Preventive Tactics and Management of Acute Kidney Injury in the ICU

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden decline in renal function due to nephron dysfunction and/or damage that results in nitrogenous waste product accumulation and acid-base, electrolyte, and fluid disturbances. It is estimated to occur in 16-67% of critically ill patients admitted to the ICU. Common inciting causes include major surgery, iatrogenic interventions, and sepsis. Advanced age and comorbidities increase kidney susceptibility to various exposures and insults. Severe AKI requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) is associated with a 10-fold increase in mortality and increases length of stay an average of 5.7 days. Preventive tactics and RRT remain the cornerstones of AKI management in critically ill patients.

Finding a Consensus on ARDS Diagnostics and Determining a Relationship to Hospital Mortality

Critical care physicians reviewed more than 700 mechanically ventilated patients with acute hypoxemia and reached a consensus on the presence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in 15% of patients and nonconsensus on the presence of ARDS in an additional 14% of cases. Hospital mortality was not different between these cohorts (37% and 35%, respectively).