Recently published papers: take your predictions with a drop of saline... and breathe deeply before turning on your phone.
Early recognition of sick patients with a poor prognosis, and the rapid institution of appropriate therapy are tenets of good medical management across all specialties. Here we highlight five recent papers that aid us in achieving such goals in and around the intensive care unit (ICU). Both score-generating clinical tools and clinical acumen are championed for identifying the sick, while appropriate, early intervention in acute deterioration is shown to be beneficial, before and after ICU admission. Saline or albumen for resuscitation? The answer became clearer in May, as did what to do about all those mobile phones...
Semple
David J
DJ
Department of Critical Care, Worthing General Hospital, Lyndhurst Road, Worthing, West Sussex, UK. david.semple@wash.nhs.uk
Forni
Lui G
LG
D040421:Cell Phone; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011379:Prognosis; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index