Archives of disease in childhood
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Key components in the assessment of a child in the emergency department (ED) are their heart and respiratory rates. In order to interpret these signs, practitioners must know what is normal for a particular age. The aim of this paper is to develop age-specific centiles for these parameters and to compare centiles with the previously published work of Fleming and Bonafide, and the Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) reference ranges. ⋯ Clinicians should consider adopting these centiles when assessing acutely unwell children. APLS should review their normal values for respiratory rate in infants and teenagers.
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Clinical Trial Observational Study
Do small doses of atropine (<0.1 mg) cause bradycardia in young children?
To determine the heart rate response to atropine (<0.1 mg) in anaesthetised young infants. ⋯ The upper 95% CI for the occurrence of bradycardia in the entire population of infants based on a zero incidence in this study is 5%. These results rebut the notion that atropine <0.1 mg IV causes bradycardia in young infants.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Normal saline flushes performed once daily maintain peripheral intravenous catheter patency: a randomised controlled trial.
Recent evidence supports the use of normal saline flushes in place of heparin to maintain the patency of peripheral intravenous locks (IVLs); however, there are no data regarding the recommended flush frequency. ⋯ A flushing procedure with one flush per day allows maintenance of catheter patency without an increase in catheter-related complications. We propose a simplification of the flushing procedure with only one flush per day, thereby reducing costs (materials use and nursing time), labour and unnecessary manipulation of the catheters which can cause distress in younger children and their parents.