Critical care : the official journal of the Critical Care Forum
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Early phosphate changes as potential indicator of unreadiness for artificial feeding: a secondary analysis of the EPaNIC RCT.
As compared to withholding parenteral nutrition (PN) until one week after intensive care unit (ICU) admission, Early PN prolonged ICU dependency in the EPaNIC randomized controlled trial (RCT). The Refeeding RCT showed improved outcome by temporary macronutrient restriction in ICU patients developing refeeding hypophosphatemia, defined as a phosphate decrease of > 0.16 mmol/L to levels < 0.65 mmol/L. We hypothesized that early phosphate changes may identify critically ill patients who are harmed by Early PN, and that dynamic phosphate changes are more discriminative than an absolute threshold for hypophosphatemia. ⋯ Development of RHP may identify patients who are particularly harmed by early PN. Future studies should prospectively validate the potential of including RHP in a ready-to-feed indicator.
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In severely injured trauma patients, hypofibrinoginaemia is associated with increased mortality. There is no evidence-based consensus for what constitutes optimal fibrinogen therapy, treatment dose or timing of administration. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effects of early fibrinogen replacement, either cryoprecipitate or fibrinogen concentrate (FgC) on mortality, transfusion requirements and deep venous thrombosis (DVT). ⋯ There is no association between early fibrinogen replacement and mortality, DVT or transfusion requirements. We found no superiority between FgC or cryoprecipitate. This systematic review highlights the urgent need for further RCTs to assess the efficacy of early fibrinogen replacement, preferred strategy (goal-directed vs empiric) as well as optimal therapeutic product for both patient outcome and cost effectiveness.
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Oxygen therapy is ubiquitous in critical illness but oxygenation targets to guide therapy remain controversial despite several large randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Findings from RCTs evaluating different approaches to oxygen therapy in critical illness present a confused picture for several reasons. Differences in both oxygen target measures (e.g. oxygen saturation or partial pressure) and the numerical thresholds used to define lower and higher targets complicate comparisons between trials. ⋯ This narrative review aims to make the case that such heterogeneity is likely in relation to oxygen therapy for critically ill patients and that this has significant implications for the design and interpretation of trials of oxygen therapy in this context. HTE for oxygen therapy amongst critically ill patients may explain the contrasting results from different clinical trials of oxygen therapy. Individualised oxygen therapy may overcome this challenge, and future studies should incorporate ways to evaluate this approach.
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Advanced respiratory monitoring through the measurement of esophageal pressure (Pes) as a surrogate of pleural pressure helps guiding mechanical ventilation in ICU patients. Pes measurement with an esophageal balloon catheter, the current clinical reference standard, needs complex calibrations and a multitude of factors influence its reliability. Solid-state pressure sensors might be able to overcome these limitations. ⋯ The novel solid-state pressure transducer showed good accuracy on the bench, in healthy volunteers and in ventilated ICU-patients. This could contribute to the implementation of Pes as advanced respiratory monitoring technique.