Implementing a Bedside Percutaneous Tracheostomy and Ultrasound Gastrostomy Team Reduces Length of Stay and Hospital Costs
Thousands of critically ill patients every year in the United States receive tracheostomy and gastrostomy procedures. Recent research has investigated the benefits of a combined team approach to these procedures, with associated... read more
Predictors of Weaning Failure in Ventilated ICU Patients
Predictors for weaning failure are widely researched. To date, 145 predictors have been investigated with varying intensity in 140 studies that are in line with the current weaning definition. It is no longer just individual... read more
Risk Factors for Secondary Organizing Pneumonia and Acute Fibrinous and Organizing Pneumonia in Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia
Based on our findings, we observed that age ≥50 years, diabetes mellitus, and severe hypoxemia on admission (SpO2 ... read more
Extended Prone Position and 90-Day Mortality in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with COVID-19
Extended prone positioning (PP) was associated with improved 90-d survival in subjects with COVID-19 undergoing mechanical ventilation for severe ARDS. These findings suggest the potential benefit of EPP in the management... read more
Skin Decontamination to Prevent ICU Infections
Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infections can be serious complications of medical care of critically ill patients. Despite multiple tested and implemented preventive measures for such infections, their incidence is persistently... read more
Septic Shock in the Prehospital Setting
Septic shock (SS) is a potential life-threatening condition in which an early identification and immediate therapy stand out as the main cornerstones to improve survival chance; in this context, emergency medical services... read more
Evidence-Based Critical Care
This is the premier evidence-based textbook in critical care medicine. The Third Edition features updated and revised chapters, numerous new references, streamlined content, and new chapters on key topics such as the new... read more
The Pathophysiology of Happy Hypoxemia in COVID-19
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global crisis, challenging healthcare systems worldwide. Many patients present with a remarkable disconnect in rest between profound hypoxemia yet without proportional... read more
A Perspective on Post-Cardiac Arrest Syndrome
This book presents a valuable new perspective on Post-Cardiac Arrest Syndrome (PCAS), which was defined as system failure following whole-body ischemia-reperfusion injuries by the 2008 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation.... read more
Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest: Prognostic Factors for Successful Resuscitation Before Rewarming
Patients with core body temperature ... read more
Protocolized Fluid Balance Neutralization During CRRT
Bitker et al. report the GO NEUTRAL randomized clinical trial results, which investigated fluid balance neutralization guided by functional hemodynamic monitoring (FHM) protocol versus a standard of care in critically ill... read more
Relationship between Concentrations of Oxygen and Levels of Oxidative Stress in Patients Receiving Oxygen Therapy for Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia
We evaluated the potential of high-flow oxygen therapy to increase oxidative stress and inflammation in COVID-19 patients. Our observation of decreased MDA levels when transitioning hypertensive patients from high-flow to... read more
Preventing VAP Non-Pharmacologically
In critically ill, intubated patients on intensive care unit (ICU), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a significant complication contributing to substantial mortality, morbidity, and prolonged stays, which in turn... read more
ARDS and Prone Positioning
Prone positioning has been a treatment option for acute respiratory distress syndrome in critically ill patients. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, awake prone positioning has been utilized as a treatment option for non-intubated... read more
Management of Refractory COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common condition with an estimated global prevalence of almost 12 percent in adults over age 30 years [1-3]. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019)... read more
How I Perform Diaphragmatic Ultrasound in the ICU
The diaphragm is a thin, dome-shaped muscle, comprising a costal and crural part, and a non-contracting central tendon. Muscle fiber activation shortens and thickens the diaphragm in the zone of apposition, moving the dome... read more
The Paracetamol Challenge in ICU
Paracetamol is one of the most widely prescribed medications in critically ill patients. Our intensive care unit (ICU) administered 50.133 g of paracetamol in 2023 (16.230 intravenous [IV] doses, 33.825 oral doses and 78... read more
Spontaneous Breathing Trials Should Be Adapted for Each Patient According To The Critical Illness
Unassisted SBTs, namely PSV0PEEP0 and T-piece trial, are the most appropriate to replicate the postextubation effort to breathe. In this multicentre randomized cross-over study, adult intensive care unit patients under... read more
Managing Blood Glucose Control in the ICU
Current evidence supports avoiding iatrogenic factors that aggravate hyperglycemia, such as early-PN and liberal corticosteroid use, and does not support TGC, except with accurate tools and protocols that prevent iatrogenic... read more
Invasive Fungal Infections in Non-neutropenic Patients
Critically ill patients, particularly those with features of immunosuppression, are susceptible to invasive fungal infections (IFI), which pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Candida and Aspergillus,... read more
Microbial Dynamics and Pulmonary Immune Responses in COVID-19 Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia
Secondary bacterial pneumonia (2°BP) is associated with significant morbidity following respiratory viral infection, yet remains incompletely understood. In a prospective cohort of 112 critically ill adults intubated... read more
Comprehensive Tracheostomy Care: The National Tracheostomy Safety Project Manual (Advanced Life Support Group)
Comprehensive Tracheostomy Care is a resource developed by the UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) to help promote and facilitate the safe management of tracheostomies and laryngectomies. The scope includes... read more
