Delirium is often unrecognized in ICU patients and associated with poor outcome. Screening for ICU delirium is recommended by several medical organizations to improve early diagnosis and treatment. The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) has high sensitivity and specificity for delirium …

Effects of systemic inflammation on cerebral function are not clear, as both inflammation-induced encephalopathy as well as stress-hormone mediated alertness have been described. Experimental endotoxemia (2 ng/kg Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) was induced in 15 subjects, whereas 10 served …

Predictive models, such as acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE-II), are widely used in intensive care units (ICUs) to estimate mortality. Although the presence of delirium is associated with a higher mortality in ICU patients, delirium is not part of the APACHE-II model. The aim …

A psycho-organic disorder such as delirium is a frequently occurring and serious disorder especially on Intensive Care units. Nowadays, more attention is paid to this problem by physicians, nurses and by researchers, but assessment of delirium in all ICU patients is still not common practice. If patients …

Bij patiënten die gereanimeerd zijn, wordt standaard gecontroleerde, milde hypothermie (streeftemperatuur 32-34oC) toegepast bij om verdere hersenschade te beperken. Het koelen gaat gepaard met perifere vasoconstrictie waardoor de huid en de subcutis minder doorbloed zijn. Onderzocht is of de beperkte …

Delirium occurs frequently in critically ill patients, and especially in severely ill and in infectious patients. Although several causal pathways for delirium have been described, the role of biomarkers in ICU patients is unknown. We investigated potential differences in various serum biomarkers between …

The prevalence of obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) C30 kg/m2, reaches epidemic proportions. It is not only a risk factor for health problems, but also exacerbates illness progression. Consequently, the number of obese patients on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has increased enormously. Caring …

In critically ill patients, delirium is a serious and frequent disorder that is associated with a prolonged intensive care and hospital stay and an increased morbidity and mortality. Without the use of a delirium screening instrument, delirium is often missed by ICU nurses and physicians. The effects …