Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 1996
The prognosis of oncologic patients in the pediatric intensive care unit.
To evaluate the predicted mortality rate of oncologic patients in the PICU using the PRISM score and factors that might influence short-term outcomes. ⋯ The decision to treat oncologic patients in a PICU remains difficult and has to be considered on an individual basis. However, oncologic patients do benefit from admission to the PICU. The PRISM score is not suitable for oncologic patients in the PICU, because it underestimates the observed mortality. Other factors like neutropenia, septic shock, the need for mechanical ventilation, and inotropic support should be taken into consideration.
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Intensive care medicine · Mar 1996
Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide on acute renal impairment in patients with heart failure after cardiac surgery.
To investigate the effects of IV infusion of atrial natriuretic peptide (human ANP 1-28) on renal function in patients with acute heart failure and renal impairment after cardiac surgery. ⋯ ANP improved renal function and decreased elevated renal vascular resistance in patients with renal dysfunction after cardiac surgery. The improvement in renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate may be of potential therapeutic value to prevent or treat exaggerated renal vasoconstriction in patients with acute renal impairment following cardiac surgery.
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Intensive care medicine · Feb 1996
Comparative StudyNon-invasive mechanical ventilation in severe chronic obstructive lung disease and acute respiratory failure: short- and long-term prognosis.
To evaluate the short- and long-term prognosis of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) who had noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NMV) for acute respiratory failure (ARF). ⋯ For patients suffering from COLD who have undergone ARF, avoiding EI by early treatment with NMV is associated with better survival in comparison to patients bound to invasive MV. Pneumonia as a cause of ARF may worsen the prognosis in both groups of patients.
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Intensive care medicine · Feb 1996
Comparative StudyHydroxocobalamin vs cobalt toxicity on rat cardiac and diaphragmatic muscles.
Hydroxocobalamin has been shown to be a rapid and powerful antidote in acute cyanide poisoning and to prevent cyanide poisoning during sodium nitroprusside administration. This cobalt-containing compound has been shown to be devoid of significant immediate side effects during acute administration. However, its potential delayed toxicity related to cobalt accumulation in tissue remains unknown. Therefore, we evaluated the toxicity of hydroxocobalamin as compared with that of cobalt salts on rat cardiac and diaphragmatic muscles. ⋯ These results indicate that repeated administration of hydroxocobalamin was devoid of significant diaphragmatic and cardiac muscle toxicity and therefore remains a safe antidote for acute cyanide poisoning.