IMPORTANCE An intraoperative higher level of positive end-expiratory positive pressure (PEEP) with alveolar recruitment maneuvers improves respiratory function in obese patients undergoing surgery, but the effect on clinical outcomes is uncertain. OBJECTIVE To determine whether a higher level of PEEP with alveolar recruitment maneuvers decreases postoperative pulmonary complications in obese patients undergoing surgery compared with a lower level of PEEP. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Randomized clinical trial of 2013 adults with body mass indices of 35 or greater and substantial risk for postoperative pulmonary complications who were undergoing noncardiac, nonneurological surgery under general anesthesia. The trial was conducted at 77 sites in 23 countries from July 2014-February 2018; final follow-up: May 2018. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to the high level of PEEP group (n = 989), consisting of a PEEP level of 12 cm H 2 O with alveolar recruitment maneuvers (a stepwise increase of tidal volume and eventually PEEP) or to the low level of PEEP group (n = 987), consisting of a PEEP level of 4 cm H 2 O. All patients received volume-controlled ventilation with a tidal volume of 7 mL/kg of predicted body weight. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was a composite of pulmonary complications within the first 5 postoperative days, including respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, bronchospasm, new pulmonary infiltrates, pulmonary infection, aspiration pneumonitis, pleural effusion, atelectasis, cardiopulmonary edema, and pneumothorax. Among the 9 prespecified secondary outcomes, 3 were intraoperative complications, including hypoxemia (oxygen desaturation with SpO 2 Յ92% for >1 minute). RESULTS Among 2013 adults who were randomized, 1976 (98.2%) completed the trial (mean age, 48.8 years; 1381 [69.9%] women; 1778 [90.1%] underwent abdominal operations). In the intention-to-treat analysis, the primary outcome occurred in 211 of 989 patients (21.3%) in the high level of PEEP group compared with 233 of 987 patients (23.6%) in the low level of PEEP group (difference, −2.3% [95% CI, −5.9% to 1.4%]; risk ratio, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.83 to 1.04]; P = .23). Among the 9 prespecified secondary outcomes, 6 were not significantly different between the high and low level of PEEP groups, and 3 were significantly different, including fewer patients with hypoxemia (5.0% in the high level of PEEP group vs 13.6% in the low level of PEEP group; difference, −8.6% [95% CI, −11.1% to 6.1%]; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among obese patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia, an intraoperative mechanical ventilation strategy with a higher level of PEEP and alveolar recruitment maneuvers, compared with a strategy with a lower level of PEEP, did not reduce postoperative pulmonary complications.

Objective: To present an up-to-date and critical review regarding food allergies, focusing mainly on treatment and prevention. Sources:Review of published literature searched on MEDLINE database; those data which were the most up-to-date and representative were selected (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006). The search included the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Summary of the findings:The prevalence of allergic diseases has increased over the last decades, and food allergy seems to be part of this increase. Food allergy is much more common in pediatrics and has a significant medical, financial and social impact on young children and their families. Treatment and prevention of food allergy is a major challenge for public health, scientific and medical communities. There is a lot of misinformation and the medical management of this condition is still discussable. We present and discuss the guidelines regarding criteria for the prevention of food allergy and atopic diseases published by the Nutrition Committees of ESPGHAN jointly with the European Society for Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology (ESPACI) and AAP. Conclusion:The overdiagnosis of food allergy is quite prevalent. There is a need for standardization of definitions and diagnostic procedures. The primary goal of therapy should be to first establish effective means of preventing food allergies. There is a need for accurate diagnostic methods to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. Patients need appropriate treatment by eliminating foods that cause symptoms, while avoiding the nutritional side effects and the cost of inappropriate diets.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2007;83(1):7-20: Food allergy, IgE-mediated allergy, non-IgE-mediated allergy, cell-mediated allergy, prevention, treatment.

Background Undernutrition is a common problem among children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and may lead to poorer surgical outcomes. A higher intake of energy during the postoperative period of CHD surgery seems to be associated with better outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the use of energy‐enriched formula (EE‐formula) compared with normocaloric formula during 30 days after CHD surgery. Methods A randomized controlled trial with patients undergoing heart surgery in a tertiary hospital in southern Brazil from March 2017 to December 2017 was performed. The intervention group received EE‐formula (1 kcal/mL), and the control group received normocaloric formula (0.67 kcal/mL). The researcher in charge of anthropometric evaluation was blinded to the randomization. Results Fifty‐nine patients were included; 30 in control group and 29 in intervention group. There were no statistically significant differences between groups regarding age, gender, anthropometry, and surgical risk classification after randomization. A statistically significant difference in z‐score of weight for age and in weight gain variation rate between groups after intervention was observed. Antibiotic use was less frequent in the intervention group, and hospital length of stay was shorter. General gastrointestinal side effects were similar between groups, whereas diarrhea was more frequent in the intervention group. However, this side effect was limited and had spontaneous resolution in 4 out of 6 cases. Conclusion This study demonstrates that EE‐formula use after heart surgery of patients with CHD is well tolerated and may improve short‐term nutrition outcome, decrease hospital stay, and reduce antibiotic use.

ResumoObjetivo: Analisar a idade na cirurgia de crianças com atresia biliar e a sobrevida sem necessidade de transplante de fígado. O estudo foi realizado no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. of cases, the age was below 60 days. There was no age difference at diagnosis for the three decades in the study. Patients from the countryside (median: 87.0; IQR25-75: 69.0-115.0 days) were referred significantly later (p = 0.007) than those living in Porto Alegre and the metropolitan area (median: 68.0; IQR25-75: 55.5-98.0 days). The ratio of patients younger than 60 days was significantly lower (p = 0.013) for those from the countryside. Survival periods with native liver for all patients was 46.2% in 2 years, falling continuously until reaching 15.3% in 20 years. Patients operated before reaching 60 days of age had longer survival periods with native livers (log rank < 0.0001). MétodosConclusions: Late performance of portoenterostomy was a constant in the past 25 years, and this delay led to shorter survival periods with native livers for biliary atresia patients.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2008;84(5):436-441: Biliary atresia, neonatal cholestasis, surgery, prognosis, survival. IntroduçãoA atresia biliar (AB) é a doença hepática crônica que mais freqüentemente afeta as crianças e é a causa mais comum de colestase neonatal. Sua etiologia permanece desconhecida e provavelmente resulta de um processo heterogêneo em que o insulto inicial, seja infeccioso, isquêmico ou tóxico, precipita a destruição inflamatória progressiva dos ductos biliares nos pacientes geneticamente suscetíveis 1 . A AB tem distribuição universal, e estima-se que afeta 1 em cada 5.000 a