Lack of association of S100β and neuron-specific enolase with mortality in critically ill patients.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between brain damage biomarkers and mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: The sample comprised 70 patients admitted to an ICU. Blood samples were collected from all patients on ICU admission, and levels of S100β and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were determined by ELISA.

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.

Hypomagnesemia as a risk factor for the non-recovery of the renal function in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of hypomagnesemia as a risk factor for the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) and non-recovery of renal function in critically ill patients.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted by collecting data from March to June 2011 in 232 patients who were admitted into an intensive care unit (ICU). Magnesium serum levels were measured daily during ICU stay.

The incidence of delirium in patients pretreated with statins who remain in an intensive care unit after cardiac surgery.

Objective: To determine the association between the preoperative administration of statins and postoperative delirium in a prospective cohort of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods: All adult patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit following cardiac surgery between January and June 2011 were included. Delirium was screened during the postoperative period using the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) and Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC).

Serum heat shock protein 70 levels, oxidant status, and mortality in sepsis.

Animal studies as well as prospective randomized clinical trials associated sepsis with redox imbalance and oxidative stress, but other studies failed to establish a correlation between antioxidant-based therapies and improvement of sepsis condition. This is also true for studies on the role of the chaperone heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), which is increased in serum during sepsis. Heat shock protein 70 is affected at several levels by oxidative stress, but this relationship has never been studied in sepsis.