Factors Associated with the Underuse of Sedatives and Neuromuscular Blocking Agents for Pediatric Emergency Endotracheal Intubation in Korea

Purpose@#Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) using sedatives and neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) is recommended for pediatric emergency endotracheal intubation (ETI), but is not frequently performed in Korea. This study aimed to verify factors associated with the underuse of RSI medications. @*Materials and Methods@#This multicenter retrospective study reviewed patients aged under 18 years who underwent an ETI within 24 hours of arrival at the emergency department between 2016 and 2019. Any cases of ETI during cardiopulmonary resuscitation were excluded. We investigated the characteristics of the patients, intubators, RSI medications, and outcomes. The study cases were classified into no-medication, sedative-only, and sedative-with-NMBA groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis of RSI medication use was conducted. @*Results@#A total of 334 cases with a median age of 3.4 years were included in this study. Sedatives and NMBAs were used in 63.8% and 32.9%, respectively. In comparing the no-medication (n=121), sedative-only (n=103), and sedative-with-NMBA (n=110) groups, patient age (median; 1.0 year vs. 2.8 years vs. 11.3 years; p<0.001), underlying medical conditions (77.7% vs. 56.3% vs. 36.4%; p<0.001), and pediatricians as intubators (76.9% vs. 54.4% vs. 17.3%; p<0.001) were different. The factors that influenced sedatives with NMBA use were patient age [for a year increment; adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.182; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.120– 1.249], no underlying medical conditions (aOR, 2.109; 95% CI, 1.093–4.070), and intubators other than pediatricians (aOR, 5.123; 95% CI, 2.257–11.626). @*Conclusion@#RSI accounted for 32.9% of pediatric emergency ETI in Korea. The underuse of RSI medications is associated with younger patient age, underlying medical conditions, and pediatricians as intubators.

Changes in pediatric psychiatric emergency during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

Purpose@#The lifestyle changes during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic possibly affected mental health among the pediatric population. We aimed to analyze changes in psychiatric emergency-related visits to the emergency department (ED). @*Methods@#We reviewed cases of pediatric patients (≤ 18 years) who visited the ED of a tertiary hospital with psychiatric emergency as a chief complaint from March 2019 through February 2021. The study period was dichotomized by March 2020, starting point of social distancing, into the pandemic and control periods. Clinical data were collected and compared between the 2 periods. @*Results@#A total of 246 cases with a mean age of 15.2 years were included. The overall visits to the ED decreased to 43.8% whereas the proportion of psychiatric emergency-related visits increased during the pandemic period, compared to the control period (0.5% vs. 1.0%; P < 0.001). The cases with suicidality, including ideation and attempt, increased in both number and proportion during the pandemic period (51 [38.9%] vs. 63 [54.8%]; P = 0.013). @*Conclusion@#Pediatric psychiatric emergency-related visits, particularly suicidality, proportionally increased during the pandemic. This finding may be useful to prepare psychiatric resources in EDs.

A case of stacked coin ingestion mistaken for button battery

Button battery ingestion requires emergency endoscopic removal since severe complications, such as esophageal perforation, can develop within 4 hours of the ingestion. Given that guardians do not witness the children’s foreign body ingestion 40% of the time, physicians can only guess what was swallowed based on plain radiography. We report a case of a 45-month-old-boy who visited the emergency department after swallowing an unknown foreign body and whose radiographs showed “circle-within-a-circle appearance” on the anteroposterior view and “step-off appearance” on the lateral view, suggesting button battery ingestion. We conducted emergency endoscopic removal, and found stacked coins mimicking a button battery on the radiographs. The coins were pushed into the stomach and came out through defecation 3 weeks later without further complications. Distinguishing between stacked coins and a button battery through radiography may help avoid unnecessary emergency endoscopy.

Inguinal hernia containing the uterus and both adnexa in a full-term infant

We report a case of inguinal hernia that contained the entire uterus and both adnexa, presenting with an irreducible soft mass in the left groin and asymmetric labia majora, in a 2-month-old, full-term girl who visited the emergency department. Ultrasonography was performed immediately, and urgent surgical repair was performed without complications. Although inguinal hernia is a common surgical disease, it is rare that the hernia contains the uterus with its adnexa, and presents as a mass of the labia majora. Unlike the bowel herniation, the entity can be complicated by strangulation of the ovary, leading to infertility. To preserve fertility, rapid and accurate diagnosis using ultrasonography should be considered in an infant with an irreducible inguinal mass and asymmetric labia majora.

Pediatric Sedation in the Emergency Department: Trends from a Nationwide Population-based Study in Korea, 2007–2018

Background@#Pediatric sedation in the emergency department (ED) is widely performed in Korea; thus exploring the trends of its use is necessary. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of patients and sedatives use in the ED and verify their changes over recent years. @*Methods@#A nationwide population-based retrospective study was conducted including pediatric patients aged ≤ 15 years who received sedative medication in the ED and were discharged during 2007–2018, using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. Patient characteristics (age, sex, level of ED, and diagnosis) and type of sedative used were analyzed. @*Results@#Sedation was performed in total 468,221 visits during 2007–2018 (399,320 visits, at least 3.8% of overall ED visits during 2009–2018). Among these, 71.0% were children aged 1–3 years and 93.5% were sedated to support diagnosis of injury. An increase in total sedation was observed in patients aged 4–6 years during the study period (from 13.8% to 21.8%). A gradual decrease in the use of chloral hydrate (CH) compared with an increase in ketamine use was observed (CH, from 70.6% to 28.6%; ketamine, from 23.8% to 60.7%). Therefore, ketamine was the most used sedative since 2014. The most frequently used sedatives over the study period differed according to age groups (CH in <1 year and 1–3 years; ketamine in 4–6 years and 7–10 years; and midazolam in 11–15 years). @*Conclusions@#The characteristics of patients related to sedatives use in the ED have changed over time. These changes should be considered in the development of future Korean guidelines regarding pediatric sedation in the ED.

Pediatric Sedation in the Emergency Department: Trends from a Nationwide Population-based Study in Korea, 2007–2018

Background@#Pediatric sedation in the emergency department (ED) is widely performed in Korea; thus exploring the trends of its use is necessary. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of patients and sedatives use in the ED and verify their changes over recent years. @*Methods@#A nationwide population-based retrospective study was conducted including pediatric patients aged ≤ 15 years who received sedative medication in the ED and were discharged during 2007–2018, using the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. Patient characteristics (age, sex, level of ED, and diagnosis) and type of sedative used were analyzed. @*Results@#Sedation was performed in total 468,221 visits during 2007–2018 (399,320 visits, at least 3.8% of overall ED visits during 2009–2018). Among these, 71.0% were children aged 1–3 years and 93.5% were sedated to support diagnosis of injury. An increase in total sedation was observed in patients aged 4–6 years during the study period (from 13.8% to 21.8%). A gradual decrease in the use of chloral hydrate (CH) compared with an increase in ketamine use was observed (CH, from 70.6% to 28.6%; ketamine, from 23.8% to 60.7%). Therefore, ketamine was the most used sedative since 2014. The most frequently used sedatives over the study period differed according to age groups (CH in <1 year and 1–3 years; ketamine in 4–6 years and 7–10 years; and midazolam in 11–15 years). @*Conclusions@#The characteristics of patients related to sedatives use in the ED have changed over time. These changes should be considered in the development of future Korean guidelines regarding pediatric sedation in the ED.

Clinical Implications of Ketosis in Children with Benign Convulsions with Mild Gastroenteritis

Oral Administration of Silk Peptide Enhances the Maturation and Cytolytic Activity of Natural Killer Cells

Silk peptide, the hydrolysate of silk protein derived from cocoons, has been employed as a biomedical material and is believed to be safe for human use. Silk peptide display various bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, immune-regulatory, anti-tumor, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial. Although earlier investigations demonstrated that silk peptide stimulates macrophages and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, its effect on natural killer (NK) cell function has not yet been explored. In this study, we initially confirmed that silk peptide enhances NK cell activity in vitro and ex vivo. To assess the modulatory activity of silk peptide on NK cells, mice were fed various amounts of a silk peptide-supplemented diet for 2 months and the effects on immune stimulation, including NK cell activation, were evaluated. Oral administration of silk peptide significantly enhanced the proliferation of mitogen- or IL-2-stimulated splenocytes. In addition, oral silk peptide treatment enhanced the frequency and degree of maturation of NK cells in splenocytes. The same treatment also significantly enhanced the target cell cytolytic activity of NK cells, which was determined by cell surface CD107a expression and intracellular interferon-γ expression. Finally, oral administration of silk peptide stimulated T helper 1-type cytokine expression from splenic lymphocytes. Collectively, our results suggest that silk peptide potentiates NK cell activity in vivo and could be used as a compound for immune-modulating anti-tumor treatment.

A Case of Primary Intraspinal Peripheral Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (pPNET) Mimicking Guillain-Barre Syndrome

Primary intraspinal peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (pPNET) are extremely rare. We report a 10-month-old girl presented with rapidly progressive paraparesis and raised cerebrospinal fluid protein. A magnetic resonance image demonstrated an intramedullary mass from C3 to T3 level and intradural extramedullary nodules in the lumbosacral area. Surgery was performed with partial tumor removal and histologic examination revealed a small round cell tumor and immunohistochemical characteristics of pPNET. She died due to tumor progression at four months after initial diagnosis. This case has been reported to raise awareness among clinicians to include the possibility of intraspinal tumors in the differential diagnosis of progressive neurological deficits mimicking Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Sex Determination of the Sternum in Koreans / 체질인류학회지

Identification of an individual is the mainstay of forensic investigation. In the present study, criteria for sex determination were established using 111 adult Korean sternums (63 males and 48 females). They were analyzed using identification points (IPs) and limit points (LPs), as reported previously. Only three of the ten parameters measured-sternal body length, sternal length (i.e., manubrium+body), and sternal area-were useful for sex determination, with sternal length being the most useful. The IP of sternal length was 147 and 130 mm for males and females, respectively. Using this parameter, 53.9% of males and 37.5% of females could be sexed with 100% accuracy. The LP was 141 mm for both males and females; sex could be discriminated accurately using this parameter in 85.7% of males and 85.4% of females

Anthropometric Analysis of the Mouth in Koreans

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is anthropometric analysis of mouth and lower face of Korean. The relationship of soft-tissue to underlying bony structures determine the overall aesthetics of the face. The goal of aesthetic surgery of the face is to achieve the ideal normal and enhance the aging face. The purpose of present study was to determine the change of the morphology of the mouth and lower face based on soft-tissue landmarks according to age group to facilitate prediction during aesthetic surgery. METHODS: The standardized photographs of 2,018 healthy volunteers(18 to 79 years of age; 1,070 males, 948 females) were investigated. Age groups were classified into young, middle-aged, and elderly groups. Five and seven items were measured on frontal and lateral view photographs, respectively. Individual dimensions were compared in the three age groups and between males and females. RESULTS: The width of mouth is 4.5 times larger than that of philtrum. Most of measured data decreased with age. However, woman's lip width of the mouth somewhat increased from the young to elderly. The width of lower face is 2.5 times larger than mouth in young age group and increased slightly from the young to middle- aged and thereafter slightly decreased to elderly group. Upper lip was more higher than lower lip and male lip was more higher than female. But male and female lip height is similar at old age. CONCLUSION: Most of Koreans showed prominent lower face because of the development or protrusion of the mandible. And the descent of soft-tissue around the mouth was one of the significant characteristics of senile change. The posterior retrusion of the subnasal was an another characteristic. This study will help to elucidate the age-related dimensional differences of the human being and to provide useful information for clinical applications in oral and aesthetic surgery.