Novel influenza A (H1N1) encephalitis in a 3-month-old infant.

Seasonal influenza virus infection has been associated with a variety of neurologic complications. We report a case of novel influenza A (H1N1) encephalitis in an infant aged 3 months with an upper respiratory infection, who presented seizures. The infection was confirmed in nasopharyngeal aspirate and cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment with oseltamivir was started. He was discharged without any neurologic sequelae.

[Nosocomial infections in pediatric patients following cardiac surgery]. / Infección nosocomial en postoperados de cirugía cardíaca.

INTRODUCTION: Nosocomial infection (NI) is a possible complication in patients who undergo cardiac surgery, and represents an important cause of morbidity and mortality. This study was undertaken to determine the NI rate, main risk factors, and microbial spectrum in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for this group of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective review was performed, including all patients admitted to the PICU after cardiac surgery between December 2003 and November 2004. NI was defined according to Centers for Disease Control criteria. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were included. Sixteen patients (23.2 %) acquired at least one episode of NI. The NI rate was 4.9 per 100 patient-days. The most common NI was pneumonia, followed by urinary tract infection. There were no episodes of sepsis. No patients died from infectious causes. The main aetiological organism was Haemophilus influenzae, associated with 41.6 % of pneumonias, and followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. No multiresistant organisms were isolated. There was a statistically significant association between the duration of use of external devices (mechanical ventilation, urinary and central venous catheterization) and development of NI. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive monitoring and support devices are the main risk factors for NI. Based on our data, we suggest early removal of these. Presumed NI should be diagnosed according standard criteria before starting antibiotic therapy, and treatment modified depending on culture results.

Validity of contents of a paediatric critical comfort scale using mixed methodology. / Validez de contenido de una escala de confort crítico pediátrico mediante una metodología mixta.

INTRODUCTION: Critical illness in paediatric patients includes acute conditions in a healthy child as well as exacerbations of chronic disease, and therefore these situations must be clinically managed in Critical Care Units. The role of the paediatric nurse is to ensure the comfort of these critically ill patients. To that end, instruments are required that correctly assess critical comfort. OBJECTIVE: To describe the process for validating the content of a paediatric critical comfort scale using mixed-method research. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Initially, a cross-cultural adaptation of the Comfort Behavior Scale from English to Spanish using the translation and back-translation method was made. After that, its content was evaluated using mixed method research. This second step was divided into a quantitative stage in which an ad hoc questionnaire was used in order to assess each scale's item relevance and wording and a qualitative stage with two meetings with health professionals, patients and a family member following the Delphi Method recommendations. RESULTS: All scale items obtained a content validity index >0.80, except physical movement in its relevance, which obtained 0.76. Global content scale validity was 0.87 (high). During the qualitative stage, items from each of the scale domains were reformulated or eliminated in order to make the scale more comprehensible and applicable. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a mixed-method research methodology during the scale content validity phase allows the design of a richer and more assessment-sensitive instrument.

[Supraventricular tachycardia in infants and children]. / Taquicardia paroxística supraventricular en el niño y el lactante.

INTRODUCTION: Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the second most frequent form of arrhythmia in pediatrics after extrasystole. OBJECTIVES: 1. To determine the clinical characteristics and treatment of SVT in infants and children. 2. To determine treatment response and the drugs used. METHOD: A retrospective review of 61 cases of SVT requiring PICU admission (1999-2004) was performed. PICU admission was due to persistent SVT after vagal maneuvers. RESULTS: There were 61 patients and 39 were boys (63.9%). The mean age was 2.1 years (SD +/- 3.1). Twelve patients had congenital heart disease (19.7%); three (4.9%) were admitted after heart surgery, and the remaining patients had no antecedents (60.7%). The mean cardiac frequency was 238 beats/min (SD +/- 42.86). Heart failure (HF) was observed in 14 patients (23%). Statistically significant differences were found between the presence of HF and time since onset (p < 0.01) and younger age (p < 0.01). The most frequent diagnosis was SVT due to re-entry in 28 patients (45.9%). Medical treatment was required in 46 patients (75.4%) and response was achieved in 35 (57.4%). At crisis the first drug used was adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in 35 patients (61.4%) with good response in 21 (36.8%). As maintenance therapy digoxin was used in 29 patients (50.9%) without relapses in 22 (78.6%). Radiofrequency ablation was required in 17 patients (27.9%), and there were three relapses (17.6%). The ages of patients who underwent ablation ranged from 3.5 days to 13 years. CONCLUSIONS: 1. HF was observed mainly in infants. 2. Most of the patients had good response to ATP therapy. 3. Radiofrequency ablation was mainly required in patients aged more than 1 year.

[Non-invasive ventilation in neonates with Ondine syndrome: a real indication?]. / Ventilación no invasiva en lactantes afectados de síndrome de Ondine: 'una indicación real?

Ondine's syndrome is a congenital central hypoventilation syndrome due to a disorder in the autonomic control of breathing in the absence of any primary disease that would explain it. Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has been reported to be effective in the management of these patients, thus avoiding the need for tracheotomy for prolonged mechanical ventilation. We describe our experience of NIV in infants with Ondine's syndrome. Two infants with Ondine's syndrome were transferred to our center for management and adjustment of therapy. On admission NIV (BiPAP VISION) was started with nasal interphase in S/T (spontaneous/timed) mode, which failed to provide suitable ventilation (PCO2 > 70 mmHg). Finally, tracheotomy for continuous mechanical ventilation was performed. Although NIV has been reported to be successful in some patients with Ondine's syndrome, its application in patients younger than 5 years does not seem to be the general norm of treatment.

[A national multicentre study on nosocomial infections in PICU]. / Estudio multicéntrico nacional sobre la infección nosocomial en la UCIP.

INTRODUCTION: Nosocomial infection (NI) is a common complication in paediatric critical care units (PICU), with an associated mortality up to 11%. OBJECTIVE: To describe NI epidemiology in the national PICU. To initiate an standard NI control measures to obtain paediatric incidence rates. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Multicentre prospective study from 1 to 31 march 2007. Centre Disease Control diagnosis and methodological criteria were used. It was specially analyzed NI related to invasive devices: central venous catheter (CVC), mechanical ventilation (MV), urinary catheter (UC). RESULTS: There were recruited 300 patients from 6 PICU, with 17 NI episodes in 16 patients (5,3% from admitted). NI rates resulted in 13,8 infections/1000 patients-day. Middle age from infected patients was 2,31 years (± 3,43), 9 males. Risk factors were found in 7 cases. NI location was: catheter-related bloodstream infection in 7 patients (6,7/1000 days CVC), ventilator associated pneumonia in 4 (9,4/1000 MV days), urinary-tract infection associated with UC in 4 (5,5/1000 UC days), one case of primary bloodstream infection and one surgical site infection. Isolated microorganisms were: 9 gram negatives bacillus, 4 Candida, 2 plasmocoagulase negative staphylococcus, 1 Haemophilus and 1 Staphylococcus aureus. Seven isolations were resistant microorganisms. There weren't any died related to NI. CONCLUSIONS: NI epidemiology was similar to published data in our near countries. NI surveillance, with a standardized method of analysis is essential to the NI correct manage.

[Sexual child abuse. Our one-year experience]. / Abuso sexual infantil. Nuestra experiencia de un año.

OBJECTIVE: We have analyzed our population in regards to child sexual abuse during 1994 and propose a diagnostic classification of our findings. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively 18 cases of abuse, collection in each case the following data: age, sex, reason for the consultation, family situation, perpetrator, positive clinical history or not, physical findings, psychological disorders and complementary examinations. We established 4 classification levels: normal, compatible with abuse, suspicious and sexual contact or certain penetration. RESULTS: The number of children attended was 18. Thirteen (72%) were female. The youngest was 1 month old and the oldest 14.5 years. The clinical history was positive in 6 cases. The physical findings allowed a certain diagnostic in 3 cases. Presence of semen was demonstrated in 1 case and 1 positive culture for gonococci was obtained. The final diagnosis was normal in 6 cases, compatible with abuse in 4, suspicious in 3 and certain sexual contact or penetration in 5. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of sexual abuse is very difficult. The clinical history is still necessary due to the fact that physical findings and complementary tests tend to not be conclusive. We propose that once the information has been evaluated the conclusion be classified into 4 groups: normal, compatible with abuse, suspicious and certain sexual contact or penetration.

[Neonatal morbidity and mortality in very low birth weight infants according to exposure to chorioamnionitis]. / Patología neonatal en los menores de 1.500 gramos con relación al antecedente de corioamnionitis.

OBJECTIVES: To study differences in the incidence of neonatal morbidity and mortality among newborns weighing less than 1,500 g according to exposure to chorioamnionitis (CA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A case-control study of 135 newborns weighing less than 1,500 g at birth and born between 1988 and 1998 was performed. The case group was composed of 45 newborns exposed to clinical or subclinical levels of maternal CA. Each newborn in the case group was matched with two controls, both weighing less than 1,500 g, one of them born immediately before and the other one immediately after. Perinatal records, neonatal morbidity and mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean gestational age was 28.5 weeks (range: 24-38 weeks) with a mean weight of 1,131 g (range: 520-1,500 g). The time of membrane rupture was significantly greater in the case group (176 h vs 57 h; p < 0.001). Forty percent of the cases presented sepsis in the first 72 h of life compared with 10 % of the controls (p < 0.0001). No significant differences in morbidity or mortality were found between the groups, although chronic lung disease (20 % vs 13 %) and intraventricular hemorrhage (24 % vs 17 %) were more frequent in infants exposed to CA. Resuscitation (77.8 % vs 45.6 %; p 0.001) and mechanical ventilation (73 % vs 50 %; p 0.016) were required by a great number of cases than controls. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CA was associated with a higher risk of early onset infection and the need for neonatal resuscitation and mechanical ventilation. No significant differences were found in morbidity or mortality.

[Neurological and growth follow-up of cardiac patients operated on before 45 days of life]. / Seguimiento neurológico y somatométrico de operados cardíacos antes de los 45 días de vida.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to study the neurological and growth disorders in patients undergoing cardiac surgery during the neonatal period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety clinical records of newborns with congenital heart disease that were operated between 1985 and 1996 and were under the age of 45 days with a minimum follow-up period of 12 months were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 37 patient records considered, 33 (89.1%) were neurosensorially normal, 2 had minor handicaps and 2 moderate handicaps. There were 15 (40.5%) with the weight and 9 (24.3%) with the length below the 10th percentile. Although exitus, handicaps and growth disorders were more frequent in those patients operated in the extracorporal circulation, there were no significant differences. The growth disorders were greater in complex heart diseases and in pulmonary atresia, but significant differences were only related to the weight. CONCLUSIONS: Because at least 11% of these patients showed neurological disorders, a neurological follow-up is necessary. The number of post-operated patients with growth disorders was high, but catch-up growth resulted in recovery. A greater number of neurological and growth disorder has been found in complex heart disease, where only a palliative treatment could be employed. Although the complete correction of the cardiopathy may imply an early mortality, long time prognosis for survivors is much better.

[Morbidity of the newborn infant born to a diabetic mother in relation to macrosomia]. / Morbilidad del recién nacido hijo de madre diabética en relación con la macrosomía.

OBJECTIVE: A descriptive study of an infant of a diabetic mother was carried out in order to analyze if macrosomia (weight greater than P90 for gestational age) is a good criteria in order to predict associated complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 382 diabetic mothers were attended between January 1994 and December 1996. RESULTS: Most of the complications were similar to those reported in the literature. In infants of diabetic mothers there is a significant increase in malformations (7.1%), sepsis (10.7%), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (12.1%), respiratory distress (12.7%), hypoglycemia (50%), polyglobulia (30.4%) and jaundice (7.1%). We did not find any differences for traumatisms (8.25%), acute fetal suffering (19.6%) or hypocalcemia (1.8%). Respiratory distress was related to gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: The high weight for gestational age is a good parameter to predict complications in the infants of diabetic mothers.