Fluid Management in Acute Respiratory Failure.

Fluid management in acute respiratory failure is an area of uncertainty requiring a delicate balance of resuscitation and fluid removal to manage hypoperfusion and avoidance of hypoxemia. Overall, a restrictive fluid strategy (minimizing fluid administration) and careful attention to overall fluid balance may be beneficial after initial resuscitation and does not have major side effects. Further studies are needed to improve our understanding of patients who will benefit from a restrictive or liberal fluid management strategy.

Nonimaging Diagnostic Tests for Pneumonia.

This article reviews the various nonimaging diagnostic tests available for the diagnosis of pneumonia including the methods by which specimens are obtained and the speed at which certain tests are available. Because tests results may be available at the time of radiologic image interpretation, it is important for the radiologist to be aware of the type of specimens and diagnostic tests to search for in the electronic medical record in order to provide a more refined imaging report. Diagnostic tests for the most common bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections are discussed.

Variation in Early Management Practices in Moderate-to-Severe ARDS in the United States: The Severe ARDS: Generating Evidence Study.

Background: Although specific interventions previously demonstrated benefit in patients with ARDS, use of these interventions is inconsistent, and patient mortality remains high. The impact of variability in center management practices on ARDS mortality rates remains unknown.

Research Question: What is the impact of treatment variability on mortality in patients with moderate to severe ARDS in the United States?

Study Design And Methods: We conducted a multicenter, observational cohort study of mechanically ventilated adults with ARDS and Pao to Fio ratio of ≤ 150 with positive end-expiratory pressure of ≥ 5 cm HO, who were admitted to 29 US centers between October 1, 2016, and April 30, 2017.

Promoting Evidence-Based Practice in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Unlabelled: Low tidal volume ventilation and prone positioning are recommended therapies yet underused in acute respiratory distress syndrome. We aimed to assess the role of interventions focused on implementation of low tidal volume ventilation and prone positioning in mechanically ventilated adult patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Data Sources: PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.

Should the CIWA-Ar be the standard monitoring strategy for alcohol withdrawal syndrome in the intensive care unit?

Background: The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-Revised (CIWA-Ar) is commonly used in hospitals to titrate medications for alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS), but may be difficult to apply to intensive care unit (ICU) patients who are too sick or otherwise unable to communicate.

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of CIWA-Ar monitoring among ICU patients with AWS and variation in CIWA-Ar monitoring across patient demographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods: The study included all adults admitted to an ICU in 2017 after treatment for AWS in the Emergency Department of an academic hospital that standardly uses the CIWA-Ar to assess AWS severity and response to treatment.

Hyperammonemia syndrome due to Ureaplasma infection after liver-kidney transplant.

Hyperammonemia syndrome, with high levels of ammonia and neurologic dysfunction, is a syndrome with historically high mortality that may occur after solid organ transplantation. Recently, this has been associated with infection due to Ureaplasma, mostly following lung transplantation. We describe the first case of hyperammonemia syndrome due to Ureaplasma infection after liver-kidney transplantation.

Impact of Vasoactive Medications on ICU-Acquired Weakness in Mechanically Ventilated Patients.

Background: Vasoactive medications are commonly used in the treatment of critically ill patients, but their impact on the development of ICU-acquired weakness is not well described. The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between vasoactive medication use and the outcome of ICU-acquired weakness.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of mechanically ventilated patients (N = 172) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of early occupational and physical therapy vs conventional therapy, which evaluated the end point of ICU-acquired weakness on hospital discharge.

Molecular Screen Identifies Cardiac Myosin-Binding Protein-C as a Protein Kinase G-Iα Substrate.

Background: Pharmacological activation of cGMP-dependent protein kinase G I (PKGI) has emerged as a therapeutic strategy for humans with heart failure. However, PKG-activating drugs have been limited by hypotension arising from PKG-induced vasodilation. PKGIα antiremodeling substrates specific to the myocardium might provide targets to circumvent this limitation, but currently remain poorly understood.