Introduction: Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is recommended as first-line therapy in respiratory failure of critically ill immunocompromised patients as it can decrease intubation and mortality rates as compared with standard oxygen. However, its recommendation is only conditional. Indeed, the use of NIV in this setting has been challenged recently based on results of trials finding similar outcomes with or without NIV or even deleterious effects of NIV.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Acute cor pulmonale (ACP) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) remain common in patients under protective ventilation for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We sought to describe the hemodynamic profile associated with either ACP or PFO, or both, during the early course of moderate-to-severe ARDS using echocardiography.
Methods: In this 32-month prospective multicenter study, 195 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS were assessed using echocardiography during the first 48 h of admission (age: 56 (SD: 15) years; Simplified Acute Physiology Score: 46 (17); PaO2/FiO2: 115 (39); VT: 6.
Purpose: We sought to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with acute cor pulmonale (ACP) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) at the early phase of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and to assess their relation with mortality.
Methods: In this prospective multicenter study, 200 patients submitted to protective ventilation for early moderate to severe ARDS [PaO₂/F(I)O₂: 115 ± 39 with F(I)O₂: 1; positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP): 10.6 ± 3.
Objectives: To evaluate a new silver-impregnated multi-lumen central venous catheter for reducing catheter-related colonization in intensive care patients.
Design: Multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study.
Setting: Ten adult intensive care units (multidisciplinary, medical and surgical, university and nonuniversity hospitals) in eight institutions.
Introduction: The microorganisms incriminated in severe community-acquired pneumonia hospitalized in intensive care unit are the following: Streptococcus pneumoniae, enterobacteria isolated in aspiration-related pneumonia and less frequently intracellular bacteria in so-called atypical pneumonia (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila).
Case Reports: We report two cases of severe community-acquired pneumonia admitted in intensive care unit and due to Lancefield Group A beta hemolytic streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes). Despite the increased incidence of invasive streptococcal infections, this microorganism still has a rare causative role in the pathogenesis of community-acquired pneumonia.
Saccharomyces boulardii (Sb) is a particular strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc). This viable yeast is used in intensive care adult patients, delivered in packets of 500 mg, for preventing diarrhea associated with antibiotics or enteral feeding at a regimen of 1-2 g/day. Between June 1996 and October 1998, seven cases of fungemia with Sb occurred in a 12-bed intensive care unit (ICU).
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