Tag: mortality
ICU May Be Overused for Some COPD, Acute MI, HF Patients
For patients with COPD, heart failure and myocardial infarction, who are not critically ill, a stay in the ICU may be no more beneficial than staying on a ward, according to an analysis just published in the Annals of the... read more
The effects of performance status one week before hospital admission on the outcomes of critically ill patients
PS impairment was associated with worse outcomes independently of other markers of chronic health status, particularly for patients in the medium range of severity of illness. PS impairment was moderate in 17.3 % and severe... read more
Hemodynamic Support after Cardiac Surgery
Low cardiac output syndrome is a common complication of cardiac surgery and is associated with increased mortality. Levosimendan has been shown in small studies to be an effective therapy.... read more
Antifungal Treatment in the ICU
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Almost 80% of IFIs are due to Candida spp., which are the third most common isolated microorganisms in the intensive... read more
Electrophysiological Investigations of Peripheral Nerves and Muscles
Resting trans-membrane potential difference (Em) of skeletal muscle is correlated to the energy status of the organism: the more severe the illness, the lower the Em. In 1971, Cunningham demonstrated this association with... read more
Patient-important outcomes in randomized controlled trials in critically ill patients
Patient-important outcomes are rarely primary outcomes in RCTs in critically ill patients published in 2013. Among them, mortality accounted for the majority. We promote the use of patient-important outcomes in critical care... read more
The Artificial Intelligence Clinician Learns Optimal Treatment Strategies for Sepsis in Intensive Care
Sepsis is the third leading cause of death worldwide and the main cause of mortality in hospitals but the best treatment strategy remains uncertain. In particular, evidence suggests that current practices in the administration... read more
Association of Antibiotic Treatment with Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized for an Asthma Exacerbation Treated with Systemic Corticosteroids
Antibiotic therapy may be associated with a longer hospital length of stay, higher hospital cost, and similar risk of treatment failure. These results highlight the need to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing among... read more
Infectious Diseases in the Pediatric ICU
Infants and children are at high risk of acquiring infections and this is most critical on the pediatric intensive care unit, as these infections have serious effects on mortality. Infectious Diseases in the Pediatric Intensive... read more
A Rare Group of White Blood Cells May Be the Secret to Prevent Sepsis
Basophils are evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates, despite their small numbers and short life span, suggesting that they have beneficial roles in maintaining health. However, these roles are not fully defined. Here we... read more
Sepsis Incidence and Mortality are Underestimated in Australian ICU Administrative Data
When compared with the reference standard — prospective clinical diagnosis — ANZICS CORE database criteria significantly underestimate the incidence of sepsis and overestimate the incidence of septic shock, and also result... read more
Effect of Thiamine Administration on Lactate Clearance and Mortality in Patients With Septic Shock
Thiamine administration within 24 hours of admission in patients presenting with septic shock was associated with improved lactate clearance and a reduction in 28-day mortality compared with matched controls. Patients who... read more
Early Lactate Measurements Appear to Improve Results for Septic Patients
The study by Churpek and colleagues was designed to evaluate both the frequency of urgent lactate measurements and their association with clinician interventions and mortality. An elevated lactate level means that a patient's... read more
Assessment of the Safety of Discharging Select Patients Directly Home From the ICU
The discharge of select adult patients directly home from the ICU is common, and it is not associated with increased health care utilization or increased mortality. Among the 6732 patients included in the study, 2826 (42%)... read more
Predicting Mortality in Patients Undergoing VA-ECMO After CABG
Prediction scoring systems for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) have not yet been reported. This study was designed to develop a predictive score... read more
Artificial Intelligence in the ICU
ICU doctors are often required to analyse large volumes of complex, heterogeneous data to make life-critical decisions. Artificial Intelligence (AI), if used effectively, could reduce this burden by transforming data into... read more
Shock: Roadside to Resus
If you're involved in the care of critically unwell patients then you will frequently encounter patients who are shocked. The European Society of Intensive Care Medicine defines shock as; "Life-threatening, generalized... read more
Haloperidol for the Management of Delirium in Adult ICU Patients
Among critically ill patients, haloperidol administration compared with placebo does not significantly affect short-term mortality, incidence of delirium, ICU length of stay, or delirium or coma-free days. Additionally, there... read more
