Influence of Helicobacter pylori infection and omeprazole treatment on gastric regional CO2.

Background: Gastric regional CO(2) accumulation indicates gastric mucosal hypoperfusion in critically ill patients. CO(2) is also a reaction product of urea degradation, and we therefore tested the hypothesis if regional pCO(2) is influenced by Helicobacter pylori infection.

Material: Seven H.

Analysis of transmission pathways of Pseudomonas aeruginosa between patients and tap water outlets.

Objective: To study the association between infection and faucet contamination in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU).

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: One SICU and 12 peripheral wards.

Preoperative oral application of immunoglobulin-enriched colostrum milk and mediator response during abdominal surgery.

Our objective was to evaluate the influence of pre-operative oral application of an immunoglobulin-enriched milk preparation on endotoxin translocation and mediator release during and after abdominal surgery. Forty patients who had been treated by partial (n = 4) or total gastrectomy (n = 8) or pancreatic resection (n = 28) were enrolled in a placebo-controlled pilot study. Pre-operatively, patients were randomly treated for 3 days by oral application of a bovine milk preparation (lactobin 56g/day, n = 20) or placebo (n = 20).

Inflammatory response during abdominal and thyroid surgery: a prospective clinical trial on mediator release.

Several studies have been demonstrated that endotoxin is a potent stimulus of the acute inflammatory response following traumatic injury. Although numerous studies have indicated that the extent of surgical intervention correlates well with the inflammatory response, the potential role of endotoxin as a trigger under those conditions still remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate whether or not the up-regulated inflammatory mediators are paralleled by increased endotoxin plasma levels during and following surgery, and whether the extent of surgical intervention represents a crucial factor under those conditions.

Influence of prone position on gastric mucosal-arterial PCO2 gradients.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of mechanical ventilation in the prone position on gastric mucosal-arterial PCO2 gradients.

Design: Prospective clinical study.

Setting: Intensive care unit in a university clinic.