Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: secondary analysis of the LUNG SAFE database.
The aim of this study was to describe data on epidemiology, ventilatory management, and outcome of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in immunocompromised patients. ⋯ Immunosuppression is frequent in patients with ARDS, and infections are the main risk factors for ARDS in these immunocompromised patients. Their management differs from that of immunocompetent patients, particularly the greater use of NIV as first-line ventilation strategy. Compared with immunocompetent subjects, they have higher mortality regardless of ARDS severity as well as a higher frequency of limitation of life-sustaining measures. Nonetheless, nearly half of these patients survive to hospital discharge.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Very high intact-protein formula successfully provides protein intake according to nutritional recommendations in overweight critically ill patients: a double-blind randomized trial.
Optimal energy and protein provision through enteral nutrition is essential for critically ill patients. However, in clinical practice, the intake achieved is often far below the recommended targets. Because no polymeric formula with sufficient protein content is available, adequate protein intake can be achieved only by supplemental amino acids or semi-elemental formula administration. In the present study, we investigated whether protein intake can be increased with a new, very high intact-protein formula (VHPF) for enteral feeding. ⋯ Enteral feeding with VHPF (8 g/100 kcal) resulted in higher protein intake and plasma amino acid concentrations than an isocaloric SHPF (5 g/100 kcal), without an increase in energy intake. This VHPF facilitates feeding according to nutritional guidelines and is suitable as a first-line nutritional treatment for critically ill overweight patients.
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Observational Study
Acute kidney injury and mild therapeutic hypothermia in patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation - a post hoc analysis of a prospective observational trial.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) on the incidence of and recovery from acute kidney injury (AKI). ⋯ Mild therapeutic hypothermia seems to have a protective effect against the development of AKI and on renal recovery. This may be less pronounced in patients with a favourable neurological outcome.
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In major abdominal surgery albumin is shifted from the circulation, presumably leaking into the interstitial space, contributing to a 30-40% decrease in plasma albumin concentration. During and after liver transplantation exogenous albumin is infused for volume substitution and to maintain plasma albumin concentration. Here we used liver transplantation as a model procedure for the study of albumin mass balance and kinetics during major abdominal surgery with albumin substitution. ⋯ Albumin net leakage from plasma progressed until the end of surgery, and was then unaltered until POD 3. This is in contrast with the normalization of the cumulative albumin shift identified at day 3 after non-transplant major abdominal surgery. Liver synthesis of export proteins was high compared to reference values at the third postoperative day, suggesting rapid recovery of synthesis capacity.