Critical Care
Conference Coverage
Peripheral perfusion fails septic shock test, but optimism remains
A simple strategy of timing the refilling of peripheral capillaries trended toward better 28-day survival.
From the Journals
Supplementary compression doesn’t improve DVT odds in critically ill
SAN DIEGO – The procedure carries few risks, aside from patient discomfort.
Conference Coverage
PERT alerts improve pulmonary embolism outcomes
SAN DIEGO – Alerts that prompt multidisciplinary consultations cut death rates, ICU times in pulmonary embolism patients.
From the Journals
New study determines factors that can send flu patients to the ICU
Patients with the flu sent to the ICU had a more frequent history of sleep apnea, MI, and a BMI greater than 30 g/m2.
From the Journals
App aims to detect respiratory failure in opioid overdoses
If a disordered breathing pattern is detected, the app is designed to send a text message to a prespecified contact.
News from the FDA/CDC
Synthetic opioids drive spike in U.S. fatal drug overdoses
Spurned by physicians, more users seem to be turning to street drugs that contain fentanyl and similar substances.
News
FDA aims to boost safety of platelets for transfusion
The agency is seeking input on ways to decrease the risk of bacterial contamination in platelets stored for 5 and 7 days after collection.
From the Journals
ICU-acquired pneumonia mortality risk may be underestimated
From the Journals
No difference between PPI prophylaxis, placebo for GI bleeding
There was no significant difference in mortality between critically ill patients who received pantoprazole prophylaxis for gastrointestinal...
Guidelines
ASH releases new VTE guidelines
A panel of the American Society of Hematology released more than 150 recommendations for dealing with venous thromboembolism.
Conference Coverage
About 13% of liver transplant recipients affected by PTSD
MELD scores had no association with PTSD in this analysis.