiotic de-escalation and impact of this strategy in critically ill patients

Leslie Gonzalez, Aurelie Cravoisy, Damien Barraud, Marie Conrad, Lionel Nace, Jeremie Lemarie, Pierre-Edouard Bollaert, Sebastien Gibot Critical Care 2013, 17:R140 (12 July 2013)

Introduction: A rational use of antibiotics is of paramount importance in order to prevent the emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria that can lead to therapeutic impasse, especially in intensive care units (ICUs). A de-escalation strategy is therefore naturally advocated as part of better antibiotics usage. However, the clinical impact of such a strategy has not been widely studied. We aimed to assess the feasibility and the clinical impact of a de-escalation strategy in a medical ICU and to identify factors associated when de-escalation was possible.

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2013 Jul - Estimation of plasma fibrinogen levels based on hemoglobin, base excess and ISS upon emergency room admission

Christoph J Schlimp, Wolfgang Voelckel, Kenji Inaba, Marc Maegele, Martin Ponschab, Herbert Schochl Critical Care 2013, 17:R137 (12 July 2013)

Introduction: Fibrinogen plays a key role in hemostasis and is the first coagulation factor to reach critical levels in massively bleeding trauma patients. Consequently, rapid estimation of plasma fibrinogen (FIB) is essential upon emergency room (ER) admission, but is not part of routine coagulation monitoring in many centers. We investigated the predictive ability of the laboratory parameters hemoglobin (Hb) and base excess (BE) upon admission, as well as the Injury Severity Score (ISS), to estimate FIB in major trauma patients.

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2013 Aug - Effects of team coordination during cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A systematic review of the literature

Fernandez Castelao E, Russo SG, Riethmüller M, Boos M.; J Crit Care. 2013 Aug;28(4):504-21.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify and evaluate to what extent the literature on team coordination during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) empirically confirms its positive effect on clinically relevant medical outcome.

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2013 Aug - Genetic predisposition to acute kidney injury induced by severe sepsis

Cardinal-Fernández P, Ferruelo A, El-Assar M, Santiago C, Gómez-Gallego F, Martín-Pellicer A, Frutos-Vivar F, Peñuelas O, Nin N, Esteban A, Lorente JA.; J Crit Care. 2013 Aug;28(4):365-70.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to demonstrate that candidate gene polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI).

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2013 Aug - Myocardial dysfunction during H1N1 influenza infection

Fagnoul D, Pasquier P, Bodson L, Ortiz JA, Vincent JL, De Backer D.; J Crit Care. 2013 Aug;28(4):321-7

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the incidence and hemodynamic consequences of right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in critically ill patients with H1N1 infection.

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2013 Aug - Accuracy of the chest radiograph to identify bilateral pulmonary infiltrates consistent with the diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome using computed tomography as reference standard

Figueroa-Casas JB, Brunner N, Dwivedi AK, Ayyappan AP.; J Crit Care. 2013 Aug;28(4):352-7.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the anteroposterior chest radiograph to detect pulmonary abnormalities consistent with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

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2013 Jun - Clinical management of new oral anticoagulants: a structured review with emphasis on the reversal of bleeding complications

Alejandro Lazo-Langner, Eddy S Lang, James Douketis Critical Care 2013, 17:230 (17 June 2013)

New oral anticoagulants including dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban have been recently approved for primary and secondary prophylaxis of thromboembolic conditions. However, no clear strategy exists for managing and reversing their anticoagulant effects. We aimed to summarize the available evidence for clinical management and reversal of bleeding associated with new oral anticoagulants...

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