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D Benoit

Publications and source records attributed to D Benoit.

40 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The effect of tube thoracostomy on oxygenation in ICU patients.

Previous research found that in noncritically ill patients, thoracocentesis has an unpredictable effect on oxygenation, possibly due to re-expansion pulmonary edema and systemic hypotension. The authors performed a retrospective analysis to study the effect of tube thoracostomy on oxygenation in ICU patients, and the complications associated with it. The authors reviewed the charts of 58 ICU patients in whom 74 procedures were performed. Demographic data, APACHE II score, and indication for thoracocentesis were retrieved from the patient's file. The P(a)O(2)/FiO(2) ratio was calculated before, 12, 24, and 48 hours after tube thoracostomy. P(a)O(2)/FiO(2) ratios at the mentioned time intervals were compared using 1-way analysis of variances (ANOVA) with repeated measures. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with a good response to treatment. Age of the patients was 53 +/- 19.0 years (range, 17-88), APACHE II score was 21 +/- 8.3 (range, 6-38), and median length of stay was 13.5 days (interquartile range, 7-25). The volume drained during the first 24 hours was 1077 +/- 667 ml. P(a)O(2)/FiO(2) ratio was 185 +/- 79.3 before chest drainage, 197 +/- 79.1 at 12 hours, 217 +/- 88.9 at 24 hours, and 233 +/- 99.8 at 48 hours. In only 54% of the procedures, a response to therapy was present. Multivariate analysis identified a P(a)O(2)/FiO(2) below 180 to be independently associated with improvement in oxygenation. At 24 and 48 hours, the P(a)O(2)/FiO(2) ratio was significantly higher than before drainage (P <.001). There were 13 complications in 11 procedures (14.9%). The authors' results suggest that tube thoracostomy can be used as an adjunct in the treatment of selected patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure in the ICU. A low P(a)O(2)/FiO(2) seems to be a good predictor of response to therapy. However, the complication rate is considerable, especially in patients with a prolonged ICU stay.

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Invasive aspergillosis in critically ill patients: analysis of risk factors for acquisition and mortality.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate outcome in patients who develop invasive aspergillosis in the ICU, and to evaluate whether specific risk factors for the acquisition of invasive aspergillosis are associated with mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study (07/1997-12/1999) with screening of 8988 admissions. SETTING: 54-bed ICU of the 1060-bed Ghent University Hospital. PATIENTS: 38 ICU patients with invasive aspergillosis. Invasive aspergillosis was defined as proven by positive histology and tissue culture and as probable by a combination of clinical suspicion as well as microbiological and radiological data. Seventeen patients had risk factors (neutropenia, haematological malignancy, immunosuppressive therapy). In the other 21 apparently immunocompetent patients, invasive aspergillosis was a complication following ARDS, COPD, pneumonia, acute liver failure, burns, severe bacterial infection and malnutrition. MEASUREMENTS: Population characteristics and outcome were compared for patients with and without risk factors for the acquisition of invasive aspergillosis. RESULTS: Patients with risk factors had higher APACHE II scores. No difference was found between patients with and without risk factors in in-hospital mortality (82% vs. 71%; p=0.431). In patients with specific risk factors, the observed mortality was not different from the mortality as expected on basis of the APACHE II (p=0.940). In patients without risk factors the observed mortality exceeded the expected mortality (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The incidence of invasive aspergillosis in this series is 4/1000 admissions. No difference in mortality was found between patients with and without risk factors for the acquisition of invasive aspergillosis. Yet, the prognosis of the patients without risk factors seems to alter more seriously by the development of this infection.

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