Hypothermia induced by continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration as a treatment for adult respiratory distress syndrome: a case report.
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Hemofiltration↗
Biomedical subjects
L Gentilello
Publications and source records attributed to L Gentilello.
Optimal therapy for stress gastritis.
OBJECTIVE: The authors compared the results of sucralfate versus H2 blocker +/- antacid as prophylaxis for stress ulceration in an intensive care unit patient population. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Stress ulceration carries high morbidity and mortality for the patient who is critically ill. Gastric acid neutralization is an effective prophylaxis. The impact of increased gastric colonization with bacterial pathogens on nosocomial pneumonia after acid neutralization is unclear. The efficacy of sucralfate prophylaxis for stress ulceration and its the effect on the nosocomial pneumonia rate is controversial. The financial implications of sucralfate prophylaxis versus H2 blocker-based acid neutralization therapy has not been studied. METHODS: Ninety-eight injured patients who were critically ill and who required intubation and intensive care unit (ICU) support for at least 72 hours without gastric feeding were randomized and received either maximal H2 blocker infusion therapy (continuous infusion of ranitidine at 0.25 mg/kg/hr after a loading dose of 0.5 mg/kg) plus antacids (for persistent pH < 4) or sucralfate (1 g every 6 hours via nasogastric tube) for stress ulcer prophylaxis. Efficacy in preventing stress ulcer complications was determined. The impact of each therapeutic approach on development of nosocomial pneumonia was evaluated. The charges/cost for each approach was analyzed. RESULTS: Heme-positive gastric aspirates occurred in 99% of the patients, whereas 12 (7 in the H2 blocker group and 5 in the sucralfate group) were grossly positive for blood. However, only one from each group required transfusion, and one in the H2 blocker group required operation. Gastric colonization preceded tracheobronchial colonization in five patients in the H2 blocker group and one patient in the sucralfate group; simultaneous gastric/oropharyngeal colonization preceded positive tracheobronchial growth in six patients who received H2 blocker and one patient who received sucralfate. The overall pneumonia rate was 27.5% in the H2 blocker group and 20.8% in the sucralfate group (p = 0.48). Days on ventilator were 13.5 versus 9.1, (p = 0.06), ICU lengths of stay were 14.7 versus 10.2 (p = 0.06), and hospital lengths of stay were 27.8 versus 20.0 (p = 0.029) for the H2 blocker group and sucralfate group, respectively. Based on current charges and protocols for optimal H2 blocker and sucralfate prophylaxis, use of sucralfate rather than H2 blockers would decrease the annual cost by more than $30,000 per bed. CONCLUSIONS: Sucralfate is as efficacious as maximal H2 blocker therapy for stress ulceration prophylaxis, and may have a beneficial effect on the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia. Sucralfate has a major reduction on nursing requirements for stress ulcer prophylaxis and would save approximately $30,000 per ICU bed per year in patient charges.
Adult↗
Acute posttraumatic renal failure: a multicenter perspective.
UNLABELLED: Acute renal failure (ARF) following trauma is rare. Historically, ARF has been associated with a high mortality rate. To investigate this entity we conducted a retrospective review of 72,757 admissions treated at nine regional trauma centers over a 5-year period. Seventy-eight patients (0.098%) developed acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis. Detailed demographic, clinical, and outcome data were collected. Patients with pre-existing medical conditions (group I) had a 70% increase in mortality over those without pre-existing conditions (p less than 0.004). Twenty-four patients (31%) developed ARF less than 6 days after injury (group II). The remainder (group III) developed late renal failure (mean time to first dialysis, 23 days). The predominant cause of death was multiple organ failure (82%). There were no differences in mortality because of multiple organ failure among the three groups of patients. Of the 33 survivors, six (18%) were discharged with renal insufficiency, three (9%) were discharged on dialysis, 23 (70%) were discharged home or to rehabilitation, and 27 (82%) had no significant evidence of renal insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Posttraumatic renal failure requiring hemodialysis is rare (incidence, 107 per 100,000 trauma center admissions), but the mortality rate remains high (57%). Two thirds of the cases of posttraumatic renal failure develop late and are secondary to multiple organ failure; one third of the cases of posttraumatic renal failure develop early and may result from inadequate resuscitation.
Acute Kidney Injury↗
Effect of a rotating bed on the incidence of pulmonary complications in critically ill patients.
The risk of nosocomial pneumonia and atelectasis is high among critically ill immobilized patients. We hypothesized that continuous turning on the kinetic treatment table would reduce their incidence. Sixty-five critically ill patients, immobilized because of head injury or traction, were prospectively randomized for treatment in a conventional bed (n = 38) or the kinetic treatment table (n = 27). Patients were well matched for baseline demographic and pulmonary risk factors. Patients in the conventional bed group had a higher incidence of cigarette smoking. The combined incidence of significant atelectasis or pneumonia was higher (66%) in the conventional vs. kinetic treatment table (33%) groups (p less than .01). Atelectasis, pneumonia, adult respiratory distress syndrome, requirements for ventilator treatment, for PEEP, and for an FIO2 greater than 0.50 were not significantly different, but tended to be higher in the control group. Survival and the incidence of decubitus ulcers were similar.
Adult↗