[The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of critical care workers].

Introduction: The coronavirus pandemic has focused attention on the importance of critical care and highlighted the shortage of critical care specialists. Due to increasing workloads and high mortality rates, healthcare professionals were exposed to higher levels of physical and psychological stress during the pandemic than before.

Objective: Our study investigated the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on the emotional, mental and moral stress of intensive care professionals.

[Challenge in modern intensive care: chronic critical illness - pathophysiology and therapeutic options].

The recent developments in intensive care have resulted in improved survival rates of patients treated with acute organ deficiency. As a consequence, the rate of those who survive the acute phase and subsequently require protracted organ support due to persisting organ dysfunction has been growing. Several survivors display chronic health status deterioration leading to prolonged rehabilitation or nursing, and repeated hospitalizations.

Effect of an educational intervention on compliance with care bundle items to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of our ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle implemented by education of the nursing staff, and to describe the tendency of knowledge retention.

Research Methodology: A prospective, before-and-after study was performed. The ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle was implemented through a single educational intervention of the nursing staff.

Ceftolozane/tazobactam versus colistin in the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia due to extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are common pathogens in the intensive care unit (ICU), limiting available therapeutic options. We aimed to compare ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) with colistimethate sodium (CMS) in the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) due to extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A retrospective, observational study was performed at a tertiary care ICU.

[Implementation of immediate feedback system into hand hygiene practice in the intensive care unit].

Infections affect about 30-50% of intensive care unit patients resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Multimodal interventions proved to be successful in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Appropriate hand hygiene including correct disinfection technique and timing is essential.

Evaluation of an open access software for calculating glucose variability parameters of a continuous glucose monitoring system applied at pediatric intensive care unit.

Background: Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) has become an increasingly investigated tool, especially with regards to monitoring of diabetic and critical care patients. The continuous glucose data allows the calculation of several glucose variability parameters, however, without specific application the interpretation of the results is time-consuming, utilizing extreme efforts. Our aim was to create an open access software [Glycemic Variability Analyzer Program (GVAP)], readily available to calculate the most common parameters of the glucose variability and to test its usability.

Polymorphisms of the TNF-alpha gene and risk of celiac disease in T1DM children.

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and celiac disease (CD) frequently occur together. Previous reports suggested that the (-308)A variant of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene is associated either with T1DM or with CD. The aim of our study was to determine whether (-308)A and (-238)A allelic variants of the TNF-alpha gene might have any impact on the risk of CD in T1DM children.

Association between interleukin-6 polymorphism and age-at-onset of type 1 diabetes. Epistatic influences of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta polymorphisms.

Multiple immune mediators have been mentioned as playing a role in the pathomechanism of type1 DM. Interleukin (IL)-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha play a central role in the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta-cells, whereas IL-6 inhibits TNF-alpha secretion, and may have some protecting effects. In our study, we aimed to investigate the association between these three cytokines' single nucleotide polymorphisms (IL-6 gene G(-174)C, TNF-alpha gene G(-308)A and IL-1beta gene C(3954)T polymorphisms) and age-at-onset of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in 165 diabetic children (median age: 17 years).

[Subtotal colectomy in the course of gallstone-ileus surgery].

A big gallstone penetrating through a bilio-digestive fistula into the bowel can make a complete obstruction of it in the majority of the cases requiring an urgent operation. It is a rare situation that a fistula like this leads into the colon and the stone makes a large bowel obstruction. A 72-year-old male patient was admitted to our department with the symptoms of colon obstruction.