Measuring Salivary Cortisol to Assess the Effect of Natural Environments on Stress Level in Acute Patients With Severe Brain Injuries: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Salivary cortisol is a safe and non-invasive measure of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and is used as a biomarker of the human stress response. Natural environments are recognized to contribute to help reduce the effect of stress.

Objective: To determine the feasibility of a salivary cortisol collection protocol for acute severely brain-injured patients, and to explore the influence of exposure to natural settings on salivary cortisol concentration as an index of stress level.

Early detection of ICU-acquired weakness in septic shock patients ventilated longer than 72 h.

Purpose: ICU-acquired weakness, comprising Critical Illness Polyneuropathy (CIP) and Myopathy (CIM) is associated with immobilization and prolonged mechanical ventilation. This study aims to assess feasibility of early detection of CIP and CIM by peroneal nerve test (PENT) and sensory sural nerve action potential (SNAP) screening in patients with septic shock and invasively ventilated for more than 72 h.

Methods: We performed repetitive PENT screening from 72 h after intubation until detecting a pathological response.

[How to improve social and professional reinsertion of patients with neurodiabilities ? Practical indications for the general practitioner].

One part of the population of neurolesioned patients is the transition of young patients with neurodisabilities to adult life. To guarantee favourable social and professional reinsertion is a major challenge, requiring inter-professional care. For this reason, in 2006 the CHUV, Lausanne created a transition-consultation framework with neuro-paediatricians and adult neurologists specialised in neuro-rehabilitation linked to a Swiss pilot social and professional reinsertion project collaborating with the invalidity insurance.

Neurosensory stimulation outdoors enhances cognition recovery in cognitive motor dissociation: A prospective crossover study.

Background: Neurosensory stimulation is effective in enhancing the recovery process of severely brain-injured patients with disorders of consciousness. Multisensory environments are found in nature, recognized as beneficial to many medical conditions. Recent advances detected covert cognition in patients behaviorally categorized as un- or minimally responsive; a state described as cognitive motor dissociation (CMD).