The Journal of pediatrics
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The Journal of pediatrics · Jul 1988
Comparative StudyEffects of left-to-right ductus shunting on left ventricular output and cerebral blood flow velocity in 3-day-old preterm infants with and without severe lung disease.
The effects of early left-to-right ductus shunting on left ventricular output (LVO) and cerebral blood flow velocity (CBV) were investigated in 3-day-old preterm infants by means of two-dimensional Doppler and M-mode echocardiography. Nineteen infants required mechanical ventilation because of severe lung disease (group A), and 19 had mild or no lung disease (group B). Six infants in each group had predetermined Doppler and M-mode criteria of a hemodynamically significant left-to-right ductus shunt (hsPDA). ⋯ In infants without hsPDA, those in group A had higher LVO (p = 0.012), lower mean arterial pressure (p = 0.003), and lower estimated systemic vascular resistance (p = 0.004) than those in group B. These results indicate that severely ill preterm infants receiving mechanical ventilation are less able than spontaneously breathing infants to defend systemic pressures and cerebral perfusion through an increase of LVO when a large ductus shunt develops. Possible reasons include an elevated baseline LVO, caused by systemic vasodilation, and hence a low preload reserve.
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The Journal of pediatrics · Jul 1988
Factors associated with brain herniation in the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.
To determine factors contributing to life-threatening brain herniation in patients treated for severe diabetic ketoacidosis, we analyzed history, laboratory data, rate and composition of fluid and insulin administration, and time to onset of brain herniation in nine new cases and 33 prior reports. The overall rate of fluid administration was inversely correlated with the time of onset of herniation (r = -0.32, p = 0.04). ⋯ During treatment, "calculated" serum sodium concentrations fell significantly and were less than 130 mEq/L in 33% of cases at the time of herniation. These data indicate that excessive secretion of vasopressin may exacerbate the brain edema, and that limitation of the rate of fluid administration may be prudent.