European journal of pediatrics
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Children with a painful hip present a diagnostic challenge since clinical differentiation between septic arthritis, transient synovitis and Perthes disease may be difficult. Septic arthritis, a potentially life-threatening and debilitating medical emergency, requires early recognition for successful treatment, while transient synovitis and Perthes disease may be managed conservatively. An "ideal" single test for discrimination between these conditions is currently not available. We assessed the value of clinical examination and simple laboratory tests together with radiography and hip ultrasound in differentiating septic arthritis from transient synovitis and Perthes disease by analyzing the records of 89 children treated at our institution for hip pain. Ultrasound, radiographs, laboratory, clinical, and follow-up data were available for all the children. Diagnoses were made according to established criteria. Transient synovitis was present in 64 patients, septic arthritis in 8 (of whom 2 had additional osteomyelitis), and Perthes disease in 4. All children with septic arthritis had hip effusion shown by ultrasound and at least two of the following criteria: fever, elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and of C-reactive protein (CRP). None of the children without effusion on ultrasound or who lacked two or all criteria had septic arthritis. Radiographs had no significant impact on the decision-making in primary evaluation of acute hip pain. ⋯ We conclude that investigation of painful hips in children, based on hip ultrasound, body temperature, ESR and CRP, may allow cases for hip joint aspiration to be selected efficiently and may reduce the number of radiographs and hospital admissions.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Appropriate positive end expiratory pressure level in surfactant-treated preterm infants.
Positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) is routinely used when ventilating preterm infants, and high levels are recommended in those with severe respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Elevation of PEEP increases lung volume, as does surfactant administration. We postulated that in surfactant-treated infants even modest PEEP levels could result in overdistension and (CO(2)) retention. To test that hypothesis, lung volume, compliance and arterial blood gases were measured in eight preterm infants (median gestational age 28 weeks, range 26-35 weeks) at three PEEP levels. The infants, all with RDS, were studied at a median time of 18 h, (range 12-68 h) after their last dose of surfactant. Infants were routinely nursed at 3 cmH(2)O of PEEP, the PEEP level was then raised to 6 cmH(2)O or lowered to 0 cmH(2)O in random order. The new setting was maintained for 20 min; the PEEP level was then changed to the third level (0 or 6 cmH(2)O) again for 20 min. At the end of each 20-min period, lung volume, compliance and blood gases were measured. Lung volume was assessed by measuring functional residual capacity (FRC) using a helium dilution technique. Compliance was measured by relating the volume change from a positive pressure inflation maintained until no further volume change occurred to the pressure drop (peak inflating pressure PEEP). Increasing PEEP from 0 to 3 cmH(2)O and particularly to 6 cmH(2)O resulted in increases in FRC (P < 0.05), oxygenation (ns) and paCO(2) (P < 0.02). Specific compliance (compliance/FRC) (P < 0.05) and pH (P < 0.02) fell. ⋯ Following surfactant treatment, relatively low levels of positive end expiratory pressure (
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We report on a retrospective analysis of eight episodes of toxic methaemoglobinaemia in seven premature infants after the combined exposure to prilocaine by EMLA cream (12.5 mg prilocaine) and caudal anaesthesia (5.4-6.7 mg/kg prilocaine). The causative relationship between prilocaine and the infants' deterioration came to our attention through an anonymous voluntary incident-reporting system. The highest methaemoglobin concentration found was 30.6% (5.5 h after anaesthesia). All infants were symptomatic (mottled skin, paleness, cyanosis, poor peripheral perfusion) and two were exposed to unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for unspecified deterioration in their conditions. Pharmacokinetic evaluation indicated a single compartment first-order elimination with a methaemoglobin half-life of 8 h. Normal levels (<1%) were reached 36 h after exposure to prilocaine. ⋯ Whereas local skin application of prilocaine to premature babies is safe, peridural administration is not because premature infants are more sensitive to methaemoglobin inducing agents and tolerate methaemoglobinaemia less well.
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Children with achondroplasia may have high cervical myelopathy due to stenosis of the cranio-cervical junction resulting in neurological disability and an increased rate of sudden death. To detect myelopathy we recorded somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) after median nerve stimulation in 30 patients with achondroplasia aged 13 months to 18 years (mean 6 years). In addition to the conventional technique of recording the cortical N20 and the central conduction time (CCT), we employed a noncephalic reference electrode recording the subcortical waveforms N13b and P13. generated near the cranio-cervical junction. The findings were related to the clinical status and MRI results. Eighteen patients had MRI evidence of spinal cord compression with indentation or narrowing of the upper cervical cord, and 13 showed signs of myelomalacia. Seven patients had neurological abnormalities. The sensitivities of the SEPs were 0.89 for cervical cord compression, 0.92 for myelomalacia and 1.0 for the clinically symptomatic patients. There were no false-positive results. The subcortical SEPs were more sensitive than the conventional recordings. However, the conventional SEPs were highly specific in the most severely affected patients; here the specificity was 1.0 for patients with myelomalacia and 0.96 for symptomatic patients. Postoperative SEPs improved after occipital decompression in two children. ⋯ The analysis of somatosensory evoked potentials, in particular of subcortical tracings, is useful in the detection of early cervical myelopathy in children with achondroplasia. Early neurosurgical decompression may prevent irreversible damage.
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Conditions of dying in a tertiary children's hospital were assessed in a retrospective cohort study. Non-survivors, excluding newborns and emergency room patients, were allocated to four groups: brain death (BD), failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (failed CPR), death following a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order and death following withholding or withdrawal of therapy (W/W). In a 4-year period 190 (1.3%) of 14,903 admitted patients died. Of these 134 (71%) died on the paediatric intensive care unit, 42 (22%) on the ward and 14 (7%) in the operating room. W/W was found in 75 (39%), failed CPR in 57 (30%), BD in 32 (17%), and death following a DNR order in 26 (14%). Justifications for restrictions of treatment (W/W or DNR) were imminent death in 41 (41%), lack of future relational potential in 13 (13%) and excessive burden of disease in 47 (47%). In non-survivors analgesics and sedatives were frequently used to relieve suffering in the terminal phase. General principles for the approach of terminally ill children in whom death may become an option instead of a fate are discussed. ⋯ In the majority of children dying in hospital, death occurred following restrictions of life-sustaining treatment, comprising do-not-resuscitate or other forms of withholding or withdrawal of therapy.