Recently published papers: Renal replacement therapy: which route and how much? Intracerebral haematomas: does the size matter? beta blockers and steroids: will we ever know?

Femoral access for renal replacement therapy appears to have a similar infection rate to jugular access. High-intensity renal support does not seem to improve mortality or length of hospital stay. Acute kidney injury as defined by Acute Kidney Injury Network predicts increased hospital mortality. Recombinant factor VIIa reduces growth of volume of intracerebral haematoma but does not affect clinical outcome. Sustained released metoprolol reduces perioperative cardiac events in non-cardiac surgery but leads to more deaths and strokes. Steroids are probably not beneficial in either children with non-Haemophilus influenzae type b bacterial meningitis, or in prophylaxis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but could be beneficial in the treatment of ARDS.