Lung Ultrasound: A Useful Prognostic Tool in the Management of Bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department.

Lung ultrasound, a non-invasive bedside technique for assessing paediatric patients with acute respiratory diseases, is becoming increasingly widespread. The aim of this prospective, observational cohort study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a clinical ultrasound score in assessing infants with acute bronchiolitis in the emergency department and its ability to accurately identify patients at a higher risk of clinical deterioration. Infants under 6 months of age with clinical symptoms compatible with acute bronchiolitis were enrolled and underwent clinical and lung ultrasound evaluations. The study included 50 patients, the median age of which was 2.2 months (IQR: 1-5), and the primary outcome was respiratory support. Infants requiring invasive or non-invasive ventilation showed higher scores (5 points [IQR: 3.5-5.5] vs. 2.5 [IQR: 1.5-4]). The outcome had an AUC of 0.85 (95%CI: 0.7-0.98), with a sensitivity of 87%, specificity of 64%, and negative predictive value of 96.4% for a score <3.5 points. Children who scored ≥3.5 points were more likely to require respiratory support within the next 24 h (estimated event-free survival of 82.9% compared to 100%, log-rank test p-value = 0.02). The results suggest that integrating lung ultrasound findings into clinical scores when evaluating infants with acute bronchiolitis could be a promising tool for improving prognosis.

Informe anual de los editores de Anales de Pediatría / Annual report of Anales de Pediatría editors

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Anales de Pediatría: tomamos el relevo / Anales de Pediatría: We take over

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MR-Proadrenomedullin as biomarker of renal damage in urinary tract infection in children.

BACKGROUND: Midregional-proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) is a useful prognostic peptide in severe infectious pathologies in the adult population. However, there are no studies that analyze its utility in febrile urinary tract infection (fUTI) in children. An accurate biomarker would provide an early detection of patients with kidney damage, avoiding other invasive tests like renal scintigraphy scans. Our objective is to study the usefulness of MR-proADM as a biomarker of acute and chronic renal parenchymal damage in fUTI within the pediatric population. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in pediatric patients with fUTI between January 2015 and December 2018. Plasma and urine MR-proADM levels were measured at admission in addition to other laboratory parameters. After confirmation of fUTI, renal scintigraphy scans were performed during the acute and follow-up stages. A descriptive study has been carried out and sensitivity, specificity and ROC curves for MR-proADM, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin were calculated. RESULTS: 62 pediatric patients (34 female) were enrolled. Scintigraphy showed acute pyelonephritis in 35 patients (56.5%). Of those patients, the median of plasmatic MR-proADM (P-MR-proADM) showed no differences compared to patients without pyelonephritis. 7 patients (11.3%) developed renal scars (RS). Their median P-MR-proADM levels were 1.07 nmol/L (IQR 0.66-1.59), while in patients without RS were 0.48 nmol/L (0.43-0.63) (p < 0.01). The AUC in this case was 0.92 (95% CI 0.77-0.99). We established an optimal cut-off point at 0.66 nmol/L with sensitivity 83.3% and specificity 81.8%. CONCLUSION: MR-ProADM has demonstrated a poor ability to diagnose pyelonephritis in pediatric patients with fUTI. However, P-MR-proADM proved to be a very reliable biomarker for RS prediction.

Lung ultrasound for prediction of respiratory support in infants with acute bronchiolitis: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Respiratory tract infections are among the most common causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Acute bronchiolitis (AB) is the leading cause of hospital admission among infants. Clinical scores have proven to be inaccurate in predicting prognosis. Our aim was to build a score based on findings of lung ultrasound (LU) performed at admission, to stratify patients at risk of needing respiratory support (non-invasive and invasive ventilation). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter study including infants <6 months of age admitted with AB. Point-of-care LU was performed on admission, and a score was calculated based on ultrasound findings (presence and localization of B lines, B line confluence and/or consolidations) and clinical data. Main outcome was need of respiratory support. RESULTS: A total of 145 patients were included in the study, with a median age of 1.7 months [IQR: 1.2-2.8], 47.6% were female. Mean duration of symptoms prior to admission was 3.1 days (SD 1.8). Fifty-six patients (39%) required non-invasive ventilation (NIV), 14 (9.7%) were transferred to PICU, and 3 needed invasive ventilation (3/145). Identification of at least one posterior consolidation >1 cm was the main factor associated to NIV (RR 4.4; [CI95%1.8-10.8]) The LU score built according to the findings on admission showed an AUC: 0.845(CI95%:0.78-0.91). A score ≥3.5 showed a sensitivity of 89.1% (CI95%:78.2-94.9%) and specificity of 56% (CI95%: 45.3-66.1%) CONCLUSIONS: Among infants below 6 months of age admitted with AB, point-of-care LU was a helpful tool to identify patients at risk of needing respiratory support.

Ventilación no invasiva en bronquiolitis aguda en la planta. Una opción viable / Non-invasive ventilation in acute bronchiolitis on the ward. A viable option

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High flow therapy versus hypertonic saline in bronchiolitis: randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula (HHHFNC) is superior to inhaled hypertonic saline solution (HSS) in improving respiratory distress in moderate bronchiolitis. In addition, it could improve comfort and reduce length of hospital stay (LOS) and admission to Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). DESIGN: Randomised Clinical Trial from 1 October 2010 to 31 December 2012. SETTING: Two urban secondary (no PICU available) paediatric hospitalisation units. PATIENTS: Hospitalised children aged up to 6 months with moderate acute bronchiolitis (Respiratory Distress Assessment Instrument, RDAI ≥4). INTERVENTION: Patients were randomised to HHHFNC or HSS. All of them received epinephrine as bronchodilator. MAIN OUTCOMES: Primary outcome was difference in mean Respiratory Assessment Change Score (RACS) between both groups measured in six previously defined consecutive moments. Secondary outcomes were difference in mean comfort scores in this period, LOS and rate of PICU admission. RESULTS: Seventy-five previously healthy patients were enrolled. Mean age was 2.4 months (95% CI 2.04 to 2.76). 43 were allocated to HSS group and 32 in HHHFNC. Data of 1 patient were lost, and 8 changed group over the study period. Intention-to-treat principle was applied. There were no significant differences in mean RACS and mean comfort scores between groups at the evaluation points. Median LOS or PICU admission rate were similar in both groups. No adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: HHHFNC was not superior to HSS in treatment of moderate acute bronchiolitis with respect to severity and comfort scores, LOS or PICU admission rate. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01873144.

Vacunación antigripal en la embarazada / Influenza vaccination in pregnancy

Objetivo. Descripción de la cobertura de la vacunación antigripal en la embarazada. Analizar la protección que la vacunación antigripal en la gestante proporcionaría al recién nacido (RN) en sus primeros meses de vida. Material y métodos. 316 RN seguidos una temporada epidémica. Encuesta epidemiológica a las madres que incluye su estado vacunal. Llamadas quincenales con toma de muestras nasofaríngeas y análisis virológico de estas cuando se objetivan datos clínicos que sugirieran infección. Resultados. El 5,7% de las gestantes se vacunaron contra la gripe, un 17,4% de la misma muestra lo hicieron la temporada anterior. Sólo factores como vacunación en años previos (odds ratio [OR]=11,35 [7-31]) o en convivientes (OR=19,9 [6,7-59,5)) influyeron sobre la vacunación de forma significativa. No se detectó virus de la influenza en ningún caso. Conclusiones. El porcentaje de gestantes vacunadas contra la gripe es muy bajo. La información podría mejorar estos resultados. No se puede obtener conclusiones sobre la hipótesis establecida (AU)

Objective. To describe influenza vaccination coverage in pregnant women and analyze whether influenza vaccination in these women confers protection in their neonates in the first months of life. Material and methods. Three hundred sixteen neonates were followed-up during an epidemic season. An epidemiologic survey was performed in mothers, which included their influenza vaccination status. In all patients with symptoms compatible with respiratory infection, fortnightly telephone calls and nasopharyngeal aspiration were performed and virological diagnosis was obtained. Results. A total of 5.7% of the cohort had been vaccinated against influenza during pregnancy and 17.4% of the same sample had been vaccinated in the previous season. The only factors significantly influencing vaccination were vaccination in the previous season (OR: 11.35 [7-31]) or in cohabitants (OR: 19.9 [6.7-59.5]). No cases of influenza virus were detected. Conclusions. The percentage of pregnant women vaccinated against influenza is very low. Information could improve these results. No conclusions can be drawn on the study hypothesis (AU)