CAM-ICU and ICDSC agreement in medical and surgical ICU patients is influenced by disease severity.

Introduction: Delirium is a prevalent condition in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) associated with worse outcomes. The principal aim of the present study was compare the agreement between two tools for delirium assessment in medical and surgical patients admitted to the ICU.

Methods: Consecutive adult surgical and medical patients admitted to the ICU for more than 24 hours between March 2009 and September 2010 were included.

The effects of N-acetylcysteine and deferoxamine on plasma cytokine and oxidative damage parameters in critically ill patients with prolonged hypotension: a randomized controlled trial.

Reactive oxygen species and inflammation have been implicated in renal tubule cell injury. However, there is some controversy concerning whether antioxidants might attenuate oxidative damage and inflammation in humans after hypotension in the setting of critical illness. This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study that included patients with hypotension.

Effect of red blood cell transfusion on parameters of inflammation and oxidative stress in critically ill patients.

Introduction: Red blood cell transfusions are common in intensive care units. For many years, transfusions of red blood were thought to have obvious clinical benefits. However, in recent years, the risks and benefits of blood transfusions have been examined more carefully, including the risk of increased morbidity and mortality due to transfusion-related immunomodulation effects.