Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2019
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyVariability in triage practices for critically ill cancer patients: A randomized controlled trial.
Intensive care triage practices and end-user interpretation of triage guidelines have rarely been assessed. We evaluated agreement between providers on the prioritization of patients for ICU admission using different triage guidelines. ⋯ The low agreement amongst practitioners on the prioritization of cancer patient cases for ICU admission existed using both general triage guidelines and guidelines tailored only to cancer patients. The lack of consensus on intensive care unit triage practices in the oncological population exposes a potential barrier to appropriate resource allocation that needs to be addressed.
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2019
Randomized Controlled TrialAeration changes induced by high flow nasal cannula are more homogeneous than those generated by non-invasive ventilation in healthy subjects.
Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) is a standard respiratory support technique used in intensive care units. High-Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) has emerged as an alternative, but further evidence is needed. The lung aeration and diaphragm changes achieved with these two strategies in healthy subjects have not been compared to date. ⋯ NIV and HFNC increased EELI in healthy subjects, suggesting an increase in the functional residual capacity. The EELI increase may be higher in NIV, but HFNC produced a more homogeneous change in lung ventilation. HFNC group has a higher MAR-index that could reflect a different ventilatory system adaptation.
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2019
Randomized Controlled TrialIncreasing support by nasal high flow acutely modifies the ROX index in hypoxemic patients: A physiologic study.
The ROX (Respiratory rate-OXygenation) index is an early predictor of failure of nasal high flow (NHF), with lower values indicating higher risk of intubation. We measured the ROX index at set flow rate of 30 and 60 l/min in 57 hypoxemic patients on NHF. ⋯ The ROX index variation between flows was correlated with the change in end expiratory lung volume. Set flow rate during NHF might impact the ROX index value.
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With advances in critical care and organ donation, diagnosis of brain death is gaining importance. We aimed to assess potential brain death confounders from the literature, elucidating clinical presentation and diagnostic approaches in these cases. ⋯ Brain death confounders are infrequently reported and formal studies are lacking. Mainly younger patients with polyneuritis and intoxications are described. As outcome, especially in the latter, is often favourable, high awareness and strict adherence to guidelines is crucial. The importance of identifying pathologies compatible with extensive and irreversible brain damage before proceeding to diagnostic tests should be emphasized.
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Journal of critical care · Oct 2019
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyComparative validation of three screening instruments for posttraumatic stress disorder after intensive care.
Aim of the present study was to compare the validity of three screening instruments to assess symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after intensive care of sepsis. ⋯ Compared to PTSS-10 and PCL-5, PTSS-14 appeared more appropriate for post-ICU PTSD screening when validated against a DSM-5 diagnostic interview.