Implications of culture collection after the first antimicrobial dose in septic emergency department patients.

Background: Previous research has illustrated the importance of collection of microbiologic cultures prior to first antimicrobial dose (FAD) in septic patients to avoid sterilization of pathogens and thus allowing confirmation of infection, identification of pathogen(s), and de-escalation of antimicrobial therapy. There is currently a lack of literature characterizing the implications and clinical courses of patients who have cultures collected after FAD.

Methods: In this single-center, retrospective chart review of 163 sepsis cases in the emergency department, the primary outcome was positive-cultures from appropriate sources.

The effect of erythropoietin on exercise capacity, left ventricular remodeling, pressure-volume relationships, and quality of life in older patients with anemia and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

A prospective, open-label, 3-month study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and short-term clinical effect of subcutaneous erythropoietin injections in patients with anemia and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (ejection fraction, 55%+/-2%). Using a dose-adjusted algorithm to effect a rate of rise in hemoglobin not to exceed 0.4 g/dL /wk, hemoglobin (10.

Comparison of blood volume characteristics in anemic patients with low versus preserved left ventricular ejection fractions.

Anemia is a significant co-morbidity in patients with heart failure (HF) irrespective of the ejection fraction and is routinely quantified by hemoglobin concentration. Hemodilution as a cause of anemia has been described in systolic HF. The aim of this study was to further investigate the effects of plasma volume in patients with HF by (1) assessing the prevalence of dilutional anemia in patients with anemia and preserved ejection fractions and (2) exploring the relation between hemoglobin and red cell volume in these patients.

The cardio-renal-anemia syndrome in elderly subjects with heart failure and a normal ejection fraction: a comparison with heart failure and low ejection fraction.

The prevalence and severity of anemia and renal dysfunction in heart failure patients with a normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) is uncharacterized. Two hundred eighty-five consecutive patients admitted to a community hospital with heart failure were stratified by the presence or absence of anemia and a normal or reduced ejection fraction. Comparisons of clinical variables were performed.