Publications by authors named "Tracy McArdle"

Background: Normal saline (NS) and Ringer's lactate (RL) are the most common crystalloids given to hospitalized patients. Despite concern about possible harm associated with NS (eg, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, impaired kidney function, and death), few large multicenter randomized trials focused on critically ill patients have compared these fluids. Uncertainty exists about the effects of these fluids on clinically important outcomes across all hospitalized patients.

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Objectives: Normal saline (NS) and Ringer's lactate (RL) are the most common crystalloids used for fluid therapy. Despite evidence of possible harm associated with NS (eg, hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, impaired kidney function and death), few large multi-centre randomised trials have evaluated the effect of these fluids on clinically important outcomes. We conducted a pilot trial to explore the feasibility of a large trial powered for clinically important outcomes.

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Introduction: Research on co-enrollment practices and their impact are limited in the ICU setting. The objectives of this study were: 1) to describe patterns and predictors of co-enrollment of patients in a thromboprophylaxis trial, and 2) to examine the consequences of co-enrollment on clinical and trial outcomes.

Methods: In an observational analysis of an international thromboprophylaxis trial in 67 ICUs, we examined the co-enrollment of critically ill medical-surgical patients into more than one study, and examined the clinical and trial outcomes among co-enrolled and non-co-enrolled patients.

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Purpose: Endothelial-like vascular progenitor cells (VPCs) are blood-derived angiogenic precursors that can facilitate vascular repair. The mobilization of peripheral blood VPCs and their role in recovery were investigated in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting.

Methods: Blood samples were drawn on days 0, 3, 7 and 14 in 38 patients admitted to ICU: 30 with AKI and in eight controls with normal renal function.

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