Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Apr 2003
Elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of glutamate in children with bacterial meningitis as a predictor of the development of seizures or other adverse outcomes.
Evaluation of elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of glutamate in children with bacterial meningitis as a predictor of seizures or other adverse outcomes. ⋯ Bacterial meningitis in children causes an increase in cerebrospinal fluid glutamate that in many cases persists over time. However, in this limited study, neither higher nor persistent elevation of cerebrospinal fluid glutamate levels is predictive of which patients might develop seizures or other apparent immediate adverse outcomes after invasive infection. The responsible organism seems to have far more significance in predicting the development of adverse sequelae.
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Delineation of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is important because of its frequent occurrence in the pediatric intensive care unit and its association with high mortality. However, studies in children are scarce, all have been done in developed countries, and, unlike adult studies, some showed that sepsis is not related to mortality. The aim of this study was to learn about the epidemiology of MODS in our pediatric intensive care unit and to observe if sepsis is associated with mortality. ⋯ MODS in children usually occurs early, and sepsis increases mortality. Hepatic and gastrointestinal failures are infrequent, and as has been suggested, they could be excluded from the majority of MODS diagnoses.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Apr 2003
Case ReportsDevelopment of bradycardia during sedation with dexmedetomidine in an infant concurrently receiving digoxin.
To describe the development of bradycardia during sedation with dexmedetomidine in a patient concurrently receiving digoxin. ⋯ This case adds to the limited data regarding dexmedetomidine in pediatric critical care and suggests that caution should be used when considering sedation with dexmedetomidine in patients also receiving digoxin.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Apr 2003
Serum procalcitonin in children with suspected sepsis: a comparison with C-reactive protein and neutrophil count.
To investigate the specific characteristics of serum procalcitonin in children with severe infection, to identify relevant factors influencing procalcitonin increase, to assess its prognostic value, and to compare it with C-reactive protein and neutrophil count ⋯ Serum procalcitonin levels show a rapid increase in children with sepsis, even in infants < 12 month old, and they have a better prognostic value than C-reactive protein or neutrophil count.