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Cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS) is characterized by severe hyponatriemia, caused by the reduction of sodium reabsorption at the level of proximal tubule, with associated polyuria and hypovolemia. For decades, this syndrome was confused with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), but in CSWS the antidiuretic hormone is physiologically secreted. The only way to make a difference in the diagnosis is the assessment of the extracellular volume, not easily measurable in critical care patients. We designed this study to assess the frequency, the onset and the duration of the symptoms of CSWS in patients hospitalized in post-neurosurgery critical care.

The sexual hormone pattern of the chronic critically ill patient has been recently considered as one of determinants of the catabolic state that delays recovery and conditions the outcome of the disease. It is characterized by a reduction of the pituitary production of luteinizing hormone-follicle-stimulating hormone (LH-FSH) and consequently of the peripheral androgens; on the contrary, the levels of estrogens are increased due to the enhanced activity of aromatase [1]. The objective of our study was to evaluate the pattern of sexual hormone production to identify a correct replacement therapy.

Myocardial dysfunction is one of the most common organ failures in patients with sepsis characterized by transient biventricular contractility impairment, as well as systolic and diastolic dysfunction. The aim of this study is to value early hemodynamic alterations and myocardial dysfunction in severe sepsis using the pressure recording analytical method (PRAM).

Although a substantial proportion of patients become colonized with Candida sp. during a hospital stay, only few develop severe infection. Invasive candidiasis occurs in only 1–8% of patients admitted to hospitals, but in 10% of patients housed in the ICU where candida infections represent up to 15% of all nosocomial infections [1]. Candida sp. isolates from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures in immunocompetent patients are through contaminants rather than pathogens. The objective of this study is to research the most important risk factors for lung colonization by Candida albicans in ICU patients.

Teicoplanin is a glycopeptide antibiotic. The principle pharmacodynamic parameter is time dependency.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the impact of ICU-acquired infection on ICU and hospital mortality. The main determinants of hospital infection onset were investigated and the role of the most used antibiotics in the ICU was considered a risk factor for selection of peculiar bacterial species responsible for ICU pneumonia.

Acute renal failure (ARF) is one of the most common problems of the critical patient, often resulting in acute tubular necrosis following an impairment in renal hemodynamics. Fenoldopam is a selective dopaminergic agonist specific for dopaminergic receptor DA-1 that, provoking an increase in renal blood flow, diuresis and natriuresis, seems to prevent ARF – exerting a nephro-protective effect.

In this retrospective study, we evaluated two different modes of weaning: assisted spontaneous breathing (ASB) plus CPAP with automatic tube compensation (Evita 4, Draeger Medical, Germany) versus assisted spontaneous ventilation (ASV) (Galileo Gold, Hamilton Medical, Switzerland) in 80 patients who had undergone abdominal surgery. Our target was to assess differences in weaning times using different modes of assistance.

Remifentanil is a short-acting μ-opioid with a half-life of less than 9–10 min, metabolized by plasmatic esterasis. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the safety of remifentanil sedation (RS) versus midazolam–morphine sedation (MM) in 80 patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Our target was to assess whether RS is able to reduce times of weaning from mechanical ventilation with respect to MM sedation.

The aim of the study is to evaluate three different methods in order to carry out a magnetic resonance brain scan in children.