PURPOSE Fluid resuscitation is a key intervention in patients with sepsis and circulatory impairment. The recommendations for continued fluid therapy in sepsis are vague, which may result in differences in clinical practice. We aimed to evaluate associations between hospital and patient characteristics and fluid resuscitation volumes in ICU patients with severe sepsis. METHODS We explored the...

BACKGROUND Helium is a noble gas with a low density, allowing for lower driving pressures and increased carbon dioxide (CO2) diffusion. Since application of protective ventilation can be limited by the development of hypoxemia or acidosis, we hypothesized that therefore heliox facilitates ventilation in an animal model of ventilator-induced lung injury. METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats (N=8 per gr...

The cardiovascular diseases are among the main death causes in the developed world. They have been increasing epidemically in the developing countries. In spite of several alternatives for the treatment of the coronary artery disease; the surgery of the myocardial revascularization is an option with proper indications of medium and long-term with good results. It provides the remission of the a...

Background: Dynamic hyperinflation of the lungs impairs exercise performance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it is unclear which patients are affected by dynamic hyperinflation and how the respiratory muscles respond to the change in lung volume. Methods: Using optoelectronic plethysmography, total and regional chest wall volumes were measured non-invasively in 20 stab...

The morbidly obese are known to have impaired respiratory function. A prospective study of the changes in lung volumes, carbon monoxide transfer, and arterial blood gas tensions was undertaken in 29 morbidly obese patients before and after surgery to induce weight loss. Before surgery the predominant abnormality in respiratory function was a reduction in lung volumes. These increased towards no...