INTRODUCTION Hyperglycemia and insulin resistance are commonplace in critical illness, especially in patients with sepsis. Recently, several hormones secreted by adipose tissue have been determined to be involved in overall insulin sensitivity in metabolic syndrome-related conditions, including adipocyte fatty-acid binding protein (A-FABP). However, little is known about their roles in critical...

BACKGROUND Long-term survival outcome of critically ill patients is important in assessing effectiveness of new treatments and making treatment decisions. We developed a prognostic model for estimation of long-term survival of critically ill patients. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS This was a retrospective linked data cohort study involving 11,930 critically ill patients who survived more...

Background In critically ill patients, there are reduced stores of antioxidants, which are associated with increased organ failure and even higher mortality. Trace elements, especially zinc and selenium, are the cornerstone of the antioxidant defense in acute systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Prolactin (PRL) is the counterregulatory stress hormone that prevents cortisol/stress-induced ly...

Neuromuscular complications of critical illness are common, and can be severe and persistent, with substantial impairment in physical function and long-term quality of life. While the etiology of ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW) is multifactorial, both direct (ie, critical illness neuromyopathy) and indirect (ie, immobility/disuse atrophy) complications of critical illness contribute to it. ICUAW...

One of the most common complications Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is neuromuscular dysfunction due to critical illness, which may cause disuse atrophy. Large number critically ill patients has severe muscle weakness, been named ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW).

IMPORTANCE The relationship between critical illness and psychiatric illness is unclear. OBJECTIVE To assess psychiatric diagnoses and medication prescriptions before and after critical illness. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Population-based cohort study in Denmark of critically ill patients in 2006-2008 with follow-up through 2009, and 2 matched comparison cohorts from hospitalized pat...

HOSPITALS VARY WIDELY IN quality of critical care. Consequently, the outcomes of critically ill patients may be improved by concentrating care at more experienced centers. By centralizing patients who are at greater risk of mortality in referral hospitals, regionalized care in critical illness may achieve improvements in outcome similar to trauma networks. In 2006, the Institute of Medicine cal...

BACKGROUND Critically ill patients are exposed to a combination of insults that affect both respiratory and peripheral skeletal muscle function. However, different muscle groups may not be affected to the same extent by a prolonged critical illness. OBJECTIVE To review original observational studies that measured an aspect of respiratory and peripheral muscle function in adults in the intensi...

BACKGROUND Widely varying recommendations have been published with regard to the appropriate amount of protein or amino acids to provide in critical illness. OBJECTIVE We carried out a systematic review of clinical trials that compared the metabolic or clinical effects of different protein intakes in adult critical illness and comprehensively reviewed all of the available evidence pertinent t...

There are a number of studies providing evidence that age is associated with treatment decisions for critically ill adults, although most of these studies have been unable to fully account for both prehospital health status and severity of acute illness. In the previous issue of Critical Care, Turnbull and colleagues present a well-executed study analyzing data from a prospective cohort study o...