Web site designed and maintained by Chris Cairns  © SICS EBM Group 2004                                  

SICS EBM Update No.2 December 2004

Seasons greetings from the SICS EBM group.

December sees the publication of several new review articles, and critical appraisals of recently published studies on the groups web site. (www.sicsebm.org.uk).

• New Review articles

• Therapeutic Hypothermia Following Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (2 CATs) – Dr Chris Cairns

• Making Changes To Practice (5 CATS) – Dr Malcolm Daniel

• Prevention of Ventilator-associated pneumonia (23 CATs) – Drs David Swann, Barbara Miles, Joyce Stuart

• New Critically Appraised Papers

• CRASH group. Effect of intravenous corticosteroids on death within 14 days in 10,008 adults with clinically significant head injury (MRC CRASH Trial): randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet 2004 – by C Wallace

• Rumbak MJ et al. A prospective, randomised study comparing early percutaneous dilational tracheotomy to prolonged translaryngeal intubation (delayed tracheotomy) in critically ill medical patients. Crit Care Med 2004 – by R Price.

• Merten GJ, et al. Prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy with sodium bicarbonate: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004 - by N Ledingham & D Swann.

• Baker CS, et al. A rapid protocol for the prevention of contrast-induced renal dysfunction: the RAPPID study. J Am Col  Card. 2003 – by N Ledingham & D Swann.

• Annane D, et al. Corticosteroids for severe sepsis and septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2004 – by M Daniel

• Minneci PC, et al. Meta-analysis: The Effect of Steroids on Survival and Shock during Sepsis Depends on the Dose. Ann Int Med. 2004– by C Cairns

• Lopez A et al. Multiple-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor 546C88: Effect on survival in patients with septic shock. Crit Care Med 2004 – by C Cairns

This equates to 37 NEW CATS, bringing the total on the website to 80. List of all CATs 

• New Projects – Opportunity to get involved (contact lead investigator)

Prevention of Catheter Related Infections – Dr David Swann

Selective Decontamination of the Digestive Tract – Dr Muthuswamy Pillai

• Want to do some CATs of your own?

Why not select an interesting paper and do your own CAT. Information regarding the CATmaker™ software; how to get it and how to use it, is available on the web site.

We’d be happy to consider your work for publication on the site. (email: sicsebm@btinternet.com)

In the meantime why not put some of Brian Cuthbertsons  thought provoking "Did You Know?" posters up around your units.

Chris Cairns

Chair, SICS EBMG

on behalf of the SICS EBMG steering group.