Accuracy, precision and diagnostic accuracy of oral thermometry in pediatric patients.

Purpose: To determine the accuracy and precision of oral thermometry in pediatric patients, along with its sensitivity and specificity for detecting fever and hypothermia, with rectal thermometry as reference standard.

Design And Methods: This method-comparison study enrolled patients aged between 6 and 17 years, admitted to the surgical ward during a 21-month period. KD-2150 and IVAC Temp Plus II were used for oral and rectal temperature measurements respectively.

Incidence of Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19 as Compared to Non-COVID-19 Patients: A Prospective Case-Control Study.

Introduction: Critically ill COVID-19 patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU) are immunosuppressed due to SARSCoV-2-related immunological effects and are administered immunomodulatory drugs. This study aimed to determine whether these patients carry an increased risk of multi-drug resistant (MDR) and especially carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CRGN) bacterial infections compared to other critically ill patients without COVID-19.

Materials And Methods: A prospective case-control study was conducted between January 2022 and August 2023.

Intubation Time, Lung Mechanics and Outcome in COVID-19 Patients Suffering Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Single-Center Study.

Background: We examined the effect of intubation time and the lung mechanics on clinical outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.

Methods: Based on the patient's hospital admission, intubation time was defined as early (≤ 2 days) or late (> 2 days). Patients were further divided into three groups; early (≤ 3 days), late (4 - 6 days), and very late (> 6 days) intubated.

GReek Anaesthesiologists's Burnout EPidemic within the COVID-19 pandemic (GRABEP study); a multicenter study on burn out prevalence among Greek anesthesiologists and association with personality traits.

COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedented crisis with extreme distress for the frontline physicians and increased risk of developing burnout. Burnout has a negative impact on patients and physicians, posing a substantial risk in patient safety, quality of care and physicians' overall wellbeing. We evaluated burnout prevalence and possible predisposing factors among anaesthesiologists in the COVID-19 referral university/tertiary hospitals in Greece.

Delayed Admission to the Intensive Care Unit and Mortality of Critically Ill Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Delayed admission of patients to the intensive care unit (ICU) is increasing worldwide and can be followed by adverse outcomes when critical care treatment is not provided timely. This systematic review and meta-analysis appraised and synthesized the published literature about the association between delayed ICU admission and mortality of adult patients. Articles published from inception up to August 2021 in English-language, peer-reviewed journals indexed in CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched by using key terms.

Computed tomography angiography scoring systems and the role of skull defects in the confirmation of brain death.

To assess and compare all current computed tomography angiography (CTA) scoring systems for the diagnostic workup of brain death (BD) to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and clinical tests. Fifty-two patients with a clinical suspicion of BD underwent CTA and subsequently DSA. The diagnostic performance of all current CTA scoring systems was compared to that of DSA, in all patients with a suspicion of BD.

Diagnostic accuracy of oral thermometry for fever detection in adult patients: literature review and meta-analysis.

Aims And Objectives: To synthesise the evidence on the accuracy and precision of oral thermometry in adult patients, as well as on its sensitivity and specificity for fever detection.

Background: Oral thermometry has long been used in various clinical settings thanks to its rapid, safe and convenient measurements, which are easy to obtain and minimally prone to operator errors.

Design: Literature review and meta-analysis that adhered to the PRISMA statement.

N-acetyl-cysteine reduces the risk for mechanical ventilation and mortality in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: a two-center retrospective cohort study.

Background: N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) has been previously shown to exert beneficial effects in diverse respiratory diseases, through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Our aim was to evaluate NAC potential impact in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, in terms of progression to severe respiratory failure (SRF) and mortality.

Patients And Methods: This retrospective, two-centre cohort study included consecutive patients hospitalised with moderate or severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

Intestinal Barrier Biomarker ZO1 and Endotoxin Are Increased in Blood of Patients With COVID-19-associated Pneumonia.

Background/aim: The present study was undertaken to investigate (i) whether hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia present intestinal barrier dysfunction with consequent translocation of endotoxin into the systemic circulation and (ii) whether intestinal barrier biomarkers have any prognostic role in terms of progression to severe respiratory failure.

Patients And Methods: In this prospective study, 22 patients with COVID-19-associated pneumonia and 19 patients with non-COVID-19-related community-acquired pneumonia (CAP group) were studied while 12 healthy persons comprised the control group. Blood samples were collected on admission and analysed for serum levels of endotoxin and zonula occludens-1 (ZO1).

Continuous positive airway pressure in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure. A report of six cases with excellent outcome.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently considered a significant threat to global health and global economy. This new rapidly spreading virus causes enormous stress to healthcare systems as large number of patients present with respiratory failure, needing intubation and mechanical ventilation. While the industry is racing to meet the rising demand for ventilators, all the alternative respiratory support modalities are employed to save lives in hospitals around the globe.

Correlation of Immunoglobulins and Lymphocytes Levels With the Clinical and Microbiological Response of Septic Patients With Gram-Negative Bacteremia.

Background: Immunoglobulins (Igs) and cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems play a critical role in a host's response to sepsis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible differences in the levels of Igs, white blood cells (WBCs), and T and B lymphocytes cells in relation to the microbiological and clinical responses of patients with sepsis or septic shock from carbapenem non-susceptible Gram-negative bacteria (CnS-GNB).

Methods: This pilot cohort study involved 24 hospitalized patients with sepsis or septic shock due to bacteremia from CnS-GNB.

Differences in brand versus generic esmolol in the treatment of perioperative supraventricular tachycardia and hypertension: A pilot study.

Background: Once a patent expires, generic analogue drugs are alternatives to brand name drugs. Because bioequivalence/biodistribution problems have been reported for many generic analogue drugs, we prospectively evaluated 31 patients to reveal the differences in the doses used and the efficacy and adverse events of two different intravenous esmolol formulations.

Methods: This was a prospective observational pilot study.

Extracorporeal Life Support: The Next Step in Moderate to Severe ARDS-A Review and Meta-Analysis of the Literature.

Despite the use of lung protective ventilation (LPV) strategies, a severe form of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is unfortunately associated with high mortality rates, which sometimes exceed 60%. Recently, major technical improvements have been applied in extracorporeal life support (ECLS) systems, but as these techniques are costly and associated with very serious adverse events, high-quality evidence is needed before these techniques can become the "cornerstone" in the management of moderate to severe ARDS. Unfortunately, evaluation of previous randomized controlled and observational trials revealed major methodological issues.

Temporal Artery Thermometry in Pediatric Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Problem: Non-invasive thermometry methods have been used as substitutes for intra-corporeal ones in order to decrease patient discomfort and risk for complications, yet the evaluation of their performance is necessary. Our aim was to synthesize the evidence on the accuracy and precision of temporal artery (TA) thermometry, as well as on its sensitivity and specificity for fever detection.

Eligibility Criteria: This systematic review and meta-analysis included method-comparison studies, which compared TA temperature measurements with invasive thermometry ones, were published between 2000 and 2018, and were conducted on patients aged <18 years.

Nurse understaffing is associated with adverse events in postanaesthesia care unit patients.

Aims And Objectives: To investigate the associations between nurse staffing and the incidence and severity of hypoxaemia, arterial hypotension and bradycardia of postoperative patients during their postanaesthesia care unit stay.

Background: Nurse understaffing has been associated with adverse patient outcomes in a variety of hospital settings. In the postanaesthesia care unit, nursing shortage is common and can be related to compromised prevention, detection and treatment of adverse events.

Simultaneous Bilateral Spontaneous Pneumothorax in an Adult Patient With Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: A Case Report.

We report a case of a young female with known history of pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis who was initially presented in the emergency department of a university hospital with respiratory distress. Clinical assessment and diagnostic workup revealed left hemithorax subcutaneous emphysema, bilateral pneumothorax, and atelectasis in both lower lung lobes. The patient was treated with bilateral staged thoracoscopic bullectomy and mechanical abrasion of the parietal pleura combined with chemical pleurodesis with talc.

Analgesic Effect of Topical Nepafenac 0.1% on Pain Related to Intravitreal Injections: A Randomized Crossover Study.

Purpose: To evaluate the analgesic effect of nepafenac 0.1%, a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, in patients undergoing treatment with intravitreal injections (IVIs).

Material And Methods: It is a single center, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover interventional study.