Articles

Achieving the earliest possible reperfusion in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a current overview

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Appropriate management of ACS will lead to a lower incidence of cardiac arrest. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ...

Authors: Takahiro Nakashima and Yoshio Tahara

Leukadherin-1 ameliorates endothelial barrier damage mediated by neutrophils from critically ill patients

Multi-organ failure occurs during critical illness and is mediated in part by destructive neutrophil-to-endothelial interactions. The β2 integrin receptor, CR3 (complement receptor 3; Mac-1; CD11b/CD18), which...

Authors: Catherine M. Dickinson, Brian W. LeBlanc, Muhammad M. Edhi, Daithi S. Heffernan, Mohd. Hafeez Faridi, Vineet Gupta, William G. Cioffi, Xian O’Brien and Jonathan S. Reichner

Regional overdistension during prone positioning in a patient with acute respiratory failure who was ventilated with a low tidal volume: a case report

Prone positioning may provide a uniform distribution of transpulmonary pressure and contribute to prevent ventilator-induced lung injury. However, despite moderate positive end-expiratory pressure and low tida...

Authors: Toru Kotani, Masanori Hanaoka, Shinya Hirahara, Hisashi Yamanaka, Eckhard Teschner and Atsuko Shono

Towards the second stage—Journal of Intensive Care

Authors: Hiroshi Morisaki

Seizure prophylaxis in the neuroscience intensive care unit

Seizures are a considerable complication in critically ill patients. Their incidence is significantly high in neurosciences intensive care unit patients. Seizure prophylaxis with anti-epileptic drugs is a comm...

Authors: Sushma Yerram, Nakul Katyal, Keerthivaas Premkumar, Premkumar Nattanmai and Christopher R. Newey

Management of patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism: a narrative review

High-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disorder associated with high mortality and morbidity. Most deaths in patients with shock occur within the first few hours after presentation, and rapid ...

Authors: Takeshi Yamamoto

Management of acute aortic dissection and thoracic aortic rupture

Both acute aortic dissection and ruptured aortic aneurysm are leading causes of death in cardiovascular disease. These life-threatening conditions have recently been categorized as acute aortic syndrome. This ...

Authors: Toshihiro Fukui

Predictors associated with unplanned hospital readmission of medical and surgical intensive care unit survivors within 30 days of discharge

Reducing the 30-day unplanned hospital readmission rate is a goal for physicians and policymakers in order to improve quality of care. However, data on the readmission rate of critically ill patients in Japan ...

Authors: Tetsu Ohnuma, Daisuke Shinjo, Alan M. Brookhart and Kiyohide Fushimi

Effect of norepinephrine dosage on mortality in patients with septic shock

Use of high-dose norepinephrine is thought to have an immunosuppressive action that increases mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between norepinephrine dosage and prognosis of patients wit...

Authors: Hitoshi Yamamura, Yu Kawazoe, Kyohei Miyamoto, Tomonori Yamamoto, Yoshinori Ohta and Takeshi Morimoto

Intravenous immunoglobulin fails to improve ARDS in patients undergoing ECMO therapy

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high mortality rates. ARDS patients suffer from severe hypoxemia, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy may be necessary to ensure...

Authors: Stefanie Prohaska, Andrea Schirner, Albina Bashota, Andreas Körner, Gunnar Blumenstock and Helene A. Haeberle

The safety of a novel early mobilization protocol conducted by ICU physicians: a prospective observational study

There are numerous barriers to early mobilization (EM) in a resource-limited intensive care unit (ICU) without a specialized team or an EM culture, regarding patient stability while critically ill or in the pr...

Authors: Keibun Liu, Takayuki Ogura, Kunihiko Takahashi, Mitsunobu Nakamura, Hiroaki Ohtake, Kenji Fujiduka, Emi Abe, Hitoshi Oosaki, Dai Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Mitsuaki Nishikimi, Alan Kawarai Lefor and Takashi Mato

Utility of SOFA score, management and outcomes of sepsis in Southeast Asia: a multinational multicenter prospective observational study

Sepsis is a global threat but insufficiently studied in Southeast Asia. The objective was to evaluate management, outcomes, adherence to sepsis bundles, and mortality prediction of maximum Sequential Organ Fai...

Authors: Khie Chen Lie, Chuen-Yen Lau, Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, T. Eoin West and Direk Limmathurotsakul

Long-term recovery following critical illness in an Australian cohort

Almost all data on 5-year outcomes for critical care survivors come from North America and Europe. The aim of this study was to investigate long-term mortality, physical function, psychological outcomes and he...

Authors: Kimberley J. Haines, Sue Berney, Stephen Warrillow and Linda Denehy

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2016 (J-SSCG 2016)

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2016 (J-SSCG 2016), a Japanese-specific set of clinical practice guidelines for sepsis and septic shock created jointly by th...

Authors: Osamu Nishida, Hiroshi Ogura, Moritoki Egi, Seitaro Fujishima, Yoshiro Hayashi, Toshiaki Iba, Hitoshi Imaizumi, Shigeaki Inoue, Yasuyuki Kakihana, Joji Kotani, Shigeki Kushimoto, Yoshiki Masuda, Naoyuki Matsuda, Asako Matsushima, Taka-aki Nakada, Satoshi Nakagawa…

Use of diaphragm thickening fraction combined with rapid shallow breathing index for predicting success of weaning from mechanical ventilator in medical patients

Weaning failure is a crucial hindrance in critically ill patients. Rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI), a well-known weaning index, has some limitations in predicting weaning outcomes. A new weaning index usi...

Authors: Pattarin Pirompanich and Sasithon Romsaiyut

Clinical outcomes of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction requiring the intensive care unit

Outcomes for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction continue to improve, largely due to timely provision of reperfusion by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). However, despite ...

Authors: Ken Parhar, Victoria Millar, Vasileios Zochios, Emilia Bruton, Catherine Jaworksi, Nick West and Alain Vuylsteke

Barriers and facilitators to early rehabilitation in mechanically ventilated patients—a theory-driven interview study

Despite a supportive evidence base and a push to implement, the uptake of early rehabilitation in critical care has been inconsistent. The objective of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators to ea...

Authors: Shannon L. Goddard, Fabiana Lorencatto, Ellen Koo, Louise Rose, Eddy Fan, Michelle E. Kho, Dale M. Needham, Gordon D. Rubenfeld, Jill J. Francis and Brian H. Cuthbertson

Predicting contrast-induced nephropathy after CT pulmonary angiography in the critically ill: a retrospective cohort study

It is uncertain whether we can predict contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). This study compared the ability of a validated CIN prediction score with the Pulmonary Embolism ...

Authors: Kwok M. Ho and Yusrah Harahsheh

The impact of sepsis, delirium, and psychological distress on self-rated cognitive function in ICU survivors—a prospective cohort study

Many intensive care unit (ICU) survivors develop psychological problems and cognitive impairment. The relation between sepsis, delirium, and later cognitive problems is not fully elucidated, and the impact of ...

Authors: Emily Brück, Anna Schandl, Matteo Bottai and Peter Sackey

Early versus late tracheostomy after decompressive craniectomy for stroke

Stroke patients requiring decompressive craniectomy are at high risk of prolonged mechanical ventilation and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Tracheostomy placement may reduce the duration of mechanical ...

Authors: Michael P. Catalino, Feng-Chang Lin, Nathan Davis, Keith Anderson, Casey Olm-Shipman and J. Dedrick Jordan

Consideration of pain felt by patients in the ICU

Patients in the ICU are often treated under extreme conditions, with the patient often fearful of losing his life or experiencing severe pain. As a result, high-quality pain management is required. However, re...

Authors: Ryuichi Hasegawa

Evolved role of the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CICU)

Cardiovascular intensive care refers to special systemic management for the patients with severe cardiovascular disease (CVD), which consists of heart disease and vascular disease. CVD is one of the leading ca...

Authors: Shunji Kasaoka

Presence of chest tubes does not affect the hemodynamic efficacy of standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation

During cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), chest tubes can hinder increases in intrathoracic pressure by venting the pressure during chest compressions, thus reducing the blood flow generated by the thoracic ...

Authors: Gu Hyun Kang, Hyun Youk, Kyoung Chul Cha, Yoonsuk Lee, Hyung Il Kim, Yong Sung Cha, Oh Hyun Kim, Hyun Kim, Kang Hyun Lee and Sung Oh Hwang

Lithium: one drug, five complications

Lithium poisoning could trigger multiple complications. We report the case of a lithium poisoning with five complications that are described for the first time together.

Authors: Jeremy Zaworski, Pierre-Yves Delannoy, Nicolas Boussekey, Damien Thellier, Hugues Georges and Olivier Leroy

Ventilator-associated respiratory infection in a resource-restricted setting: impact and etiology

Ventilator-associated respiratory infection (VARI) is a significant problem in resource-restricted intensive care units (ICUs), but differences in casemix and etiology means VARI in resource-restricted ICUs ma...

Authors: Vu Dinh Phu, Behzad Nadjm, Nguyen Hoang Anh Duy, Dao Xuan Co, Nguyen Thi Hoang Mai, Dao Tuyet Trinh, James Campbell, Dong Phu Khiem, Tran Ngoc Quang, Huynh Thi Loan, Ha Son Binh, Quynh-Dao Dinh, Duong Bich Thuy, Huong Nguyen Phu Lan, Nguyen Hong Ha, Ana Bonell…

Response of letter to the editor on Procalcitonin: a promising diagnostic marker for sepsis and antibiotic therapy

In a letter to the editor, Raineri SM et al. have given an insight of another dimension of procalcitonin (PCT) use as a diagnostic tool in invasive candidiasis. But based on our preliminary information, PCT is...

Authors: R. Saikant, Shilpa Ravindran, Ashitha Vijayan, Vani Maya, S. Lakshmi, R. Kartik and Manoj G.

Contribution to diagnosis and treatment of bone marrow aspirate results in critically ill patients undergoing bone marrow aspiration: a retrospective study of 193 consecutive patients

The purpose of the work was to assess the contribution to diagnosis and/or treatment (CDT) of bone marrow aspiration (BMA) in the critically ill patient.

Authors: Laure Calvet, Bruno Pereira, Anne-Françoise Sapin, Gabrielle Mareynat, Alexandre Lautrette and Bertrand Souweine

Monitoring diaphragm function in a patient with myasthenia gravis: electrical activity of the diaphragm vs. maximal inspiratory pressure

Maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) is used to assess respiratory muscle strength of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) requiring ventilatory support. Electrical activity of the diaphragm (E-di) has been used...

Authors: Yukiko Koyama, Takeshi Yoshida, Akinori Uchiyama and Yuji Fujino

Time to re-think the use of dobutamine in sepsis

Dobutamine is commonly used worldwide and included in the protocol for early goal-directed therapy (EGDT). Since the use of dobutamine in EGDT was reported, it has been considered to be an important component,...

Authors: Ryota Sato and Michitaka Nasu

Use of wearable devices for post-discharge monitoring of ICU patients: a feasibility study

Wearable devices generate signals detecting activity, sleep, and heart rate, all of which could enable detailed and near-continuous characterization of recovery following critical illness.

Authors: Ryan R. Kroll, Erica D. McKenzie, J. Gordon Boyd, Prameet Sheth, Daniel Howes, Michael Wood and David M. Maslove

Single measurement of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in sepsis: is it useful for evaluating the severity or prognosis of sepsis?

Authors: Kansuke Koyama and Shin Nunomiya

Diaphragm thickening fraction to predict weaning—a prospective exploratory study

Diaphragm ultrasound (DUS) is a well-established point of care modality for assessment of dimensional and functional aspects of the diaphragm. Amongst various measures, diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTf) is ...

Authors: Sujay Samanta, Ratender Kumar Singh, Arvind K. Baronia, Banani Poddar, Afzal Azim and Mohan Gurjar

Usefulness of central venous saturation as a predictor of thiamine deficiency in critically ill patients: a case report

Central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO₂) reflects the balance of oxygen delivery and consumption. Low ScvO₂ indicates the presence of inadequate oxygen delivery, while high ScvO₂ indicates reduced oxygen consumpt...

Authors: Genri Numata, Satoshi Kodera, Hiroyuki Kiriyama, Atsuko Nakayama, Eisuke Amiya, Arihiro Kiyosue, Masaru Hatano, Eiki Takimoto, Masafumi Watanabe and Issei Komuro

Metformin therapy and postoperative atrial fibrillation in diabetic patients after cardiac surgery

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) commonly occurs in cardiac surgery patients. Studies suggest inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to postoperative AF development in this patient population. Metf...

Authors: Suresh Basnet, Andrzej Kozikowski, Haiyan Sun, Melissa Troup, Luis E. Urrutia and Renee Pekmezaris

Hospital resuscitation teams: a review of the risks to the healthcare worker

“Code blue” events and related resuscitation efforts involve multidisciplinary bedside teams that implement specialized interventions aimed at patient revival. Activities include performing effective chest com...

Authors: Stephen M. Vindigni, Juan N. Lessing and David J. Carlbom

Procalcitonin for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis: what is the evidence?

Procalcitonin is a widely used marker for the evaluation of infection and sepsis and to guide antibiotic therapy. During the last decade, several studies evaluated its role and diagnostic performance as a surr...

Authors: Santi Maurizio Raineri, Andrea Cortegiani, Filippo Vitale, Pasquale Iozzo and Antonino Giarratano

Practical approach to detection and management of acute kidney injury in critically ill patient

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in critically ill patients and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. This paper provides a critical review of the etiologies of AKI and a systemati...

Authors: Vahid Mohsenin

Clinical significance of measuring plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in sepsis

Disseminated thrombotic process in the microcirculation is considered to be an important cause of multiple organ dysfunction in sepsis. The fundamental purpose of this prothrombotic change was believed to be i...

Authors: Toshiaki Iba and Jecko Thachil

A simple and fast ultrasonographic method of detecting enteral feeding tube placement in mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients

Abdominal X-rays, the diagnostic method for enteral feeding tube (EFT) positioning, are a source of irradiation for the patients and carry a potential risk of adverse effects. Data related to ultrasound (US)-g...

Authors: Wagner Luis Nedel, Mariana Nunes Ferreira Jost and João Wilney Franco Filho

Transition from intravenous to enteral ketamine for treatment of nonconvulsive status epilepticus

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is a diagnosis that is often challenging and one that may progress to refractory NCSE. Ketamine is a noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist that increasingly has be...

Authors: Michael A. Pizzi, Prasuna Kamireddi, William O. Tatum, Jerry J. Shih, Daniel A. Jackson and William D. Freeman

“Awake” ECCO₂R superseded intubation in a near-fatal asthma attack

Near-fatal asthma attacks are life threatening events that often require mechanical ventilation. Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO₂R) is, beside extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a well-establ...

Authors: Thomas-Michael Schneider, Tibor Bence and Franz Brettner

Interruption of enteral nutrition in the intensive care unit: a single-center survey

Interruption of enteral nutrition (EN) in the intensive care unit (ICU) occurs frequently for various reasons including feeding intolerance and the conduct of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. However, fe...

Authors: Midori Uozumi, Masamitsu Sanui, Tetsuya Komuro, Yusuke Iizuka, Tadashi Kamio, Hiroshi Koyama, Hideyuki Mouri, Tomoyuki Masuyama, Kazuyuki Ono and Alan Kawarai Lefor

Procalcitonin: a promising diagnostic marker for sepsis and antibiotic therapy

Sepsis is a global healthcare problem, characterized by whole body inflammation in response to microbial infection, which leads to organ dysfunction. It is becoming a frequent complication in hospitalized pati...

Authors: Ashitha L. Vijayan, Vanimaya, Shilpa Ravindran, R. Saikant, S. Lakshmi, R. Kartik and Manoj. G

The clinical practice guideline for the management of ARDS in Japan

The Japanese Society of Respiratory Care Medicine and the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine provide here a clinical practice guideline for the management of adult patients with ARDS in the ICU.

Authors: Satoru Hashimoto, Masamitsu Sanui, Moritoki Egi, Shinichiro Ohshimo, Junji Shiotsuka, Ryutaro Seo, Ryoma Tanaka, Yu Tanaka, Yasuhiro Norisue, Yoshiro Hayashi and Eishu Nango

AKI after pediatric cardiac surgery for congenital heart diseases–recent developments in diagnostic criteria and early diagnosis by biomarkers-

Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery in children with congenital heart disease is a common complication. AKI is also associated with high morbidity and mortality. The Kidney Diseases Improving Globa...

Authors: Yuichiro Toda and Kentaro Sugimoto

Current status of pediatric transplantation in Japan

Brain-dead donor organ transplantation has been available to children in Japan since the 2010 revision of the Organ Transplant Law. Of the 50–60 brain-dead donor organ transplants performed annually in Japan, ...

Authors: Nao Nishimura, Mureo Kasahara, Kenji Ishikura and Satoshi Nakagawa

Update on pediatric sepsis: a review

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of mortality among children worldwide. Unfortunately, however, reliable evidence was insufficient in pediatric sepsis and many aspects in clinical practice actually depend o...

Authors: Tatsuya Kawasaki

AN69ST membranes adsorb nafamostat mesylate and affect the management of anticoagulant therapy: a retrospective study

In Japan, nafamostat mesylate (NM) is frequently used as an anticoagulant during continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). The dialyzer membrane AN69ST has been reported to adsorb NM and affect the manageme...

Authors: Takahiro Hirayama, Nobuyuki Nosaka, Yasumasa Okawa, Soichiro Ushio, Yoshihisa Kitamura, Toshiaki Sendo, Toyomu Ugawa and Atsunori Nakao

Impact of a sepsis bundle in wards of a tertiary hospital

Sepsis is a prevalent disease worldwide and still exhibits high rates of mortality. In the last years, many interventions aiming a positive impact on sepsis evolution have been studied. One of the main is the ...

Authors: F. Teles, W. G. Rodrigues, M. G. T. C. Alves, C. F. T. Albuquerque, S. M. O. Bastos, M. F. A. Mota, E. S. Mota and F. J. L. Silva

Factors associated with increased pancreatic enzymes in septic patients: a prospective study

The perfusion of splanchnic organs is deeply altered in patients with septic shock. The aim of the study is to identify the predictive factors of septic shock-induced increase of serum lipase and amylase and t...

Authors: Anis Chaari, Karim Abdel Hakim, Nevine Rashed, Kamel Bousselmi, Vipin Kauts, Mahmoud Etman and William Francis Casey