Pain prevention in term neonates: randomised trial for three methods Introduction: Every newborn infant is screened for hypothyroidism and phenilketonuria by blood sampling, during the first week of life, but there is not a simple and efficient method to reduce pain during the procedure. Objectives: Prospective randomized trial, to assess if the administration of oral glucose, paracetamol or EMLA, given individually, can reduce the pain caused in newborns by heel prick, in an outpatient setting. Methods: Double-blind study in which seventy six healthy newborns at term were randomly assigned to receive placebo, oral glucose, EMLA in the heel, or oral paracetamol. Heel prick was performed to get a blood sample, and pain was measured by two independent observers, using two scales (NIPS and PIPP). Results: NIPS <4: placebo (9/19 = 47%), glucose (16/19 = 84%), paracetamol (8/19 = 42% and EMLA (12/19 = 63%); PIPP < 8: placebo (9/19 = 47%), oral glucose (12/19 = 63%), paracetamol (5/19 = 26%) and EMLA (8/19 = 42%). With the use of oral glucose we found RAR: 0.37 (IC 95% 0.09-0.64), RRR: 44% (IC 95% 6-67%), NNT: 2.7 (IC 95% 1.5-11). Conclusions: The best results were obtained with the use of oral glucose, being statistically significant with only one of the scales. The administration of paracetamol or EMLA did not reduce pain. Other complementary and/or combined methods, added to oral glucose, should be considered daily to diminish this painful experience in thousands of children.

Brain death (BD) is a condition determined by the complete and irreversible absence of brain functions. Maintenance of vital functions creates an opportunity for organ donation. A retrospective study was carried out in 7 pediatric intensive care units of Argentina (from 1/1/2013 to 9/30/2016) to determine the incidence of clinical and certified BD, and the proportion of effective transplantations. Among deceased patients, 19.14% (147/768) met the clinical requirements for BD, and the main cause of BD was multiple trauma. BD was certified in 13.4% of deceased patients (103); an electroencephalogram and an apnea test were the most commonly used ancillary methods. Organ maintenance time was 24 hours. A total of 87 families were approached for donation; 59 were rejected (they were not suitable or refused). Effective donors accounted for 25% (26/103) of patients with certified BD and 72 patients received solid organs.

Pertussis is a contagious disease that may develop a serious clinical picture by hypoxemia and pulmonary hypertension refractory to treatment. The syndrome of hyperviscosity and arteriolar thrombosis is responsible for the cardiocirculatory collapse. Our objective is to describe the evolution of a series of patients with severe pertussis, some of whom received exchange transfusion (ET) as an alternative treatment. We analyzed 41 patients' clinical charts with diagnosis of pertussis treated in the Pediatric Intensive Care Units during the 2003-2011 period. The mean age was 2.38 months. In the 90.2% of cases, the cause of admission to PICU was respiratory failure; 75% required mechanical respiratory support and 39% developed pulmonary hypertension. The overall mortality was 41.4%. Nine patients were treated by ET, 5 died. Conclusion. Severe pertussis is associated with high mortality. ET reduced the mass of circulating leukocytes in 53.5%; ET could be an alternative to conventional treatment, although controlled studies are required to assert it.

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Arch Argent Pediatr 2012;110(3):214-220 / 214 RESUMEN Introducción. La ventilación de alta frecuencia oscilatoria (VAFO) es un recurso terapéuti-co ante la hipoxemia refractaria a la asistencia respiratoria mecánica convencional (ARMc), y en el tratamiento del síndrome de escape aéreo. Un metaanálisis reciente concluyó que la VAFO parece disminuir la mortalidad en niños posneonatales y adultos. En este contexto, es importante la evaluación de los resultados en el uso rutinario de esta tecnología. Objetivos. Principal: Analizar la efectividad de la VAFO en la práctica rutinaria en un centro que no dispone de oxigenación por membrana de circulación extracorpórea. Secundarios: Describir los datos demográficos y las causas de insuficiencia respiratoria grave de los pacientes que requirieron VAFO. Examinar la relación entre factores predictores potenciales y la ocurrencia de mortalidad. Población y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo en el cual se analizaron las historias clínicas de los pacientes que requirieron VAFO en las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos de un hospital pediátrico terciario en el período 01/01/2008 -01/07/2010. Resultados. Se analizaron 76 ingresos a VAFO en 69 pacientes. El 80% de tales ingresos tenían diagnóstico de infección respiratoria aguda baja o sepsis. El 62,3% (n= 43) de los casos presentaban enfermedad crónica subyacente. La mayoría de los ingresos fueron por hipoxemia refractaria (93,4%). Se halló que los pacientes fallecidos presentaban peores condiciones clínicas al ingreso, mayor compromiso multiorgánico, peor oxigenación y compromiso pulmonar. Conclusión. En una población con alta prevalencia de enfermos crónicos, oncológicos e inmunodeprimidos, el uso rutinario de la VAFO se asoció con un 33,4% de supervivencia. Se necesitan más estudios pronósticos que permitan una selección más eficaz de los pacientes candidatos a esta tecnología.