Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Comparative StudyComparison of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) rates between different ICUs: Implications of a zero VAP rate.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Measures to reduce the incidence of VAP have resulted in institutions reporting a zero or near-zero VAP rates. The implications of zero VAP rates are unclear. This study was done to compare outcomes between two intensive care units (ICU) with one of them reporting a zero VAP rate. ⋯ During comparisons of VAP rate between institutions, a zero VAP rate needs to be considered in the context of overall ventilator days, mean durations of ventilator stay and ICU mortality.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyCritical care in Colombia: differences between teaching and nonteaching intensive care units. A prospective cohort observational study.
The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the efficacy and efficiency in providing critical care to hospitalized patients in teaching vs nonteaching intensive care units (ICUs) in Colombia. ⋯ Nonteaching ICUs discharge patients earlier than do teaching ICUs, but the effect of it remains to be clarified with further studies addressing questions as what happens after ICU discharge.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Short-term prognosis of critically ill surgical patients: the impact of duration of invasive organ support therapies.
We wanted to identify the importance of the duration of invasive ventilation and of renal replacement therapy for short-term prognosis of surgical patients treated in an intensive care unit (ICU). ⋯ Prolonged duration of invasive ventilation but not of renal replacement therapy is inversely related to short-term survival.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyEfficacy and cardiovascular tolerability of continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration in acute decompensated heart failure: a randomized comparative study.
Recently, continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) has received increased attention in the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). The aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of CVVHDF compared with intravenous furosemide in patients with CHF. ⋯ In CHF, the use of CVVHDF effectively and safely produced greater weight and fluid loss and decreased LOS in the ICU more than the intravenous furosemide with no hemodynamic instability.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2012
Cardiac manifestations in patients with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection needing intensive care.
To characterize the cardiac manifestations in severe pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus [P(H1N1)2009v] infection. ⋯ In our cohort of severe P(H1N1)2009v infection, myocardial injury and dysfunction was frequent and associated with high mortality.