Continuous intravenous administration of vancomycin in medical intensive care unit patients.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate continuous vancomycin infusion (contV) in intensive care unit patients.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study in 164 patients treated with contV was conducted. They were compared with 75 patients treated with intermittent vancomycin infusion.

Prediction of extubation failure in medical intensive care unit patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate prediction factors for extubation failure (need for reintubation within 48 hours) in medical intensive care unit patients.

Materials And Methods: Sixty-one patients extubated after mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours were included in the study. A retrospective analysis of medical records and a prospectively maintained database on respiratory parameters was conducted.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in the respiratory tract of medical intensive care unit patients.

The purpose of this study was to investigate characteristics of critically ill patients with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) isolated from the respiratory tract, to identify risk factors for S. maltophilia-pneumonia and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and to analyze antibiotic susceptibility of S.

Advanced hemodynamic monitoring before and after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: implications for selection of patients--a prospective study.

Purpose: To investigate immediate and short-term effects of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) on cardiocirculatory, hepatic, and renal function and characterize predictors for TIPS outcome in terms of organ function after TIPS.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study was approved by the ethics committee at a university hospital and was conducted in a medical intensive care unit. Informed consent was obtained.

Incidence of acute pancreatitis does not increase during Oktoberfest, but is higher than previously described in Germany.

Background & Aims: Increased alcohol consumption can lead to acute pancreatitis (AP). We investigated whether the incidence of alcohol-induced AP increased during the Munich Oktoberfest in 2008, at which 6.6 million liters of beer were sold within 16 days.

Computed tomography to estimate cardiac preload and extravascular lung water. A retrospective analysis in critically ill patients.

Background: In critically ill patients intravascular volume status and pulmonary edema need to be quantified as soon as possible. Many critically ill patients undergo a computed tomography (CT)-scan of the thorax after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). This study investigates whether CT-based estimation of cardiac preload and pulmonary hydration can accurately assess volume status and can contribute to an early estimation of hemodynamics.

Risk assessment of moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal--predictors for seizures and delirium tremens in the course of withdrawal.

Aims: To develop a prediction model for withdrawal seizures (WS) and delirium tremens (DT) during moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in a large cohort of inpatients treated for AWS (n = 827).

Methods: Re-analysis of a cohort study population treated between 2000 and 2009. All patients received a score-guided and symptom-triggered therapy for AWS.

Physical examination, central venous pressure, and chest radiography for the prediction of transpulmonary thermodilution-derived hemodynamic parameters in critically ill patients: a prospective trial.

Purpose: Physical examination, assessment of central venous pressure (CVP) and chest radiography are diagnostic tools for estimation of volume status in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Passive leg raising (PLR) is a test to estimate fluid responsiveness. Transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) is established for measurement of cardiac index (CI), global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI), and extravascular lung water index (EVLWI).

Splenic artery embolization in a woman with bleeding gastric varices and splenic vein thrombosis: a case report.

Introduction: Gastric variceal bleeding due to splenic vein thrombosis is a life-threatening situation and is often difficult to manage by endoscopy. In the worst cases, an emergency splenectomy may be required to stop variceal bleeding.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 60-year-old Caucasian woman with bleeding gastric varices secondary to splenic vein thrombosis treated by splenic artery embolization.

Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome associated with hypovolemic shock and compartment syndrome. Use of transpulmonary thermodilution technique for volume management.

Systemic Capillary Leak Syndrome (SCLS) is a rare disorder characterized by increased capillary hyperpermeability leading to hypovolemic shock due to a markedly increased shift of fluid and protein from the intravascular to the interstitial space. Hemoconcentration, hypoalbuminemia and a monoclonal gammopathy are characteristic laboratory findings. Here we present a patient who suffered from SCLS with hypovolemic shock and compartment syndrome of both lower legs and thighs.

Transpulmonary thermodilution using femoral indicator injection: a prospective trial in patients with a femoral and a jugular central venous catheter.

Introduction: Advanced hemodynamic monitoring using transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) is established for measurement of cardiac index (CI), global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI) and extra-vascular lung water index (EVLWI). TPTD requires indicator injection via a central venous catheter (usually placed via the jugular or subclavian vein). However, superior vena cava access is often not feasible due to the clinical situation.

Argatroban therapy for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in ICU patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome: a retrospective study.

Introduction: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious, prothrombotic, immune-mediated adverse reaction triggered by heparin therapy. When HIT is diagnosed or suspected, heparins should be discontinued, and an alternative, fast-acting, parenteral, nonheparin anticoagulation such as argatroban should be initiated. Limited and inconsistent data exist about dosing of argatroban in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with critical illnesses.

[Life-threatening complications of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: a systematic analysis of admissions to an ICU during 18 years].

Background And Objective: Despite numerous publications on the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) there is a lack of systematic investigations on live-threatening complications of IBD and their causes. This study evaluates risk factors, course and outcome in intensive-care patients which were related to complications of IBD.

Patients And Methods: Among 6071 admissions to the intensive-care unit (ICU) of a gastroenterological department (university hospital with IBD-outpatient unit) between 1.

Effects of TIPS on global end-diastolic volume and cardiac output and renal resistive index in ICU patients with advanced alcoholic cirrhosis.

The transjugular porto-systemic stent-shunt (TIPS) reduces portal pressure in cirrhotic patients and is used as a nonsurgical treatment for refractory ascites, recurrent variceal hemorrhage or hepatorenal syndrome. There are concerns regarding a negative impact on cirrhotic cardiomyopathy and deterioration of hyperkinetic circulatory dysfunction. We analyzed a prospectively maintained database containing hemodynamic data on cirrhotic ICU patients.

Effect of aqueous ozone on the NF-kappaB system.

Ozone has been proposed as an alternative oral antiseptic in dentistry, due to its antimicrobial power reported for gaseous and aqueous forms, the latter showing a high biocompatibility with mammalian cells. New therapeutic strategies for the treatment of periodontal disease and apical periodontitis should consider not only antibacterial effects, but also their influence on the host immune response. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the effect of aqueous ozone on the NF-kappaB system, a paradigm for inflammation-associated signaling/transcription.

Ozonized low density lipoprotein (ozLDL) inhibits NF-kappaB and IRAK-1-associated signaling.

Objective: Recent studies have provided strong evidence for the presence of ozone in atherosclerotic lesions. In addition, modification of LDL has been suggested to be involved in atherosclerosis. In the present study we wanted to investigate whether LDL exposed to ozone (ozLDL) is able to modulate the NF-kappaB system, as a paradigm for inflammatory signaling.

Effect of ozone on oral cells compared with established antimicrobials.

Ozone has been proposed as an alternative antiseptic agent in dentistry based on reports of its antimicrobial effects in both gaseous and aqueous forms. This study investigated whether gaseous ozone (4 x 10(6) microg m(-3)) and aqueous ozone (1.25-20 microg ml(-1)) exert any cytotoxic effects on human oral epithelial (BHY) cells and gingival fibroblast (HGF-1) cells compared with established antiseptics [chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) 2%, 0.

C/EBP beta blocks p65 phosphorylation and thereby NF-kappa B-mediated transcription in TNF-tolerant cells.

TNF is a major mediator of inflammation, immunity, and apoptosis. Pre-exposure to TNF reduces sensitivity to restimulation, a phenomenon known as tolerance, considered as protective in sepsis, but also as a paradigm for immunoparalysis. Earlier experiments in TNF-tolerant cells display inhibition of NF-kappaB-dependent IL-8 gene expression at the transcriptional level with potential involvement of C/EBPbeta.