Intensive care unit;critical care

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the organ failures that develop among patients with prolonged ICU stays, defined as those who spent a minimum of 14 days in an ICU. METHODS: We retrospectively studied a cohort of consecutive patients from a university hospital who were in an ICU for a minimum of 14 days during 2014-2016. We calculated daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores from admission to ICU day 14. The primary outcome was the number of new late organ failures, defined as occurring on ICU day 4 through 14...

PURPOSE: Several studies showed conflicting results about prognosis and predictors of outcome of critically ill patients with hematological malignancies (HM). The aim of this study is to determine the hospital outcome of critically ill patients with HM and the factors predicting the outcome. METHODS AND MATERIALS: All patients with HM admitted to MICU at a tertiary academic medical center were enrolled. Clinical data upon admission and during ICU stay were collected...

Umbilical venous and arterial catheters are frequently inserted into critically ill and preterm newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to administer fluids, drugs and parenteral nutrition; to monitor blood pressure; and for blood sampling(1). Successful catheterisation can be difficult and failure is common because the vessels are small, they are mobile, slippery and easily traumatised. Repeated probing and failure to adequately dilate the opening can cause a false passage adjacent to the vessel that is difficult to correct(2)...

Patients with acute cholangitis require emergent biliary decompression. Those who are hemodynamically unstable on vasopressor support and mechanical ventilation are too critically ill to move outside of the intensive care unit. This prohibits performing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the endoscopy unit. Fluoroscopic guidance is required to confirm deep biliary cannulation during ERCP. There are a few reported cases of bedside ERCP using portable C-arm fluoroscopy unit or ultrasound guided cannulation...

Extravascular lung water (index) (EVLW(I)) can be estimated using transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD). Computed tomography (CT) with quantitative analysis of lung tissue density has been proposed to quantify pulmonary edema. We compared variables of pulmonary fluid status assessed using quantitative CT and TPTD in critically ill patients. In 21 intensive care unit patients, we performed TPTD measurements directly before and after chest CT. Based on the density data of segmented CT images we calculated the tissue volume (TV), tissue volume index (TVI), and the mean weighted index of voxel aqueous density (VMWaq)...

INTRODUCTION: Critical care patients have many risk factors for acute cholecystitis (AC). However, less data are available regarding newly developed AC in critically ill patients. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical features of AC occurring in critically ill patients after admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study from January 2006 to August 2016 at a tertiary care university hospital...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to analyse the clinical consequences of intravenous drug incompatibilities in critically ill patients, especially the incidence of organ dysfunctions and mortality. METHODS: A review of literature was conducted according to the PRISMA statement in June 2017, using Medline, ISI Web of Science and Clinicaltrials.gov. DATA EXTRACTION: Eligible studies were case reports and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effects of drug incompatibilities in critically ill patients on morbidity or mortality as primary or secondary outcomes, or adverse events...

Accurate pain assessment and management constitute a major challenge for medical and nursing staff in intensive care units (ICUs). A distinct recollection of pain is reported by high proportions of ICU patients. A clinical therapeutic intervention directed at improving pain assessment and management in critically ill patients who are unable to communicate was implemented at an Italian ICU. In this before-and-after study, data were collected before (T0 ) and after (T1 ) the adoption of a protocol involving pain assessment with an ad hoc behavioral pain scale and the administration of analgesics, rather than sedatives, to patients with intermediate to high pain scores...

Lactate levels are widely used as an indicator of outcome in critically ill patients. We investigated the prognostic value of postoperative lactate levels for postoperative complications (POC), mortality and length of hospital stay after elective major abdominal surgery. A total of 195 patients were prospectively evaluated. Lactate levels were assessed on admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) [L0], 4 hours (L4), 12 hours (L12), and 24 hours (L24) after the operation. Demographic and perioperative clinical data were collected...

Quality Improvement models offer a framework for health care professionals to follow in implementing process improvement changes. Use of these models promotes a systematic approach to problem solving, keeps providers from eliminating important steps, facilitates team work, and provides a clear plan for ongoing communication. This paper describes use of the Plan-Do-Study-Act model to implement a unit-based quality improvement project that focused on improving postoperative nutritional practices for neonates with critical congenital heart disease following complex cardiac surgery...

BACKGROUND: Acid-base disturbances are frequently observed in critically ill patients at the intensive care unit. To our knowledge, the acid-base profile of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) has not been evaluated and compared to critically ill patients without acute or chronic liver disease. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-eight critically ill patients with liver cirrhosis were compared to 178 matched controls in this post hoc analysis of prospectively collected data...

BACKGROUND: The aim was to describe transfusion practice in critically ill patients at an international level and evaluate the effects of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion on outcomes in these patients. METHODS: This was a pre-planned sub-study of the Intensive Care Over Nations audit, which involved 730 ICUs in 84 countries and included all adult patients admitted between 8 May and 18 May 2012, except admissions for routine postoperative surveillance. RESULTS: ICU and hospital outcomes were recorded...

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious condition with high mortality. The presence of hypermetabolism may be a factor related to poorer prognosis. This study evaluated the resting energy expenditure (REE) of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe AKI using indirect calorimetry (IC) and identified factors associated with metabolism categories. Patients were evaluated through measurement of REE and estimation of basal energy expenditure (BEE) using the Harris⁻Benedict equation. Metabolism categories were as follows: hypermetabolism (REE/BEE > 1...

Background: The simulation in critical care setting involves a heterogeneous group of participants with varied background and experience. Measuring the impacts of simulation on emotional state and cognitive load in this setting is not often performed. The feasibility of such measurement in the critical care setting needs further exploration. Methods: Medical and nursing staff with varying levels of experience from a tertiary intensive care unit participated in a standardised clinical simulation scenario...

Clinical and technological advances promoting early hemorrhage control and physiologic resuscitation as well as early diagnosis and optimal treatment of sepsis have significantly decreased in-hospital mortality for many critically ill patient populations. However, a substantial proportion of severe trauma and sepsis survivors will develop protracted organ dysfunction termed chronic critical illness (CCI), defined as ≥14 days requiring intensive care unit (ICU) resources with ongoing organ dysfunction...

Background: Vancomycin resistance in intensive care units (ICUs) accounts for significant morbidity and excess costs. The objective of the present study was to determine the appropriateness of vancomycin use in the various ICUs of Nemazee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Methods: This prospective study was performed on 95 critically ill patients (48 males and 47 females) who were treated with vancomycin for at least 3 subsequent doses in 6 ICUs during 12 months. Required demographic, clinical, and paraclinical data were collected by a pharmacist...

BACKGROUND: A history of penicillin allergy is associated with an increased risk of nosocomial infections because patients are exposed to non-beta lactam antibiotics. Ruling out inaccurate penicillin allergy during hospitalization decreases prescription of beta lactam antibiotics. However, the utilization of penicillin allergy testing and timeliness in relation to initiation of antibiotics is not known. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to describe the proportion and characteristics of patients who underwent inpatient penicillin allergy testing in a hospital without a guideline or infrastructure for inpatient penicillin allergy testing...

CONTEXT: With the current and projected shortage of palliative care (PC) specialists, an integrative model of PC will be needed to meet the needs of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Prior studies of PC interventions suggest that success depends upon meeting the needs of individual institutions or ICUs. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to qualitatively explore the beliefs and practices of one institution's medical ICU (MICU) physicians in regard to providing an integrative model of PC...

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal suctioning of respiratory secretions is one of the most common causes of pain and discomfort in Intensive Care Unit environment. The electrical properties of the skin, also known as electrodermal activity (EDA), are considered as an indirect measure of autonomous nervous system. AIM: This study explores EDA changes during endotracheal suction in sedated adult critical care patients; and compares these changes to other monitoring parameters...

Eustachian valve endocarditis is rare. A literature review revealed that only 29 cases have been reported and, among them, there is only one mention of an intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We present an 82-year-old man without previous medical records who presented with septic shock with multiple organ dysfunction. The patient was admitted to the ICU and deteriorated with combined shock (septic + cardiogenic). A second ultrasound screen detected a prominent Eustachian valve with mobile multilobulated vegetation attached...