Annals of intensive care
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
Predictive factors of bleeding events in adults undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
Bleeding is the most frequent complication associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in critically ill patients. Nonetheless, risk factors for bleeding have been poorly described especially those associated with coagulation anomalies and anticoagulant therapy during ECMO support. The aim of this study is to describe bleeding complications in critically ill patients undergoing ECMO and to identify risk factors for bleeding events. ⋯ Bleeding events based on the ELSO bleeding definition occurred in more than 60 % of ECMO episodes and were associated with hospital mortality. We identified higher aPTT prior bleeding as an independent risk factor for bleeding event, suggesting that better control of the aPTT (through a better control of either coagulopathy or anticoagulation) may improve patients' outcome.
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
Association between total antioxidant capacity and mortality in ischemic stroke patients.
Data on circulating total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels in ischemic stroke patients compared with healthy controls are limited and provided conflicting findings. There are not data about the association between circulating TAC levels, peroxidation state and outcome in patients with severe ischemic stroke. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of TAC with 30-day mortality after severe ischemic stroke. ⋯ This single-center study in severe MMCAI patients found an association between higher serum TAC levels and 30-day mortality and further identified a relationship between serum TAC levels, lipid peroxidation state and mortality after severe ischemic stroke.
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
Predictors of haemodynamic instability during the changeover of norepinephrine infusion pumps.
Changeovers of norepinephrine infusion pumps (CNIPs) frequently lead to haemodynamic instability. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for haemodynamic instability associated with CNIP, independent of the method used to perform the relay. ⋯ Changes in the norepinephrine concentration during CNIPs lead to a high risk of haemodynamic instability, while the clinical severity of patients, as well as the doses of norepinephrine, was not.
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
Teamwork enables high level of early mobilization in critically ill patients.
Early mobilization in critically ill patients has been shown to prevent bed-rest-associated morbidity. Reported reasons for not mobilizing patients, thereby excluding or delaying such intervention, are diverse and comprise safety considerations for high-risk critically ill patients with multiple organ support systems. This study sought to demonstrate that early mobilization performed within the first 24 h of ICU admission proves to be feasible and well tolerated in the vast majority of critically ill patients. ⋯ Mobilization within the first 24 h of ICU admission is achievable in the majority of critical ill patients, in spite of mechanical ventilation, vasopressor administration, or renal replacement therapy.
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Annals of intensive care · Dec 2016
Impact of chloride and strong ion difference on ICU and hospital mortality in a mixed intensive care population.
Abnormal chloride levels are commonly observed in critically ill patients, but their clinical relevance remains a matter of debate. We examined the association between abnormal chloremia and ICU and hospital mortality. To further refine findings and integrate them into the ongoing discussion on the detrimental effects of chloride-rich solutions, the impact of strong ion difference (SID) on the same end points was assessed. ⋯ In the ICU, hyperchloremia at admission was associated with negative outcome. On the other hand, decreased strong ion difference did not have an impact on mortality, precluding a simple extrapolation of these findings to the ongoing discussion on the detrimental effects of chloride-rich solutions. This notion is fueled by the finding that hyperchloremia after cardiac surgery, frequently encountered and probably fluid-induced, did not seem to be deleterious.