Neurocritical care
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Observational Study
Predictors of Functional Outcome After Subdural Hematoma: A Prospective Study.
Although the incidence of subdural hematoma (SDH) has increased in the US in the last decade, limited prospective data exist examining risk factors for poor outcome. ⋯ Nearly 50 % of SDH patients were dead or moderate-severely disabled at 3 months. Older age, poor baseline, poor admission neurological status, history of smoking, and fever during hospitalization predicted poor outcomes, while surgical evacuation was associated with improved outcomes among those with mixed acuity or chronic/subacute SDH.
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Fever is common among intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Clinicians may use microbiological cultures to differentiate infectious and aseptic fever. However, their utility depends on the prevalence of infection; and false-positive results might adversely affect patient care. We sought to quantify the cost and utility of microbiological cultures in a cohort of ICU patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). ⋯ The yield of blood cultures early after spontaneous ICH was very low. False-positive results significantly increased the odds of antibiotic exposure. Our results support limiting the use of blood cultures in the first two days after ICU admission for spontaneous ICH.
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Respiratory insufficiency occurs in 20 % of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patients, and the duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) ranges widely. We identified predictors of prolonged MV to guide clinical decision-making on tracheostomy. ⋯ Ventilated GBS patients who are unable to lift the arms from the bed and patients who have axonal degeneration or unexcitable nerves at 1 week are at high risk of prolonged MV, and tracheostomy should be considered in these patients.
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The application of third-generation hydroxyethyl starch (HES) solutions in critically ill patients suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) was often part of the treatment of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). However, there is increasing evidence showing a correlation between the application of HES and the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI). ⋯ The application of 6 % HES 130/0.4 did not lead to an elevated incidence of AKI in patients without an elevated baseline serum creatinine. However, there is still a lack of high-level evidence as prospective randomized trials are missing yet.
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After traumatic brain injury (TBI), hemorrhagic progression of contusions (HPCs) occurs frequently. However, there is no established predictive score to identify high-risk patients for HPC. ⋯ A simple HPC Score was developed for early risk stratification of HPC in patients with moderate or severe TBI.