Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2011
A multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak in intensive care unit: antimicrobial and organizational strategies.
Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) is an emerging cause of intensive care unit (ICU) outbreaks. Patients are the main reservoirs, inducing cross transmission. We describe an MRAB outbreak that occurred in the Prato Hospital ICU in June to August 2009. ⋯ Enhanced infection control measures and adequate antibiotic strategy limited the outbreak. Tigecycline allowed rapid recovery. Nevertheless, resistance ensued; so colistin remained the only therapeutic option. However, pan-drug resistance has been reported.
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2011
Serum β-d-glucan of critically ill patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia: preliminary observations.
The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether β-d-glucan (BG) was associated with Candida in the lung and risk of death in patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). ⋯ β-d-Glucan positivity in patients with a suspected VAP may be a marker for Candida in the lung and worse outcomes. Further validation of this postulate is warranted.
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2011
Nutritional support for critically ill patients: does duration correlate with mortality?
Few investigations have correlated long-term nutritional support (NS) with outcome in the intensive care unit, in comparison with NS for shorter periods. ⋯ Nutritional support of more than 18 days was associated with higher mortality. This finding persisted after adjustment for major risk factors, in agreement with the hypothesis that prolonged impossibility of oral alimentation is a marker of mortality in the intensive care unit setting.