BACKGROUND We aimed to determine the outcome and certain predictors of outcome for acute renal failure (ARF) in the medical intensive care unit (ICU) at Tygerberg Hospital. METHOD We conducted a retrospective, single-centre cohort study over 12 months comprising all patients admitted to the medical ICU with all causes of renal failure or who developed renal failure following admission to the ...

The effect of Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) on the hepatic elimination of low to moderate extraction ratio drugs has not been clearly defined. We prospectively investigated the effect of PEEP on the clearance of theophylline in 30 (20 males and 10 females) intubated critically ill adult patients with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS). The Mean (±SD) age ...

OBJECTIVES To study the MRI findings of the pancreatic duct in patients with acute pancreatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 239 patients with acute pancreatitis and 125 controls were analyzed in this study. The severity of acute pancreatitis was graded using the MR severity index (MRSI) and the Acute Physiology And Chronic Healthy Evaluation II(APACHE II) scoring systems. The number of ...

In 35 patients fulfilling the criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) of infectious origin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-soluble receptor (TNF-sR), and interleukin-12 (IL-12), C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and the Acute Physiology, and Chronic Health Evaluation III score (APACHE III) were determined on days 1 to 7, 14,...

the effect of positive end expiratory pressure (peep) on the hepatic elimination of low to moderate extraction ratio drugs has not been clearly defined. we prospectively investigated the effect of peep on the clearance of theophylline in 30 (20 males and 10 females) intubated critically ill adult patients with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ali/ards). the mean (±sd) age ...

BACKGROUND The elevated serum and peritoneal cytokine concentrations responsible for the systemic response syndrome (SIRS) and multiorgan failure in patients with severe acute pancreatitis lead to high morbidity and mortality rates. Prompted by reports underlining the importance of reducing circulating inflammatory mediators in severe acute pancreatitis, we designed this study to evaluate the e...

New-onset hyperglycemia in patients admitted to intensive care units increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance is frequently seen in the treatment of stress-induced hyperglycemia. Metformin, an oral anti-hyperglycemic agent, may introduce a new treatment protocol in critically ill patients with insulin-resistance hyperglycemia. Fifty-one non-diabetic traumatized patients...

New-onset hyperglycemia in patients admitted to intensive care units increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance is frequently seen in the treatment of stress-induced hyperglycemia. Metformin, an oral anti-hyperglycemic agent, may introduce a new treatment protocol in critically ill patients with insulin-resistance hyperglycemia. Fifty-one non-diabetic traumatized patients...

BACKGROUND Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with a high mortality. This study was undertaken to detect the factors associated with the prognosis of AKI. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 98 patients with AKI treated from March 2008 to August 2009 at this hospital. In these patients, 60 were male and 38 female. Their age ranged from 19 to 89 years (mean 52.4±16.1 years). The excluded ...

Severe sepsis has a high fatality rate, but no clinical indices for prognosis have been established. In recent years, the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has received considerable attention. However, clinical data on RAS are inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the significance of RAS in the prognosis of sepsis. Blood samples were collected from patients, who met t...