Speak-up culture in an intensive care unit in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional survey exploring the communication openness perceptions of Chinese doctors and nurses.

Objectives: Despite growing recognition of the importance of speaking up to protect patient safety in critical care, little research has been performed in this area in an intensive care unit (ICU) context. This study explored the communication openness perceptions of Chinese doctors and nurses and identified their perceptions of issues in ICU communication, their reasons for speaking up and the possible factors and strategies involved in promoting the practice of speaking up.

Design: A mixed-methods design with quantitative and sequential qualitative components was used.

Human Ebola virus infection in West Africa: a review of available therapeutic agents that target different steps of the life cycle of Ebola virus.

The recent outbreak of the human Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) epidemic is spiraling out of control in West Africa. Human EBOV hemorrhagic fever has a case fatality rate of up to 90%. The EBOV is classified as a biosafety level 4 pathogen and is considered a category A agent of bioterrorism by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with no approved therapies and vaccines available for its treatment apart from supportive care.

Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm due to seatbelt injury in a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient adult.

A 23-year-old man presented with abdominal pain after suffering blunt trauma caused by a seatbelt injury. His low platelet count of 137 × 10(9)/L was initially attributed to trauma and his underlying hypersplenism due to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. Despite conservative management, his platelet count remained persistently reduced even after his haemoglobin and clotting abnormalities were stabilised.

Erratum: Human H7N9 avian influenza virus infection: a review and pandemic risk assessment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/emi.2013.

Human H7N9 avian influenza virus infection: a review and pandemic risk assessment.

China is undergoing a recent outbreak of a novel H7N9 avian influenza virus (nH7N9) infection that has thus far involved 132 human patients, including 37 deaths. The nH7N9 virus is a reassortant virus originating from the H7N3, H7N9 and H9N2 avian influenza viruses. nH7N9 isolated from humans contains features related to adaptation to humans, including a Q226L mutation in the hemagglutinin cleavage site and E627K and D701N mutations in the PB2 protein.

Hyperimmune IV immunoglobulin treatment: a multicenter double-blind randomized controlled trial for patients with severe 2009 influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Background: Experience from influenza pandemics suggested that convalescent plasma treatment given within 4 to 5 days of symptom onset might be beneficial. However, robust treatment data are lacking.

Methods: This is a multicenter, prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

A retrospective review of the use of regional citrate anticoagulation in continuous venovenous hemofiltration for critically ill patients.

Background. The emergence of a commercially prepared citrate solution has revolutionized the use of RCA in the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety profile of a commercially prepared citrate solution.

Convalescent plasma treatment reduced mortality in patients with severe pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus infection.

Background: Experience from treating patients with Spanish influenza and influenza A(H5N1) suggested that convalescent plasma therapy might be beneficial. However, its efficacy in patients with severe pandemic influenza A(H1N1) 2009 virus (H1N1 2009) infection remained unknown.

Methods: During the period from 1 September 2009 through 30 June 2010, we conducted a prospective cohort study by recruiting patients aged ≥ 18 years with severe H1N1 2009 infection requiring intensive care.

Delayed clearance of viral load and marked cytokine activation in severe cases of pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus infection.

Background: Infections caused by the pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza virus range from mild upper respiratory tract syndromes to fatal diseases. However, studies comparing virological and immunological profile of different clinical severity are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 74 patients with pandemic H1N1 infection, including 23 patients who either developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or died (ARDS-death group), 14 patients with desaturation requiring oxygen supplementation and who survived without ARDS (survived-without-ARDS group), and 37 patients with mild disease without desaturation (mild-disease group).