Pediatrics
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Multicenter Study
Diagnostic value of immature neutrophils (bands) in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis.
We evaluated the diagnostic utility of the presence and number of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bands in distinguishing bacterial from aseptic meningitis among children with CSF pleocytosis. ⋯ In this multicenter study, neither the presence nor quantity of CSF bands independently predicted bacterial meningitis among children with CSF pleocytosis.
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Comparative Study
Empiric antimicrobial therapy for pediatric skin and soft-tissue infections in the era of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
The goal was to compare the clinical effectiveness of monotherapy with beta-lactams, clindamycin, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the outpatient management of nondrained noncultured skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs), in a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-endemic region. ⋯ Compared with beta-lactams, clindamycin monotherapy conferred no benefit, whereas trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was associated with an increased risk of treatment failure in a cohort of children with nondrained noncultured SSTIs who were treated as outpatients. Even in regions with endemic community-acquired MRSA, beta-lactams may still be appropriate, first-line, empiric therapy for children presenting with these infections.
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Comparative Study
A prospective comparison of diaphragmatic ultrasound and chest radiography to determine endotracheal tube position in a pediatric emergency department.
Investigators report endotracheal tube misplacement in up to 40% of emergent intubations. The standard elements of confirmation have significant limitations. Diaphragmatic ultrasound is a potentially viable addition to the confirmatory process. Our primary hypothesis is that ultrasound is equivalent to chest radiography in determining endotracheal tube position within the airway in emergent pediatric intubations. ⋯ Diaphragmatic ultrasound was not equivalent to chest radiography for endotracheal tube placement within the airway. However, ultrasound results were timelier, detected more misplacements than standard confirmation alone, and were highly reproducible between sonographers.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of therapeutic management of upper-limb dysfunction in children with congenital hemiplegia.
Rehabilitation for children with congenital hemiplegia to improve function in the impaired upper limb and enhance participation may be time-consuming and costly. ⋯ No one treatment approach seems to be superior; however, injections of botulinum toxin A provide a supplementary benefit to a variety of upper-limb-training approaches. Additional research is needed to justify more-intensive approaches such as constraint-induced movement therapy and hand-arm bimanual intensive training.
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The objective of this study was to determine if children who contracted pertussis infection were more likely to have parents who refused pertussis vaccinations than a similar group of children who did not develop pertussis infection. ⋯ Children of parents who refuse pertussis immunizations are at high risk for pertussis infection relative to vaccinated children. Herd immunity does not seem to completely protect unvaccinated children from pertussis. These findings stress the need to further understand why parents refuse immunizations and to develop strategies for conveying the risks and benefits of immunizations to parents more effectively.