Time Course of Mechanical Ventilation Driving Pressure Levels in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Outcomes in a Prospective, Multicenter Cohort Study From Colombia, 2018-2022.

OBJECTIVES: High driving pressure (DP, ratio of tidal volume (Vt) over respiratory system compliance) is a risk for poor outcomes in patients with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS). We therefore assessed the time course in level of DP (i.e., 24, 48, and 72 hr) after starting mechanical ventilation (MV), and its association with 28-day mortality. DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective study conducted between February 2018 and December 2022. SETTING: Twelve tertiary care PICUs in Colombia. PATIENTS: One hundred eighty-four intubated children with moderate to severe PARDS. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of the PARDS cohort was 11 (IQR 3-24) months. A total of 129 of 184 patients (70.2%) had a pulmonary etiology leading to PARDS, and 31 of 184 patients (16.8%) died. In the first 24 hours after admission, the plateau pressure in the nonsurvivor group, compared with the survivor group, differed (28.24 [IQR 24.14-32.11] vs. 23.18 [IQR 20.72-27.13] cm H2O, p < 0.01). Of note, children with a Vt less than 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight had lower adjusted odds ratio (aOR [95% CI]) of 28-day mortality (aOR 0.69, [95% CI, 0.55-0.87]; p = 0.02). However, we failed to identify an association between DP level and the oxygenation index (aOR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.21-1.58) at each of time point. In a diagnostic exploratory analysis, we found that DP greater than 15 cm H2O at 72 hours was an explanatory variable for mortality, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.83 (95% CI, 0.74-0.89); there was also increased hazard for death with hazard ratio 2.5 (95% CI, 1.07-5.92). DP greater than 15 cm H2O at 72 hours was also associated with longer duration of MV (10 [IQR 7-14] vs. 7 [IQR 5-10] d; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In children with moderate to severe PARDS, a DP greater than 15 cm H2O at 72 hours after the initiation of MV is associated with greater odds of 28-day mortality and a longer duration of MV. DP should be considered a variable worth monitoring during protective ventilation for PARDS.

Intravenous lidocaine infusion for the treatment of acute pain in the pediatric intensive care unit: case series / Infusión de lidocaína endovenosa para el tratamiento de dolor agudo en la unidad de cuidado intensivo pediátrico: serie de casos

Abstract Introduction: The use of intravenous lidocaine infusion has increased over the past decade as part of a multimodal approach to analgesia in adults; however, information about its safety and tolerability in the pediatric population is limited. Methods: Acute pain management using lidocaine infusion in eleven patients treated in the pediatric intensive care unit. Results: Five cases of postoperative abdominal pain and six cases of non-operative abdominal pain. Two cases were cancer patients affected by neutropenic colitis. Analgesic control achieved was good. Conclusion: Lidocaine infusions are apparently a safe option for the management of acute pain, either post-operative or not, in the pediatric population.

Resumen Introducción: El uso de la infusión de lidocaína endovenosa ha aumentado en la última década como parte de un enfoque analgésico multimodal en los adultos; sin embargo, se dispone de información limitada sobre su seguridad y tolerabilidad en la población pediátrica. Métodos: Se presentan once casos de manejo de dolor agudo con lidocaína en infusión tratados en unidad de cuidado intensivo pediátrico. Resultados: Cinco casos fueron postoperatorio abdominal y seis casos tenían dolor abdominal no postoperatorio. Dos pacientes tenían cáncer y cursaban con colitis neutropénica. El control analgésico alcanzado fue bueno. Conclusión: Las infusiones de lidocaína parecen ser una opción segura para el manejo del dolor agudo ya sea posquirúrgico o no en la población pediátrica.

Mortality and clinical characteristics of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with covid-19 in critically ill patients: an observational multicenter study (MISCO study).

BACKGROUND: The clinical presentation and severity of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children associated with COVID-19 (MIS-C) is widespread and presents a very low mortality rate in high-income countries. This research describes the clinical characteristics of MIS-C in critically ill children in middle-income countries and the factors associated with the rate of mortality and patients with critical outcomes. METHODS: An observational cohort study was conducted in 14 pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Colombia between April 01, 2020, and January 31, 2021. Patient age ranged between one month and 18 years, and each patient met the requirements set forth by the World Health Organization (WHO) for MIS-C. RESULTS: There were seventy-eight children in this study. The median age was seven years (IQR 1-11), 18 % (14/78) were under one year old, and 56 % were male. 35 % of patients (29/78) were obese or overweight. The PICU stay per individual was six days (IQR 4-7), and 100 % had a fever upon arrival to the clinic lasting at least five days (IQR 3.7-6). 70 % (55/78) of patients had diarrhea, and 87 % (68/78) had shock or systolic myocardial dysfunction (78 %). Coronary aneurysms were found in 35 % (27/78) of cases, and pericardial effusion was found in 36 %. When compared to existing data in high-income countries, there was a higher mortality rate observed (9 % vs. 1.8 %; p=0.001). When assessing the group of patients that did not survive, a higher frequency of ferritin levels was found, above 500 ngr/mL (100 % vs. 45 %; p=0.012), as well as more cardiovascular complications (100 % vs. 54 %; p = 0.019) when compared to the group that survived. The main treatments received were immunoglobulin (91 %), vasoactive support (76 %), steroids (70.5 %) and antiplatelets (44 %). CONCLUSIONS: Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children due to SARS-CoV-2 in critically ill children living in a middle-income country has some clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic characteristics similar to those described in high-income countries. The observed inflammatory response and cardiovascular involvement were conditions that, added to the later presentation, may explain the higher mortality seen in these children.

Adherence to Lung-Protective Ventilation Principles in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Incidence and Epidemiology Study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe mechanical ventilation management and factors associated with nonadherence to lung-protective ventilation principles in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. DESIGN: A planned ancillary study to a prospective international observational study. Mechanical ventilation management (every 6 hr measurements) during pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome days 0-3 was described and compared with Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference tidal volume recommendations (< 7 mL/kg in children with impaired respiratory system compliance, < 9 mL/kg in all other children) and the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network lower positive end-expiratory pressure/higher Fio2 grid recommendations. SETTING: Seventy-one international PICUs. PATIENTS: Children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Analyses included 422 children. On pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome day 0, median tidal volume was 7.6 mL/kg (interquartile range, 6.3-8.9 mL/kg) and did not differ by pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome severity. Plateau pressure was not recorded in 97% of measurements. Using delta pressure (peak inspiratory pressure - positive end-expiratory pressure), median tidal volume increased over quartiles of median delta pressure (p = 0.007). Median delta pressure was greater than or equal to 18 cm H2O for all pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome severity levels. In severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, tidal volume was greater than or equal to 7 mL/kg 62% of the time, and positive end-expiratory pressure was lower than recommended by the positive end-expiratory pressure/Fio2 grid 70% of the time. In multivariable analysis, tidal volume nonadherence was more common with severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, fewer PICU admissions/yr, non-European PICUs, higher delta pressure, corticosteroid use, and pressure control mode. Adherence was associated with underweight stature and cuffed endotracheal tubes. In multivariable analysis, positive end-expiratory pressure/Fio2 grid nonadherence was more common with higher pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome severity, ventilator decisions made primarily by the attending physician, pre-ICU cardiopulmonary resuscitation, underweight stature, and age less than 2 years. Adherence was associated with respiratory therapist involvement in ventilator management and longer time from pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome diagnosis. Higher nonadherence to tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure recommendations were independently associated with higher mortality and longer duration of ventilation after adjustment for confounding variables. In stratified analyses, these associations were primarily influenced by children with severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Nonadherence to lung-protective ventilation principles is common in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and may impact outcome. Modifiable factors exist that may improve adherence.

Predicting Mortality in Children With Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Incidence and Epidemiology Study.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome is heterogeneous, with a paucity of risk stratification tools to assist with trial design. We aimed to develop and validate mortality prediction models for patients with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. DESIGN: Leveraging additional data collection from a preplanned ancillary study (Version 1) of the multinational Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome Incidence and Epidemiology study, we identified predictors of mortality. Separate models were built for the entire Version 1 cohort, for the cohort excluding neurologic deaths, for intubated subjects, and for intubated subjects excluding neurologic deaths. Models were externally validated in a cohort of intubated pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome patients from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. SETTING: The derivation cohort represented 100 centers worldwide; the validation cohort was from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. PATIENTS: There were 624 and 640 subjects in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The model for the full cohort included immunocompromised status, Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction 2 score, day 0 vasopressor-inotrope score and fluid balance, and PaO2/FIO2 6 hours after pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome onset. This model had good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.82), calibration, and internal validation. Models excluding neurologic deaths, for intubated subjects, and for intubated subjects excluding neurologic deaths also demonstrated good discrimination (all area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ≥ 0.84) and calibration. In the validation cohort, models for intubated pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (including and excluding neurologic deaths) had excellent discrimination (both area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ≥ 0.85), but poor calibration. After revision, the model for all intubated subjects remained miscalibrated, whereas the model excluding neurologic deaths showed perfect calibration. Mortality models also stratified ventilator-free days at 28 days in both derivation and validation cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: We describe predictive models for mortality in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome using readily available variables from day 0 of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome which outperform severity of illness scores and which demonstrate utility for composite outcomes such as ventilator-free days. Models can assist with risk stratification for clinical trials.

Early Use of Adjunctive Therapies for Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A PARDIE Study.

Rationale: Few data exist to guide early adjunctive therapy use in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS).Objectives: To describe contemporary use of adjunctive therapies for early PARDS as a framework for future investigations.Methods: This was a preplanned substudy of a prospective, international, cross-sectional observational study of children with PARDS from 100 centers over 10 study weeks.Measurements and Main Results: We investigated six adjunctive therapies for PARDS: continuous neuromuscular blockade, corticosteroids, inhaled nitric oxide (iNO), prone positioning, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Almost half (45%) of children with PARDS received at least one therapy. Variability was noted in the median starting oxygenation index of each therapy; corticosteroids started at the lowest oxygenation index (13.0; interquartile range, 7.6-22.0) and HFOV at the highest (25.7; interquartile range, 16.7-37.3). Continuous neuromuscular blockade was the most common, used in 31%, followed by iNO (13%), corticosteroids (10%), prone positioning (10%), HFOV (9%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (3%). Steroids, iNO, and HFOV were associated with comorbidities. Prone positioning and HFOV were more common in middle-income countries and less frequently used in North America. The use of multiple ancillary therapies increased over the first 3 days of PARDS, but there was not an easily identifiable pattern of combination or order of use.Conclusions: The contemporary description of prevalence, combinations of therapies, and oxygenation threshold for which the therapies are applied is important for design of future studies. Region of the world, income, and comorbidities influence adjunctive therapy use and are important variables to include in PARDS investigations.

Focused critical care echocardiography: training for pediatricians and pediatric intensivists in an intensive care unit / Ecocardiografia dirigida al paciente crítico: un entrenamiento para pediatras e intensivistas pediatras en una unidad de cuidado intensivo pediátrico

Abstract Introduction: Focused critical care echocardiography (FCCE) has become a necessary competency for physicians working in pediatric intensive care units. Objective: To asses a theoretical and practical training program designed to explore skills acquisition for obtaining views and some echocardiographic measurements suggested for FCCE. Materials and methods: A 26-hour long theoretical and practical training for pediatricians and pediatric intensivists under the guidance of a pediatric cardiologist. The program included qualitative analysis of the variables pertaining to basic echocardiographic windows, and quantitative analysis of FCCE. Results: There were significant differences between having prior echocardiography knowledge, associated with a higher score in the 4-chamber apical window (mean: 9.0; standard deviation [SD]: 1.02; P = 0.021), and better correlation with the pediatric cardiologist regarding left ventricular function measurements (mean: 92.02; SD: 6.3; P = 0.036). Conclusion: The program was useful for basic level training in FCCE with an optimal level of acquisition of the main echocardiographic windows and some echocardiographic measurements.

Resumen Introducción: La ecocardiografía, enfocada al cuidado crítico, se ha convertido hoy en día en una competencia necesaria del médico que labora en las unidades de cuidado intensivo pediátrico. Objetivo: Evaluar un programa de entrenamiento te6rico y práctico, diseñado para explorar la adquisición de habilidades en la obtención de imágenes y algunas medidas ecocardiográficas sugeridas para la ecocardiografía enfocada al cuidado crítico. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un entrenamiento teórico-práctico, de 26 horas de duración, por médicos pediatras y pediatras intensivistas, bajo la tutoría de un cardiólogo pediatra. El programa incluyó análisis cualitativos de las variables pertenecientes a las ventanas básicas y cuantitativos de la ecocardiografía enfocada al cuidado crítico. Resultados: Las diferencias significativas se presentaron entre tener conocimientos previos en ecocardiografía, que se asoció a un mejor puntaje en la ventana apical cuatro cámaras (media: 9,0 DE: 1,02 P = 0,021), y mejor correlación con el cardiólogo pediatra en la medición de la funcionalidad del ventrículo izquierdo (media:92,2 DE:6,3 P = 0,036). Conclusiones: Este programa de entrenamiento fue útil para el entrenamiento en nivel básico de la ecocardiografía enfocada al cuidado crítico, con un nivel óptimo en la adquisición de las principales ventanas ecocardiográficas, y para la toma de algunas medidas ecocardiográficas.

Acute Kidney Injury in Pediatric Severe Sepsis: An Independent Risk Factor for Death and New Disability.

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of septic acute kidney injury and impact on functional status of PICU survivors are unknown. We used data from an international prospective severe sepsis study to elucidate functional outcomes of children suffering septic acute kidney injury. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of patients in the Sepsis PRevalence, OUtcomes, and Therapies point prevalence study: acute kidney injury was defined on the study day using Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes definitions. Patients with no acute kidney injury or stage 1 acute kidney injury ("no/mild acute kidney injury") were compared with those with stage 2 or 3 acute kidney injury ("severe acute kidney injury"). The primary outcome was a composite of death or new moderate disability at discharge defined as a Pediatric Overall Performance Category score of 3 or higher and increased by 1 from baseline. SETTING: One hundred twenty-eight PICUs in 26 countries. PATIENTS: Children with severe sepsis in the Sepsis PRevalence, OUtcomes, and Therapies study. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: One hundred two (21%) of 493 patients had severe acute kidney injury. More than twice as many patients with severe acute kidney injury died or developed new moderate disability compared with those with no/mild acute kidney injury (64% vs 30%; p < 0.001). Severe acute kidney injury was independently associated with death or new moderate disability (adjusted odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.5-4.2; p = 0.001) after adjustment for age, region, baseline disability, malignancy, invasive mechanical ventilation, albumin administration, and the pediatric logistic organ dysfunction score. CONCLUSIONS: In a multinational cohort of critically ill children with severe sepsis and high mortality rates, septic acute kidney injury is independently associated with further increased death or new disability.

Cardiovascular dysfunction and pulmonary edema secondary to severe envenoming by Tityus pachyurus sting. Case report.

The scorpion envenomation is considered the second event by poisonous animals in importance around the world according to the World Health Organization. In Colombia there are 35 species of clinical significance, among them, the genus Tityus, which contains the most deadly scorpions in South America and is represented by 29 species of wide distribution in Colombia, which include Tityus pachyurus causing life-threatening events, especially in children. The present work shows the case of a 12 years old boy, from Tolemaida to 2 h of Bogotá D.C., who was stung by a scorpion on his right thigh, with the onset of intense signs and symptoms of local effect rapidly progressing to severe systemic involvement causing myocardial dysfunction, cardiovascular collapse and heart arrest, and his favorable response to adequate basic and advanced life support and use of scorpion-specific F(ab')2 antivenom.