A compendium of critical appraisals in Intensive Care Medicine research and related specialties
A Crossover Trial of Hospital-Wide Lactated Ringer’s Solution versus Normal Saline L McIntyre. NEJM 2025; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2416761 Clinical Question In hospitalised patients, does the use of Lactated Ringers (LR) vs Normal Saline (NS) lower the incidence of death or readmission to the hospital within 90 days after the index admission? Background Fluid choice (balanced solutions vs NS) has been widely […]
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Humidified Non-Invasive Ventilation versus High-Flow Therapy to Prevent Reintubation in Patients with Obesity Hernández et al. AJRCCM 2025. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202403-0523OC Clinical Question In obese adult patients at intermediate risk for hypoxaemic extubation failure, does non-invasive ventilation (NIV) therapy with active humidification compared to use of high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO or HFNC) reduce all-cause reintubation within 7 days after extubation? Background […]
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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 […]
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Potassium Supplementation and Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery: The TIGHT K Randomized Clinical Trial O’Brien. JAMA 2024; 332:979 – 988. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.17888 Clinical Question In adult patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is supplementing potassium when serum concentration is ≤ 3.5 mEq/L non-inferior to supplementation when serum concentration is ≤ 4.5 mEq/L to reduce the frequency of new […]
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In patients who have recently taken factor Xa inhibitors with an intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) did the administration of Andexanet result in better haemostatic efficacy compared to standard care?
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Microaxial Flow Pump or Standard Care in Infarct-Related Cardiogenic Shock Møller JE et al. 2024. NEJM. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2312572 Clinical Question In adults presenting with STEMI and cardiogenic shock does the use of a microaxial flow pump (Impella CP) compared to standard care reduce death from any cause at day 180? Background Cardiogenic shock is a frequent complication of STEMI and […]
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In acutely ill adults (ED / ICU) does the administration of cefipime or piperacillin-tazobactam (pip-taz) result in an increased incidence of AKI or death by day 14?
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Landiolol and Organ Failure in Patients With Septic Shock Whitehouse. JAMA Published online October 25, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.20134 Clinical Question In patients with tachycardia and septic shock who are treated with high dose norepinephrine does the use of β-blockade for up to 14 days reduce organ failure compared to standard care? Background Many view the use of β-blockade as contentious in […]
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In adult patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), does the addition of acetazolamide to loop diuretics improve decongestion by day 3?
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In haematology or ICU patients with platelet counts between 10,000 and 50,000 per mm3, is receiving no prophylactic platelets non inferior compared to the administration of 1u platelets in order to reduce the risk of catheter-related bleeding?
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