Description of the response of a new multi-parametric brain sensor to physiological and pathophysiological challenges in the cortex of juvenile pigs
AIM Monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP), local cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen is part of modern intensive critical care medicine. Preclinical evaluation of newly developed catheters that should monitor several parameters simultaneously is reported poorly in the literature. The goal of our study was (1) to evaluate a new multi-parametric sensor in brain tissue and (2) to establish a testing protocol using pathophysiological challenges that target measured parameters of the sensor and autoregulatory boundaries and could be used as preclinical standard protocol in future studies. MATERIAL AND METHODS We describe data from 12 new multi-parametric brain sensors (MPBS) that were impla…
Abdominal infections in the intensive care unit: characteristics, treatment and determinants of outcome
Background: Abdominal infections are frequent causes of sepsis and septic shock in the intensive care unit (ICU) and are associated with adverse outcomes. We analyzed the characteristics, treatments and outcome of ICU patients with abdominal infections using data extracted from a one-day point prevalence study, the Extended Prevalence of Infection in the ICU (EPIC) II.Methods: EPIC II included 13,796 adult patients from 1,265 ICUs in 75 countries. Infection was defined using the International Sepsis Forum criteria. Microbiological analyses were performed locally. Participating ICUs provided patient follow-up until hospital discharge or for 60 days.Results: Of the 7,087 infected patients, 1,…
Candida bloodstream infections in intensive care units: Analysis of the extended prevalence of infection in intensive care unit study
Objectives: To provide a global, up-to-date picture of the prevalence, treatment, and outcomes of Candida bloodstream infections in intensive care unit patients and compare Candida with bacterial bloodstream infection. Design: A retrospective analysis of the Extended Prevalence of Infection in the ICU Study (EPIC II). Demographic, physiological, infection-related and therapeutic data were collected. Patients were grouped as having Candida, Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and combined Candida/bacterial bloodstream infection. Outcome data were assessed at intensive care unit and hospital discharge. Setting: EPIC II included 1265 intensive care units in 76 countries. Patients: Patients in partic…