Articles: function.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Jan 2014
Clinical TrialLong-Term Facilitation of Ventilation in Humans with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.
Intermittent stimulation of the respiratory system with hypoxia causes persistent increases in respiratory motor output (i.e., long-term facilitation) in animals with spinal cord injury. This paradigm, therefore, has been touted as a potential respiratory rehabilitation strategy. ⋯ Ventilatory long-term facilitation can be evoked by brief periods of hypoxia in humans with chronic spinal cord injury. Thus, intermittent hypoxia may represent a strategy for inducing respiratory neuroplasticity after declines in respiratory function that are related to neurological impairment. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01272011).
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We assessed the association of cerebrovascular disease preoperatively with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of moderate-severe activity limitation and moderate-severe pain at 2- and 5-years after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression; 7139 primary and 4234 revision TKAs were included. Compared to the patients without cerebrovascular disease, those with cerebrovascular disease had a higher odds ratio (OR) of moderate-severe limitation at 2 years and 5 years, 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02, 1.72; P = .04) and 1.83 (95% CI: 1.32, 2.55; P < .001), respectively. ⋯ In conclusion, we found that cerebrovascular disease is independently associated with pain and function outcomes after primary TKA. This should be taken into consideration when discussing expected outcomes of TKA with patients.
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The use of standard doses of β-lactam antibiotics during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) may result in inadequate serum concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adequacy of unadjusted drug regimens (i.e., similar to those used in patients with normal renal function) in patients treated with CRRT and the influence of CRRT intensity on drug clearance. ⋯ In septic patients undergoing CRRT, doses of β-lactam antibiotics similar to those given to patients with normal renal function achieved drug levels above the target threshold in 90% of samples. Nevertheless, 53% of samples were associated with very high drug levels and daily drug regimens may need to be adapted accordingly.
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Elevated brain potassium levels ([K+]) are associated with neuronal damage in experimental models. The role of brain extracellular [K+] in patients with poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and its association with hemorrhage load, metabolic dysfunction and outcome has not been studied so far. ⋯ The results of this pilot study suggest that brain extracellular [K+] may serve as a biomarker for brain tissue injury in poor-grade aSAH patients. Further studies are needed to elucidate the relevance of brain interstitial K+ levels in the pathophysiology of secondary brain injury after aSAH.
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Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving intervention for patients with respiratory failure or during deep sedation. During continuous mandatory ventilation the diaphragm remains inactive, which activates pathophysiological cascades leading to a loss of contractile force and muscle mass (collectively referred to as ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction, VIDD). In contrast to peripheral skeletal muscles this process is rapid and develops after as little as 12 h and has a profound influence on weaning patients from mechanical ventilation as well as increased incidences of morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Levosimendan has also been proven to increase diaphragm contractile forces in humans which may prove to be helpful for patients experiencing difficult weaning. Additionally, antioxidant drugs that scavenge reactive oxygen species have been demonstrated to protect the diaphragm from VIDD in several animal studies. The translation of these drugs into the IUC setting might protect patients from VIDD and facilitate the weaning process.