Heparin Dose Intensity and Organ Support-Free Days in Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19.

Background: Clinical trials suggest that therapeutic-dose heparin may prevent critical illness and vascular complications due to COVID-19, but knowledge gaps exist regarding the efficacy of therapeutic heparin including its comparative effect relative to intermediate-dose anticoagulation.

Objectives: The authors performed 2 complementary secondary analyses of a completed randomized clinical trial: 1) a prespecified per-protocol analysis; and 2) an exploratory dose-based analysis to compare the effect of therapeutic-dose heparin with low- and intermediate-dose heparin.

Methods: Patients who received initial anticoagulation dosed consistently with randomization were included.

Adaptive multi-interventional trial platform to improve patient care for fibrotic interstitial lung diseases.

Background: Fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (fILDs) are a heterogeneous group of lung diseases associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite a large increase in the number of clinical trials in the last 10 years, current regulatory-approved management approaches are limited to two therapies that prevent the progression of fibrosis. The drug development pipeline is long and there is an urgent need to accelerate this process.

Early goal-directed nutrition versus standard of care in adult intensive care patients: the single-centre, randomised, outcome assessor-blinded EAT-ICU trial.

Purpose: We assessed the effects of early goal-directed nutrition (EGDN) vs. standard nutritional care in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Methods: We randomised acutely admitted, mechanically ventilated ICU patients expected to stay longer than 3 days in the ICU.

Early goal-directed nutrition in ICU patients (EAT-ICU): protocol for a randomised trial.

Introduction: Extensive weight loss has been docu-mented in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, primarily as the result of muscle loss, leading to impaired physical function and reduced quality of life. The aim of the EAT-ICU trial is to test the effect of early goal-directed protein-energy nutrition based on measured requirements on short-term clinical outcomes and long-term physical quality of life in ICU patients.

Methods: The EAT-ICU trial is a single-centre, randomised, parallel-group trial with concealed allocation and blinded outcome assessment.

Indirect Calorimetry in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Prospective, Randomized, Clinical Validation of 2 Devices Against a Gold Standard.

Background And Aims: The 2 currently available indirect calorimeters, CCM Express Indirect Calorimeter (MedGraphics, St Paul, MN) and Quark RMR ICU Indirect Calorimeter (COSMED, Rome, Italy), have not been validated against a gold standard in mechanically ventilated patients. Our aim was to do so using a gold-standard, modified Tissot bell-spirometer method in mechanically ventilated patients who were hemodynamically, respiratory, and metabolically stable.

Methods: We studied 30 patients undergoing general anesthesia and major gynecological surgery.

[Heat stroke and burns resulting from use of sauna].

We describe a case of severe heat stroke resulting from exposure to extreme heat in a sauna for an unknown period of time. The patient sustained 20% 2nd degree burns. On arrival at the emergency department, the patient's temperature was 40.

[What is intensive care medicine? Multidisciplinary intensive care units].

Intensive care medicine is described from a multidisciplinary point of view. The term "multidisciplinary" is used, although "multispeciality" may be more appropriate. Intensive care medicine is defined as an observational, diagnostical and therapeutical approach to the critically-ill patient, requiring specialized medical and nursing skills that cannot be met in a general ward.

Procalcitonin increase in early identification of critically ill patients at high risk of mortality.

Objective: To investigate day-by-day changes in procalcitonin and maximum obtained levels as predictors of mortality in critically ill patients.

Design: Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting: : Multidisciplinary intensive care unit at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, a tertiary reference hospital in Denmark.