Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Recruitment maneuvers and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)/tidal ventilation titration in acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) are the cornerstone of mechanical ventilatory support. The net result of these possible adjustments in ventilatory parameters is the interaction of the pressure applied in the respiratory system (airway pressure/end expiratory pressure) counterbalanced by chest wall configuration/abdominal pressure along the mechanical ventilatory support duration. Refinements in the ventilatory adjustments in ALI/ARDS are necessary for minimizing the biotrauma in this still life-threatening clinical problem.
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This commentary discusses Laporta and coworkers analysis of a case study on the causes of and solutions for staff turnover in an intensive care setting. Staff turnover is a significant issue for health care leaders due to the shrinking workforce in Western countries and an increased demand for intensive care services as the population ages. The commentary considers reasons for turnover such as burnout and generational diversity, and highlights the importance of a team work approach to address the issue of turnover.
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We summarize all original research in the field of critical care nephrology published in 2004 or accepted for publication in Critical Care and, when considered relevant or directly linked to this research, in other journals. Articles were grouped into four categories to facilitate a rapid overview. ⋯ In the third category - blood markers during ARF - cystatin C as an early marker of ARF and procalcitonin as a sepsis marker during continuous venovenous haemofiltration were examined. Finally, in the extracorporeal treatment of ARF, the ability of two types of high cutoff haemofilters to influence blood levels of middle- and high-molecular-weight toxins showed promise.