BACKGROUND Humidified, high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) enables mucociliary clearance, accurate oxygen measurement, precise control of flow, and low-level positive airway pressure. There is sparse information concerning the timing of HFNC on patient outcomes such as incidence of adverse events during hospitalization, ICU stay, and post-ICU stay. METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of a het...

INTRODUCTION In patients with severe sepsis and septic shock as cause of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, we analyze the impact on mortality of adequate antimicrobial therapy initiated before ICU admission. METHODS We conducted a prospective observational study enrolling patients admitted to the ICU with severe sepsis or septic shock from January 2008 to September 2013. The primary end-po...

BACKGROUND Neuromuscular ultrasound is a noninvasive investigation, which can be easily performed at the bedside on the ICU. A reduction in muscle thickness and increase in echo intensity over time have been described in ICU patients, but the relation to ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is unknown. We hypothesized that quantitative assessment of muscle and nerve parameters with ultrasound can dif...

Objective: To identify predictors of requirement for readmission to the intensive care unit (ICU) for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: The setting was a 17-bedded ICU in a tertiary level institute for specialist adult cardiorespiratory disease. The case notes and ICU charts of 65 ICU readmissions and 65 controls, matched for day of initial ICU discharge, were analysed. Patient vari...

BACKGROUND To determine predictors of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and to assess health care utilization (HCU) post-ICU admission among persons with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS We matched a population-based database of Manitobans with IBD to a general population cohort on age, sex, and region of residence and linked these cohorts to a population-based ICU database. We com...

BACKGROUND ICU stay is often associated with negative experiences for the individual patient. Many patients are disabled and their communication is restricted during the ICU stay. Specific information on procedures, sensations and coping behavior are thought to reduce anxiety on the ICU. Until now information programs to reduce anxiety were mainly delivered preoperatively, completely neglecting...

Purpose. The objectives were to describe the management and outcomes of acute leukemia (AL) patients admitted to the ICU and to identify predictors of ICU mortality. Methods. Data was retrospectively collected from the medical records of all patients with AML or ALL admitted to the Mount Sinai Hospital ICU from August 2009 to December 2012. Results. 151 AL patients (117 AML, 34 ALL) were admitt...