Characteristics and outcomes of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome who were admitted to the intensive care unit: a retrospective observational study.

Objective: To evaluate characteristics and outcomes in critically ill patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).

Methods: Consecutive adults with GBS who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission at a tertiary-care hospital between 1999 and 2020 were enrolled into this retrospective cohort study. Demographics, clinical data and patient outcomes were compared between patients who did or did not receive mechanical ventilation (MV).

Noninvasive Ventilation in Critically Ill Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Infections.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between noninvasive ventilation (NIV) compared with invasive ventilation and mortality in subjects with severe acute respiratory infection.

Methods: This was a retrospective multi-center study of subjects with severe acute respiratory infection treated with ventilatory support between September 2012 and June 2018. We compared the 90-d mortality of subjects managed initially with NIV (NIV group) with those managed with invasive ventilation only (invasive ventilation group), adjusting by propensity score.

Practice and Predictors of Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders in a Tertiary-Care Intensive Care Unit in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to describe Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) practices in a tertiary-care intensive care unit (ICU) in Saudi Arabia, and determine the predictors and outcomes of patients who had DNR orders.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was based on a prospectively collected database for a medical-surgicalIntensive CareDepartment in a tertiary-care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1999-2017). We compared patients who had DNR orders during the ICU stay with those with "full code.

The prevalence of acute kidney injury in patients with community-acquired pneumonia who required mechanical ventilation.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common reason for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and sepsis. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of community-acquired pneumonia and is associated with increased short- and long-term morbidity and mortality and healthcare costs.

Objective: Describe the prevalence of AKI in patients with CAP requiring mechanical ventilation and evaluate its association with inhospital mortality.

Prevalence of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Children Admitted to Pediatric ‎Intensive Care Units in the Middle East: A Systematic Review.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common healthcare-associated disease in intensive care units, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. This systematic review aims to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and prevention strategies for VAP in the Middle East. PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were systematically searched to include the relevant literature.

Outcomes of patients admitted to the intensive care unit with community-acquired pneumonia in a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of intensive care unit (ICU) morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive international epidemiological and clinical studies to improve those patients' outcomes, local statistics in Saudi Arabia are limited. The objective of this study is to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to the ICU with the diagnosis of CAP reflecting the experience of a tertiary center over an 18-year period.

Combination of norepinephrine with phenylephrine versus norepinephrine with vasopressin in critically ill patients with septic shock: A retrospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with septic shock treated with a combination of norepinephrine with phenylephrine compared to norepinephrine with vasopressin.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study including adults admitted between 2002 and 2017 with septic shock according to the Sepsis 3 criteria. We compared outcomes of patients treated with norepinephrine with phenylephrine to those treated with norepinephrine with vasopressin.

Point prevalence of delirium among critically ill patients in Saudi Arabia: A multicenter observational study.

Background: Delirium in critically ill patients is independently associated with poor clinical outcomes. There is a scarcity of published data on the prevalence of delirium among critically ill patients in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we sought to determine, in a multicenter fashion, the prevalence of delirium in critically ill patients in Saudi Arabia and explore associated risk factors.

Statins and Risk of Thrombosis in Critically ill Patients with COVID-19: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Purpose: Coagulation abnormalities are one of the most important complications of severe COVID-19, which might lead to venous thromboembolism (VTE). Hypercoagulability with hyperfibrinogenemia causes large vessel thrombosis and major thromboembolic sequelae. Statins are potentially a potent adjuvant therapy in COVID-19 infection due to their pleiotropic effect.

Outcomes of cirrhotic patients admitted to the intensive care unit after a successful cardiac arrest resuscitation.

Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of cirrhotic patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) following cardiac arrest.

Methods: This was a single centre retrospective study of all the cirrhotic patients, admitted to the ICU at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after a successful cardiac arrest resuscitation, from 1999 to 2017. The characteristics of the hospital survivors and non-survivors were compared.

Impact of critical care medicine publications from intensive care department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh in the last two decades.

Introduction: The volume and quality of biomedical research publications from an institution are considered adequate indicators of the quality of medical care in that institute. King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is one of the oldest and most distinguished medical centers in the country.

Methods: In this study, we analyzed the number of publications from the Critical Care Unit of the hospital in the past two decades, from 1996 to 2016.

Feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to assess treatment of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Saudi Arabia: a survey of physicians.

Background: The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an emerging respiratory pathogen with a high mortality rate and no specific treatments available to date. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of convalescent plasma therapy for MERS-CoV-infected patients by using MERS-CoV-specific convalescent plasma obtained from previously recovered patients.

Methods: A survey was adapted from validated questionnaire originally aimed to measure network capacities and capabilities within the International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC).

A 3-month oral vitamin D supplementation marginally improves diastolic blood pressure in Saudi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The aim of the current study was to determine whether oral cholecalciferol (45000 IU) per week for the 2 months and once on the 3rd month could translate to full vitamin D status correction and improved metabolic profile among patients with suboptimal vitamin D status. A total of 248 Saudi patients with T2DM were screened for vitamin D deficiency. Two hundred out of the 248 patients had suboptimal vitamin D levels, and were randomly assigned to receive vitamin D oral supplementation (45000 IU/week for 2 months and a single 45000 IU in the last month) or placebo for 3 months.

Diagnostic accuracy of a screening electronic alert tool for severe sepsis and septic shock in the emergency department.

Background: Early recognition of severe sepsis and septic shock is challenging. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of an electronic alert system in detecting severe sepsis or septic shock among emergency department (ED) patients.

Methods: An electronic sepsis alert system was developed as a part of a quality-improvement project for severe sepsis and septic shock.

Continuous venovenous hemofiltration versus continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration in critically ill patients: a retrospective cohort study from a Canadian tertiary centre.

Background: Studies comparing continuous renal replacement therapy modalities are lacking. Theoretically, continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) could be more effective than continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF), and may be associated with fewer complications; however, there are no published data to support this hypothesis.

Objective: To examine the effect of CVVH on mortality and other clinically important outcomes compared with CVVHDF in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting.

Proton pump inhibitors versus histamine 2 receptor antagonists for stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Critically ill patients may develop bleeding caused by stress ulceration. Acid suppression is commonly prescribed for patients at risk of stress ulcer bleeding. Whether proton pump inhibitors are more effective than histamine 2 receptor antagonists is unclear.