Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2011
Evolutive physicochemical characterization of diabetic ketoacidosis in adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit.
The aim of this study was to characterize the first 48-hour evolution of metabolic acidosis of adult patients with diabetic ketoacidosis admitted to the intensive care unit. ⋯ Initial metabolic acidosis was due to SIG, and the treatment was associated with a significant decrease of SIG with an elevation of serum chloride above the normal range.
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2011
The epidemiology of acute respiratory failure in hospitalized patients: a Brazilian prospective cohort study.
The purpose of this study was to assess risk factors associated with the development of acute respiratory failure (ARF) and death in a general intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Acute respiratory failure represents a large percentage of all ICU patients, and the high mortality is related to some preventable factors such as the time to ICU admission.
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2011
A polyurethane cuffed endotracheal tube is associated with decreased rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia.
The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of a polyurethane-cuffed endotracheal tube would result in a decrease in ventilator-associated pneumonia rate. ⋯ Use of a polyurethane-cuffed endotracheal tube was associated with a significant decrease in the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia in our study.
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2011
Changes of heart and respiratory rate dynamics during weaning from mechanical ventilation: a study of physiologic complexity in surgical critically ill patients.
The aim of the study was to investigate heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) complexity in patients with weaning failure or success, using both linear and nonlinear techniques. ⋯ We suggest that nonlinear analysis of cardiorespiratory dynamics has increased prognostic impact upon weaning outcome in surgical patients.
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialMild hypothermia therapy reduces blood glucose and lactate and improves neurologic outcomes in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.
The study aimed to investigate the association between blood glucose or lactate and the outcomes of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to evaluate the effect of mild hypothermia therapy on glucose and lactate levels. ⋯ Hyperglycemia after TBI was associated with poor clinical outcomes, but the predictive value of blood lactate level requires further investigation. Hypothermia therapy improves neurologic outcomes in patients with severe TBI, and reduction in blood glucose may be partially responsible for the improved outcomes.