BACKGROUND Conservative treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) may be associated with development of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH), deterioration of visceral perfusion and increased risk of multiple organ dysfunction. Fluid balance is essential for maintenance of adequate organ perfusion and control of the third space. Timely application of continuous veno-venous haemof...

OBJECTIVE The term continuous veno-venous haemofiltration (CVVH) suggests a treatment without interruption. However, interruptions do occur and the duration of the haemofiltration circuit "down-time" may influence uraemic control. We conducted a prospective study to ascertain the percentage of operative "down-time" for CVVH in our intensive care unit and to test the hypothesis that it significa...

INTRODUCTION Because of ongoing controversy, renal and vital outcomes are compared between systemically administered unfractionated heparin and regional anticoagulation with citrate-buffered replacement solution in predilution mode, during continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). METHODS In this multi-center randomized controlled t...

INTRODUCTION Renal insufficiency increases the half-life of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs). Whether continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) removes LMWHs is unsettled. We studied hemostasis during nadroparin anticoagulation for CVVH, and explored the implication of the endogenous thrombin potential (ETP). METHODS This cross-over study, performed in a 20-bed teaching hospital ICU, r...

INTRODUCTION Intravenous (IV) voriconazole is not recommended in patients with creatinine clearance <50 ml/min to avoid potentially toxic accumulation of sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBECD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of SBECD, voriconazole, and voriconazole N-oxide in critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and to de...

CASE REPORT A 64-year-old woman with familial pulmonary fibrosis underwent bilateral lung transplantation under general anesthesia with midazolam, propofol, and fentanyl. Her post-transplant immunosuppression regimen consisted of prednisone, azathioprine, and tacrolimus. She was initially alert and following commands but on postoperative day 3 became increasingly somnolent, necessitating reintu...

Background. The emergence of a commercially prepared citrate solution has revolutionized the use of RCA in the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety profile of a commercially prepared citrate solution. Method. Predilution continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) was performed using Prismocitrate 10/2 at 2500 mL/h and a blood flow rate of 150 mL/min. Calc...

INTRODUCTION The mechanisms of early filter failure and clotting with different anticoagulation modalities during continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) are largely unknown. METHODS Citrate, heparin and no anticoagulation were compared. Blood was drawn pre- and post filter up to 720 min. Concentrations of the thrombin-antithrombin (TAT), activated protein C-protein C inhibitor (APC-PCI),...

BACKGROUND Given the known deleterious effects seen with bicarbonate supplementation for acidemia, we hypothesized that utilizing high bicarbonate concentration replacement solution in continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) would be independently associated with higher mortality. METHODS In a propensity score-matched historical cohort study conducted at a single tertiary care center from...