Critically Ill Patients Show a Differential Contractile Response to Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

Critically Ill Patients Show a Differential Contractile Response to Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

This retrospective sub-analysis aimed to outline the characteristics of, as well as predictors for, a contractile response to Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), and also potential clinical benefits resulting from... read more

Sedation is Necessary to Minimize Patients’ Discomfort During Mechanical Ventilation

Sedation is Necessary to Minimize Patients’ Discomfort During Mechanical Ventilation

More than half of critical care nurses believe sedation is needed to minimize discomfort and distress among patients receiving mechanical ventilation, according to survey results published recently in the American Journal... read more

Mechanical Ventilation Management during ECMO for ARDS

Mechanical Ventilation Management during ECMO for ARDS

Ultra-protective lung ventilation on ECMO was largely adopted across medium to high case-volume ECMO centers. In contrast with previous observations, mechanical ventilation settings during ECMO did not impact patients' prognosis... read more

Mechanical Ventilation-induced Diaphragm Atrophy Strongly Impacts Clinical Outcomes

Mechanical Ventilation-induced Diaphragm Atrophy Strongly Impacts Clinical Outcomes

Diaphragm atrophy developing during mechanical ventilation strongly impacts clinical outcomes. Targeting an inspiratory effort level similar to that of healthy subjects at rest might accelerate liberation from ventilation.... read more

Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life After ICU

Determinants of Health-Related Quality of Life After ICU

Preexisting comorbidity counts, but not severity of ICU illness, are strongly associated with health-related quality of life and physical symptoms in the year following critical illness. We prospectively collected data... read more

Antipsychotics Not Helpful for Delirium in ICU

Antipsychotics Not Helpful for Delirium in ICU

Delirium is a confused mental state that includes changes in awareness, thinking, judgment, sleeping patterns, and behavior. It can affect patients of any age but is more common among older adults who experience major illness... read more

Implementation Challenges in the ICU: The Why, Who and How of Daily Interruption of Sedation

Implementation Challenges in the ICU: The Why, Who and How of Daily Interruption of Sedation

Despite apparent consensus, lack of shared understanding of the rationale for an intervention may lead to divergent practice patterns and failure to implement standardized, evidence-based practice. There was wide consensus... read more

Early Mobilization Reduces Duration of Mechanical Ventilation and Intensive Care Unit Stay in Patients With ARF

Early Mobilization Reduces Duration of Mechanical Ventilation and Intensive Care Unit Stay in Patients With ARF

The introduction of early mobilization for patients with mechanical ventilation (MV) in the ICU shortened MV durations and ICU stays. A multidisciplinary team that includes the patient's family can work together to improve... read more

Beyond Ventilator-induced Diaphragm Dysfunction

Beyond Ventilator-induced Diaphragm Dysfunction

Respiratory muscles are essential to ensure the vital function of breathing. The diaphragm is a unique respiratory muscle, because it contracts throughout the individual's life span without resting, not even during sleep.... read more

Reversing Neuromuscular Blockade

Reversing Neuromuscular Blockade

Neuromuscular blocking drugs have for years enabled anesthesiologists beneficially to relax skeletal muscles to improve anesthetic management, increase safety and quality of tracheal intubation, and to provide favorable intraoperative... read more

Impact of Vasoactive Medications on ICU-Acquired Weakness in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Impact of Vasoactive Medications on ICU-Acquired Weakness in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

In mechanically ventilated patients enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of early mobilization, the use of vasoactive medications was independently associated with the development of ICU-acquired weakness. Prospective... read more

Evaluating Delivery of Low Tidal Volume Ventilation in Six ICUs Using Electronic Health Record Data

Evaluating Delivery of Low Tidal Volume Ventilation in Six ICUs Using Electronic Health Record Data

Despite low mean tidal volume in the cohort, a significant percentage of patients were exposed to a prolonged duration of high tidal volumes which was correlated with higher mortality. Detailed ventilator records in the... read more

Effect of a Sepsis Educational Intervention on Hospital Stay

Effect of a Sepsis Educational Intervention on Hospital Stay

Adherence to a bundle strategy is low following an educational intervention. However, when patients are managed after instruction in guideline recommendations, hospital stay may be significantly reduced. The main cause... read more

Mechanical Ventilation Sedation Necessary for Comfort According to Nurses

Mechanical Ventilation Sedation Necessary for Comfort According to Nurses

Nurses' attitudes toward sedating patients receiving mechanical ventilation have shifted in the past decade, with fewer nurses now believing that all patients should be sedated. However, more than half of nurses still agree... read more

Laryngeal Injury and Upper Airway Symptoms After Oral Endotracheal Intubation With Mechanical Ventilation During Critical Care

Laryngeal Injury and Upper Airway Symptoms After Oral Endotracheal Intubation With Mechanical Ventilation During Critical Care

Laryngeal injury from intubation is common in the ICU setting. Guidelines for laryngeal assessment and postextubation surveillance do not exist. A systematic approach to more robust investigations could increase knowledge... read more

Estimated Effects of Early Diuretic Use in Critical Illness

Estimated Effects of Early Diuretic Use in Critical Illness

The main objectives of this study was to estimate the effects of diuretic use during the first 24 hours of an ICU stay on in-hospital mortality and other clinical outcomes including acute kidney injury (AKI) and duration... read more

Extubating Ventilated Patients on Vasoactive Infusions is Safe

Extubating Ventilated Patients on Vasoactive Infusions is Safe

In a large single centre study, 21% of intubated patients who received infusions of vasoactive infusions while mechanically ventilated were extubated for the first time while still receiving them. Coincident with their earlier... read more