Procalcitonin levels are lower in intensive care unit patients with H1N1 influenza A virus pneumonia than in those with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. A pilot study.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to know the kinetics of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) in critically ill patients with H1N1 influenza A virus pneumonia and to compare levels of these inflammatory mediators with patients with acute community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.

Materials And Methods: An observational study in a mixed intensive care unit (ICU) at a general university hospital was performed. All consecutive patients admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of severe acute community-acquired pneumonia from September 2009 to December 2009 were included.

Maximum FIO2 in minimum time depending on the kind of resuscitation bag and oxygen flow.

Objective: To analyze what FIO2 can be reached, and how long it takes using the different autoinflated resuscitation bags and increasing oxygen flows.

Design: Experimental analysis on the effect of three different models of autoinflated resuscitation bag and increasing oxygen flows in the final FIO2, and time spent to reach it.

Setting: Laboratory, with a gas analyzer and a lung simulator to measure inspired FIO2.