In situ simulation training for parental presence during critical situations in PICU: an observational study.

Family presence during invasive procedures or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a part of the family-centered approach in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). We established a simulation program aiming at providing communication tools to healthcare professionals. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of this program on the stress of PICU professionals and its acceptance. An observational study of a simulation program, with questionnaire, was used to measure pre- and post-simulation stress and the degree of satisfaction of the participants. PICU of Geneva Children's Hospital, Switzerland. Forty simulations with four different simulation scenarios and various types of parental behavior, as imitated by professional actors, were completed during a 1-year period. Primary outcomes were the difference in perceived stress level before and after the simulation and the degree of satisfaction of healthcare professionals (nursing assistants, nurses, physicians). The impact of previous experience with family members during critical situations or CPR was evaluated by variation in perceived stress level. Overall, 201 questionnaires were analyzed. Perceived stress associated with parental presence decreased from a pre-simulation value of 6 (IQR, 4-7) to 4 (IQR, 2-5) post-simulation on a scale of 1-10. However, in 25.7% of cases, the individually perceived post-simulation stress level was higher than the pre-simulation one. Satisfaction of the participants was high with a median of 10 (IQR, 9-10) out of 10. CONCLUSIONS: A simulation program helps reduce PICU team emotional stress associated with the presence of family members during critical situations or CPR, and is welcomed by PICU team members. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or critical situations is a part of the family-centered approach in pediatric intensive care. • The benefits for the family have been already demonstrated. However, this policy is still controversy among healthcare professionals. WHAT IS NEW: • A simulation program seeking to provide skills focused on family presence management in the PICU is useful to reduce stress and was well accepted by participants. • It might become an indispensable training intervention for the implementation of a PICU policy to allow family presence during CPR or other critical situations.

Comparison of inspiratory effort with three variable-flow nasal continuous positive airway pressure devices in preterm infants: a cross-over study.

OBJECTIVE: Patient's work of breathing may vary between different neonatal nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) devices. Therefore, we aimed to compare the inspiratory effort of three variable-flow NCPAP delivery systems used in preterm infants. DESIGN: Cross-over study. PATIENTS/SETTING: From June 2015 to August 2016, 20 preterm infants weighing ≤2500 g requiring NCPAP for mild respiratory distress syndrome were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Each patient was successively supported by three randomly assigned variable-flow NCPAP systems (MedinCNO, Infant Flow and Servo-i) for 20 min while maintaining the same continuous positive airway pressure level as the patient was on before the study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients' inspiratory effort was estimated by calculating the sum of the difference between maximal inspiratory and baseline electrical activity of the diaphragm (∆EAdi) for 30 consecutive breaths, and after normalising this obtained value for the timing of the 30 breaths. RESULTS: Physiological parameters (oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry, respiratory rate, heart beat, transcutaneous partial pressure CO2) and oxygen requirements remained identical between the three NCPAP systems. Although a wide variability in inspiratory effort could be observed, there were no statistically significant differences between the three systems for the sum of ∆EAdi for 30 breaths: CNO, 262 (±119) µV; IF, 352 (±262) µV; and SERVO-i, 286 (±126) µV, and the ∆EAdi reported on the timing of 30 breaths (sum ∆EAdi/s): CNO, 6.1 (±2.3) µV/s; IF, 7.9 (±4.9) µV/s; SERVO-i, 7.6 (±3.6) µV/s. CONCLUSION: In a neonatal population of preterm infants, inspiratory effort is comparable between the three tested modern variable-flow NCPAP devices.

Intracranial Hemorrhage and Autoimmune Thrombocytopenia in a Neonate: A Rare "Unpredictable" Event.

Neonatal thrombocytopenia is a rare complication of maternal autoimmune thrombocytopenia, and no maternal predictors of its gravity and potential complications have been identified. Neonatal cerebral hemorrhage, a feared event in the setting of autoimmune thrombocytopenia, is fortunately uncommon, but it can occur in utero or in the perinatal period, with potentially serious consequences. The authors report the case of a boy born to a mother affected by autoimmune thrombocytopenia, who presented with severe thrombocytopenia at birth and developed intracranial hemorrhage despite mild maternal thrombocytopenia at delivery and a prompt preventive treatment of the newborn. Platelet count should be tested at birth in all babies born from mothers with autoimmune thrombocytopenia, irrespective of maternal platelets counts during pregnancy or at delivery, and should be closely monitored during the first days of life. Systematic early and serial cranial ultrasound might be advocated in the setting of neonatal thrombocytopenia.

Puberty is associated with increased deterioration of renal function in patients with CKD: data from the ItalKid Project.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the timing of end stage renal disease in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). DESIGN: A population-based cohort study. SETTING: A nationwide registry (ItalKid Project) collecting information on all patients with CKD aged <20 years. PATIENTS: 935 children with CKD secondary to renal hypodysplasia with or without urologic malformation. In a subgroup of patients (n=40) detailed pubertal staging was analysed in relation to CKD progression. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Kidney survival (KS) was estimated using renal replacement therapy (RRT) as the end-point. Puberty was staged by identifying the pubertal growth spurt. RESULTS: A non-linear decline in the probability of KS was observed, with a steep decrease during puberty: the probability of RRT was estimated to be 9.4% and 51.8% during the first and second decades of life, respectively. A break-point in the KS curve was identified at 11.6 and 10.9 years of age in male and female patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The present analysis suggests that puberty is associated with increased deterioration of renal function in CKD. The mechanism(s) underlying this unique and specific (to children) pattern of progression have not yet been identified, but it may be that sex hormones play a role in this puberty-related progression of CKD.