Influence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids enriched lipid emulsions on nosocomial infections and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients: ICU lipids study.

Objective: n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (contained in fish oil) have been shown to beneficially influence infection rate and clinical outcomes in surgical patients probably due to their immunomodulatory action. In contrast, study results of fish oil administration in critically ill patients are controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the prevalence of nosocomial infections and clinical outcomes in medical and surgical critically ill patients.

Stratification of the severity of critically ill patients with classification trees.

Background: Development of three classification trees (CT) based on the CART (Classification and Regression Trees), CHAID (Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection) and C4.5 methodologies for the calculation of probability of hospital mortality; the comparison of the results with the APACHE II, SAPS II and MPM II-24 scores, and with a model based on multiple logistic regression (LR).

Methods: Retrospective study of 2864 patients.

[Risk factors of the hepatic dysfunction associated with parenteral nutrition].

Background And Objective: The objective of this study is to describe the incidence of hepatic dysfunction (HD) in our hospital and evaluate the possible risk factors associated with HD development as an improvement of the caring process received by patients treated with parenteral nutrition (PN).

Patients And Method: A prospective study of patients (n=994) who required PN during the period 2000-2004. HD is the identification of an increase above 1,5 of the top reference value of alkaline phosphatase (40-450U/l) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (11-49U/l) associated with an increase of transaminases (5-32U/l) and a total bilirrubin higher than 1,2mg/dl.

Skin lesions after intensive care procedures: results of a prospective study.

Purpose: To define the skin lesions produced by procedures used in the intensive care unit (ICU) and to examine patients 12 months after discharge from the ICU.

Material And Methods: This was a prospective clinical study in the 14-bed multidisciplinary ICU of a university hospital. Iatrogenic skin lesions (ISL) were examined in 316 patients after ICU discharge.

[Recall and memory after intensive care unit stay. Development of posttraumatic stress disorder].

Background And Objective: The intensive care unit (ICU) confers a stress on patients and may affect the memory. The aim of the study was to examine the memory after critical care and the relationship with therapy and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Patients And Method: Prospectively study conducted between December 2001 and June 2003.