-
The term thrombocytopenia refers to platelet counts < 150,000/microL, with severe thrombocytopenia defined as a count < 50,000/microL.
-
Mean daily doses of up to 40 mg of prednisone equivalents and lengthy ICU stays were associated with impaired physical outcomes in patients who survived acute lung injury.
-
In this retrospective study of extubation outcomes in five ICUs at a single medical center, patients extubated at night had no increase in adverse events and their mortality rates and lengths of ICU stay were lower.
-
After caring for patients with Clostridium difficile infection, nearly 25% of health care workers were found to have hand contamination with C. difficile spores.
-
In this prospective study of older ICU patients (mean age, 67 years), frailty as assessed by a simple scale was present in one-third and was strongly associated with increased risk of adverse events, morbidity, and mortality.
-
In this large observational study in four hospitals with a standardized rapid response system, among patients with an initial team activation who were not immediately transferred to the ICU, those with one or more additional activations during the hospitalization were more likely to need ICU care and had both longer hospital stays and higher mortality.
-
Hospital-based infection surveillance experts nationwide participated in a survey to access the level of agreement in diagnosing ventilator-associated pneumonia by evaluating six identical case studies. The level of agreement between participants was poor.
-
This pilot study reports that dexmedetomidine might be the sedative of choice for less ill mechanically ventilated ICU patients who take antidepressant medications at home.
