Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2016
The role of human metapneumovirus in the critically ill adult patient.
The purpose of the study is to describe the role of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection in critical illness and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ⋯ Although most patients hospitalized with hMPV had chronic cardiac or pulmonary disease, hMPV can also be associated serious respiratory illness and ARDS in adult patients without significant comorbidities or immunosuppression.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2016
Moral distress in intensive care unit professionals is associated with profession, age, and years of experience.
To determine which demographic characteristics are associated with moral distress in intensive care unit (ICU) professionals. ⋯ Moral distress is higher in ICU nurses and other non-physician professionals than in physicians, is lower with older age for other non-physician professionals but greater with more years of experience in nurses, and is associated with tendency to leave the job.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2016
Branched DNA-based Alu quantitative assay for cell-free plasma DNA levels in patients with sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
Cell-free circulating DNA (cf-DNA) can be detected by various of laboratory techniques. We described a branched DNA-based Alu assay for measuring cf-DNA in septic patients. Compared to healthy controls and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) patients, serum cf-DNA levels were significantly higher in septic patients (1426.54 ± 863.79 vs 692.02 ± 703.06 and 69.66 ± 24.66 ng/mL). ⋯ Branched DNA-based Alu assays are feasible and useful to quantify serum cf-DNA levels. Increased cf-DNA levels in septic patients might complement C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in a multiple marker format. Cell-free circulating DNA might be a new marker in discrimination of sepsis and SIRS.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2016
Conceptualizing and measuring health-related quality of life in critical care.
When assessing health-related quality of life (HRQL), critical care outcomes research generally uses generic measures in the absence of a suitable critical care-specific measure. Our aims were to construct a conceptual framework of survivors' HRQL and assess the extent to which the 2 most commonly used generic measures (the Short Form 36 Health Survey and EuroQol-5D) covered the framework. ⋯ The findings argue strongly for a new critical care-specific HRQL measure.
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Journal of critical care · Feb 2016
Low total cholesterol and high total bilirubin are associated with prognosis in patients with prolonged sepsis.
Nutritional biochemical indexes are generally used as markers for critically ill patients. However, they are easily influenced by acute phase changes after injury and are difficult to use as common and practical biomarkers. The objective of this study was to determine the most valuable prognostic markers among 15 common laboratory tests in patients with sepsis. ⋯ Total cholesterol and T-Bil could be associated with prognosis in patients with sepsis.