A retrospective study of the efficacy and safety of levofloxacin in children with severe infection.

Objectives: Levofloxacin is widely used because of its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and convenient dosing schedule. However, the relevance of its use in children remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of levofloxacin use in children with severe infections. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients <18 years of age who received levofloxacin intravenously in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of our hospital during the period between 2021 and 2022. Patient demographics, course characteristics, clinical effectiveness, and adverse event correlations were extracted through a retrospective tabular review. Results: We included 25 patients treated with 28 courses of levofloxacin. The mean age of these children treated with levofloxacin was 4.41 years. Conversion of pathogenic microbiological test results to negative after levofloxacin treatment was detected in 11 courses (39.29%). A decrease in inflammatory markers, white blood cell or C-reactive protein counts, was detected in 18 courses (64.29%). A total of 57 adverse events occurred during the treatment period, of which 21 were possibly related to levofloxacin and no adverse events were probably related to levofloxacin. Conclusion: The effectiveness of levofloxacin use in children with serious infections is promising, especially for the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Adverse events occurring during the initiation of levofloxacin therapy in children are reported to be relatively common, but in this study, only a small percentage of them were possibly related to levofloxacin, and none of them were highly possibly related to levofloxacin.

Progress on surveillance of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae colonization in children / 中国小儿急救医学

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae（CRE）is one of the common pathogens of hospital-acquired infections and has been widely spread in various countries，becoming one of the important public health problems worldwide.With the increase in the proportion of pediatric patients with CRE infections，studies related to the prevention and the control of CRE nosocomial infections have focused more on this group in recent years.Early prevention is particularly important because of the very limited treatment options for CRE infections and the high morbidity and mortality rates.Active screening，as a core measure to prevent CRE infection，has been implemented in several countries in recent years and has been shown to have a positive effect on the prevention and control of nosocomial infection in CRE.The target population of active screening generally includes people in close contact with CRE patients and people at high risk of CRE infection；screening specimens are mostly used in perianal swabs or rectal swabs；detection methods include bacterial culture and molecular detection techniques，with the former being the main method；the timing of screening is to collect the initial specimen within 24 hours of new admission，and follow up people at high risk of infection with regular testing.

Simulation changes clinical practice:enhanced simulation in pediatric critical care / 中国小儿急救医学

Simulation-based medical education（SBME）is an important model in international medical education.With the development of SBME domestically,various forms such as in-situ simulation,team simulation,interdisciplinary simulation,and hybrid simulation are gradually emerging.While post-graduate education and competency receive more attention,SBME has shown its value in areas including education and training,clinical thinking,assessment,and evaluation,as well as improving medical quality and patients safety,especially in the management of emergency and critical care crisis resources.However,the progress of pediatric SBME has been slow despite attracting significant attention within the field of pediatric critical care.The establishment of pediatric critical care skills simulation,scenario simulation,in-situ simulation and other training methods can not only enable clinicians to achieve“standardized operation” and “team collaboration”,but also promote“system transformation”,greatly improving the medical quality of pediatric critical care while ensuring patients safety.

Application of in situ simulation in pediatric emergency and critical care medicine / 中国小儿急救医学

In situ simulation is gradually becoming an important way to test loopholes in medical systems and train team work.But it has not yet started in the field of pediatric intensive care in China.Through the definition,historical development,comparison with training center simulation,application in the field of pediatric intensive care abroad,application challenges,and future prospects of in situ simulation,a preliminary introduction is provided to provoke awareness and attention to in situ simulation,and promote its promotion in the field of pediatric intensive care in China.

Clinical characteristics of children reintubated within 48 hours in pediatric intensive care unit / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To analyze clinical characteristics of patients within 48 hours in pediatric intensive care unit（PICU）,and investigate causes and prognosis of extubation failure in reintubation children.Methods:A single-center retrospective study was conducted.Patients who were reintubated within 48 hours after extubation in PICU at Children's Hospital of Fudan University from January 1，2019 to December 31，2022 were retrospectively enrolled.Patients with unplanned extubation for various reasons which include re-intubation due to surgery and replacement of tracheal intubation were excluded.We analyzed the clinical characteristics，causes of extubation failure and prognosis.Main outcome measures included principal diagnosis，pediatric critical illness score（PCIS），the reason of intubation，the glasgow coma scale（GCS），the direct cause of reintubation，aeration time，hospitalization period，outcomes at PICU discharge and whether to extubate successfully.Results:During the study period，a total of 2 652 patients were extubated in PICU,and a total of 87 children were enrolled.Finally，63（72.4%）patients survived at PICU，nine（10.3%）patients died in hospital，and 15（17.2%）patients were discharged automatically.In the survival group，38（60.3%）patients were decannulated and 25（39.7%）patients underwent tracheotomy.The top three principal diagnosis in 87 cases were central nervous system disease[34（39.1%）cases]，lower airway disease[18（20.7%）cases] and sepsis[nine（10.3%）cases].Of the 87 children，28（32.2%）patients were reintubated due to central respiratory failure，21（24.1%）patients were reintubated due to lower airway disease，20（23.0%）patients were reintubated due to upper airway obstruction，14（16.1%）patients were reintubated due to cough weakness and/or swallowing disturbance，and four（4.6%）patients were reintubated for other reasons.In children with mechanical ventilation duration ≥7 days before first extubation，central nervous system diseases were the most common primary diseases，and it accounts for 55.6%.Central respiratory failure was the main direct cause of reintubation，accounting for 40.0%，and more patients(40.0%) had GCS scores＜8 before the first intubation.Compared with the successful decannulation group，the extubation failure group had the higher proportion of children with GCS＜8（32.7% vs.10.5%， P＜0.05），the longer median duration of mechanical ventilation before the first extubation[239（123，349）h vs.68.5（19，206）h， P＜0.05]and the longer median length of ICU stay[38（23，54）d vs.24（12，43）d， P＜0.05].After comparing the three groups including survival group，in-hospital death group and automatic discharge group，the PCIS score of the survival group was the highest，and the in-hospital death group was the lowest( P＜0.05). Conclusion:The rate of reintubation at 48 h after extubation in PICU is 3.3%.The immediate causes of reintubation mainly included central respiratory failure，lower airway disease，upper airway obstruction，cough weakness and/or dysphagia.The mortality rate of reintubation in critically ill children is high and the prognosis is poor.

The application of virtual reality technology in pediatric medicine / 中国小儿急救医学

Virtual reality (VR) is a technology, which can simulate human vision, touch, hearing and other sensory functions, and it synthesizes a computer-generated 3D world to provide immersive experiences.VR technology has the characteristics of interactivity, immersion and imagination, and its application in medical education and simulation training improves the quality and efficiency of learning.At the same time, VR technology also plays a certain role in clinical treatment such as surgery, rehabilitation, psychology, sedation and analgesia.With the development of VR technology, its application in pediatric medicine field is expected to solve some difficulties of pediatric practitioners.For example, the application of virtual standard patient in pediatric training, and VR technology relieving pain and anxiety.

Current status of pediatric respiratory therapist / 中国小儿急救医学

Respiratory therapist is a new profession in medicine, who works therapeutically with people suffering from pulmonary disease.Their timely treatments of patients with cardiopulmonary insufficiency can significantly reduce mortality in pediatric intensive care units.This review focused on the responsibilities of respiratory therapists, the importance of respiratory support therapy in children, and the most updated development in China as well as the problems to be solved.

Blood purification in critically ill children: a large single-center eight-year retrospective study / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To compare the characteristics of patients undergoing blood purification treatment in PICU of a children′s tertiary hospital during 8 years, so as to analyze the changes in the development of blood purification technology in children in East China.Methods:Patients who received blood purification treatment in PICU of Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from 2014 to 2021 were included and divided into two study periods: 2014-2017 and 2018-2021.The clinical characteristics and treatment parameters of patients were collected and analyzed.Results:A total of 1 029 patients were included in the study, of which 103 were combined with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.The 28-day survival rate of 926 patients treated with pure blood purification was 55.7%.Among them, patients with younger age, lower body weight, using mechanical ventilation, using vasoactive drugs before blood purification, and patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome had a higher distribution in the death group than those in survival group( P<0.05). During 8 years, a total of 3 688 cases of blood purification were performed.The main mode was continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) (68.6%), followed by therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) (23.8%) and hemoperfusion (HP) (4.8%); the main indication was acute kidney injury (AKI) (29.3%), followed by severe inflammatory disease (26.2%) and acute liver failure (16.2%). Compared with 2014-2017, the number of blood purification treatments in 2018-2021 increased by 47.4%, and the survival rate of patients increased significantly (48.7% vs. 58.1%, P<0.05). The distribution of blood purification patterns and indications also changed( P<0.05). The proportions of TPE (20.5% vs. 26.0%) and HP (3.1% vs. 6.0%) increased, while the proportion of CVVHDF (71.9% vs. 66.4%) decreased significantly.The proportions of AKI (29.8% vs. 38.9%) and refractory immune diseases (8.4% vs. 15.2%) were significantly higher, while severe inflammatory diseases (29.2% vs. 24.2%) and acute liver failure (19.6% vs. 13.8%) had declined. Conclusion:From 2014 to 2021, the number of blood purifications performed in our center increased significantly.Although the distribution of indications and patterns have also changed significantly, the overall survival rate is significantly improved.However, standardized practice still needs to be strengthened.

Respiratory support for neuromuscular disease in children / 中国小儿急救医学

Neuromuscular disease is a group of rare diseases related to heredity and immunity.Most children require assisted ventilation due to chronic respiratory failure.Acute respiratory failure associated with respiratory infections is the most common cause of unplanned hospitalizations, and chronic respiratory failure is a common cause of death.Although there are many guidelines and consensus on neuromuscular disease, there is little focusing on respiratory problems.In this review, the studies related to neuromuscular disease in children were reviewed to summarize the characteristics of respiratory system, common complications and pathogenesis, respiratory function assessment and respiratory support measures, so as to protect the respiratory function of neuromuscular disease and prolong life.

The characteristics and changes of bacterial infection and drug resistance in pediatric intensive care unit from 2016 to 2020 / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To investigate the characteristics and changes of bacterial infection and drug resistance in PICU at Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from 2016 to 2020.Methods:All the strains were collected at Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from January 1 st, 2016 to December 31 st, 2020.Antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out according to a unified protocol using Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems.Results were analyzed according to CLSI 2020 breakpoints. Results:(1)Bacterial distribution: 2 551 bacteria were monitored from 2016 to 2020 in our center.The top 3 bacteria were all gram-negative bacteria.Among them, Burkholderia cepacian showed a tortuous downward trend(13.45% to 1.18%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed an upward trend(6.05% to 10.61%).The most common infected site was respiratory tract, although the strains in the respiratory tract decreased year by year.Baumanii was the most common bacteria in respiratory infections.Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common bacteria from 2016 to 2017 in blood infections, but Achromobacter xylosoxidans were became the most common bacteria from 2018 to 2020.Enterococcus faecium was the most common bacteria in urinary infections.(2) Drug resistance: Baumanii had a high drug resistance rate to amikacin, gentamicin, cefepime, and cefitadine, with no obvious changes over the years, which had a gradually decreasing drus resistance rate to cefoperazone sulbactam, showing a tortuous upward trend to imipenem and meropenem.Baumanii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa had a low drug resistance to levofloxacin over the years, but with high resistance rates in 2020.Escherichia coliand and Klebsiella pneumoniae still had high resistance rates to beta-lactam antibiotics, and their resistance rates to levofloxacin were decreasing.Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed decreasing resistance rates to imipenem and increased resistance rates to meropenem.The resistance rate of Enterococcus faecium to levofloxacin decreased and always showed a high susceptibility rate to polypeptide antibiotics.Neither Staphylococcus epidermidis nor Staphylococcus aureus were currently resistant to tetracycline antibiotics, and the resistance rates of aminoglycoside antibiotics, such as gentamicin, was also declining.Conclusion:The bacterial infection in PICU shows as the main characteristics of respiratory infection and gram-negative bacteria infection.Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bacteria, Enterococci and Staphylococcus species are becoming increasingly more resistant.

Comparison of clinical characteristics and outcomes of infants with moderate and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosed according to baseline oxygenation index / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To analyze the difference of clinical characteristics and outcomes of infants with moderate and severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome(PARDS)diagnosed according to baseline oxygenation index(OI) in pediatric intensive care unit(PICU).Methods:Second analysis of the data collected from the "Efficacy of pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the treatment of children with moderate and severe ARDS" program.Retrospectively compare of the differences in clinical data such as general condition, underlying diseases, OI, mechanical ventilation, PS administration and outcomes among infants with moderate and severe PARDS divided by baseline OI who admitted to PICUs at 14 participating tertiary hospitals from 2016 to December 2021.Results:Among the 101 cases, 55 cases (54.5%) were moderate and 46 cases (45.5%) were severe PARDS.The proportion of male in the severe group (50.0% vs.72.7%, P=0.019) and the pediatric critical illness score(PCIS)[72 (68, 78) vs.76 (70, 80), P=0.019] were significantly lower than those in the moderate group, while there was no significant difference regarding age, body weight, etiology of PARDS and underlying diseases.The utilization rate of high-frequency ventilator in the severe group was significantly higher than that in the moderate group (34.8% vs.10.9%, P=0.004), but there was no significant difference in PS use, fluid load and pulmonary complications.The 24 h OI improvement (0.26±0.33 vs.0.04±0.34, P=0.001) and the 72 h OI improvement[0.34 (-0.04, 0.62) vs.0.15 (-0.14, 0.42), P=0.029)]in the severe group were significantly better than those in the moderate group, but there was no significant difference regarding mortality, length of hospital stay and intubation duration after diagnosis of PARDS between the two groups. Conclusion:In moderate and severe(divided by baseline OI) PARDS infants with invasive mechanical ventilation, children in severe group have better oxygenation improvement in the early stage after PARDS identified and are more likely to receive high frequency ventilation compared to those in moderate group.Baseline OI can not sensitively distinguish the outcomes and is not an ideal index for PARDS grading of this kind of patient.

Construction of a practical program for interhospital transfer of critically ill children / 中华护理杂志

Objective To develop an evidence-based,localized practice protocol for the interhospital transfer of critically ill children.Methods Through a comprehensive evidence summary and semi-structured interviews,a preliminary inter-hospital transfer practice protocol for critically ill children was formulated.A panel of 31 experts from 12 hospitals in China participated in 2 rounds of expert correspondence between May and July 2022,facilitating meticulous revision of the protocol entries.Results The response rate for both rounds of questionnaires was 100%,and the expert authority coefficients ranged from 0.926 to 0.931.In the second round of consultation,the coefficient of variation for the importance score of each entry ranged from 0.036 to 0.226,and the Kendall's W was determined to be 0.201(P＜0.001).Additionally,the coefficient of variation for the feasibility score of each entry fell within the range of 0.070 to 0.314,with Kendall's W of 0.124(P＜0.001).Ultimately,the final interhospital transfer protocol for critically ill children comprised 8 level Ⅰ entries,16 level Ⅱ entries,and 75 level Ⅲ entries.Conclusion The interhospital transfer protocol constructed in this study is grounded in scientific evidence and exhibits practical feasibility.It serves as a valuable reference for organizing and implementing interhospital transfers of critically ill children.

Clinical epidemiological investigation of children with prolonged mechanical ventilation in pediatric intensive care unit / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To investigate the clinical epidemiological data of children with prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) in pediatric intensive care unit(PICU), and analyze the primary disease of children with PMV as well as the disease characteristics and prognosis of children with PMV under different kinds of primary disease.Methods:The clinical data of hospitalized children with PMV in PICU at Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively collected.Results:A total of 46 children with PMV were collected.There were 18 males (39.1%) and 28 females (60.9%). The median age was 37 (8, 86) months and the median body weight was 15 (7, 20) kg.The average pediatric critical illness score at admission was 84.2±7.7, PaO 2/FiO 2 was (245.5±99.8)mmHg.The primary diseases leading to PMV were as follows: there were 14 cases of severe pneumonia, eight cases of severe encephalitis, five cases of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, three cases of upper airway obstruction/craniofacial deformity, three cases of myasthenia, three cases of brain stem tumor, three cases of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, two cases of spinal muscular atrophy, two cases of Prader-Willi syndrome, one case of dermatomyositis, one case of severe brain injury, and one case of central hypoventilation.The causes of unable to withdraw ventilator were respiratory dysfunction in 24 cases, brain dysfunction in 16 cases, and diaphragm dysfunction in six cases.Compared with neuromuscular diseases, children with PMV caused by respiratory diseases had lower month age, higher preterm birth rate, lower PaO 2/FiO 2 ratio, higher parameters for ventilator treatment, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Children with PMV caused by neuromuscular diseases had lower Glasgow coma score and higher coma rate, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). A total of nine (19.6%) cases underwent tracheotomy.A total of 23 (50.0%) cases were successfully extubated from ventilator, six (13.0%) cases were dependent on invasive ventilator, and six (13.0%) cases were breathing with tracheotomy tube.The median mechanical ventilation time was 33 (28, 40) days, the median PICU hospital stay was 42 (34, 56) days, and the median hospital stay was 51 (41, 65) days.A total of 27 (58.7%) cases were improved and discharged, four (8.7%) cases were transferred to rehabilitation hospital, four (8.7%) cases were transferred to local hospital, and 11 (23.9%) cases died in hospital or at home after giving up. Conclusion:The main causes of PMV in PICU children are respiratory dysfunction, brain dysfunction and diaphragm dysfunction.50.0% of the children with PMV could be discharged from the ventilator, and 23.9% died or died after giving up.

The predictive value of dynamic monitoring pediatric sequential organ failure assessment score for the prognosis in children with sepsis / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To dynamically monitor the pediatric sequential organ failure assessment(pSOFA) score of children in PICU at different time points, and to evaluate the predictive value of pSOFA score for the prognosis of children with sepsis.Methods:A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted to collect the data of children with sepsis admitted to the PICU of four children′s hospitals in Shanghai from December 2018 to December 2019(Children′s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, and Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine). We collected their pSOFA scores on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after sepsis diagnosis and the highest score.The patients were divided into survival group and death group according to the clinical outcomes at the time of leaving PICU.The clinical characteristics of two groups were compared.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve were used to assess the resolution of the pSOFA score.Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between pSOFA score and sepsis mortality.Results:A total of 170 cases diagnosed sepsis were included, with a median age of 32.5(11.5, 83.2) months, and a median length of stay in PICU of 10(6, 21) days.Forty-two died and 128 survived.The medians of the 1st, 3rd, 7th day and the highest pSOFA score of the children in death group[10(7, 12) points, 9(5, 10) points, 7(4, 10) points, 11(7, 12) points, respectively] were higher than those in survival group[4(2, 8) points, 3(1, 6) points, 2(0, 5) points, 6(3, 8) points, respectively]( P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve of the pSOFA score predicting death on day 1 after sepsis diagnosis was greater than that on days 3, 7 and the highest pSOFA score[0.84(95% CI 0.79-0.91) vs.0.80(95% CI 0.71-0.89), 0.77(95% CI 0.65-0.89), 0.83(95% CI 0.77-0.90)], but the difference was not statistically significant( χ2=1.660, P=0.646). The pSOFA score on the first day of diagnosis had the best cut-off value of >6 points for predicting the risk of death from sepsis, with a sensitivity of 97.6% and a specificity of 53.9%.Logistic regression analysis of pSOFA score and childhood sepsis death showed that the OR values corresponding to the 1st, 3rd, 7th day of diagnosis and the highest pSOFA score were 1.58(95% CI 1.350-1.840), 1.39(95% CI 1.218-1.595), 1.38(95% CI 1.184-1.617) and 1.55(95% CI 1.333-1.800), respectively(all P<0.05). The 1-point increase in pSOFA score on the first day of diagnosis of sepsis was associated with a 58% increase in the hazard ratio for death, and each 1-point increase in the highest pSOFA score was associated with a 55% increase in the hazard ratio for death. Conclusion:The 1st, 3rd, 7th day of sepsis diagnosis and the highest pSOFA score could better predict the mortality risk of sepsis in children.Dynamic monitoring of the pSOFA score at different time points has a certain clinical value in predicting the progression and prognosis of children with sepsis.

The predictive value of dynamic monitoring pediatric sequential organ failure assessment score for the prognosis in children with sepsis / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To dynamically monitor the pediatric sequential organ failure assessment(pSOFA) score of children in PICU at different time points, and to evaluate the predictive value of pSOFA score for the prognosis of children with sepsis.Methods:A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted to collect the data of children with sepsis admitted to the PICU of four children′s hospitals in Shanghai from December 2018 to December 2019(Children′s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai Children′s Medical Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, and Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine). We collected their pSOFA scores on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day after sepsis diagnosis and the highest score.The patients were divided into survival group and death group according to the clinical outcomes at the time of leaving PICU.The clinical characteristics of two groups were compared.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve were used to assess the resolution of the pSOFA score.Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between pSOFA score and sepsis mortality.Results:A total of 170 cases diagnosed sepsis were included, with a median age of 32.5(11.5, 83.2) months, and a median length of stay in PICU of 10(6, 21) days.Forty-two died and 128 survived.The medians of the 1st, 3rd, 7th day and the highest pSOFA score of the children in death group[10(7, 12) points, 9(5, 10) points, 7(4, 10) points, 11(7, 12) points, respectively] were higher than those in survival group[4(2, 8) points, 3(1, 6) points, 2(0, 5) points, 6(3, 8) points, respectively]( P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve of the pSOFA score predicting death on day 1 after sepsis diagnosis was greater than that on days 3, 7 and the highest pSOFA score[0.84(95% CI 0.79-0.91) vs.0.80(95% CI 0.71-0.89), 0.77(95% CI 0.65-0.89), 0.83(95% CI 0.77-0.90)], but the difference was not statistically significant( χ2=1.660, P=0.646). The pSOFA score on the first day of diagnosis had the best cut-off value of >6 points for predicting the risk of death from sepsis, with a sensitivity of 97.6% and a specificity of 53.9%.Logistic regression analysis of pSOFA score and childhood sepsis death showed that the OR values corresponding to the 1st, 3rd, 7th day of diagnosis and the highest pSOFA score were 1.58(95% CI 1.350-1.840), 1.39(95% CI 1.218-1.595), 1.38(95% CI 1.184-1.617) and 1.55(95% CI 1.333-1.800), respectively(all P<0.05). The 1-point increase in pSOFA score on the first day of diagnosis of sepsis was associated with a 58% increase in the hazard ratio for death, and each 1-point increase in the highest pSOFA score was associated with a 55% increase in the hazard ratio for death. Conclusion:The 1st, 3rd, 7th day of sepsis diagnosis and the highest pSOFA score could better predict the mortality risk of sepsis in children.Dynamic monitoring of the pSOFA score at different time points has a certain clinical value in predicting the progression and prognosis of children with sepsis.

Experience on prevention and control management in PICU during the epidemic of novel coronavirus Omicron variant in Shanghai / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To summarize the experience of the precise prevention and control strategy of novel coronavirus infection in the pediatric intensive care unit(PICU)during the epidemic of the Omicron variant.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the strategies and management experience of precise prevention and control of novel coronavirus infection in PICU at Pediatric Hospital of Fudan University from March 1 to May 10, 2022.Results:According to the national and Shanghai novel coronavirus infection prevention and control standards, the PICU in our hospital, in accordance with the specialty characteristics of PICU, cooperated with the hospital′s department of infection and medical department to jointly construct a precise ward management strategy for the outbreak of the omicron mutants infection.Precise prevention and control management strategies were formulated from four aspects: the admission process of critically ill children, the division of PICU ward areas and nosocomial infection protection, the reception management system for children′s family members, and the " bubble management" system for PICU staff, and run them for 3 months.During the epidemic, there was no nosocomial infection of novel coronavirus infection in children or medical staff.During the period, a total of 140 critically ill children were admitted, including 87 cases transferred from the general ward in the hospital, 48 cases from the emergency department(non-febrile, 3 cases transferred by the transfer team), four cases from fever clinic, and one case from control ward.Four of the critically ill children had no emergency nucleic acid test report when they were admitted to the PICU.Among the 140 critically ill children, 54 patients received mechanical ventilation, 18 patients received blood purification, and two patients were monitored after liver transplantation.Seventy-eight (55.7%) children had underlying diseases.Conclusion:During the current round of novel coronavirus epidemic in Shanghai, PICU in our hospital formulated the admission and ward management procedures for critically ill children, which ensured the prevention and control of nosocomial infection of novel coronavirus, and at the same time ensured the treatment of critically ill children to the greatest extent.

Experience on prevention and control management of the pediatric emergency department during the pandemic of Omicron variant of novel coronavirus in Shanghai in 2022 / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To summarize the experience on accurate prevention and control of children′s emergency department during the epidemic of novel coronavirus Omicron variant.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed the strategies and management experience of emergency prevention and control of novel coronavirus infection in emergency department at Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from March to May 2022.Results:As a designated hospital for treating pediatric patients who contracted novel coronavirus in Shanghai, the emergency department in our hospital was confronted with the dual pressure of critical patients treatment and pandemic prevention and control.We carefully studied a series of laws and regulations, as well as the newest edition of Chinese clinical guidance for novel coronavirus pneumonia diagnosis and treatment, and combined with the characteristics of novel coronavirus infection in children, then formulated the independent emergency department, fever clinics and novel coronavirus clinics; Updated the emergency department pre-examination triage process, the precautions pratice of clinical stuffs and disfection strategy, and established the second emergency department.From the beginning of March to the end of May 2022, a total of about 12 000 patients were admitted to the emergency department in our hospital, including 704 patients in the resuscitation room, 652 patients in the observation room, and 164 patients in the emergency ward.There were six patients with novel coronavirus infection in the emergency department.Neither nosocomial infection nor occupational exposure occurred.Conclusion:After 3 months of practice, the results showed that it can fully guarantee the timely treatment of critically ill children and achieved zero cross-infection in the hospital, which has important reference significance for the treatment of children, epidemic prevention, control during the novel coronavirus epidemic.

An email-based survey of treatment strategies in children with septic shock in China / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To describe the treatment strategies in children with septic shock in China.Methods:A questionnaire was prepared and 368 pediatric intensivists from the Pediatric Critical Care Physician Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association were surveyed about the treatment of pediatric septic shock from April to June 2017.Results:Surveys were received from 87.2%(68/78) institutions and 368 questionnaires (response-rate 45.1%) were included.59.2% and 77.7% of the respondents chose debridement surgery and fluid drainage as source control intervention.Antibiotics were used within 1 hour of shock in 90.8% of respondents.98.4% of respondents chose normal saline, 72.3% of respondents chosen albumin, and 53.8% of respondents chosen plasma for fluid resuscitation.When no venous access was available during shock resuscitation, 57.1% of respondents preferred intraosseous access.79.3% and 83.2% of the respondents used the adjuvant therapy such as glucocorticoids and intravenous immunoglobulin.96.7%, 85.3% and 22.0% of respondents were likely to provide oxygen and mechanical ventilation, continuous renal replacement, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as organ support, respectively.Additionally, 322 (88.7%), 188 (51.1%), and 85 (23.1%) respondents chose the "best advice" options to simulated clinical cases of fluid resuscitation, inotropic agents, and vasoactive agents, respectively.In the simulated cases of vasoactive drugs and inotropic drugs, 69.3% and 24.2% of the respondents chose fluid resuscitation strategy, respectively.In cases of fluid resuscitation, 49.7% (183/368) of respondents reported performing fluid responsiveness and volume status assessment, and instruments used in the assessment included bedside echocardiography[39.4% (145/368)], bioreactance[10.3% (38/368)], transpulmonary thermodilution devices[6.3% (23/368)]. Pediatricians who received advanced life support courses for children ( P=0.006) and intensive care specialist training center training ( P=0.002) were more likely to choose the " best recommendation" option than those who did not attend the training. Conclusion:The current status of pediatric septic shock treatment strategies in China are active source control intervention, antibiotic use and organs support, and increased awareness of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring.However, there may be excessive fluid infusion and inappropriate use of plasma, glucocorticoids and intravenous immunoglobulin.Different training and continuing education may improve rational treatment strategies.

Clinical analysis of critically ill children with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To prospectively investigate the prevalence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in critically ill children during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) and explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis of HIT during ECMO.Methods:A total of 22 critically ill children, who had received ECMO support for more than 96 hours in the Intensive Care Unit at the Children′s Hospital of Fudan University from March 2019 to December 2020, were enrolled.According to the 4T score and the heparin/platelet factor 4(PF4) antibody, children whose 4T scores were not less than 6 and heparin/ PF4 antibodies were positive, were classified into HIT group ( n=6), and non-HIT group ( n=16). The clinical outcomes and the incidence of thrombotic events were compared between two groups. Results:The incidence of HIT during ECMO in critically ill children was 27% in this study.The incidence of thrombosis in the ECMO circuit in the HIT group was higher (100% vs.63%, P=0.133), and the average time to the first thrombosis in ECMO circuit in the HIT group was shorter than that in the non-HIT group (3.70 d vs.5.44 d, P=0.06). During the first 14 days of ECMO, the proportion of children with thrombotic events no less than twice was higher in the HIT group (67% vs.19%, P=0.054). There was no significant difference regarding the survival rate at 28 days after ECMO withdrawal between two groups (33% vs.50%, P=0.664). Conclusion:The prevalence of HIT during ECMO in critically ill children is high.Thrombosis events tend to occur earlier and more extensively in children with HIT during ECMO.No significant effect of HIT on the survival rate of children during ECMO is found.Whether HIT has effect on the survival rate of children with ECMO requires a prospective and large clinical study.

A randomized controlled trial of early intervention of external diaphragmatic electrical stimulation on diaphragmatic function in mechanically ventilated children / 中国小儿急救医学

Objective:To explore the effects of external diaphragm electrical stimulation on the diaphragm thickness and function in mechanically ventilated children.Methods:A randomized controlled trial was conducted in children who were admitted to PICU at Children′s Hospital of Fudan University and received mechanical ventilation between June 2021 and April 2022.The control group was given the routine treatment of mechanical ventilation, and the intervention group was given external diaphragm electrical stimulation in the early stage of mechanical ventilation in addition to routine treatment.Diaphragm thickness was continuously measured by bedside ultrasound every day for one week after mechanical ventilation, and the changing trend of diaphragm thickness was observed, and the diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTf) and the incidence of ventilator-induced diaphragmtic dysfunction(VIDD) were calculated at the same time.Results:A total of 32 valid samples were included, including 15 cases in intervention group (10 males) and 17 cases in control group (11 males). The median age of the patients was 33 (10, 77) months, and the median duration of mechanical ventilation was 12 (8, 21) days.The reasons for mechanical ventilation in children included respiratory insufficiency in ten cases, brain dysfunction in ten cases, heart failure in eight cases, and postoperative surgery in four cases.The diaphragm end-expiratory thickness (DTe) in intervention group and the control group showed a gradually decreasing trend from the 1st day to the 7th day.The left thickness was reduced by 11% on the 7th day compared to 1st day in intervention group, which was reduced by 18% in control group; the average daily DTe was reduced by 2% per day in intervention group and by 3% per day in control group.The trends on the right and left were similar.The DTe thickness in the intervention group was greater than that in control group, among which, the mean DTe thickness in the left side of the intervention group on the 7th day was (0.110 7±0.023 7)cm, which was greater than that in control group (0.093 5±0.016 9)cm, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-2.372, P<0.05); On the second day, the mean DTe thickness on the right side in the intervention group was (0.1267±0.0277) cm, which was greater than that in control group (0.104 7±0.018 1)cm, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-2.688, P<0.05). DTf in the intervention group was lower than that in control group at 7th day, but the difference was not statistically significant(left DTf: adjusted mean difference was -0.117, P=0.088; right DTf: adjusted mean difference was -0.065, P=0.277). The incidence of VIDD in the intervention group was lower than that in control group(33.3% vs.41.2%), but the difference was not statistically significant ( χ2=0.005, P=0.946). Conclusion:External diaphragmatic electrical stimulation may be helpful for alleviating diaphragmatic atrophy in mechanically ventilated children.However, whether the improvement of diaphragm atrophy is beneficial to clinical outcome still needs further study.