Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Editorial Comment
Glycemic control in the critically ill - 3 domains and diabetic status means one size does not fit all!
Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and increased glucose variability have each been shown to be independently associated with increased risk of mortality in the critically ill. Sechterberger and colleagues have completed a large observational cohort study that demonstrates that diabetic status modulates these relationships in clinically meaningful ways. These findings corroborate, in a strikingly consistent manner, those of another very recently published large observational study.
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Recent data suggested an interaction between plasma constituents and the endothelial glycocalyx to be relevant for vascular barrier function. This might be negatively influenced by infusion solutions, depending on ionic composition, pH and binding properties. The present study evaluated such an influence of current artificial preparations. ⋯ It appears important to maintain the pH value within a physiological range to maintain optimal myocardial contractility. Using colloids prepared in calcium-containing, balanced solutions for volume replacement therapy may attenuate the breakdown of vascular barrier competence in the critically ill.
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Urinary indices are classically believed to allow differentiation of transient (or pre-renal) acute kidney injury (AKI) from persistent (or acute tubular necrosis) AKI. However, the data validating urinalysis in critically ill patients are weak. ⋯ This study confirms the limited diagnostic and prognostic ability of urine testing. Together with other studies, this study raises more fundamental questions about the value, meaning and pathophysiologic validity of the pre-renal AKI paradigm and suggests that AKI (like all other forms of organ injury) is a continuum of injury that cannot be neatly divided into functional (pre-renal or transient) or structural (acute tubular necrosis or persistent).