Short-term and medium-term survival of critically ill patients with solid tumours admitted to the intensive care unit: a retrospective analysis.

Objectives: Patients with cancer frequently require unplanned admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Our objectives were to assess hospital and 180-day mortality in patients with a non-haematological malignancy and unplanned ICU admission and to identify which factors present on admission were the best predictors of mortality.

Design: Retrospective review of all patients with a diagnosis of solid tumours following unplanned admission to the ICU between 1 August 2008 and 31 July 2012.

Healthcare-associated bloodstream infections in critically ill patients: descriptive cross-sectional database study evaluating concordance with clinical site isolates.

Background: Healthcare-associated bloodstream infections are related to both increased antibiotic use and risk of adverse outcomes. An in-depth understanding of their epidemiology is essential to reduce occurrence and to improve outcomes by targeted prevention strategies. The objectives of the study were to determine the epidemiology, source and concordance of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections with clinical site isolates.

Retrospective analysis of outcome of women with breast or gynaecological cancer in the intensive care unit.

Objectives: Advances in oncological care have led to improved short and long-term outcomes of female patients with breast and gynecological cancer but little is known about their prognosis when admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Our aim was to describe the epidemiology of patients with women's cancer in ICU.

Design: Retrospective analysis of data of patients with breast and gynecological cancer in ICU between February 2004 and July 2008.

Management of long-term hypothyroidism: a potential marker of quality of medicines reconciliation in the intensive care unit.

Objective: Significant errors can be made during medication prescribing, dispensing and administration. One source of error and potential for harm is unintentional omission. Medicines reconciliation seeks to reduce the impact of this between transfer of care.

Statins do not prevent acute organ failure in ventilated ICU patients: single-centre retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Observational studies suggest statin therapy reduces incident sepsis, but few studies have examined the impact on new organ failure. We tested the hypothesis that statin therapy, administered for standard clinical indications to ventilated intensive care unit patients, prevents acute organ failure without harming the liver.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, single-centre cohort study in a tertiary mixed medical/surgical intensive care unit.

Therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest: a retrospective comparison of surface and endovascular cooling techniques.

Objectives: Therapeutic hypothermia (32-34 degrees C) is recommended for comatose survivors of cardiac arrest; however, the optimal technique for cooling is unknown. We aimed to compare therapeutic hypothermia using either surface or endovascular techniques in terms of efficacy, complications and outcome.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Efficacy and limitation of a chlorhexidine-based decolonization strategy in preventing transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an intensive care unit.

Background: Surface-active antiseptics, such as chlorhexidine, are increasingly being used as part of intervention programs to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission, despite limited evidence and potential for resistance. We report on the effect of an antiseptic protocol on acquisition of both endemic MRSA and an outbreak strain of MRSA sequence type 239 (designated TW).

Methods: Interrupted time-series data on MRSA acquisitions in two 15-bed intensive care units were analyzed using segmented regression models to estimate the effects of sequential introduction of an educational campaign, cohorting, and a chlorhexidine-based antiseptic protocol on transmission of TW and non-TW MRSA strains.