A compendium of critical appraisals in Intensive Care Medicine research and related specialties
Postoperative 20% Albumin Infusion for Acute Kidney Injury in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery. Shehabi et al.. JAMA Surgery 2025; doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2025.1683 Clinical Question Amongst patients undergoing high risk cardiac surgery, does the administration of 20% Human Albumin Solution, compared to standard care, reduce the risk of post-operative acute kidney injury? The primary outcome was the occurrence of stage 1-3 AKI […]
Continue reading »
High-Flow Nasal Oxygen vs Noninvasive Ventilation in Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure RENOVATE and BRICNet Authors. JAMA 2024. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.26244 Clinical Question In adult patients with acute respiratory failure does the use of high-flow nasal oxygen compared to noninvasive ventilation reduce the rate of endotracheal intubation or death at 7 days? Background Both high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) and noninvasive ventilation […]
Continue reading »
Liberal versus Restrictive Transfusion in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage English S. NEJM 2024 DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa2410962 Clinical Question In patients following acute aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage, does a liberal strategy of blood transfusion compared with a restrictive strategy of blood transfusion reduce unfavourable neurological outcome? SubArachnoid Haemorrhage Red-cell transfusion And Outcome (SAHaRA) Background Anaemia is common following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage with an incidence of approximately 50% during the […]
Continue reading »
Early Restrictive vs Liberal Oxygen for Trauma Patients Arleth. JAMA 2024. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.25786 Clinical Question In adult patients experiencing blunt or penetrating trauma does an early restrictive oxygen strategy compared to a liberal oxygen strategy reduce death and/or major respiratory complications within 30 days? Background ATLS guidelines recommend that all severely injured patients should receive supplemental oxygen in the initial […]
Continue reading »
What’s new in the Critical Care literature – monthly updates
Continue reading »
What’s new in the Critical Care literature – monthly updates
Continue reading »
Quetiapine Versus Haloperidol in the Management of Hyperactive Delirium: Randomized Controlled Trial Zakhary et al. Neurocritical Care; Oct;41(2):550-557. doi:10.1007/s12028-024-01948-w Clinical Question In critically ill patients with delirium, does quetiapine in comparison to haloperidol, reduce the severity of delirium? Background Delirium affects 30-50% of adult ICU patients Haloperidol is licensed for the treatment of acute delirium in the UK Previous RCTs […]
Continue reading »
Validating quantitative pupillometry thresholds for neuroprognostication after out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrest. A predefined substudy of the Blood Pressure and Oxygenations Targets After Cardiac Arrest (BOX)‑trial Nyholm. Intensive Care Med 2024; 50:1484–1495. doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07574-6 Clinical Question In adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors of presumed cardiac cause who are comatose post-admission, do automated pupillometry thresholds of quantitatively assessed pupillary light reflex (qPLR) < […]
Continue reading »
Long-term effects of flexible visitation in the intensive care unit on family members’ mental health: 12-month results from a randomized clinical trial JMB de Souza et al. Intensive Care Med (2024); 50:1614–1621. DOI: 10.1007/s00134-024-07577-3 Clinical Question In family members of intensive care patients, does a flexible visiting policy, compared to a restrictive one, improve the prevalence of depression, anxiety and […]
Continue reading »
What’s new in the Critical Care literature – monthly updates
Continue reading »