Tag: infection

Reduction in Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections Correlated With the Introduction of a Novel Silver-Plated Dressing for Central Venous Catheters

Use of SDs is associated with a significant decrease in CLABSI rates in adult ICU patients compared to CHGIS dressings, with an estimated cost savings of US$4070 to US$39 600 per 1000 catheter days. A total of 3189 patient... read more

Mountain Ultra-Marathon Finishers Exhibit Marked Immune Alterations Similar to Those of Severe Trauma Patients

Runners competing in mountain ultra-marathons (MUMs) are known to display features of marked inflammation due to muscle micro-trauma, oxidative stress, gastrointestinal dysfunction, or endotoxin translocation. Furthermore,... read more

Late Mortality After AHRF

Acute hypoxic respiratory failure (AHRF) is associated with significant acute mortality. It is unclear whether later mortality is predominantly driven by pre-existing comorbid disease, the acute inciting event or is the result... read more

Increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria hinders treatment of kidney infections

Researchers use hospital emergency room data from around the country to document emergence of E. coli strain that fights medication. They recommend development of new antibiotics and treatment guidelines.... read more

Faecal Transplant Effectively Treats Recurrent or Unresponsive Clostridium Difficile

Using a faecal microbiota transplant cured 92% of people with Clostridium difficile that had recurred or had not responded to antibiotics. Faecal transplant also had a lower risk of treatment failure than the antibiotic vancomycin.... read more

Corticosteroid Therapy for Critically Ill Patients with the MERS

Corticosteroid therapy in patients with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was not associated with a difference in mortality after adjustment for time-varying confounders, but was associated with delayed MERS coronavirus... read more

Effect of Procalcitonin-guided Antibiotic Treatment on Mortality in Acute Respiratory Infections

Use of procalcitonin to guide antibiotic treatment in patients with acute respiratory infections reduces antibiotic exposure and side-effects, and improves survival. Widespread implementation of procalcitonin protocols in... read more

Successful Strategy to Decrease Indwelling Catheter Utilization Rates in an Academic Medical ICU

Our interventions demonstrated that aggressive and comprehensive indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) restriction protocol and provider training can lead to a successful decrease in IUC use, leading to a lower IUC utilization... read more

Sepsis mortality linked to concentration of critical care fellowships

Higher survival rates for sepsis were more concentrated in the Northeast and metropolitan areas in the Western regions of the United States. Compared with other parts of the United States, survival rates for sepsis were highest... read more

The Timing of Early Antibiotics and Hospital Mortality in Sepsis

Prior sepsis studies evaluating antibiotic timing have shown mixed results. Objective: To evaluate the association between antibiotic timing and mortality among sepsis patients receiving antibiotics within 6 hours of emergency... read more

Enteral vs. Parenteral Early Nutrition in Ventilated Adults with Shock

In critically ill adults with shock, early isocaloric enteral nutrition did not reduce mortality or the risk of secondary infections but was associated with a greater risk of digestive complications compared with early isocaloric... read more

Review of Strategies to Reduce CLABSI and CAUTI in Adult ICUs

Central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) are costly and morbid. Despite evidence-based guidelines, Some intensive care units (ICUs) continue to have... read more

Long-term outcomes in patients with septic shock transfused at a lower versus a higher haemoglobin threshold

Long-term mortality rates and HRQoL did not differ in patients with septic shock and anaemia who were transfused at a haemoglobin threshold of 7 g/dl versus a threshold of 9 g/dl. We may reject a more than 3 % increased hazard... read more

Calcium induces chronic lung infections

Researchers have now discovered that calcium induces the switch from acute to chronic infection. One of the most serious pathogens is the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which frequently causes hospital infections and is... read more

Understanding Adrenal Crisis

Approximately 5–17 cases of adrenal crisis (AC) occur per 100 patient years in patients with primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency (AI). The mortality rate is estimated to be between 0.5% and 2%. Norwegian data indicate... read more

When Antibiotic Treatment Fails

What to do when antimicrobial treatment fails and when and how to define it? These are three very common questions arising when clinicians use antibiotics. Categorization of responders and non-responders early in the course... read more

Oral Antibiotics Preferred for Pediatric Pneumonia

Children with complicated pneumonia should be discharged from the hospital with oral instead of intravenous (IV) antibiotics when possible, according to a new study. The results showed no significant differences in treatment... read more

Can this patient be safely weaned from RRT?

The timing of initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the critically ill with acute kidney injury (AKI) has been widely studied and discussed in detail recently. However, there is limited information and few recommendations... read more

Robot aims to zap out ICU infections

Hospital workers are constantly cleaning rooms to avoid Hospital Acquired Infections at Hunterdon Medical Center, but now a robot will be working to do the dirty work. In July, the hospital purchased a $100,000 Xenex... read more

Opioid use to worse outcomes in C. difficile

A study presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology found that patients being prescribed opioids who also have Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs) have higher peak white blood cell counts, higher creatinine elevations,... read more

Early Oseltamivir Therapy Improves the Outcome in Critically Ill with Influenza

This real-life study emphasizes oseltamivir efficacy on in-hospital outcome when administrated within 2 days of the onset of symptoms. Even if physicians' awareness of the influenza disease has been undeniably enhanced... read more

2B4-Mediated Coinhibition of CD4+ T Cells Underlies Mortality in Experimental Sepsis

Sepsis is a leading cause of death in the United States, but the mechanisms underlying sepsis-induced immune dysregulation remain poorly understood. 2B4 (CD244, SLAM4) is a cosignaling molecule expressed predominantly on... read more