Pediatr Crit Care Me
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Oct 2023
Observational StudyAgreement Between Measured Weight and Fluid Balance in Mechanically Ventilated Children in Intensive Care.
To investigate the agreement between change in body weight (BW) and fluid balance (FB), and the precision and safety of BW measurement in mechanically ventilated infants in intensive care. ⋯ There is moderate agreement between the changes in FB and BW, albeit greater than 1% of baseline BW, and the limits of this agreement are wide. Weighing mechanically ventilated infants in intensive care is a relatively safe and precise method for estimating change in fluid status. Device weight represents a relatively large proportion of BW.
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Oct 2023
Measuring Energy Requirements of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients in Pediatric Intensive Care With Indirect Calorimetry: A Comparison With Empiric Methods.
Energy requirements following moderate or severe pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) have not been fully elucidated. Indirect calorimetry (IC) is the gold standard for measuring resting energy expenditure (MREE) in PICU. However, technical complexity limits its use. We aimed to determine whether MREE differs from standard of care energy estimation and delivery in a cohort of pediatric patients following moderate to severe TBI during PICU admission. ⋯ The present study adds to the small body of literature highlighting the limitations of predictive equations to evaluate energy requirements following moderate to severe pediatric TBI. IC, when feasible, should be used as the preferred method to orient PICU teams to feed such vulnerable patients.
-
Pediatr Crit Care Me · Oct 2023
Follow-up after PICU discharge for patients with acquired brain injury: the role of an abbreviated neuropsychological evaluation and a return-to-school program.
To present the results of an abbreviated testing protocol used to screen for neurocognitive and psychological sequelae of critical illness among pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) survivors with acquired brain injury in our post-discharge follow-up programs, and describe our process for facilitating this population's return to academic life. ⋯ Abbreviated neurocognitive and psychological evaluation successfully identifies the same deficits commonly found among PICU survivors who undergo longer, more complete testing protocols. When combined with services aimed at successfully re-integrating PICU survivors back to school, this focused evaluation can provide an effective and efficient means of screening for cognitive and emotional deficits among PICU survivors, and establish a rationale for early academic support upon the child's return to school.