Surviving intensive care

Surviving intensive care: A systematic review of healthcare resource use after hospital discharge. Critical care medicine, Aug 2013, Vol. 41(8), p.1832-43.

Lone, N.I., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2013/08000/Surviving_Intensive_Care___A_Systematic_Review_of.2.aspx

Intensive care survivors continue to experience significant morbidity following acute hospital discharge, but healthcare costs associated with this ongoing morbidity are poorly described. As the demand for intensive care increases, understanding the magnitude of postacute hospital healthcare costs is of increasing relevance to clinicians and healthcare planners. We undertook a systematic review of the literature reporting major healthcare resource use by intensive care survivors following discharge from the hospital and identified factors associated with increased resource use.

Atypical sleep in ventilated patients

Atypical sleep in ventilated patients: Empirical electroencephalography findings and the path toward revised ICU sleep scoring criteria. Critical care medicine, Aug 2013, Vol. 41(8), p.1958-67.

Watson, P.L., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2013/08000/Atypical_Sleep_in_Ventilated_Patients___Empirical.16.aspx

Standard sleep scoring criteria may be unreliable when applied to critically ill patients. We sought to quantify typical and atypical polysomnographic findings in critically ill patients and to begin development and reliability testing of methodology to characterize the atypical polysomnographic tracings that confound standard sleep scoring criteria.

Clostridium difficile infection

Clostridium difficile infection: A multicenter study of epidemiology and outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients. Critical care medicine, Aug 2013, Vol. 41(8), p.1968-75.

Micek, S.T., et al.

http://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Abstract/2013/08000/Clostridium_difficile_Infection___A_Multicenter.17.aspx

Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of hospital-associated infection in the United States. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of C. difficile infection among mechanically ventilated patients within the ICUs of three academic hospitals and secondarily describe the influence of C. difficile infection on the outcomes of these patients.

Diarrhoea in the ICU

Diarrhoea in the ICU: Respective contribution of feeding and antibiotics. Critical care, July 2013, 17: R153

Thibault, R., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/17/4/R153/abstract

Diarrhoea is frequently reported in the ICU. Little is known about diarrhoea incidence and the role of the different risk factors alone or in combination. This prospective observational study aims at determining diarrhoea incidence and risk factors in the first 2 weeks of ICU stay, focusing on the respective contribution of feeding, antibiotics, and antifungal drugs.

Exercise rehabilitation for patients with critical illness

Exercise rehabilitation for patients with critical illness: A randomized controlled trial with 12 moths of follow-up.  Critical Care, July 2013, 17: R156

Denehy, L., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/17/4/R156/abstract

The purpose of this trial was to investigate the effectiveness of an exercise rehabilitation program commencing during ICU admission and continuing into the outpatient setting compared with usual care on physical function and health-related quality of life in ICU survivors.

Whole body protein kinetics during hypocaloric and normocaloric feeding in critically ill patients

Whole body protein kinetics during hypocaloric and normocaloric feeding in critically ill patients. Critical care, July 2013, 17: R158

Berg, A., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/17/4/R158/abstract

Optimal feeding of critically ill patients in the ICU is controversial. Existing guidelines rest on rather weak evidence. Whole body protein kinetics may be an attractive technique for assessing optimal protein intake. In this study, critically ill patients were investigated during hypocaloric and normocaloric IV nutrition.