Recently published papers: A review of novel strategies in the prevention of hospital-acquired infections, the ability of intensivists to perform echocardiography, and the benefit of polymyxin B haemoperfusion in abdominal sepsis

Chlorhexidine bed baths seem to reduce the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus detected by surveillance cultures. There is also some evidence on the benefit of chlorhexidine mouthwashes in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonias. Acid-suppressing drugs increase the incidence of hospital-acquired pneumonias in non-intensive care unit patients, although this association has not been shown in the intensive care setting. Intensivists can be trained to perform basic echocardiography in a short period of time, but their errors could lead to incorrect changes in management. Polymyxin B haemoperfusion was shown in interim analysis to improve patients with abdominal sepsis to such an extent that the EUPHAS randomised controlled trial was halted on ethical grounds, although other authors have criticised this decision.