PubMed Central (PMC3 - NLM DTD)
(2,081,148 recursos)
Archive of life sciences journal literature at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), developed and managed by NIH's National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in the National Library of Medicine (NLM).
122.
Drotrecogin alfa (activated): does current evidence support treatment for any patients with severe sepsis? - Friedrich, Jan O; Adhikari, Neill KJ; Meade, Maureen O
Two international multicentre randomised controlled trials of drotrecogin alfa (activated) (DrotAA), the Recombinant Human Activated Protein C Worldwide Evaluation of Severe Sepsis (PROWESS) and Administration of Drotrecogin Alfa (Activated) in Early Stage Severe Sepsis (ADDRESS) trials, have produced inconsistent results. When 28-day mortality data from these trials for patients with severe sepsis and at high risk of death are pooled using a standard random-effects meta-analysis technique, there is no statistically significant survival benefit (for patients with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) scores of 25 or more), or a borderline significant benefit (for patients with multi-organ failure). We...
123.
The struggle to detect circulating DNA - Zeerleder, Sacha
In various diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune disease, sepsis or myocardial infarction, elevated levels of circulating DNA can be measured. However, its predictive value is under debate. Circulating DNA in plasma is protein-bound (nucleosomal) DNA. Quantification of circulating DNA can be performed by real-time quantitative PCR or immunological methods such as ELISA. The diagnostic value of both methods can be impaired by inappropriate handling of the samples. Assessment of circulating DNA in patients admitted to the intensive care unit offers a tool for predicting morbidity and mortality.
124.
Death of the septic monocyte: is more better? - Moraes, Theo J; Downey, Gregory P
Apoptosis is of pivotal importance in the pathogenesis of sepsis. Depending on the cell type involved and the time point of the disease process, apoptosis may be linked to either a good or a bad outcome. Work presented in this issue by Giamarellos-Bourboulis and coworkers suggests that an early increase in the apoptosis of blood monocytes is associated with improved survival in patients with varying degrees of sepsis. Although the mechanism by which monocyte apoptosis influences the outcome of sepsis cannot be determined by this study, these observations represent an important advance in our understanding of this complicated disease process.
127.
Bench-to-bedside review: Mechanisms of critical illness classifying microcirculatory flow abnormalities in distributive shock - Elbers, Paul WG; Ince, Can
Over 30 years ago Weil and Shubin proposed a re-classification of shock states and identified hypovolemic, cardiogenic, obstructive and distributive shock. The first three categories have in common that they are associated with a fall in cardiac output. Distributive shock, such as occurs during sepsis and septic shock, however, is associated with an abnormal distribution of microvascular blood flow and metabolic distress in the presence of normal or even supranormal levels of cardiac output. This Bench-to-bedside review looks at the recent insights that have been gained into the nature of distributive shock. Its pathophysiology can best be described as a...
128.
Unmeasured anions in metabolic acidosis: unravelling the mystery - Forni, Lui G; McKinnon, William; Hilton, Philip J
In the critically ill, metabolic acidosis is a common observation and, in clinical practice, the cause of this derangement is often multi-factorial. Various measures are often employed to try and characterise the aetiology of metabolic acidosis, the most popular of which is the anion gap. The purpose of the anion gap can be perceived as a means by which the physician is alerted to the presence of unmeasured anions in plasma that contribute to the observed acidosis. In many cases, the causative ion may be easily identified, such as lactate, but often the causative ion(s) remain unidentified, even after exclusion...
129.
'Progression towards the minimum': the importance of standardizing the priming volume during the indirect measurement of intra-abdominal pressures - Ball, Chad G; Kirkpatrick, Andrew W
The abdominal compartment syndrome is a state of serious organ dysfunction. The syndrome results from sustained intra-abdominal hypertension, which is indirectly identified by measuring intra-bladder pressures (IBPs) using various priming volumes. This technique is poorly standardized across published data. Malbrain and Deeren have identified the risk of falsely elevated IBPs with instillation priming volumes greater than 50 ml. This overestimation appears to increase with larger priming aliquots. As a result, erroneous IBP measurements may incorrectly label a patient with the abdominal compartment syndrome, and therefore subject them to the potential complications of surgical and/or medical decompression techniques. The utility and...
130.
Recently published papers: dying Swans and other stories - Rose, Hannah; Venn, Richard
The use of pulmonary artery catheters is under debate yet again. We look at two recent trials evaluating their impact on mortality. Our suspicions regarding obesity are proven and we also look at a simple, cost effective method of reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia. Finally, an intervention to improve the poor outcome associated with out-of hospital cardiac arrests is evaluated.
131.
Think outside the box: extrapulmonary manifestations of severe respiratory syncytial virus infection - Thorburn, Kentigern; Hart, C Anthony
Extrapulmonary effects of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection are not uncommon. Dr Eisenhut's systematic review of extrapulmonary manifestations of severe RSV infection clearly demonstrates clinical consequences peripheral to the lung parenchyma. The extrapulmonary impact of RSV infection raises questions as to whether these are direct RSV effects (i.e., RSV infection of site-specific tissue), secondary to parenchymal lung disease and its causative respiratory failure, or the result of inflammatory mediators dispersed from the provoked respiratory epithelium.
133.
The outcome of patients presenting to the emergency department with severe sepsis or septic shock - Rivers, Emanuel
Although multiple studies of acute myocardial infarction, trauma, and stroke have been translated into improved outcomes by applying diagnosis and therapy at the most proximal stage of hospital presentation (before intensive care unit arrival), this approach to the sepsis patient has been lacking. In response to this, a trial comparing early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) versus standard care was performed using internally and externally validated criteria for early identification of high risk patients, established definitions, and a consensus-derived protocol to reverse the hemodynamic perturbations of hypovolemia, vasoregulation, myocardial suppression and increased metabolic demands. That trial of EGDT resulted in significant reductions...
134.
Bench-to-bedside review: Significance and interpretation of elevated troponin in septic patients - Favory, Raphael; Neviere, Remi
Because no bedside method is currently available to evaluate myocardial contractility independent of loading conditions, a biological marker that could detect myocardial dysfunction in the early stage of severe sepsis would be a helpful tool in the management of septic patients. Clinical and experimental studies have reported that plasma cardiac troponin levels are increased in sepsis and could indicate myocardial dysfunction and poor outcome. The high prevalence of elevated levels of cardiac troponins in sepsis raises the question of what mechanism results in their release into the circulation. Apart from focal ischemia, several factors may contribute to the microinjury and...
136.
Measurement of PEEP-induced alveolar recruitment: just a research tool? - De Michele, Michele; Grasso, Salvatore
For positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) to have lung protective efficacy in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, it must increase the end-expiratory lung volume through alveolar recruitment while avoiding lung over-inflation. PEEP may increase the end-expiratory lung volume either by increasing the proportion of aerated alveoli at end-expiration or by further inflating already ventilated lung regions. The optimal PEEP regimen is still a matter of debate. In theory, the ability to measure of PEEP-induced alveolar recruitment would be extremely useful in titrating PEEP at the bedside. However, until now this measurement has been confined to clinical research settings. Interesting work...
137.
Coagulation abnormalities in critically ill patients - Levi, Marcel; Opal, Steven M
Many critically ill patients develop hemostatic abnormalities, ranging from isolated thrombocytopenia or prolonged global clotting tests to complex defects, such as disseminated intravascular coagulation. There are many causes for a deranged coagulation in critically ill patients and each of these underlying disorders may require specific therapeutic or supportive management. In recent years, new insights into the pathogenesis and clinical management of many coagulation defects in critically ill patients have been accumulated and this knowledge is helpful in determining the optimal diagnostic and therapeutic strategy.
138.
Noninvasive ventilation for acute lung injury: how often should we try, how often should we fail? - Garpestad, Erik; Hill, Nicholas S
The selection of patients with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) to receive noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is challenging, partly because there are few reliable selection criteria. The study by Rana and colleagues in the previous issue of Critical Care identifies metabolic acidosis and a lower oxygenation index as predictors of NIV failure, although it is unable to identify threshold values. It also demonstrates that treating patients with NIV for ALI/ARDS and shock is an exercise in futility. Future studies need to focus on criteria that will enable selection of patients for whom NIV will have a high likelihood of...
139.
Allowing for spontaneous breathing during high-frequency oscillation: the key for final success? - Rimensberger, Peter C
In the present issue of Critical Care, van Heerde and colleagues describe a new technical development (a flow-demand system during high-frequency oscillation) that may have an important impact on the future use of high-frequency ventilation in children and adults. Flow compensation on patient demand seems to reduce the imposed work of breathing, may therefore increase patient comfort, and should theoretically allow for maintaining spontaneous breathing while heavy sedation and muscular paralysis could be avoided. With further technical development of this concept, high-frequency oscillation can finally be added to the techniques of mechanical ventilatory support that maintain, rather than suppress, spontaneous...
140.
Pro/con debate: Octreotide has an important role in the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown origin? - Arabi, Yaseen; Al Knawy, Bandar; Barkun, Alan N; Bardou, Marc
Whether it is the primary reason for admission or a complication of critical illness, upper gastrointestinal bleeding is commonly encountered in the intensive care unit. In this setting, in the absence of endoscopy, intensivists generally provide supportive care (transfusion of blood products) and acid suppression (such as proton pump inhibitors). More recently, octreotide (a somatostatin analogue) has been used in such patients. However, its precise role in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding is not necessarily clear and the drug is associated with significant costs. In this issue of Critical Care, two expert teams debate the merits of using octreotide in...
121.
