In 1818, James Blundell performed the first successful human blood transfusion in a woman with postpartum hemorrhage. Nearly 200 years later, about 15 million red blood cell (RBC) units are transfused annually in the United States. Many of these transfusions occur in the intensive care unit (ICU), where up to 30-50% of patients are transfused. Despite the frequency of RBC transfusions, there is little evidence that transfusions benefit patients.
Arbovirus infections, including Zika, are currently a prominent cause of febrile illness in Pacific Islands nations.
In a retrospective cohort study, elderly patients who were prescribed calcium-channel blockers (CCBs) with clarithromycin were at increased risk for developing acute kidney injury.
Since the first vaccine was introduced in 2006, vaccine-type HPV prevalence among this population of young women has decreased by 56%.
Active, daily communication between infectious disease and critical care practitioners significantly reduced antibiotic overuse without increasing mortality.
Influenza virus infection in severely immunocompromised patients is associated with reduced initial symptoms, but increased risk of severe outcomes. Treatment options with good supportive evidence are limited.