Stories Category: PICU
Higher levels of tau protein found in children with early onset psychosis
New research shows that levels of a certain type of the Alzheimer's disease-related tau protein are higher in patients aged 18 years and under suffering early onset psychosis (EOP).... read more
Oral Antibiotics Preferred for Pediatric Pneumonia
Children with complicated pneumonia should be discharged from the hospital with oral instead of intravenous (IV) antibiotics when possible, according to a new study. The results showed no significant differences in treatment... read more
Severe AKI in Young ICU Patients Predicts Higher Mortality
Acute kidney injury (AKI) among critically ill children and young adults is common and is associated with higher mortality risk and other poor outcomes The condition also is associated with greater use of renal-replacement... read more
National Variation in the Use of Tracheostomy in Children Undergoing Congenital Heart Surgery
Variation in the usage of tracheostomy in infants and children undergoing congenital heart surgery exists across the country. High-tracheostomy centers had lower hospital charges. Late tracheostomy placement, higher congenital... read more
A Better Way to Detect Sepsis in Kids in the ED
We have been interested in this question for a long time here at CHOP and have done several interventions over the past several years to try to improve our ability to recognize children with septic shock. When we started... read more
Tenfold increase in childhood and adolescent obesity in four decades
The number of obese children and adolescents (aged five to 19 years) worldwide has risen tenfold in the past four decades. If current trends continue, more children and adolescents will be obese than moderately or severely... read more
Rapid genetic testing useful for diagnosis of critically ill children
In a cohort of children under the age of 12 months admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) without a clear diagnosis, rapid, targeted genetic testing revealed a diagnosis in about one-third of patients. Genetic diagnoses... read more
Non-medical Pediatric Supplies for Puerto Rico
Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) set up a special Amazon account for non-medical supplies, such as diapers, baby clothing, hand sanitizer and other items, that have run out in pediatric intensive care units. Items... read more
Hypertension and Prehypertension Underdiagnosed, Undertreated in U.S. Children
Hypertension and prehypertension in children often go undiagnosed, according to a new study published in Pediatrics. The study focused on children with abnormal blood pressures across the United States.... read more
Patient Safety Collaborative Impact on Hospital-Acquired Harm
Improving patient safety often involves multifaceted interventions intended to change complex workflows. This prospective cohort study examined whether a collaborative improvement initiative across 33 pediatric hospitals... read more
Causes for Pauses During Simulated Pediatric Cardiac Arrest
Pauses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation occurred frequently during simulated pediatric cardiac arrest, with variable duration and underlying causes. A large percentage of pauses were greater than 10 seconds and occurred more... read more
Most pediatric ICU physicians don’t use current guidelines to diagnose acute kidney injury
A study by University at Buffalo researchers has shown that physicians in pediatric intensive care units are not using the newest guidelines to diagnose acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill children, a practice that... read more
Moral Distress in PICU and Neonatal ICU Practitioners
In this single-center, cross-sectional study, we found that moral distress is present in PICU and neonatal ICU health practitioners and is correlated with burnout, uncertainty, and feeling unsupported. The main outcome was... read more
Impact of PICU Admission on Family Financial Status
A child's pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission may have wide-ranging family implications. We assessed nonmedical out-of-pocket expenses (NMOOPEs) and disruptions in work and normal life for parents with a child... read more
