Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Apr 2021
Effectiveness and validity of midsagittal tongue cross-sectional area and width measured by ultrasound to predict difficult airways.
Increased tongue volume measured by ultrasound has been proven to be related to difficult airways. Tongue volume is an indirect parameter and is derived from multiplying the midsagittal tongue cross-sectional area (CSA) by the tongue width. However, few studies have focused on the ability of tongue CSA and tongue width to predict difficult airways. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of tongue CSA and tongue width for predicting difficult laryngoscopy and difficult intubation. ⋯ Ultrasonic measurement of midsagittal tongue CSA may be a valuable predictor of difficult laryngoscopy and difficult intubation. By contrast, tongue width measured by ultrasound may be a weak predictor of difficult laryngoscopy, but its predictive ability was questionable.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Apr 2021
Observational StudyThe furosemide stress test, electrolyte response and renal index in critically ill patients.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common syndrome in critically ill patients. The diagnostic ability of traditional markers such as serum creatinine has recently been questioned, and the use of newer tests such as the furosemide stress test or the ultrasound assessment of renal resistive index have been proposed. Aim of the present study was to compare the response to a furosemide stress test, the Renal Index in mechanically ventilated patients with and without acute kidney injury at admission, and who did or did not develop AKI at day three, among those with normal renal function at the CIU admission. ⋯ The response to the furosemide stress test and the Renal Index could be used as additional tools to evaluate the kidney function in critically ill patients.