CRBIs: Are Femoral Lines as Bad as Previously Thought?

13 Aug

Posted by SCCM as Concise Critical Appraisal

In the 2011 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, avoidance of the femoral vein for central venous access is listed as a class 1A recommendation for the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBIs). In the August issue of Critical Care Medicine, Marik and colleagues conduct [...]

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Hydroxyethyl Starch Harmful in Severe Sepsis

01 Aug

Posted by SCCM as Concise Critical Appraisal

Based on the results of several small trials, the safety of colloid solutions containing high-molecular-weight hydroxyethyl starch (HES) has been questioned in patients with severe sepsis. In the July 12 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, Perner and investigators from the 6S Trial Group and the Scandinavian Critical Care Trials Group reported the [...]