Chest
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The availability of portable ultrasound devices is changing the approach to the diagnosis and management of shock by offering timely diagnosis and acting to guide therapy. Goal-directed echocardiography (GDE) can be performed well by noncardiologists and consists of a limited number of standard cardiac views: parasternal long axis, parasternal short axis, apical four chamber, subcostal long axis, and inferior vena cava long axis. ⋯ An important part of using GDE is recognizing its limitations and judging when to proceed to a comprehensive echocardiography examination. Competence in GDE has become an essential skill for the practicing intensivist.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
The effect of marital status on the presentation and outcomes of elderly male veterans hospitalized for pneumonia.
Although marital status has been shown to affect the outcomes of many conditions, there are limited data on the relationships between marital status and the presentation and outcomes of pneumonia. ⋯ Unmarried elderly men admitted to the hospital with pneumonia have a higher risk of in-hospital and postdischarge mortality, despite having a lower degree of comorbidity. Although marital status may be a surrogate marker for other predictors, it is an easily identifiable one. These results should be considered by those responsible for care-transition decisions for patients hospitalized with pneumonia.
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Pneumonia is a frequent and serious illness in elderly people, with a significant impact on mortality and health-care costs. Lingering effects may influence clinical outcomes and medical service use beyond the acute hospitalization. This study describes the incidence and mortality of pneumonia in elderly Medicare beneficiaries based on treatment setting (outpatient, inpatient) and location of origin (health-care associated, community acquired) and estimates short- and long-term direct medical costs and mortality associated with an inpatient episode of pneumonia. ⋯ Pneumonia in elderly people is associated with high acute-care costs and an overall impact on total direct medical costs and mortality during and after an acute episode.
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Comparative Study
Clinical and biologic features of patients suspected or confirmed to have heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in a cardiothoracic surgical ICU.
The diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is problematic in the surgical ICU, as there are multiple potential explanations for thrombocytopenia. We conducted a study to assess the incidence, clinical presentation, and outcome of HIT in a cardiothoracic surgical ICU. ⋯ Even with a prospective platelet monitoring protocol, suspicion for HIT arose in <2% of patients in a cardiothoracic ICU. Most were found to have other causes of thrombocytopenia,with HIT confirmed in 28 of 101 suspected cases (0.47% of all patients in the ICU). The 4Ts score may have value by identifying patients who should have laboratory testing performed.The mortality of patients with HIT was not different from other very ill thrombocytopenic patients in the ICU.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Chronic cough: relationship between microaspiration, gastroesophageal reflux, and cough frequency.
Microaspiration is often considered a potential cause of cough. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between microaspiration, the degree and type of gastroesophageal reflux, and the frequency of coughing in patients with chronic cough. ⋯ Proximal gastroesophageal reflux and microaspiration into the airways have limited roles in provoking chronic cough. Indeed, coughing appears to be protective, reducing pepsin concentration in the larger airways of patients with chronic cough.