Fluid and electrolyte pathophysiology in common febrile illness in children and the implications for clinical management.

Achieving fluid homeostasis and the management of fluid and electrolyte complications are constants in the treatment of seriously ill children worldwide. Consensus on the most appropriate fluid strategy for unwell children has been difficult to achieve and has evolved over the last two decades, most notably in high-income countries where adverse events relating to poor fluid management were identified more readily, and official robust inquiries were possible. However, this has not been the situation in many low-income settings where fluids that are prohibited from use in high-income countries may be all that are available, local guidelines and processes to recognise adverse events are not developed, and there has been limited training on safe fluid management for front-line healthcare workers.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2, -9, and tissue inhibitor of MMP-2 gene polymorphisms in Taiwanese periodontitis patients.

Background/purpose: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of MMPs (TIMPs) have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of tissue destruction in periodontitis. The associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter regions of MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-2 genes and the risk of aggressive periodontitis (AgP) and chronic periodontitis (CP) were investigated in a Taiwanese population.

Materials And Methods: MMP-2 C-1306T, C-735T, T-790G, and MMP-9 C-1562T and TIMP-2 G-418C SNPs were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in 69 patients and 129 patients with AgP and CP, respectively, and 117 periodontal healthy individuals who served as healthy controls (HC).

Conservative oxygen therapy in mechanically ventilated patients following cardiac arrest: A retrospective nested cohort study.

Background: In mechanically ventilated (MV) cardiac arrest (CA) survivors admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) avoidance of hypoxia is considered crucial. However, avoidance of hyperoxia may also be important. A conservative approach to oxygen therapy may reduce exposure to both.

Epidemiology of early Rapid Response Team activation after Emergency Department admission.

Background: Rapid Response Team (RRT) calls can often occur within 24h of hospital admission to a general ward. We seek to determine whether it is possible to identify these patients before there is a significant clinical deterioration.

Methods: Retrospective case-controlled study comparing patient characteristics, vital signs, and hospital outcomes in patients triggering RRT activation within 24h of ED admission (cases) with matched ED admissions not receiving a RRT call (controls).

Antecedents to cardiac arrests in a teaching hospital intensive care unit.

Background: In hospital cardiac arrests (CA) treated with cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outside of the intensive care unit (ICU) have poor outcomes. Most are preceded by deranged vital signs. There are, however, limited studies assessing antecedents to CAs inside the ICU.