Role of overnight oximetry in assessing the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea in typically developing children: a multicentre study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cardiorespiratory polygraphy (CRP) is the predominant technology used to diagnose obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in tertiary centres in the UK. Nocturnal pulse oximetry (NPO) is, however, cheaper and more accessible. This study evaluated the ability of NPO indices to predict OSA in typically developing (TD) children. METHODS: Indices from simultaneous NPO and CRP recordings were compared in TD children (aged 1-16 years) referred to evaluate OSA in three tertiary centres. OSA was defined as an obstructive apnoea-hypopnoea index (OAHI) ≥1 event/hour. Receiver operating characteristic curves assessed the diagnostic accuracy of NPO indices including ODI3 (3% Oxygen Desaturation Index, ODI4 (4% Oxygen Desaturation Index), delta 12 s index and minimum oxygen saturation. Two-by-two tables were generated to determine the sensitivities and specificities of whole number cut-off values for predicting OAHIs ≥1, 5 and 10 events/hour. RESULTS: Recordings from 322 TD children, 197 male (61.2%), median age 4.9 years (range 1.1-15.6), were reviewed. OAHI was ≥1/hour in 144 (44.7%), ≥5/hour in 61 (18.9%) and ≥10/hour in 28 (8.7%) cases. ODI3 and ODI4 had the best diagnostic accuracy. ODI3 ≥7/hour and ODI4 ≥4/hour predicted OSA in TD children with sensitivities/specificities of 57.6%/85.4% and 46.2%/91.6%, respectively. ODI3 ≥8/hour was the best predictor of OAHI ≥5/hour (sensitivity 82.0%, specificity 84.3%). CONCLUSION: Raised ODI3 and ODI4 predict OSA in TD children with high specificity but variable sensitivity. NPO may be an alternative to diagnose moderate-severe OSA if access to CRP is limited. Low sensitivities to detect mild OSA mean that confirmatory CRP is needed if NPO is normal.

Is aggressive intravenous fluid prescription the answer to reduce mortality in severe pancreatitis? The FLIP study: Fluid resuscitation in pancreatitis.

Backgrounds/Aims: Acute pancreatitis is an emergency presentation, which can range from mild to life threatening. Intravenous fluids are the cornerstone of management. Although the WATERFALL trial described the optimal fluid rate in mild/moderate pancreatitis, this trial excluded patients with moderate-severe/severe pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to establish clinical practice regarding intravenous fluid administration in acute pancreatitis and assess its effect on mortality. Methods: Prospective multi-centre audit of patients with acute pancreatitis was conducted. Data were collected regarding intravenous fluid administration within 72 hours of admission. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of 30-day mortality. Results: Those with severe pancreatitis received more fluid; median 5.7 L versus 4 L in 72 hours (p = 0.003). Participants with severe pancreatitis who died within 30 days received a median of 2,750 mL in the first 24 hours, compared to 4,000 mL in those who survived. The following factors were significant predictors of 30-day mortality: age, Glasgow score, C-reactive protein, ischaemic heart disease, and pancreatitis aetiology. Overall, volume of intravenous fluid was not associated with mortality. However, the effect of intravenous fluid volume on mortality differed significantly depending on pancreatitis severity. In severe pancreatitis, increased volume of intravenous fluid was associated with significant reductions in mortality (odds ratio = 0.655; 0.459-0.936; p = 0.020). Conclusions: In severe pancreatitis, more aggressive fluid prescription was associated with decreased mortality; however, this was not the case in milder disease. Further prospective trials guiding fluid resuscitation in severe pancreatitis are needed, as the impact of fluid on this population appears to differ from that in those with milder disease.