Crit Care Resusc
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Most studies of Rapid-Response Teams (RRTs) assess their effect on outcomes of all hospitalised patients. Little information exists on RRT activation patterns or why RRT calls are needed. Triage error may necessitate RRT review of ward patients shortly after hospital admission. RRT diurnal activation rates may reflect the likely frequency of caregiver visits. ⋯ About one-quarter of RRT calls occurred shortly after hospital admission, and were more common when caregivers were around. Early calls may partially reflect suboptimal triage, though the associated mortality appeared low. Late calls may reflect suboptimal end-of-life care planning, and the associated mortality was high. There is a need to further assess the epidemiology of RRT calls at different phases of the hospital stay.
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To compare patient outcomes in hospitals certified by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine (JSICM) as training facilities for intensive care specialists with patient outcomes in hospitals not certified by the JSICM (non-CFs). ⋯ Patients admitted to the intensive care unit in CFs had better outcomes. To improve patient outcomes, more board-certified intensivists are required in Japan.
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Donation after cardiac death (DCD) has increased faster than donation after brain death (DBD) in Australia. However, DBD is the preferred pathway because it provides more organs per donor, the donation process is simpler and transplant outcomes are optimised. ⋯ In Australia, brain-injured donors appear to be ventilated long enough to allow progression to brain death before proceeding to DCD. Therefore, DCD is unlikely to have reduced the brain-dead donor pool.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of the diagnostic accuracy of measured and calculated free cortisol in acutely ill patients using the Coolens equation.
To investigate the agreement between two methods of measurement of plasma free cortisol in acutely ill patients; an indirect method using the Coolens equation, and direct measurement using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, which is the gold standard. ⋯ The observed bias between the two methods is of a magnitude that would be expected to produce clinically relevant discrepancies. Due to the proportional nature of the error, adding a correction factor is not feasible. Results obtained from using the Coolens method to calculate free cortisol concentration in acutely ill patients should be interpreted with caution.
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Bolus dose concentrations of hydrocortisone (50mg/mL) are reported to be incompatible with midazolam and ciprofloxacin in Y-site mixing studies. We evaluated the physical and chemical compatibility of low concentrations of hydrocortisone sodium succinate (1 mg/ mL) with midazolam (1 mg/mL and 2mg/mL) and ciprofloxacin (2 mg/mL) solutions during a simulated Y-site administration study. ⋯ According to currently recommended criteria, combining hydrocortisone sodium succinate at a concentration of 1mg/mL with a 1mg/mL solution of midazolam appears to be both chemically and physically compatible. However, mixing 1mg/mL hydrocortisone sodium succinate with 2mg/mL midazolam or with 2mg/ mL ciprofloxacin cannot be recommended.