260 research outputs found
Procalcitonin in liver transplant patients – yet another stone turned
Liver transplantation has been reported to initiate increases in procalcitonin levels, in the absence of bacterial infection. The results of a study investigating the course of procalcitonin levels over several days after liver transplantation in noninfected patients were recently reported in Critical Care. This study shows that procalcitonin levels increase only transiently, immediately after surgery, and thereafter they rapidly decrease. This new information gives us hope that procalcitonin can be used as a marker of bacterial infection in these patients. Further studies of patients undergoing liver transplantation with and without bacterial infection are needed
Antibiotic treatment adequacy and death among patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infection
OBJECTIVE:The effect of antibiotics on survival in patients with pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa is controversial. The aim of this study is to i) determine the prevalence of adequate antibiotic treatment of P. aeruginosa in an unselected group of adult non-cystic fibrosis patients and ii) to assess the overall mortality in study patients treated with adequate vs. non-adequate antibiotics. METHODS:Prospective, observational study of all adult patients with culture verified P. aeruginosa from 1 January 2010-31 December 2012 in Region Zealand, Denmark. Patients with cystic fibrosis were excluded. Adequate therapy was defined as any antibiotic treatment including at least one antipseudomonal beta-lactam for a duration of at least 10 days. Furthermore, P. aeruginosa had to be tested susceptible to the given antipseudomonal drug and treatment had to be approved by senior clinician to fulfil the adequate-criteria. RESULTS:A total of 250 patients were identified with pulmonary P. aeruginosa. The vast majority (80%) were treated with non-adequate antibiotic therapy. All-cause mortality rate after 12 months was 49% in adequate treatment group vs. 52% in non-adequate treatment group. Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, bacteraemia, comorbidities and bronchiectasis showed no significant difference in mortality between treatment groups (adequate vs. non-adequate: hazard ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.59-1.52, P = 0.82). CONCLUSION:Adequate antipseudomonal therapy was only provided in a minority of patients with pulmonary P. aeruginosa. Adequate therapy did not independently predict a favourable outcome. New research initiatives are needed to improve the prognosis of this vulnerable group of patients
Biomarker-assisted identification of sepsis-related acute liver impairment:A frequent and deadly condition in critically ill patients
Guideline for the management of COVID-19 patients during hospital admission in a non-intensive care setting
Withdrawal of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with COPD – A prospective observational study
Management of COPD in general practice in Denmark – participating in an educational program substantially improves adherence to guidelines
COPD exacerbations:The impact of long versus short courses of oral corticosteroids on mortality and pneumonia: Nationwide data on 67 000 patients with COPD followed for 12 months
Proactive prophylaxis with azithromycin and hydroxychloroquine in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (ProPAC-COVID):a statistical analysis plan
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