Articles: function.
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To provide an overview of the current diagnostic criteria for acute kidney injury (AKI) including their limitations and to discuss prevention and treatment approaches in the perioperative setting. ⋯ Evidence suggests that the implementation of supportive measures in patients at high risk for AKI might reduce the occurrence of AKI. Novel biomarkers can help allocating resources by detecting patients at high risk for AKI.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2024
ReviewIntegrated Feedforward and Feedback Mechanisms in Neurovascular Coupling.
Neurovascular coupling (NVC) is the mechanism that drives the neurovascular response to neural activation, and NVC dysfunction has been implicated in various neurologic diseases. NVC is driven by (1) nonmetabolic feedforward mechanisms that are mediated by various signaling pathways and (2) metabolic feedback mechanisms that involve metabolic factors. However, the interplay between these feedback and feedforward mechanisms remains unresolved. ⋯ Thus, feedback mechanisms ensure the brain milieu's stability when feedforward mechanisms are impaired. Our proposal integrates the feedforward and feedback mechanisms underlying NVC and suggests that these 2 mechanisms work like a fail-safe system, to a certain degree. We also discussed the difference between NVC and cerebral metabolic rate-CBF coupling and the clinical implications of our proposed framework.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 2024
ReviewIntraoperative Anesthetic Strategies to Mitigate Early Allograft Dysfunction After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation: A Narrative Review.
Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the most effective treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Hepatic insufficiency within a week of OLT, termed early allograft dysfunction (EAD), occurs in 20% to 25% of deceased donor OLT recipients and is associated with morbidity and mortality. Primary nonfunction (PNF), the most severe form of EAD, leads to death or retransplantation within 7 days. ⋯ During recipient reperfusion, the anesthesiologist can optimize oxygen exposure, consider adjunct anesthetics with antioxidant-like properties, and administer supplemental magnesium. Unfortunately, there is either mixed, little, or no data to support the routine use of many free radical scavengers. Given the sparse, limited, or at times conflicting evidence supporting some of these strategies, there are ample opportunities for more research to find intraoperative anesthetic strategies to mitigate the impact of EAD and improve postoperative outcomes in OLT recipients.
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Semin Respir Crit Care Med · Dec 2024
ReviewAspiration after critical illness: role of endotracheal tube, tracheostomy, swallowing disorders.
Swallowing is a complex process that involves over 50 muscles and nerves and has two critical roles: passing food from the oral cavity through the pharynx and into the esophagus and preventing contents from entering the airway. If a patient's swallowing physiology or airway protective mechanisms are disturbed, the airways and the lungs have innate defense systems to protect against injury and infection. However, critically ill patients are more likely to develop dysphagia, which is an impairment or malfunction in any aspect of the swallowing mechanism, due to the numerous interventions they undergo. ⋯ Further research is necessary to help determine the best ways to prevent and manage pulmonary aspiration in critically ill patients. Several interventions are essential in preventing and managing dysphagia and the sequelae of swallowing dysfunction. Further research is needed to help elucidate the best way to avoid and manage pulmonary aspiration in critically ill patients.
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Modern treatment strategies have markedly improved the chances of survival for patients with cancer. As the population ages, cancer is becoming more common, as is chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD increases the risk of cancer; conversely, cancer treatments can cause CKD. ⋯ Patients who have CKD, are on dialysis, or have undergone kidney transplantation make up a considerable fraction of persons being treated for cancer, and they need interdisciplinary treatment.