Pediatric Intensive Care Therapy

OBJECTIVES: Levofloxacin is widely used because of its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and convenient dosing schedule. However, the relevance of its use in children remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of levofloxacin use in children with severe infections. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients <18 years of age who received levofloxacin intravenously in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of our hospital during the period between 2021 and 2022...

In pediatric-aged patients, hyperthyroidism generally results from the autoimmune disorder, Graves' disease (GD). Excessive levels of thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine and thyroxine) result in irritability, emotional lability, nervousness, tremors, palpitations, tachycardia, and arrhythmias. The risk of morbidity and mortality is increased when surgical intervention is required in patients with hyperthyroidism due to the potential for the development of thyroid storm (TS). A 3-year, 1-month-old child with a past medical history of GD presented for total thyroidectomy when pharmacologic control with methimazole was not feasible due to intolerance following development of a serum sickness-like illness...

Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been used in pediatric and adult perioperative cardiac intensive care for over three decades. NO is a cellular signaling molecule that induces smooth muscle relaxation in the mammalian vasculature. Inhaled NO has the unique ability to exert its vasodilatory effects in the pulmonary vasculature without any hypotensive side-effects in the systemic circulation. In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, NO has been reported in numerous studies to exert beneficial effects on acutely lowering pulmonary artery pressure and reversing right ventricular dysfunction and/or failure...

OBJECTIVE: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy and among the most common malignancies in young adults and requires a unique pattern of healthcare utilization including an acute/emergent presentation and an intensive initial 8 months of therapy followed by two years of outpatient treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic caused massive global disruptions in healthcare use and delivery. This report aims to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation, diagnosis and continued management of childhood and young adult ALL in regard to utilization and cost of care among commercially insured individuals in the United States...

BACKGROUND: Preterms are at risk of systemic infections as the barrier function of their immature skin is insufficient. The long period of hospitalization and the huge number of invasive procedures represent a risk factor for complications. Among the nosocomial infections of the skin, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We report a clinical case of cellulitis and abscess in two preterm twins caused by MRSA in a tertiary level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)...

OBJECTIVES: To compare high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) versus nasal prong bubble continuous positive airway pressure (b-CPAP) in children with moderate to severe acute bronchiolitis. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was carried out from August 2019 to February 2022. (Clinical Trials Registry of India number CTRI/2019/07/020402). SETTING: Pediatric emergency ward and ICU within a tertiary care center in India. PATIENTS: Children 1-23 months old with moderate to severe acute bronchiolitis...

PURPOSE: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) from low- to middle-income countries (LMIC) are suspected to have a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms (ARMOs) carriage, but data are currently lacking. Carriage of ARMOs could impact the post-operative course in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of ARMOs carriage in children with CHD from LMIC and its impact on post-operative outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective monocentric study from 01/2019 to 12/2022...

BACKGROUND: Pain management is essential for postoperative surgery. Given the association of opioids with adverse outcomes, interest in the use of nonopioid analgesics, such as ketorolac, has increased. Published data on use in neonates are limited. OBJECTIVES: To describe ketorolac dosing and safety and efficacy outcomes in the first 48 hours postcardiac surgery in neonates. DESIGN: We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of neonates (ages < 28 d) who received ketorolac following cardiac surgery from November 2020 to July 2023 (inclusive)...

Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs: 15-39 y) with cancer face unique vulnerabilities, yet remain under-represented on clinical trials, including adult registries of COVID-19 in cancer (AYAs: 8-12%). Thus, we leveraged the Pediatric Oncology COVID-19 Case Report (POCC) to examine the clinical course of COVID-19 among AYAs with cancer. POCC collects de-identified clinical and sociodemographic data regarding 0-39yo with cancer (AYAs = 37%) and COVID-19 from >100 institutions. Between 04/01/2020-11/28/2023, 191 older AYAs [22-39y] and 640 younger AYAs [15-21y] were captured...

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired and nosocomial lower-respiratory-tract infections in critically ill pediatric patients require early appropriate antibiotic therapy to optimize outcomes. Using blind bronchial samples, we assessed the diagnostic performance of the rapid-multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay BioFire Pneumonia plus Panel vs. reference standard culturing with antimicrobial susceptibility testing. METHODS: For this prospective observational study in a single pediatric intensive care unit, we included consecutive patients younger than 18 years admitted for suspected community-, hospital- or ventilator-associated pneumonia in 2021-2022...

OBJECTIVES: Placement of a ventricular assist device (VAD) improves outcomes in children with advanced heart failure, but adverse events remain important consequences. Preoperative mechanical ventilation (MV) increases mortality, but it is unknown what impact prolonged postoperative MV has. DESIGN: Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION) and Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Consortium (PC4) registries were used to identify and link children with initial VAD placement admitted to the cardiac ICU (CICU) from August 2014 to July 2020...

BACKGROUND: Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome is a potentially fatal complication following hematopoietic cell transplantation, high-intensity chemotherapies and increasingly seen with calicheamicin based leukemia therapies. Paediatric specific European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (pEBMT) diagnostic criteria have demonstrated benefit in single center studies compared to historic criteria. Yet, the extent to which they have been universally implemented remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multi-centre study to examine the potential impact of the Baltimore, modified Seattle and pEBMT criteria on the incidence, severity, and outcomes of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome among paediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation patients...

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (iCRRT) can prevent life-threatening complications, facilitate fluid management, and maintain metabolic homeostasis during liver transplantation (LT) in adults. There is a paucity of data in pediatric LT. We evaluated the safety, efficacy, and impact on survival of iCRRT in pediatric LT. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all children requiring CRRT pre-OLT at a quaternary children's hospital from 2014 to 2022...

OBJECTIVES: To characterize trends in noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) use over time in children with hematologic malignancy admitted to the PICU with acute respiratory failure (ARF), and to identify risk factors associated with NIV failure requiring transition to IMV. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis using the Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS, LLC) between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019. SETTING: One hundred thirteen North American PICUs participating in VPS...

Ceftriaxone is used commonly for sepsis, including in children requiring continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT). No reports exist of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters for children receiving ceftriaxone on CKRT. We enrolled children admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) who received CKRT for >24 hours and received >1 dose of ceftriaxone while on and off CKRT. We measured free ceftriaxone -concentrations from residual blood samples then used Bayesian estimation with PK modeling software to generate concentration-time profiles and determine PK parameters and the percentage of time free ceftriaxone concentrations were above 1× or 4× MIC (% f T >MIC)...

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most frequent inherited diseases in the world. Over the last decades, in high-income countries, an important decrease in mortality have been observed due to the improvement of care. However, children with SCD can become critically ill and require admission in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU). The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of children with SCD admitted to PICU for acute crisis and to identify factors associated with adverse outcome (AO)...

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children, a significant public health concern, often leads to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The prevalence of T1DM is increasing globally, with Saudi Arabia recording high rates of DKA at T1DM onset. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics and risk factors of pediatric T1DM patients presenting with DKA in the emergency room in Saudi Arabia and quantify intensive care unit (ICU) admission incidences reflecting DKA severity. METHODS: This retrospective chart review, conducted at Medina Maternity and Children's Hospital, Saudi Arabia, analyzed data from 2017 to 2022...

BACKGROUND: pRIFLE (Pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End Stage Renal Disease), KDIGO (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes) and pROCK (Pediatric Reference Change Value Optimized for AKI) are diagnostic criteria used for acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence evaluation. The aim of this study was to explore the diagnostic consistency, incidence and mortality rate, clinical signs, and influencing factors of renal injury related to sepsis in children diagnosed by three different AKI diagnostic criteria, and then evaluate which one was more valuable...

Severe bronchiolitis patients are often supported with non-invasive ventilation (NIV). In case of NIV failure, we recently started to use non-invasive neurally adjusted ventilatory assist ventilation (NIV-NAVA) with a total face mask interface (TFM) and report now our experience with this modality of respiratory support. Retrospective study was made from October 2022 to May 2023 at the Geneva University Hospital Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Inclusion criteria were children, aged from 0 to 6 months, with severe bronchiolitis with initial NIV failure and switch to NIV-NAVA-TFM...

BACKGROUND: Pediatric patients require central venous catheters to maintain adequate hydration, nutritional status, and delivery of life-saving medications in the pediatric intensive care unit. Although central venous catheters provide critical medical therapies, their use increases the risk of severe infection, morbidity, and mortality. Adopting an evidence-based central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) bundle to guide nursing practice can decrease and sustain low CLABSI rates, but reliable and consistent implementation is challenging...