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BACKGROUND: Despite the frequency of intrahospital transport of critically ill patients, little research has been done on this topic and the findings are contradictory. OBJECTIVES: To describe arterial oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry, heart rate, heart rhythm, and systolic blood pressure and equipment problems in critically ill, mechanically ventilated adults during intrahospital transport. METHODS: The sample consisted of 36 critically ill, mechanically ventilated adults who required transport out of the intensive care unit for diagnostic testing or procedures within the hospital. Arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate, heart rhythm, and systolic blood pressure were measured at baseline, at least every 5 minutes during transport to and from the test site and at the test site, and every 5 minutes for 15 minutes after return to the unit. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (53%) had clinically important changes in arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate, and/or systolic blood pressure. New cardiac arrhythmias developed in two patients. The clinically important changes occurred most frequently at the test/procedure site. Equipment problems such as monitor power failure and ventilator disconnection occurred during transport of 4 patients (11%). Total time out of ICU averaged 62 +/- 30 (range = 26 to 166) minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Transport outside the intensive care unit places the critically ill patient at additional risk. Although transport is often unavoidable, its risks versus benefits should be carefully and collaboratively evaluated for every patient prior to making the decision for transport.

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The similarity between Bacterium bronchisepticus and Bacterium abortus in their growth on potato, and in their inability to attack sugars has been pointed out by Smith.' So far as the writer is aware, no further attention has been called to the similarity between the two organisms. From a biologic standpoint the resemblance is of interest; and since, as Mcfiowan" has shown, Bact. bronchisepticus causes epizootics among laboratory animals, and during an epizootic may inhabit the organs of normal animals, the resemblance between the two organisms has a practical significance in the possibility of their confusion when isolated from experimental animals. Certain facts as stated in the literature concerning another pathogenic organism-that causing Malta fever-suggested that a comparison with Bact. abortus might also be of interest. The Malta fever organism was discovered by Bruce." He examined stained smears from the spleen of human subjects in fatal cases, and in every case found minute organisms which he called micrococci. These were later proved to be the causal organism, and the name Micrococcus melitensis was given. In fresh material obtained from infected individuals this organism is said to appear invariably in the coccus form, but under artificial cultivation bacillary forms are reported to be common, and these have been regarded as involution forms. Some of the most recent textbooks, however, have called the organism Bacillus melitensis. The descriptions of the Malta fever organism suggested a similar morphology to that of Bact. abortus which is described as a