Highlights Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children affects young Chilean patients. Gastrointestinal symptoms and altered inflammation parameters predominate. Although intensive care was needed, favorable clinical outcomes were achieved. Cases appeared in clusters in the most vulnerable areas of Santiago. Clinical teams must be alert during the weeks after COVID-19 cases rise significantly.

Introduction: Although multiple neurologic manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection have been described in adults, there is little information about those presented in children. Here, we described neurologic manifestations associated with COVID-19 in the pediatric population. Methods: Retrospective case series report. We included patients younger than 18 years, admitted with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and neurologic manifestations at our hospital in Santiago, Chile. Demographics, clinical presentations, laboratory results, radiologic and neurophysiological studies, treatment, and outcome features were described. Cases were described based on whether they presented with predominantly central or peripheral neurologic involvement. Results: Thirteen of 90 (14.4%) patients admitted with confirmed infection presented with new-onset neurologic symptoms and 4 patients showed epilepsy exacerbation. Neurologic manifestations ranged from mild (headache, muscle weakness, anosmia, ageusia), to severe (status epilepticus, Guillain-Barré syndrome, encephalopathy, demyelinating events). Conclusions: We found a wide range of neurologic manifestations in children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. In general, neurologic symptoms were resolved as the systemic presentation subsided. It is essential to recognize and report the main neurologic manifestations related to this new infectious disease in the pediatric population. More evidence is needed to establish the specific causality of nervous system involvement.

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Background Global assessment of antimicrobial agents prescribed to infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may inform antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Methods We conducted a one-day global point prevalence study of all antimicrobials provided to NICU infants. Demographic, clinical, and microbiologic data were obtained including NICU level, census, birth weight, gestational/chronologic age, diagnoses, antimicrobial therapy (reason for use; length of therapy), antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP), and 30-day in-hospital mortality. Findings On July 1, 2019, 26% of infants (580/2,265; range, 0–100%; median gestational age, 33 weeks; median birth weight, 1800 g) in 84 NICUs (51, high-income; 33, low-to-middle income) from 29 countries (14, high-income; 15, low-to-middle income) in five continents received ≥1 antimicrobial agent (92%, antibacterial; 19%, antifungal; 4%, antiviral). The most common reasons for antibiotic therapy were “rule-out” sepsis (32%) and “culture-negative” sepsis (16%) with ampicillin (40%), gentamicin (35%), amikacin (19%), vancomycin (15%), and meropenem (9%) used most frequently. For definitive treatment of presumed/confirmed infection, vancomycin (26%), amikacin (20%), and meropenem (16%) were the most prescribed agents. Length of therapy for culture-positive and “culture-negative” infections was 12 days (median; IQR, 8–14) and 7 days (median; IQR, 5–10), respectively. Mortality was 6% (42%, infection-related). An NICU ASP was associated with lower rate of antibiotic utilization ( p = 0·02). Interpretation Global NICU antibiotic use was frequent and prolonged regardless of culture results. NICU-specific ASPs were associated with lower antibiotic utilization rates, suggesting the need for their implementation worldwide. Funding Merck & Co.; The Ohio State University College of Medicine Barnes Medical Student Research Scholarship

In patients without AKI or RRT, Vd of vancomycin was similar and CL was lower compared to pediatric critically ill patients without ECMO. Treatment could be started at 40 mg/kg/day every 6 hours. In patients with AKI, the use of lower doses should be used.

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