Post-intensive care syndrome: Recent advances and future directions.

Post-intensive care syndrome comprises physical, cognitive, and mental impairments in patients treated in an intensive care unit (ICU). It occurs either during the ICU stay or following ICU discharge and is related to the patients' long-term prognosis. The same concept also applies to pediatric patients, and it can greatly affect the mental status of family members. In the 10 years since post-intensive care syndrome was first proposed, research has greatly expanded. Here, we summarize the recent evidence on post-intensive care syndrome regarding its pathophysiology, epidemiology, assessment, risk factors, prevention, and treatments. We highlight new topics, future directions, and strategies to overcome post-intensive care syndrome among people treated in an ICU. Clinical and basic research are still needed to elucidate the mechanistic insights and to discover therapeutic targets and new interventions for post-intensive care syndrome.

Trajectory of kidney recovery in pediatric patients requiring continuous kidney replacement therapy for acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is commonly seen in the PICU and is associated with poor short-term and long-term outcomes, especially in patients who required continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT). However, as the trajectory of kidney recovery in these patients remain uncertain, determination of the timing to convert to permanent kidney replacement therapy (KRT) remains a major challenge. We aimed to examine the frequency and timing of kidney recovery in pediatric AKI survivors that required CKRT. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients under 18 years old who received CKRT for AKI in a tertiary-care PICU over 6 years. Primary outcomes were the rate of KRT withdrawal due to kidney recovery and KRT-dependent days for those who survived to hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, dialysis dependence, and occurrences of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 90 mL/min/1.73m2 and eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2 one year after initiation of the index CKRT in survivors. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients were included. Of the 28 children who survived to hospital discharge, 26 (93%) withdrew from dialysis due to kidney recovery, all within 30 days. Twenty-three patients were followed up. One had died, five had an eGFR of 60 mL/min/1.73m2 or more but less than 90 mL/min/1.73m2, and two had an eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2, of which one required peritoneal dialysis. CONCLUSIONS: Over 90% of the survivors withdrew CKRT within 30 days. However, the frequency of abnormal eGFR one year after initiation of CKRT in survivors exceeded 30% and supports the recommendation of post-AKI follow-up.

Early therapeutic plasma exchange may lead to complete neurological recovery in moderate to severe influenza-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is a pediatric neurological disease, presumably caused by cytokine storms, with a poor prognosis. Immunomodulatory therapy, including therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), could be an effective treatment. CASES: Two patients with influenza-associated ANE were treated. The ANE severity scores were 3 and 8 in case 1 (a 3-y-old boy) and case 2 (a 7-y-old boy), respectively. In case 1, intravenous methylprednisolone and TPE were initiated at 8 and 16 h, respectively, after the onset of impaired consciousness. In case 2, multiple organ failure and septic shock persisted even after infusion of fluids and inotropic agents. Intravenous methylprednisolone and TPE were started at 5 and 9 h, respectively, after the onset of impaired consciousness, which improved the inotrope-refractory septic shock. Patient 1 and 2 achieved complete neurological recovery within 4 weeks and after 3 months, respectively. In both patients, cytokine levels were serially measured. There were increased serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 levels in both patients; patient 1 showed increased IL-6 levels in the initial cerebrospinal fluid sample. There was a post-treatment decrease in serum IL-6 levels in both cases. DISCUSSION: Early intensive immunomodulatory therapy with TPE may improve neurological outcomes in pediatric influenza-associated ANE. Further studies are required to establish the efficacy of TPE for ANE.

Life-threatening oral mucositis following chemotherapy in a pediatric patient.

Severe oral mucositis as a complication of chemotherapy may lead to airway obstruction and require prolonged intubation. As its course is consistent with the course of neutropenia, airway management strategies should be determined individually.

Extracorporeal Life Support as a Treatment of Supraventricular Tachycardia in a Newborn.

ABSTRACT: Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common symptomatic tachyarrhythmia in children and requires medical treatment. Thus far, there have been few reports of the use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) to provide cardiac support in children with low cardiac output resulting from arrhythmia. We present a case of a newborn in whom ECLS was used to provide support for cardiogenic shock secondary to intractable SVT. A 25-day-old girl presented with a 5-hour history of increasing pallor and listlessness. A clinical examination at presentation revealed retractions and peripheral coldness. An electrocardiogram showed a narrow-QRS tachycardia with a rate of 290 beats per minute. Adenosine triphosphate (maximum, 0.2 mg/kg) and synchronous direct current shock (maximum, 25 J) were ineffective. Chest x-ray showed a cardiac dilatation, and echocardiography showed a structurally normal heart with very poor function. The cardiogenic shock caused by SVT was refractory to treatment. The low cardiac output state persisted with worsening metabolic acidosis (bicarbonate, 5.8 mEq/L; lactate, 14.3 mmol/L). In view of the intractable tachyarrhythmia and worsening perfusion, blood access catheters were inserted, and ECLS was initiated. After commencing ECLS support, intravenous adenosine triphosphate (1.25 mg/kg) was administrated. The patient then reverted to a sinus rhythm with a rate of 180 beats per minute. There was considerable improvement of the heart function within 2 days of starting ECLS; the patient was weaned from ECLS support, and the blood access catheters were decannulated on day 3. After weaning from ECLS support, cardiac function returned to normal.

Benefits of Early Mobilization After Pediatric Liver Transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of early mobilization after pediatric liver transplantation in the PICU. DESIGN: A 70-month retrospective before-after study. SETTING: Medical and surgical PICU with 20 beds at a tertiary children's hospital. PATIENTS: Seventy-five patients 2-18 years old who underwent liver transplantation and could walk before surgery. INTERVENTION: We meticulously planned and implemented an early mobilization intervention, a multifaceted framework for early mobilization practice in the PICU focusing on a multidisciplinary team approach. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the proportion of patients who received physical therapy in the PICU (66% vs 100%; p < 0.001), especially within the first 48 hours after transplantation (9% vs 78%; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the time spent for physical therapy per eligible patient and per eligible PICU day increased (8.1 min [interquartile range, 0-10.6 min] vs 17.4 min [13.2-26.6 min]; p < 0.001). Compared with patients in the pre-early mobilization period, patients in the post-early mobilization period were able to walk again for more than 50 yards without a rolling walker earlier (28 [16-66] vs 23 [19-31] postoperative days; p = 0.015 by the Gray test), and the length of hospital stay of the post-early mobilization group was shorter than that of the pre-early mobilization group (55 [37-99] vs 40 [31-54] postoperative days; p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Through implementation of early mobilization for pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation, the duration from liver transplantation to regaining the ability to walk again without a rolling walker became shorter. Early mobilization intervention was beneficial for pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation and could walk before surgery.

Early Mobilization after Pediatric Liver Transplantation.

Objective This study aims to evaluate the impact of early mobilization (EM) after pediatric liver transplantation in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Design A 14-month prospective before and after study. Setting Multivalent PICU with 20 beds at a tertiary children's hospital. Patients A total of 57 patients aged younger than 16 years who received liver transplantation and were admitted to the PICU after surgery. Interventions EM project, a multifaceted framework for successful EM practice in the PICU focusing on a multidisciplinary team approach. Measurements and Main Results Compared with the period before the implementation of the EM project, there was a significant increase in the proportion of patients who received physical therapy in the PICU (43 vs. 97%, p < 0.001). Also, there were greater median numbers of physical therapy per eligible patient (0 vs. 3, p < 0.001). Moreover, patients achieved higher functional mobility level within a shorter time. Length of intubation, PICU stay, and hospital stay were not significantly different. There were no adverse events or deaths. Conclusion Using an EM project process, the proportion of patients who received physical therapy after liver transplantation increased. However, there was no difference in the length of PICU or hospital stay. Our findings indicated that EM for pediatric patients who received liver transplantation was well tolerated and safe.