View clinical trials related to Critical Illness.
Filter by:Enteral nutrition (EN) is the first choice route for nutritional support in ICU patients with a functioning digestive tract. Nevertheless, EN alone is often associated with digestive intolerance, including diarrhoea. In case of diarrhoea, EN is often reduced or discontinued, resulting in insufficient energy and protein intakes and increase complications rate in ICU patients. Diarrhoea is more frequent in ICU patients receiving EN that in those without EN or on Parenteral nutrition (PN). This difference is likely to be related to the level of EN administration needed to optimize the coverage of nutritional needs at a time when the gut has reduced absorptive capacity. Diarrhoea is suspected to have a negative economic impact on global cost, because the management of patients with diarrhoea is time-consuming for the nurses and all medical staff, it requires investigations (water and electrolytes balances, microbiology investigations, etc.) and treatments (anti-diarrhoeal drugs, antibiotics, etc). However, the economic impact of diarrhoea related to EN or the combination of EN and PN has never been evaluated in the ICU setting.
The central venous catheterization (central line placement) is the common procedure performed in the intensive care unit. This procedure is performed by percutaneous puncture of so called 'the central vein' and than advancement of the catheter over the guidewire (Seldinger technique). The tip of the catheter is left in the superior vena cava in the vicinity of the right atrium of the heart. Central veins are large veins in the human body passing the blood into the heart. Typical, clinical indications for the central line placement in the intensive care unit are hemodynamic monitoring, volume monitoring, administration of medications, long-term total parenteral nutrition, access for renal replacement therapy, difficult peripheral catheterization. There are two methods of the central venous catheterization in terms of visualization. First and older is the blind technique. The operator is locating the anatomical landmarks and then performing the entire procedure blindly by percutaneous puncture. This is called the landmark technique. Second and new is the ultrasound-guided technique. The operator is locating the vein using ultrasonography and then performing the entire procedure under ultrasonographic visualization. The real time ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization became the standard of care in recent years mainly because of safety issues (is regarded as safer than landmark technique) The catheterization of the axillary vein is not popular procedure in daily clinical practice. But it can be reasonable and safe alternative to others, typically performed central venous catheterizations like the internal jugular vein and the subclavian vein catheterizations. The main intention of this study is to assess usefulness and safety of the real time ultrasound guided axillary vein catheterization in mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the intensive care unit.
Across the world, the most common cause of dying in the ICU is a disease called "sepsis". Sepsis is a disease in which the body's protective response to infection becomes too intense, unnecessarily damaging important organs in the body. Kidney damage during sepsis is particularly bad, as a person's chance of survival drops significantly when he or she develops kidney failure. This study plans to learn more about how to detect (and thus prevent) kidney failure early in sepsis. The current tests doctors use only detect kidney failure once it's already happened. We must therefore find better ways of detecting kidney failure earlier, when there is still a chance to protect the kidneys. In this study, patients will provide a one-time sample of urine. We will check this urine for signs of a protein called "heparanase", which we believe is important in early kidney failure. We will then see if high heparanase activity in urine predicts the risk of developing kidney failure. We will compare results from patients with sepsis with results from patients with trauma, allowing us to determine if heparanase is only important in sepsis kidney failure.
Critically ill children have abnormal utilization of nutrients such as glucose, lipids and protein. Protein synthesis is increased mainly in the form of immune and signaling proteins, while synthesis of muscle and structural proteins is decreased. The metabolism of sulfur amino acids and specifically methionine and cysteine have not been investigated in critically ill septic children, despite that sulfur amino acids have important roles on thiol, antioxidant and epigenetic reactions, as well as precursor of glutathione (GSH). Methionine metabolism in critically ill children will be influenced by its rate of utilization through the transmethylation, remethylation and transsulfuration pathways, which are the major pathways of methionine metabolism. The investigators study aims to investigate the metabolism of methionine and cysteine in parenterally fed critically ill septic children. The investigators aim to determine the rates of transmethylation, remethylation, transsulfuration and GSH synthesis rates in critically ill septic children, to determine in vivo, whole body sulfur amino acid metabolism when sulfur amino acids are supplied by the parenteral route. The objective is to determine whether current parenteral intakes support GSH synthesis and if methionine metabolism differs when supplied by the parenteral versus the enteral route. Methionine parenteral requirements will be also studied by using the indicator amino acid oxidation and balance technique.
Critically ill children have abnormal utilization of nutrients such as glucose, lipids and protein. Often sick children have increased glucose concentrations in blood. However, the origin of the high glucose has not been determined in these populations. There is a close interrelationship between protein and energy metabolism. An increase in the energy supply will not promote nitrogen retention unless the amino acid supply is adequate, and conversely, an increased amino acid supply will be useless if energy is limiting, hence the importance of adequate protein and energy intake. Our study aims to investigate the protein-energy interactions in critically ill septic children and adolescents with the objective to eventually provide the best nutritional support for these patients.
Critically ill children have abnormal utilization of nutrients such as glucose, lipids and protein. Protein synthesis is increased mainly in the form of immune and signaling proteins, while muscle and structural protein synthesis is decreased. The metabolism of sulfur amino acids through the splanchnic area and specifically methionine and cysteine have not been investigated in critically ill septic children, despite that sulfur amino acids have important roles in thiol, antioxidant and epigenetic reactions. Methionine metabolism in sick children will be influenced by its rate of utilization through different pathways. Our study aims to investigate the metabolism of methionine and cysteine when both amino acids are given by the enteral route in critically ill septic children. The investigators are focused on the rates of transmethylation, remethylation and transsulfuration in critically ill septic children, and if the current standard nutrition maintains methionine nutritional balance and functional requirements in critically ill children fed by the enteral route.
The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of intravenous acetaminophen to placebo on body temperature and hemodynamic (heart rate and blood pressure) responses in febrile critically ill adult patients. There are limited data to explain the variable and unpredictable antipyretic and hemodynamic response to acetaminophen in febrile ICU patients. The complex pathophysiology of critically ill patients, co-morbid conditions, the effect of multiple pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic care interventions, and/or the potential interferences with absorption of enteral or rectal formulations may be related to variations in the antipyretic response to acetaminophen. It is necessary for clinicians to have a better understanding of the therapy response and potential adverse effects of this commonly administered medication, especially the recently available IV formulation, in critically ill patients. Further research of the antipyretic response to acetaminophen in critically ill patients is warranted to inform evidence-based practice guidelines for fever management. Further randomized, placebo-controlled studies of hemodynamic responses to IV acetaminophen are also warranted. Primary Hypothesis: There is a significant reduction in time-weighted average core body temperature over 4 hours after administration of IV acetaminophen compared to placebo in febrile critically ill patients. Secondary Hypotheses: 1. There is a significant reduction in time-weighted average heart rate over 4 hours after administration of IV acetaminophen compared to placebo in febrile critically ill patients. 2. There is a significant reduction in time-weighted mean arterial pressure over 4 hours after administration of IV acetaminophen compared to placebo in febrile critically ill patients. Adult patients with fever (≥ 38.3ºCentigrade/101ºFarenheit) in the intensive care unit will be screened for eligibility and enrolled after informed consent. Patients will be randomized to receive IV acetaminophen 1 gram or normal saline 100 mLs. Body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure will be measured at baseline and during the 4 hours post study drug administration.
The purpose of this international, multicenter study is to determine ventilation practice and outcomes of intubated and ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Ventilation characteristics and outcomes will be compared between patients without the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), patients at risk for ARDS, and patients with mild, moderate or severe ARDS. Participating centres worldwide will include adult patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in the ICU during a 7-day period. Patients data will be collected during the first 7 days in the ICU, or until ICU discharge. Follow up is until day 90. Primary endpoint is the tidal volume size used during mechanical ventilation. Secondary endpoints are development of ARDS in patients without ARDS at the onset of mechanical ventilation, worsening of ARDS in patients with ARDS at the onset of mechanical ventilation, pulmonary infection, other pulmonary complications, need for tracheostomy, extra-pulmonary complications, duration of ventilation, length of ICU and hospital stay, and ICU, hospital and 90-day mortality.
To evaluate the performance of volume responsiveness in predicting the outcome of mechanical ventilation weaning in critically ill patients.
Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is difficult to diagnose and remains a cause of high morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients in the ICU. Accepted diagnostic protocols for haemato-oncological patients are not applicable for critically ill patients in ICUs. Definitive discrimination between aspergillic colonisation and IPA often depends on the clinical experience of the treating physician, evaluating clinical signs, co-morbidities, and course of the disease. Life saving treatment with the first line antimycotic Voriconazol (Vfend®) can only be initiated after diagnosis of IPA. In this prospective clinical trial the investigators aim to structure, optimize and fast track the diagnostic pathway of IPA in critically ill patients treated in our ICU-department.