Archives of disease in childhood
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Thirty four infants were studied; 21 with acute gastroenteritis, dehydration, and metabolic acidosis and 13 who served as controls. All infants with metabolic acidosis and without neurological signs had a normal to near normal cerebrospinal fluid acid base balance, but five with metabolic acidosis and severe neurological signs had cerebrospinal fluid acid base disequilibrium. Acute metabolic acidosis in infants may lead to cerebrospinal fluid acid base imbalance causing cerebral dysfunction.
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We measured the tidal volume achieved during intermittent positive pressure ventilation using various inspiratory times with a minimum of 0.2 seconds. Results indicate that tidal volume shows no reduction with inspiratory times down to 0.4 seconds. An inspiratory time of 0.3 seconds, however, is likely to reduce tidal volume by 8%, and at 0.2 seconds a 22% fall may be anticipated.
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Fulminant hepatic failure occurred in an 11 week old baby of a Caucasian mother who was hepatitis B surface antigen positive, B e antigen negative, and B e antibody positive. Infants of hepatitis B e antigen positive mothers receive immunoprophylaxis against hepatitis, unlike those born to mothers who are B e antibody positive.
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Recovery of diaphragm activity after bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis was monitored in a term infant using a mechanical sector scanner fitted with a 5 MHz transducer. The ratio of diaphragmatic excursion during spontaneous breathing and ventilator assistance was used an objective measure for comparison of diaphragmatic activity during recovery. Ultrasound assessment of diaphragm contraction may be used to study progress in diaphragmatic paralysis.