Extracorporeal CO removal in acute exacerbation of COPD unresponsive to non-invasive ventilation.

Background: The gold-standard treatment for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ae-COPD) is non-invasive ventilation (NIV). However, NIV failures may be observed, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is required. Extracorporeal CO₂ removal (ECCO₂R) devices can be an alternative to intubation.

Identification of optimal therapeutic window for steroid use in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis: A worldwide study.

Background & Aims: Corticosteroids are the only effective therapy for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), defined by a model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score >20. However, there are patients who may be too sick to benefit from therapy. Herein, we aimed to identify the range of MELD scores within which steroids are effective for AH.

Endothelial dysfunction markers predict short-term mortality in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.

Objectives: Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a severe condition characterized by a marked inflammatory response and high short-term mortality. Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is an early event in vascular and inflammatory disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate ED in AH patients.

Are bedside colonoscopies performed in intensive care unit really useful?

Purpose: Effectiveness of bedside Colonoscopies in Intensive Care Unit (CICU) might be limited by the poor quality of colonic preparation, and their feasibility. We sought to describe the indications and the profitability of CICU.

Methods: Retrospective, bicenter observational study (2004-2015) in unselected critically ill patients.

Non-invasive evaluation of portal hypertension using shear-wave elastography: analysis of two algorithms combining liver and spleen stiffness in 191 patients with cirrhosis.

Background: Two algorithms based on sequential measurements of liver and spleen stiffness using two-dimensional shearwave elastography (2D-SWE) have been recently proposed to estimate clinically significant portal hypertension (hepatic venous pressure gradient [HVPG] ≥10 mm Hg) in patients with cirrhosis, with excellent diagnostic accuracy.

Aim: To validate externally these algorithms in a large cohort of patients with cirrhosis.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-one patients with stable cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A 39%, B 29% and C 31%) who underwent liver and spleen stiffness measurements using 2D-SWE at the time of HVPG measurement were included.