Australian paediatric journal
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) mask with postural drainage in patients with cystic fibrosis.
The use of a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) mask was compared with postural drainage in the treatment of 10 patients with cystic fibrosis. The patients were allocated randomly in a crossover fashion to the two regimens and evaluated initially by a physiotherapist and over a 4 week treatment period by use of a diary card. ⋯ Diary card evaluation also failed to demonstrate a difference in sputum production, symptom score or peak expiratory flow rate between the 4 week treatment periods. It was concluded that PEP mask therapy is an acceptable and effective alternative to postural drainage in interval therapy of patients with cystic fibrosis, although the patients have tended to revert to postural drainage during acute exacerbations.
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A questionnaire survey was carried out to identify areas of consensus or disagreement in the attitudes and practices of Australian neonatal paediatricians with regard to the treatment of extremely preterm infants. Considerable variation was found in the estimated chances of survival and disability among respondents. ⋯ The predominant view was for parents to be involved in the decision-making process for withdrawal of life-support and for the neonatal intensive care policy to be made known to the parents. Information from this survey which raised concerns included the variability in the estimate of the potential for survival, the lack of relevance of the law to everyday practices in the neonatal intensive care units, the small minority of respondents who felt that life-and-death decisions should be made by medical staff alone, and the reluctance of some neonatal paediatricians to inform parents about the policies of their unit.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Humidification in viral croup: a controlled trial.
Sixteen children (mean age 1.9 years) admitted to hospital with viral croup were assigned randomly to either a high humidity atmosphere or room air. No other treatment was given. ⋯ No therapeutic benefit was demonstrated from the provision of a high humidity atmosphere. The widespread use of humidification in the management of croup requires reappraisal.