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Infections acquired in intensive care units (ICUs) are important complications of the treatment of patients with very severe diseases who need ventilation (mechanical breathing support). Some people will die because of these infections. Considerable efforts have been made to evaluate methods for reducing this problem; one of these involves the use of ...

Children admitted to Emergency Departments (EDs) with fever and respiratory symptoms represent a major burden to the health care system, as well as significant anxiety and expense to parents and caregivers. Physicians often order diagnostic tests, and may prescribe antibiotics when they are unsure of the cause of the illness and are concerned about ...

Whooping cough, or pertussis, is an infectious bacterial disease. It affects infants and small children and can be life-threatening in unimmunised infants younger than three months of age. Infants with whooping cough experience severe bouts of coughing and vomiting which can lead to dehydration and difficulty breathing. Routine vaccination can prevent ...

In an asthma attack, the airways (passages to the lungs) narrow because of muscle spasms (bronchospasm), inflammation (swelling) and mucus secretion phlegm. The airway passage narrowing results in breathing problems, wheezing and coughing. Inhaled corticosteroids are considered the gold standard to reduce the airway inflammation in adults and children ...

The common cold is often caused by the rhinovirus. It is one of the most widespread illnesses and is a leading cause of visits to the doctor and absenteeism from school and work. Complications of the common cold include otitis media (middle ear infection), sinusitis and exacerbations of reactive airway diseases. There is no proven treatment for the ...

People recovering from an exacerbation of COPD have traditionally done so in hospital. We wanted to find out if peoples' recovery could be aided by treating them at home. So called "hospital at home" support is where a person is sent home and looked after by a specialist respiratory nurse under the guidance of a hospital medical team. People receive ...

Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may result in death. It is commonly triggered by a food, insect sting, medication, or natural rubber latex. The reaction typically occurs without warning and can be a frightening experience both for those at risk and their families and friends. Steroids (glucocorticoids) are often ...

When mechanical ventilation is used to keep critically ill people breathing effectively, the upper airway must be humidified by artificial means. Heated humidification and heat and moisture exchangers are the most commonly used methods of artificial humidification. We undertook this review to determine whether either of these methods of humidification ...

There is a lack of knowledge from previous research to support the use of inhaled nitric oxide (INO) to improve the survival of patients with acute respiratory failure and low blood oxygen levels. In the present systematic review we set out to assess the benefits and harms of its use in patients with acute respiratory failure. We identified 14 randomized ...

Decompression illness (DCI) is due to the presence of bubbles in the tissues or blood vessels following the reduction of surrounding pressure (decompression). It is most commonly associated with breathing compressed gas while diving underwater. The effects of DCI may vary from the trivial to life-threatening and treatment is usually administered urgently. ...