Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Jan 2003
Prognostic value of surfactant proteins A and D in patients with acute lung injury.
The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that in patients intubated for acute lung injury, lower concentrations of surfactant proteins A and D in the pulmonary edema fluid and higher concentrations in the plasma are associated with more severe lung injury and worse clinical outcomes. ⋯ These results demonstrate that reduced pulmonary edema fluid surfactant protein D and elevated plasma surfactant protein A concentrations at the onset of acute lung injury may be associated with more severe disease and worse clinical outcome and may serve as valuable biochemical markers of prognosis.
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To determine whether a baseline (random) cortisol concentration <25 microg/dL in patients with septic shock was a better discriminator of adrenal insufficiency than the standard (250 microg) and the low-dose (1 microg) corticotropin stimulation tests as assessed by the hemodynamic response to steroid replacement. ⋯ Adrenal insufficiency is common in patients with septic shock, the incidence depending largely on the diagnostic test and criteria used to make the diagnosis. There is clearly no absolute serum cortisol concentration that distinguishes an adequate from an insufficient adrenal response. However, we believe that a random cortisol concentration of <25 microg/dL in a highly stressed patient is a useful diagnostic threshold for the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency.
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Critical care medicine · Jan 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialDrotrecogin alfa (activated) administration across clinically important subgroups of patients with severe sepsis.
To assess the effects of drotrecogin alfa (activated) therapy, a recombinant human activated protein C, across clinically relevant subpopulations in a randomized, phase 3, placebo-controlled study of patients with severe sepsis (recombinant human activated protein C worldwide evaluation in severe sepsis [PROWESS]). ⋯ The administration of drotrecogin alfa (activated) to patients with severe sepsis was associated with a significant survival benefit that tended to increase with higher baseline likelihood of death. Current data suggest that the increased risk of bleeding does not vary according to likelihood of death.
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Critical care medicine · Jan 2003
Multicenter StudyEarly predictors of mechanical ventilation in Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Although mechanical ventilation is required in 30% of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome, early predictors of this treatment remain unknown. ⋯ Patients with at least one of these predictors should be monitored in an intensive care unit. Mechanical ventilation was required in >85% of patients with at least four predictors from the first multivariate model and in 85% of patients with all three predictors from the second multivariate model. In these patients at high risk of respiratory failure, the value of early mechanical ventilation may deserve investigation.