Objective In 1991, the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and the Society of
Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) convened a “Consensus Conference,” the goals of which …

Septic shock, the most severe complication of sepsis, is a deadly disease. In recent years,
exciting advances have been made in the understanding of its pathophysiology and …

Background Antibiotics are advised in most guidelines on acute diverticulitis, despite a lack
of evidence to support their routine use. This trial compared the effectiveness of a strategy …

Epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical effect of infections by multiresistant bacteria in
cirrhosis are poorly known. This work was a prospective evaluation in two series of cirrhotic …

Background Over 20 years, from October 1989, the Darwin prospective melioidosis study
has documented 540 cases from tropical Australia, providing new insights into epidemiology …

Purpose To estimate the incidence density, point prevalence and outcome of severe sepsis
and septic shock in German intensive care units (ICUs). Methods In a prospective …

Background: Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a key regulator of water balance, but its
instability makes reliable measurement difficult and precludes routine use. We present a …

Serum concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),
interleukin (IL)-l β, and IL-6, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine 11–10, and IL-1 receptor …

Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of antibiotics treatment for suspected acute
uncomplicated appendicitis and to monitor the long term follow-up of non-operated patients …

Objective.—To examine the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of severe sepsis in
intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Design and Setting.—Inception cohort study from a 2 …