Incidence and Predictors of Acute Kidney Injury Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Role of Changing Definitions of Renal Function and Injury.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a known complication. The prospective validation of various AKI definitions and estimated baseline renal function equations in the context of TAVR remains an ongoing area of research. This study examined the Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC) 1 and 2 criteria for AKI, and impact of three estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations (CKD-EPI, MDRD, and Cockcroft-Gault) on AKI incidence in TAVR patients.

Severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome: Evolution of care and impact of adjunctive therapy on course and complications of 171 intensive care unit patients.

This single site retrospective observational study assessed the evolution of sedation therapy for severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome in the intensive care unit. Patient records for 2 intervals were reviewed: Interval 1, which included 87 intensive care unit patients admitted January 2005 through September 2007, for whom benzodiazedpine monotherapy was utilized; and Interval 2, January 2010 through December 2010, for whom 54 of 84 (64.3%) intensive care unit patients, including all those intubated, received adjunctive agents, including dexmedetomidine or propofol.