Three recent studies on sepsis management highlight the importance of early detection and the challenges of antibiotic use. A study in JAMA Network Open found that the eCART model outperformed other early warning scores, while a study in JAMA showed an EHR alert based on the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was linked with reduced in-hospital mortality. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine on antibiotic choice revealed higher mortality with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam compared to vancomycin and cefepime.

Two trials in JAMA found that intra-arterial urokinase and tenecteplase do not significantly improve functional outcomes for stroke patients undergoing mechanical thrombectomy, though the treatments were not linked to higher mortality or symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage.

A study in Critical Care highlights the prevalence of post-intensive care syndrome and ICU-acquired weakness among survivors of critical illness, showing that while rehabilitation significantly improves outcomes, 85% of patients still experience PICS at discharge. The findings emphasize the need for long-term follow-up and tailored therapies.

Outgoing HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said health experts can't keep up with a flood of misinformation on social media as distrust in institutions and skepticism about life-saving vaccines have both grown. "I don't know what more we can do. I'm more than willing to listen if somebody's got ideas," Becerra said.

House Republicans are considering a list of potential spending cuts totaling $5.7 trillion, meant to support President-elect Donald Trump's initiatives, which include border security and tax cuts. The proposed cuts are not a formal proposal but rather a "menu" of options for members to consider and target the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. The cuts to Medicaid could save an estimated $2.3 trillion, lawmakers say, by implementing per capita caps for states, shifting Medicaid from an open-ended entitlement to a population-based model, and instituting work mandates.

The projected number of US adults developing dementia annually will nearly double from 514,000 in 2020 to 1 million by 2060, with Black individuals experiencing a particularly pronounced increase, according to research published in Nature Medicine. The study, based on diverse data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, reveals a lifetime dementia risk of 42% after age 55, highlighting the need for policies promoting healthy aging and health equity.

Ellen Beck is a veteran journalist with extensive local, state and national experience in wire service, print, broadcast and online media. She has focused on health care reporting for more than 20 years, beginning with a critical care newsletter. She is very interested in hearing what you think are the important topics of the day in critical care medicine. Email her at Ellen.Beck@futurenet.com. If you found this brief valuable, please share it with a friend or colleague!