Intensive Care News and Research

RSS

Declined consent affects organ donation rates

Research published today in the British Journal of Anaesthesia suggests that organ donation rates in the UK could be increased if the current issues affecting declined consent are improved. At present, only 30% of the UK population are registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR). From 2003 to 2005, the overall consent rate for donation after brain death (DBD) was 59%.

23 Dec 2011

Truths and myths about pregnancy, obesity

Ironically, despite excessive caloric intake, many obese women are deficient in vitamins vital to a healthy pregnancy. This and other startling statistics abound when obesity and pregnancy collide. Together, they present a unique set of challenges that women and their doctors must tackle in order to achieve the best possible outcome for mom and baby.

22 Dec 2011

Study assesses evidence of immunosuppression in sepsis

An analysis of lung and spleen tissue from patients who died of sepsis revealed certain biochemical, cellular and histological findings that were consistent with immunosuppression, according to a study in the December 21 issue of JAMA.

21 Dec 2011

Unrestricted family visitation in adult ICU provides wide-reaching benefits

The unrestricted presence and participation of patients' family members and friends provides wide-reaching benefits, both medically and emotionally, according to a new Practice Alert from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

20 Dec 2011

Tips for sharing holidays in hospital

There are few holiday presents worse than a hospital stay. But if a loved one or friend must be hospitalized this season, University of Alabama at Birmingham experts say you can take steps to ensure their holiday is still merry and bright. "Being in the hospital can be distressing for anybody," says Joshua Klapow, Ph.D., a UAB clinical psychologist. "While the psychological impact may be short-lived, the bottom line is people would rather be well and home than sick and away.

20 Dec 2011

American Anesthesiology acquires Burlington Anesthesia Associates

American Anesthesiology, a division of MEDNAX, Inc., today announced the acquisition of Burlington Anesthesia Associates, a physician group practice that provides anesthesia services in Mt. Holly, NJ.

19 Dec 2011

GSK initiates rhACE2 phase IIa study for Acute Lung Injury

APEIRON Biologics AG announced today that GlaxoSmithKline, exclusive, worldwide licensee for Apeiron's new investigational recombinant human Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (rhACE2, name: GSK2586881, formerly APN01), has initiated a phase IIa study in patients suffering from Acute Lung Injury.

19 Dec 2011

ESC, SAGE to launch European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care

SAGE and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have announced the launch of the European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care.

19 Dec 2011

Vaginal progesterone decreases odds of premature delivery in women

A new study co-authored by the University of Kentucky's Dr. John O'Brien found that applying vaginal progesterone to women who are at a high risk of preterm birth significantly decreased the odds of a premature delivery.

16 Dec 2011

Patients need less blood after surgery than is widely thought

Patients need less blood after surgery than is widely thought. A new study comparing two plans for giving blood transfusions following surgery showed no ill effects from postponing transfusion until patients develop signs of anemia or their hemoglobin concentration falls below 8 g/dL.

16 Dec 2011

Lockheed Martin, Johns Hopkins partner to create safer and more efficient ICU model

The Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality of Johns Hopkins Medicine is collaborating with the Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and technology company, to create a safer and more efficient hospital intensive care unit (ICU) model.

15 Dec 2011

Vaginal progesterone reduces rate of preterm birth and neonatal complications

A team of investigators of the National Institutes of Health housed at the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) and Wayne State University (WSU) published today that performing a cervical ultrasound in all pregnant women and treating those with a short cervix with vaginal progesterone reduces the rate of preterm birth and neonatal complications.

15 Dec 2011

Mothers of very low birth-weight infants suffer worse health

Babies born at very low birth weights struggle in their early years and a new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers suggests that their mothers do, too.

14 Dec 2011

New research on diagnosis and treatment of leukemia to be presented at 53rd ASH meeting

Despite major research advances over the last several decades that have helped deliver improved therapeutic options for leukemia, the condition remains deadly. Specialists are in need of new options to help diagnose the condition earlier and new therapies that will extend patients' lives. New research addressing important updates on the diagnosis and treatment of leukemia will be presented today at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

12 Dec 2011

Leapfrog names RUMC a top hospital for safety and quality

For the third time, Rush University Medical Center has been named one of the top hospitals in the country by the Leapfrog Group, a national not-for-profit organization that promotes health care safety and quality improvement.

12 Dec 2011

Heart patients may experience fewer traumas with new invention

Heart patients may experience "a lot less" trauma with a new invention to mend leaky valves with minimum cutting, says inventor James Gammie, MD, an associate professor at the University of Maryland (UM) School of Medicine.

8 Dec 2011

ISARIC aims to prepare clinical research community for next influenza pandemic

An international consortium aimed at ensuring that the clinical research community is better prepared for the next influenza pandemic or other rapidly emerging public health threat is launched today by leading funders of medical research from across the globe.

8 Dec 2011

Women & Infants the first to offer digital breast tomosynthesis in southeastern New England

There is still a one in eight lifetime risk that a woman will develop breast cancer, and the best tool against the disease remains early detection. Now, Women & infants Hospital of Rhode Island has taken the breast cancer battle to the next level with the installation of the most advanced imaging technology available, called digital breast tomosynthesis.

8 Dec 2011

Antenatal corticosteroids reduce risk of death in extremely preterm infants

With chubby cheeks and weighing in at a healthy 10 pounds, the imminently huggable Lexi Morrison is far removed from the 1-pound, 9 -ounce preemie she was in June when she was born premature at 24 weeks.

7 Dec 2011

New updated site shows how well UMHS provides care in clinical settings

Plenty of hospitals and medical providers claim they do a great job at caring for patients and protecting their safety during care. But very few actually publish the cold, hard numbers that could prove those claims. And even fewer do it like the University of Michigan Health System has: on a website open to anyone, with dozens of charts and graphs showing actual performance and comparisons to national averages and benchmarks.

7 Dec 2011