Practical aspects of implementing tight glucose control in the ICU

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The outcomes of intervention studies implementing intensive insulin therapy aimed at tight glucose control (TGC) are yet not conclusive. There is concern about an increasing incidence of hypoglycemic episodes. Normoglycemia is not easy to obtain in a 'real-life' ICU setting. To facilitate the implementation of TGC, we review its practical aspects. RECENT FINDINGS: Point-of-care blood gas/glucose analyzers currently present the best trade-off between accuracy and speed. A nurse-driven dynamic scale protocol leads to the most efficacious and safe implementation of TGC. Paper protocols have been published and computerized protocols are a new development. Closed-loop systems are not yet available for clinical use. SUMMARY: Clinicians should take care in selecting both the patient group and target blood glucose level. As long as doubts remain about the potential benefits, it is important to perform TGC in a safe way. This can be done with a nurse-driven protocol, using arterial blood samples measured on a point-of-care blood gas analyzer. Insulin administration should be continuous, and guided by a dynamic scale protocol either on paper or on the computer. Periodical monitoring of performance and incremental modification of the protocol leads to best results.     

Changing patterns in neonatal respiratory diseases

Using the current Nottingham Health District, England, as a geographically defined population we have investigated the changing patterns of neonatal respiratory diseases. We have categorized all newborns who developed a respiratory problem during either 1977 or between April 1, 1983, and March 31, 1984 using a system based on that of Hjalmarson (Acta Paediatr Scand 1981; 70:773-783). There has been no change in the incidence of any of the disease types. However, the gestation of babies in two groups, idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) and minimal respiratory disturbance (requiring added oxygen for less than 6 hours), has shown a significant reduction. Overall, mortality for infants developing IRDS has shown a slight decrease, and for infants between 29 and 32 weeks gestation, mortality has shown a significant reduction. Overall, requirements for oxygen therapy and ventilation have shown a threefold increase, while hours in receipt of continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) have increased sevenfold.     

Review of systematic reviews about the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in insomnia

Background Insomnia is a very common condition in various populations. Non-pharmacological interventions might offer (safe) alternatives for hypnotics. Aim To evaluate the evidence for efficacy from systematic reviews about non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in insomnia by a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Search strategy Search strategies were conducted in the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (2002-July 2008), The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2000-July 2008) and PubMed (1950-July 2008). Sleep quality was the outcome measure of interest. Selection criteria Systematic reviews about the efficacy of one or more non-pharmacological interventions for insomnia, concerning both adult and elderly populations, were included. Reviews that included studies performed among populations suffering with severe neurological or cognitive impairments or with addictive disorders were excluded. Data analysis Relevant data were extracted. The quality of the reviews found was appraised by using the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire. The evidence was appraised and divided into six classes. Results and conclusions Sixteen reviews about 17 interventions were included. Six reviews were of adequate methodological quality. Of these, only one provided an effect size: a moderate effect was found for music-assisted relaxation. Weak evidence indicating a large effect was found for multicomponent cognitive behavioural therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, stimulus control and 'behavioural only'. Weak evidence indicating a moderate effect was found for paradoxical intention. Finally, weak evidence indicating a moderate to large effect was found for relaxation training. Because of the lack of sufficient methodological quality and the lack of calculated effect sizes, most of the included reviews were not suitable for drawing rigorous conclusions about the effect of non-pharmacological interventions on sleep quality in insomniacs. The non-pharmacological treatment of insomnia would benefit from renewed reviews based on a rigorous methodological approach.     

Lung expansion, tidal exchange, and formation of the functional residual capacity during resuscitation of asphyxiated neonates.

Ventilatory exchange and endotracheal and esophageal pressures were measured during resuscitation of asphyxiated neonates born by cesarean section. In contrast to spontaneously breathing, vaginally born babies, an opening pressure had to be exceeded before lung expansion occurred. Subsequently there was usually a gradual increase in gaseous exchange over the first few lung inflations. A further rise in lung compliance occurred with the baby's inspiratory efforts. The functional residual capacity was formed with or without active inspiratory efforts by the baby, although gaseous retention occurred more rapidly as a result of the infant's inspiration.     

Cytomegalovirus non-primary infection during pregnancy. Can serology help with diagnosis?

Diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) primary infection is reliable, but diagnosis of CMV non-primary infection (NPI) is questionable. Our aim is to highlight the difficulties met in diagnosis of CMV NPI. We illustrate that in proven cases of CMV NPI, very different serologic and molecular patterns may be observed and that routine serologic testing may fail to help with diagnosis. These results point out that many data available in literature concerning the prevalence of NPI, materno-fetal transmission rates and consequences of NPI may be wrong. We need to know how frequently they occur, are transmitted and cause fetal damages. Diagnosis of NPI must be improved, along with our understanding of the mechanisms leading to intrauterine CMV transmission and congenital infection in babies born to women with preexisting immunity.     

Fabry disease: guidelines for the evaluation and management of multi-organ system involvement.

Fabry disease is an X-linked metabolic storage disorder due to the deficiency of lysosomal alpha-galactosidase A, and the subsequent accumulation of glycosphingolipids, primarily globotriaosylceramide, throughout the body. Males with classical Fabry disease develop early symptoms including pain and hypohidrosis by the second decade of life reflecting disease progression in the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems. An insidious cascade of disease processes ultimately results in severe renal, cardiac, and central nervous system complications in adulthood. The late complications are the main cause of late morbidity, as well as premature mortality. Disease presentation in female heterozygotes may be as severe as in males although women may also remain asymptomatic. The recent introduction of enzyme replacement therapy to address the underlying pathophysiology of Fabry disease has focused attention on the need for comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation and management of the multi-organ system involvement. In anticipation of evidence-based recommendations, an international panel of physicians with expertise in Fabry disease has proposed guidelines for the recognition, evaluation, and surveillance of disease-associated morbidities, as well as therapeutic strategies, including enzyme replacement and other adjunctive therapies, to optimize patient outcomes.     

Cellular effects of smoke from "safer" cigarettes.

Mutagenicity and cytotoxicity are basic cellular effects of cigarette smoke which underlie the development of lung cancer and chronic obstructive airways disease. This study reports that, on a weight-for-weight basis, cigarette smoke condensates from low, middle and high tar cigarettes produce similar mutagenic effects detected by induced sister chromatid exchanges and similar cytotoxic effects detected by vital dye exclusion in human leucocytes. These findings, taken with the strong evidence that smokers extract more smoke from lower tar cigarettes to compensate for low nicotine yields, suggest that the health dangers associated with smoking these "safer" products are underestimated.     

Defining minimum genomic regions of imbalance involved in testicular germ cell tumors of adolescents and adults through genome wide microarray analysis of cDNA clones

Identifying changes in DNA copy number can pinpoint genes that may be involved in tumor development. Here we have defined the smallest overlapping regions of imbalance (SORI) in testicular germ cell tumors other than the 12p region, which has been previously investigated. Definition of the regions was achieved through comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) analysis of a 4559 cDNA clone microarray. A total of 14 SORI were identified, which involved at least five of the 11 samples analysed. Many of these refined regions were previously reported using chromosomal or allelic imbalance studies. The SORI included gain of material from the regions 4q12, 17q21.3, 22q11.23 and Xq22, and loss from 5q33, 11q12.1, 16q22.3 and 22q11. Comparison with parallel chromosomal CGH data supported involvement of most regions. The various SORI span between one and 20 genes and highlight potential oncogenes/tumor suppressor genes to be investigated further.