Study shows brute force antibiotics can overcome resistance

Study shows brute force antibiotics can overcome resistance

Researchers at the University College London have developed a new method that may overcome antibiotic resistance in bacterial cells. The team used sensitive equipment to measure the mechanical forces that four different antibiotics,... read more

Global multicenter observational investigator initiated study

Global multicenter observational investigator initiated study

The DIANA study is a large multicenter cohort study, lead by intensive care unit experts out of the University Hospital Ghent. This investigator initiated study will collect a large amount of data from multiple centers and... read more

Magnet guidance reduces misplacement of subclavian vein catheter in internal jugular vein

Magnet guidance reduces misplacement of subclavian vein catheter in internal jugular vein

The internal jugular vein (IJV) and subclavian vein (SCV) are the two most commonly used insertion sites for central venous catheterization (CVC). A multicenter clinical trial compared commonly used insertion sites and... read more

WHO Calls for Stronger Avian Influenza Surveillance

WHO Calls for Stronger Avian Influenza Surveillance

With highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza A (H5N8) continuing to spread via birds across Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging the public to keep careful watch on this strain and has also called for... read more

SOFA score may be best to identify sepsis in the ICU

SOFA score may be best to identify sepsis in the ICU

Among critically ill patients admitted to the ICU with a suspected infection, defining sepsis by an increase of two or more points in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score yielded greater prognostic accuracy... read more

New Infection Data and Sepsis-Guideline Critique at SCCM

New Infection Data and Sepsis-Guideline Critique at SCCM

The potential of probiotics to reduce nosocomial infections and ventilator-associated pneumonia in the critically ill and the latest data on readmissions will be among the major research advances presented here at the Society... read more

Bad news for sepsis-3.0: qSOFA fails validation

Bad news for sepsis-3.0: qSOFA fails validation

Sepsis 3.0 replaced the SIRS criteria with a new risk-stratification tool, qSOFA. qSOFA was initially developed within the Sepsis-3 publication itself. Until now, qSOFA has never been validated. The value of qSOFA vs. SIRS... read more

Effect of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in major burn patients

Effect of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in major burn patients

The inclusion of ω-3 PUFAs in a low fat diet in ICU burned patients was associated with significant clinical benefits compared to a conventional low fat diet, with lower rates of severe sepsis, septic shock and pyloric dysfunction.... read more

Towards precision medicine for sepsis patients

Towards precision medicine for sepsis patients

Over the last decade it has become clear that the immunological response and clinical course in sepsis patients is too complex to simply regard it as hyperinflammation-induced organ failure. In contrast to the previous belief... read more

Cholera bacteria infect more effectively with a simple twist of shape

Cholera bacteria infect more effectively with a simple twist of shape

The bacteria that cause the life-threatening disease cholera may initiate infection by coordinating a wave of mass shapeshifting that allows them to more effectively penetrate the intestines of their unwitting victims, according... read more

Germ-zapping robots put to the test to combat hospital-acquired infections

Germ-zapping robots put to the test to combat hospital-acquired infections

The $2 million effort supported by the NIH's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is the first of its kind to study no-touch room disinfection. Michigan researchers will look at the ability of high intensity ultraviolet... read more

Best Conditions for Legionella Growth

Best Conditions for Legionella Growth

Researchers have identified the optimal conditions for the growth of Legionella which causes a very serious, often deadly, type of pneumonia, Legionnaires' disease. Inspired by a number of large Legionnaires' outbreaks,... read more

FDA Recommendation: Reduce Max Storage Limit of RBCs

FDA Recommendation: Reduce Max Storage Limit of RBCs

A group of researchers are asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce maximum storage limit for red blood cells from 6 weeks to 5 weeks, as long as there are sufficient blood supplies available. The researchers... read more

Catheter safeguards at hospitals reduce infections and save money

Catheter safeguards at hospitals reduce infections and save money

U.S. hospitals are reducing bloodstream infections related to catheters by implementing rigorous safeguards that also save millions of healthcare dollars each year, according to research led by Cedars-Sinai.... read more

Recognize Sepsis as Separate Cause of Illness and Death

Recognize Sepsis as Separate Cause of Illness and Death

Sepsis should be recognized as a separate cause of illness and death around the world. This focus would help efforts to prevent sepsis by improving hygiene, nutrition and vaccination rates and also lead to timely treatment,... read more

Sepsis Algorithm a Deadly Marker

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

Co-infection is Frequent in Patients Hospitalized with Influenza

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