Other bulletins in this series include:

Breast Surgery

Thursday 10 March 2011

Utile or futile: Biomarkers in the ICU

Utile or futile: Biomarkers in the ICU. Critical Care 2011, 15:131

Balmelli, C., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/15/2/131

Biomarkers complement other clinical information by proving quantitative information regarding a pathophysiological mechanism that can be used for the early diagnosis of a specific disease, to monitor and guide treatment, and to predict the risk of death or other adverse events.

Arterial hyperoxia and in-hospital mortality after resuscitation from cardiac arrest

Arterial hyperoxia and in-hospital mortality after resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Critical Care 2011, 15:R90.

Bellomo, R., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/15/2/R90

Hyperoxia has been recently reported as an independent risk factor for mortality in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest. We examined the independent relationship between hyperoxia and outcome in such patients.

Activagted protein C in septic shock: a propensity-matched analysis

Activated protein C in septic shock: a propensity-matched analysis. Critical Care 2011, 15:R89

Sadaka, F., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/15/2/R89

The use of human recombinant activated protein C (rhAPC) for the treatment of severe sepsis remains controversial despite multiple reported trials. The efficacy of rhAPC remains a matter of dispute. We hypothesized that patients with septic shock who were treated with rhAPC had an improved in-hospital mortality compared to patients with septic shock with similar acuity who did not receive rhAPC.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Quality of life after intensive care: A systematic review of the literature

Quality of life after intensive care: A systematic review of the literature. Critical Care Medicine, Vol 38(12), December 2010,p. 2386-2400.

Oeyen, S.G., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2010/12000/Quality_of_life_after_intensive_care__A_systematic.18.aspx

Quality of life differed on diagnostic category but, overall, critically ill patients had a lower quality of life than an age- and gender-matched population. A minority of studies met the predefined methodologic quality criteria. Results concerning the influence of the patients' characteristics and illnesses on long-term quality of life were conflicting.

Delirium duration and mortality in lightly sedated, mechanicaly ventilated intensive care patients

Delirium duration and mortality in lightly sedated, mechanically ventilated intensive care patients. Critical Care Medicine, Vol 38(12), December 2010, p. 2311-2318.

Shehabi, Y., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2010/12000/Delirium_duration_and_mortality_in_lightly.7.aspx

To determine the relationship between the number of delirium days experienced by intensive care patients and mortality, ventilation time, and intensive care unit stay.

Septic shock: a multidisciplinary response team and weekly feedback to clinicians improve the process of care and mortality

Septic shock: A multidisciplinary response team and weekly feedback to clinicians improve the process of care and mortality. Critical Care Medicine, Vol 39(2),
February 2011, p. 252-258.

Schramm, G.E., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2011/02000/Septic_shock__A_multidisciplinary_response_team.2.aspx

To evaluate the impact of weekly feedback to clinicians and the activation of a sepsis response team on the process of care and hospital mortality in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Corticosteroid therapy for patients in septic shock: some progress in a difficult decision

Corticosteroid therapy for patients in septic shock: Some progress in a difficult decision. Critical Care Medicine Vol 39(3), March 2011, p. 571-574

Sprung, C.L., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2011/03000/Corticosteroid_therapy_for_patients_in_septic.20.aspx

Reversible adrenal insufficiency has been frequently diagnosed in critically ill patients with sepsis who have either low basal cortisol levels or low cortisol responses to adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation. It is generally accepted that a phenomenon called “endotoxin tolerance” contributes to immunosuppression during sepsis. The present study was to investigate whether endotoxin tolerance occurs in the adrenal gland, leading to hyporesponsiveness of adrenal gland during sepsis.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation on muscle volume in patients with septic shock

Effect of transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation on muscle volume in patients with septic shock. Critical Care Medicine Vol 39(3), March 2011, p.456-461

Poulsen, J.B., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2011/03000/Effect_of_transcutaneous_electrical_muscle.5.aspx

Intensive care unit admission is associated with muscle wasting and impaired physical function. We investigated the effect of early transcutaneous electrical muscle stimulation on quadriceps muscle volume in patients with septic shock.

How did you sleep in the ICU?

How did you sleep in the ICU? Critical Care 2011, 15:408.

Franck, L., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/15/2/408

Patient sleep is extremely disturbed in the intensive care unit. We explored the memorization of sleep disturbances during a phone interview of 60 patients using the Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire. Half of them reminded sleep deprivation and one third of them had a decreased long term quality of sleep. Protocols to improve sleep quality are necessary

Inspiratory muscle strength training improves weanting outcome in failure to wean patients: a randomized trial

Inspiratory muscle strength training improves weaning outcome in failure to
wean patients: a randomized trial. Critical Care 2011, Vol 15(2):R84

Martin, A.D., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/15/2/R84

Most patients are readily liberated from mechanical ventilation (MV) support, however, 10% - 15% of patients experience failure to wean (FTW). FTW patients account for approximately 40% of all MV days and have significantly worse clinical outcomes. MV induced inspiratory muscle weakness has been implicated as a contributor to FTW and recent work has documented inspiratory muscle weakness in humans supported with MV.