Articles: trauma.
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Surgery is a posttraumatic immune stimulus which contributes to the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple organ failure (MOF). Serum markers may facilitate post-injury immune monitoring, predict complications and guide the timing of surgery. ⋯ An increase in posttraumatic serum cytokines has been demonstrated after surgery, but without consistent clinical associations. The timing of surgery may modulate this increase. Future research directions include confirmation of findings in larger populations, clarifying clinical associations, and evaluation of other surgical interventions.
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Injury is the second leading cause of death worldwide, and as much as 40% of injury-related mortality is attributed to uncontrollable hemorrhage. This persists despite establishment of regionalized trauma systems and advances in the management of severely injured patients. Trauma-induced coagulopathy has been identified as the most common preventable cause of postinjury mortality. ⋯ Trauma-induced coagulopathy is a complex pathophysiological condition, of which some mechanisms have been characterized, but much remains to be understood in order to translate this knowledge into improved outcomes for the injured patient.
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Reports of the burden of hypertension in hospitalized children are emerging, but the prevalence and significance of this condition within the PICU are not well understood. The aims of this study were to validate a definition of hypertension in the PICU and assess the associations between hypertension and acute kidney injury, PICU length of stay, and mortality. ⋯ Hypertension is common in the PICU and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Future studies are needed to confirm these results.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Jun 2014
Serial Plasma DNA Levels as Predictors of Outcome in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury.
Increased plasma deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) levels may be associated with disease severity after acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study posits that increased plasma DNA levels in acute TBI are predictive of outcome. Both serial plasma nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels were examined in 88 consecutive patients with acute TBI and 66 control subjects. ⋯ Its levels on presentation were independently associated with outcome and higher levels (cutoff value >72.95 ng/mL) were associated with poorer outcomes. These findings suggest plasma nDNA levels reflect the severity of cerebral damage and can be considered a neuropathologic marker of patients with acute TBI. Further studies with bigger patient populations are warranted for better unbiased comparison.
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Pediatric emergency care · Jun 2014
Risky Behaviors Associated With Pediatric Pedestrians and Bicyclists Struck by Motor Vehicles.
Road safety constitutes a crisis with important health and economic impacts. In 2010, 11,000 pedestrians and 3500 bicyclists were injured by motor vehicles in New York City (NYC). Motor vehicle injuries represent the second leading cause of injury-related deaths in NYC children aged 5 to 14 years. To better target injury prevention strategies, we evaluated demographics, behaviors, environmental factors, injuries, and outcomes of pediatric pedestrians and bicyclists struck by motor vehicles in NYC. ⋯ Risky behaviors are common among pediatric pedestrians and bicyclists injured by motor vehicles. Road safety education and prevention strategies must stress compliance with traffic laws, readdress the importance of supervision, and reinforce avoidance of common distractors including electronic devices.