View clinical trials related to Critical Illness.
Filter by:Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone produced in the kidney. Its function is to stimulate the production of red cells in the bone marrow. The purpose of this research study is to demonstrate that the administration EPO to critically ill subjects in the intensive care unit (ICU) reduces the number of patients requiring red blood cell (RBC) transfusion as compared with placebo (a liquid without active medicine).
This study will evaluate whether a program of systematic oral care can help prevent hospital-acquired respiratory infections in patients in intensive care units. Such infections occur five times more often in critically ill patients compared with patients in general hospital wards and result in longer hospital stays and an increased risk of death. The rate of respiratory infection among critically ill patients correlates strongly with the presence of disease-causing bacteria in the mucosal areas of the mouth, gums, and teeth, indicating that assiduous oral care is especially important in this patient population. This study will compare a program of meticulous oral care using oral assessments taught by a dentist and dental hygienist with the standard care typically given in intensive care units. Critically ill patients 18 years of age and older who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit for 3 or more days and whose oral hygiene is dependent on hospital care providers may be eligible for this study. Patients will be recruited from intensive care units at four Washington, D.C., area hospitals - Suburban Hospital, Washington Hospital Center, Inova Fairfax Hospital, and Winchester Medical Center. Participants will have their lips, mouth, gums, teeth, and saliva examined several times a day to determine their optimum oral care. They will receive standard care, such as flossing, brushing, rinsing with a mouthwash, and possibly use of an antiseptic spray that prevents bacteria from clinging to the teeth. Small samples of saliva (less than one-fourth of a teaspoon) and dental plaque will be collected the day the patient is admitted to the intensive care unit and again on days 3 and 5 of their stay in the unit. The saliva sample is collected with a small suction tube placed in the corner of the mouth; the plaque specimen is collected by gliding a tiny piece of paper over the surface of a front tooth. The samples will be examined for any bacteria not normally found in saliva.
OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the total energy expenditure in term and preterm infants in both well and ill states using the doubly labeled water method.