Ischaemic stroke in children with cardiopathy: An epidemiological study. / Ictus isquémico en niños con cardiopatía: estudio epidemiológico.

INTRODUCTION: Ischaemic stroke is rare during childhood. Congenital and acquired heart diseases are one of the most important risk factors for arterial ischaemic stroke (AIS) in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of all children with AIS and heart disease diagnosed between 2000 and 2014. RESULTS: We included 74 children with heart disease who were eligible for inclusion. 60% were boys with a mean stroke age of 11 months. 20% of the patients died during the study period. 90% of the patients had a congenital heart disease, while cyanotic heart disease was identified in 60%. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome was the most frequent heart disease. In 70% of patients AIS was directly associated with heart surgery, catheterisation or ventricular assist devices. Most patients with AIS were in the hospital. Seizures and motor deficit were the most frequent symptoms. Most patient diagnoses were confirmed by brain CT. The AIS consisted of multiple infarcts in 33% of the cases, affected both hemispheres in 27%, and involved the anterior and posterior cerebral circulation in 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial ischaemic strokes were mainly associated with complex congenital heart diseases, and heart procedures and surgery (catheterisation). AIS presented when patients were in-hospital and most of the patients were diagnosed in the first 24hours.

Infección sistémica por citomegalovirus: influencia del tratamiento con foscarnet en los niveles plasmáticos de calcio y magnesio / Systemic cytomegalovirus infection: Changes in serum calcium and magnesium levels with foscarnet treatment

La infección por citomegalovirus es frecuente en pacientes trasplantados cardiacos. Foscarnet se utiliza, con evidencia limitada, como tratamiento de segunda línea tras el fracaso de ganciclovir en estos pacientes. Presentamos un caso de alteraciones electrolíticas por foscarnet administrado para el tratamiento de infección por citomegalovirus en un paciente pediátrico trasplantado cardiaco. La infección se resolvió tras 6 semanas de tratamiento, apareciendo niveles de calcio iónico bajos durante la infusión del fármaco e hipomagnesemia mantenida tratada con suplementos, que revirtieron al retirar el fármaco

Cytomegalovirus infection is common in cardiac transplant patients. Foscarnet is used, with limited evidence, as second-line treatment after ganciclovir failure in these patients. We describe the case of a paediatric cardiac transplant patient who developed electrolyte disturbances during foscarnet treatment for cytomegalovirus infection. The infection resolved after 6 weeks of treatment. Low ionized calcium and magnesium levels were observed during the drug infusion, which were treated with supplements. The serum levels reverted to normal after drug withdrawal

[Systemic cytomegalovirus infection: changes in serum calcium and magnesium levels with foscarnet treatment]. / Infección sistémica por citomegalovirus: influencia del tratamiento con foscarnet en los niveles plasmáticos de calcio y magnesio.

Cytomegalovirus infection is common in cardiac transplant patients. Foscarnet is used, with limited evidence, as second-line treatment after ganciclovir failure in these patients. We describe the case of a paediatric cardiac transplant patient who developed electrolyte disturbances during foscarnet treatment for cytomegalovirus infection. The infection resolved after 6 weeks of treatment. Low ionized calcium and magnesium levels were observed during the drug infusion, which were treated with supplements. The serum levels reverted to normal after drug withdrawal.

Uso de diálisis peritoneal en neonatos tras cirugía cardiaca con circulación extracorpórea / Use of peritoneal dialysis in newborns undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

Introducción: La terapia de sustitución renal es necesaria hasta en el 10% de los niños que sufren cirugía cardiaca. La diálisis peritoneal (DP) es la modalidad preferida en el periodo neonatal. Objetivo: Evaluar la seguridad, la eficacia y los factores perioperatorios asociados a la necesidad de DP. Material y métodos: Revisión retrospectiva de neonatos sometidos a cirugía cardiaca con circulación extracorpórea (CEC) durante 2 años. Seleccionamos para su análisis y comparación un grupo de casos que precisaron de DP y otro aleatorizado de controles que no precisaron ninguna técnica de depuración extrarrenal. Resultados: Setenta y seis neonatos fueron sometidos a cirugía cardiaca con CEC y 24 precisaron DP. La necesidad de DP se asoció al bajo gasto en el postoperatorio inmediato y al mayor tiempo de ventilación mecánica. La indicación más frecuente fue la oligoanuria relativa. La técnica fue efectiva en el 66% de los pacientes. Solo en un caso registramos complicaciones. Conclusiones: La indicación más frecuente de DP tras la cirugía cardiaca mediante CEC en neonatos es la oligoanuria. La necesidad de depuración extrarrenal se asocia con el bajo gasto y conlleva mayor tiempo de ventilación mecánica. La DP es una técnica eficaz y con pocas complicaciones en estos pacientes (AU)

Introduction: Renal replacement therapy is required in up to 10% of children undergoing cardiac surgery. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the preferred treatment method in the neonatal period. Objective: To evaluate safety, efficacy and perioperative factors associated with the need forPD. Material and methods: Retrospective review of clinical charts over a two-year period of newborns undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The group of cases requiring PD were compared with a group of random controls that did not require any renal replacement therapy. Results: A total of 76 infants underwent cardiac surgery with CPB, of which 24 required PD. The need for PD was associated with low cardiac output in the immediate postoperative period and longer mechanical ventilation. The most frequent indication was fluid overload. The technique was effective in 66% of patients. Complications were only recorded in one patient. Conclusions: The most common indication for PD after cardiac surgery with CPB in neonates is fluid overload. The need for renal replacement therapy is associated with low cardiac output and a longer duration of mechanical ventilation. PD is an effective technique with few complications in these patients (AU)

[Use of peritoneal dialysis in newborns undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass]. / Uso de diálisis peritoneal en neonatos tras cirugía cardiaca con circulación extracorpórea.

INTRODUCTION: Renal replacement therapy is required in up to 10% of children undergoing cardiac surgery. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the preferred treatment method in the neonatal period. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate safety, efficacy and perioperative factors associated with the need for PD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective review of clinical charts over a two-year period of newborns undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The group of cases requiring PD were compared with a group of random controls that did not require any renal replacement therapy. RESULTS: A total of 76 infants underwent cardiac surgery with CPB, of which 24 required PD. The need for PD was associated with low cardiac output in the immediate postoperative period and longer mechanical ventilation. The most frequent indication was fluid overload. The technique was effective in 66% of patients. Complications were only recorded in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: The most common indication for PD after cardiac surgery with CPB in neonates is fluid overload. The need for renal replacement therapy is associated with low cardiac output and a longer duration of mechanical ventilation. PD is an effective technique with few complications in these patients.

Morbimortality associated to acute kidney injury in patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units.

AIM: To describe the morbimortality associated to the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) defined by the pediatric adaptation of the RIFLE criteria in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was carried out. SETTING: Children admitted to a PICU in a tertiary care hospital. Patients or participants A total of 320 children admitted to a tertiary care hospital PICU during the year 2011. Neonates and renal transplant patients were excluded. Primary endpoints AKI was defined and classified according to the pediatric adaptation to the RIFLE criteria. PICU and hospital stays, use of mechanical ventilation and mortality were used to evaluate morbimortality. RESULTS: A total of 315 children met the inclusion criteria, with a median age of 19 months (range 6-72). Of these patients, 128 presented AKI (73 reached the Risk category and 55 reached the Injury and Failure categories). Children with AKI presented a longer PICU stay (6.0 [4.0-12.5] vs. 3.5 [2.0-7.0] days) and hospital stay (17 [10-32] vs. 10 [7-15] days), and a greater need for mechanical ventilation (61.7 vs. 36.9%). The development of AKI was an independent factor of morbidity, associated with a longer PICU and hospital stay, and with a need for longer mechanical ventilation, with a proportional relationship between increasing morbidity and the severity of AKI. CONCLUSION: The development of AKI in critically ill children is associated with increased morbimortality, which is proportional to the severity of renal injury.

Evaluación del riesgo de fenómenos trombóticos tras el uso de factor VII activado / Risk assessment of thrombotic events after the use of activated factor VII

Introducción: El objetivo del estudio fue analizar la incidencia de efectos trombóticos relacionada con la administración de factor VII humano recombinante activo (rFVIIa) en el tratamiento de la hemorragia grave tras la cirugía cardiaca. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de casos-controles pareado, de 2 años de duración, que incluyó a 72 niños ingresados en cuidados intensivos y tratados con rFVIIa por una hemorragia grave, durante o tras la cirugía cardiaca. Utilizamos un grupo control de 63 pacientes, estadísticamente comparables en cuanto a sexo, peso, diagnóstico, riesgo quirúrgico según la clasificación RACHS-1 y las características quirúrgicas. Resultados: No existieron diferencias significativas en la incidencia de fenómenos trombóticos (20% en casos y 28% en controles, p = 0,540), ni en la mortalidad (16% en casos y 9,5% controles, p = 0,208). Conclusión: En nuestra serie, el tratamiento con rFVIIa ha demostrado ser útil en el control de la hemorragia incoercible en niños sometidos a cirugía cardiaca, y no parece aumentar el riesgo de fenómenos trombóticos ni la mortalidad en el periodo postoperatorio (AU)

Introduction: The objective of this study was to analyze the incidence of thrombotic complications related to recombinant human factor VII a (rFVIIa) therapy for severe postoperative bleeding in cardiac surgery. Material and methods: A retrospective matched case-control study was conducted over two years, including 72 children admitted to intensive care unit and treated with rFVIIa because of a severe bleeding during or after cardiac surgery. A control group of 63 patients was chosen, who were statistically comparable in sex, weight, diagnosis, surgical risk according RASCH-1 score, and surgical characteristics, was chosen. Results: There were no significant differences between cases and controls either in the rate of thrombosis (20% vs 28%, P=0.540), or in the mortality rate (16% vs 9.5%, P=0.208). Conclusions: In our study, the rFVIIa therapy was shown to be useful in controlling severe operative bleeding in pediatric cardiac surgery, but does not seem to increase the risk of thrombotic complications or mortality rate in the postoperative period (AU)

[Risk assessment of thrombotic events after the use of activated factor VII]. / Evaluación del riesgo de fenómenos trombóticos tras el uso de factor vii activado.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to analyze the incidence of thrombotic complications related to recombinant human factor viia (rFVIIa) therapy for severe postoperative bleeding in cardiac surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective matched case-control study was conducted over two years, including 72 children admitted to intensive care unit and treated with rFVIIa because of a severe bleeding during or after cardiac surgery. A control group of 63 patients was chosen, who were statistically comparable in sex, weight, diagnosis, surgical risk according RASCH-1 score, and surgical characteristics, was chosen. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between cases and controls either in the rate of thrombosis (20% vs 28%, P=.540), or in the mortality rate (16% vs 9.5%, P=.208). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the rFVIIa therapy was shown to be useful in controlling severe operative bleeding in pediatric cardiac surgery, but does not seem to increase the risk of thrombotic complications or mortality rate in the postoperative period.

[Evaluation of a paediatric critical care training program for residents in paediatrics]. / Evaluación de un programa de formación en cuidados intensivos pediátricos para residentes de pediatría.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a training program in paediatric critical care for residents in paediatrics. METHODS: Description of a paediatric critical care training program for residents in paediatrics. To evaluate the results of the program an initial, and final written test, an evaluation by the physician responsible for the program, a self-evaluation by the residents, and a written survey on the quality of the training program, were performed. RESULTS: From April 1998 to August 2009, 156 residents were included in the training program. All residents showed an improvement between the initial and final written test; initial score (5.6+/-1.2), final score (8.6+/-0.7) (P<0.001). Only 14.1% of the residents answered at least 70 % of the questions correctly in the initial test, compared with 96.6 % in the final test (P<0.001). The score in final test was significantly higher than the self-evaluation by the residents (6.7+/-1.2) and the evaluation by the tutor (6.9+/-0.9) (P<0.001). There were no differences between the practical self-evaluation by the residents (6.2+/-1.0) and the practical evaluation by the tutor (6.7+/-0.9). Residents considered the training program as adequate: theoretical education (8.5+/-0.8), resident handbook (9+/-0.9), practical training (8.3+/-1.0), investigation (7.6+/-2.0) and human relationship (9.2+/-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: This training program is an useful educational method for training paediatric intensive care residents. The evaluation of the training program is essential to improve the education in paediatric residents.

Evaluación de un programa de formación en cuidados intensivos pediátricos para residentes de pediatría / Evaluation of a paediatric critical care training program for residents in paediatrics

Objetivo: Evaluar los resultados de un programa de formación en cuidados intensivos pediátricos para residentes de Pediatría. Métodos: Se diseñó un programa de formación en cuidados intensivos pediátricos para médicos residentes de Pediatría y se evaluaron los resultados con una prueba teórica escrita inicial y final, una evaluación por el médico responsable, una autoevaluación de los residentes y una encuesta escrita sobre la calidad del programa. Resultados: Desde abril del 1998 hasta agosto de 2009, se incluyeron a 156 residentes en el programa de formación. Los residentes mostraron mejoría entre la evaluación teórica inicial (5,6±1,2) y la final (8,6±0,7) (p<0,001). Un 14,1% contestó correctamente al menos el 70 % de las preguntas de la evaluación inicial y un 96,6 % de la final (p<0,001). La puntuación teórica final fue significativamente más alta que la autoevaluación de los residentes (6,7±1,2) y la evaluación de los tutores (6,9±0,9) (p<0,001). No hubo diferencias entre la autoevaluación práctica de los residentes (5,8±1,3) y la evaluación práctica del tutor (6,7±0,9). Los residentes consideraron adecuado el programa formativo: formación teórica (8,5±0,8), manual de residentes (9±0,9), educación práctica (8,3±1,0), investigación (7,6±2,0) y trato humano (9,2±0,9). Conclusiones: El programa descrito es un método educativo útil para la formación teórica y práctica de los residentes de Pediatría en cuidados intensivos. La evaluación del programa de entrenamiento es esencial para mejorar la formación de los residentes de Pediatría (AU)

Objective: To evaluate a training program in paediatric critical care for residents in paediatrics. Methods: Description of a paediatric critical care training program for residents in paediatrics. To evaluate the results of the program an initial, and final written test, an evaluation by the physician responsible for the program, a self-evaluation by the residents, and a written survey on the quality of the training program, were performed. Results: From April 1998 to August 2009, 156 residents were included in the training program. All residents showed an improvement between the initial and final written test; initial score (5.6±1.2), final score (8.6±0.7) (P<0.001). Only 14.1% of the residents answered at least 70 % of the questions correctly in the initial test, compared with 96.6 % in the final test (P<0.001). The score in final test was significantly higher than the self-evaluation by the residents (6.7±1.2) and the evaluation by the tutor (6.9±0.9) (P<0.001). There were no differences between the practical self-evaluation by the residents (6.2±1.0) and the practical evaluation by the tutor (6.7±0.9). Residents considered the training program as adequate: theoretical education (8.5±0.8), resident handbook (9±0.9), practical training (8.3±1.0), investigation (7.6±2.0) and human relationship (9.2±0.9). Conclusions: This training program is an useful educational method for training paediatric intensive care residents. The evaluation of the training program is essential to improve the education in paediatric residents (AU)

[Treatment of septic shock with continuous plasmafiltration and hemodiafiltration]. / Tratamiento del shock séptico con plasmafiltración y hemodiafiltración continuas simultáneas.

Despite recent therapeutic advances, mortality due to septic shock remains high. The most important causes of mortality are refractory shock, uncontrollable alterations of coagulation, and multiorgan failure. Some authors have proposed the early use of plasmafiltration and high flow hemodiafiltration for refractory septic shock. Most authors initiate treatment with a short session of plasmafiltration followed by continuous hemodiafiltration. A 13-year-old girl presented refractory meningococcal septic shock, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and acute renal failure unresponsive to volume expansion and high doses of adrenalin and noradrenaline. She received simultaneous treatment with plasmafiltration and continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration for 30 hours. Two pumps of extrarenal purification placed in parallel through the same double line catheter were used. Fast hemodynamic stabilization and control of the coagulopathy were achieved. The patient survived with progressive recovery of renal function but required amputation of the inferior left limb. Continuous plasmafiltration and venovenous hemodiafiltration can be used simultaneously for the treatment of older children with septic shock, severe coagulopathy, and hypervolemia.