This paper reports the results of a blinded study comparing videofluoroscopy with bedside clinical evaluations by speech/language pathologists in the diagnosis of aspiration. One hundred and seven inpatients from a general rehabilitation hospital were evaluated over a four-month period. Of the total patient population, 43 (40%) aspirated at least one consistency of food during videofluoroscopy. Bedside evaluation identified only 18 (42%) of these patients. The positive predictive value of bedside assessment was 0.75; negative predictive value was 0.70. Aspirators on videofluoroscopy were more likely to have brainstem or multilobe central nervous system involvement than nonaspirators. However, there was no statistically significant difference in lesion sites between clinically detected and "silent" aspirators. While the significance of aspiration noted on videofluoroscopy is debatable, it is clear that bedside evaluation alone underestimates the frequency of aspiration in patients with neurologic dysfunction.

Aspiration in rehabilitation patients: videofluoroscopy vs bedside clinical assessment.

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Acute pancreatitis (AP) represents one of the most common reasons for hospital admission and intensive care treatment in internal medicine. The incidence of AP is increasing, posing significant financial burden on healthcare systems due to the necessity for frequent medical interventions. Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a potentially life-threatening condition with substantial morbidity and mortality. The management of SAP requires prolonged hospitalization and the expertise of a multidisciplinary team, comprising emergency physicians, intensivists, internists, gastroenterologists, visceral surgeons, and experts in nutrition, infectious disease, endoscopy, as well as diagnostic and interventional radiology. Effective management and beneficial patient outcomes depend on continuous interdisciplinary collaboration. This review synthesizes recent evidence guiding the practical management of SAP, with a particular focus on emergency and intensive care settings. Both established as well as new diagnostic and therapeutic paradigms are highlighted, including workup, risk stratification, fluid management, analgesia, nutrition, organ support, imaging modalities and their timing, along with anti-infective strategies. Furthermore, the review explores interventions for local and vascular complications of SAP, with particular attention to the indications, timing and selection between endoscopic (both endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)), percutaneous and surgical approaches. Similarly, the management of biliary AP due to obstructive gallstones, including the imaging, timing of ERCP and cholecystectomy, are discussed. By integrating new evidence with relevant guidance for everyday clinical practice, this review aims to enhance the interdisciplinary approach essential for improving outcomes in SAP management.

Practical management of severe acute pancreatitis.

European Journal of Internal Medicine

Identifying patients with chest pain that is of cardiac origin is crucial owing to the high mortality and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases. History, electrocardiogram, and cardiac biomarkers are the core elements of the assessment. High sensitivity cardiac troponins (hs-cTn) are the preferred biomarkers for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction, allowing for more accurate detection and exclusion of myocardial injury. However, elevations in hs-cTn can occur in patients who are not experiencing acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, it is important for clinicians to recognize how to integrate hs-cTn levels into their clinical decision making process. Structured risk assessments, using evidence based diagnostic protocols, should be employed to estimate the risk of acute coronary syndrome and adverse events in patients with chest pain. Clinical decision pathways should be used routinely in emergency departments. Patients at intermediate or high risk of obstructive coronary artery disease might benefit from cardiac imaging and further testing. Patients should be involved in decision making, with information provided about risks, radiation exposure, costs, and alternative options to facilitate informed decision making.

Evaluating patients with chest pain in the emergency department.

BMJ : British Medical Journal

Cardiac arrest is the loss of functional cardiac activity; emergency clinicians are integral in the management of this condition.

This paper evaluates key evidence-based updates concerning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Cardiac arrest includes shockable rhythms (i.e., pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation) and non-shockable rhythms (i.e., asystole and pulseless electrical activity). The goal of cardiac arrest management is to achieve survival with a good neurologic outcome, in part by restoring systemic perfusion and obtaining return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), while seeking to diagnose and treat the underlying etiology of the arrest. CPR includes high-quality chest compressions to optimize coronary and cerebral perfusion pressure. Chest compressions should be centered over the mid-sternum, with the compressor's body weight over the middle of the chest. A compression depth of 5-6&#xa0;cm is recommended at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute, while allowing the chest to fully recoil between each compression. Clinicians should seek to minimize any interruptions in compressions. When performed by bystanders, compression-only CPR may be associated with improved survival to hospital discharge when compared to conventional CPR with ventilations. However, in trained personnel, there is likely no difference with compression-only versus conventional CPR. Mechanical approaches for CPR are not associated with improved patient outcomes, including ROSC or survival with good neurologic function, but mechanical compression devices may be beneficial in select circumstances (e.g., few rescuers available, prolonged arrest/transport). Monitoring of chest compressions is not associated with improved ROSC, survival, or neurologic outcomes, but it can improve guideline adherence. Types of monitoring include real-time feedback, a CPR coach, end tidal CO2 , arterial line monitoring, regional cerebral tissue oxygenation, and point-of-care ultrasound.

An understanding of CPR literature updates can improve the ED care of patients in cardiac arrest.

Emergency medicine updates: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

American Journal of Emergency Medicine

Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is an increasingly recognized clinical entity characterized by myocardial injury in the absence of a significant coronary artery obstruction. MINOCA encompasses a diverse range of pathophysiological mechanisms, including coronary plaque disruption, coronary vasospasm, coronary microvascular dysfunction, thromboembolism, and spontaneous coronary artery dissection. A systematic diagnostic approach is essential to identify the underlying etiology and guide appropriate management strategies. Advanced imaging techniques, particularly cardiac magnetic resonance, play a pivotal role in distinguishing ischemic from non-ischemic myocardial injury and refining prognosis. Despite growing awareness, standardized treatment protocols remain limited, with current management largely extrapolated from strategies used in obstructive coronary artery disease. Notably, MINOCA is significantly more prevalent in women, emphasizing the need to understand sex-related differences in its pathophysiology, presentation, and clinical outcomes. This narrative review offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of MINOCA, including a dedicated chapter on sex-related considerations. It integrates recent advancements and highlights the importance of personalized management strategies.

Myocardial Infarction with Nonobstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA): Current Insights into Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management.

Diagnostics

Whether the choice of ventilator mode affects outcomes for critically ill patients is unknown.

What are the effects of three common ventilator modes (volume control vs pressure control vs adaptive pressure control) on death and duration of mechanical ventilation among critically ill adults?

We conducted a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, crossover pilot trial among adults receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in a medical intensive care unit between November 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023. Each month, patients in the participating unit were assigned to receive volume control, pressure control, or adaptive pressure control during continuous mandatory ventilation. The primary outcome was ventilator-free days through 28 days.

Among 566 patients included in the primary analysis, the median proportion of ventilator mode assessments in the assigned mode during the first 72 hours was 100% in each group. The median number of ventilator-free days was 23 [IQR, 0-26] in the volume control group, 22 [0-26] in the pressure control group, and 24 [0-26] in the adaptive pressure control group (P=0.60). The median tidal volume was similar in the three groups, but the percentage of breaths larger than 8mL/kg of predicted body weight differed between volume control (median, 4.0%; IQR, 0.0-14.1), pressure control (10.6%; 0.0-31.5), and adaptive pressure control (4.7%; 0.0-19.2).

This pilot trial establishes the feasibility of conducting a cluster-randomized, crossover trial of ventilator mode among critically ill adults receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and demonstrates differences in intermediate outcomes that warrant further investigation in a larger trial.

Effect of Ventilator Mode on Ventilator-Free Days in Critically Ill Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Chest

This narrative review aims to describe the epidemiology and aetiologies of thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients, the bleeding risk assessment in thrombocytopenic patients, and provide an update on platelet transfusion indications.

Thrombocytopenia is a common disorder in critically ill patients. The classic definition relies on an absolute platelet count below 150&#x2009;&#xd7;&#x2009;109 /L. Alternatively, the definition has extended to a relative decrease in platelet count (typically within a range of &gt;30-&gt;50% decrease) from baseline, yet remaining above 150&#x2009;&#xd7;&#x2009;109 /L. Thrombocytopenia may result from multiple mechanisms depending upon the underlying conditions and the current clinical setting. Regardless of the causes, thrombocytopenia accounts as an independent determinant of poor outcomes in critically ill patients, albeit often of unclear interpretation. Nevertheless, it is well established that thrombocytopenia is associated with an increased incidence of bleeding complications. However, alternative factors also contribute to the risk of bleeding, making it difficult to establish definite links between nadir platelet counts at the expense of potential adverse events. Platelet transfusion represents the primary supportive treatment of thrombocytopenia to prevent or treat bleeding. As randomised controlled trials comparing different platelet count thresholds for prophylactic platelet transfusion in the ICU are lacking, the prophylactic transfusion strategy is largely derived from studies performed in stable haematology patients. Similarly, the platelet count transfusion threshold to secure invasive procedures remains based on a low level of evidence. Indications of platelet transfusions for the treatment of severe bleeding in thrombocytopenic patients remain largely empirical, with platelet count thresholds ranging from 50 to 100&#x2009;&#xd7;&#x2009;109 /L. In addition, early and aggressive platelet transfusion is part of massive transfusion protocols in the setting of severe trauma-related haemorrhage.

Thrombocytopenia in critically ill patients is very frequent with various etiologies, and is associated with worsened prognosis, with or without bleeding complications. Interventional trials focused on critically ill patients are eagerly needed to better delineate the benefits and harms of platelet transfusions.

Thrombocytopenia in the intensive care unit: diagnosis and management.

Annals of Intensive Care

Diuretics remain the cornerstone therapy of critically ill patients with volume overload as a result of cardiac failure, acute kidney injury or aggressive fluid resuscitation. This review summarises the principles of applied renal physiology, describing the mechanisms of action, the clinical applications, and the adverse effects of commonly used diuretics during critical illness. Loop diuretics, and in particular furosemide, remain the most popular, despite evidence of any effect on mortality or, indeed, on the need for renal replacement therapy. The efficacy of loop diuretics after administration depends on three factors. Firstly, the tubular concentration of the diuretic: continuous infusion of furosemide seems to provide a higher and more stable tubular concentration of furosemide with respect to bolus injection. Secondly, the interaction with albumin both in the plasma and in the renal tubule: despite a strong physiological rationale supporting this approach, albumin supplementation in hypoalbuminaemic patients does not seem to result in a higher diuretic efficacy. Thirdly, diuretic resistance, which can be addressed by optimising loop diuretic dose and by using combination therapy with other agents, including thiazides or thiazide-like diuretics or carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. These drugs constitute a useful adjunct to overcome loop diuretic resistance. Other agents such as distal potassium-sparing diuretics and osmotic diuretics can also be considered. The latter have been used successfully in hypokalaemia, rhabdomyolysis-associated acute kidney injury or to prevent ischaemia-reperfusion injury in kidney transplantation. Finally, this review provides the basic concepts of the interplay between acid-base equilibrium and diuretic therapy.

Diuretics in critically ill patients: a narrative review of their mechanisms and applications.

British Journal of Anaesthesia

Sepsis and septic shock are associated with microcirculatory dysfunction, significantly impacting patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 20&#xa0;% albumin bolus on microcirculation compared to crystalloid resuscitation in fluid-responsive patients (ClinicalTrials.govID:NCT05357339).

We conducted a single-centre randomised controlled trial, enrolling 103 patients (Albumin n&#xa0;=&#xa0;52, Control n&#xa0;=&#xa0;51). Fluid responsiveness was assessed, and fluid was administered in boluses of 100&#xa0;ml to clinical effect. Microcirculation was measured using the Side stream Dark Field camera and AVA 4.3 software. Baseline characteristics, macrohaemodynamics, and microcirculation parameters were recorded. Three patients were excluded from analysis.

The final cohort comprised 100 patients, 35 (35&#xa0;%) females with a mean age of 58&#xa0;years (range: 18-86). The mean APACHE score was 28 (range: 7-45), and the mean SOFA score was 9.4 (range: 1-17). No significant differences in APACHE (26.24 vs. 29.4, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.069) or SOFA (9.08 vs. 9.78, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.32) scores were found for albumin and control group respectively. The albumin group had worse microcirculation at baseline but demonstrated significant improvements in microvascular density and activity at 15&#xa0;min and 60&#xa0;min (p&#xa0;&lt;&#xa0;0.005), while the control group exhibited no significant changes. Additionally, both groups were fluid responsive, with a mean pulse pressure variability of 17&#xa0;% at admission. There were no significant differences in overall fluid balances, vasopressor days, length of ICU stay, or mortality between groups.

This study demonstrates that a 20&#xa0;% albumin bolus significantly enhances microcirculation in fluid-responsive patients with septic shock. These findings underscore the potential benefits of targeted microcirculation therapy in critically ill patients.

Aspiration in rehabilitation patients: videofluoroscopy vs bedside clinical assessment.

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