Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2018
Hemoglobin thresholds and red blood cell transfusion in adult patients with moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries: A retrospective cohort study.
We aimed to evaluate the association between transfusion practices and clinical outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury. ⋯ During ICU stay, transfused patients tended to have lower Hb levels and worse outcomes than patients who did not receive RBCs, after adjustment for confounders.
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2018
Bereaved donor families' experiences of organ and tissue donation, and perceived influences on their decision making.
To elicit bereaved families' experiences of organ and tissue donation. A specific objective was to determine families' perceptions of how their experiences influenced donation decision-making. ⋯ The influence of temporality on donation-decision making is worthy of consideration in the planning of future education, policy, practice, and research for improved rates of family consent to donation.
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialA pilot trial of l-carnitine in patients with traumatic brain injury: Effects on biomarkers of injury.
To investigate the effects of l-Carnitine on neuron specific enolase (NSE) as a marker of inflammation in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). ⋯ We concluded that despite improvements in neurobehavioral function and the degree of cerebral edema, 7-days of treatment with l-Carnitine failed to reduce serum NSE levels or improve mortality rate at 90days in patients with TBI.
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Journal of critical care · Jun 2018
ReviewMajor publications in the critical care pharmacotherapy literature: January-December 2017.
To summarize selected meta-analyses and trials related to critical care pharmacotherapy published in 2017. The Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Literature Update (CCPLU) Group screened 32 journals monthly for impactful articles and reviewed 115 during 2017. Two meta-analyses and eight original research trials were reviewed here from those included in the monthly CCPLU. Meta-analyses on early, goal-directed therapy for septic shock and statin therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome were summarized. Original research trials that were included evaluate thrombolytic therapy in severe stroke, hyperoxia and hypertonic saline in septic shock, intraoperative ketamine for prevention of post-operative delirium, intravenous ketorolac dosing regimens for acute pain, angiotensin II for vasodilatory shock, dabigatran reversal with idarucizumab, bivalirudin versus heparin monotherapy for myocardial infarction, and balanced crystalloids versus saline fluid resuscitation. ⋯ This clinical review provides perspectives on impactful critical care pharmacotherapy publications in 2017.