Infection as an independent risk factor for mortality in the surgical intensive care unit.

Objectives: Medical and surgical intensive care unit patients represent two different populations and require different treatment approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate the parameters associated with mortality in medical and surgical intensive care units.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of adult patients admitted to a medical and surgical intensive care unit teaching hospital over an 11-month period.

The epidemiology of acute respiratory failure in hospitalized patients: a Brazilian prospective cohort study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess risk factors associated with the development of acute respiratory failure (ARF) and death in a general intensive care unit (ICU).

Materials And Methods: Adults who were hospitalized at 12 surgical and nonsurgical ICUs were prospectively followed up. Multivariable analyses were realized to determine the risk factors for ARF and point out the prognostic factors for mortality in these patients.

Age, invasive ventilatory support and outcomes in elderly patients admitted to intensive care units.

Background: although advancing age is associated with worse outcomes on mechanically ventilated elderly patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU), this relation has not been extensively investigated on patients not requiring invasive ventilatory support.

Objective: to determine the relationship between age and in-hospital mortality of elderly patients, admitted to ICU, requiring and not requiring invasive ventilatory support.

Design: prospective observational cohort study conducted over a period of 11 months.

Continuous positive airway pressure increases inspiratory capacity of COPD patients.

Background And Objective: Hyperinflation with a decrease in inspiratory capacity (IC) is a common presentation for both unstable and stable COPD patients. As CPAP can reduce inspiratory load, possibly secondary to a reduction in hyperinflation, this study examined whether CPAP would increase IC in stable COPD patients.

Methods: Twenty-one stable COPD patients (nine emphysema, 12 chronic bronchitis) received a trial of CPAP for 5 min at 4, 7 and 11 cmH(2)O.

[Intraoperative mechanical ventilation].

Background And Objectives: The II Brazilian Consensus Conference on Mechanical Ventilation was published in 2000. Knowledge on the field of mechanical ventilation evolved rapidly since then, with the publication of numerous clinical studies with potential impact on the ventilatory management of critically ill patients. Moreover, the evolving concept of evidence - based Medicine determined the grading of clinical recommendations according to the methodological value of the studies on which they are based.

[Mechanical ventilation in the acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome].

Background And Objectives: The II Brazilian Consensus Conference on Mechanical Ventilation was published in 2000. Knowledge on the field of mechanical ventilation evolved rapidly since then, with the publication of numerous clinical studies with potential impact on the ventilatory management of critically ill patients. Moreover, the evolving concept of evidence - based medicine determined the grading of clinical recommendations according to the methodological value of the studies on which they are based.

[Mechanical ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Background And Objectives: The II Brazilian Consensus Conference on Mechanical Ventilation was published in 2000. Knowledge on the field of mechanical ventilation evolved rapidly since then, with the publication of numerous clinical studies with potential impact on the ventilatory management of critically ill patients. Moreover, the evolving concept of evidence - based medicine determined the grading of clinical recommendations according to the methodological value of the studies on which they are based.

[Noninvasive mechanical ventilation with positive pressure].

Background And Objectives: The II Brazilian Consensus Conference on Mechanical Ventilation was published in 2000. Knowledge on the field of mechanical ventilation evolved rapidly since then, with the publication of numerous clinical studies with potential impact on the ventilatory management of critically ill patients. Moreover, the evolving concept of evidence - based medicine determined the grading of clinical recommendations according to the methodological value of the studies on which they are based.

Prevalence rates of infection in intensive care units of a tertiary teaching hospital.

Objective: To determine the prevalence rates of infections among intensive care unit patients, the predominant infecting organisms, and their resistance patterns. To identify the related factors for intensive care unit-acquired infection and mortality rates.

Design: A 1-day point-prevalence study.

Effectiveness, safety and tolerability of gatifloxacin, a new 8-methoxyfluoroquinolone, in the treatment of outpatients with community-acquired pneumonia: a Brazilian study.

Objectives: Evaluation of the effectiveness, safety and tolerability of gatifloxacin in the treatment of outpatients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Study Design: A prospective, multicenter, non-comparative clinical study carried out in Brazil. Voluntary, unpaid physician participation contributed to an unbiased study design.