Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Mar 2011
Use of therapeutic plasma exchange as a rescue therapy in 2009 pH1N1 influenza A--an associated respiratory failure and hemodynamic shock.
Acute pneumonitis with acute lung injury is a cause of significant mortality related to the 2009 pH1N1 influenza A virus. Widespread lung inflammation and increased pulmonary vascular permeability has been noted on autopsy. Also, many of these patients present with significant hemodynamic compromise suggesting systemic cytokine release. Therefore, attenuating circulating cytokines, and other mediators, by blood purification techniques is a theoretically attractive strategy. We report the use therapeutic plasma exchange in three children with 2009 H1N1 related acute lung injury with severe hemodynamic compromise that had failed conventional therapeutic interventions. ⋯ This very limited case series suggest there may be a role for therapeutic plasma exchange as a rescue therapy in severe shock and acute lung injury related to pH1N1 that has not responded to traditional therapy.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Mar 2011
Parental presence and visiting policies in Italian pediatric intensive care units: a national survey.
To investigate parental presence and visiting policies in Italian pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). ⋯ In Italian PICUs, there is a marked tendency to apply restrictive visiting policies, not to allow parents 24-hr access at bedside, and to limit the presence of parents during procedures and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A revision of current policies has begun, signaling a readiness for change.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Mar 2011
Editorial CommentBiomarkers for sepsis: PERSEVERE to the bitter end.