Critical Care and the COVID-19 Outbreak in Italy: Early Experience and Forecast

There was an immediate sharp increase in ICU admissions from day 1 to day 14. The increase was steady and consistent. Publicly available data indicate that ICU admissions (n = 556) represented 16% of all patients (n = 3420)... read more

Decrease Delirium in Older ICU Adults Using Music

Researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Mayo Clinic are leading the first study to test whether exposure to music can decrease delirium in older adults who are receiving mechanical ventilation in the Intensive Care... read more

Emergency & Critical Care Pocket Guide

The most popular pocket reference in emergency nursing - now in a new edition! The Emergency amp; Critical Care Pocket Guide has been an essential resource for physicians, paramedics, and nurses for over a decade. The... read more

Emergency & Critical Care Pocket Guide

Intensive Care Unit in Disaster

This issue of Critical Care Clinics, guest edited by Drs. Marie Baldisseri, Mary Reed, and Randy Wax, in collaboration with Consulting Editor John Kellum, is devoted to Intensive Care Unit in Disaster. Topics in this... read more

Intensive Care Unit in Disaster

ICU Risk Factors and Outcomes for Each Delirium Subtype

Although included studies reported on many subtype-specific risk factors (hypoactive, hyperactive) and outcomes, heterogeneity in reporting and methodological quality limited the generalizability of the results and the evidence... read more

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Related to ARDS Survivors’ Quality of Life

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), not body functions & structures measures, are related to ARDS survivors' quality of life and should be included in future studies. Bringing greater consistency to outcomes... read more

Severe Influenza in Critically Ill Patients

The present review summarizes current knowledge on pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of severe influenza. Immunological dysfunction during viral infection correlates with severity and mortality among ICU patients.... read more

Comparison of outcomes between vertical and transverse skin incisions in percutaneous tracheostomy for critically ill patients

This retrospective study showed that transverse skin incisions in PTs for critically ill patients, resulted in a significant decrease in overall complications, particularly ulcers in the tracheostomy site. Of the 458... read more

Respiratory Support for Patients with COVID-19 Infection

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected more than 50 countries so far this year. Xiaobo Yang and colleagues described in their single-centered, retrospective, observational study that 52 of 710 patients with confirmed... read more

Impact of Protocolized Diuresis for De-resuscitation in the ICU

Using a diuresis protocol for volume de-resuscitation, we demonstrated a significant decrease in net cumulative fluid balance at 72 h following shock resolution, with potential benefit on clinical outcomes including renal... read more

Relative Hypoglycemia in Diabetic Patients With Critical Illness

In ICU patients with diabetes, relative hypoglycemia is common, increases with higher hemoglobin A1C levels, and is a modifiable risk factor for both mortality and subsequent absolute hypoglycemia. These findings provide... read more

Association of Initiation of Dialysis with Hospital Length of Stay and Intensity of Care in Older Adults With Kidney Failure

In this cohort study, compared with non-dialysis care, patients who received maintenance dialysis spent more time in the hospital and were more likely to be admitted to intensive care units. This finding suggests trade-offs... read more

Harmful Effects of Mechanical Ventilation on Neurocognitive Functions

Whether mechanical ventilation (MV) induces neurotoxicity that can trigger or accelerate chronic cognitive disorders is controversial. The relationship between MV and neurocognitive impairment, that persisted at hospital... read more

Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China

During the first 2 months of the current outbreak, Covid-19 spread rapidly throughout China and caused varying degrees of illness. Patients often presented without fever, and many did not have abnormal radiologic findings. The... read more

Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infections: Practical Considerations for Intensivists

On December 31, 2019, China reported cases of respiratory illness in humans appearing first in Wuhan, Hubei Province, that involved a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (aka 2019-nCoV). This new emergency is a zoonotic disease... read more

Dealing with Internet-based Information Obtained by Families of Critically Ill Patients

The increasing availability of web-based health information resources should foster intensivists to step out of their comfort zone and encourage families to discuss their online discoveries. The majority of families of... read more

Survivorship Will Be the Defining Challenge of Critical Care in the 21st Century

Distracted by the high mortality rate of critical illness, we tend to overlook the essential fact that most patients survive the intensive care unit (ICU). Every year, millions of patients are discharged from the ICU... read more

Recognition, Assessment, and Pharmacotherapeutic Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in the ICU

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a complex neurologic disorder that develops after an acute reduction in or cessation of chronic alcohol consumption that alters neurotransmitter conduction. The incidence of AWS in the... read more

Methylnaltrexone for Treatment of Opioid-induced Constipation in Critically Ill Patients

No evidence to support the addition of methylnaltrexone to regular laxatives for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in critically ill patients; however, the confidence interval was wide and a clinically important... read more

1 in 5 Patients Die within 90 Days After LVAD Implantation

The aim of the study was to analyze early mortality after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation which remains high. In the EUROMACS registry, approximately 1 in 5 patients die within 90 days... read more

Relative Hyperglycemia Predicts In-Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill Patients

Unlike absolute hyperglycemia, relative hyperglycemia, as assessed by the stress hyperglycemia ratio, independently predicts in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients across the glycemic spectrum. Future studies should... read more

Critical Care Telemedicine: A Management Fad or the Future of ICU Practice?

Critical care telemedicine is a potential solution to the scarcity of critical care expertise, while quality and safe care can also be promoted through off-site surveillance, early warning capabilities, clinical decision... read more