Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery according to Risk/Injury/Failure/Loss/End-stage, Acute Kidney Injury Network, and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes classifications.
The epidemiology of acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery depends on the definition used. Our aims were to evaluate the Risk/Injury/Failure/Loss/End-stage (RIFLE) criteria, the AKI Network (AKIN) classification, and the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classification for AKI post-cardiac surgery and to compare the outcome of patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT) with historical data. ⋯ The AKIN classification correlated better with mortality than did the RIFLE criteria. Mortality of patients needing RRT after cardiac surgery has improved significantly during the last 20 years.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Multicenter StudyMortality and complications in elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
The purpose of the study was to analyze postoperative complications, mortality, and related factors of elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery. ⋯ Age more than 75 years is an independent risk factor for ICU mortality when adjusted for EuroSCORE and cardiopulmonary bypass time. Elderly patients also have a higher rate of complications during ICU stay. Elderly patients develop MODS more frequently and present a higher mortality rate than younger patients with MODS.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Safety and feasibility of femoral catheters during physical rehabilitation in the intensive care unit.
Femoral catheters pose a potential barrier to early rehabilitation in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to concerns, such as catheter removal, local trauma, bleeding, and infection. We prospectively evaluated the feasibility and safety of physical therapy (PT) in ICU patients with femoral catheters. ⋯ Physical therapy interventions in MICU patients with in situ femoral catheters appear to be feasible and safe. The presence of a femoral catheter should not automatically restrict ICU patients to bed rest.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age on outcome in a large cohort of surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. ⋯ Mortality rates increase with age, with an exponential increase in patients older than 65 years. Age is an independent risk factor for in-hospital death, irrespective of the type of surgical intervention.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2013
Comparative StudyNurse-driven, protocol-directed weaning from mechanical ventilation improves clinical outcomes and is well accepted by intensive care unit physicians.
Ventilator weaning protocols can improve clinical outcomes, but their impact may vary depending on intensive care unit (ICU) structure, staffing, and acceptability by ICU physicians. This study was undertaken to examine their relationship. ⋯ A protocol for liberation from MV driven by ICU nurses decreased the duration of MV and ICU LOS in mechanically ventilated patients for more than 24 hours without adverse effects and was well accepted by ICU physicians.