Erstad, B. L. (1999). Concerns with defining appropriate uses of albumin by meta-analysis. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 56(14), 1451-1454.
Nix, D. E., Mayersohn, M., & Erstad, B. L. (2016). Should GFR and Creatinine Clearance Estimates be Indexed to Body Surface Area? Differentiating Disease State from Drug Dosing Regimens. American Journal of Health-Systems Pharmacists.
Under consideration - Revisions submitted 10/2016
Erstad, B. L., Brophy, G. M., Martin, S. J., Haas, C. E., Devlin, J. W., Welage, L. S., & Dager, W. E. (2009). Key articles and guidelines relative to intensive care unit pharmacotherapy: 2009 Update. Pharmacotherapy, 29(10), 1228-1269.
PMID: 19792995;Abstract:
Compilations of key articles and guidelines in a particular clinical practice area are useful not only to clinicians who practice in that area, but also to all clinicians. We compiled pertinent articles and guidelines pertaining to drug therapy in the intensive care setting from the perspective of experienced critical care pharmacists. A broad assembly of practitioners with expertise in various areas of intensive care unit pharmacology were involved in the compilation of this update.
Patanwala, A. E., Holmes, K. L., & Erstad, B. L. (2014). Analgesic response to morphine in obese and morbidly obese patients in the emergency department. Emergency Medicine Journal, 31(2), 139-142.
Abstract:
Objective: The primary objective of this study was to compare the analgesic response to morphine in non-obese, obese and morbidly obese patients for acute pain. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary care emergency department in the USA. Consecutive adults who received intravenous morphine 4 mg for pain were included. Patients were categorised into three groups based on body mass index (BMI): non-obese (18.5-29.9 kg/m 2); obese (30.0-39.9 kg/m2); and morbidly obese (≥40 kg/m2). Baseline and post-dose pain scores were recorded. Pain was measured on a 0-10 numerical rating scale (0=no pain; 10=worst possible pain). Analgesic response was defined as the difference between the initial pain score and post-dose pain score. Results: 300 patients were included in the study (100 in each group). The median baseline pain scores were 8.5, 8 and 8.5 in the non-obese, obese and morbidly obese groups, respectively (p=0.464). The median analgesic response after morphine administration was 2, 3 and 2 in the non-obese, obese and morbidly obese groups, respectively (p=0.160). In the linear regression analysis (R2=0.006), BMI was not predictive of analgesic response (coefficient -0.020; p=0.199). Conclusions: Obesity status did not influence analgesic response to a fixed dose of morphine. This suggests that obese and morbidly obese patients do not require a higher dose of morphine for acute pain reduction compared to non-obese patients.
Fernandez, J., Erstad, B. L., Petty, W., & Nix, D. E. (2009). Time to positive culture and identification for Candida blood stream infections. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, 64(4), 402-407.
PMID: 19446982;Abstract:
Candidemia and delay to appropriate therapy contribute to increased morbidity and mortality. Current literature addresses the delay between blood culture collection and final identification; however, it fails to delineate differences among species. The purpose of this study was to quantify the time to yeast detection and identification relative to blood culture collection and determine whether differences exist among species. In this retrospective study, all cases of Candida isolation for 2 years were reviewed. The time delays between blood culture and detection of Candida growth were quantified as well as the additional time required for final species identification. Initiation of antifungal therapy was assessed in relation to culture collection, detection of yeast, and final identification. The appropriateness of therapy at each time point was also analyzed. Most Candida infections were caused by either Candida albicans (n = 43) or Candida glabrata (n = 27). Mean time to positive yeast detection for C. albicans was 35.3 ± 18.1 h, whereas that of C. glabrata was 80.0 ± 22.4 h (P 0.0001). Mean time to final identification for C. albicans was 85.8 ± 30.9, whereas that of C. glabrata was 154 ± 43.8 h (P 0.0001). Mean time to appropriate therapy for C. albicans isolates was 43.3 ± 27.6 h compared with 98.1 ± 38.3 h (P 0.0001) for C. glabrata isolates. The time delay between blood culture collection and yeast detection as well as final identification was significantly longer for C. glabrata isolates when compared with C. albicans. As a result, mean time to appropriate antifungal therapy was significantly longer in patients with C. glabrata isolates. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
