The effect of different definitions of hepatic injury on incidence and mortality rates in the ICU patient population with secondary hepatic injury.

Objective: The aim was to investigate how different hepatic injury (HI) definitions used in the same study population change incidence and mortality rates and which would best diagnose secondary HI.

Design: Single-centre retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary hospital ICU, ANKARA, Turkey.

Accuracy of Pocket-sized Ultrasound Devices to Evaluate Inferior Vena Cava Diameter and Variability in Critically Ill Patients.

Purpose: By using inferior vena cava (IVC) measurements, clinicians can detect fluid status and responsiveness and find out the etiology of hypotension, acute heart failure, and sepsis easier. Pocket-sized ultrasound devices (PSUD) may take this advantage a few steps further by their lower costs, user-friendly interface, and easily applicable structure.In this study, we aimed to determine the diagnostic value of a PSUD compared with a standard ultrasound device (SD) for the measurement of IVC diameter (IVCD) and its respiratory variability.

Performance of handheld ultrasound devices in diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension and right heart dysfunction in ICU patients.

Aim: The use of handheld ultrasonography devices (HHUD) has increased recently but there are limited data about their performance in the evaluation of right heart dysfunction (RHD) and pulmonary hypertension (PHT). The aim of the study is to compare the performance of a HHUD with a conventional ultrasound device (CUD) in assessing PHT and RHD.

Methods: This single-center prospective study was performed in a seven-bed teaching hospital intensive care unit (ICU).

Impact of neurological problems on mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit outcomes in pulmonary intensive care unit patients: a retrospective analysis of a single-center cohort.

Neurological problems (NPs) are frequently connected with different critical illnesses in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and they may influence ICU outcomes. This study aims to examine the effects of NPs on ICU outcomes, especially in pulmonary ICU patients. This is a retrospective observational study comprising adult pulmonary critical care patients who were hospitalized between 2015 and 2019.

Risk Factors for Prolonged Intensive Care Unit Stay in Patients with Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure.

Introduction: Hypercapnic respiratory failure (HRF) is one of the most frequent reasons for intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. In this study, we aimed to investigate the risk factors for prolonged ICU stay in HRF patients for longer than 7, 10, and 15 days.

Methods: Impact of demographics, vitals at the admission, comorbid disease severity, respiratory parameters, admission diagnosis, noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) application time and settings, arterial blood gas, and blood biochemistry results were analyzed in patients with HRF to investigate risk factors for longer ICU stay.

Value of Rox Index to Predict Intubation and Intensive Care Unit Outcome in Patients with Respiratory Failure.

Background: Recent literature suggests that the respiratory rate oxygenation (ROX) index may be a useful parameter in predicting intubation indication in hypoxemic patients.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of the ROX index in predicting intubation, length of stay in the ICU, and mortality in ICU patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure with and without hypercapnia.

Methods: Single-centre retrospective cohort study of 290 patients, with a preliminary diagnosis of respiratory failure, who were treated with low flow oxygen systems.

Assessment of different computing methods of inspiratory transpulmonary pressure in patients with multiple mechanical problems.

While plateau airway pressure alone is an unreliable estimate of lung overdistension inspiratory transpulmonary pressure (PL) is an important parameter to reflect it in patients with ARDS and there is no concensus about which computation method should be used to calculate it. Recent studies suggest that different formulas may lead to different tidal volume and PEEP settings. The aim of this study is to compare 3 different inspiratory PL measurement method; direct measurement (PL), elastance derived (PL) and release derived (PL) methods in patients with multiple mechanical abnormalities.

Are pocket sized ultrasound devices sufficient in the evaluation of lung ultrasound patterns and aeration scoring in pulmonary ICU patients?

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a practical diagnostic tool for several lung pathologies. Pocket sized USG devices (PSUDs) are more affordable, accessible, practical, and learning to use them is easier than standard ultrasound devices (SUDs). Their capability in image quality have been found as comparable with standard USG machines.

The usefulness of subxiphoid view in the evaluation of acceleration time and pulmonary hypertension in ICU patients.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is very frequent in ICUs. Estimation of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PASP) by using tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) is impossible in 25% of patients. However, it may be possible to estimate PHT in these patients by obtaining subxiphoid imaging of short axis (SX-SAX) and measuring pulmonary artery diameter (PAD) and right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) acceleration time (AT).

Does it make difference to measure diaphragm function with M mode (MM) or B mode (BM)?

Diaphragm dysfunction occurs in mechanically ventilated subjects. Recent literature suggests that diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) measured by ultrasound can be useful to predict weaning outcome. However, there is no standardized approach in the measurement of diaphragm thickness (DT) and limited data exists comparing different measurement techniques of diaphragm thickness (M mode-MM or B mode-BM).

Validity and reliability of pocket-sized ultrasound devices in measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter in ICU patients.

The measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) by ultrasonography (USG) is particularly important for intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring when invasive measurements are not possible or are contraindicated. Standard USG (SUDs) devices can be bulky and may break down the workflow. The validity and reliability of pocket-sized USG devices (PSUDs) compared to SUDs for ONSD measurement has not been investigated, yet.

Can Diaphragm Dysfunction Be Reliably Evaluated with Pocket-Sized Ultrasound Devices in Intensive Care Unit?

Background: Diaphragm dysfunction (DD) is frequently seen in critically ill patients, and ultrasound could be a useful tool to detect it and to predict extubation success or failure in mechanically ventilated patients. Besides, it would also be useful in differential diagnosis of dyspnea and respiratory failure. The aim of this study is to evaluate usefulness and accuracy of pocket-sized ultrasound devices (PSDs) in assessment of DD in intensive care unit (ICU) patients in comparison with standard ultrasound devices (SD).

Evaluation of nephrotoxicity and prognosis in patients treated with colistin due to hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Introduction: Colistimethate sodium (CMS) is frequently used in the treatment of nosocomial multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections. Nephrotoxicity is the most important side effect. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of colistin on nephrotoxicity and to assess prognosis in patients treated with CMS due to hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).

Noninvasive auto-titrating ventilation (AVAPS-AE) versus average volume-assured pressure support (AVAPS) ventilation in hypercapnic respiratory failure patients.

Auto-titrating noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has been developed as a new mode applying variable expiratory-positive airway pressure (EPAP) in addition to variable inspiratory pressures (IPAP), both to deliver targeted tidal volume (VT) and to eliminate upper airway resistance. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether NIV with auto-titrating mode will decrease more PaCO within a shorter time compared to volume-assured mode in hypercapnic intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The hypercapnic respiratory failure patients treated with average volume assured pressure support- automated EPAP mode (group1) were compared with those treated with average volume-assured pressure support mode (group2).

Pulmonary artery leiomyosarcoma: A clinical dilemma.

Leiomyosarcomas are rare neoplasms of the smooth muscles. Primary pulmonary leiomyosarcomas, which constitute approximately 0.2%-0.

Effects of Modes, Obesity, and Body Position on Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation Success in the Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Objectives: Different outcomes and success rates of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) in patients with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (AHRF) still pose a significant problem in intensive care units. Previous studies investigating different modes, body positioning, and obesity-associated hypoventilation in patients with chronic respiratory failure showed that these factors may affect ventilator mechanics to achieve a better minute ventilation. This study tried to compare pressure support (BiPAP-S) and average volume targeted pressure support (AVAPS-S) modes in patients with acute or acute-on-chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure.

A promising marker in early diagnosis of septic acute kidney injury of critically ill patients: urine insulin like growth factor binding protein-7.

Aim: An ideal biomarker for early diagnosis of septic acute kidney injury (AKI) should reflect renal stress or damage at initiation point, at cellular level. The aim of this study was to assess the role of a urinary cell cycle arrest marker, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) in early diagnosis of septic AKI in adult critical care patients.

Methods: This was a single-center prospective cohort study.

Can admission serum cystatin C level be an early marker subclinical acute kidney injury in critical care patients?

Background: In critical care patients, the diagnosis of subclinical acute kidney injury (AKI) might be difficult with measurements of serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Their 'sensitive kidneys' can easily be affected from sepsis, underlying diseases, medications and volume status and if they can be detected earlier, some preventive measures might be taken. In this study we aimed to determine whether admission serum cystatin C (sCys-C) and other clinical parameters can identify subclinical AKI in medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients with normal creatinine-based eGFR at admission.

[Evaluation of risk factors for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and detection of diagnostic values of galactomannan and PCR methods in bronchoalveolar lavage samples from non-neutropenic intensive care unit patients].

Non-neutropenic intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at particular risk for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. In these cases, radiological and microbiological methods (direct microscopy, culture), which can be used for diagnosis, have quite low sensitivity and specificity. The aims of this study were to evaluate the risk factors for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in non-neutropenic ICU patients and to determine the diagnostic values of galactomannan (GM) antigen and Aspergillus nucleic acid detection methods.