Which Models Can I Use to Predict Adult ICU Length of Stay? A Systematic Review
No models completely satisfy our requirements for planning, identifying unexpectedly long ICU length of stay, or for benchmarking purposes. Physicians using these models to predict ICU length of stay should interpret them... read more
Incorporating Dynamic Assessment of Fluid Responsiveness Into Goal-Directed Therapy
In adult patients admitted to intensive care who required acute volume resuscitation, goal-directed therapy guided by assessment of fluid responsiveness appears to be associated with reduced mortality, ICU length of stay,... read more
The Emerging Role of the Microbiota in the ICU
The importance of the intestinal and lung microbiotas is often overlooked on the ICU. Currently, we can explore the microbiome using a vast array of techniques, giving us 'meta' libraries of data, which has allowed researchers... read more
New Approach Developed for Diagnosing COPD
Primary care clinicians may soon be able to provide an early diagnosis for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, using a new method. According to researchers, patients with COPD can be diagnosed with the help of... read more
Adaptive servo ventilation cuts atrial fib burden
Adaptive servo ventilation produced a significant and clinically meaningful reduction in atrial fibrillation burden in patients with heart failure and sleep apnea in results from an exploratory, prospective, randomized study... read more
Intra-Abdominal Hypertension Is More Common Than Previously Thought
Intra-abdominal hypertension is common in both surgical and nonsurgical patients in the intensive care setting and was found to be independently associated with mortality. Despite prior reports to the contrary, intra-abdominal... read more
Severe Sepsis Care in the Emergency Department
Drs. John C. Perkins and Michael E. Winters have assembled an expert team of authors on the topic of Sepsis in the Emergency Department. Article topics include: Defining and Diagnosing Sepsis; Appropriate Antibiotic Therapy;... read more
High-Flow Nasal Cannula in Critically Ill Subjects With or at Risk for Respiratory Failure
High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen delivery has been gaining attention as an alternative means of respiratory support for critically ill patients, with recent studies suggesting equivalent outcomes when compared with other... read more
The Association of Frailty with Post-ICU Disability, Nursing Home Admission, and Mortality
Pre-ICU frailty status was associated with increased post-ICU disability and new nursing home admission among ICU survivors, and death among all admissions. Pre-ICU frailty status may provide prognostic information about... read more
ICU Early Mobility – A Concept ICU Bed with Integrated Leg Press
ICU beds that promote muscle recovery not muscle loss. Critical care experts at Johns Hopkins are reporting initial success in boosting recovery and combating muscle wasting among critically ill, mostly bed-bound patients... read more
Association of Delirium With Cognitive Decline in Late Life
Delirium in the presence of the pathologic processes of dementia is associated with accelerated cognitive decline beyond that expected for delirium or the pathologic process itself. These findings suggest that additional... read more
Early Mobility in ICU: From Patient to Physician
In the ICU, motion means life. Dr. Paul Wischmeyer, Professor of Anesthesiology and Surgery, Duke University gives an overview of the challenges associated with early mobility in ICU, and the importance of implementing protocols.... read more
Criteria for Identifying Lung Injury Prior to the Need for Positive Pressure Ventilation
Mortality associated with acute lung injury (ALI) remains high. Early identification of ALI prior to onset of respiratory failure may provide a therapeutic window to target in future clinical trials. This study empirically... read more
Risk Factors for HAI After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
Mechanical ventilation greater than or equal to 3 days, dopamine use, genetic abnormality, and delayed sternal closure were associated with healthcare-associated infections after pediatric cardiac surgery. Since the use of... read more
How Mayo Clinic Is Combating Information Overload in Critical Care Units
Health care teams depend on electronic health records (EHRs) to compile important medical data from innumerable lab tests and medical devices, observations, treatments, and diagnostic codes. We rely on it so much that we... read more
Early Mobilization of Patients in ICU
Currently there is a divide between ICU clinicians who wish to implement early mobilization based on current evidence and clinicians who believe that early mobilization is an intervention that should be tested in a large... read more
Sepsis-3, a New Definition. Solutions or New Problems?
Before we can discuss the "Sepsis-3" definitions, we need to look back at the history of Sepsis definitions, and what the rationale was leading the authors to create a new definition. Below is a brief, albeit non-exhaustive,... read more
A Qualitative Study Exploring Moral Distress in the ICU Team
This study identified the ways in which moral distress manifests across critical care disciplines in different ICU environments. Our results have potential implications for patient care. First, when clinicians alter the content... read more
Establishing a Relationship of Trust and Care
An admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is often a traumatic experience for both patients and families. Although members of the critical care team are specially trained to provide care and treatment requiring close,... read more
The 16-year-old Girl Who Walks and Eats Tacos While on Life Support
In November, the otherwise healthy teen was placed on life support in the pediatric intensive care unit at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Now, more than 130 days later, Zei's determination and independence have... read more
The Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue and Burnout among Healthcare Professionals in ICUs
The true prevalence of burnout, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma in ICU healthcare professionals remains open for discussion. A thorough exploration of emotional distress in relation to... read more
Antibiotic Therapy in Comatose Mechanically Ventilated Patients Following Aspiration
Dr. Fraser, MD, speaks with Jean Baptiste Lascarrou, MD, about the article, "Antibiotic Therapy in Comatose Mechanically Ventilated Patients Following Aspiration: Differentiating Pneumonia from Pneumonitis," published in... read more
