Feasibility and observed safety of interactive video games for physical rehabilitation in the ICU
Novel use of interactive video games as part of routine PT in critically ill patients is feasible and appears safe in our case series. Video game therapy may complement existing rehabilitation techniques for ICU patients.... read more
Blood test may obviate need for head CTs in brain trauma evaluation
A biomarker test based on the presence of two proteins in the blood appears to be suitable for ruling out significant intracranial injuries in patients with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) without the need... read more
Erasing Death: The Science That Is Rewriting the Boundaries Between Life and Death
Dr. Sam Parnia, Director of the AWARE Study (AWAreness during REsuscitation) and one of the world's leading experts on the scientific study of death and near-death experiences (NDE), presents cutting-edge research from the... read more
Positive Topline Results for Novel Alzheimer’s Drug
A novel drug is showing promise for helping improve cognition in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to new topline results. A phase 3 trial of more than 800 patients showed that those who were... read more
Surviving Refractory Out-of-Hospital Ventricular Fibrillation Cardiac Arrest
Multi-system organ failure is ubiquitous but treatable with adequate hemodynamic support. Neurologic recovery was prolonged requiring delayed prognostication. Immediate 24/7 availability of surgical and medical specialty... read more
Electrical Impedance Tomography in ARDS
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a clinical entity that acutely affects the lung parenchyma, and is characterized by diffuse alveolar damage and increased pulmonary vascular permeability. Currently, computed... read more
Abdominal Sepsis: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Recently released, Abdominal Sepsis examines in detail the topic of sepsis, with a focus on intra-abdominal sepsis. Particular attention is devoted to source control in the management of the infection, antimicrobial therapy... read more
Nurse intuition may play a role in critical-care outcomes
Nurse intuition doesn't sound scientific, but it could play a key role in critical-care outcomes, according to a small study published in DovePress. The researchers conducted a descriptive phenomenological study, interviewing... read more
Alfred ICU Intubation Checklist
Here is the Alfred ICU intubation checklist. We invite you to take it and adopt it whole, or, even better, to modify it to your own department's needs. We have spent considerable time and thought developing it, as well as... read more
Patterns of Early Crystalloid Resuscitation Provided to Sepsis and Septic Shock Patients
Patterns and Outcomes Associated With Timeliness of Initial Crystalloid Resuscitation in a Prospective Sepsis and Septic Shock Cohort. Crystalloid was initiated significantly later with comorbid heart failure and renal failure,... read more
PPIs do not increase risk for C. difficile infection in ICU
Proton pump inhibitors are not associated with an increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection in ICU patients, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study. PPI use was not associated with a significant... read more
Comparison of Two Lidocaine Administration Techniques on Perceived Pain From Bedside Procedures
Bedside procedures are exceedingly common. Data regarding the severity of procedural pain and strategies to mitigate it are important for the informed consent process and patient satisfaction. Overall, pain reported from... read more
Early Mobilization in the PICU
Mobilization of critically ill children, many with central lines, endotracheal tubes, and other life-saving devices, is associated with potential risks and complications. Hence, concerns about safety often guide staff perceptions... read more
Does Lactate Clearance Prognosticates Outcomes in ECMO Therapy
Changes in lactate levels after ECMO implantation is an important tool to assess effective circulatory support and it is found superior to single lactate measurements as a prognostic sign of mortality in our study. Based... read more
Presenting Characteristics Associated With Outcome in Children With Severe TBI
Severe traumatic brain injury is a clinically heterogeneous disease that can be accompanied by a range of neurologic impairment and a variety of injury patterns at presentation. This secondary analysis of prospectively collected... read more
Prevalence for Delirium in Stroke Patients
These results underline the importance of delirium screening in stroke patients specifically during the night. Since even short delirious episodes are associated with more complications and increased disability, future studies... read more
Never Underestimate the Simple Things We Do To Our Patients
In this compelling episode, Professor Paul Wischmeyer, shares some of his experiences as a patient in the ICU. Since he was 15 he has endured multiple hospitalizations and ICU stays for his inflammatory bowel disease. This... read more
Effect of Human Recombinant Alkaline Phosphatase on 7-Day Creatinine Clearance in Patients With Sepsis-Associated AKI
In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding adaptive phase 2a/2b trial enrolling 301 adults, the optimal therapeutic dose of recombinant alkaline phosphatase was 1.6 mg/kg. Treatment with this dose... read more
Ron Daniels Responds to Study on Sepsis Mortality Rates
New research presented at this year’s ESICM LIVES conference (the annual meeting of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine) shows that in rich countries overall, mortality from sepsis has fallen by around a quarter... read more
Imaging platform captures hard-to-track bacterial lung infections in real time
Ahsan Akram and colleagues have created a fluorescent imaging probe that can quickly and accurately detect hard-to-trace Gram-negative bacteria (one of the major bacterial groups) in human lungs within minutes. Their first-in-human... read more
Oxygen Therapy for Acutely Ill Medical Patients
It is a longstanding cultural norm to provide supplemental oxygen to sick patients regardless of their blood oxygen saturation. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis has shown that too much supplemental oxygen increases... read more
Proton-Pump Inhibitor Prophylaxis in the ICU
Critical illness can disrupt local and systemic mechanisms that protect against upper gastrointestinal bleeding, a condition that may be associated with increased mortality, particularly among patients receiving extracorporeal... read more
