Articles

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

Unexpected intensive care transfer of admitted patients with severe sepsis

Patients with severe sepsis generally respond well to initial therapy administered in the emergency department (ED), but a subset later decompensate and require unexpected transfer to the intensive care unit (...

Authors: Gabriel Wardi, Arvin R. Wali, Julian Villar, Vaishal Tolia, Christian Tomaszewski, Christian Sloane, Peter Fedullo, Jeremy R. Beitler, Matthew Nolan, Daniel Lasoff and Rebecca E. Sell

Usefulness of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 as a predictive marker of mortality in sepsis

Sepsis is one of the most significant causes of mortality in intensive care units. It indicates crosstalk between inflammation and coagulation. In this study, we aimed to identify prognostic markers among seps...

Authors: Kota Hoshino, Taisuke Kitamura, Yoshihiko Nakamura, Yuhei Irie, Norihiko Matsumoto, Yasumasa Kawano and Hiroyasu Ishikura

The nocturnal acoustical intensity of the intensive care environment: an observational study

The intensive care unit (ICU) environment exposes patients to noise levels that may result in substantial sleep disruption. There is a need to accurately describe the intensity pattern and source of noise in t...

Authors: Lori J. Delaney, Marian J. Currie, Hsin-Chia Carol Huang, Violeta Lopez, Edward Litton and Frank Van Haren

Is polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column ineffective for septic shock? A discussion on the press release for EUPHRATES trial

The efficacy of polymyxin B-immobilized (PMX) fiber column on septic shock is still under debate. Recently, the result from “Evaluating the Use of Polymyxin B Hemoperfusion in a Randomized controlled trial of ...

Authors: Toshiaki Iba and Lucy Fowler

Argatroban for an alternative anticoagulant in HIT during ECMO

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) have become more frequently used in daily ICU practice, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a rare but life-threatening complication while on extracorporeal mem...

Authors: Alain Rougé, Felix Pelen, Michel Durand and Carole Schwebel

The practice of tracheostomy decannulation—a systematic review

Decannulation is an essential step towards liberating tracheostomized patients from mechanical ventilation. However, despite its perceived importance, there is no universally accepted protocol for this vital t...

Authors: Ratender Kumar Singh, Sai Saran and Arvind K. Baronia

Association between rapid serum sodium correction and rhabdomyolysis in water intoxication: a retrospective cohort study

Patients with water intoxication may develop rhabdomyolysis. Existing studies suggest a relationship between the serum sodium correction rate and rhabdomyolysis. The aim of the present study was to determine t...

Authors: Masahiro Kashiura, Kazuhiro Sugiyama and Yuichi Hamabe

Passive leg raising test with minimally invasive monitoring: the way forward for guiding septic shock resuscitation?

Swift and adequate fluid loading is a cornerstone of septic shock therapy. Yet, careful assessment of volume responsiveness and volume amount during the resuscitation process is a prerequisite. Both overzealou...

Authors: Patrick M. Honore and Herbert D. Spapen

Physiological impact of high-flow nasal cannula therapy on postextubation acute respiratory failure after pediatric cardiac surgery: a prospective observational study

Reintubation after pediatric cardiac surgery is associated with a high rate of mortality. Therefore, adequate respiratory support for postextubation acute respiratory failure (ARF) is important. However, littl...

Authors: Naohiro Shioji, Tatsuo Iwasaki, Tomoyuki Kanazawa, Kazuyoshi Shimizu, Tomohiko Suemori, Kentaro Sugimoto, Yasutoshi Kuroe and Hiroshi Morimatsu

Predicting the Need for Fluid Therapy—Does Fluid Responsiveness Work?

Fluid overdose can be harmful in critically ill patients. Since central venous pressure (CVP) is currently considered to be an inappropriate indicator of preload, much attention is being given to predicting fl...

Authors: Hiroshi Ueyama and Sawami Kiyonaka

Evaluation of cough peak expiratory flow as a predictor of successful mechanical ventilation discontinuation: a narrative review of the literature

A crucial step in the transition from mechanical ventilation to extubation is the successful performance of a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT). The American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Guidelines recom...

Authors: Chuan Jiang, Antonio Esquinas and Bushra Mina

The application of anticoagulant therapy to sepsis

Since the withdrawal of recombinant-activated protein C, the anticoagulant therapy for sepsis was taken no notice. For instance, the international sepsis guidelines did not share a space for this therapy. Howe...

Authors: Jecko Thachil and Toshiaki Iba

The role of contact system in septic shock: the next target? An overview of the current evidence

Septic shock remains challenging to intensive care units worldwide, despite recent documented improvement in mortality over the years. Multiple new therapies have been attempted without success in large clinic...

Authors: Henrique Nicola

Complex effects of high-flow nasal cannula therapy on hemodynamics in the pediatric patient after cardiac surgery

The high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) system has been widely used for children in various clinical settings. However, the physiological and clinical impact of HFNC therapy on the pediatric patient with respirator...

Authors: Yu Inata and Muneyuki Takeuchi

Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase in cardiosurgical patients with postoperative delirium

Patients in intensive care units (ICU) are often diagnosed with postoperative delirium; the duration of which has a relevant negative impact on various clinical outcomes. Recent research found a potentially im...

Authors: Mira John, E. Wesley Ely, Dorothee Halfkann, Julika Schoen, Beate Sedemund-Adib, Stefan Klotz, Finn Radtke, Sebastian Stehr and Michael Hueppe

Association between recurrence of acute kidney injury and mortality in intensive care unit patients with severe sepsis

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in more than half critically ill patients admitted in intensive care units (ICU) and increases the mortality risk. The main cause of AKI in ICU is sepsis. AKI severity and othe...

Authors: Emilio Rodrigo, Borja Suberviola, Miguel Santibáñez, Lara Belmar, Álvaro Castellanos, Milagros Heras, Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Borregán, Angel Luis Martín de Francisco and Claudio Ronco

Predictors of intracranial hemorrhage in adult patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: an observational cohort study

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a recognized complication of adults treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, the predictors of...

Authors: Alexander Fletcher Sandersjöö, Jiri Bartek Jr., Eric Peter Thelin, Anders Eriksson, Adrian Elmi-Terander, Mikael Broman and Bo-Michael Bellander

Comparison of the clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary versus secondary acute gastrointestinal injury in critically ill patients

This prospective study compared clinical characteristics and prognosis between primary (P) and secondary (S) acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) (P-AGI)/(S-AGI) in critically ill patients.

Authors: Dong Zhang, Rao Fu, Yanhua Li, Hongyan Li, Yuting Li and Hongxiang Li

C-terminal proendothelin-1 (CT-proET-1) is associated with organ failure and predicts mortality in critically ill patients

Endothelin 1 (ET-1) is a strong vasoconstrictor, which is involved in inflammation and reduced tissue perfusion. C-terminal proendothelin-1 (CT-proET-1) is the stable circulating precursor protein of ET-1. We ...

Authors: Lukas Buendgens, Eray Yagmur, Jan Bruensing, Ulf Herbers, Christer Baeck, Christian Trautwein, Alexander Koch and Frank Tacke

Perfusion indices revisited

Monitoring of tissue perfusion is an essential step in the management of acute circulatory failure. The presence of cellular dysfunction has been a basic component of shock definition even in the absence of hy...

Authors: Ahmed Hasanin, Ahmed Mukhtar and Heba Nassar

Are you Ernest Shackleton, the polar explorer? Refining the criteria for delirium and brain dysfunction in sepsis

The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock has recently defined sepsis as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Organ dysfunct...

Authors: Frank Anthony Rasulo, Giuseppe Bellelli, Eugene Wesley Ely, Alessandro Morandi, Pratik Pandharipande and Nicola Latronico

Sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction and β-adrenergic blockade therapy for sepsis

Despite recent advances in medical care, mortality due to sepsis, defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, remains high. Fluid resuscitation and vasopr...

Authors: Takeshi Suzuki, Yuta Suzuki, Jun Okuda, Takuya Kurazumi, Tomohiro Suhara, Tomomi Ueda, Hiromasa Nagata and Hiroshi Morisaki

Combined inhibition of C5 and CD14 efficiently attenuated the inflammatory response in a porcine model of meningococcal sepsis

Fulminant meningococcal sepsis, characterized by overwhelming innate immune activation, mostly affects young people and causes high mortality. This study aimed to investigate the effect of targeting two key mo...

Authors: Bernt C. Hellerud, Hilde L. Orrem, Knut Dybwik, Søren E. Pischke, Andreas Baratt-Due, Albert Castellheim, Hilde Fure, Grethe Bergseth, Dorte Christiansen, Miles A. Nunn, Terje Espevik, Corinna Lau, Petter Brandtzæg, Erik W. Nielsen and Tom E. Mollnes

The relationship between cerebral regional oxygen saturation during extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the neurological outcome in a retrospective analysis of 16 cases

In recent years, the measurement of cerebral regional oxygen saturation (rSO₂) during resuscitation has attracted attention. The objective of this study was to clarify the relationship between the serial changes ...

Authors: Naoki Ehara, Tomoya Hirose, Tadahiko Shiozaki, Akinori Wakai, Tetsuro Nishimura, Nobuto Mori, Mitsuo Ohnishi, Daikai Sadamitsu and Takeshi Shimazu