BACKGROUND Few data are available regarding the epidemiology of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in ICU patients. The aim of this study was to examine epidemiology and economic outcomes (length of stay, hospital costs) among ICU patients with IA who lack traditional risk factors for IA, such as cancer, transplants, neutropenia or HIV infection. METHODS Retrospective cohort study using Premier Inc....

BACKGROUND Respiratory therapist (RT) driven protocols decrease ventilator days and resource utilization in the intensive care unit (ICU). Protocols have been studied in non-ICU settings, but their effect on mortality has been incompletely studied. METHODS In our neurosurgery step-down, trauma/surgery step-down, and trauma/surgery general units we initiated an RT-driven evaluate-and-treat pro...

Objective: To observe and analyse the positive effect of systematic nursing intervention on lung infection of ICU patients. Method: 68 cases of lung infection from patients who were accepted into ICU were selected randomly between April 2016 and November 2016. These 68 patients were divided into two groups including observation group and control group. Treat the observation group with systemati...

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to determine if any patterns of infection or bacterial resistance existed in critically ill polytrauma patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at the CM Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH). METHODS This was a prospective, single-center study of patient laboratory records of 73 critically injured polytrauma patients admitted to an ICU. The d...

BACKGROUND Craniosynostosis results from premature closure of one or more cranial sutures, leading to deformed calvaria and craniofacial skeleton at birth. Postoperative complications and outcome in intensive care unit (ICU) is related to surgical method and perioperative management. This study determined the perioperative risk factors, which affect outcome of patients after craniosynostosis su...

INTRODUCTION Despite the integral role played by tracheostomy in the management of trauma patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), its timing remains subject to considerable practice variation. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of early tracheostomy on the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, and outcomes in trauma ICU patients. METHODS The followi...

PURPOSE An intensivist is a key factor in the mortality of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an intensivist on clinical outcomes of patients admitted to a surgical ICU. METHODS During the study period, the surgical ICU was converted from an open ICU to an intensivist-directed ICU managed by an intensivist who was board cert...

Pain, agitation, and delirium (PAD) occur frequently in critically ill patients. Severe pain is the most common memory that patients recall of their ICU stay. Pain often goes unrecognized and untreated, because many ICU patients can’t self-report their pain. Severe pain leads to both shortand long-term psychological and physical complications in ICU patients. Agitation and anxiety (due to pain,...

Nosocomial bacteremia caused by Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) is of increasing concern in critically ill patients, and the risk factors for this infection are not well established. An inception cohort study in a 40-bed medical and surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at a single institution was conducted during a 2-year period to determine the risk factors for AB nosocomial bacteremia. Risk factor...

BACKGROUND Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is an unsolved clinical problem in critical care patients with a high mortality rate, increasing incidence, and no definitive therapy. We studied the incidence, risk factors, and mortality associated with AKI in ICU patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a prospective study, patient demographics, reason for hospitalization, reason for ICU admission, Length of ...