Incidence and risk factors of superficial and deep vein thrombosis associated with peripherally inserted central catheters in children.

Essentials Pediatric studies on peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)-related thrombosis are scarce. This study analyzes incidence and risk factors for PICC-related venous thrombosis in children. PICC-related thrombosis is a common, and nearly always, asymptomatic complication. Echo-guided insertion and a catheter to vein ratio < 0.33 may notably decrease this complication. SUMMARY: Background Upper-extremity venous thrombosis is associated with the use of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). Few pediatric studies have focused on this issue. Objectives To determine the incidence and risk factors for PICC-related superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in children. Patients/methods An observational follow-up cohort study was conducted at a single hospital between June 2012 and June 2015. All patients receiving a PICC were enrolled and followed up, with weekly Doppler ultrasound examination of the catheterized limb until PICC removal. Patient, procedural and follow-up data were analyzed. Results In the study period, 265 PICCs were inserted (median age of patients 6.5 years, interquartile range [IQR] 2.4-13 years; median weight 20 kg, IQR 11-38 kg; 54% males; 67.9% chronically ill), and patients were followed up for a total of 9743 days. The median indwelling time was 21 days (IQR 12-37 days). During follow-up, 88 (33.2% of insertions) PICC-related thromboses (incidence rate [IR] 9.03 per 1000 catheter-days) were diagnosed, 66 (24.9%) as isolated SVT, seven (2.6%) as isolated DVT, and 15 (5.7%) as SVT with associated DVT (IR 6.78, 0.71 and 1.54 per 1000 catheter-days, respectively). Only 9.9% of patients with SVT and 18.2% of those with DVT were symptomatic. The main risk factors for PICC-related SVT and DVT were a catheter/vein ratio of > 0.33 and thrombosis of the catheterized superficial vein, respectively. Conclusions PICC-related thrombosis is a common and nearly always asymptomatic complication in children, the SVT rate being approximately three times higher than the DVT rate. Optimal vein and catheter selection, yielding the lowest possible catheter/vein ratio, may decrease the rate of PICC-related thrombosis.

Opportunities to improve antimicrobial use in paediatric intensive care units: a nationwide survey in Spain.

Improving antimicrobial use is a complex process that requires an accurate assessment of ongoing problems and barriers. Paediatric intensive care units (PICU) have seldom been assessed from this perspective. Two Internet-based, self-administered surveys were conducted nationwide in Spain between January and February 2014. The first survey aimed to assess those characteristics of Spanish PICUs that could influence antimicrobial prescribing or antimicrobial stewardship. The second survey targeted Spanish PICU physicians and pursued to assess their attitudes and perceptions regarding antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use. Information about 29/39 contacted PICUs was obtained. A total of 114/206 (55.3%) paediatric intensivists responded. PICUs were heterogeneous regarding years since foundation, number of beds, type of patients admitted and staffing. Only 11 (37.9%) PICUs had available e-prescribing systems. Procalcitonin was available in 24 (89.1%) PICUs, but there were no procalcitonin-based protocols in 14 (60.9%) of them. Half of surveyed PICUs had implemented antimicrobial stewardship activities. Ninety-eight of the 114 PICU physicians (86%) who participated considered that antimicrobial resistance was a significantly relevant problem for their daily and that improving antimicrobial use in their PICU should be a priority (103; 90.4%). The main perceived problems regarding antimicrobial use were the excessive use of antimicrobials in patients with nonconfirmed infections and excessive use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. The most valued antimicrobial stewardship interventions were the implementation of protocols to guide antimicrobial therapy. Spanish PICU doctors are aware of the relevance of the problem of antimicrobial resistance and the need to improve antimicrobial use. Targeted interventions should take into account their difficulties and preferences when feasible.

Dosage of nifedipine in hypertensive crises of infants and children.

Eight hypertensive crises (HC) were treated with 2.5 mg of sublingual nifedipine in three children with weights below 10 kg (group A); 16 HC in 6 children between 10 and 20 kg with 5 mg (group B); and 40 HC in 10 children over 20 kg with 10 mg of nifedipine (group C). The relative decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was similar in all groups. The decrease was more rapid in groups A and B when the contents were extracted from the capsule and given directly. The hypotensive effect lasted 4 h. There were no side effects. The effective and safe single dose of nifedipine has been established to be 2.5 mg for children weighing less than 10 kg, and 5 mg for children weighing between 10 and 20 kg.

[Isoimmune neonatal neutropenia: apropos of a case]. / Neutropenia neonatal isoinmune: a propósito de un caso.

Etiological diagnosis is a very important aspect in neonatal neutropenias because of different prognosis that implies. Isoimmune neonatal neutropenia is one of these processes, with good prognosis and which is rarely diagnosed; it is due to maternal isoimmunization during pregnancy against a foetus specific neutrophil antigen, inherited from the father. Authors present a case, in which a deep neutropenia during the first fifteen days of life, was observed with high monocytosis and without other associations; baby returned to normal levels when he was three months old. Presence of an antineutrophil antibody in mother's serum, with specificity against father's and baby's granulocytes was demonstrated. Bibliography is revised and differential diagnosis and treatment is discussed.