Narrative review suggests melatonin for ICU sleep only after non-pharmacologic measures fail.
New Sleep Strategies Could Help ICU Patients Heal Sooner
This narrative review addresses the pharmacologic management of sleep in ICU patients. The authors note that melatonin and melatonin recepto…
ICU patients sleep poorly due to stress. New research shows better sleep strategies could help them heal faster without risky drugs.
Systematic review and meta-analysis compares intermittent vs. continuous enteral nutrition in critical illness.
Feeding ICU Patients: Why Continuous May Be Safer Than Intermittent
This meta-analysis of critically ill adults found intermittent enteral nutrition (IEN) was associated with higher rates of diarrhea and abdo…
For most critically ill patients, a steady drip of nutrition is gentler on the stomach than larger, spaced-out meals.
Ultrasound muscle index TA-PA predicts 60-day mortality in critically ill ICU patients
A simple ultrasound measure may help predict survival in critical illness
This dual-center prospective observational study of 247 critically ill adults found that lower tibialis anterior pennation angle (TA-PA) wit…
A quick muscle scan at ICU admission may help spot who is at higher risk of dying, new research suggests.
Meta-analysis of 34 Studies Shows Buffered Solutions Do Not Lower Mortality Compared to 0.9% Saline
Saline vs. Balanced Fluids: What ICU Patients Really Need
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 studies involving 37,859 participants evaluated buffered solutions versus 0.9% saline in crit…
A major review finds no survival benefit for balanced IV fluids over standard saline in ICU patients, though kidney effects remain unclear.
Protein nutritional support in critically ill adults shows heterogeneous mortality benefits and potential harm from very high early doses.
Why ICU Patients Need More Protein, But Not Too Much
This narrative review evaluates protein supplementation strategies in critically ill adults, including those with sepsis or severe burns. Ev…
Doctors caring for patients in the ICU know protein matters for recovery, but a new review shows the right dose depends on the illness, the …
Early supplemental parenteral nutrition may reduce ventilation time and ICU stay in older underfed ICU patients
Early nutrition support linked to shorter ICU stays for older patients on ventilators
A randomized trial in 92 older ICU patients requiring mechanical ventilation and achieving <50% of enteral nutrition targets found that earl…
Starting IV nutrition on day three instead of day seven helped older ICU patients on breathing machines spend less time on ventilators and i…
In critically ill adults, greater quadriceps thickness and circumference independently predicted lower 28-day mortality risk.
Is your thigh muscle size a warning sign for survival in the ICU?
This prospective cohort study evaluated 603 critically ill adults to determine if quadriceps mass predicts mortality. Results indicated that…
Thicker thigh muscles lower the risk of dying within 28 days for critically ill patients, while arm measurements offer no similar survival b…
Normal saline preservation solution increases serum sodium and blood pressure versus half saline in critically ill pediatric patients
Study in critically ill children compares two IV fluid types for sodium and blood pressure effects
A double-blind RCT of 88 critically ill pediatric patients in a PICU compared normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride) to half saline (0.45% sod…
Normal saline raises sodium and blood pressure more than half saline in critically ill children, guiding safer fluid choices for recovery.
Meta-analysis finds diaphragmatic atrophy and weakness in critically ill patients on ventilation or with sepsis
Why do critically ill patients struggle to breathe on their own? Their diaphragm muscles shrink and weaken.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 187 critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation or with sepsis found diaphragmatic fib…
Critically ill patients on ventilators have diaphragm muscles that are 30% smaller and dramatically weaker than normal, explaining their str…
Testosterone gel fails to normalize serum levels in critically ill ICU patients in pilot RCT
Can testosterone gel help critically ill men? A small study finds no clear benefit.
A pilot RCT of 30 critically ill ICU patients on vasopressors and mechanical ventilation found 14-day testosterone gel administration did no…
Testosterone gel did not improve hormone levels or safety in critically ill men needing breathing machines and blood pressure support.
Inspiratory muscle training shows no clear effect on physical function in critically ill adults on mechanical ventilation
Breathing muscle training shows uncertain effect on physical function in ICU patients
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies in adults requiring invasive mechanical ventilation for ≥24 hours found inspiratory musc…
Breathing muscle training for ICU patients on ventilators may not improve their ability to move and perform daily activities, with effects r…