RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To compare high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) versus nasal prong bubble continuous positive airway pressure (b-CPAP) in children with moderate to severe acute bronchiolitis. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial was carried out from August 2019 to February 2022. (Clinical Trials Registry of India number CTRI/2019/07/020402). SETTING: Pediatric emergency ward and ICU within a tertiary care center in India. PATIENTS: Children 1-23 months old with moderate to severe acute bronchiolitis. INTERVENTION: Comparison of HFNC with b-CPAP, using a primary outcome of treatment failure within 24 hours of randomization, as defined by any of: 1) a 1-point increase in modified Wood's clinical asthma score (m-WCAS) above baseline, 2) a rise in respiratory rate (RR) greater than 10 per minute from baseline, and 3) escalation in respiratory support. The secondary outcomes were success rate after crossover, if any, need for mechanical ventilation (invasive/noninvasive), local skin lesions, length of hospital stay, and complications. RESULTS: In 118 children analyzed by intention-to-treat, HFNC (n = 59) versus b-CPAP (n = 59) was associated with a lower failure rate (23.7% vs. 42.4%; relative risk [95% CI], RR 0.56 [95% CI, 0.32-0.97], p = 0.031). The Cox proportion model confirmed a lower hazard of treatment failure in the HFNC group (adjusted hazard ratio 0.48 [95% CI, 0.25-0.94], p = 0.032). No crossover was noted. A lower proportion escalated to noninvasive ventilation in the HFNC group (15.3%) versus the b-CPAP group (15.3% vs. 39% [RR 0.39 (95% CI, 0.20-0.77)], p = 0.004). The HFNC group had a longer median (interquartile range) duration of oxygen therapy (4 [3-6] vs. 3 [3-5] d; p = 0.012) and hospital stay (6 [5-8.5] vs. 5 [4-7] d, p = 0.021). No significant difference was noted in other secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION: In children aged one to 23 months with moderate to severe acute bronchiolitis, the use of HFNC therapy as opposed to b-CPAP for early respiratory support is associated with a lower failure rate and, secondarily, a lower risk of escalation to mechanical ventilation.
RESUMO
Tuberculosis-associated haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is rare in paediatrics and can be fatal if not recognised and treated on time. A 3-month-old infant with tuberculosis and HLH is described. He was successfully treated with anti-tuberculous therapy (ATT) which comprised isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol, streptomycin and dexamethasone (10 mg/m2/day). On Day 28 of therapy, he developed a paradoxical upgrading reaction to ATT for which he was again treated with (oral) corticosteroids for 4 weeks. He recovered successfully and is now completely well and asymptomatic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a child having a paradoxical upgrading reaction following treatment for TB-HLH.Abbreviations ATT: anti-tuberculous therapy; CB-NAAT: cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test; CECT: contrast-enhanced computed tomography; HLH: haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis; NK: natural killer, PUR: paradoxical upgrading reaction; sHLH: secondary HLH.
