C-reactiveprotein in community-acquiredsepsis : youcanteach new tricks to an old dog

Severe sepsis is a major challenge for clinicians caring for acutely ill patients. For many years, several biomarkers have been tested and proposed to improve the ability not only to diagnose but also to anticipate clinical response to antibiotics. Despite the availability of many sophisticated and novel biomarkers, current evidence demonstrates that C-reactive protein (CRP), a well-known and relatively inexpensive biomarker, is useful in the clinical setting. The sequential evaluation of plasma CRP concentrations in patients with severe sepsis and the interpretation of its patterns may allow assessments of individual prognosis and response to treatment

Corticosteroids for severe influenza pneumonia : a critical appraisal

Influenza pneumonia is associated with high number of severe cases requiring hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions with high mortality. Systemic steroids are proposed as a valid therapeutic option even though its effects are still controversial. Heterogeneity of published data regarding study design, population demographics, severity of illness, dosing, type and timing of corticosteroids administered constitute an important limitation for drawing robust conclusions. However, it is reasonable to admit that, as it was not found any advantage of corticosteroid therapy in so diverse conditions, such beneficial effects do not exist at all. Its administration is likely to increase overall mortality and such trend is consistent regardless of the quality as well as the sample size of studies. Moreover it was shown that corticosteroids might be associated with higher incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonia and longer duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay. Finally, it is reasonable to conclude that corticosteroids failed to demonstrate any beneficial effects in the treatment of patients with severe influenza infection. Thus its current use in severe influenza pneumonia should be restricted to very selected cases and in the setting of clinical trials

A secondary analysis of an international survey

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate Brazilian physicians' perceptions regarding the diagnosis, severity assessment, treatment and risk stratification of severe community-acquired pneumonia patients and to compare those perceptions to current guidelines. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional international anonymous survey among a convenience sample of critical care, pulmonary, emergency and internal medicine physicians from Brazil between October and December 2008. The electronic survey evaluated physicians' attitudes towards the diagnosis, risk assessment and therapeutic interventions for patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia. Results: A total of 253 physicians responded to the survey, with 66% from Southeast Brazil. The majority (60%) of the responding physicians had > 10 years of medical experience. The risk assessment of severe community-acquired pneumonia was very heterogeneous, with clinical evaluation as the most frequent approach. Although blood cultures were recognized as exhibiting a poor diagnostic performance, these cultures were performed by 75% of respondents. In contrast, the presence of urinary pneumococcal and Legionella antigens was evaluated by less than 1/3 of physicians. The vast majority of physicians (95%) prescribe antibiotics according to a guideline, with the combination of a 3rd /4th generation cephalosporin plus a macrolide as the most frequent choice. Conclusion: This Brazilian survey identified an important gap between guidelines and clinical practice and recommends the institution of educational programs that implement evidence-based strategies for the management of severe community-acquired pneumonia.publishersversionpublishe

The validity and reliability of the Portuguese versions of three tools used to diagnose delirium in critically ill patients

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study are to compare the sensitivity and specificity of three diagnostic tools for delirium (the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist, the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units and the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units Flowsheet) in a mixed population of critically ill patients, and to validate the Brazilian Portuguese Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units. METHODS: The study was conducted in four intensive care units in Brazil. Patients were screened for delirium by a psychiatrist or neurologist using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Patients were subsequently screened by an intensivist using Portuguese translations of the three tools. RESULTS: One hundred and nineteen patients were evaluated and 38.6% were diagnosed with delirium by the reference rater. The Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units had a sensitivity of 72.5% and a specificity of 96.2%; the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units Flowsheet had a sensitivity of 72.5% and a specificity of 96.2%; the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist had a sensitivity of 96.0% and a specificity of 72.4%. There was strong agreement between the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units and the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units Flowsheet (kappa coefficient = 0.96) CONCLUSION: All three instruments are effective diagnostic tools in critically ill intensive care unit patients. In addition, the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Units is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of delirium among critically ill patients

Early sedation and clinical outcomes of mechanically ventilated patients: a prospective multicenter cohort study

Introduction: Sedation overuse is frequent and possibly associated with poor outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU) patients. However, the association of early oversedation with clinical outcomes has not been thoroughly evaluated. the aim of this study was to assess the association of early sedation strategies with outcomes of critically ill adult patients under mechanical ventilation (MV).Methods: A secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort conducted in 45 Brazilian ICUs, including adult patients requiring ventilatory support and sedation in the first 48 hours of ICU admissions, was performed. Sedation depth was evaluated after 48 hours of MV. Multivariate analysis was used to identify variables associated with hospital mortality.Results: A total of 322 patients were evaluated. Overall, ICU and hospital mortality rates were 30.4% and 38.8%, respectively. Deep sedation was observed in 113 patients (35.1%). Longer duration of ventilatory support was observed (7 (4 to 10) versus 5 (3 to 9) days, P = 0.041) and more tracheostomies were performed in the deep sedation group (38.9% versus 22%, P=0.001) despite similar PaO2/FiO(2) ratios and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) severity. in a multivariate analysis, age (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00 to 1.03), Charlson Comorbidity Index >2 (OR 2.06; 95% Cl, 1.44 to 2.94), Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) score (OR 1.02; Cl 95%, 1.00 to 1.04), severe ARDS (OR 1.44; Cl 95%, 1.09 to 1.91) and deep sedation (OR 2.36; Cl 9596, 1.31 to 4.25) were independently associated with increased hospital mortality.Conclusions: Early deep sedation is associated with adverse outcomes and constitutes an independent predictor of hospital mortality in mechanically ventilated patients.Research and Education Institute from Hospital Sirio-Libanes, São PauloD'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilBrazilian Research in Intensive Care NetworkHosp Copa DOr, BR-22031010 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilHosp Sirio Libanes, Res & Educ Inst, BR-01308060 São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Fac Med, Hosp Clin, ICU,Emergency Med Dept, BR-05403000 São Paulo, BrazilHosp Sao Camilo Pompeia, ICU, BR-05022000 São Paulo, BrazilCEPETI, BR-82530200 Curitiba, Parana, BrazilHosp Canc I, Inst Nacl Canc, ICU, BR-20230130 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilPasteur Hosp, ICU, BR-20735040 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilIrmandade Santa Casa Misericordia Porto Alegre, RIPIMI, BR-90020090 Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilVitoria Apart Hosp, ICU, BR-29161900 Serra, ES, BrazilHosp Mater Dei, ICU, BR-30140093 Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilHosp Santa Luzia, ICU, BR-70390902 Brasilia, DF, BrazilHosp Sao Luiz, ICU, BR-04544000 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Anesthesiol Pain & Intens Care Dept, ICU, BR-04024900 São Paulo, BrazilHosp Sao Jose Criciuma, ICU, BR-88801250 Criciuma, BrazilUDI Hosp, ICU, BR-65076820 Sao Luis, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Univ Hosp, ICU, BR-05508000 São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Fac Med, Hosp Clin, ICU,Surg Emergency Dept, BR-05403000 São Paulo, BrazilIDOR DOr Inst Res & Educ, BR-22281100 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInst Nacl Canc, Postgrad Program, BR-20230130 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Anesthesiol Pain & Intens Care Dept, ICU, BR-04024900 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc