Digestive decontamination in burn patients: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials and observational studies.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effect of selective digestive decontamination (SDD) or non-absorbable enteral antibiotics (EA) on mortality, the incidence of infection and its adverse effects in burn patients.

Material And Methods: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCT) or observational studies enrolling burn patients, and comparing SDD or EA prophylaxis with placebo or no treatment. The search includes Pubmed/Medline, EMBASE, WOS, Cochrane Library (1970-2015).

Selective Digestive Decontamination Attenuates Organ Dysfunction in Critically Ill Burn Patients.

Objective: To evaluate whether selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) attenuates organ dysfunction in critically ill burn patients.

Background: The effect of SDD on the development and progression of organ dysfunction, as an important determinant of mortality in burned patients, is still unknown. We asked whether organ dysfunction is mitigated by treatment with SDD.

Selective decontamination of the digestive tract: the mechanism of action is control of gut overgrowth.

Purpose: Gut overgrowth is the pathophysiological event in the critically ill requiring intensive care. In relation to the risk of developing a clinically important outcome, gut overgrowth is defined as ≥10(5) potential pathogens including 'abnormal' aerobic Gram-negative bacilli (AGNB), 'normal' bacteria and yeasts, per mL of digestive tract secretion. Surveillance samples of throat and gut are the only samples to detect overgrowth.

Efficacy of corticosteroid therapy in patients with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease receiving ventilatory support.

Background: Randomized trials assessing the effect of systemic corticosteroids on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations excluded patients who were mechanically ventilated or admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Critically ill patients constitute a population of persons who are prone to develop complications that are potentially associated with the use of corticosteroids (eg, infections, hyperglycemia, ICU-acquired paresis) that could prolong the duration of mechanical ventilation and even increase mortality.

Methods: A double-blind placebo-controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of systemic corticosteroid treatment in patients with an exacerbation of COPD who were receiving ventilatory support (invasive or noninvasive mechanical ventilation).

Long-term use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract does not increase antibiotic resistance: a 5-year prospective cohort study.

Purpose: Despite the evidence, the use of selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) remains controversial, largely because of concerns that it may promote the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term incidence of carriage of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), its clinical impact on developing infections and to explore risk factors of acquiring resistance.

Methods: This study was conducted in one 18-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU).

Limb intracompartmental sepsis in burn patients associated with occult infection.

Background: Intracompartmental sepsis (IS) is a rare complication in burn patients. IS presents in patients with inadequate perfusion of intracompartmental tissues with subsequent ischaemic necrosis and infection. Contributing factors include high-volume resuscitation, delayed escharotomies and previous bacteraemias.

A model for predicting mortality among critically ill burn victims.

Objective: To develop a model for predicting mortality among burn victims.

Methods: All casualties admitted to our intensive care burn unit (ICBU) with a diagnosis of thermal or inhalation injury were studied. Age, total and full-thickness body surface area (BSA) burned, presence of inhalation injury, gender, mechanism of injury, delay to ICBU admission and mechanical ventilation during the first 72 h were recorded.

Organ dysfunction as estimated by the sequential organ failure assessment score is related to outcome in critically ill burn patients.

The objectives of the study were to assess organ dysfunction in burn patients by using the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, to determine the relationship between early (day 1) and late (day 4) organ dysfunction, as well as the change in organ dysfunction from admission to day 4, and mortality. The design was a prospective observational cohort study. Patients were admitted to our intensive care burn unit with severe thermal burns (> or =20% total body surface area [BSA] burned) or inhalation injury with a delay from injury to admission less than 12 h and a length of stay less than 3 days (n = 439; age, 46.