Lower or Higher Oxygenation Targets for Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure.

Background: Patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in the intensive care unit (ICU) are treated with supplemental oxygen, but the benefits and harms of different oxygenation targets are unclear. We hypothesized that using a lower target for partial pressure of arterial oxygen (Pao) would result in lower mortality than using a higher target.

Methods: In this multicenter trial, we randomly assigned 2928 adult patients who had recently been admitted to the ICU (≤12 hours before randomization) and who were receiving at least 10 liters of oxygen per minute in an open system or had a fraction of inspired oxygen of at least 0.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and hyperthermia in an immunocompetent patient with COVID-19.

Severely ill influenza patients are at increased risk of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Previous reports suggest that Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients may also be at increased risk of IPA. Here we present an co-infection in a COVID-19 immunocompetent patient, complicated by bacteremia and persistent hyperthermia.

[Intensive therapy for patients with Guillian-Barré syndrome].

Guillain-Barré syndrome is the leading cause of acute flaccid paralysis in the industrialized world. Approximately 25% of the patients suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome develop respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation and intensive therapy. We seek answers to when it is optimal to start respiratory supportive therapy and review various complications associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

[Management of patients with myocardial rupture after acute myocardial infarction].

Ventricular free wall rupture resulting in pericardial tamponade and shock is a known complication of myocardial infarction. In recent years, the widespread availability of echocardiographia has enabled prompt diagnosis. We report a patient with left ventricular free wall rupture in its most severe form who survived after surgical intervention.