Background: Non-invasive evaluation of left ventricular filling pressure has been scarcely studied in critically ill patients. Accordingly, we prospectively assessed the ability of transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) Doppler to predict an invasive pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) < or = 18 mmHg in ventilated patients.
Methods: During two consecutive 3-year periods, TEE Doppler parameters were compared to right heart catheterisation derived PAOP used as reference in 88 ventilated patients, haemodynamically stable and in sinus rhythm (age: 63 +/- 14 years; simplified acute physiologic score (SAPS) II: 45 +/- 12).
Objective: The objective was to prospectively evaluate cardiac morphological and functional changes using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) during early septic shock.
Design: Prospective, observational study.
Setting: Medical-surgical intensive care unit of a teaching hospital.
Objective: We sought to evaluate the efficacy of a limited training dedicated to residents without knowledge in ultrasound for performing goal-oriented echocardiography in ICU patients.
Design: Prospective pilot observational study.
Setting: Medical-surgical ICU of a teaching hospital.
Introduction: Conventional pulsed wave Doppler parameters are known to be preload dependent, whereas newly proposed Doppler indices may be less influenced by variations in loading conditions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of haemodialysis-induced preload reduction on both conventional and new Doppler parameters for the assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function.
Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in a medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) and nephrology department of a teaching hospital.
Objective: Colonization of multiple body sites is a leading risk factor for Candida spp. infection in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. We evaluated whether oral nystatin prophylaxis reduces Candida spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To assess the ability of ultrasonography to identify the presence and assess the volume of pleural effusion in the intensive care unit setting.
Design: Prospective descriptive clinical study.
Setting: Medical-surgical intensive care unit of a teaching hospital.
Background: No objective criteria have been described to help selecting patients with major blunt aortic injury (BAI) for postponed surgical repair. The efficacy of conservative management of minor BAI needs further evaluation.
Methods: We studied 31 patients (Injury Severity Score, 48 +/- 15) who sustained a BAI diagnosed using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic capability of a hand-carried ultrasound device (HCU) in critically ill patients when using conventional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) as a reference.
Design: Prospective, descriptive study.
Setting: Medical-surgical intensive care unit of a teaching hospital.
Study Objectives: To compare the diagnostic capability of recently available hand-held echocardiography (HHE) and of conventional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) used as a gold standard in critically ill patients under mechanical ventilation.
Design: A prospective and descriptive study.
Setting: The general intensive care unit of a teaching hospital.