[Hospital Admissions due to cyanosis episodes in newborns with gestational age of 34 weeks or more]. / Hospitalización por episodios de cianosis en recién nacidos de edad gestacional igual o mayor a 34 semanas.

OBJECTIVES: A retrospective study was performed between January 2007 and December 2012 to assess the admission rates of newborns due to episodes of cyanosis PATIENTS AND METHOD: Retrospective study that included all the newborns hospitalized with episodes of cyanosis between January 2007 and December 2012. In them were employed two study protocols that considered first and second line tests, the latter in view of recurrence of events. The first line protocol considered general biochemical tests, chest x-ray and echocardiography in selected cases, while the second line protocol included electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, nuclear magnetic resonance of the brain, expanded metabolic screening, pyruvic acid, lactic acid, and in case of seizures, cytochemical, and culture of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for herpes. RESULTS: A total of 98 (2.8%) out of 3,454 newborns were admitted due to episodes of cyanosis. Gestational age: 37.8+1.4 weeks, birth weight: 3,145+477 g. Maternal age: 32+4.8 years. Disease was present in 19.4% of mothers; gestational diabetes (8.1%), pregnancy induced hypertension (5.1%), intrahepatic cholestasis (3.1%), and intrauterine growth retardation (3.1%). Gender: 48.8% male, 51.2% female (NS). Birth: caesarean section, 68.4%, and vaginal delivery, 31.6%. Age on admission 1.9+1.4 days. Hospital stay: 4.2+4.2 days. First line tests were performed in 100% of patients with 39.8% fulfilling the criteria for second line study. A condition was detected in 21.4%, with convulsive syndrome was the most frequent (33%). Newborns with an identified condition had 3.8+2.7 episodes versus 1.5+2,4 in those without diagnosis (NS). A home oxygen monitor was given to 15.4%. There were no re-admissions. CONCLUSIONS: Most newborns admitted due to cyanosis are discharged with a condition of unknown origin. In this study, convulsive syndrome was the most frequent cause.

Variation in inpatient resource utilization and management of apparent life-threatening events.

OBJECTIVE: To report national variations in diagnostic approaches to apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs) and resource utilization. STUDY DESIGN: Using the Pediatric Health Information System, we studied children who were age 3 days to 5 months at admission and were discharged with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code potentially identifiable as ALTE. Multiple analysis of variance was used to determine whether the variances in adjusted charges, length of stay (LOS), and diagnostic studies were hospital-related after controlling for other covariates. Logistic regression was used to study the association of readmission rates with discharge diagnosis and specific diagnostic studies. RESULTS: The study group comprised 12,067 patients, with a mean LOS of 4.4 days (standard deviation +/- 5.6 days) and mean adjusted charges of $15,567 ($28,510) per admission. The mean in-hospital mortality rate was 0.56% (n = 68), and the rate of 30-day readmission was 2.5%. The most common discharge diagnoses were gastroesophageal reflux 36.9% (48.3%) and lower respiratory tract infection 30.8% (46.2%). Mean LOS, total adjusted charges, and use of diagnostic studies varied considerably across hospitals, and hospital-level differences were a significant contributor to the variance of these outcomes after controlling for covariates (P < .001). There was an increased likelihood of readmission for patients discharged with a diagnosis of cardiovascular disorders (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30 to 2.16) and gastroesophageal reflux (OR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.69) compared with other discharge diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: There is considerable hospital-based variation in care for patients hospitalized for conditions potentially identifiable as ALTE, particularly in the evaluation and diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux, which may contribute to adverse clinical and financial outcomes. An evidence-based national standard of care for ALTE is needed, as are multi-institutional initiatives to study different diagnostic and management strategies and their effect on patient outcomes.

Perioperative methemoglobinemia.

We report a case of a male patient who underwent splenectomy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Oxygen saturation was 92% by pulse oximetry and cyanosis was apparent during the perioperative period. Methemoglobin (metHb) levels were 10.4%. After removal of the tracheal tube, intravenous methylene blue (1 mg/kg) was administered because of persistently low SpO2 levels (87%). During preanesthetic evaluation, the patient did not inform the anesthesiologist that he had been taking dapsone.

Um caso de atendimento psicológico numa complicaçäo pós-comissurotomia mitral / A case of psychological treatment in a complication following mitral commissurotomy

O relato trata do atendimento psicológico feito a um paciente de 12 anos, após cirurgia cardíaca, durante o período preparatório de uma cirurgia de amputaçäo da mäo e após esta última. Descreve-se o curso das principais manifestaçöes psíquicas apresentadas pelo paciente frente à reestruturaçäo de sua imagem corporal e a intervençäo psicoterapêutica adotada

Apnea of prematurity. Comparative therapeutic effects of cutaneous stimulation and nasal continuous positive airway pressure.

It has been suggested that idiopathic apnea of prematurity is related to hypoxia from pulmonary instability or an immaturity of central respiratory control mechanisms. To explore these hypotheses, 18 preterm infants were studied to examine the therapeutic effects of prophylactic cutaneous stimulation (6) and continuous positive airway pressure(12). The frequency of apnea using each procedure was reduced by 35 and 69 percent, respectively. These findings constitute the basis for new therapeutic measures for treatment of idiopathic neonatal apnea.