Stories Category: Intensive Care
Sepsis Algorithm a Deadly Marker
An attempt by a Phoenix, AZ, hospital to develop a marker for deadly sepsis instead found that the algorithm identified patients at an increased risk of dying. Increasingly, algorithms govern daily life, playing an important... read more
Poor outcome predictors in status epilepticus
Predictors of poor outcomes in patients with status epilepticus admitted to the neurointensive care unit include complex partial status epilepticus, refractory status epilepticus, or the development of nonconvulsive status... read more
Improving the quality of nurse‐influenced patient care in the ICU
Quality of care is a major focus in the intensive care unit (ICU). The nursing-initiated QI project demonstrated improved ICU patient care in relation to early enteral nutrition commencement, DSIs and early and daily mobilizing.... read more
The Role of Intensive Care Registries
To develop, implement, evaluate and sustain a quality improvement programme in the ICU is an important and demanding undertaking. The work can be made easier by joining an intensive care registry. Mature registries have resources... read more
Co-infection is Frequent in Patients Hospitalized with Influenza
According to a recent article published online in Intensive Care Medicine, co-infection occurs commonly in patients with influenza-related infections that require intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Influenza infection causes... read more
Experiences and Expressions of Spirituality At the End of Life in the ICU
Family members and clinicians consider spirituality an important dimension of end-of-life care. The 3 Wishes Project invites and supports the expression of myriad forms of spirituality during the dying process in the ICU.... read more
First deep brain stimulation surgery on stroke patient
Cleveland Clinic performed the nation's first deep brain stimulation surgery on a stroke patient. This is part of an ongoing clinical trial that’s evaluating whether DBS can improve movement after a stroke. Only 10... read more
Traumatic brain injuries in older adults
Patients with TBI represented 45% of all trauma cases meeting TARN inclusion criteria. Falls at home accounted for most TBIs. Most had moderate/severe TBI, yet over half made a good recovery on GOS. Our data indicate that... read more
Is platelet transfusion associated with hospital-acquired infections in critically ill patients?
After adjustment for confounders, including patient severity and other blood components, platelet transfusion was independently associated with ICU-acquired infection. Further research aiming to better understand this association... read more
A New Organ you didn't know you had: The Mesentery
The research of Dr. J. Calvin Coffey, foundation chair of surgery at the University of Limerick, is reclassifying this part of the digestive system as a contiguous organ. In a new study, Coffey has established the anatomy... read more
First ICU for Men Suffering from Cold
There's finally hope for the critically ill! The Münster University Hospital has set up an intensive care unit exclusively for the treatment of male patients suffering from coughs, colds, or even both. A specially trained... read more
Tele-ICU shows positive outcomes at Florida hospitals
Large hospitals staff their ICUs with 24/7 intensivists but smaller facilities rely on tele-ICU systems that provide specialist help as needed. The eCare program being implemented at BayCare, which includes 14 Florida hospitals,... read more
Characterizing Hydrogels for use in drug delivery systems
The delivery of drugs to a precise location at the desired concentration without causing toxic effects to the rest of the body has been a challenge to biomedical science for many years. Although several approaches have been... read more
A Guide to Autonomic Pharmacology
Understanding neurotransmitters and their receptors can help you choose the right medication. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for the control of a wide variety of body functions. Through a process of chemical... read more
Waging War Against CABSIs
Catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSIs) are on the decline, according to the 2016 National and State Healthcare-Associated Infections Progress Report. The report, published by the CDC, showed that between 2008... read more
Hospital ICUs Are Overused
A study conducted on ICU admissions at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center states that the hospital’s Intensive Care Units are being overused by non-deserving patients. This revelation is suggesting that the hospital’s most evasive... read more
In-Bed Cycling Feasible for ICU Patients on Ventilation
TryCYCLE was the first study in the CYCLE research program. In TryCYCLE, we determined it was safe and feasible to bike with mechanically ventilated medical surgical patients very early in their ICU stay.... read more
