Music therapy, a review of the potential therapeutic benefits for the critically ill.

Intensive care units are a stressful milieu for patients, particularly when under mechanical ventilation which they refer to as inhumane and anxiety producing. Anxiety can impose harmful effects on the course of recovery and overall well-being of the patient. Resulting adverse effects may prolong weaning and recovery time.

Acute Parotitis as a Complication of Noninvasive Ventilation.

Several conditions, including oropharyngeal dryness, pressure sores, ocular irritation, epistaxis, or gastric distension, have been described during noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Although this technique has been widely used in intensive care units and emergency wards, acute swelling of the parotid gland remains a scarcely reported complication. We describe herein the case of an 82-year-old man who developed unilateral parotitis during prolonged NIV for acute heart failure.

Reducing activity, glucose metabolism and acid tolerance response of Bacillus cereus grown at various pH and oxydo-reduction potential levels.

Bacillus cereus is a major foodborne bacterial pathogen able to survive a large number of physical-chemical stresses. B. cereus encounters different pH and redox potential (Eh7) levels during its passage through the gastrointestinal tract.

Asymptomatic gastric angiodysplasia in chronic hemodialysis patients: case reports.

Gastrointestinal (GI) angiodysplasia is a vascular lesion. It is a common cause of GI bleeding in chronic renal failure (CRF). We report three adult chronic hemodialysis patients with asymptomatic angiodysplasia.

[Lactococcus lactis: an opportunistic bacterium?].

Lactic bacteria have been used for centuries to ferment food and thus, to better preserve them. Considered as inoffensive for man, its use has largely spread in food industry. Some species are even being considered for the treatment of human diseases.

[Effects of music therapy in intensive care unit without sedation in weaning patients versus non-ventilated patients].

Objectives: Music has been found to be an effective nonpharmacologic adjunct for managing anxiety and promoting relaxation in limited trials of critically ill patients. However, its effects have not been compared in intubated patients during weaning from mechanical ventilation with non-intubated patients spontaneously breathing.

Study Design: A cross-over randomized experimental design.

Sevelamer hydrochloride with or without alphacalcidol or higher dialysate calcium vs calcium carbonate in dialysis patients: an open-label, randomized study.

Background: Sevelamer hydrochloride was recently proposed as a phosphate binder to prevent hypercalcaemia in place of calcium alkaline salts in dialysis patients. So far, it has been evaluated only in patients receiving calcitriol, without comparison with CaCO(3) alone, although the latter was found to be as effective as the combination of calcitriol and Al(OH)(3) in suppressing parathyroid hormone (PTH) without inducing hypercalcaemia and to have a better lowering effect on serum phosphate. Moreover, this bile salt binder may decrease serum 25-OH vitamin D.