Journal of critical care
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2011
Multicenter StudyBioavailability of fondaparinux to critically ill patients.
Venous thromboembolism is a common problem in the intensive care unit (ICU). To decrease its incidence, prophylactic pharmacologic interventions are part of the ICU routine. However, common ICU conditions may impair the bioavailability of subcutaneously administered agents. The present study evaluates the bioavailability of prophylactic subcutaneous fondaparinux to critically ill patients. ⋯ Vasopressor therapy does not appear to affect fondaparinux bioavailability or to reduce anti-factor Xa levels. Subtherapeutic concentrations were detected during the first 48 hours of fondaparinux administration in hemodynamically stable patients. The clinical significance of reduced levels during the first 2 days of fondaparinux administration remains unknown.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2011
Colorimetric capnography, a new procedure to ensure correct feeding tube placement in the intensive care unit: an evaluation of a local protocol.
Radiography is the criterion standard method to ensure correct placement of a feeding tube. Recently, excellent results were reported using a combination of colorimetric capnography and epigastric auscultation, but the impact of this technique has not been studied to date. Objectives were to assess whether our local procedure, using colorimetric capnography to ensure proper feeding tube placement, improves the patient's care, satisfies nurses, and decreases costs compared with the standard procedure requiring systematic radiography. ⋯ The use of colorimetric capnography and epigastric auscultation to confirm feeding tube placement improves nurse's organization of care, saves time, and decreases costs.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2011
Increasing patient safety event reporting in 2 intensive care units: a prospective interventional study.
The aims of this study were to increase the reporting of patient safety events and to enhance report analysis and responsive action. ⋯ After the introduction of this new approach, reporting rates have increased significantly throughout the first year. Differences in reporting rates among workers and units may reveal priorities and barriers to reporting. The integrated approach facilitated prompt response to selected reports.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2011
Persistent sepsis-induced hypotension without hyperlactatemia: is it really septic shock?
The prognostic value of hyperlactatemia in septic shock is unquestionable. However, as current definitions do not include hyperlactatemia as a mandatory criterion, some hypotensive patients may be diagnosed as having septic shock despite exhibiting normolactatemia. The significance of persistent sepsis-induced hypotension without hyperlactatemia is unclear. Is it really septic shock? Our aim was to determine differences in outcome between patients diagnosed as having septic shock but exhibiting normal vs elevated lactate levels during evolution. We also explored the potential implications of including hyperlactatemia as an obligatory diagnostic criterion. ⋯ Persistent sepsis-induced hypotension without hyperlactatemia may not constitute a real septic shock. Our results support the need to review the current definition of septic shock. Hyperlactatemia could represent an objective parameter worth to be explored as a potential diagnostic criterion for septic shock.
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Journal of critical care · Aug 2011
Comparative StudyComparison of 3 different multianalyte point-of-care devices during clinical routine on a medical intensive care unit.
Multianalyte point-of-care (POC) devices are important to guide clinical decisions in critical care. However, the use of different devices in one hospital might cause problems. Therefore, we evaluated 3 commonly used POC devices and analyzed accuracy, reliability, and bias. ⋯ Although POC devices are of high standard and overall comparability between devices is high, there might be a clinically relevant bias between devices, as found in our study for pO2, BE(B), hemoglobin, and hematocrit. This can be of importance when interpreting results of the same patient obtained from different POC devices, as it could happen when a patient is transferred within a hospital where different devices are used.