Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2004
Regional lung volume during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation by electrical impedance tomography.
To investigate the value of electrical impedance tomography for the assessment of regional lung mechanics during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV). ⋯ HFOV has a homogenizing effect on lung volume distribution. Regional lung volume distribution can be assessed using electrical impedance tomography. However, thoracic fluid accumulation may complicate its interpretation.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2004
Low apolipoprotein A-I level at intensive care unit admission and systemic inflammatory response syndrome exacerbation.
Examine whether a low serum level of apolipoprotein A-I at intensive care unit (ICU) admission is associated with a further increase of the number of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria. ⋯ A low serum level of apolipoprotein A-I at ICU admission is associated with an increase of the number of SIRS criteria during the ICU stay.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2004
Gastric acid and particulate aspiration injury inhibits pulmonary bacterial clearance.
To establish a model of secondary bacterial pneumonia following gastric aspiration and to identify possible mechanisms involved in the suppressed antibacterial defenses following the initial pulmonary insult. ⋯ Lung injury increases and bacterial clearance decreases in this experimental model of E. coli pneumonia following gastric aspiration. Cytokine profiles suggest possible mechanisms for the impaired antibacterial host defense.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2004
Format of medical order sheet improves security of antibiotics prescription: The experience of an intensive care unit.
To assess whether formatting the medical order sheet has an effect on the accuracy and security of antibiotics prescription. ⋯ Formatting of the order sheet markedly increased security of antibiotics prescription. These findings must be confirmed in other settings and with different drug classes. Formatting the medical order sheet decreases the potential for prescribing errors before full computerized prescription is available.
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Critical care medicine · Mar 2004
Novel endothelin receptor antagonist attenuates endotoxin-induced lung injury in sheep.
To evaluate the cardiopulmonary effects of the novel endothelin receptor antagonist tezosentan in endotoxin-induced lung injury in sheep and to assess the dose response to tezosentan and endothelin-1 in healthy sheep. ⋯ In an ovine model of endotoxin-induced lung injury, tezosentan ameliorates pulmonary hypertension, lung edema, cardiac dysfunction, and arterial hypoxemia. Tezosentan counteracts the hemodynamic effects of endothelin-1 in a dose-dependent manner.