Evaluation of nutritional status in pediatric intensive care unit patients: the results of a multicenter, prospective study in Turkey

IntroductionMalnutrition is defined as a pathological condition arising from deficient or imbalanced intake of nutritional elements. Factors such as increasing metabolic demands during the disease course in the hospitalized patients and inadequate calorie intake increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to evaluate nutritional status of patients admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Turkey, examine the effect of nutrition on the treatment process and draw attention to the need for regulating nutritional support of patients while continuing existing therapies.Material and MethodIn this prospective multicenter study, the data was collected over a period of one month from PICUs participating in the PICU Nutrition Study Group in Turkey. Anthropometric data of the patients, calorie intake, 90-day mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay and length of stay in intensive care unit were recorded and the relationship between these parameters was examined.ResultsOf the 614 patients included in the study, malnutrition was detected in 45.4% of the patients. Enteral feeding was initiated in 40.6% (n = 249) of the patients at day one upon admission to the intensive care unit. In the first 48 h, 86.82% (n = 533) of the patients achieved the target calorie intake, and 81.65% (n = 307) of the 376 patients remaining in the intensive care unit achieved the target calorie intake at the end of one week. The risk of mortality decreased with increasing upper mid-arm circumference and triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.871/0.894; p = 0.027/0.024). The risk of mortality was 2.723 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h (p = 0.006) and the risk was 3.829 times higher in patients who did not achieve the target calorie intake at the end of one week (p = 0.001). The risk of mortality decreased with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score (OR = 0.894; p = 0.024).ConclusionTimely and appropriate nutritional support in critically ill patients favorably affects the clinical course. The results of the present study suggest that mortality rate is higher in patients who fail to achieve the target calorie intake at first 48 h and day seven of admission to the intensive care unit. The risk of mortality decreases with increasing triceps skin fold thickness Z-score

Retrospective Analysis of Cases with Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate treatment approaches towards Guillain-Barré syndrome and treatment response in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients aged between 1 month and 18 years who were admitted to our pediatric intensive care unit between January 2006 and January 2016 with the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome. Results: A total of 27 patients (10 girls; 37%) were included in this study. The mean age of the patients was 6.24 years (IQR: 4.07-10.03). Nine patients (33.3%) had a Hughes functional grading scale score of 3, 16 (59.3%) had 3 and 2 (7.4%) had 5. Electrophysiological studies were performed in 22 cases (81.4%) and acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy was detected in 10 cases (45.5%), acute motor axonal neuropathy in 9 cases (40.9%), and acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy in 1 case (4.5%). Two (9.1%) patients were evaluated as normal. All the patients were administered intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). In 12 (52.17%) patients, plasmapheresis was performed for a median of 8 sessions (5-9) before IVIG. Mechanical ventilation was required in 6 patients (22.2%) and was performed for a median of 24 days (5-41). The mean period of time of the first supported sitting was 6 (3-10) days and the mean period of time of the first walking with aid was 9 (7-15) days. Conclusion: Although there have been studies claiming that plasmapheresis was more successful, it has been generally accepted that plasmapheresis and IVIG have the same efficacy. Under the conditions of our country, we believe that both plasmapheresis and IVIG can be safely used at experienced units in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome who need intensive care treatment

A Case of Severe Spontaneous Pneumomediastinum in Acquired Immunosuppressed Child with Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Human Bocavirus Co-infection

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is an uncommon, benign, and self-limiting disease based on the presence of free air in the mediastinal cavity. It can occur after a forced Valsalva’s maneuver due to a cough, emesis or during an asthma exacerbation. We present a 4-month-old girl infant with an autoimmune hemolytic anemia and lymphopenia, who was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit due to respiratory distress. A suspected pneumomediastinum image on chest X-ray was documented by the chest tomography. A polymerase chain reaction of the nasopharyngeal secretions was positive for a respiratory syncytial virus and human bocavirus. Additionally, she was examined for an immune deficiency due to her lymphopenia. The patient required mechanical ventilatory support for 26 days. She was treated with antibiotics, antiviral, and antifungal agents and corticosteroids. Intravenous immunoglobulin, trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, and fluconazole prophylaxis were continued because of the ongoing lymphopenia. At the end of five weeks, the patient was discharged with a normal lymphocyte count and without any respiratory distress. In immunosuppressed patients, respiratory diseases may be severe and long. Therefore, complications including pneumomediastinum can be seen more frequently in this group of patients

Very Rare and Life-Threatening Complications of Bocavirus Bronchiolitis: Pneumomediastinum and Bilateral Pneumothorax

Human bocavirus (HBoV), that was first identified in 2005 and classified in Parvoviridae family, is a small, non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA virus, responsible for upper and lower respiratory tract infections, especially in young children. Although HBoV generally causes self-limited influenza-like illness, it may also lead to pneumonia, bronchiolitis, croup and asthma attacks. In this report, a case of acute bronchiolitis complicated with pneumomediastinum and bilateral pneumothorax caused by HBoV has been presented. A three-year-old boy was referred to our pediatric intensive care unit with a two day history of fever, tachypnea, hypoxia and respiratory failure. On auscultation, there were widespread expiratory wheezing and inspiratory crackles. The chest radiography yielded paracardiac infiltration and air trapping on the right lung and infiltration on the left lung. The patient had leukocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein level. On the second day of admission, respiratory distress worsened and chest radiography revealed right pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema in bilateral cervical region and left chest wall. He was intubated because of respiratory failure. In the thorax computed tomography, pneumomediastinum and bilateral pneumothorax were detected and right chest tube was inserted. Repetitive blood and tracheal aspirate cultures were negative. A nasopharyngeal swab sample was analyzed by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction method with the use of viral respiratory panel (FTD (R) Respiratory Pathogens 21 Kit, Fast-Track Diagnostics), and positive result was detected for only HBoV. On the ninth day of admission, pneumomediastinum and bilateral pneumothorax improved completely and he was discharged with cure. In conclusion, HBoV bronchiolitis may progress rare but severe complications, it should be kept in mind as an etiological agent of the respiratory tract infections especially children younger than five years old

Very Rare and Life-Threatening Complications of Bocavirus Bronchiolitis: Pneumomediastinum and Bilateral Pneumothorax

Human bocavirus (HBoV), that was first identified in 2005 and classified in Parvoviridae family, is a small, non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA virus, responsible for upper and lower respiratory tract infections, especially in young children. Although HBoV generally causes self-limited influenza-like illness, it may also lead to pneumonia, bronchiolitis, croup and asthma attacks. In this report, a case of acute bronchiolitis complicated with pneumomediastinum and bilateral pneumothorax caused by HBoV has been presented. A three-year-old boy was referred to our pediatric intensive care unit with a two day history of fever, tachypnea, hypoxia and respiratory failure. On auscultation, there were widespread expiratory wheezing and inspiratory crackles. The chest radiography yielded paracardiac infiltration and air trapping on the right lung and infiltration on the left lung. The patient had leukocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein level. On the second day of admission, respiratory distress worsened and chest radiography revealed right pneumothorax and subcutaneous emphysema in bilateral cervical region and left chest wall. He was intubated because of respiratory failure. In the thorax computed tomography, pneumomediastinum and bilateral pneumothorax were detected and right chest tube was inserted. Repetitive blood and tracheal aspirate cultures were negative. A nasopharyngeal swab sample was analyzed by multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction method with the use of viral respiratory panel (FTD (R) Respiratory Pathogens 21 Kit, Fast-Track Diagnostics), and positive result was detected for only HBoV. On the ninth day of admission, pneumomediastinum and bilateral pneumothorax improved completely and he was discharged with cure. In conclusion, HBoV bronchiolitis may progress rare but severe complications, it should be kept in mind as an etiological agent of the respiratory tract infections especially children younger than five years old

A Case of Fulminant Wilson's Disease Complicated with Citrate Toxicity

When Wilson's disease is accompanied with severe acute liver failure, it is named as fulminant Wilson's disease, which is a life-threatening condition. With the widespread use of rapid diagnostic facilities and therapeutic plasma exchange in preparation of transplantation as well as the correct use of similar bridge treatments, mortality rate can be lowered. A 14-year-old female patient presented with hemolytic anemia. Based on the preliminary diagnosis, her indirect hyperbilirubinemia was treated with plasmapheresis until she was definitely diagnosed with Wilson's disease; she soon died due to severe hemorrhagic complications. We are presenting our case to highlight that bridge therapies may be unsuccessful because of rapidly developing clinical manifestations despite plasmapheresis; and as well to remind, transfusions may cause citrate toxicity as in this patient

A Rare Case of Tacharhytmia Presenting with Cardiomyopathy: Permanent Junctional Reciprocating Tachycardia

Permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia is a rare type of supraventricular tachycardia. Incessant tachycardia may result in dilated cardiomyopathy and the patients may have a diagnosis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. A 53-day-old female infant was brought to the hospital with sweating, rapid breathing, and rapid heartbeat. She was admitted to the intensive care unit with a suspicion of myocarditis. Electrocardiography showed a heart rate of 220/min consistent with narrow QRS complex tachycardia and negative p waves in inferior leads (II, III, and aVF). Medical treatment provided control of the tachycardia episode. In this report, we conclude that patients with a diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy should be thoroughly investigated in terms of reversible arrhythmia causes