Publications by authors named "Jan Mehrtens"

Background: Intravenous vitamin C administration in septic shock may have a sparing effect on vasopressor requirements, and vitamin C's enzyme cofactor functions provide a mechanistic rationale. Our study aimed to determine the effect of intravenous vitamin C administration on vasopressor requirements and other outcomes in patients with septic shock.

Methods: This was a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial in 40 patients with septic shock who were randomised (1:1) to receive intravenous vitamin C (at a dose of 25 mg/kg of body weight every 6 h) or placebo (intravenous 5% dextrose) for up to 96 h, or until death or discharge.

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Importance: Evidence regarding corticosteroid use for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited.

Objective: To determine whether hydrocortisone improves outcome for patients with severe COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: An ongoing adaptive platform trial testing multiple interventions within multiple therapeutic domains, for example, antiviral agents, corticosteroids, or immunoglobulin.

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Background: Supplemental oxygen is delivered to critically ill patients who require mechanical ventilation. Oxidative stress is a potential complication of oxygen therapy, resulting in damage to essential biomolecules such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Whether plasma levels of oxidative stress biomarkers vary based on how liberally oxygen therapy is applied during mechanical ventilation is unknown.

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Background: Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble nutrient which cannot be synthesised or stored by humans. It is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and immune-supportive roles. Previous research has indicated that vitamin C levels are depleted in critically ill patients.

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Importance: Saline (0.9% sodium chloride) is the most commonly administered intravenous fluid; however, its use may be associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) and increased mortality.

Objective: To determine the effect of a buffered crystalloid compared with saline on renal complications in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

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Background: 0.9% saline is the most commonly used intravenous (IV) fluid in the world. However, recent data raise the possibility that, compared with buffered crystalloid fluids such as Plasma-Lyte 148, the administration of 0.

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We describe the first case of treatment failure of gonorrhoea with a third generation cephalosporin, cefotaxime 1g intramuscularly, in the Netherlands. The case was from a high-frequency transmitting population (men having sex with men) and was caused by the internationally spreading multidrug-resistant gonococcal NG-MAST ST1407 clone. The patient was clinically cured after treatment with ceftriaxone 500 mg intramuscularly and this is the only third generation cephalosporin that should be used for first-line empiric treatment of gonorrhoea.

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We performed a double-blind placebo-controlled trial to study whether early treatment with erythropoietin could prevent the development of acute kidney injury in patients in two general intensive care units. As a guide for choosing the patients for treatment we measured urinary levels of two biomarkers, the proximal tubular brush border enzymes gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase. Randomization to either placebo or two doses of erythropoietin was triggered by an increase in the biomarker concentration product to levels above 46.

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