Bacterial Sepsis in Brazilian Children: A Trend Analysis from 1992 to 2006

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the epidemiology of hospitalized pediatric sepsis in Brazil (1992–2006) and to compare mortality caused by sepsis to that caused by other major childhood diseases. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We performed a retrospective descriptive study of hospital admissions using a government database of all hospital affiliated with the Brazilian health system. We studied all hospitalizations in children from 28 days through 19 years with diagnosis of bacterial sepsis defined by the criteria of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), (Appendix S1). Based on the data studied from 1992 through 2006, the pediatric hospital mortality rate was 1.23% and there were 556,073 pediatric admissions with bacterial sepsis with a mean mortality rate of 19.9%. There was a case reduction of 67% over.1992–2006 (p<0.001); however, the mortality rate remained unchanged (from 1992–1996, 20.5%; and from 2002–2006, 19.7%). Sepsis-hospital mortality rate was substantially higher than pneumonia (0.5%), HIV (3.3%), diarrhea (0.3%), undernutrition (2.3%), malaria (0.2%) and measles (0.7%). The human development index (HDI) and mortality rates (MR) by region were: North region 0.76 and 21.7%; Northeast region 0.72 and 27.1%; Central-West 0.81 and 23.5%; South region 0.83 and 12.2% and Southeast region 0.82 and 14.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that sepsis remains an important health problem in children in Brazil. The institution of universal primary care programs has been associated with substantially reduced sepsis incidence and therefore deaths; however, hospital mortality rates in children with sepsis remain unchanged. Implementation of additional health initiatives to reduce sepsis mortality in hospitalized patients could have great impact on childhood mortality rates in Brazil

Trombose venosa cerebral em uma criança com síndrome nefrótica

Nephrotic syndrome in infancy and childhood is known to be associated with a hypercoagulable state and thromboembolic complications, but cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CST) is a very rare and serious one, with only a few isolated reports in the literature. A case is presented of a 9-year-old boy with nephrotic syndrome that acutely developed signs and symptoms of intracranial hypertension syndrome. CST was diagnosed on cranial CT and MRI and he gradually recovered after treatment with anticoagulants. The diagnosis of CST should be considered in any patient with nephrotic syndrome who develops neurologic symptoms. The discussion of this case, coupled with a review of the literature, emphasizes that early diagnosis is essential for institution of anticoagulation therapy and a successful outcome. This report also illustrates the difficulties that may be encountered in managing such a patient.A síndrome nefrótica na criança é sabidamente associada a um estado de hipercoagulabilidade e complicações tromboembólicas, entretanto a trombose venosa cerebral (TVC) é uma complicação muito rara e grave, com poucos relatos na literatura. Relatamos o caso de um menino de 9 anos com síndrome nefrótica que agudamente desenvolveu sinais e sintomas de uma síndrome de hipertensão intracraniana. TVC foi diagnosticada através de CT e IRM de crânio e o paciente gradualmente se recuperou após o tratamento com anticoagulantes. O diagnóstico de TVC deve ser considerado em qualquer paciente com síndrome nefrótica que desenvolva sintomas neurológicos. A discussão deste caso, associada à revisão da literatura, enfatiza que o diagnóstico precoce é essencial para instituição da terapia anticoagulante e para o bom prognóstico. Este relato também ilustra a dificuldade em manejar este tipo de paciente.Federal University of São PauloFederal University of São Paulo Department of PediatricsFederal University of São Paulo Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryUNIFESP, Department of PediatricsUNIFESP, Department of Neurology and NeurosurgerySciEL

Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis in a nephrotic child

Nephrotic syndrome in infancy and childhood is known to be associated with a hypercoagulable state and thromboembolic complications, but cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CST) is a very rare and serious one, with only a few isolated reports in the literature. A case is presented of a 9-year-old boy with nephrotic syndrome that acutely developed signs and symptoms of intracranial hypertension syndrome. CST was diagnosed on cranial CT and MRI and he gradually recovered after treatment with anticoagulants. The diagnosis of CST should be considered in any patient with nephrotic syndrome who develops neurologic symptoms. The discussion of this case, coupled with a review of the literature, emphasizes that early diagnosis is essential for institution of anticoagulation therapy and a successful outcome. This report also illustrates the difficulties that may be encountered in managing such a patient