Positive Topline Results for Novel Alzheimer’s Drug

A novel drug is showing promise for helping improve cognition in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to new topline results. A phase 3 trial of more than 800 patients showed that those who were... read more

Electrical Impedance Tomography in ARDS

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a clinical entity that acutely affects the lung parenchyma, and is characterized by diffuse alveolar damage and increased pulmonary vascular permeability. Currently, computed... read more

Nurse intuition may play a role in critical-care outcomes

Nurse intuition doesn't sound scientific, but it could play a key role in critical-care outcomes, according to a small study published in DovePress. The researchers conducted a descriptive phenomenological study, interviewing... read more

Patterns of Early Crystalloid Resuscitation Provided to Sepsis and Septic Shock Patients

Patterns and Outcomes Associated With Timeliness of Initial Crystalloid Resuscitation in a Prospective Sepsis and Septic Shock Cohort. Crystalloid was initiated significantly later with comorbid heart failure and renal failure,... read more

PPIs do not increase risk for C. difficile infection in ICU

Proton pump inhibitors are not associated with an increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection in ICU patients, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study. PPI use was not associated with a significant... read more

Comparison of Two Lidocaine Administration Techniques on Perceived Pain From Bedside Procedures

Bedside procedures are exceedingly common. Data regarding the severity of procedural pain and strategies to mitigate it are important for the informed consent process and patient satisfaction. Overall, pain reported from... read more

Early Mobilization in the PICU

Mobilization of critically ill children, many with central lines, endotracheal tubes, and other life-saving devices, is associated with potential risks and complications. Hence, concerns about safety often guide staff perceptions... read more

Does Lactate Clearance Prognosticates Outcomes in ECMO Therapy

Changes in lactate levels after ECMO implantation is an important tool to assess effective circulatory support and it is found superior to single lactate measurements as a prognostic sign of mortality in our study. Based... read more

Presenting Characteristics Associated With Outcome in Children With Severe TBI

Severe traumatic brain injury is a clinically heterogeneous disease that can be accompanied by a range of neurologic impairment and a variety of injury patterns at presentation. This secondary analysis of prospectively collected... read more

Prevalence for Delirium in Stroke Patients

These results underline the importance of delirium screening in stroke patients specifically during the night. Since even short delirious episodes are associated with more complications and increased disability, future studies... read more

Effect of Human Recombinant Alkaline Phosphatase on 7-Day Creatinine Clearance in Patients With Sepsis-Associated AKI

In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding adaptive phase 2a/2b trial enrolling 301 adults, the optimal therapeutic dose of recombinant alkaline phosphatase was 1.6 mg/kg. Treatment with this dose... read more

Ron Daniels Responds to Study on Sepsis Mortality Rates

New research presented at this year’s ESICM LIVES conference (the annual meeting of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine) shows that in rich countries overall, mortality from sepsis has fallen by around a quarter... read more

Chasing Mortality Endpoints is a Fool’s Errand

"There is no mortality benefit for that." How many times have you heard that? The implication is usually the same: that intervention is a waste of time. A smart, evidence-based clinician wouldn't bother with it. But, what... read more

Effect of Early Sustained Prophylactic Hypothermia on Neurologic Outcomes Among Patients With Severe TBI

Among patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), early prophylactic hypothermia compared with normothermia did not improve neurologic outcomes at 6 months. These findings do not support the use of early prophylactic... read more

Effect of Cricoid Pressure Compared With a Sham Procedure in the Rapid Sequence Induction of Anesthesia

This large randomized clinical trial performed in patients undergoing anesthesia with RSI failed to demonstrate the noninferiority of the sham procedure in preventing pulmonary aspiration. Further studies are required in... read more

Antipsychotic Drugs Don’t Ease ICU Delirium Or Dementia

Powerful drugs that have been used for decades to treat delirium are ineffective for that purpose, according to a study published online Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Antipsychotic medications, such as haloperidol... read more

Initial Trophic vs Full Enteral Feeding in Patients With Acute Lung Injury

In patients with acute lung injury, compared with full enteral feeding, a strategy of initial trophic enteral feeding for up to 6 days did not improve ventilator-free days, 60-day mortality, or infectious complications but... read more

Decontamination Strategies and Bloodstream Infections With Antibiotic-Resistant Microorganisms in Ventilated Patients

In this cluster randomized multicenter study in 13 European ICUs, decontamination strategies with either antibiotics (SDD or SOD) or CHX mouthwash were not associated with reductions in ICU-acquired BSI with MDRGNB, nor mortality,... read more

Decontamination of Oral or Digestive Tract for Patients in the ICU

The study by Wittekamp and colleagues in this issue of JAMA evaluating strategies for decontamination of mechanically ventilated patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) fills an important gap in the evidence regarding these... read more

Rudeness in Medical Settings Could Kill Patients

A recent study paints a grim picture of what rudeness does to doctors and nurses performance. The study, "The Impact of Rudeness on Medical Team Performance: A Randomized Trial," which was published in the September... read more

Policies That Limit Emergency Department Visits and Reimbursements Undermine the Emergency Care System

Emergency department (ED) visit rates in the United States have been rising over the past 2 decades, outpacing population growth.1 These visits are portrayed in the lay press as unnecessary visits that must be reduced or... read more

Effect of Targeted Polymyxin B Haemoperfusion on 28-Day Mortality in Patients With Septic Shock and Elevated Endotoxin Level

In adult patients with septic shock and high circulating endotoxin activity, does the use of polymyxin B hemoperfusion therapy significantly decrease 28-day mortality? Among patients with septic shock and high endotoxin activity,... read more