Safety and Feasibility of Early Physical Therapy for Patients on ECMO

With a highly trained multidisciplinary team and a focus on restoring function, it is feasible and safe to deliver early rehabilitation including standing and ambulation to patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation... read more

Philips Launches COVID-19 Rapid Equipment Deployment Kit for ICUs

Royal Philips introduced its Rapid Equipment Deployment Kit for ICU ramp-ups, allowing doctors, nurses, technicians and hospital staff to quickly support critical care patient monitoring capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.... read more

A Randomised Trial of High-flow Nasal Cannula in Infants with Moderate Bronchiolitis

In patients with moderate bronchiolitis, there was no evidence of lower rate of escalating respiratory support among those receiving HFNC therapy. The analyses included 268 patients among the 2621 infants assessed for... read more

Right Heart Thrombus in Transit Diagnosed With Focused Cardiac Ultrasound

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially fatal entity that is frequently diagnosed in the emergency department (ED). Emergency physicians (EPs) routinely perform focused cardiac ultrasound (FOCUS) to support a prompt ED diagnosis... read more

Which One is Better? Chlorhexidine-impregnated Sponge or Chlorhexidine Gel Dressing

A similar infection risk for gel-dress and sponge-dress. Gel-dress showed fewer dressing disruptions. Concomitant use of CHG for skin disinfection and CHG-impregnated dressing may significantly increase contact dermatitis. A... read more

Laboratory Features of Severe vs. Non-severe COVID-19 Patients in Asian Populations

This meta-analysis provides evidence for the differentiation of severe cases of COVID-19 based on laboratory test results at the time of ICU admission. Future well-methodologically designed studies from other populations... read more

Fit-testing of N95/P2-masks to Protect Healthcare Workers

In the context of COVID-19, well fitted respirators e.g. N95/P2-masks are recommended as part of personal protective equipment when performing aerosol generating procedures. Fit-checking is recommended prior to donning... read more

Acute on Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU

Liver Failure may constitute one of the least favorite disease processes for anyone routinely taking care of critically ill patients. Intensivist and hepatology circles have begun to describe a specific population known as... read more

ICU Trends for Patients with COVID-19 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Observed trends suggest opposing effects of ICU strain and clinical learning. Further investigation is needed to identify modifiable system factors that could alleviate strain in future epidemics and changes in clinical practice... read more

The Night in the ICU

They say that in the world of the intensive care unit (ICU), there is no night. It can be qualified as a lesser day, but not really as a night. The hustle and bustle may be slower, patient flow and activity may be less, conversations... read more

Efficacy and Safety of a Paired Sedation and Ventilator Weaning Protocol in ICU

Approaches to removal of sedation and mechanical ventilation for critically ill patients vary widely. Our aim was to assess a protocol that paired spontaneous awakening trials (SATs)—ie, daily interruption of sedatives—with... read more

Pulmonary Embolism in COVID-19 Patients in France

Pulmonary embolism (PE) in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) appears to be driven largely by inflammation and coagulopathy rather than by traditional risk factors for thromboembolism. Study results suggest... read more

Automated vs. Conventional Ventilation in the ICU

Automated ventilation (AV) appears to reduce the incidence and severity of blood oxygen desaturation during daily nursing procedures (DNPs) in comparison to Conventional Ventilation (CV). Of the 265 included patients,... read more

Pediatric Critical Care and COVID-19

We provide early clinical and laboratory data about critical pediatric COVID-19, which suggest a variable disease but generally good outcomes compared with adults. Targets for research include the course of organ failure... read more

Non-Invasive Cardiac Imaging for LVAD and OHT During COVID-19

Considerations for cardiac imaging in the COVID-19 era include thoughtful patient and study selection with a goal to limit the overall number of tests. General recommendations are as follows: Defer routine or low-risk... read more

Quetiapine Decreases Mortality and Improve Neurological Outcomes in Critically-ill TBI Patients

Quetiapine may decrease mortality and improve neurological outcomes in critically-ill traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. It has a dose-dependent effect to decrease intracranial pressure (ICP) and increase cerebral perfusion... read more

ICU Doctor Creates App to Help Patients on Ventilators Communicate Faster

ICU Doctor Chandar Abboy and his partner came up with a way to give a voice to the voiceless. The app called “Yo Doc” allows patients on ventilators to better communicate their needs and feelings. Dr. Abboy says this... read more

Anaphylatoxin C5a Impairs Phagocytosis by Neutrophils

This study provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying immunocompromise in critical illness and suggests novel avenues for therapy and prevention of nosocomial infection. Critically ill patients are at heightened... read more

Comparing Procedural Amnesia and Respiratory Depression vs. MS and DS with Propofol

Targeting moderate sedation (MS) or deep sedation (DS) did not reliably result in the intended sedation level. Targeting MS, however, resulted in a lower rate of total AREs and fewer patients had multiple AREs with no difference... read more

Effect of Vitamin C Infusion on Organ Failure and Biomarkers of Inflammation and Vascular Injury in Patients With Sepsis and ARDS

In this preliminary study of patients with sepsis and ARDS, a 96-hour infusion of vitamin C compared with placebo did not significantly improve organ dysfunction scores or alter markers of inflammation and vascular injury.... read more

The Use of ECMO in Patients with Cardiopulmonary Failure Due to COVID-19

COVID-19 related cardiopulmonary failure such as ARDS and cardiogenic shock or massive pulmonary embolism can be successfully supported with ECMO. Judicious patient selection is important to enable maximal benefit and optimized... read more

Association Between Anxiety and New Organ Failure, Independently of Critical Illness Severity and Respiratory Status

Moderate to severe anxiety at ICU admission is associated with early occurrence of new organ failure in critically ill patients, independently of respiratory status and severity of critical illness. The causality link could... read more