NIH Consortium to Study Biomarkers for Dementia

A new National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded consortium will work to identify and validate trial-ready biomarkers for small vessel diseases in the brain that contribute to cognitive impairment and dementia. Seven participating... read more

NIH Consortium to Study Biomarkers for Dementia

Promoting Mobility and Preventing Falls in the Hospital

When older adults are hospitalized, there is an inherent tension between preventing falls and promoting mobility. In response to public and professional attention to medical errors, federal policy and, in turn, hospital culture... read more

Promoting Mobility and Preventing Falls in the Hospital

The impact of oral care on oral health status and prevention of VAP in critically ill patients

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common nosocomial infections which increase mortality rate and length stay of hospitalization. Oral care would not only improve patient’s oral health and well-being,... read more

The impact of oral care on oral health status and prevention of VAP in critically ill patients

Manual vs. Integrated Automatic Load-distributing Band CPR with Equal Survival after out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Between March 5, 2009 and January 11, 2011 a randomized, unblinded, controlled group sequential trial of adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of presumed cardiac origin was conducted at three US and two European sites. After... read more

Manual vs. Integrated Automatic Load-distributing Band CPR with Equal Survival after out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Effect of an automated notification system for deteriorating ward patients on clinical outcomes

We performed a prospective before-and-after study in all patients admitted to two clinical ward areas in a district general hospital in the UK. We examined the effect on clinical outcomes of deploying an electronic automated... read more

Effect of an automated notification system for deteriorating ward patients on clinical outcomes

The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 Delirium Severity Scale

Delirium severity is independently associated with longer hospital stays, nursing home placement, and death in patients outside the ICU. Delirium severity in the ICU is not routinely measured because the available instruments... read more

The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 Delirium Severity Scale

Which position is safest for central line placement: subclavian, jugular, femoral?

Where to place a central venous catheter is a decision driven mainly by individual experience and preference. The limited evidence available has not established any site as superior; the subclavian position has been reported... read more

Which position is safest for central line placement: subclavian, jugular, femoral?

Comparison of Alveolar Recruitment Strategies for Preventing Postoperative Pulmonary Complications

This randomized clinical trial compares the effects of adding an intensive vs moderate alveolar recruitment strategy to protective ventilation on the number and severity of pulmonary complications following cardiac surgery.... read more

Comparison of Alveolar Recruitment Strategies for Preventing Postoperative Pulmonary Complications

Family Responses to Prognostic Information in Chronic Critical Illness

Prognostic disclosure by skilled clinician communicators evokes a repertoire of responses from surrogates for the chronically critically ill. Recognition of these response patterns may help all clinicians better communicate... read more

Family Responses to Prognostic Information in Chronic Critical Illness

Pre-hospital therapeutic hypothermia: The RINSE trial

Therapeutic hypothermia has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride over the last few years. It was all the rage following three small trials, which initially suggested a significant benefit from cooling patients to 33C following... read more

Pre-hospital therapeutic hypothermia: The RINSE trial

Meta-analysis confirms EGDT for sepsis is unhelpful and wasteful (PRISM)

Three large, well-conducted randomized trials around the world (ProCESS, ARISE, and ProMISe) all agreed: use of early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) for sepsis does not improve mortality or any other important clinical outcome.... read more

Meta-analysis confirms EGDT for sepsis is unhelpful and wasteful (PRISM)

The Case for CRISPR-Cas9

Few techniques in the history of modern science have made as large an impact in as short a time as CRISPR-Cas9. Only a few years after the technique was first described, its inventors are predicted to be on the shortlist... read more

The Case for CRISPR-Cas9

Mechanical Ventilation: Which Patients Benefit from High PEEP?

Among patients with hypoxaemia after cardiac surgery, the use of an intensive alveolar recruitment strategy compared with a moderate recruitment strategy resulted in less severe pulmonary complications during the hospital... read more

Mechanical Ventilation: Which Patients Benefit from High PEEP?

Vitamin C and the Ethics of Borrowing data

I was recently amazed to be engaged in a Twitter kerfuffle which generated more than 10,000 Impressions within 24 hours. Passions were running high, libellous comments were being broadcast, and old friendships seemed to be... read more

Vitamin C and the Ethics of Borrowing data

Clinical review: The ABC of weaning failure

About 20% to 30% of patients are difficult to wean from invasive mechanical ventilation. The pathophysiology of difficult weaning is complex. Accordingly, determining the reason for difficult weaning and subsequently developing... read more

Clinical review: The ABC of weaning failure

Vitamin D and outcomes in adult critically ill patients

In critically ill patients, vitamin D administration might be associated with a reduction in mortality without significant adverse events. A large multicenter randomized trial should conclusively confirm these findings. Seven... read more

What’s new in the extracorporeal treatment of sepsis?

Clinical research has shown that endotoxin is indeed circulating in the blood of up to 50% of sepsis shock patients and associated with impaired clinical outcome. In view of the pivotal role of endotoxin in sepsis patients,... read more

Efficacy of Oral Risperidone, Haloperidol, or Placebo for Symptoms of Delirium Among Patients in Palliative Care

In patients receiving palliative care, individualized management of delirium precipitants and supportive strategies result in lower scores and shorter duration of target distressing delirium symptoms than when risperidone... read more

Efficacy of Oral Risperidone, Haloperidol, or Placebo for Symptoms of Delirium Among Patients in Palliative Care