Journal of critical care
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2011
Swallowing dysfunction after mechanical ventilation in trauma patients.
Swallowing dysfunction can occur after mechanical ventilation, leading to complications such as aspiration and pneumonia. After mechanical ventilation, authors have recommended evaluating patients with contrast studies or endoscopy to identify patients at risk for swallowing dysfunction and aspiration. The purpose of the study was to determine if a bedside swallowing evaluation (BSE) can identify patients with swallowing dysfunction after mechanical ventilation. ⋯ A simple BSE can be used to identify patients at risk for swallowing dysfunction after mechanical ventilation. More importantly, BSE can safely clear patients without swallowing dysfunction, avoiding costly and time-consuming contrast studies or endoscopic evaluation.
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2011
Predictive value of procalcitonin, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein for survival in postoperative patients with severe sepsis.
To prospectively evaluate the performance of procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) as percentage of baseline (POB) in predicting hospital survival, we studied 64 consecutive, postoperative patients with severe sepsis. ⋯ Prediction rules of decrease in PCT-POB on day 7 in combination with CRP-POB may serve to monitor efficacy and guide duration of therapy in critically ill patients.
-
Journal of critical care · Feb 2011
Outcomes in critically ill patients with hematologic malignancies who received renal replacement therapy for acute kidney injury in an intensive care unit.
In critically ill patients with hematologic malignancies, acute kidney injury (AKI) usually occurs in the context of multiple organ failure due to various etiologies and is associated with poor prognosis. The objective of the present study was to identify the prognostic factors associated with intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies and AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). ⋯ The severity of organ failure, excluding renal failure, at initiation of RRT was independently associated with ICU mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies and AKI requiring RRT.
-
Journal of critical care · Dec 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 and saline solution for resuscitation of the microcirculation during the early goal-directed therapy of septic patients.
The aim of this study was to show that 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 achieves a better resuscitation of the microcirculation than normal saline solution (SS), during early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) in septic patients. ⋯ Fluid resuscitation with 6% HES 130/0.4 may have advantages over SS to improve sublingual microcirculation. A greater number of patients would be necessary to confirm these findings.