Current opinion in pediatrics
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Curr. Opin. Pediatr. · Apr 2007
ReviewSafety and effectiveness of permissive hypercapnia in the preterm infant.
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia continues to be an important cause of morbidity in premature infants who require mechanical ventilation. Management strategies have historically focused on normalizing blood gases but new research suggests that a higher PCO2 level may be well tolerated in premature infants. There are physiologic rationale and recent experimental data to support the potential benefits of permissive hypercapnia. ⋯ Permissive hypercapnia appears as a safe and effective management strategy to decrease morbidity from bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants. Although the preliminary results are promising, further research is needed to determine whether this strategy improves pulmonary outcomes without adverse effects.
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Pandemic influenza is inevitable, will have significant impact on the population and will challenge healthcare delivery. Planning for an influenza pandemic will improve the ability of healthcare facilities to respond successfully. ⋯ The goal of this review is to provide a framework for healthcare facility pandemic influenza planning.
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Over the past four decades, outcomes for patients with cystic fibrosis have improved dramatically. Major contributors to this improvement are a better understanding of disease pathogenesis and the systematic conduct of clinical trials evaluating new therapies designed to address these defects. This review describes recent developments in cystic fibrosis pulmonary therapies intended to treat various facets of the disease, including several treatments currently in development. ⋯ Recent advances in therapies for cystic fibrosis offer the promise of improved outcomes and longer lives for patients with cystic fibrosis.
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Curr. Opin. Pediatr. · Aug 2006
ReviewTattoos: a review of tattoo practices and potential treatment options for removal.
The purpose of this review is to present an overview of tattoo practices, complications and treatment options relevant to the pediatric population. ⋯ As the popularity of tattooing continues to rise, so do the potential complications and adverse effects. Treatment options for tattoos are well described and must be individualized to each patient. Lasers continue to be a reliable and efficacious tool in treating amateur, professional, cosmetic and traumatic tattoos.
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Curr. Opin. Pediatr. · Aug 2006
ReviewKeloids and scars: a review of keloids and scars, their pathogenesis, risk factors, and management.
The precise mechanisms of normal and abnormal scar formation have long remained a mystery despite the extensive literature regarding wound healing. Only recently have researchers begun to delineate the complex biochemical signaling pathways that regulate these processes. This article reviews basic wound healing, while focusing on medicine's latest understanding of the development and treatment of keloids and hypertrophic scars. ⋯ Understanding the exact process of normal and abnormal scar formation will help define better ways to successfully manage and potentially prevent abnormal healing like hypertrophic scars and keloids.