Recomendaciones sobre reanimación cardiopulmonar en pacientes con sospecha o infección confirmada por SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Resumen ejecutivo / Recommendations on cardiopulmonary resuscitation in patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19). Executive summary

La pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 ha generado nuevos escenarios que requieren modificaciones de los protocolos habituales de reanimación cardiopulmonar. Las guías clínicas vigentes sobre el manejo de la parada cardiorrespiratoria no incluyen recomendaciones para situaciones aplicables a este contexto. Por ello, el Plan Nacional de Reanimación Cardiopulmonar de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva, Crítica y Unidades Coronarias, en colaboración con el Grupo Español de RCP Pediátrica y Neonatal y con el programa de Enseñanza de Soporte Vital en Atención Primaria de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, ha redactado las siguientes recomendaciones, que están divididas en 5 partes que tratan los principales aspectos para cada entorno asistencial. En este artículo se presenta un resumen ejecutivo de las mismas

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created new scenarios that require modifications to the usual cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocols. The current clinical guidelines on the management of cardiorespiratory arrest do not include recommendations for situations that apply to this context. Therefore, the National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Plan of the Spanish Society of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC), in collaboration with the Spanish Group of Pediatric and Neonatal CPR and with the Teaching Life Support in Primary Care program of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEMFyC), have written these recommendations, which are divided into 5 parts that address the main aspects for each healthcare setting. This article consists of an executive summary of them

[Recommendations on cardiopulmonary resuscitation in patients with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19). Executive summary]. / Recomendaciones sobre reanimación cardiopulmonar en pacientes con sospecha o infección confirmada por SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Resumen ejecutivo.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created new scenarios that require modifications to the usual cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocols. The current clinical guidelines on the management of cardiorespiratory arrest do not include recommendations for situations that apply to this context. Therefore, the National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Plan of the Spanish Society of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine and Coronary Units (SEMICYUC), in collaboration with the Spanish Group of Pediatric and Neonatal CPR and with the Teaching Life Support in Primary Care program of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEMFyC), have written these recommendations, which are divided into 5 parts that address the main aspects for each healthcare setting. This article consists of an executive summary of them.

Novedades y actualizaciones en RCP pediátrica / News and updates in pediatric CPR

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[New methods in training of paediatric emergencies: medical simulation applied to paediatrics]. / Nuevas metodologías en el entrenamiento de emergencias pediátricas: simulación médica aplicada a pediatría.

Patient safety constitutes one of the main objectives in health care. Among other recommendations, such as the creation of training centres and the development of patient safety programmes, of great importance is the creation of training programmes for work teams using medical simulation. Medical simulation is defined as "a situation or environment created to allow persons to experience a representation of a real event for the purpose of practice, learning, evaluation or to understand systems or human actions". In this way, abilities can be acquired in serious and uncommon situations with no risk of harm to the patient. This study revises the origins of medical simulation and the different types of simulation are classified. The main simulators currently used in Pediatrics are presented, and the design of a simulation course applied to the training of pediatric emergencies is described, detailing all its different phases. In the first non face-to-face stage, a new concept in medical training known as e-learning is applied. In the second phase, clinical cases are carried out using robotic simulation; this is followed by a debriefing session, which is a key element for acquiring abilities and skills. Lastly, the follow-up phase allows the student to connect with the teachers to consolidate the concepts acquired during the in-person phase. In this model, the aim is to improve scientific-technical abilities in addition to a series of related abilities such as controlling crisis situations, correct leadership of work teams, distribution of tasks, communication among the team members, etc., all of these within the present concept of excellence in care and medical professionalism.

Educación y robótica. Simulación médica en pediatría, un futuro prometedor / Education and robotics. Medical simulation in Paediatrics: a promising future

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Nuevas metodologías en el entrenamiento de emergencias pediátricas: simulación médica aplicada a pediatría / New methods in training of paediatric emergencies: medical simulation applied to paediatrics

La seguridad del paciente constituye uno de los principales objetivos de los sistemas sanitarios y, entre otras recomendaciones para su mejora, destaca el establecimiento de programas de entrenamiento de equipos de trabajo con simulación médica. Ésta se define como una situación o lugar creado para permitir que un grupo de personas experimenten una representación de un acontecimiento real con el propósito de practicar, aprender, evaluar o entender sistemas o acciones humanas. De este modo, se podrán adquirir habilidades en situaciones graves y poco frecuentes, sin perjuicio para el paciente. En este trabajo se recuerdan los orígenes de la simulación médica y se clasifican los distintos tipos de simulación actuales. Se exponen los principales simuladores utilizados actualmente en pediatría, y se describe el diseño de un curso de simulación aplicado al entrenamiento de emergencias pediátricas, detallando las distintas fases del mismo. En la primera fase, no presencial, se aplica un nuevo concepto de formación denominado e-learning, nueva metodología de uso de tecnologías de información para la formación de profesionales. En la segunda fase, esencialmente práctica, se desarrollan los casos clínicos con simulación robótica y posteriormente el análisis-debate o debriefing, elemento clave para la adquisición de habilidades. Por último, en la fase de seguimiento, el alumno dispone de conexión con los docentes para consolidar los conceptos adquiridos durante la fase presencial. En este modelo se pretende mejorar las habilidades científicos-técnicas y además una serie de habilidades relacionales como son el control de la situación de crisis, el liderazgo adecuado de un grupo de trabajo, el reparto de tareas, la comunicación entre los miembros del equipo, etc., todas ellas encuadradas en el actual concepto de excelencia de cuidados y del profesionalismo medico (AU)

Patient safety constitutes one of the main objectives in health care. Among other recommendations, such as the creation of training centres and the development of patient safety programmes, of great importance is the creation of training programmes for work teams using medical simulation. Medical simulation is defined as "a situation or environment created to allow persons to experience a representation of a real event for the purpose of practice, learning, evaluation or to understand systems or human actions". In this way, abilities can be acquired in serious and uncommon situations with no risk of harm to the patient. This study revises the origins of medical simulation and the different types of simulation are classified. The main simulators currently used in Pediatrics are presented, and the design of a simulation course applied to the training of pediatric emergencies is described, detailing all its different phases. In the first non face-to-face stage, a new concept in medical training known as e-learning is applied. In the second phase, clinical cases are carried out using robotic simulation; this is followed by a debriefing session, which is a key element for acquiring abilities and skills. Lastly, the follow-up phase allows the student to connect with the teachers to consolidate the concepts acquired during the in-person phase. In this model, the aim is to improve scientific-technical abilities in addition to a series of related abilities such as controlling crisis situations, correct leadership of work teams, distribution of tasks, communication among the team members, etc., all of these within the present concept of excellence in care and medical professionalism (AU)

[Material for the pediatric resuscitation trolley]. / Material del carro de reanimación cardiopulmonar pediátrica.

Cardiorespiratory arrest and the need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation can occur anywhere, both in the out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings. Therefore, all healthcare centers (hospitals, primary care facilities, out-of-hospital emergency services) must be prepared to initiate life support procedures in children and to treat other life-threatening emergencies. To achieve this objective, adequate material including a full crash cart or resuscitation trolley is essential and must be available in all healthcare centers. Specific items contained in the trolley can vary according to the characteristics of the facility and the most probable type of resuscitation needed (for example, neonatal resuscitation). At least one resuscitation trolley must be available in primary care centers, pediatric intensive care units, emergency departments, out-of-hospital emergency services, and pediatric wards. The trolley must be located in an easily accessible site and must contain only indispensable material. It is essential to include instruments in several sizes, covering children of all ages, as well as enough spare instruments and medications that could be required during resuscitation. The material must be checked periodically and all the staff (physicians, nurses, and auxiliary personnel) must be familiar with the trolley's contents and the location of all material and drugs.

Material del carro de reanimación cardiopulmonar pediátrica / Material for the pediatric resuscitation trolley

La parada cardiorrespiratoria y por tanto la necesidad de realizar una reanimación cardiopulmonar se puede presentar en cualquier lugar, tanto en el medio extrahospitalario como intrahospitalario. Por ese motivo, todos los centros sanitarios tanto hospitalarios, como de atención primaria y los servicios de emergencias extrahospitalarias, deben estar preparados para realizar una reanimación cardiopulmonar pediátrica y el tratamiento de otras urgencias vitales. Para ello, deben disponer de los medios materiales adecuados. El carro de parada o mesa de reanimación constituye un elemento asistencial indispensable en todo centro sanitario. El material que debe contener el carro de parada puede variar dependiendo del tipo de centro sanitario y el tipo de reanimación (p. ej., la reanimación neonatal). Debe existir al menos un carro en cada centro de atención primaria, unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos, servicio de urgencias, servicio de emergencias extrahospitalarias y planta de pediatría. El carro debe estar en un lugar fácilmente accesible y en él se debe colocar sólo el material imprescindible para las emergencias vitales. Deben existir los tamaños de cada instrumental necesarios para tratar a niños de cualquier edad, y el número suficiente de recambios de cada instrumento y medicación que puedan precisarse durante una reanimación. El material debe ser revisado periódicamente y todo el personal médico, de enfermería y auxiliar deberá conocer el contenido y la disposición del material y medicación del carro

Cardiorespiratory arrest and the need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation can occur anywhere, both in the out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings. Therefore, all healthcare centers (hospitals, primary care facilities, out-of-hospital emergency services) must be prepared to initiate life support procedures in children and to treat other life-threatening emergencies. To achieve this objective, adequate material including a full crash cart or resuscitation trolley is essential and must be available in all healthcare centers. Specific items contained in the trolley can vary according to the characteristics of the facility and the most probable type of resuscitation needed (for example, neonatal resuscitation). At least one resuscitation trolley must be available in primary care centers, pediatric intensive care units, emergency departments, out-of-hospital emergency services, and pediatric wards. The trolley must be located in an easily accessible site and must contain only indispensable material. It is essential to include instruments in several sizes, covering children of all ages, as well as enough spare instruments and medications that could be required during resuscitation. The material must be checked periodically and all the staff (physicians, nurses, and auxiliary personnel) must be familiar with the trolley's contents and the location of all material and drugs

[Cardiorespiratory arrest in children with trauma]. / Parada cardiorrespiratoria secundaria a traumatismos en niños. Características y evolución.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics and outcome of cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to trauma in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of data from a prospective, multicenter study of cardiorespiratory arrest in children. Data were recorded according to the Utstein style. Twenty-eight children (age range: 7 days to 16 years) with cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to trauma were evaluated. The outcome variables were return of spontaneous circulation, sustained (more than 20 minutes) return of spontaneous circulation (initial survival), and survival at hospital discharge (final survival) in relation to the characteristics of the cardiorespiratory arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Neurological and general performance outcome was assessed by means of the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category scale and the Pediatric Overall Performance Category scale. RESULTS: Return of spontaneous circulation was obtained in 18 patients (64.2 %), initial survival was achieved in 14 (50 %) and final survival was achieved in three (10.7 %) (two without neurological sequelae and one with vegetative status). Final survival was significantly higher in patients with respiratory arrest (33.3 %) than in those with cardiac arrest (4.5 %), p = 0.04. Final survival was also higher in patients with a duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation shorter than 20 minutes (27.2 %) than in the remaining patients (0 %), p =0.05. The two survivors without neurologic sequelae had respiratory arrest. CONCLUSIONS: Survival until hospital discharge in children with cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to trauma is lower than that in children with cardiorespiratory arrest. Patients with respiratory arrest when resuscitation is started and those with a duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation of less than 20 minutes showed better survival than the remaining patients.

Parada cardiorrespiratoria secundaria a traumatismos en niños. Características y evolución / Cardiorespiratory arrest in children with trauma

Objetivo Analizar las características y evolución de la parada cardiorrespiratoria secundaria a traumatismo en niño. Pacientes y métodos Análisis secundario de un estudio prospectivo observacional multicéntrico sobre la parada cardiorrespiratoria en niños siguiendo las recomendaciones del estilo Utstein. Se estudiaron 28 niños de edades entre 7 días y 16 años con parada cardiorrespiratoria secundaria a traumatismo. Se analizaron la recuperación de la circulación espontánea, la supervivencia inicial (recuperación de la circulación espontánea más de 20 min) y la supervivencia final (supervivencia al alta del hospital) en relación a las características de la parada cardiorrespiratoria y la reanimación cardiopulmonar. La situación funcional cerebral y global de los supervivientes se evaluó mediante las escalas pediátricas de estado neurológico y funcional. Resultados Se consiguió recuperación de la circulación espontánea en 18 pacientes (64,2 %), supervivencia inicial en 14 (50 %) y supervivencia a largo plazo en 3 (10,7 %) (2 sin secuelas neurológicas y uno en estado vegetativo). La supervivencia al alta del hospital fue mayor en los niños con parada respiratoria en el momento del diagnóstico (33,3 %) que en los que presentaban parada cardíaca (4,5 %) p 5 0,04, y también en los que la reanimación cardiopulmonar duró menos de 20 min (27,2 %) que en los que fue más prolongada (0 %), p 5 0,05. Los 2 supervivientes sin secuelas neurológicas presentaron parada respiratoria en el momento del diagnóstico inicial. Conclusiones La supervivencia de los niños con parada cardiorrespiratoria secundaria a traumatismo es menor que la del resto de pacientes con parada cardiorrespiratoria. Los niños en situación de parada respiratoria en el momento del diagnóstico y aquéllos con una duración de la reanimación cardiopulmonar menor de 20 min tienen una supervivencia mayor que el resto de los pacientes

Objective To analyze the characteristics and outcome of cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to trauma in children. Patients and methods We performed a secondary analysis of data from a prospective, multicenter study of cardiorespiratory arrest in children. Data were recorded according to the Utstein style. Twenty-eight children (age range: 7 days to 16 years) with cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to trauma were evaluated. The outcome variables were return of spontaneous circulation, sustained (more than 20 minutes) return of spontaneous circulation (initial survival), and survival at hospital discharge (final survival) in relation to the characteristics of the cardiorespiratory arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Neurological and general performance outcome was assessed by means of the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category scale and the Pediatric Overall Performance Category scale. Results Return of spontaneous circulation was obtained in 18 patients (64.2 %), initial survival was achieved in 14 (50 %) and final survival was achieved in three (10.7 %) (two without neurological sequelae and one with vegetative status). Final survival was significantly higher in patients with respiratory arrest (33.3 %) than in those with cardiac arrest (4.5 %), p 5 0.04. Final survival was also higher in patients with a duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation shorter than 20 minutes (27.2 %) than in the remaining patients (0 %), p 5 0.05. The two survivors without neurologic sequelae had respiratory arrest. Conclusions Survival until hospital discharge in children with cardiorespiratory arrest secondary to trauma is lower than that in children with cardiorespiratory arrest. Patients with respiratory arrest when resuscitation is started and those with a duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation of less than 20 minutes showed better survival than the remaining patients

Reanimación cardiopulmonar básica en Pediatría / Basic life support in pediatrics

La reanimación cardiopulmonar básica es el conjunto de maniobras que permiten identificar si un niño está en situación de parada cardiorrespiratoria y realizar una sustitución de las funciones respiratoria y circulatoria, sin ningún equipamiento específico, hasta que la víctima pueda recibir un tratamiento más cualificado. La reanimación cardiopulmonar básica consta de una serie pasos o maniobras que deben realizarse de forma secuencial: conseguir la seguridad del reanimador y del niño; comprobar la inconsciencia; pedir ayuda y colocar a la víctima; abrir la vía aérea; comprobar la respiración; ventilar; comprobar signos de circulación y/o pulso arterial central; masaje cardíaco; activar el sistema de emergencias, y comprobación de la eficacia de la reanimación. Los cambios más importantes en las nuevas recomendaciones son la relación masaje cardíaco:ventilación y el algoritmo de desobstrucción. A la población general se le enseñará una relación de 30 masajes:2 ventilaciones en lactantes, niños y adultos. El personal sanitario utilizará en el lactante y niño una relación masaje:ventilación de 15:2 ventilaciones, independientemente de que sean 1 o 2 reanimadores. Cuando sólo hay un reanimador éste puede utilizar una relación 30:2 para evitar la fatiga. En el algoritmo de desobstrucción de la vía aérea cuando el niño pierde la consciencia se actuará como si estuvieran en parada cardiorrespiratoria realizando masaje cardíaco (que servirá como maniobra de desobstrucción) y ventilación, comprobando cada 2 min la boca para ver si existe cuerpo extraño, la respiración y la presencia de signos vitales. Las maniobras de reanimación cardiopulmonar básica son fáciles de aprender y cualquier persona puede realizarlas con un entrenamiento adecuado. Por tanto, la reanimación cardiopulmonar básica debe ser enseñada a todos los ciudadanos

Basic life support (BLS) is the combination of maneuvers that identifies the child in cardiopulmonary arrest and initiates the substitution of respiratory and circulatory function, without the use of technical adjuncts, until the child can receive more advanced treatment. BLS includes a sequence of steps or maneuvers that should be performed sequentially: ensuring the safety of rescuer and child, assessing unconsciousness, calling for help, positioning the victim, opening the airway, assessing breathing, ventilating, assessing signs of circulation and/or central arterial pulse, performing chest compressions, activating the emergency medical service system, and checking the results of resuscitation. The most important changes in the new guidelines are the compression:ventilation ratio and the algorithm for relieving foreign body airway obstruction. A compression/ ventilation ratio of 30:2 will be recommended for lay rescuers of infants, children and adults. Health professionals will use a compression:ventilation ratio of 15:2 for infants and children. If the health professional is alone, he/she may also use a ratio of 30:2 to avoid fatigue. In the algorithm for relieving foreign body airway obstruction, when the child becomes unconscious, the maneuvers will be similar to the BLS sequence with chest compressions (functioning as a deobstruction procedure) and ventilation, with reassessment of the mouth every 2 min to check for a foreign body, and evaluation of breathing and the presence of vital signs. BLS maneuvers are easy to learn and can be performed by anyone with adequate training. Therefore, BLS should be taught to all citizens

[Characteristics and evolution of cardiopulmonary arrest in children in Spain: comparison between autonomous communities]. / Características y evolución de la parada cardiorrespiratoria infantil en España: comparación entre Comunidades Autónomas.

INTRODUCTION: In Spain there are many differences between autonomous regions in terms of geography, population distribution and health care organisation. We do not know if these differences could have influenced the characteristics and evolution of cardiopulmonary arrest in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A secondary analysis of data from a prospective, multicenter and previously published study, analysing cardiorespiratory arrest in children was made to compare the characteristics and evolution of cardiopulmonary arrest in children depending on the region where the arrest occurred. We studied 283 children aged between 7 days and 17 years who suffered respiratory or cardiopulmonary arrest. Data were recorded according to the international Utstein style recommendations. Patients were classified according to the autonomous region where the cardiac arrest occurred: Catalonia (94 cases), Andalusia (64 cases), Madrid (61 cases) and the rest of the regions (64 patients). A statistical analysis was performed to compare the characteristics of cardiac arrest, resuscitation, evolution and survival between the four groups. RESULTS: Sixty percent of patients initially survived the cardiac arrest episode and 33% (94 patients) were still alive one year later. No significant differences in the characteristics of arrest, resuscitation and evolution were found when the autonomous regions were compared. Even though the differences were not statistically significant, there was a tendency to less than expected survival in Andalusia and higher than expected survival in Catalonia. CONCLUSIONS: There are no important differences in the characteristics of pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest, resuscitation, evolution and survival between the autonomous regions in Spain. Additional studies are needed to analyze the hypothetical influence of health care organization and life support training on survival.

Características y evolución de la parada cardiorrespiratoria infantil en España: comparación entre Comunidades Autónomas / Characteristics and evolution of cardiopulmonary arrest in children in Spain: Comparison between Autonomous Communities

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Nutrición gástrica frente a nutrición intestinal en el niño crítico / Gastric nutrition versus intestinal nutrition in the critical child

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[Post-resuscitation stabilization and transportation]. / Estabilización posresucitación y transporte.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation does not end with restoration of spontaneous circulation; rather, it must be continued with the application of all the measures that allow organ function to be maintained. The initial goal of hemodynamic treatment is to achieve normal blood pressure for the patient's age by means of fluids and/or vasoactive drugs. The aim of respiratory treatment is to normalize ventilation and oxygenation without causing further lung injury, avoiding hyperoxia and hyperventilation as well as hypoxia and hypercapnia. Neurological stabilization aims to reduce secondary brain damage, by avoiding hypertension and hypotension, maintaining normal ventilation and oxygenation, and treating hyperglycemia, agitation and seizures. Although no specific studies in children are available, data from adults have shown that early moderate hypothermia attenuates brain damage secondary to cardiorespiratory arrest, without increasing complications. After the arrest, the need for analgesia and/or sedation must be considered. The process of transportation to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) requires the following steps: stabilizing the patient, checking for and stabilizing fractures and external wounds, ensuring a stable airway and intravenous lines, assessing the need for nasogastric and bladder tubes, taking blood samples for analyses, contacting the PICU and informing the staff about the child's condition, choosing the optimal vehicle for transportation according to the child's condition and the distance, checking pediatric equipment and medications, selecting experienced staff and, finally, maintaining close surveillance and monitoring during transportation.

[Use of activated factor VII in severe acute hemorrhage]. / Utilización del factor VII activado en hemorragias agudas graves.

Acute hemorrhage is a sometimes serious complication that may arise in patients admitted to the intensive care unit with coagulopathy. The usual therapy is transfusion of blood components: fresh frozen plasma, platelets, fibrinogen, red cell concentrate and vitamin K. Tolerance or response can sometimes be poor. We present three patients aged 18 months, 4.5 and 10 years who suffered an acute episode of severe, life-threatening hemorrhage in the course of meningococcal sepsis (gastric hemorrhage), myelomonocytic leukemia (during splenectomy) and in the postoperative period after cardiovascular surgery. Traditional therapy was ineffective and activated factor VII was administered at doses of 50-70 microg/kg, with rapid control of bleeding.

Utilización del factor VII activado en hemorragias agudas graves / Use of activated factor VII in severe acute hemorrhage

La hemorragia aguda es una complicación, en ocasiones grave, que puede presentarse en pacientes con coagulopatía, ingresados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos (UCIP). El tratamiento habitual es transfusión de hemoderivados: plasma fresco congelado, plaquetas, fibrinógeno, concentrado de hematíes y vitamina K, siendo a veces la tolerancia o la respuesta al mismo mala. Se presentan 3 pacientes con edades de 18 meses, 4,5 y 10 años que tuvieron un episodio agudo de hemorragia grave con compromiso vital en el curso de una sepsis meningocócica (hemorragia digestiva), leucemia mielomonocítica (durante la realización de esplenectomía) y postoperatorio de cirugía cardiovascular. Tras el fracaso del tratamiento convencional se administró factor VII activado a dosis entre 50-70 mg/kg con lo que se controló rápidamente la sintomatología de hemorragia

Acute hemorrhage is a sometimes serious complication that may arise in patients admitted to the intensive care unit with coagulopathy. The usual therapy is transfusion of blood components: fresh frozen plasma, platelets, fibrinogen, red cell concentrate and vitamin K. Tolerance or response can sometimes be poor. We present three patients aged 18 months, 4.5 and 10 years who suffered an acute episode of severe, life-threatening hemorrhage in the course of meningococcal sepsis (gastric hemorrhage), myelomonocytic leukemia (during splenectomy) and in the postoperative period after cardiovascular surgery. Traditional therapy was ineffective and activated factor VII was administered at doses of 50-70 mg/kg, with rapid control of bleedin

[Drowning in pediatric patients]. / Ahogamientos y casi ahogamientos en niños.

OBJECTIVE: Immersion accidents are still an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children. We performed a retrospective study to identify the prognostic factors associated with outcome in children who experience near-drowning, which could serve to guide decision-making. Our data were compared with other published data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of children treated for near-drowning in our hospital from January 1995 to April 2003 were reviewed. The data analyzed referred to the patient, the accident, the patient's clinical status in the emergency unit, the unit to which the patient was admitted, and outcome. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients were included. Of these, outcome was bad in 12 (death in seven and irreversible sequelae in five). Statistically significant predictors of bad prognosis were age > or = 4 years, female sex, immersion time > or = 5 min, cyanosis in the emergency room, cardiac arrest, apnea or severe distress, hypothermia (core temperature < 35 degrees C), metabolic acidosis (pH < or = 7.10) and neurologic damage (Glasgow coma Scale score 3; Conn C; nonreactive and mydriatic pupils) on arrival at the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Outcome is closely related to the patient's clinical status on arrival at the hospital. Although data that can serve as a guide to the final outcome of the nearly-drowned patient are available, early models to predict the final clinical results of each case, which could be used to guide initial resuscitation and subsequent treatment, are lacking.