Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Clinicians and specialty societies often emphasize the potential importance of natural light for quality care of critically ill patients, but few studies have examined patient outcomes associated with exposure to natural light. We hypothesized that receiving care in an intensive care unit (ICU) room with a window might improve outcomes for critically ill patients with acute brain injury. ⋯ The presence of a window in an ICU room did not improve outcomes for critically ill patients with SAH admitted to the ICU. Further studies are needed to determine whether other groups of critically ill patients, particularly those without acute brain injury, derive benefit from natural light.
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Quantitative computed tomography (qCT)-based assessment of total lung weight (Mlung) has the potential to differentiate atelectasis from consolidation and could thus provide valuable information for managing trauma patients fulfilling commonly used criteria for acute lung injury (ALI). We hypothesized that qCT would identify atelectasis as a frequent mimic of early posttraumatic ALI. ⋯ Atelectasis is a frequent cause of early posttraumatic lung dysfunction. Differentiation between atelectasis and consolidation from other causes of lung damage by using qCT may help to identify patients who could benefit from management strategies such as damage control surgery and lung-protective mechanical ventilation that focus on the prevention of pulmonary complications.
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Thrombomodulin, which is expressed solely on monocytes, along with tissue factor (TF), takes part in coagulation and inflammation. Circulating blood monocytes can be divided into 3 major subtypes on the basis of their receptor phenotype: classical (CD14brightCD16negative, CMs), inflammatory (CD14brightCD16positive; IMs), and dendritic cell-like (CD14dimCD16positive DMs). Monocyte subtype is strongly regulated, and the balance may influence the clinical outcomes of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Therefore, we investigated the phenotypic difference in thrombomodulin and TF expression between different monocyte subtypes in coagulopathy severity and prognosis in patients suspected of having DIC. ⋯ These findings suggest that the IM thrombomodulin phenotype is a potential independent prognostic marker for DIC, and that thrombomodulin-induced upregulation of monocytes is a vestige of the physiological defense mechanism against hypercoagulopathy.
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Since 2003, we have routinely used percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) to treat patients < 80 years of age after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) related to ventricular fibrillation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of routine PCI in association with MTH and the potential influence of age. ⋯ We suggest that routine coronary angiography with potentially associated PCI may favorably alter the prognosis of resuscitated patients with stable hemodynamics who are treated with MTH after OHCA related to ventricular fibrillation. Although age was not an independent cause of death, the clinical relevance of this therapeutic strategy remains to be determined in older people.
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The culture-independent serum (1→3)-β-D-glucan (BG) detection test may allow early diagnosis of invasive fungal disease, but its clinical usefulness needs to be firmly established. A prospective single-center observational study was conducted to compare the diagnostic value of BG assay, Candida score (CS), and colonization index in intensive care unit (ICU) patients at risk for Candida sepsis. ⋯ A single-point BG assay based on a blood sample drawn at the sepsis onset, alone or in combination with CS, may guide the decision to start antifungal therapy early in patients at risk for Candida infection.