Pediatrics
-
The goal was to determine the relative effects of underlying genetic factors and current management strategies on neurodevelopmental disabilities among one-year old survivors of palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. ⋯ At 1 year of age, there was a significant incidence of neurodevelopmental disabilities in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and variants; motor scores were particularly concerning. Many children had suspected or confirmed genetic syndromes, which negatively affected neurodevelopmental outcomes. Surgical variables did not affect neurologic outcomes.
-
Competency in pediatric resuscitation is an essential goal of pediatric residency training. Both the exigencies of patient care and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education require assessment of this competency. Although there are standard courses in pediatric resuscitation, no published, validated assessment tool exists for pediatric resuscitation competency. ⋯ In this pilot study, the Tool for Resuscitation Assessment Using Computerized Simulation demonstrated good interrater reliability within each domain and for summary scores. Performance analysis shows trends toward improvement with increasing years of training, providing preliminary construct validity.
-
The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for developing chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in a cohort of pediatric patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. ⋯ Although idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura tends to be a benign and self-limited condition, acute and chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura seem to be distinct illnesses defined by age, platelet count, bleeding symptoms, and the presence of acute illness before diagnosis. Physicians should be aware of these differences when advising their patients and families.
-
The absence of cerebral autoregulation in preterm infants has been associated with adverse outcome, but its bedside assessment in the immature brain is problematic. We used spatially resolved spectroscopy to continuously measure cerebral oxygen saturation (expressed as a tissue-oxygenation index) and used the correlation of tissue-oxygenation index with spontaneous fluctuations in mean arterial blood pressure to assess cerebral autoregulation. ⋯ High coherence between mean arterial blood pressure and tissue-oxygenation index indicates impaired cerebral autoregulation in clinically sick preterm infants and is strongly associated with subsequent mortality. Cross-spectral analysis of mean arterial blood pressure and tissue-oxygenation index has the potential to provide continuous bedside assessment of cerebral autoregulation and to guide therapeutic interventions.
-
Nitrous oxide is an attractive agent for procedural sedation and analgesia in the emergency department; however, there are limited safety data for high-concentration continuous-flow nitrous oxide (50%-70%) and its use in young children. We set out to characterize the depth of sedation and incidence of adverse events associated with various concentrations of nitrous oxide used in a pediatric emergency department. ⋯ In this largest prospective emergency department series, high-concentration continuous-flow nitrous oxide (70%) was found to be a safe agent for procedural sedation and analgesia when embedded in a comprehensive sedation program. Nitrous oxide also seems safe in children aged 1 to 3 years.