Pediatrics
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Our objective in this report was to describe the epidemiologic features of and workload associated with pediatric admissions to 12 US Army military hospitals deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. ⋯ Pediatric patients with injuries threatening life, limb, or eyesight are part of the primary responsibility of military medical facilities during combat and have accounted for a significant number of admissions and hospital bed-days in deployed Army hospitals in Afghanistan and Iraq. Military medical planners must continue to improve pediatric medical support, including personnel, equipment, and medications that are necessary to treat children injured during combat operations, as well as those for whom the existing host nation medical infrastructure is unable to provide care.
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This study describes the burden and epidemiologic features of infectious disease hospitalizations among infants in the United States. ⋯ Infectious disease hospitalizations among infants account for substantial health care expenditures and hospital time in the United States, with respiratory disease hospitalizations constituting more than one half of all hospitalizations. Younger infants, boys, and nonwhite infants were at increased risk for infectious disease hospitalization. Measures to reduce racial disparities and the occurrence of respiratory tract infections should substantially decrease the infectious disease burden among infants.
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Review Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Perinatal care at the threshold of viability: an international comparison of practical guidelines for the treatment of extremely preterm births.
Over the last 2 decades, the survival rate of infants born at < or = 25 weeks of gestation has increased; however, significant morbidity and disability persist. The commitment for their care gives rise to a variety of complex medical, social, and ethical aspects. Decision-making is a crucial issue that involves the infant, the family, health care providers, and society. ⋯ We found that many scientific societies and professional organizations have issued guidelines that address the recommendations for the care of these fetuses/neonates although to varying degrees. In this article we compare different approaches and assess the scientific grounds of the specific recommendations. With current standards, intensive care is generally considered justifiable at > or = 25 weeks, compassionate care at < or = 22 weeks, and an individual approach at 23 to 24 weeks, consistent with the parents' wishes and the infant's clinical conditions at birth.
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Children with central venous catheters and suspected bloodstream infection are often hospitalized for 48 hours to receive empiric antibiotic therapy pending blood-culture results. Continuous monitoring blood-culture systems allow for more rapid detection of bloodstream infection than previous blood-culture systems, a feature that may facilitate earlier determination of the true presence or absence of bloodstream infection and shorten empiric antibiotic therapy and duration of hospitalization. ⋯ The time to blood-culture positivity depends on bacterial category. Bloodstream infections caused by gram-negative bacteria are detected most quickly. Our data suggest that discontinuation of empiric antibiotic coverage may be warranted in clinically stable children with central venous catheters if the blood-culture results remain negative 24 to 36 hours after collection.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of guanfacine extended release in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
With this study we assessed the efficacy and safety of an extended-release formulation of guanfacine compared with placebo for the treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. ⋯ Guanfacine extended release met the primary and secondary efficacy end points. It was well tolerated and effective compared with placebo.