Some Patients Are More Equal Than Others: Variation in Ventilator Settings for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Objectives: As coronavirus disease 2019 is a novel disease, treatment strategies continue to be debated. This provides the intensive care community with a unique opportunity as the population of coronavirus disease 2019 patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation is relatively homogeneous compared with other ICU populations. We hypothesize that the novelty of coronavirus disease 2019 and the uncertainty over its similarity with noncoronavirus disease 2019 acute respiratory distress syndrome resulted in substantial practice variation between hospitals during the first and second waves of coronavirus disease 2019 patients.

'Becoming a Physician'-medical students get acquainted with disadvantaged populations, and practise sensitive and effective communication.

Background: The three-year pre-medical programme 'Becoming a Physician' focuses on different aspects of medical professionalism. Objectives are to increase awareness and sensitivity to disadvantaged populations, and practise sensitive effective communication skills.

Methods: The curriculum includes: (1) Visits to treatment centres for people with special needs, mental illnesses, substance abuse issues, physically or sexually abused, and prisoners.

Testing a conceptual model on early opening of the microcirculation in severe sepsis and septic shock: a randomised controlled pilot study.

Background: Organ failure in severe sepsis and septic shock may be caused by microcirculatory failure.

Objective: The objective of this study is to test a conceptual model of microcirculatory failure by using a resuscitation strategy targeting early opening of the constricted microcirculation with active vasodilatation.

Design: A randomised controlled pilot study.