Shock : molecular, cellular, and systemic pathobiological aspects and therapeutic approaches : the official journal the Shock Society, the European Shock Society, the Brazilian Shock Society, the International Federation of Shock Societies
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Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who develop chronic critical illness significantly stress the clinical capacity and financial resources of healthcare systems. Although vast improvements have been made in critical care management, outcomes for this ICU subset remain poor. A hallmark for patients who progress to chronic critical illness is the development of persistent inflammation and immunosuppression. ⋯ Interestingly, each of these clinical states bears strikingly similar immune defects, often resulting in the activation of a persistent inflammatory state. Strategies aimed at the prevention or early recognition of this state of immune compromise may help improve outcomes for these individuals and minimize the number who progress to chronic critical illness. This review explores the current knowledge regarding the immune defects associated with the development of persistent inflammation, the ways in which it can manifest clinically, attempted therapeutic interventions to date, and future insights into improving outcomes for this patient population.
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Far from traditional "vital signs," the field of hemodynamic monitoring (HM) is rapidly developing. However, it is also easy to misunderstand hemodynamic therapy as merely HM and some concrete bundles or guidelines for circulation support. Here, we describe the concept of "critical hemodynamic therapy" and clarify the concepts of the "therapeutic target" and "therapeutic endpoint" in clinical practice. ⋯ The flow-directed target for fluid infusion might be a priority, but it remains controversial in resuscitation. The interpretation of these targets is necessary for adequate resuscitation and the correction of tissue hypoxia. The incoherence phenomenon of resuscitation (macrocirculation and microcirculation, tissue perfusion, and cellular oxygen utilization) is gaining increased attention, and early identification of these incoherences might be helpful to reduce the risk of over-resuscitation.