Critical care medicine
-
Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyPatients readmitted to the intensive care unit during the same hospitalization: clinical features and outcomes.
To determine the clinical features and outcomes of patients readmitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during the same hospital stay and the causes for these readmissions. ⋯ Patients with GI and neurologic diseases are at greatest risk of requiring ICU readmission. Respiratory diseases are the major reason for readmission due to new complications. Readmitted patients have a high risk of hospital death that may be underestimated by the usual physiologic indicators on either initial admission or readmission. Further studies are required to determine if patients at risk for readmission can be identified early to improve the outcome.
-
Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Multicenter StudyUse of the SOFA score to assess the incidence of organ dysfunction/failure in intensive care units: results of a multicenter, prospective study. Working group on "sepsis-related problems" of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine.
To evaluate the use of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in assessing the incidence and severity of organ dysfunction in critically ill patients. ⋯ The SOFA score is a simple, but effective method to describe organ dysfunction/failure in critically ill patients. Regular, repeated scoring enables patient condition and disease development to be monitored and better understood. The SOFA score may enable comparison between patients that would benefit clinical trials.
-
Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Review Case ReportsIncreased apnea threshold in a pediatric patient with suspected brain death.
To evaluate the current standards for apnea testing in the evaluation of brain death in children. ⋯ This case report suggests that current guidelines for apnea testing may lead to erroneous evaluation of medullary-respiratory drive.
-
Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Comparative StudyDiastolic filling in human severe sepsis: an echocardiographic study.
To determine if nonsurvivors have a more abnormal pattern of left ventricular relaxation than survivors with severe sepsis. ⋯ Severe sepsis nonsurvivors have a more abnormal echocardiographic pattern of left ventricular relaxation than survivors.
-
Critical care medicine · Nov 1998
Comparative StudyRight ventricular end-diastolic volume index as a predictor of preload status in patients on positive end-expiratory pressure.
To evaluate the clinical utility of right ventricular end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVI) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) as measures of preload status in patients with acute respiratory failure receiving treatment with positive end-expiratory pressure. ⋯ CI correlates significantly better with RVEDVI than PAOP at all levels of PEEP up to 50 cm H2O. RVEDVI is a more reliable predictor of volume depletion and preload recruitable increases in CI, especially in patients receiving higher levels of PEEP where PAOP is difficult to interpret.