Interstitial pulmonary edema in children and adolescents with diabetic ketoacidosis.

The acute complications of diabetic ketoacidosis in children and adolescents are well recognized but not completely understood. Clinical studies have focused primarily on brain edema. We have investigated the prevalence and course of interstitial pulmonary edema in patients with severe diabetic ketoacidosis all of whom had uneventful clinical courses. High resolution computed tomography scans of the lungs were analyzed by determining the Hounsfield attenuation level and then converting to physical density values. All seven patients had evidence of interstitial pulmonary edema on the first scan, which was performed within 1 h of hydration and prior to receiving insulin; six of the seven patients had increased pulmonary density 6-8 h into treatment, and all had complete resolution of the interstitial changes at discharge. Our study suggests that subclinical interstitial pulmonary edema may be a frequent occurrence in children and adolescents with severe diabetic ketoacidosis and may very well be present prior to treatment. The study also supports the philosophy of cautious rehydration and the close monitoring of children and adolescents with diabetic ketoacidosis until a more complete understanding of this pathophysiologic event is achieved.

Teaching residents to teach. An instructional program for training pediatric residents to precept third-year medical students in the ambulatory clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To provide second- and third-year pediatric residents with practical teaching skills for precepting third-year medical students in the outpatient clinic. DESIGN: Educational intervention with 3-month follow-up of participants. SETTING: University teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Second- and third-year pediatric residents. INTERVENTION: A curriculum for a half-day workshop to provide residents with 6 key clinical teaching skills. Residents participated in the workshop and then were observed by trained faculty as they precepted third-year medical students in the pediatric clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Direct observation of resident-student precepting encounters, noting the presence or absence of their use of clinical teaching skills taught in the workshop. RESULTS: Twenty-one of 23 pediatric residents participated in the workshop. Observation of 56 resident teaching encounters before and after the workshop showed that the residents improved their clinical teaching skills. Residents valued the workshop, and many suggested it should also be considered for faculty development. CONCLUSIONS: Residents can be taught clinical teaching skills in a half-day workshop. These skills also are applicable in various clinical venues. With the increasing interest in using community-based primary care physicians for student and resident education, this curriculum is well suited for training practicing clinicians to teach in their own practice sites.