Pediatr Crit Care Me
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Aug 2016
ReviewNutrition and Mesenteric Issues in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care.
The objectives of this review are to discuss the challenges of delivering adequate nutrition to children with congenital heart disease, including pre- and postoperative factors and the role of enteral and parenteral nutrition, as well as the evidence supporting current practices. ⋯ Providing adequate nutritional support is paramount for critically ill infants with congenital heart disease, a population at particular risk for malnutrition. Improved nutritional support has been associated with increased survival and reduction in overall morbidity. Further gains can be achieved by creating a clinical culture that emphasizes optimal perioperative nutritional support. Additional research is required to identify the specific nutrient composition, optimal mode, and timing of delivery to maximize clinical benefit.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Aug 2016
ReviewOutcomes Analysis and Quality Improvement in Children With Congenital and Acquired Cardiovascular Disease.
In this review, the current state of outcomes analysis and quality improvement in children with acquired and congenital cardiovascular disease will be discussed, with an emphasis on defining and measuring outcomes and quality in pediatric cardiac critical care medicine and risk stratification systems. ⋯ : Measuring quality and outcomes in the pediatric cardiac critical care environment is challenging owing to many inherent obstacles, including a diverse patient mix, difficulty in determining how the care of the ICU team contributes to outcomes, and the lack of an adequate risk-adjustment method for pediatric cardiac critical care patients. Despite these barriers, new solutions are emerging that capitalize on lessons learned from other quality improvement initiatives, providing opportunities to build upon previous successes.
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In this review, we discuss the physiology, pathophysiology, and clinical role of troponin, lactate, and B-type natriuretic peptide in the assessment and management of children with critical cardiac disease. ⋯ Lactate, troponin, and B-type natriuretic peptide continue to be valuable biomarkers in the assessment and management of critically ill children with cardiac disease. However, the use of these markers as a single measurement is handicapped by the wide variety of clinical scenarios in which they may be increased. The overall trend may be more useful than any single level with a persistent or rising value of more importance than an elevated initial value.
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Pediatr Crit Care Me · Aug 2016
Comparative StudyComparison of Intraoperative Aminophylline Versus Furosemide in Treatment of Oliguria During Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.
To determine if intraoperative aminophylline was superior to furosemide to prevent or attenuate postoperative cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury. ⋯ The intraoperative use of aminophylline was more effective than furosemide in reversal of oliguria in the early postoperative period. There were less renal replacement therapy-requiring acute kidney injury in children in the aminophylline group. Future prospective studies of intraoperative aminophylline to prevent cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury may be warranted.
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The objective of this article is to review the particular tendencies as well as specific concerns of bleeding and clotting in children with critical cardiac disease. ⋯ Children with critical heart disease are at particular risk for bleeding and clotting secondary to intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors. We hope that this review will aid the clinician in managing the unique challenges of bleeding and clotting in this patient population, and serve as a springboard for much needed research in this area.