A patient that is starting to recover from acute lung injury (ALI) may feel depressed. Dowdy et al identified risk factors associated with these feelings. The authors are from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
Risk factors for depression in the early recovery phase following ALI:
(1) hypoglycemia < 60 mg/dL
(2) body mass index (BMI) > 40 kg per square meter
(3) pre-existing depression and/or anxiety
(4) mean daily benzodiazepine dose equivalent to > 100 mg of midazolam
The modifiable factors are hypoglycemia and sedative dose.
A patient with 2 or more of these findings should be monitored for depression.
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