Background Sound levels in intensive care units can be high. Unfortunately, high levels of sound tend to result in poor sleep quality, which leads to slower healing, poorer immune response, and decreased cognitive function. Objectives To measure sound levels to which patients in intensive care units are typically exposed. Methods Peak sound pressure levels of alarms on medical devices set at different output levels were measured. Additionally, ambient sound pressure levels for durations of 10 to 24 hours were measured on 12 occasions in patients' rooms in the intensive care unit. Results Peak levels of equipment alarms measured inside a patient's room were high, and increased as the setting of the alarm level increased. The levels of these alarms when measured in an adjacent room did not increase with alarm output level. Mean sound levels inside the patient's room were generally less than 45 dB(A), but peak levels were often greater than 85 dB(C). Closing the door of the adjacent room did not decrease these peak levels. Peak and mean levels did not differ systematically during 24 hours of measurement. Conclusions High-intensity equipment alarms disturb patients' sleep but are critical in a medical emergency. However, nurses should not assume that raising the alarm output level will ensure that the alarm is audible from an adjacent room. Ambient noise measurements indicate high peak levels during both day and night. (American Journal of Critical Care. 2010;19:e88-e99)

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Objectives To determine whether preoperative dexamethasone reduces postoperative vomiting in patients undergoing elective bowel surgery and whether it is associated with other measurable benefits during recovery from surgery, including quicker return to oral diet and reduced length of stay. Design Pragmatic two arm parallel group randomised trial with blinded postoperative care and outcome assessment. Setting 45 UK hospitals. Participants 1350 patients aged 18 or over undergoing elective open or laparoscopic bowel surgery for malignant or benign pathology. Interventions Addition of a single dose of 8 mg intravenous dexamethasone at induction of anaesthesia compared with standard care. Main outcome measures Primary outcome: reported vomiting within 24 hours reported by patient or clinician. Secondary outcomes: vomiting with 72 and 120 hours reported by patient or clinician; use of antiemetics and postoperative nausea and vomiting at 24, 72, and 120 hours rated by patient; fatigue and quality of life at 120 hours or discharge and at 30 days; time to return to fluid and food intake; length of hospital stay; adverse events. Results 1350 participants were recruited and randomly allocated to additional dexamethasone (n=674) or standard care (n=676) at induction of anaesthesia. Vomiting within 24 hours of surgery occurred in 172 (25.5%) participants in the dexamethasone arm and 223 (33.0%) allocated standard care (number needed to treat (NNT) 13, 95% confidence interval 5 to 22; P=0.003). Additional postoperative antiemetics were given (on demand) to 265 (39.3%) participants allocated dexamethasone and 351 (51.9%) allocated standard care (NNT 8, 5 to 11; P<0.001). Reduction in on demand antiemetics remained up to 72 hours. There was no increase in complications. Conclusions Addition of a single dose of 8 mg intravenous dexamethasone at induction of anaesthesia significantly reduces both the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting at 24 hours and the need for rescue antiemetics for up to 72 hours in patients undergoing large and small bowel surgery, with no increase in adverse events. Trial registration EudraCT (2010-022894-32) and ISRCTN (ISRCTN21973627).

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