Pediatr Crit Care Me
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    Pediatr Crit Care Me · Mar 2013 Multicenter Study Comparative StudyClinical outcomes of children receiving intensive cardiopulmonary support during hematopoietic stem cell transplant.We investigated the short-term and 1-year clinical outcomes of 129 children who received intensive cardiopulmonary support during hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Intensive cardiopulmonary support was defined as receiving at least one of the following interventions: continuous positive pressure ventilation, dopamine infusion greater than or equal to 10 mcg/kg/minute, or the use of any other vasoactive infusion. Duration of intensive cardiopulmonary support, survival to hospital discharge, and predictors of these outcome variables were compared with 387 hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients who did not receive intensive support during the same period. We also report the 1-year survival; presence of chronic graft-versus-host disease; and renal, cardiac, and pulmonary function for all patients. ⋯ Intensive cardiopulmonary support plays an important and potentially life-saving role in the care of pediatric stem cell transplant patients. Survivors of intensive support do not have compromised 1-year survival or organ function compared with children who did not receive intensive support. 
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    Pediatr Crit Care Me · Mar 2013 Alteplase use for malfunctioning central venous catheters correlates with catheter-associated bloodstream infections.A catheter thrombosis and the presence of a catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CBSI) often occur simultaneously, but it is unclear if or to what degree the two complications relate. Several animal and adult studies indicate a relationship between fibrin sheaths and thrombi in the development of CBSIs. To date, there has been limited human investigation in the pediatric population to determine a clear link between the presence of a thrombus and bacteremia. The use of alteplase for malfunctioning central venous catheter may indicate the formation of intraluminal thrombus or fibrin sheath. A catheter that requires alteplase is at higher risk of a CBSI. ⋯ There is a positive correlation between the use of alteplase for malfunctioning central venous catheters and the development of a CASBI. This is likely associated with the presence of an intraluminal fibrin sheath or thrombus. This study adds evidence linking thrombus formation to CBSI. 
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    Pediatr Crit Care Me · Mar 2013 Clinical TrialSerum biomarkers of MRI brain injury in neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy treated with whole-body hypothermia: a pilot study.To determine if candidate biomarkers, ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal esterase L1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein, are elevated in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy who die or have severe MRI injury compared with surviving infants with minimal or no injury on brain MRI. ⋯ This preliminary data support further studies to evaluate ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal esterase L1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein as immediate biomarkers of cerebral injury severity in newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.