HIGHLIGHTING INTRACRANIAL-PRESSURE MONITORING IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE ACUTE BRAIN TRAUMA

Intrcranial pressure (ICP) monitoring was carried out in 100 patients with severe acute brain trauma, primarily by means of a subarachnoid catheter. Statistical associations were evaluated between maximum ICP values and: 1) Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores; 2) findings on computed tomography (CT) scans of the head; and 3) mortality. A significant association was found between low GCS scores (3 to 5) and high ICP levels, as well as between focal lesions on CT scans and elevated ICP. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with ICP > 40 mm Hg than in those;vith ICP less than or equal to 20 mm Hg.533A39039

Critical care in South America - The new tradition

This article offers a brief discussion of some of the aspects of clinical and academic realities of critical and intensive care medicine in South America. Organizational efforts of collaborating physician and nursing intensivists from South American countries, Spain, and Portugal are outlined. Discussion includes the issues of funding and support of health care delivery of the critically ill, and some of the clinical syndromes not commonly seen in North America and Europe, but seen by intensivists in South America.132377

End-of-life care in Brazil

3361014101

Early colloid replacement therapy in a near-fatal model of hemorrhagic shock

Several controlled, experimental, hypotensive models of hemorrhagic shock have evaluated the effects of timing, rate, and types of fluid replacement. In a near-fatal experimental model we evaluated the hemodynamic and metabolic effects of two types of solutions for fluid resuscitation. In this study, 30 young Large-White pigs were randomly assigned to three groups: Group I (control, n = 10), not bled; Group II (hydroxyethyl starch, HES, n = 10), submitted to controlled hemorrhage to a mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of 30 mm Hg and blood lactate > 10 mM/L, at which time resuscitation was initiated with 7 mL/kg of HES 130/0.4 6% followed by 33 mL/kg of lactated Ringer's solution (LR) and retransfusion; Group III (LR, n = 10), submitted to controlled hemorrhage to a MAP of 30 mm Hg and blood lactate > 10 mM/L, at which time resuscitation was initiated with 40 mL/kg of LR followed by retransfusion. The resuscitation with HES 130/0.4 proved to be superior to LR, expressed by hemodynamic and perfusion variables. Despite improvement in tissue perfusion, MAP did not totally return to baseline values. In conclusion, early colloid infusion resulted in prompt recovery of tissue perfusion when compared with infusion with an equal volume of crystalloid.10161785179

SEQUENCE OF SHORTENING OF THE NORMAL HUMAN LEFT-VENTRICLE

131270371

Volumetric Capnography for the Evaluation of Pulmonary Disease in Adult Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and Noncystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis

This study was designed to use volumetric capnography to evaluate the breathing pattern and ventilation inhomogeneities in patients with chronic sputum production and bronchiectasis and to correlate the phase 3 slope of the capnographic curve to spirometric measurements. Twenty-four patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and 21 patients with noncystic fibrosis idiopathic bronchiectasis (BC) were serially enrolled. The diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was based on the finding of at least two abnormal sweat chloride concentrations (iontophoresis sweat test). The diagnosis of bronchiectasis was made when the patient had a complaint of chronic sputum production and compatible findings at high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan of the thorax. Spirometric tests and volumetric capnography were performed. The 114 subjects of the control group for capnographic variables were nonsmoker volunteers, who had no respiratory symptoms whatsoever and no past or present history of lung disease. Compared with controls, patients in CF group had lower SpO(2) (P < 0.0001), higher respiratory rates (RR) (P < 0.0001), smaller expiratory volumes normalized for weight (V(E)/kg) (P < 0.028), smaller expiratory times (Te) (P < 0.0001), and greater phase 3 Slopes normalized for tidal volume (P3Slp/V(E)) (P < 0.0001). Compared with controls, patients in the BC group had lower SpO(2) (P < 0.0001), higher RR (P < 0.004), smaller V(E)/kg (P < 0.04), smaller Te (P < 0.007), greater P3Slp/V(E) (P < 0.0001), and smaller VCO(2) (P < 0.0002). The pooled data from the two patient groups compared with controls showed that the patients had lower SpO(2) (P < 0.0001), higher RR (P < 0.0001), smaller V(E)/kg (P < 0.05), smaller Te (P < 0.0001), greater P3Slp/V(E) (P < 0.0001), and smaller VCO(2) (P < 0.0003). All of the capnographic and spirometric variables evaluated showed no significant differences between CF and BC patients. Spirometric data in this study reveals that the patients had obstructive defects with concomitant low vital capacities and both groups had very similar abnormalities. The capnographic variables in the patient group suggest a restrictive respiratory pattern (greater respiratory rates, smaller expiratory times and expiratory volumes, normal peak expiratory flows). Both groups of patients showed increased phase III slopes compared with controls, which probably indicates the presence of diffuse disease of small airways in both conditions leading to inhomogeneities of ventilation.188326326

Cerebral hemometabolism: variability the acute phase of traumatic coma

Objective: to evaluate the interrelationships between cerebral and systemic hemometabolic alterations in patients with severe traumatic brain injury managed according to a standardized therapeutic protocol. Design: prospective, interventional study in patients with traumatic coma. Setting: a general Intensive Care Unit in a teaching hospital. Patients and methods: twenty-seven patients (21M e 6F), aging 14-58 years, with severe acute brain trauma, presenting with three to eight points on the Glasgow Coma Scale, were prospectively evaluated according to a cumulative protocol for the management of acute intracranial hypertension, where intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral extraction of oxygen (CEO3) were routinely measured. Hemometabolic interrelationships involving mean arterial pressure (MAP), ICP, arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2), CEO2, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and systemic extraction of oxygen (SEO2) were analyzed. Interventions: routine therapeutic procedures. Results. no correlation was found between CEO2 and CPP (r = -0.07; p = 0.41). There was a significant negative correlation between PaCO2 and CEO2 (r = -0.24; p = 0.005) and a positive correlation between SEO2 and CEO2 (r = 0.24; p = 0 01). The mortality rate in this group of patients was 25.9% (7/27). Conclusion: 1) CPP and CEO2 are unrelated; 2) CEO2 and PaCO2 ore closely related; 3) during optimized hyperventilation, CEO2 and SEO2 are coupled.583B87788