Results after implementation of a protocol on the incidence of urinary tract infection in an intensive care unit.

Objective: to compare the results of urinary tract infection incidence, by means of the rate of indwelling urethral catheter use, and to identify microorganisms in urine cultures and surveillance cultures before and after the implementation of a clinical protocol for intensive care unit patients .

Method: urinary tract infection is defined as a positive urine culture > 105 CFU/mL, notified by the hospital infection control service, six months before and after the implementation of the protocol. The sample consisted of 47 patients, 28 reported before and 19 after implementation.

Endothelial dysfunction assessed by brachial artery ultrasound in severe sepsis and septic shock.

Purpose: Noninvasive evaluation of endothelial function may be accomplished by ultrasound assessment of flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. This study aims to investigate the role of FMD analysis on intrahospital prognosis of patients with sepsis.

Methods: Adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit with severe sepsis or septic shock were consecutively included.