Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) protein benchmarks are based on mortality and morbidity; whether these targets also support functional recovery is unknown. We assessed whether different protein doses influenced patients' functional capacity, measured by the Chelsea Physical Assessment score (CPAx).
Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study on ICU survivors with length of stay ≥7 days admitted between October 2014 and September 2020.
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are chronic, autoimmune connective tissue diseases associated with significant morbidity and disability. Nutrients can activate the immune system and contribute to chronic low-grade inflammation (LGI). Chronic muscle inflammation leads to imbalanced pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, causing inadequate nutrition, weight loss and muscle weakness during a negative cycle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe intestine plays a fundamental role as a regulator of the mucosal immune response, mostly through the production and secretion of secretory Immunoglobulin A (sIgA) by the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Enteral stimulation, a balance between the commensal microbiota and pathogenic microorganisms, in addition to an adequate nutritional status is required for the optimal immune function of the intestine. Fasting subjects or those supported only with parenteral nutrition, show a progressive anatomical and physiological deterioration of the GALT, triggering a series of alterations resulting in a decrease in the intestinal immune response, modification in the type of microbiota, and changes that lead to or aggravate malnutrition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: We describe a case of secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) from autoimmune hepatitis mimicking severe sepsis in a man admitted to the intensive care unit.
Case Presentation: A 34-year-old Pakistani male with a prior history of biopsy-proven autoimmune hepatitis presented to a regional hospital with severe fever, cytopenias, hyperferritinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, splenomegaly, and a bone marrow biopsy showing hemophagocytosis. After ruling out mimicking conditions, a diagnosis of HLH was made using the HLH-2004 diagnostic criteria.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is defined as an abrupt decrease in kidney function, with the most severe form requiring some method of renal replacement therapy (RRT). The use of RRT is required in 5-10% of critically ill patients who develop severe AKI. Renal replacement therapy can be provided as either intermittent hemodialysis or one of the various modes of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), with CRRT potentially conferring an advantage with respect to renal recovery and dialysis independence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Severe complicated intra-abdominal sepsis (SCIAS) has an increasing incidence with mortality rates over 80% in some settings. Mortality typically results from disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, progressive and self-perpetuating bio-mediator generation, systemic inflammation, and multiple organ failure. Principles of treatment include early antibiotic administration and operative source control.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Mortality in patients with intra-abdominal sepsis remains high. Recognition and classification of patients with sepsis are challenging; about 70% of critical care specialists find the existing definitions confusing and not clinically useful.
Objective: To assess the usefulness of the predisposition, infection/injury, response, organ dysfunction (PIRO) concept in surgical intensive care patients with severe sepsis or septic shock due to an intra-abdominal source.
World J Emerg Surg
September 2018
Background: Severe complicated intra-abdominal sepsis (SCIAS) is a worldwide challenge with increasing incidence. Open abdomen management with enhanced clearance of fluid and biomediators from the peritoneum is a potential therapy requiring prospective evaluation. Given the complexity of powering multi-center trials, it is essential to recruit an inception cohort sick enough to benefit from the intervention; otherwise, no effect of a potentially beneficial therapy may be apparent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ventilatory management of patients with acute respiratory failure is supported by good evidence, aiming to reduce lung injury by pressure limitation and reducing the duration of ventilatory support by regular assessment for discontinuation. Certain patient groups, however, due to their altered physiology or disease-specific complications, may require some variation in usual ventilatory management. The present manuscript reviews the ventilatory management in three special populations, namely the patient with brain injury, the pregnant patient and the morbidly obese patient.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMechanical ventilation plays a central role in the critical care setting; but its use is closely related with some life threatening complications as nosocomial pneumonia and low cardiac performance. One of the most severe complications is called ventilator-associated lung injury (VALI) and it includes: Barotrauma, volutrauma, atelectrauma, biotrauma and oxygen-mediated toxic effects and it is related with an inflammatory response secondary to the stretching and recruitment process of alveoli within mechanical ventilation. The use of some protective ventilatory strategies has lowered the mortality rate 10% approximately.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report an autoinmune myocarditis case as a complication of celiac disease in a 28 year old woman. She had a 15 month history or diarrhea. She suffered pelvic trauma due to an episode of syncope and was admitted with refractory shock to fluid repletion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe clearance of alveolar fluid depends on the anatomic and physiologic integrity of alveolar epithelial barrier. The vectorial transport of sodium begins at the apical surface in the type II cell through amiloride-sensitive sodium channel. Sodium is pumping by Na, K-ATPasa from the basolateral surface of type II cell to the interstice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA case of central pontine myelinolysis following hypoglycemia is reported. The case was a 26- year-old female. Diabetes mellitus was found when she was 8 years old and she has hypertension and renal failure.
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