SummaryBackgroundIn a previous randomised controlled phase 2 trial, intravenous infusion of salbutamol for up to 7 days in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) reduced extravascular lung water and plateau airway pressure. We assessed the effects of this intervention on mortality in patients with ARDS.MethodsWe did a multicentre, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, randomised trial at 46 UK intensive-care units between December, 2006, and March, 2010. Intubated and mechanically ventilated patients (aged ≥16 years) within 72 h of ARDS onset were randomly assigned to receive either salbutamol (15 μg/kg ideal bodyweight per h) or placebo for up to 7 days. Randomisation was done by a central telephone or web-based randomisation service with minmisation by centre, pressure of arterial oxygen to fractional inspired oxygen concentration (PaO2/FIO2) ratio, and age. All participants, caregivers, and investigators were masked to group allocation. The primary outcome was death within 28 days of randomisation. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. This trial is registered, ISRCTN38366450 and EudraCT number 2006-002647-86.FindingsWe randomly assigned 162 patients to the salbutamol group and 164 to the placebo group. One patient in each group withdrew consent. Recruitment was stopped after the second interim analysis because of safety concerns. Salbutamol increased 28-day mortality (55 [34%] of 161 patients died in the salbutamol group vs 38 (23%) of 163 in the placebo group; risk ratio [RR] 1·47, 95% CI 1·03–2·08).InterpretationTreatment with intravenous salbutamol early in the course of ARDS was poorly tolerated. Treatment is unlikely to be beneficial, and could worsen outcomes. Routine use of β-2 agonist treatment in ventilated patients with this disorder cannot be recommended.FundingUK Medical Research Council, UK Department of Health, UK Intensive Care Foundation.

Rationale: Insulin resistance and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are associated with pulmonary morbidity, including asthma, but the underlying mechanisms are not well elucidated.Objectives: To investigate whether systemic inflammation underlies the association of metabolic abnormalities with pulmonary function among urban adolescents.Methods: Th-cell responses and monocyte subsets, and their association with serum homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and HDL, and pulmonary function were quantified in 168 adolescents, including 42 obese subjects with asthma, 42 normal-weight subjects with asthma, 40 obese subjects without asthma, and 44 healthy control subjects. Th-cell responses (Th1 [CD4 ) monocytes, and their C-C chemokine receptor type-2 (CCR2) expression were quantified by flow cytometry.Measurements and Main Results: Th1/Th2 ratio to all three stimuli was higher in obese subjects with asthma than normal-weight subjects with asthma and directly correlated with HOMA-IR. Classical monocytes inversely associated with Th1/Th2 ratio to phytohemagglutinin (r = 20.43; P = 0.01) and directly with Asthma Control Test score (b = 1.09; P = 0.04), while patrolling monocytes correlated with Composite Asthma Severity Index score (b = 1.11; P = 0.04) only among obese subjects with asthma. HDL was inversely associated with patrolling monocytes and directly associated with CCR2 expression on resident monocytes. CCR2 expression on patrolling monocytes predicted residual volume (RV), RV/TLC ratio, and FRC, after adjusting for HDL, but not after adjusting for body mass index. Association of Th1/Th2 ratio with RV, FRC, and inspiratory capacity was attenuated after adjusting for HOMA-IR.Conclusions: Th1 polarization and monocyte activation among obese subjects with asthma correlates with metabolic abnormalities. Association of monocyte activation with pulmonary function is mediated by body mass index, whereas that of Th1 polarization is mediated by insulin resistance.

The clinical picture in severe cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza is markedly different from the disease pattern seen during epidemics of seasonal influenza, in that many of those affected were previously healthy young people. Current predictions estimate that, during a pandemic wave, 12-30% of the population will develop clinical influenza (compared with 5-15% for seasonal influenza) with 4% of those patients requiring hospital admissions and one in five requiring critical care. This review covers the background, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. The role of immunization and antiviral drugs is discussed. Experience from the first wave of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza suggests that a number of infected patients become critically ill and require intensive care admission. These patients rapidly develop severe progressive respiratory failure which is often associated with failure of other organs, or marked worsening of underlying airways disease. The critical care management of these patients and the implications for resources is reviewed. Guidance from a range of bodies has been produced in a relatively short period of time in response to pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza. Disease severity has the potential to change, especially if there is virus mutation. Clinicians must be prepared for the unexpected and continue to share their experiences to maximize patient outcomes.

SummarySequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score based triage of influenza A H1N1 critically ill patients has been proposed for surge capacity management as a guide for clinical decision making. We conducted a retrospective records review and SOFA scoring of critically ill patients with influenza A H1N1 in a mixed medical‐surgical intensive care unit in an urban hospital. Eight critically ill patients with influenza A H1N1 were admitted to the intensive care unit. Their mean (range) age was 39 (26–52) years with a length of stay of 11 (3–17) days. All patients met SOFA score based triage admission criteria with a modal SOFA score of five. Five patients required invasive ventilation for a mean (range) of 5 (4–11) days. Five patients would have been considered for withdrawal of treatment using SOFA scoring guidelines at 48 h. All patients survived. We conclude that SOFA score based triage could lead to withdrawal of life support in critically ill patients who could survive with an acceptably low length of stay in the intensive care unit.

Introduction In resource-limited settings – with inequalities in access to and outcomes for trauma, surgical and critical care – intensive care registries are uncommon. Aim The Pakistan Society of Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Society (UK) and the Network for Improving Critical Care Systems and Training (NICST) aim to implement a clinician-led real-time national intensive care registry in Pakistan: the Pakistan Registry of Intensive CarE (PRICE). Method This was adapted from a successful clinician co-designed national registry in Sri Lanka; ICU information has been linked to real-time dashboards, providing clinicians and administrators individual patient and service delivery activity respectively. Output Commenced in August 2017, five ICU’s (three administrative regions – 104 beds) were recruited and have reported over 1100 critical care admissions to PRICE. Impact and future PRICE is being rolled out nationally in Pakistan and will provide continuous granular healthcare information necessary to empower clinicians to drive setting-specific priorities for service improvement and research.

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Besides prevention, the basic principles of fistula repair are the most important factors in achieving surgical success. Better preoperative preparation and rigorous measures for preventing postoperative infection can help increase the success rate of fistula repair.

BackgroundStroke was the second most common cause of death worldwide in 2004, resulting in 5.7 million deaths. This case controlled study was conducted in Tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar, KPK Pakistan about common risk factors of stroke and the impact of these risk factors.MethodStudy was done at Government Tertiary Care Hospitals of Peshawar namely Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC).The hospital based case–control study included 50 cases (stroke patients) and 100 controls (non-stroke patients). This study was accomplished from 24th April 2012 to October 2012 in tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar. A proper questionnaire was used to collect data from all the cases and controls, which was recorded in the form of tables and graphs. The risk factors studied were Hypertension, Smoking, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, cardiac problems, B.M.I, diet, stress and family history of stroke. Anthropometric (weight, height, body mass index) measurements were done on all patients. For determination of association and impact of these risk factors, analyses were performed by calculation of Chi-Square test and confidence interval using SPSS version 16 program.ResultsComparing the cases with controls, hypertension (p = 0.000), sedentary life style (p = 0.000), cardiac problems (p = 0.009), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.010), smoking (p = 0. 042) were significant risk factors whereas B.M.I (p = 0. 393), stress (p = 0.705), family history of stroke (p = 0.729), diet (p = 0.908), were not found to be statistically significant risk factors. The most significant risk factor was systemic hypertension (OR = 4.16) followed by sedentary life style (OR = 3.60), cardiac problems (OR = 2.74) diabetes (OR = 2.49) and smoking (OR = 2.05).ConclusionHypertension, Smoking, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and cardiac problems have strong correlations and association with Stroke and are the major risk factors of stroke. Prevention of these risk factors can lead to decrease in the incidence of stroke. B.M.I, diet, stress and family history of stroke had no significant association.