Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Apr 2016
Can Monitoring Fetal Intestinal Inflammation Using Heart Rate Variability Analysis Signal Incipient Necrotizing Enterocolitis of the Neonate?
Necrotizing enterocolitis of the neonate is an acute inflammatory intestinal disease that can cause necrosis and sepsis. Chorioamnionitis is a risk factor of necrotizing enterocolitis. The gut represents the biggest vagus-innervated organ. Vagal activity can be measured via fetal heart rate variability. We hypothesized that fetal heart rate variability can detect fetuses with incipient gut inflammation. ⋯ We identified a unique subset of fetal heart rate variability measures reflecting 1.5 days ahead of time the levels of macrophage activation and increased leakiness in terminal ileum. We propose that such subset of fetal heart rate variability measures reflects brain-gut communication via the vagus nerve. Detecting such noninvasively obtainable organ-specific fetal heart rate variability signature of inflammation would alarm neonatologists about neonates at risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis. Clinical validation studies are required.
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To explore parents' experiences of "observed trauma," defined as traumatic events, unrelated to their own child, that parents/carers witness while in a PICU. ⋯ Observed trauma is not uncommon in the PICU. The results suggest that timely support may alleviate the short-term negative impact. Furthermore, some parents have reported positive aspects to their experience.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Apr 2016
Neonatal Type II Alveolar Epithelial Cell Transplant Facilitates Lung Reparation in Piglets With Acute Lung Injury and Extracorporeal Life Support.
Type II alveolar epithelial cells have potential for lung growth and reparation. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is used as life support for lung impairment resulting from acute respiratory distress syndrome. We hypothesized that intratracheal transplantation of isogeneic primary type II alveolar epithelial cells in combination with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may facilitate lung reparation for acute lung injury (ALI). ⋯ The preliminary data suggested that type II alveolar epithelial cell transplant facilitated lung reparation for ALI in this model.