Decoding Sepsis: A 16-Year Retrospective Analysis of Activation Patterns, Mortality Predictors, and Outcomes from a Hospital-Wide Sepsis Protocol.

Sepsis remains a leading cause of mortality in hospitalized patients. We evaluated characteristics and outcomes of patients identified through a comprehensive hospital-wide sepsis protocol over a 16-year period. This retrospective cohort study analyzed hospital-wide sepsis protocol activations at a tertiary care hospital in Spain from 2006 to 2022.

Optimal Arterial Pressure Transducer Positioning for Neurocritical Care Patients: A Review.

This narrative review addresses the critical issue of arterial transducer positioning for cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) measurement in neurocritical care. Despite CPP's importance in guiding management, optimal transducer placement remains ambiguous and unaddressed by current guidelines. We synthesized evidence from 20 relevant articles to inform standardization efforts.

Artificial Intelligence in Speech-Language Pathology and Dysphagia: A Review From Latin American Perspective and Pilot Test of LLMs for Rehabilitation Planning.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming speech-language pathology (SLP) and dysphagia management, offering innovative solutions for assessment, diagnosis, and rehabilitation. This narrative review examines AI applications in these fields from 2014 to 2024, with particular focus on implementation challenges in Latin America. We analyze key AI technologies-including deep learning, machine learning algorithms, and natural language processing-that have demonstrated high accuracy in detecting voice disorders, analyzing swallowing function, and supporting personalized rehabilitation.

Snapshot of a Decade: Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies in Chile-A 10-Year Short Report.

Background: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are rare autoimmune diseases with limited epidemiological data from Latin America.

Objective: To characterize IIMs through incident rate patterns and clinical features in a major Chilean referral center over a 10-year period.

Methods: Historical cohort study (2012-2021) reviewing clinical records from rheumatology outpatient clinic of patients with IIM diagnosis.

Hyperacute silicosis after bronchoscopy-induced melanoptysis in a lung transplant patient. A first report in literature.

Silicosis, a fibrotic lung disease caused by crystalline silica inhalation, presents unique challenges in lung transplantation. This case reports an unprecedented complication in a lung transplant recipient with chronic silicosis. A man in his 60s, post left single-lung transplantation for silica-induced pneumoconiosis, developed acute respiratory deterioration following routine bronchoscopy.

Very old patients in the ICU in Latin America: A narrative review.

The population of very elderly patients (aged 80 years and older) in intensive care units (ICUs) is steadily growing. These patients have unique physiological, cognitive, functional, and social characteristics that affect their entire ICU course. Immobility, delirium, dysphagia, malnutrition, and polypharmacy are among the most common geriatric syndromes in these patients, and they contribute to a higher risk of acute and long-term functional decline and mortality.

Adult Code Sepsis: A Narrative Review of its Implementation and Impact.

This narrative review explores the implementation and impact of sepsis code protocols, an urgent intervention strategy designed to improve clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis. We examined the degree of implementation, activation criteria, areas of implementation, personnel involved, responses after activation, goals and targets, impact on clinical indicators, and challenges in implementation. The reviewed evidence suggests that sepsis codes can significantly reduce sepsis-related mortality and enhance early administration of treatments.

In situ simulation in the intensive care unit: A phenomenological study of staff experiences.

ObjectiveTo explore the experiences of clinical and non-clinical staff in an intensive care unit regarding the perceived benefits and drawbacks of using in situ simulation as a training tool.MethodsA descriptive phenomenological qualitative study was conducted among clinical and nonclinical ICU personnel. Simulations and interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved.

Induction treatment for lupus nephritis at a high-complexity hospital in Chile.

Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) causes kidney compromise in up to 40% of patients, contributing significantly to morbidity. Lupus nephritis (LN), an early onset manifestation in most patients, is histologically classified into six types, with types III, IV, and V requiring treatment with induction therapies, usually glucocorticoids with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) or intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVC). However, up to 60% of patients fail to achieve complete remission, and 27%-66% have subsequent flares.

Coma Prevalence in Critical Care Units in Chile: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey on World Coma Day.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of coma among patients in critical care units in Chile. We also aimed to provide insight into the demographic characteristics, etiologies, and complications associated with coma.

Methods: A single day cross-sectional study was conducted through a national survey of public and private hospitals with critical and intensive cardiac care units across Chile.

Analysis of Vancomycin Dosage and Plasma Levels in Critically Ill Adult Patients Requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).

Critically ill patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) exhibit unique pharmacokinetics. This study aimed to assess the achievement of vancomycin therapeutic targets in these patients. This retrospective cohort study included patients on ECMO treated with vancomycin between January 2010 and December 2018.

[Epidemiological profile of patients with COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary care public hospital].

Background: The knowledge about the epidemiological profile of patients admitted to the hospital for severe COVID infection, allows an adequate health care planning and resource allocation.

Aim: To describe the epidemiology of patients with COVID-19 admitted to a public hospital between March 2020 and July 2021.

Material And Methods: Demographic variables, comorbidities, ventilatory support requirements, and hospital resources were recorded from clinical records and hospital databases of diagnosis related groups.

Severe osmotic demyelination syndrome with cortical involvement in the context of severe hyponatremia and central diabetes insipidus: an uncommon presentation of an unusual combination.

Background: Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) with cerebral cortical involvement is a rare complication of severe hyponatremia correction. Careful management of hyponatremia is crucial, particularly in patients with risk factors, such as alcohol use disorder and diabetes insipidus.

Case: A patient in his 40s with a history of alcohol use disorder and central diabetes insipidus developed ODS after a 24 mEq/L osmolar increase during the treatment of hyponatremia.

Cost-Effectiveness of Mepolizumab Add-On in the Treatment of Severe Eosinophilic Asthma in Chile.

Objective: Asthma is one of the 4 leading causes of death worldwide. Severe asthma is associated with poor quality of life, decreased life expectancy, and higher health resources consumption such as the use of oral corticosteroids (OCSs). This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of mepolizumab as an add-on compared with the standard care of the Chilean public health system (combined inhaled corticosteroid therapy and a long-acting beta-agonist, short-acting beta-agonist, and OCS).

Cost Effectiveness of Daclatasvir/Asunaprevir Versus Peginterferon/Ribavirin and Protease Inhibitors for the Treatment of Hepatitis c Genotype 1b Naïve Patients in Chile.

Introduction: Daclatasvir and Asunaprevir (DCV/ASV) have recently been approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. In association, they are more effective and safer than previous available treatments, but more expensive. It is unclear if paying for the additional costs is an efficient strategy considering limited resources.