Cardiac injury after convulsive status epilepticus in children.

OBJECTIVE: Convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is a medical emergency with high mortality that usually occurs within 30 days following the seizure activity. One of the potential mechanisms contributing to mortality in this period following CSE is cardiac injury. The aim of the present study was to evaluate cardiac injury after CSE in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty children presented with CSE were enrolled in this study. Thirty healthy children with matched age and sex were taken as a control. Electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiographic examinations, plasma concentration of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) were done 6 h after control of seizure for patients and control groups. RESULTS: Thirty three patients were presented with CSE for the first time. ECG changes were present in 55% of patients with CSE in the form of conduction abnormalities, ischemic changes, and arrhythmias. Echocardiographic examinations revealed a significant increase in left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVESD) in patients with CSE than control group. Moreover, a significant decrease in LV systolic function and RV diastolic function were detected by tissue Doppler. The mean plasma concentrations of BNP and cTnI were significantly higher in patients with CSE than the control group (p value < 0.001). The overall mortality in our study was 8.3% (5/60); four of them had ECG changes. There was significant increase in duration of CSE, length of intensive care and hospital admission in CSE patients with ECG changes than those without ECG changes with p values 0.001, 0.031 and <0.001 respectively. CONCLUSION: Cardiac injury in convulsive SE is common and may be under recognized. So, cardiac assessment should be a routine step in CSE patients' management.

The predictive value of Von Willebrand factor antigen plasma levels in children with acute lung injury.

OBJECTIVE: Von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF-Ag) is proved to be a marker for pulmonary endothelial injury in acute lung injury (ALI). We aimed to evaluate the predictive value of VWF-Ag plasma levels in children with ALI. METHODS: Prospective controlled study included 40 children with ALI as a patient group, 40 healthy children as a control group. Plasma VWF Ag level was measured at days 1 and 3 in patient group and measured once for control group. RESULTS: The commonest cause of ALI was pneumonia (35%). VWF Ag plasma levels were significantly higher in patient group than control group at days 1 and 3 (P = 0.001 and 0.002), respectively. Mean PaO2 /FiO2 of patients with ALI was 137 ± 65.38. Mortality was 30%. The deceased subgroup had significantly higher plasma levels of VWF Ag at days 1 and 3 than survived subgroup (P = 0.016 and P < 0.0001, respectively), significantly higher C reactive protein (P = 0.001), significantly higher rate of multisystem organ failure (MSOF) (P = 0.001), shorter duration of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and mechanical ventilation (MV) free days (P < 0.0001). Elevated VWF at day 1 was associated with significant MSOF (P = 0.011) and mortality (P = 0.009), while elevated VWF Ag at day 3 was associated with significant increase in MSOF (P = 0.004), length of MV (P = 0.024), and PICU stay (P = 0.011). VWF Ag has a high sensitivity (94.2%, 93.4%) and specificity (83.1%, 81.7%) for prediction of mortality at days 1 and 3, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that plasma VWF Ag level is an independent predictor of mortality in ARDS pediatric patients. CONCLUSION: Plasma VWF Ag level is an excellent predictive marker for outcome in children with ALI/ARDS. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:91-97. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.