Total and Fractionated Bilirubin during the First Week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background. Fractionated bilirubin requires more blood (0.6 ml) than total bilirubin alone (0.2 ml). Our focus during the first week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is on prevention of Bilirubin Induced Neurologic Dysfunction and kernicterus, which do not require fractionation. We wanted to determine the benefit of knowing fractionated bilirubin in the first week. Methods. In this retrospective study, data were obtained from the first week for 1202 NICU inborn admissions. Results. Direct bilirubin was more than 2.0 mg/dl in only six infants (0.6%). Five had multisystem injury from hypoxic ischemic events. One also had congenital cytomegalovirus and another had a postoperative liver hematoma. Weekly multichem profiles would have detected these abnormalities. No specific therapy was initiated for any of these infants. Conclusions. Converting to total bilirubin alone would not alter treatment, but could reduce iatrogenic blood loss by 2.4 ml per infant

Synthesis of macrocyclic receptors with intrinsic fluorescence featuring quinizarin moieties

An unprecedented class of macrocycles with intrinsic fluorescence consisting of phenolic trimers and quinizarin is developed. Though they are lacking strong hydrogen bonds as observed in calixarenes, the two examples introduced here each adopt a vase-like conformation with all four aromatic units pointing in one direction (syn orientation). This “cone” conformation has been confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, molecular modeling, and X-ray crystallography. The laminar, electron-rich fluorophore as part of the macrocycle allows additional contacts to enclosed guest molecules

A Near Real-Time Risk Analytics Algorithm Predicts Elevated Lactate Levels in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care Patients.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pediatric congenital heart patients are predisposed to develop low-cardiac output syndrome. Serum lactate (lactic acid [LA]) is a well-defined marker of inadequate systemic oxygen delivery. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that a near real-time risk index calculated by a noninvasive predictive analytics algorithm predicts elevated LA in pediatric patients admitted to a cardiac ICU (CICU). DERIVATION COHORT: Ten tertiary CICUs in the United States and Pakistan. VALIDATION COHORT: Retrospective observational study performed to validate a hyperlactatemia (HLA) index using T3 platform data (Etiometry, Boston, MA) from pediatric patients less than or equal to 12 years of age admitted to CICU (n = 3,496) from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. Patients lacking required data for module or LA measurements were excluded. PREDICTION MODEL: Physiologic algorithm used to calculate an HLA index that incorporates physiologic data from patients in a CICU. The algorithm uses Bayes theorem to interpret newly acquired data in a near real-time manner given its own previous assessment of the physiologic state of the patient. RESULTS: A total of 58,168 LA measurements were obtained from 3,496 patients included in a validation dataset. HLA was defined as LA level greater than 4 mmol/L. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis and a complete dataset, the HLA index predicted HLA with high sensitivity and specificity (area under the curve 0.95). As the index value increased, the likelihood of having higher LA increased (p < 0.01). In the validation dataset, the relative risk of having LA greater than 4 mmol/L when the HLA index is less than 1 is 0.07 (95% CI: 0.06-0.08), and the relative risk of having LA less than 4 mmol/L when the HLA index greater than 99 is 0.13 (95% CI, 0.12-0.14). CONCLUSIONS: These results validate the capacity of the HLA index. This novel index can provide a noninvasive prediction of elevated LA. The HLA index showed strong positive association with elevated LA levels, potentially providing bedside clinicians with an early, noninvasive warning of impaired cardiac output and oxygen delivery. Prospective studies are required to analyze the effect of this index on clinical decision-making and outcomes in pediatric population

A near real-time risk analytics algorithm predicts elevated lactate levels in pediatric cardiac critical care patients

Background: Postoperative pediatric congenital heart patients are predisposed to develop low-cardiac output syndrome. Serum lactate (lactic acid [LA]) is a well-defined marker of inadequate systemic oxygen delivery.Objectives: We hypothesized that a near real-time risk index calculated by a noninvasive predictive analytics algorithm predicts elevated LA in pediatric patients admitted to a cardiac ICU (CICU).Derivation cohort: Ten tertiary CICUs in the United States and Pakistan.Validation cohort: Retrospective observational study performed to validate a hyperlactatemia (HLA) index using T3 platform data (Etiometry, Boston, MA) from pediatric patients less than or equal to 12 years of age admitted to CICU (n = 3,496) from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. Patients lacking required data for module or LA measurements were excluded.Prediction model: Physiologic algorithm used to calculate an HLA index that incorporates physiologic data from patients in a CICU. The algorithm uses Bayes\u27 theorem to interpret newly acquired data in a near real-time manner given its own previous assessment of the physiologic state of the patient.Results: A total of 58,168 LA measurements were obtained from 3,496 patients included in a validation dataset. HLA was defined as LA level greater than 4 mmol/L. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis and a complete dataset, the HLA index predicted HLA with high sensitivity and specificity (area under the curve 0.95). As the index value increased, the likelihood of having higher LA increased (p \u3c 0.01). In the validation dataset, the relative risk of having LA greater than 4 mmol/L when the HLA index is less than 1 is 0.07 (95% CI: 0.06-0.08), and the relative risk of having LA less than 4 mmol/L when the HLA index greater than 99 is 0.13 (95% CI, 0.12-0.14).Conclusions: These results validate the capacity of the HLA index. This novel index can provide a noninvasive prediction of elevated LA. The HLA index showed strong positive association with elevated LA levels, potentially providing bedside clinicians with an early, noninvasive warning of impaired cardiac output and oxygen delivery. Prospective studies are required to analyze the effect of this index on clinical decision-making and outcomes in pediatric population