Publications by authors named "Shmeylan Al Harbi"

Background: Acetaminophen is generally considered safe when used according to the recommended guidelines. Consumption in excessive doses can lead to severe liver damage and, in critical cases, may even result in death. To reduce the effects of acetaminophen overdose, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been established as the preferred intervention to prevent liver damage.

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Hyperuricemia has been linked to various adverse clinical outcomes. Data on the clinical outcomes and the relationship between hyperuricemia and sepsis remain limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of hyperuricemia on clinical outcomes in sepsis patients and to identify whether it can predict the mortality in this patient population.

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Background: Dexamethasone usually recommended for patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to reduce short-term mortality. However, it is uncertain if another corticosteroid, such as methylprednisolone, may be utilized to obtain better clinical outcome. This study assessed dexamethasone's clinical and safety outcomes compared to methylprednisolone.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the safety and feasibility of different VTE prophylactic treatments in critically ill burn patients admitted to the ICU.
  • Conducted as a pilot randomized controlled trial, patients received either high-dose or standard-dose enoxaparin or unfractionated heparin, with various outcomes related to bleeding assessed.
  • Results showed a low recruitment rate but high consent rate, with some instances of bleeding, indicating no major safety issues with the prophylaxis options tested.
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Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In addition, TBI may cause paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH), which is associated with poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of clonidine in patients with TBI and suspected PSH.

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Introduction: Healthcare systems are complex and challenging for all stakeholders, but artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed various fields, including healthcare, with the potential to improve patient care and quality of life. Rapid AI advancements can revolutionize healthcare by integrating it into clinical practice. Reporting AI's role in clinical practice is crucial for successful implementation by equipping healthcare providers with essential knowledge and tools.

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Background: Oseltamivir has been used as adjunctive therapy in the management of patients with COVID-19. However, the evidence about using oseltamivir in critically ill patients with severe COVID-19 remains scarce. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oseltamivir in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the role of type I interferons (IFNs) and their neutralizing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) in patients with severe Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), particularly focusing on those hospitalized during a clinical trial.
  • - Out of 62 patients, 24.2% tested positive for auto-Abs against type I IFNs, with a majority of these critically ill patients requiring ICU admission.
  • - Despite the presence of auto-Abs, treatment outcomes with IFN-β1b and lopinavir-ritonavir were similar between patients with and without these auto-Abs.
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In recent years, anticoagulant and antiplatelet use have increased over the past years for the prevention and treatment of several cardiovascular conditions. Due to the rising use of antithrombotic medications and the complexity of specific clinical cases requiring such therapies, bleeding remains the primary concern among patients using antithrombotics. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) include rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban, and betrixaban.

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Article Synopsis
  • Atrial fibrillation (Afib) in critically ill COVID-19 patients is linked to increased in-hospital mortality and longer stays in intensive care.
  • A multicenter study from March 2020 to July 2021 found that patients with new-onset Afib had significantly higher odds of dying in the hospital, but no difference in 30-day mortality.
  • The study highlights that new-onset Afib leads to prolonged mechanical ventilation and hospitalizations while also resulting in fewer complications compared to those without Afib.
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Background: Colistin is considered a valuable and last-resort therapeutic option for MDR gram-negative bacteria. Nephrotoxicity is the most clinically pertinent adverse effect of colistin. Vivo studies suggest that administering oxidative stress-reducing agents, such as ascorbic acid, is a promising strategy to overcome colistin-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN).

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BACKGROUND Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is an extracorporeal method of filtration indicated in several conditions, including myasthenia gravis (MG). The removal and replacement of plasma through TPE affect the level of coagulation factors, suggesting alterations in homeostasis. TPE also has the potential to remove medications from the plasma.

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Animal and human data indicate variable effects of interferons in treating coronavirus infections according to inflammatory status and timing of therapy. In this sub-study of the MIRACLE trial (MERS-CoV Infection Treated with a Combination of Lopinavir-Ritonavir and Interferon β-1b), we evaluated the heterogeneity of treatment effect of interferon-β1b and lopinavir-ritonavir versus placebo among hospitalized patients with MERS on 90-day mortality, according to cytokine levels and timing of therapy. We measured plasma levels of 17 cytokines at enrollment and tested the treatment effect on 90-day mortality according to cytokine levels (higher versus lower levels using the upper tertile (67%) as a cutoff point) and time to treatment (≤ 7 days versus > 7 days of symptom onset) using interaction tests.

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Background: Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is used as rescue therapy in patients with refractory hypoxemia due to severe COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) despite the recommendation against the use of this treatment. To date, the effect of iNO on the clinical outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS remains arguable. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the use of iNO in critically ill COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS.

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Background: The cardiovascular complications of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be attributed to the hyperinflammatory state leading to increased mortality in patients with COVID-19. HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (statins) are known to have pleiotropic and anti-inflammatory effects and may have antiviral activity along with their cholesterol-lowering activity. Thus, statin therapy is potentially a potent adjuvant therapy in COVID-19 infection.

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Remdesivir is a direct-acting inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that is used to treat severe COVID-19 infections. We report a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who experienced palpitations and syncope two days after starting remdesivir therapy. The QTc interval was prolonged on the Electrocardiogram (ECG) without any significant electrolyte abnormalities or concomitant use of medications with QTc prolongation.

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Purpose: Coagulation abnormalities are one of the most important complications of severe COVID-19, which might lead to venous thromboembolism (VTE). Hypercoagulability with hyperfibrinogenemia causes large vessel thrombosis and major thromboembolic sequelae. Statins are potentially a potent adjuvant therapy in COVID-19 infection due to their pleiotropic effect.

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Objectives: Evidence supports tocilizumab (TCZ) benefit and safety in adult patients with severe COVID-19. However, its effectiveness in critically ill older adult patients remains questionable. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of TCZ in older critically ill patients with COVID-19.

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Purpose: Intravenous (IV) colistin is commonly used to treat multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections. It is primarily eliminated renally and may induce acute kidney injury (AKI) at a rate of up to 53%. Consequently, septic patients who require colistin administration have an additional risk of developing AKI.

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Background: Aspirin is widely used as a cardioprotective agent due to its antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory properties. The literature has assessed and evaluated its role in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. However, no data are available regarding its role in COVID-19 critically ill patients.

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Background: Vancomycin is a commonly used antibiotic in critically ill patients for various indications. Critical illness imposes pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamics challenges, which makes optimizing vancomycin in this population cumbersome. Data are scarce on the clinical impact of time to therapeutic trough levels of vancomycin in critically ill patients.

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Background: Using vitamin K for correction of coagulopathy in critically ill patients is controversial with limited evidence. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of vitamin K in the correction of international normalized ratio (INR) elevation secondary to liver disease in critically ill patients.

Method: A retrospective study of critically ill patients with coagulopathy secondary to liver disease.

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Background: Tocilizumab is an IgG1 class recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that directly inhibits the IL-6 receptor. Several randomized clinical trials have evaluated its safety and efficacy in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and these studies demonstrate conflicting results. Our study aimed to determine the association between tocilizumab treatment and microbial isolation and emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

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Background: Zinc is a trace element that plays a role in stimulating innate and acquired immunity. The role of zinc in critically ill patients with COVID-19 remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of zinc sulfate as adjunctive therapy in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

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