Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2024
ICU-Electroencephalogram Unit Improves Outcome in Status Epilepticus Patients: A Retrospective Before-After Study.
Continuous electroencephalogram (cEEG) monitoring is recommended for status epilepticus (SE) management in ICU but is still underused due to resource limitations and inconclusive evidence regarding its impact on outcome. Furthermore, the term "continuous monitoring" often implies continuous recording with variable intermittent review. The establishment of a dedicated ICU-electroencephalogram unit may fill this gap, allowing cEEG with nearly real-time review and multidisciplinary management collaboration. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ICU-electroencephalogram unit establishing on SE outcome and management. ⋯ Integrating neurology expertise in the ICU setting through the establishment of an ICU-electroencephalogram unit with nearly real-time cEEG review, shortened SE duration, and increased likelihood of returning to premorbid neurologic function, with an increased number of antiseizure medications used. Further studies are warranted to validate these findings and assess long-term prognosis.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2024
Moderate IV Fluid Resuscitation Is Associated With Decreased Sepsis Mortality.
Significant practice variation exists in the amount of resuscitative IV fluid given to patients with sepsis. Current research suggests equipoise between a tightly restrictive or more liberal strategy but data is lacking on a wider range of resuscitation practices. We sought to examine the relationship between a wide range of fluid resuscitation practices and sepsis mortality and then identify the primary driver of this practice variation. ⋯ Individual physician practice drives excess variation in the amount of IV fluid given to patients with sepsis. A moderate approach to IV fluid resuscitation is associated with decreased sepsis mortality and should be tested in future randomized controlled trials.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2024
The Impact of Delayed Transition From Noninvasive to Invasive Mechanical Ventilation on Hospital Mortality in Immunocompromised Patients With Sepsis.
To determine whether mortality differed between initial invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) followed by delayed IMV in immunocompromised patients with sepsis. ⋯ Prolonged NIV trial before delayed IMV transition is associated with higher mortality in immunocompromised sepsis patients ultimately intubated.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2024
Healthcare Use and Expenditures in Rural Survivors of Hospitalization for Sepsis.
Sepsis survivors have greater healthcare use than those surviving hospitalizations for other reasons, yet factors associated with greater healthcare use in this population remain ill-defined. Rural Americans are older, have more chronic illnesses, and face unique barriers to healthcare access, which could affect postsepsis healthcare use. Therefore, we compared healthcare use and expenditures among rural and urban sepsis survivors. We hypothesized that rural survivors would have greater healthcare use and expenditures. ⋯ In this large cohort study, we report important differences in healthcare use and expenditures between rural and urban sepsis survivors. Future research and policy work is needed to understand how best to optimize sepsis survivorship across the urban-rural continuum.