Mechanical Ventilation Management during ECMO for ARDS

Ultra-protective lung ventilation on ECMO was largely adopted across medium to high case-volume ECMO centers. In contrast with previous observations, mechanical ventilation settings during ECMO did not impact patients' prognosis... read more

Mechanical Ventilation-induced Diaphragm Atrophy Strongly Impacts Clinical Outcomes

Diaphragm atrophy developing during mechanical ventilation strongly impacts clinical outcomes. Targeting an inspiratory effort level similar to that of healthy subjects at rest might accelerate liberation from ventilation.... read more

Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life After ICU

Preexisting comorbidity counts, but not severity of ICU illness, are strongly associated with health-related quality of life and physical symptoms in the year following critical illness. We prospectively collected data... read more

The Complex Kinetics of Blood Endocan During the Time Course of Sepsis and ARDS

This study highlights the kinetics of endocan in severe sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), thus helping to understand the apparently conflicting results observed in the literature. However, the interpretability... read more

Antipsychotics Not Helpful for Delirium in ICU

Delirium is a confused mental state that includes changes in awareness, thinking, judgment, sleeping patterns, and behavior. It can affect patients of any age but is more common among older adults who experience major illness... read more

Procalcitonin-Guided Use of Antibiotics for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection

The provision of procalcitonin assay results, along with instructions on their interpretation, to emergency department and hospital-based clinicians did not result in less use of antibiotics than did usual care among patients... read more

AKI in Critically Ill Patients After Noncardiac Major Surgery

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of major surgery. However, acute kidney injury occurring within the first 48 hours after surgery (early acute kidney injury) and therefore likely related to the surgery itself... read more

Implementation Challenges in the ICU: The Why, Who and How of Daily Interruption of Sedation

Despite apparent consensus, lack of shared understanding of the rationale for an intervention may lead to divergent practice patterns and failure to implement standardized, evidence-based practice. There was wide consensus... read more

Early Mobilization Reduces Duration of Mechanical Ventilation and Intensive Care Unit Stay in Patients With ARF

The introduction of early mobilization for patients with mechanical ventilation (MV) in the ICU shortened MV durations and ICU stays. A multidisciplinary team that includes the patient's family can work together to improve... read more

Association Between Mean Arterial Pressure and AKI and a Composite of Myocardial Injury and Mortality in Postoperative Critically Ill Patients

Hypotension thresholds that provoke renal injury, myocardial injury, and mortality in critical care patients remain unknown. We primarily sought to determine the relationship between hypotension and a composite of myocardial... read more

Effect of a Nurse-Led Preventive Psychological Intervention on Symptoms of PTSD Among Critically Ill Patients

Among critically ill patients in the ICU, a nurse-led preventive, complex psychological intervention did not significantly reduce patient-reported Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity at 6 months. These findings... read more

Parenteral Anticoagulation Not Associated with Reduced Risk of Ischemic Stroke Among Patients with Atrial Fibrillation During Sepsis

Among patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) during sepsis, parenteral anticoagulation was not associated with reduced risk of ischemic stroke and was associated with higher bleeding rates. Of 113,511 patients hospitalized... read more

Beyond Ventilator-induced Diaphragm Dysfunction

Respiratory muscles are essential to ensure the vital function of breathing. The diaphragm is a unique respiratory muscle, because it contracts throughout the individual's life span without resting, not even during sleep.... read more

PICU Admission, Discharge, and Triage Practice Statement and Levels of Care Guidance

This practice statement and level of care guidance manuscript addresses important specifications for each PICU level of care, including the team structure and resources, technology and equipment, education and training, quality... read more

Causes and Consequences of Optimistic Expectations About Prognosis by Surrogate Decision-Makers in ICUs

This multicenter study shows that optimistic expectations about prognosis are prevalent among surrogates of patients with advanced critical illness, arise both from misunderstandings by surrogates and from surrogates holding... read more

Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices in Cardiogenic Shock and Acute Heart Failure

Randomized, controlled trials are utterly needed to guide treatment with mechanical circulatory support for patients with cardiogenic shock. Importantly, such trials should focus patient selection criteria. In recent years,... read more

Sedation and Analgesia Impact On Long-term Cognitive Dysfunction in Critical Care Survivors

Deep sedation during stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) may have deleterious effects upon the clinical and cognitive outcomes of critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Over the last decade a vast... read more

Determinants of Citation Impact in Large Clinical Trials in Critical Care

Clinical trials conducted by investigator-led research groups are significantly more frequently cited than industry-led trials in critical care medicine. In addition, costs appear to be substantially lower with investigator-led... read more

Transfusion Practice in the ICU

This study shows a group of MICU physicians altered transfusion practice after the publication of the TRICC trial results and that, in the years following, transfusion practice has remained closer to the restrictive transfusion... read more

Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis: Clinical and Laboratory Aspects

Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis: Clinical and Laboratory Aspects, Third Edition, is the only pocket-sized, quick reference for pathology and transfusion medicine residents and fellows. It covers all topics in transfusion... read more

Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis: Clinical and Laboratory Aspects

Pericardiocentesis During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

In this video, Dr. Traci Wolbrink reviews the procedural steps to performing Pericardiocentesis as well as reviewing indications, contraindications and risk factors for patients experiencing pericardial effusion. ... read more

Reversing Neuromuscular Blockade

Neuromuscular blocking drugs have for years enabled anesthesiologists beneficially to relax skeletal muscles to improve anesthetic management, increase safety and quality of tracheal intubation, and to provide favorable intraoperative... read more