Contribution of intravenous medication to water and sodium intake in upper and lower gastrointestinal surgical patients.

Objectives: The quantitative importance of prescribed intravenous (IV) medication to water and sodium intake in routine clinical practice is undocumented, with uncertain influence on clinical outcomes. The present study aimed to redress this issue in surgical patients with gastrointestinal problems.

Methods: The prescription and administration of IV medication and fluids were retrospectively reviewed for water and sodium over 24-h periods in 86 patients in upper and lower gastrointestinal surgical wards in two teaching hospitals.

The bioimpedance spectroscopy as useful tool for measuring the fluid excess and fluid management in severe polytrauma patients.

Although the fluid therapy plays a fundamental role in the management of polytrauma patients (PP), a tool which could determine it appropriately is still lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of a bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) for body fluids volume and distribution monitoring in these patients. This prospective, observational study was performed on 25 severe PP and 25 healthy subjects.

Comet assay and its use for evaluating oxidative DNA damage in some pathological states.

The comet assay, or single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE), is a sensitive, rapid, relatively simple and inexpensive method for detecting DNA strand breaks in individual cells. It is used in a broad variety of applications and as a tool to investigate DNA damage and repair. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay are greatly enhanced if the DNA incubated with an enzyme, which recognizes a specific kind of DNA damage.

Critical evaluation of muscle mass loss as a prognostic marker of morbidity in critically ill patients and methods for its determination.

Objective: Loss of muscle mass in critically ill patients is associated with serious consequences, such as prolonged mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit confinement, and higher mortality. Thus, monitoring muscle mass, and especially its decline, should provide a useful indicator of morbidity and mortality. Performing evaluations according only to body mass index is imperfect, therefore the aim of this article was to evaluate appropriate methods for muscle mass loss determination in ICU patients.

Prognostic value of respiratory quotients in severe polytrauma patients with nutritional support.

Objective: The association between energy metabolism and prognosis in polytrauma patients has not yet been defined. The aim of this study was to describe energy metabolism and analyze the prognostic value of respiratory quotient (RQ) and nonprotein respiratory quotient (npRQ) in fasting polytrauma patients (fPP) and polytrauma patients with nutritional support (nsPP).

Methods: Twenty-two polytrauma patients (before and after parenteral nutrition administration) and 22 healthy controls (after overnight fasting) were examined on day 4 (median) after admission to the intensive care unit.