View clinical trials related to Critical Illness.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a novel cleaning device in keeping silver-coated endotracheal tubes free from bacterial colonization.
This is part 2 of the #NCT01618240 under the same IRB protocol #2010P001919. The primary objective of this study is to examine factors that are related to sleep-disordered breathing and upper airway patency in critically ill patients who have been recently mechanically ventilated. Our primary hypothesize is that sedatives and neuromuscular blocking agents given in the ICU prior to extubation and during the first night following extubation are associated with sleep-disordered breathing. The secondary hypotheses are that duration of mechanical ventilation, BMI, and muscle strength are associated with sleep-disordered breathing during the night after extubation. The secondary objective is to evaluate if sleep-disordered breathing in the ICU can be predicted by standard pulmonary function testing in the ICU.
The objective of this study is to obtain the absolute bioavailability of voriconazole in critically ill ICU patients, because pharmacokinetics can be different in critically ill patients due to alterations in function of various organs and body systems compared with healthy volunteers.
Despite intermittent control of tracheal cuff pressure using a manual manometer, cuff underinflation and overinflation frequently occur in critically ill patients, resulting in increased risk for microaspiration and tracheal ischemic lesions.
A total of ninety - five patients (54men and 41women) were included in the study. Fifty-eight patients developed septic complication during ICU stay (sepsis group). Forty seven patients were critically ill without evidence of infectious organism (SIRS group). At admission, Patients data include clinical status; SOFA score; central venous pressure; laboratory analysis and arterial blood gas analysis were measured. Routine cultures were obtained. The attending physician evaluated the patients for sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock as long as their stay in ICU. Memory B cells and Heinz bodies were monitored.
The patients with sepsis are in high risk of malnutrition, which could contribute to infection, difficulty in weaning from ventilators. The investigators speculate whether nutrition therapy with high nitrogen could attenuate the malnutrition status and improve the outcome in these sepsis patients. In this prospective Randomized Controlled Trial, the investigators aim to compare high nitrogen intake with conventional nitrogen supply which were recommended in guidelines.
The hypothesis of this study is that a Ketamine / Propofol mixture will produce more stable hemodynamics as compared to Etomidate during emergent intubations in the intensive care unit. Patients that require a breathing tube to be placed in the ICU will be randomized to receIve either a Ketamine / Propofol mixture or Etomidate for sedation in order to place the breathing tube.
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is rapidly released by the ventricles of the heart in response to myocardial stretch. This cardiac neurohormone is mostly elevated in patients with fluid overload or myocardium dysfunction. BNP is a very useful and important marker. It can predict mortality and cardiac events in patients in the ICU setting. In stable hemodialysis patients with normal LV function on echocardiography, high BNP levels are likely the result of blood volume expansion and require reduction in postdialysis dry weight. In the past, there were many methods to evaluate fluid status. Some are not reliable such as central venous pressure or physical examination. Some are invasive and expensive such as Swan Ganz、PiCCO catheter or bioimpedance device. Nevertheless, About the relationship between BNP and fluid status, a study found a significant relation between bioimpedance-derived body composition (BC) (fluid distribution) parameters and BNP concentrations. This relationship was independent of the cardiac history of the patient and suggests that the natriuretic peptide levels are to some degree modifiable by changing a patient's fluid distribution. In this study, the investigators want to observe that if the level of BNP can predict the occurrence of acute kidney injury and the need of renal replacement therapy. Besides, the investigators also want to see if BNP can be a useful and convenient marker to guide adjustment of optimal fluid status and then to improve outcome.
As survival rates from critical illness improve, strategies to return patients to their baseline cognitive and functional status are important research priorities. Up to 100% of ICU survivors will suffer some degree of cognitive impairment at hospital discharge and approximately 50% will have decrements that persist for years. While the mechanisms for this newly acquired brain injury are poorly understood, several risk factors have been identified. Unfortunately, it is unclear how to accurately predict long-term cognitive impairment. Immediate opportunities to improve cognitive outcomes through risk reduction exist. The investigators propose to comprehensively study the prevalence of sleep abnormalities and their association with cognitive impairment, as it may yield potential targets for effective therapy. Moreover, the investigators will examine for gene x environment associations [APOE ε4] that may allow for genetic risk stratification of individuals at greatest risk of cognitive impairment. The investigators hypothesize that EEG [a sensitive longitudinal marker of brain dysfunction] is a novel and independent predictor of long-term cognitive impairment, and possibly a candidate intermediate end point for future clinical trials. This study has the potential to identify novel biomarkers and risk factors for post-critical illness cognitive impairment, and may lay the foundation for rational interventions to mitigate risk in high-risk individuals.
Our goal was to study the feasibility of predicting fluid responsiveness by transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (PtcO2) in the critically ill patients.