Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Apr 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialGreater cardiac response of colloid than saline fluid loading in septic and non-septic critically ill patients with clinical hypovolaemia.
The haemodynamics of crystalloid and colloid fluid loading may depend on underlying disease, i.e. sepsis versus non-sepsis. ⋯ Fluid loading with colloids results in a greater linear increase in cardiac filling, output and stroke work than does saline loading, in both septic and non-septic clinical hypovolaemia, in spite of myocardial depression and presumably increased vasopermeability potentially decreasing the effects of colloid fluid loading in the former.
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Intensive care medicine · Apr 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialPersisting high levels of plasma pentraxin 3 over the first days after severe sepsis and septic shock onset are associated with mortality.
Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an inflammatory mediator produced by neutrophils, macrophages, myeloid dendritic and endothelial cells. During sepsis a massive inflammatory activation and coagulation/fibrinolysis dysfunction occur. PTX3, as a mediator of inflammation, may represent an early marker of severity and outcome in sepsis. ⋯ Persisting high levels of circulating PTX3 over the first days from sepsis onset may be associated with mortality. PTX3 correlates with severity of sepsis and with sepsis-associated coagulation/fibrinolysis dysfunction.