Mortality following admission to the paediatric intensive care unit: A Swedish longitudinal cohort study.

AIM: This study aimed to compare outcomes post-admission to a Swedish paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in children with complex chronic conditions (CCC) and without CCC. METHODS: In this observational registry-based study, consecutive admissions to the Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital PICU from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2016 were analysed. Data on demographics, predicted death rates (PDR), admission diagnoses and causes of death were collected. Mortality was recorded up to 15 years after admission and compared between groups. RESULTS: Patients with CCC constituted 64.6% (n = 3026) of PICU admissions and 83.5% (n = 111) of PICU deaths. The crude mortality rate in PICU was 2.84% overall. CCC-patients were 2.83 times more likely to die in PICU compared to non-CCC (OR 2.83; 95% CI: 1.78-4.49). Mortality increased in the CCC-cohort up to 5 years after PICU discharge, while non-CCC patients generally survived if they survived in PICU. Of the patients who died in PICU, the median PDR was 22.9% for CCC-patients and 66.5% in the non-CCC cohort. CONCLUSION: Children with CCC accounted for most admissions and deaths in PICU. Despite lower severity of illness scores upon admission, CCC patients were nearly three times more likely to die in PICU compared to non-CCC patients.

EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care: A multicentre validation study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The importance of assessing family satisfaction in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is becoming increasingly recognised. The survey, EMpowerment of Parents in THe Intensive Care "EMPATHIC-30", was designed to assess family satisfaction and has been translated and implemented in several countries but not yet in Japan. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the EMPATHIC-30 questionnaire in Japanese and to identify potential factors for family-centred care satisfaction. METHODS: We translated and adapted for patient-reported outcome measures via a 10-step process outlined by the Principles of Good Practice. Four paediatric PICUs in Japan participated in the validation study, and the parental enrolment criterion was a child with a PICU stay of >24 h. Reliability was measured by Cronbach's α, and congruent validity was tested with overall satisfaction-with-care scales by correlation analysis. Multivariate linear regression modelling was conducted to identify factors related to each domain of the Japanese EMPATHIC-30. RESULTS: A total of 163 parents (mean age: 31.9 ± 5.4 years; 81% were mothers) participated. The five domains of the Japanese EMPATHIC-30 showed high reliability (α = 0.87 to 0.97) and congruent validity, demonstrating high correlations with overall satisfaction in nurses (r = 0.75) and doctors (r = 0.76). Multivariate modelling found that elective admission, mechanical ventilation, and parents who had experience of a family member in an adult intensive care unit had higher satisfaction scores in all five domains (p < 0.05). Moreover, Buddhists assigned higher satisfaction scores in the Care and Treatment domain (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The Japanese EMPATHIC-30 questionnaire has demonstrated adequate reliability and validity measures. We also identified that elective admission, mechanical ventilation, and having previous adult intensive care unit experience of a family member were factors in assigning higher scores for all satisfaction domains. PICU clinicians need to be cognisant of ethical, cultural, and religious factors relating to the critically ill child and their family.

Uses of infrared thermography in acute illness: a systematic review.

Introduction: Infrared thermography (IRT) is a non-contact, non-ionising imaging modality, providing a visual representation of temperature distribution across a surface. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of indexed and grey literature for studies investigating IRT applications involving patients in acute care settings. Studies were categorised and described along themes identified iteratively using narrative synthesis. Quality appraisal of included studies was performed using the Quality Assessment tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies. Results: Of 1,060 unique records, 30 studies were included. These were conducted in emergency departments and intensive care units involving adult, paediatric and neonatal patients. IRT was studied for the diagnosis, monitoring or risk stratification of a wide range of individual conditions. IRT was predominantly used to display thermal change associated with localised inflammation or microcirculatory dysfunction. Existing research is largely at an early developmental stage. Discussion: We recommend that high quality diagnostic validation studies are now required for some clinical applications. IRT has the potential to be a valuable tool in the acute care setting and represents an important area for future research particularly when combined with advances in machine learning technology. Systematic review registration: CRD 42022327619 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=327619).

Assessing the predictors for paediatric intensive care unit for inter-hospital transfer patients on high-flow nasal cannula or continuous positive airway pressure ventilation at a tertiary Australian paediatric hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to assess the predictors of need for paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission for inter-hospital transfer patients to a tertiary paediatric hospital ED on high flow (HF) or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilation. METHODS: Single-centre retrospective study of patients transferred to the state's tertiary paediatric hospital. Demographic information and disease management information was obtained. RESULTS: Between October 2021 and September 2022, 53 patients were transferred to the tertiary hospital on HF or CPAP. Of these, 23 required admission to PICU. Those admitted to PICU had a higher median fraction of inspired oxygen than those not admitted (0.4 vs 0.3, respectively, P = 0.013). Patients transported by road (vs flight) were more likely (20/23 patients, RR = 3.15, P = 0.016) to be admitted to PICU (56% vs 18%). Those who had received CPAP prior to or during transfer were more likely to require PICU admission (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that children who require CPAP to manage their respiratory disease are more likely to require PICU care on transfer to the tertiary paediatric hospital. In addition, those patients being transferred from secondary metropolitan hospitals after a trial of HF are also likely to require PICU care. This suggests that these patients should be directly admitted to PICU, allowing for improved patient experience and flow as well as reducing unnecessary ED resource utilisation.

Delayed episode of necrotising enterocolitis in an ex-preterm infant after intravitreal administration of low-dose ranibizumab for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) are complications of prematurity. Despite being quite different in terms of incidence, pathogenesis and consequences, both share a pathogenic role of aberrant vascularisation: increased in ROP, deficient for NEC. Current therapy for ROP includes the use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents, which are able to interrupt retinal hypervascularity. Despite being delivered intravitreously, anti-VEGF used in ROP can be absorbed into circulation and exert systemic effects. We present here a case of an ex-27 weeks gestational age infant, presenting multiple NEC risk factors, treated at 2 months of age with low-dose ranibizumab, who developed a large bowel NEC episode in the first week after treatment. We believe that this further report of an association between anti-VEGF agents and NEC could be interesting for the identification of children at risk of severe adverse events and stimulating further research on the topic.

Positive outcome in a patient with severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.

A male infant was born at 40 and 4/7 weeks of gestation via caesarean section for non-reassuring foetal heart tracing. The infant was non-responsive in the delivery room. with no heart rate detected until 40 min of life. The infant's physical examination and laboratory findings were consistent with severe hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. Given the presumption of a very poor neurological prognosis, redirection to comfort care was recommended to the family. However, the family opted for intensive care. The infant underwent therapeutic hypothermia and management of multiorgan dysfunction. The infant survived with no findings of ischaemic injury on MRI and was discharged with no respiratory support and taking all feeds by mouth, with normal development at a year and a half of age. This case report demonstrates the imperative to understand family goals and to acknowledge the need for ongoing humility in providing prognostication for families.

Compliance with antibiotic therapy guidelines in french paediatric intensive care units: a multicentre observational study.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial infections (BIs) are widespread in ICUs. The aims of this study were to assess compliance with antibiotic recommendations and factors associated with non-compliance. METHODS: We conducted an observational study in eight French Paediatric and Neonatal ICUs with an antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP) organised once a week for the most part. All children receiving antibiotics for a suspected or proven BI were evaluated. Newborns < 72 h old, neonates < 37 weeks, age ≥ 18 years and children under surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis were excluded. RESULTS: 139 suspected (or proven) BI episodes in 134 children were prospectively included during six separate time-periods over one year. The final diagnosis was 26.6% with no BI, 40.3% presumed (i.e., not documented) BI and 35.3% documented BI. Non-compliance with antibiotic recommendations occurred in 51.1%. The main reasons for non-compliance were inappropriate choice of antimicrobials (27.3%), duration of one or more antimicrobials (26.3%) and length of antibiotic therapy (18.0%). In multivariate analyses, the main independent risk factors for non-compliance were prescribing ≥ 2 antibiotics (OR 4.06, 95%CI 1.69-9.74, p = 0.0017), duration of broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy ≥ 4 days (OR 2.59, 95%CI 1.16-5.78, p = 0.0199), neurologic compromise at ICU admission (OR 3.41, 95%CI 1.04-11.20, p = 0.0431), suspected catheter-related bacteraemia (ORs 3.70 and 5.42, 95%CIs 1.32 to 15.07, p < 0.02), a BI site classified as "other" (ORs 3.29 and 15.88, 95%CIs 1.16 to 104.76, p < 0.03), sepsis with ≥ 2 organ dysfunctions (OR 4.21, 95%CI 1.42-12.55, p = 0.0098), late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (OR 6.30, 95%CI 1.15-34.44, p = 0.0338) and ≥ 1 risk factor for extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (OR 2.56, 95%CI 1.07-6.14, p = 0.0353). Main independent factors for compliance were using antibiotic therapy protocols (OR 0.42, 95%CI 0.19-0.92, p = 0.0313), respiratory failure at ICU admission (OR 0.36, 95%CI 0.14-0.90, p = 0.0281) and aspiration pneumonia (OR 0.37, 95%CI 0.14-0.99, p = 0.0486). CONCLUSIONS: Half of antibiotic prescriptions remain non-compliant with guidelines. Intensivists should reassess on a day-to-day basis the benefit of using several antimicrobials or any broad-spectrum antibiotics and stop antibiotics that are no longer indicated. Developing consensus about treating specific illnesses and using department protocols seem necessary to reduce non-compliance. A daily ASP could also improve compliance in these situations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: number NCT04642560. The date of first trial registration was 24/11/2020.

Nirsevimab Effectiveness Against Cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis Hospitalised in Paediatric Intensive Care Units in France, September 2023-January 2024.

In September 2023, France was one of the first countries that started a national immunisation campaign with nirsevimab, a new monoclonal antibody against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Using data from a network of paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), we aimed to estimate nirsevimab effectiveness against severe cases of RSV bronchiolitis in France. We conducted a case-control study based on the test-negative design and included 288 infants reported by 20 PICUs. We estimated nirsevimab effectiveness at 75.9% (48.5-88.7) in the main analysis and 80.6% (61.6-90.3) and 80.4% (61.7-89.9) in two sensitivity analyses. These real-world estimates confirmed the efficacy observed in clinical studies.

Cerebral autoregulation in paediatric and neonatal intensive care: A scoping review.

Deranged cerebral autoregulation (CA) is associated with worse outcome in adult brain injury. Strategies for monitoring CA and maintaining the brain at its 'best CA status' have been implemented, however, this approach has not yet developed for the paediatric population. This scoping review aims to find up-to-date evidence on CA assessment in children and neonates with a view to identify patient categories in which CA has been measured so far, CA monitoring methods and its relationship with clinical outcome if any. A literature search was conducted for studies published within 31st December 2022 in 3 bibliographic databases. Out of 494 papers screened, this review includes 135 studies. Our literature search reveals evidence for CA measurement in the paediatric population across different diagnostic categories and age groups. The techniques adopted, indices and thresholds used to assess and define CA are heterogeneous. We discuss the relevance of available evidence for CA assessment in the paediatric population. However, due to small number of studies and heterogeneity of methods used, there is no conclusive evidence to support universal adoption of CA monitoring, technique, and methodology. This calls for further work to understand the clinical impact of CA monitoring in paediatric and neonatal intensive care.

Comparison of invasive blood pressure monitoring vs. non-invasive blood pressure monitoring in critically ill children receiving vasoactive agents-a prospective observational study.

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to compare non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) measurement using the automated oscillometric method with invasive blood pressure (IBP) measurement using peripheral arterial line insertion in critically ill children receiving vasoactive agents. Design: Single-centre, prospective cohort study. Setting: Tertiary care 15 bedded Pediatric ICU in Urban Indian city. Subjects: All critically ill children between the ages of 1 month to 16 years with shock on vasoactive medications and with IBP monitoring. Results: Forty children with 1,072 paired BP measurements were incorporated in the final analysis. Among all normotensive children (Total number of paired measurements = 623) receiving vasoactive agents, Bland-Altman analysis revealed an acceptable agreement between Invasive mean blood pressure (MBP) and non-invasive MBP with a bias of -2.10 mmHg (SD 11.35). The 95% limits of agreement were from -24.34 to 20.14 mmHg. In children with hypotension (Total number of paired measurements = 449), Bland-Altman analysis showed disagreement between Invasive MBP and non-invasive MBP i.e., a bias of -8.44 mmHg (SD 9.62). The 95% limits of agreement were from -27.29 to 10.41 mmHg. Conclusion: A limited agreement exists between invasive blood pressure (IBP) and non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) measurements in critically ill children requiring vasoactive agents. This discrepancy can lead to either an underestimation or an overestimation of blood pressure. While NIBP can serve as a screening tool for hemodynamically stable children, those who are hemodynamically unstable and necessitate the initiation of vasoactive agents should undergo IBP monitoring.

Severe non-hepatic hyperammonaemic encephalopathy in an immunocompromised adolescent with enterocolitis.

Non-hepatic causes of hyperammonaemia are uncommon relative to hepatic aetiologies. An adolescent female was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of very severe aplastic anaemia. During her treatment with immunosuppressive therapy, she developed neutropenic enterocolitis, pseudomonal bacteraemia and hyperammonaemia. A combination of intermittent haemodialysis and high-volume continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) was required to manage the hyperammonaemia. Despite a thorough investigation, there were no hepatic, metabolic or genetic aetiologies identified that explained the hyperammonaemia. The hyperammonaemia resolved only after the surgical resection of her inflamed colon, following which she was successfully weaned off from the renal support. This is a novel case report of hyperammonaemia of non-hepatic origin secondary to widespread inflammation of the colon requiring surgical resection in an immunocompromised patient. This case also highlights the role of high-volume CVVHDF in augmenting haemodialysis in the management of severe refractory hyperammonaemia.

Chiari malformation type III with satisfactory developmental progress postrepair.

The authors were presented with a term female neonate with a large occipital mass, who was already being treated for neonatal pneumonia at another hospital. On assessment, apart from the mass, the patient presented with an unremarkable systemic and neurological physical examination. She underwent repair of the occipital mass, which was complicated by nosocomial ventriculitis. However, the patient was discharged well after completing antibiotic treatment. On regular outpatient follow-ups, the patient presented with a good cry, suck, and activity. There have been no reports of seizures, decrease in sensorium, aspiration episodes, stridor or any other complaints, apart from poor head and sitting control. The workup also showed profound bilateral hearing loss. Despite these complications, the patient currently exhibits good visual and social development. This is attributed to timely intervention as well as the minimal amount of herniated cerebellar tissue that the patient presented with, highlighting the individualised management and outcomes for cases of Chiari malformation type III.

A scoping review of pain resulting from the endotracheal suctioning of paediatric intensive care patients.

BACKGROUND: This scoping review was conducted to summarise and map studies on pain resulting from endotracheal suctioning in paediatric intensive care patients. METHOD: This scoping review conducted in June 2022 was performed by screening articles published in English. Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, MedLine and Ovid databases were used for screening. The keywords 'endotracheal suctioning', 'pain', 'paediatric intensive care' and their synonyms were used in the search. RESULTS: During the review, 280 articles were accessed, and the full texts of 14 articles were evaluated for suitability. After some of the articles were excluded from the study, abstracts of nine articles were given below. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that a greater number of randomised controlled studies should be conducted, because the number of studies with a high level of evidence on the effect of endotracheal suctioning on the pain levels of patients in the paediatric intensive care unit is very few.

Parental emotional, social and transitional health in the first 6 months after childhood critical illness: A longitudinal qualitative study.

AIM: To explore the experiences and support needs of parents in the first 6 months after paediatric critical care. DESIGN: Longitudinal qualitative design. METHODS: Sequential semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 28 parents in succession at 1 month and at 6 months (n = 22) after their child's discharge from paediatric critical care using purposive sampling. Data were analysed using the adapted five-stage framework analysis. RESULTS: Data were developed into eight synthesized themes, three domains and an overarching theme: Regaining Normalcy. Families of children requiring medical treatment at 6 months showed signs of adaption to daily care routines. The two domains were Parental Emotional Health and Parental Social Health. Parental Transitional Health, a third domain, was added to the Post Intensive Care Syndrome-paediatric framework. Parents were forward-looking and discussed emotional health, relating to current caregiving issues. Emotional attention was related to present challenges and concerns about current health and possible readmission to the hospital. In terms of Parental Social Health, families isolated themselves for infection control while remaining connected with families using chat applications. Parents were selective to whom they allowed access to their lives. The impact of parental transitional health was evident and emphasized the daily challenges associated with integration back to home life. Flexible work arrangements allowed working parents to support caregiving needs in the first 6 months after discharge. CONCLUSION: In the first 6 months after paediatric critical illness, most families reported having moved past the experiences while having provoking memories of the admission period. Parents viewed the point of normalcy as child returned to school or when all medications were discontinued. Extension of transitional support can facilitate discharge experiences between paediatric critical care and normalcy. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the medium- and longer-term impact of paediatric critical care. IMPACT: What problem did the study address? ○ Limited understanding of long-term parental experiences and support needs after PICU discharge. What were the main findings? ○ Most families regained normalcy when child returns to school or when medications were discontinued. Some families continued to show signs of adaptations at 6 months after PICU discharge. Where and on whom did the research have an impact? ○ The research has an impact on improving the understanding of long-term parental experiences and support needs after PICU discharge, informing clinical practice, guiding policy development and shaping parental support programs. REPORTING METHOD: We reported this study using the COREQ guidelines. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Prior to confirming the interview guide, three parents of critically ill children actively participated by reviewing and providing feedback on its content. They provided suggestions to refine the wording and ensure clarity to enhance the participants' understanding. By including the perspectives of these parents, we aimed to improve the overall quality and relevance of the interview guide.

Hepatopulmonary fusion in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: successful management of a lethal variant.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a congenital anomaly involving the herniation of intra-abdominal contents into the thoracic cavity. Hepatopulmonary fusion (HPF), an exceedingly rare subtype mainly associated with right-sided CDH, presents unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This case report describes a male infant with right-sided CDH complicated by HPF. The intricate anatomical anomaly involved the fusion of the right lung to the liver, posing challenges during surgical separation. The patient experienced postoperative complications, including prolonged ventilation, tracheostomy and pulmonary issues, which led to a prolonged hospital stay. Intraoperative challenges stem from the absence of demarcation between lung and liver tissues and abnormal vascular structures. In summary, managing HPF in right-sided CDH necessitates a customised, multidisciplinary approach to optimise patient outcomes, highlighting the need for ongoing research to refine understanding and treatment strategies.

Dual fluid silhouette in X-ray of the abdomen: a diagnostic flag for neurogenic bladder with urinary ascites.

A neonate presented with abdominal distension and decreased urinary output. X-ray revealed dual abdominal fluid condition-ascites with a distended bladder, along with vertebral anomalies. The possibility of urinary ascites and neurogenic bladder was kept, which was further confirmed on evaluation. Here, we emphasise the crucial role of abdominal X-ray as a diagnostic tool in uncovering this intricate medical puzzle. By detailing the clinical presentation, diagnostic approach and treatment strategy, the report contributes insights into the rare and complex abdominal condition.

Stridor and severe subglottic stenosis: emergency tracheostomy for a neonate with a pinhole trachea.

Congenital subglottic stenosis is a rare but potentially catastrophic condition. In this report, we describe the management of a term neonate who was noted to have biphasic stridor during preassessment for correction of an imperforate anus at 26 hours of life. The neonate was found to have a pinhole trachea secondary to congenital subglottic stenosis. It was impossible to pass an endotracheal tube, so the neonate underwent an emergency surgical tracheostomy with a good outcome. A high index of suspicion led to appropriate steps being taken to safely anaesthetise the neonate.

Persistent omphalomesenteric duct in an infant with trisomy 21.

We present the case of a term newborn with trisomy 21 who presented to the paediatric emergency department with periumbilical flare and green-brown discharge from a clamped umbilical cord, initially suspected to be omphalitis. However, it was noticed later, that when the infant strained or cried, a thick, bubbling and offensive green-brown discharge came out of the clamped umbilical cord with umbilical flatus. An ultrasound abdomen and umbilical cord confirmed the presence of a persistent omphalomesenteric duct (POMD). He was then transferred to the paediatric surgical unit. There, he underwent a laparotomy and surgical resection of the POMD and was discharged home 2 days later.