Investigation of primary immune deficiency after severe bacterial infection in children: A population-based study in western France.

BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases are still an important cause of morbidity and mortality in high-income countries and may preferentially affect predisposed children, especially immunocompromised children. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of recommended immunological tests in children with community-onset severe bacterial infection (COSBI) admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit. We also assessed the frequency and described the typology of diagnosed primary immune deficiency (PID). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational epidemiological study in six university hospitals in western France. All children from 1 month to 16 years of age admitted to hospital for bacterial meningitis, purpura fulminans, or meningococcal disease between August 2009 and January 2014 were included. We analyzed the frequency, type, and results of the immunological tests performed on children with meningitis, purpura fulminans, or a meningococcemia episode. RESULTS: Among the 143 children included (144 episodes), 84 (59%) and 60 (41%) had bacterial meningitis and purpura fulminans or meningococcemia, respectively: 72 (50%) had immunological tests and 8% had a complete immunological investigation as recommended. Among the 72 children examined for PID, 11 (15%) had at least one anomaly in the immunological test results. Two children had a diagnosis of PID (one with C2 deficit and the other with C8 deficit) and seven other children had possible PID. Thus, the prevalence of a definite or possible diagnosis of PID was 12% among the children examined. CONCLUSION: PID is rarely investigated after COSBI. We raise awareness of the need for immunological investigations after a severe infection requiring PICU admission.

Use of totally implantable catheters for peripheral blood stem cell apheresis.

Collection of PBSC by leukapheresis requires one venous access (VA) for inflow and one for outflow. The use of implantable venous access devices (IVAD) has never been reported in this setting. We retrospectively analyzed the use of IVAD for performing apheresis. The study was conducted between January 2000 and June 2005 on 64 patients (41 children) requiring intensification for treatment of a solid tumor. Mean body weight was 26 kg (range 8-91 kg) for a median age of 8.5 years (range 0.7-66 years). A total of 121 aphereses were performed (mean 1.89 apheresis/patient). The second VA was in a cubital vein in 84 procedures and was a temporary central VA in 31. Mean duration of apheresis was 3 h (range 30-274 min). Mean flow rate was 41.3 ml/min (range 12-85 ml/min). Mean collection rate was 59.2% for CD34+ cells and 70% for mononuclear cells. The total number of CD34+ cells collected was 2.5 x 10(6)/kg per apheresis, and 5.9 x 10(6)/kg per patient. Several complications occurred: one catheter-related sepsis (0.86%), four catheter occlusions (3.47%) and eight hemodynamic instabilities related to extracorporeal volume. Weight <10 kg is a risk factor for complication (P=0.0006). IVAD are effective and safe for PBSC collection. Placement of a second central VA (requiring general anesthesia for children) could be avoided.

[Central venous totally implantable access for high dose chemotherapy in children]. / Utilisation des sites veineux implantables dans les chimiothérapies massives en pédiatrie.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility and complication rate of central venous totally implantable access ports (TIAP), used for delivering high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous stem cell transplantation, have not been fully investigated to date, due to the almost exclusive use of external catheters (EC) in this clinical setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied infectious and mechanical complications of 45 TIAP and 19 EC, in 64 children receiving HDC and autologous stem cell transplantation at the Centre Leon-Berard (Lyon) or at the oncology unit of Toulouse children hospital between January 1999 and December 2003. RESULTS: From the beginning of intensification to 60 days after bone marrow transplantation, 7 catheter-related bloodstream infections (3/19 EC or 15.8% corresponding to 2.69 infections for 1000 days of observation; 4/45 TIAP or 8.9% corresponding to 1.38 infections for 1000 days of observation) and 2 local infections (1/45 TIAP; 1/19 EC) were reported. Seven cases of reversible obstruction (6/7 with TIAP) and no deep venous thrombosis were detected. In 7 cases, another venous access was required either for accidental removal (2 EC), catheter infection (2 TIAP), or admission to intensive care (2 TIAP, 1 EC). TIAP complication rate does not seem to be influenced by factors such as low weight, massive blood product transfusion or prolonged parenteral nutrition. In 8 children, TIAP were used for collection of hematopoietic progenitor cells. CONCLUSIONS: The use of TIAPs appears as a safe and effective option for HDC. We found more mechanical complications but less infectious complications with TIAP than with EC. Nevertheless, results need to be validated prospectively in a larger study cohort.