Invited Commentary  December 13, 2023 Surgery, Anesthesia, and TBI Outcomes—Unraveling the Complex Interplay Caitlin R. Collins, Andre Campbell JAMA Surg. Published online December 13, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2023.6371 In their study “Extracranial Surgery and Functional and Cognitive Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury: A TRACK-TBI Study,”1 Roberts et al shed crucial light on the potential risks associated with e...

Research Letter  Climate Change and Health December 21, 2023 Body Core Temperature After Foot Immersion and Neck Cooling in Older Adults Exposed to Extreme Heat Robert D. Meade, Emma R. McCourt, James J. McCormick, et al JAMA. Published online December 21, 2023. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.24417 As heat waves increase in regularity and severity, sustainable cooling interventions for preventing heat-related mortality and morbidity are needed.1&nb...

Sleep and Circadian Disruption in the ICU Sleep measurement in critically ill patients remains a barrier for large studies on ICU sleep and circadian disruption (SCD). The gold standard, polysomnography, is difficult to interpret due to factors like medications and complex illnesses. While portable, wearable devices have improved sleep and circadian function measures, challenges persist for bedside utility, including cost, feasibility, tolerance, and interpretabili...

Invited Commentary  December 18, 2023 Daily Toothbrushing to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia—Brushing Away the Risk Rupak Datta JAMA Intern Med. Published online December 18, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.6807 Often overlooked and understudied, oral care is critical to health, quality of life, and prevention of infection such as hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). HAP is classified into ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and ...

Original Investigation  January 21, 2024 Development and Validation of the Phoenix Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock L. Nelson Sanchez-Pinto, Tellen D. Bennett, Peter E. DeWitt, et al JAMA. Published online January 21, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.0196 Key Points Question  What are the best-performing organ dysfunction–based criteria to implement the definition of sepsis and septic shock in children with suspected inf...

Original Investigation  Caring for the Critically Ill Patient January 21, 2024 International Consensus Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock Luregn J. Schlapbach, R. Scott Watson, Lauren R. Sorce, et al JAMA. Published online January 21, 2024. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.0179 Key Points Question  How should children with suspected infection at higher risk of mortality, indicative of sepsis, be identified? Findings &...

Association of Active Renin Content With Mortality Sepsis affects 1.7 million patients annually, with a mortality rate of 10–50%. Current biomarkers like WBC count, lactate, and blood cultures have variable impacts on prognosis. Recent evidence suggests that circulating renin is proposed as a more predictive biomarker for septic shock outcomes than lactate.  The Vitamin C, Thiamine, and Steroids in Sepsis (VICTAS) trial is a randomised, double-blind, adapti...

Original Investigation  November 29, 2023 Surgeon Sex and Health Care Costs for Patients Undergoing Common Surgical Procedures Christopher J. D. Wallis, Angela Jerath, Khatereh Aminoltejari, et al JAMA Surg. Published online November 29, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2023.6031 Key Points Question  Is there an association between surgeon sex and costs of surgical care? Findings  In this...

#LIVES2023: Effects of Online Tool on PTSD in Relatives of ICU Patients ICU hospitalisation of critically ill patients is exceptionally challenging for their family members, leading to anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, acute stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A significant portion of these family members, between 20% and 60%, subsequently experience adverse mental health effects. The presence of family members is crucial for patients, either ...

Editorial  December 19, 2023 Automation Bias and Assistive AI: Risk of Harm From AI-Driven Clinical Decision Support Rohan Khera, Melissa A. Simon, Joseph S. Ross JAMA. 2023;330(23):2255-2257. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.22557 At the point of care, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have been developed to augment diagnostic decisions and suggest appropriate care pathways,1 by leveraging complex information in a patient’s electronic health...