Penicillin allergy evaluation in hospitalized patients with hematologic malignancy.

A penicillin allergy testing service (PATS) assessed penicillin allergy in patients with hematologic malignancies; 17 patients who met criteria had negative skin testing. Patients who underwent penicillin challenge passed and were delabeled. Of delabeled patients, 87% received and tolerated β-lactams during follow-up.

Predictors of Cisatracurium Continuous Infusion Dose in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Neuromuscular blockade (NMB) with cisatracurium may improve outcomes in the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) population; however, optimal dosing strategy remains unknown. Factors affecting pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cisatracurium may impact the dose required to achieve adequate train-of-four (TOF) response. The aims of this study were to determine cisatracurium dose requirements in a critically ill ARDS population and to identify clinical factors that affect dosing.

An Official American Thoracic Society Systematic Review: The Effect of Nighttime Intensivist Staffing on Mortality and Length of Stay among Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Background: Studies of nighttime intensivist staffing have yielded mixed results.

Goals: To review the association of nighttime intensivist staffing with outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Methods: We searched five databases (2000-2016) for studies comparing in-hospital nighttime intensivist staffing with other nighttime staffing models in adult ICUs and reporting mortality or length of stay.

Evaluating the positive predictive values of antidote signals to detect potential adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the medical intensive care unit (ICU).

Purpose: Signals are used to alert clinicians of potential ADRs. Positive predictive values (PPVs) of antidote signals in ICUs are unknown. The primary purpose was to determine PPVs of six signals.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome in traumatic brain injury patients treated with haloperidol.

Background: Haloperidol, which is commonly used to treat agitation in critically ill patients, has been associated with the development of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). The purpose of this manuscript was to review the literature describing NMS and haloperidol use in patients sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) since these patients may be at greater risk for NMS.

Methods: A computerized search of MEDLINE was conducted (1966-May 2008) to identify all publications in which haloperidol was related to NMS in patients with a TBI.

Bisphosphonates for metastatic bone pain.

Bisphosphonates are a class of medications used increasingly to help manage pain due to bony metastases in cancer patients. Newer bisphosphonates used in this way are reviewed and the pharmacokinetic are compared.