Viral etiology and outcome of severe lower respiratory tract infections among critically ill children admitted to the PICU.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the viral etiology of severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), their clinical significance and prognosis among critically ill children. DESIGN: A prospective descriptive study was carried out. SETTING: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. PATIENTS: A total of 115 patients hospitalized in the PICU were evaluated for inclusion in the study. Children with underlying comorbidities and those who did not require mechanical ventilation were excluded. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic, clinical, laboratory test and radiographic data were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients were eligible for the study. The most common diagnosis was bronchiolitis (57.1%). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most frequent causal virus (36.5%). The most common complication was acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (28.6%). Multiple viral infection was identified in 20.6% of the patients, the most common in this subgroup being rhinovirus. Patients with bocavirus infection had a higher likelihood of needing invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) at presentation. Children who died were likely to be <12 months old, have ARDS, hepatitis, pneumomediastinum, multiple viral infection, and required IMV support with an increased duration of MV. Additionally, they were found to have a high Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score, Predicted Death Rate and increased need for inotropic support at admission. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed critically ill children with LRTI without known risk factors to have high mortality when aged <12 months, in the presence of multiple agents and when certain complications (ARDS, hepatitis) and X-ray findings were identified.

VIRAL ETIOLOGY AND OUTCOME OF SEVERE LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS AMONG CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN ADMITTED TO THE PICU.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the viral etiology of severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), their clinical significance and prognosis among critically ill children. DESIGN: A prospective descriptive study was carried out. SETTING: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. PATIENTS: A total of 115 patients hospitalized in the PICU were evaluated for inclusion in the study. Children with underlying comorbidities and those who did not require mechanical ventilation were excluded. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Demographic, clinical, laboratory test and radiographic data were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients were eligible for the study. The most common diagnosis was bronchiolitis (57.1%). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most frequent causal virus (36.5%). The most common complication was acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (28.6%). Multiple viral infection was identified in 20.6% of the patients, the most common in this subgroup being rhinovirus. Patients with bocavirus infection had a higher likelihood of needing invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) at presentation. Children who died were likely to be < 12 months old, have ARDS, hepatitis, pneumomediastinum, multiple viral infection, and required IMV support with an increased duration of MV. Additionally, they were found to have a high Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score, Predicted Death Rate and increased need for inotropic support at admission. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed critically ill children with LRTI without known risk factors to have high mortality when aged < 12 months, in the presence of multiple agents and when certain complications (ARDS, hepatitis) and X-ray findings were identified.

Objetivo: determinar la etiología vírica de las infecciones graves de las vías respiratorias bajas (IGVRB), su importancia clínica y su pronóstico en niños críticamente enfermos.Diseño: estudio descriptivo prospectivo.Ámbito: unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos (UCIP) del Hospital Universitario y de Investigación Goztepe, Universidad Medeniyet de Estambul (Turquía).Pacientes y participantes: se evaluó a un total de 115 pacientes ingresados en la UCIP para su posible inclusión en el estudio. Se excluyó a los niños con comorbilidades subyacentes y a aquellos que no requerían ventilación mecánica.Variables de interés principales: se registraron datos demográficos, clínicos, de laboratorio y radiológicos de los pacientes.Resultados: un total de 63 pacientes eran elegibles para participar en el estudio. El diagnóstico más habitual era bronquiolitis (57,1%). El virus sinticial respiratorio era el más común de los virus (36,5%). La complicación más habitual era el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria aguda (SDRA) (28,6%). Se identificaron múltiples infecciones víricas en el 20,6% de los pacientes, siendo la infección por el rinovirus la más común en este subgrupo. Los pacientes con infección por bocavirus presentaban una mayor probabilidad de necesitar ventilación mecánica invasiva (VMI) en el momento de la presentación. Los niños que murieron tenían una mayor probabilidad de presentar: edad <12 meses, SDRA, hepatitis, neumomediastino, infección multiviral y requerir MVI, con una mayor duración de la VM. Además, se observó que presentaban unos valores altos de puntuación III del riesgo pediátrico de mortalidad y tasa de mortalidad predecida, además de necesidad apoyo inotrópico en el momento del ingreso.

Granulocyte-targeted therapies for airway diseases.

The average respiration rate for an adult is 12-20 breaths per minute, which constantly exposes the lungs to allergens and harmful particles. As a result, respiratory diseases, which includes asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute lower respiratory tract infections (LTRI), are a major cause of death worldwide. Although asthma, COPD and LTRI are distinctly different diseases with separate mechanisms of disease progression, they do share a common feature - airway inflammation with intense recruitment and activation of granulocytes and mast cells. Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and mast cells are crucial players in host defense against pathogens and maintenance of lung homeostasis. Upon contact with harmful particles, part of the pulmonary defense mechanism is to recruit these cells into the airways. Despite their protective nature, overactivation or accumulation of granulocytes and mast cells in the lungs results in unwanted chronic airway inflammation and damage. As such, understanding the bright and the dark side of these leukocytes in lung physiology paves the way for the development of therapies targeting this important mechanism of disease. Here we discuss the role of granulocytes in respiratory diseases and summarize therapeutic strategies focused on granulocyte recruitment and activation in the lungs.