Determinations of ITBV and EVLW by single thermodilution agreed closely with the corresponding values from the double-indicator technique. Since transpulmonary single thermodilution is simple to apply, less invasive and cheaper, all these features make it a promising technique for the bedside. Nevertheless, further validation studies are needed in the future.

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In a prospective, multicenter study of 342 blood samples from 187 patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, sepsis, or neutropenic fever, a new commercial PCR test (SepsiTest; Molzym) was evaluated for rapid diagnosis of bacteremia. The test comprises a universal PCR from the 16S rRNA gene, with subsequent identification of bacteria from positive samples by sequence analysis of amplicons. Compared to blood culture (BC), the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the PCR were 87.0 and 85.8%, respectively. Considering the 34 BC-positive patients, 28 were also PCR positive in at least one of the samples, resulting in a patient-related sensitivity of 82.4%. The concordance of PCR and BC for both positive and negative samples was (47 ؉ 247)/342, i.e., 86.0%. In total, 31 patients were PCR/sequencing positive and BC negative, in whom the PCR result was judged as possible or probable to true bacteremia in 25. In conclusion, the PCR approach facilitates the detection of bacteremia in blood samples within a few hours. Despite the indispensability of BC diagnostics, the rapid detection of bacteria by SepsiTest appears to be a valuable tool, allowing earlier pathogen-adapted antimicrobial therapy in critically ill patients.Bloodstream infection is a life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate, especially in intensive care and neutropenic patients (5,19,35,38). Pathogenic bacteria are the most frequent causes of bloodstream infection, although fungi can also be isolated in a minority of patients (7,17,21,32,34). Currently, inoculation of blood cultures (BC) is the standard method for microbiological diagnosis of bloodstream infections. However, the limitations of BC include relatively low sensitivities and a long time-to-result for detection and identification of the pathogen, generally over 2 days, and even longer for fastidious organisms (13,20,27).In contrast, DNA-based procedures may offer faster and more reliable diagnoses (3, 30). PCR amplification of microbial genes, followed by detection of amplified products by gel electrophoresis or real-time PCR monitoring using fluorescent dyes or target-directed fluorescent probes, is a quick process allowing pathogen detection within a few hours (18). Identification of microorganisms can be performed by PCR algorithms, taxon-specific oligonucleotide microarrays, or sequencing amplicons (30).PCR amplification of conserved regions of the bacterial genome, in particular the 16S rRNA gene, combined with sequence analysis is a well-established technique for the identification of bacterial pathogens (18). The main advantages of targeting the 16S rRNA gene are the broad range of pathogens detectable and the independence of this method from the in vitro viability of strains (6). The high sensitivity of detection by PCR of bacterial DNA (15) suggests its use in the diagnosis of bacteremia (16). Initial disadvantages of PCR, notably the incidence of false-positive results from bacterial DNA contaminating PCR reagents (4, 39), have been counteracted by the devel...

Since no ideal tool is currently available, dynamic tests such as indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate and monoethylglycinxylidide test may be recommended for assessing liver function in critically ill patients. The indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate has the advantage, however, of being measurable noninvasively at the bedside and providing results within a few minutes.