European journal of pediatrics
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Migraine is the most common headache in childhood, and there are some reports that suggest the relationship between migraine and right-to-left shunt. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of right-to-left shunt in children with migraine with aura and compare it with children with migraine without aura, and in healthy children. In a cross-sectional case-control study, we assessed 20 children with migraine with aura, 20 migraine without aura and 20 healthy age, and gender-matched control group. We determined the frequency of right-to-left shunt by transcranial doppler with contrast and transthoracic echocardiography without contrast. The dopplers and echocardiograms were performed blindly by the same examiners during headache-free periods. The presence of right-to-left shunt was found in 13/20 patients with migraine with aura compared with five of 20 migraine without aura and four of 20 control subjects. The frequency of right-to-left shunt in migraine with aura was statistically different from the other two groups (P < 0.005). There was no association between right-to-left shunt and frequency of attacks, duration and intensity of attacks, uni/bilateral occurence, familial occurrence, gender and age of patients. ⋯ our findings suggest possible association of migraine with aura and right-to-left shunt. It seems that right-to-left shunt does not influence the clinical features of migraine.
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Multicenter Study
Critical incidents in paediatric critical care: who is at risk?
We evaluated the characteristics of children for whom critical incidents (CIs) were reported by performing prospective collection of patient data and retrospective review of reported CIs in a multidisciplinary neonatal-paediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care university children's hospital. A period of 1 year was analysed (January to December 2007; 1,251 admissions). CIs comprised adverse events (actual patient injury), as well as near-misses. ⋯ Among the patient-related factors, male gender, mechanical ventilation, and length of stay are independently associated with CIs. Already known at admission to intensive care are male gender and, usually, requirement for mechanical ventilation. Improved knowledge of the risk factors for CIs could help to minimize their frequency and thus improve quality of care.
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Idiopathic intrauterine constriction/closure of the ductus arteriosus, which is distinct from that secondary to maternal exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as indomethacin, or structural cardiac defect, is an uncommon event that often results in severe fetal-neonatal morbidity and mortality. We reported a case of idiopathic fetal ductal constriction, in which the diagnosis was confirmed by documentation of an abnormal four-chamber view of the fetal heart at 38 weeks of gestation on obstetric ultrasound examination. A female infant weighing 2,816 g was born by Cesarean section, and her postnatal course was mild; transient tachypnea requiring only several days of supplemental oxygen with spontaneous regression of the abnormal echocardiographic findings by 3 months of age. The incidence of idiopathic constriction/closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus may be underestimated, particularly with a negative history of maternal drug exposure and mild postnatal clinical presentation.
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Editorial Comment
Medical errors: the importance of the bullet's blunt end.