Pediatrics
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Inhaled nitric oxide and hypoxic respiratory failure in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The Neonatal Inhaled Nitric Oxide Study Group (NINOS).
We designed and conducted a randomized, double-masked, controlled multicenter study to determine whether inhaled nitric oxide (INO) in term and near-term infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) would reduce the occurrence of death and/or the initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ⋯ Although the immediate short-term improvements in oxygenation seen in some treated infants may be of benefit in stabilizing responding infants for transport and initiation of ECMO, we conclude that for term and near-term infants with CDH and hypoxemic respiratory failure unresponsive to conventional therapy, inhaled NO therapy as used in this trial did not reduce the need for ECMO or death.
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Child abuse occurs in 1% of children in the United States every year; 10% of the traumatic injuries suffered by children under 5 years old are nonaccidental, and 5% to 20% of these nonaccidental injuries are lethal. Rapid characterization of the injury as nonaccidental is of considerable benefit to child protection workers and police investigators seeking to safeguard the child care environment and apprehend and prosecute those who have committed the crime of child abuse. Physically abused children present with a variety of well-described injuries that are usually easily identifiable. In some cases, however, particularly those involving children with the shaken baby syndrome, obvious signs of physical injury may not exist. Although external signs of such an injury are infrequent, the rapid acceleration-deceleration forces involved often cause subdural hematomas and retinal hemorrhages, hallmarks of the syndrome. Frequently, retinal hemorrhages may be the only presenting sign that child abuse has occurred. Complicating the interpretation of the finding of retinal hemorrhages is the belief by some physicians that retinal hemorrhages may be the result of chest compressions given during resuscitative efforts. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of retinal hemorrhages after inpatient cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in pediatric patients hospitalized for nontraumatic illnesses in an intensive care unit. ⋯ Retinal hemorrhages are rarely found after chest compressions in pediatric patients with nontraumatic illnesses, and those retinal hemorrhages that are found appear to be different from the hemorrhages found in the shaken baby syndrome. Despite the small number of patients in this prospective study, we believe that these data support the idea that chest compressions do not result in retinal hemorrhages in children with a normal coagulation profile and platelet count. A larger number of patients should be evaluated in a prospective multi-institutional study to achieve statistical significance
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To describe parents' opinions and concerns about antibiotics and to contrast these opinions with those of pediatricians. ⋯ Both the parent and the physician surveys suggest that parents are concerned about the overuse of antibiotics, but often request them when their physicians believe they are unnecessary. Parents often administer antibiotics without physician knowledge, and many parents have misconceptions about which illnesses warrant antibiotic therapy. Understanding parents' concerns and beliefs about antibiotics and the range of physician practice styles with respect to antibiotics may direct the development of intervention strategies to reduce the inappropriate use of oral antibiotics.