Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyInterleukin-1 Receptor Blockade Is Associated With Reduced Mortality in Sepsis Patients With Features of Macrophage Activation Syndrome: Reanalysis of a Prior Phase III Trial.
To determine the efficacy of anakinra (recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist) in improving 28-day survival in sepsis patients with features of macrophage activation syndrome. Despite equivocal results in sepsis trials, anakinra is effective in treating macrophage activation syndrome, a similar entity with fever, disseminated intravascular coagulation, hepatobiliary dysfunction, cytopenias, and hyperferritinemia. Hence, sepsis patients with macrophage activation syndrome features may benefit from interleukin-1 receptor blockade. ⋯ In this subgroup analysis, interleukin-1 receptor blockade was associated with significant improvement in survival of patients with sepsis and concurrent hepatobiliary dysfunction/disseminated intravascular coagulation. A prospective randomized trial using features of macrophage activation syndrome for mortality risk stratification should be undertaken to confirm the role of interleukin-1 blockage.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyRandomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Thiamine as a Metabolic Resuscitator in Septic Shock: A Pilot Study.
To determine if intravenous thiamine would reduce lactate in patients with septic shock. ⋯ Administration of thiamine did not improve lactate levels or other outcomes in the overall group of patients with septic shock and elevated lactate. In those with baseline thiamine deficiency, patients in the thiamine group had significantly lower lactate levels at 24 hours and a possible decrease in mortality over time.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyBradycardia During Targeted Temperature Management: An Early Marker of Lower Mortality and Favorable Neurologic Outcome in Comatose Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Patients.
Bradycardia is common during targeted temperature management, likely being a physiologic response to lower body temperature, and has recently been associated with favorable outcome following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in smaller observational studies. The present study sought to confirm this finding in a large multicenter cohort of patients treated with targeted temperature management at 33°C and explore the response to targeted temperature management targeting 36°C. ⋯ This study confirms an independent association of bradycardia and lower mortality and favorable neurologic outcome in a large cohort of comatose out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients treated by targeted temperature management at 33°C. Bradycardia during targeted temperature management at 33°C may thus be a novel, early marker of favorable outcome.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2016
Multicenter StudyDuration of Antimicrobial Treatment for Bacteremia in Canadian Critically Ill Patients.
The optimum duration of antimicrobial treatment for patients with bacteremia is unknown. Our objectives were to determine duration of antimicrobial treatment provided to patients who have bacteremia in ICUs, to assess pathogen/patient factors related to treatment duration, and to assess the relationship between treatment duration and survival. ⋯ Critically ill patients who have bacteremia typically receive long courses of antimicrobials. Most patient/pathogen characteristics are not associated with treatment duration; survivor bias precludes a valid assessment of the association between treatment duration and survival. A definitive randomized controlled trial is needed to compare shorter versus longer antimicrobial treatment in patients who have bacteremia.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2016
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyHow to Solve the Underestimated Problem of Overestimated Sodium Results in the Hypoproteinemic Patient.
The availability of a fast and reliable sodium result is a prerequisite for the appropriate correction of a patient's fluid balance. Blood gas analyzers and core laboratory chemistry analyzers measure electrolytes via different ion-selective electrode methodology, that is, direct and indirect ion-selective electrodes, respectively. Sodium concentrations obtained via both methods are not always concordant. A comparison of results between both methods was performed, and the impact of the total protein concentration on the sodium concentration was investigated. Furthermore, we sought to develop an adjustment equation to correct between both ion-selective electrode methods. ⋯ As Na⁺(direct) measurements on a blood gas analyzer are not influenced by the total protein concentration in the sample, they should be preferentially used in patients with abnormal protein concentrations. However, as blood gas analyzers are not available at all clinical wards, the implementation of a protein-corrected sodium result might provide an acceptable alternative.