44 research outputs found
Plasma levels of surfactant protein D and KL-6 for evaluation of lung injury in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients
No full textAbstract Background Preventing ventilator-associated lung injury (VALI) has become pivotal in mechanical ventilation of patients with acute lung injury (ALI) or its more severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In the present study we investigated whether plasma levels of lung-specific biological markers can be used to evaluate lung injury in patients with ALI/ARDS and patients without lung injury at onset of mechanical ventilation. Methods Plasma levels of surfactant protein D (SP-D), Clara Cell protein (CC16), KL-6 and soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE) were measured in plasma samples obtained from 36 patients - 16 patients who were intubated and mechanically ventilated because of ALI/ARDS and 20 patients without lung injury at the onset of mechanical ventilation and during conduct of the study. Patients were ventilated with either a lung-protective strategy using lower tidal volumes or a potentially injurious strategy using conventional tidal volumes. Levels of biological markers were measured retrospectively at baseline and after 2 days of mechanical ventilation. Results Plasma levels of CC16 and KL-6 were higher in ALI/ARDS patients at baseline as compared to patients without lung injury. SP-D and sRAGE levels were not significantly different between these patients. In ALI/ARDS patients, SP-D and KL-6 levels increased over time, which was attenuated by lung-protective mechanical ventilation using lower tidal volumes (P = 0.02 for both biological markers). In these patients, with either ventilation strategy no changes over time were observed for plasma levels of CC16 and sRAGE. In patients without lung injury, no changes of plasma levels of any of the measured biological markers were observed. Conclusion Plasma levels of SP-D and KL-6 rise with potentially injurious ventilator settings, and thus may serve as biological markers of VALI in patients with ALI/ARDS.</p
Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 is not a sufficient biological marker for infection of the urinary tract
No full textVentilator-associated pneumonia prevention: WHAP, positive end-expiratory pressure, or both?
No full textEnteral Vancomycin to Eliminate MRSA Carriership of the Digestive Tract in Critically Ill Patients
No full textBackground: Carriership with methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a risk for the development of secondary infections in critically ill patients. Previous studies suggest that enteral vancomycin is able to eliminate enteral carriership with MRSA. Data on individual effects of this treatment are lacking. Methods: Retrospective analysis of a database containing 15 year data of consecutive patients from a mixed medical-(cardio)surgical 18 bedded intensive care unit was conducted. All consecutive critically ill patients with enteral MRSA carriership detected in throat and/or rectal samples were collected. We analyzed those with follow-up cultures to determine the success rate of enteral vancomycin. Topical application of 2% vancomycin in a sticky oral paste was performed combined with a vancomycin solution of 500 mg four times daily in the nasogastric tube. This treatment was added to a regimen of selective digestive tract decontamination (SDD) to prevent ICU acquired infection. Results: Thirteen patients were included. The mean age was 65 years and the median APACHE II score was 21. MRSA was present in the throat in 8 patients and in both throat and rectum in 5 patients. In all patients MRSA was successfully eliminated from both throat and rectum, which took 2–11 days with a median duration until decontamination of 4 days. Secondary infections with MRSA did not occur. Conclusions: Topical treatment with vancomycin in a 2% sticky oral paste four times daily in the nasogastric tube was effective in all patients in the elimination of MRSA and prevented secondary MRSA infections
SuPAR in pleural fluid may function as a biological marker for infection in critically ill patients with pleural effusions
No full textEffect of a Low vs Intermediate Tidal Volume Strategy on Ventilator-Free Days in Intensive Care Unit Patients Without ARDS: A Randomized Clinical Trial
No full textImportance: It remains uncertain whether invasive ventilation should use low tidal volumes in critically ill patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Objective: To determine whether a low tidal volume ventilation strategy is more effective than an intermediate tidal volume strategy. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized clinical trial, conducted from September 1, 2014, through August 20, 2017, including patients without ARDS expected to not be extubated within 24 hours after start of ventilation from 6 intensive care units in the Netherlands. Interventions: Invasive ventilation using low tidal volumes (n = 477) or intermediate tidal volumes (n = 484). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the number of ventilator-free days and alive at day 28. Secondary outcomes included length of ICU and hospital stay; ICU, hospital, and 28- and 90-day mortality; and development of ARDS, pneumonia, severe atelectasis, or pneumothorax. Results: In total, 961 patients (65% male), with a median age of 68 years (interquartile range [IQR], 59-76), were enrolled. At day 28, 475 patients in the low tidal volume group had a median of 21 ventilator-free days (IQR, 0-26), and 480 patients in the intermediate tidal volume group had a median of 21 ventilator-free days (IQR, 0-26) (mean difference, -0.27 [95% CI, -1.74 to 1.19]; P =.71). There was no significant difference in ICU (median, 6 vs 6 days; 0.39 [-1.09 to 1.89]; P =.58) and hospital (median, 14 vs 15 days; -0.60 [-3.52 to 2.31]; P =.68) length of stay or 28-day (34.9% vs 32.1%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.12 [0.90 to 1.40]; P =.30) and 90-day (39.1% vs 37.8%; HR, 1.07 [0.87 to 1.31]; P =.54) mortality. There was no significant difference in the percentage of patients developing the following adverse events: ARDS (3.8% vs 5.0%; risk ratio [RR], 0.86 [0.59 to 1.24]; P =.38), pneumonia (4.2% vs 3.7%; RR, 1.07 [0.78 to 1.47]; P =.67), severe atelectasis (11.4% vs 11.2%; RR, 1.00 [0.81 to 1.23]; P =.94), and pneumothorax (1.8% vs 1.3%; RR, 1.16 [0.73 to 1.84]; P =.55). Conclusions and Relevance: In patients in the ICU without ARDS who were expected not to be extubated within 24 hours of randomization, a low tidal volume strategy did not result in a greater number of ventilator-free days than an intermediate tidal volume strategy. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02153294
Selective Decontamination of the Digestive Tract and Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation
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