Active clinical trials for "Critical Illness"

Objective: Test the ability of vibration to produce physiologic, biochemical, and anatomic changes consistent with exercise that would help prevent the development of muscle weakness that occurs when patients are immobile for long periods of time.

Importance of gastrointestinal (GI) function in critically ill patients has been recognized, but until now there is no validated clinical tool to monitor GI dysfunction as part of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). The general aim of current project is to develop a five grade score (0-4 points) for assessment of GI function similar to SOFA sub-scores used for assessment of other organ systems. 500 consecutive adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit will be monitored for gastrointestinal symptoms, intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) and acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) grades [1]. In 200 patients from these, plasma and urinary levels of possible biochemical markers of intestinal injury will be assessed. Objectives: To determine the prognostic value of gastrointestinal symptoms alone and in combination with intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), and acute gastro-intestinal injury (AGI) grades in predicting the ICU-, 28 days and 90 days mortality of adult intensive care patients (Part A of the study) To describe the blood and urine levels of biochemical markers of intestinal injury in general cohort of intensive care patients (Part B of the study). To compare the prognostic values of the intestinal-specific plasma parameters (IFABP, citrulline, ILBP, and D-lactate) with the gastrointestinal symptoms, AGI grades, and the SOFA score in predicting of ICU-, 28 days and 90 days mortality of adult intensive care patients (Part B of the study) Study design: prospective, observational, multicenter study Patient population: All consecutive adult critically ill patients (25 to 50 patients for each study site, 500 patients in total) in need for intensive care admission during maximum 4 weeks of study period. Duration of the study: for the individual patient 7 days and follow-up of 90 days Primary study outcome: 28 and 90 days all-cause mortality Secondary outcomes: ICU and hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, multiple organ failure as a cause of mortality, plasma and urinary levels of intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP), citrulline, ileal lipid binding protein (ILBP), and D-lactate in general cohort of intensive care patients.

A no-cost intervention may improve adherence with a recommendation for higher-quality, lower-cost care for patients with critical illness endorsed by a collaborative of critical care societies. The investigators propose prompting consideration of functional outcomes. This trial will help establish the impact of the intervention on practice patterns including proxy engagement and elements of shared decision-making.

A retrospective analysis of the Case Mix Programme database to evaluate the association between day and time of admission to critical care and acute hospital outcome for unplanned admissions to adult, general critical care units in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Background: The sickest patients who are admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) often require assistance with their breathing. When patients start to get better, they gradually do more of the breathing and the machine does less-this is called weaning. Although ventilator use saves lives, the longer it is used, the more complications can occur. Clinicians aim to wean patients from ventilators in a timely and safe manner. In most ICUs, patients are screened (looked at) once per day to see if they are ready to undergo a weaning test (using a variety of techniques) to see if the breathing tube can be removed. Screening more than once per day may allow more weaning tests to be conducted. Knowing the best way to do a weaning test is important because some methods may better determine who can have the breathing tube removed safely. At present, we don't know the best way to help our sickest patients to wean from ventilators. Patients: Adults in North American ICUs who are on ventilators for at least 24 hours and who can take breaths on their own. Interventions: Patients in our study will receive one type of screening and one type of weaning test at random. In the 'once daily' screening groups, clinicians will screen patients each morning. In the 'two or more times daily screening' groups, patients will be screened in the morning, afternoon, and whenever else clinicians wish to screen. When screening criteria are met, patients will undergo one of two weaning tests with low ventilator support or no support. Outcomes: The main outcome of this study will be the time for patients to be successfully removed from the ventilator. Relevance: For patients, this study will clarify the best way to remove them from ventilators in a timely and safe manner. For clinicians and our health care systems, this study holds promise to improve how critically ill patients are weaned from breathing machines.

This study will determine whether an Actigraph GT3X accelerometer can identify body position and quantify step count in a ward based population recovering from critical illness.

Since its first description in 1971, diagnosing adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD), a rare multisystemic disorder considered as a multigenic autoinflammatory syndrome, remains challenging. Rarely, AOSD may present severe systemic manifestations and require intensive care. The main purpose of the Stil ICU study is to make the first description of the epidemiology of critically ill AOSD patients. The investigators will use a retrospective cohort study design with dual recruitment strategies: (1) via the AOSD referral centres network and (2) via a French academic medical ICU network.

GCX damage and its relationship to pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of beta lactam antibiotics in critically ill Hypothesis to be tested: GCX damage impairs pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of beta-lactam antibiotics in critically ill patients. There is correlation between GCX damage and insufficient beta lactam levels in patients with commonly used dosing. The aim of the study: Evaluation of relationship between GCX damage and pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of beta-lactam antibiotics in critically ill. Type of the study: Observational. Subjects: Adult patients admitted to ICU with beta-lactam antibiotic therapy (meropenem or piperacillin/tazobactam empirically or based on culture results). Sample size calculation: 20 patients (expected correlation coefficient 0,6, alpha error = 0,05) will lead to power study = 0,89. Intervention: none. Data to be recorded and analyzed: Demographics, type of patients (trauma, post surgical, medical, after cardiac arrest), severity score - Apache II, SOFA, fluid balance, a presence of delirium, clinical outcome, sublingual microcirculation by SDF imaging will be recorded three times during antibiotic treatment at the time points for blood samples required for pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic analysis, microcirculatory data and Perfused Boundary Region.

The purpose of the study is to establish clinical determinants of poor cognitive and physical functional outcome of CCI patients so that the investigators may develop and validate a multi-dimensional clinical prediction model to more effectively inform decision making earlier in the course of the ICU care. The investigators hypothesize that multiple premorbid and acute factors measured early in the course of CCI will have strong independent associations with functional recovery. The investigators further hypothesize that social and economic factors are associated with long-term functional outcomes independent of the acute clinical problems.

This is a 1-year national prospective cohort study that observes the medical management of consented deceased organ donors at hospitals across Canada with a high volume of deceased donation.