Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2-related and imputable deaths in children: results from the French pediatric national registry.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for an important mortality rate worldwide. We aimed to evaluate the actual imputability of SARS-CoV-2 on the mortality rate associated with SARS-CoV-2-related illnesses in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Secondary objectives were to identify risk factors for death. METHODS: This national multicenter comparative study comprised all patients under 18 years old with positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) [acute corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or incidental SARS-CoV-2 infection] and/or pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS) recorded in the French PICU registry (PICURe) between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2022. Included patients were classified and compared according to their living status at the end of their PICU stay. Deceased patients were evaluated by four experts in the field of pediatric infectiology and/or pediatric intensive care. The imputability of SARS-CoV-2 as the cause of death was classified into four categories: certain, very probable, possible, or unlikely, and was defined by any of the first three categories. RESULTS: There were 948 patients included of which 43 died (4.5%). From this, 26 deaths (67%) could be attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, with an overall mortality rate of 2.8%. The imputability of death to SARS-CoV-2 was considered certain in only one case (0.1%). Deceased patients suffered more often from comorbidities, especially heart disease, neurological disorders, hematological disease, cancer, and obesity. None of the deceased patients were admitted for pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS). Mortality risk factors were male gender, cardiac comorbidities, cancer, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 mortality in the French pediatric population was low. Even though the imputability of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality was considered in almost two-thirds of cases, this imputability was considered certain in only one case.

Severe post-pyloric injury after button battery ingestion: Systematic literature review and case report.

BACKGROUND: The health and safety hazards related to button batteries (BB) have been extensively studied, highlighting that the presence of a button battery in the esophagus is a life-threatening emergency. However, complications related to bowel BB are poorly evaluated and not well known. The objective of this review of the literature was to describe severe cases of BB that have passed the pylorus. CASE REPORT: This case, from the PilBouTox cohort, is the first report of small-bowel occlusion following ingestion of an LR44 BB (diameter: 11.4 mm) by a 7-month-old infant with a history of intestinal resections. In this case, the BB was ingested without a witness. The initial presentation mimicked acute gastroenteritis evolving into hypovolemic shock. An X-ray revealed a foreign body stuck in the small bowel causing an intestinal occlusion and local necrosis without perforation. The patient's history of intestinal stenosis and intestinal surgery were the contributing factor of impaction. SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW: The review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The research was conducted on September 12, 2022 through five database and the U.S. Poison Control Center website. An additional 12 severe cases of intestinal or colonic injury after ingestion of a single BB were identified. Of these, 11 were related to small BBs (< 15 mm) that impacted Meckel's diverticulum and one was related to postoperative stenosis. CONCLUSION: In view of the findings, the indications for digestive endoscopy for extraction of a BB in the stomach should include a history of intestinal stenosis or intestinal surgery so as to avoid delayed intestinal perforation or occlusion and prolonged hospitalization.

The newborn infant parasympathetic evaluation in pediatric and neonatology: a literature review.

PURPOSE: The Newborn Infant Parasympathetic Evaluation (NIPE) is a heart rate variability-based technology for assessing pain and comfort in neonates and infants under 2-years-old. This review aims to investigate the clinical utility of the NIPE. METHODS: Two investigators screened Pubmed/Medline and Google Scholar for relevant studies, independently. One investigator extracted data, which were reviewed by a second investigator. RESULTS: The NIPE was used during/after painful stimuli (6 studies), in the context of general anaesthesia (2 studies), and for comfort assessment (6 studies). A) Evaluation of procedural pain/distress: 2 studies reported that the mean-NIPE could be used for reliable monitoring of prolonged pain, and one study reported the association between instant-NIPE and pain after a stimulus but the instant-NIPE represents the NIPE average over 3 min. Two studies found no correlation between the NIPE and comfort behavior/pain scales, but they mainly differed in patients' gestational age and evaluation methodology. B) There are only 2 studies for the evaluation of nociception during surgery under general anaesthesia with contradictory results. C) Studies assessing neonates' comfort reported increased NIPE scores during skin-to-skin contact and during facilitated tucking associated with a human voice. No effect on NIPE scores of facilitated tucking during echocardiography was reported in preterm infants. One study reported significantly different NIPE scores with 2 surfactant therapy protocols. Overall, study populations were small and heterogeneous. CONCLUSION: The results regarding NIPE's performances differ between studies. Given the limited number of studies and the heterogeneous outcomes, more studies are required to confirm the NIPE usefulness in the different clinical settings.

Opioid effect on the autonomic nervous system in a fetal sheep model.

PURPOSE: Opioid use during labour can interfere with cardiotocography patterns. Heart rate variability indirectly reflects a fluctuation in the autonomic nervous system and can be monitored through time and spectral analyses. This experimental study aimed to evaluate the impact of nalbuphine administration on the gasometric, cardiovascular, and autonomic nervous system responses in fetal sheep. METHODS: This was an experimental study on chronically instrumented sheep fetuses (surgery at 128 ± 2 days of gestational age, term = 145 days). The model was based on a maternal intravenous bolus injection of nalbuphine, a semisynthetic opioid used as an analgesic during delivery. Fetal gasometric parameters (pH, pO2, pCO2, and lactates), hemodynamic parameters (fetal heart rate and mean arterial pressure), and autonomic nervous system tone (short-term and long-term variation, low-frequency domain, high-frequency domain, and fetal stress index) were recorded. Data obtained at 30-60 min after nalbuphine injection were compared to those recorded at baseline. RESULTS: Eleven experiments were performed. Fetal heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and activities at low and high frequencies were stable after injection. Short-term variation decreased at T30 min (P = 0.02), and long-term variation decreased at T60 min (P = 0.02). Fetal stress index gradually increased and reached significance at T60 min (P = 0.02). Fetal gasometric parameters and lactate levels remained stable. CONCLUSION: Maternal nalbuphine use during labour may lead to fetal heart changes that are caused by the effect of opioid on the autonomic nervous system; these fluctuations do not reflect acidosis.

Prostaglandin E1 in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and life-threatening pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Suprasystemic pulmonary hypertension (PH) is highly predictive of pulmonary morbidity and death in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). OBJECTIVES: To report the effects and tolerability of Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in newborns with severe CDH and life-threatening PH. METHODS: Newborn infants with isolated CDH and life-threatening PH defined by an acute worsening of the cardiorespiratory function, and bidirectional or exclusive right-to-left shunting across the ductus arteriosus (DA) with an acceleration of the blood flow >1.5 m.s-1 assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Serial measurements of cardiorespiratory variables have been recorded before and after PGE1. RESULTS: 18 infants (out of 102 in the cohort) were included in the study (gestational age: 39 ±â€¯2 weeks). The median FiO2, and preductal and postductal SpO2 were 80% [50; 100], 91% [88; 95] and 86% [82; 91], respectively, before treatment. FiO2 decreased to 35% [30-40] (p = 0.001) at H6. Maximal blood flow velocities in the DA decreased after starting PGE1 from 2.2 m.s-1 [1.5-2.5] to 1 m.s-1 [0.55-1.2] (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PGE1 treatment improved oxygenation and circulatory function in newborn infants with severe CDH and life-threatening PH. Our data provide evidence that restrictive DA may result in suprasystemic pulmonary hypertension in CDH infants, and that PGE1 may improve cardiorespiratory failure through reopening of the DA. TYPE OF STUDY: Treatment study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy Caused by Wilms Tumor.

The authors report the case of a 7-month-old girl with unilateral Wilms tumor with dilated cardiomyopathy, leading to cardiac failure and requiring intensive care. After chemotherapy and tumor removal, cardiac function has improved. This is a rare report on the association between nephroblastoma and dilated cardiomyopathy without hypertension.

[Cardiac fibroma: A rare cause of sudden child death]. / Le fibrome cardiaque : une cause rare de mort subite de l'enfant.

We report the case of a 3-year-old child who died from the consequences of a cardio-respiratory arrest despite reanimation procedures. Echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass of the free wall of the left ventricle. Autopsy confirmed the existence of a solitary myocardial tumor, well-circumscribed, firm, with a whitish and trabeculated cut surface. Histologically, the tumor consisted of bundles of spindle-shaped and regular cells mingling with collagen and elastic fibers, insinuating themselves between myocytes in periphery. Calcifications were present. After immunohistochemistry, the cells were highlighted by anti-actin smooth muscle antibody; but they were not highlighted by anti-desmin, anti-ß catenin and anti-Ki67 antibodies. The diagnosis of cardiac fibroma was made. The primary cardiac tumors of child are rare and usually benign. They are essentially represented by rhabdomyoma and fibroma. Cardiac fibroma mostly occurs during the first year of life. It can be revealed by cardiac insufficiency, arrhythmia, chest pain or sudden death.