Articles: critical-care.
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Critical care medicine · Feb 2025
Health Care Disparities and Critical Illnesses-Related Mortality in the United States.
To examine the association between social vulnerability index (SVI) and social deprivation index (SDI) with critical illness-related mortality in the United States and to guide future research and interventions aimed at reducing disparities in outcomes in patients with critical illness. ⋯ Critical illness mortality is significantly associated with indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage. The SDI appears to be a more effective tool than the SVI for guiding resource allocation. Targeted interventions to address social determinants of health, including poverty, education, and unemployment, are essential to reduce disparities and improve outcomes in patients with critical illness. Public health strategies should focus on addressing these social determinants and enhancing support for vulnerable populations and areas.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Feb 2025
REBOA for remote damage control resuscitation and the race against time.
The management of noncompressible haemorrhage (NCH) remains a critical challenge in trauma care, with early mortality rates persistently high despite advances in trauma systems. Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) has emerged as a potential intervention to address severe haemorrhage in prehospital and hospital settings. This review examines the role of REBOA in remote damage control resuscitation, focusing on the 'golden hour' and the 'platinum 5 minutes' concepts that underscore the urgency of timely interventions. ⋯ The integration of REBOA with advanced prehospital strategies holds the potential for reducing preventable deaths from traumatic haemorrhage, but further research is needed to refine protocols and enhance outcomes in this high-stakes domain.
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Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) is a common complication of neuraxial block resulting from either intentional dural puncture (IDP) or accidental dural puncture (ADP). ⋯ Postdural puncture headache remains a significant concern. In our cohort, 13.3% of ADP cases were detected postpartum, posing an increased challenge and underscoring the critical importance of follow-up care. We confirm that epidural blood patch may be required following any neuraxial block.
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Airway mucus is a highly specialised secretory fluid which functions as a physical and immunological barrier to pathogens whilst lubricating the airways and humifying atmospheric air. Dysfunction is common during critical illness and is characterised by changes in production rate, chemical composition, physical properties, and inflammatory phenotype. Mucociliary clearance, which is determined in part by mucus characteristics and in part by ciliary function, is also dysfunctional in critical illness via disease related and iatrogenic mechanisms. ⋯ Mucolytic therapies are designed to decrease viscosity, improve expectoration/suctioning, and thereby promote mucus removal. Mucolytics, including hypertonic saline, dornase alfa/rhDNase, nebulised heparin, carbocisteine/N-Acetyl cysteine, are commonly used in critically ill patients. This review summarises the physiology and pathophysiology of mucus and the existing evidence for the use of mucolytics in critically ill patients and speculates on journey to individualised mucolytic therapy.
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Appropriate dispatch of critical care teams to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been identified as a research priority emergency care in the UK. The study aimed to understand the criteria informing the decision to dispatch a critical care physician-paramedic prehospital team to OHCA in one UK region. ⋯ The only 100% agreement in dispatch criteria was 'witnessed arrest'. Otherwise, variation existed and additional information, like identification of frailty, was gathered to support nuanced decision-making. Wider research across the UK would help identify factors and commonalities in OHCA physician-paramedic dispatch to target improved survival rates.