Paulo José Cauduro Marostica

Association Between Length of Intubation and Subglottic Stenosis in Children

To investigate the role of the length of intubation and other risk factors in the development of laryngeal lesions in children undergoing endotracheal intubation in an intensive care unit and to determine the incidence of subglottic stenosis (SGS).

Azithromycin therapy in hospitalized infants with acute bronchiolitis is not associated with better clinical outcomes: a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that azithromycin reduces the length of hospitalization and oxygen requirement in infants with acute viral bronchiolitis (AB). STUDY DESIGN We performed a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in southern Brazil, from 2009 to 2011. Infants (<12 months of age) hospitalized with AB were recruited in 2 hospitals. Patients were randomized to receive either azithromycin or placebo, administered orally, for 7 days. At enrollment, clinical data were recorded and nasopharyngeal samples were collected for viral identification through immunofluorescence. Main outcomes were duration of oxygen requirement and length of hospitalization. RESULTS One hundred eighty-four patients were included in the study (azithromycin 88 subjects, placebo 96 subjects). Baseline clinical characteristics and viral identification were not different between the groups studied. A virus was detected in 112 (63%) patients, and of those, 92% were positive for respiratory syncytial virus. The use of azithromycin did not reduce the median number of days of either hospitalization (P = .28) or oxygen requirement (P = .47). CONCLUSIONS Azithromycin did not improve major clinical outcomes in a large sample of hospitalized infants with AB, even when restricting the findings to those with positive respiratory syncytial virus samples. Azithromycin therapy should not be given for AB because it provides no benefit and overuse increases overall antibiotic resistance.

Laringoplastia com balão em crianças com estenose subglótica em evolução: experiência de um hospital terciário

UNLABELLED Management of subglottic stenosis (SGS) in children is still a challenge to Otorhinolaryngologists. Balloon laryngoplasty (BLP) is an endoscopic procedure, first described in 1984 for the treatment of airway stenosis. It shows promising results and seems to be more effective than other procedures. AIM To present our experience with BLP in children with SGS. MATERIAL AND METHOD Prospective study of children diagnosed with acute subglottic stenosis, i.e., stenosis with granulation tissue. They underwent direct laryngoscopy under general anesthesia and dilatation of the stenotic segment with angioplasty balloon. They were followed up and a second laryngoscopy was performed one week later. RESULTS Eight children were included in this study between June 2009 and October 2010. Four had Grade 3 SGS, three had Grade 2 SGS and one had Grade 1 SGS. By the second examination, two children presented with asymptomatic Grade 1 SGS, while the other six presented with normal airway and remained asymptomatic. CONCLUSION BLP seems to be an effective treatment for acute SGS. We need more studies to refine our knowledge concerning efficacy rates, safety and indications for balloon dilatation.

Bone mineral density, pulmonary function, chronological age, and age at diagnosis in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis

OBJECTIVE To assess bone mineral density in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), and to correlate it with possible intervening variables. METHODS Children and adolescents diagnosed with CF, aged 6 to 18 years, followed at the outpatient clinic were included in the study. First, demographic data were collected and, subsequently, patients underwent a spirometric test. All patients answered the Cystic Fibrosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (CFQ) and underwent the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and bone densitometry (DXA). RESULTS A total of 25 CF patients were included, of which 56% were males. The mean age was 12.3±3.4 years; mean height was 149.2±14.4 cm; and mean weight was 44.4±13.9 kg. Most results on pulmonary function and bone mineral density (BMD) were within normal limits. The mean forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV) was 92.5±23.6 (% of predicted), mean forced vital capacity (FVC) was 104.4±21.3 (% of predicted), and1 mean BMD z-score was 0.1±1.0. BMD was moderately correlated with FEV (r = 0.43, p = 0.03) and FVC (r = 0.57, p = 0.003). Regarding chronological age and age at diagnosis, a moderate and inverse correlation was also found (r = -0.55, p = 0.004; r = -0.57, p = 0.003, respectively). However, no significant correlations were found with the data from CFQ, 6MWT, and body mass index. CONCLUSION Most patients had BMD within normal limits and presented a positive correlation with pulmonary function, as well as a negative correlation with chronological age and age at diagnosis.

Infant Sleep Position: A Randomized Clinical Trial of an Educational Intervention in the Maternity Ward in Porto Alegre, Brazil

BACKGROUND Few studies in Brazil have been published about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and none has addressed the mothers orientation about placing the infant to sleep in the supine position. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect on mothers of an individual educational intervention in the maternity ward about infant sleep position. METHODS A randomized clinical trial was conducted with a study sample of 228 mother-infant pairs assigned to an intervention or a control group. The intervention consisted of an individual orientation session at the maternity ward, at which folders and an oral explanation were given to mothers at discharge about the importance of the supine position as a preventive measure for SIDS. The outcome was the sleeping position at 3 months of age assessed during a home visit. The variables with p< 0.2 at a bivariate analysis were included in a logistic regression model. RESULTS Among mothers in the intervention group, 42.9 percent put their infants to sleep in a supine position at the 3-month visit, compared with 24 percent of mothers in the control group (p = 0.009). In a multivariate analysis, the intervention at the hospital was the only variable that influenced maternal practices with respect to infant sleep positioning (OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.17-4.19). CONCLUSIONS An individual educational session in the maternity ward about infant sleep position significantly increased the prevalence of supine position for sleeping in the infants third month. Nevertheless, the intervention was not sufficient to guarantee that most mothers would put their infants to sleep in the recommended position.

Incidence and endoscopic characteristics of acute laryngeal lesions in children undergoing endotracheal intubation

INTRODUCTION Acute laryngeal lesions after intubation appear to be precursors of chronic lesions. OBJECTIVE To describe the incidence and type of acute laryngeal lesions after extubation in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHODS A cohort study involving children from birth to <5 years, submitted to intubation for more than 24h in the PICU of an university hospital. In the first eight hours after extubation, a flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy (FFL) was performed at the bedside. Those with moderate to severe abnormalities underwent a second examination seven to ten days later. RESULTS 177 patients were included, with a median age of 2.46 months. The mean intubation time was 8.19 days. Seventy-three (41.2%) patients had moderate or severe alterations at the FFL, with the remaining showing only minor alterations or normal results. During follow-up, 16 children from the group with moderate to severe lesions developed subglottic stenosis. One patient from the normal FFL group had subglottic stenosis, resulting in an incidence of 9.6% of chronic lesions. CONCLUSION Most children in the study developed mild acute laryngeal lesions caused by endotracheal intubation, which improved in a few days after extubation.

Post-intubation acute laryngeal injuries in infants and children: A new classification system.

OBJECTIVE To compare the Classification of Acute Laryngeal Injuries (CALI) with other classifications to determine which of these offers the greatest sensitivity and specificity in predicting the development of subglottic stenosis. METHODS All children intubated for the first time in the pediatric intensive care unit were included and subjected to flexible fiber-optic laryngoscopy (FFL) within 8 h of extubation. Their injuries were categorized using the CALI, as well as adapted classifications from Lindholm, Colice and Benjamin. The children were followed up to determine who developed subglottic stenosis. RESULTS This study included 194 children, with a median age of 2.67 months. The sensitivity and specificity of the CALI were 90% and 73%, respectively. The CALI showed greater specificity than the adapted classifications from Colice and Benjamin (p < 0.001 for both), and greater sensitivity than the adapted classification from Lindholm (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Based on the CALI, 90% of children who developed subglottic stenosis had moderate to severe injuries on the initial FFL. The CALI includes all injury types described by Benjamin, as well as a proposed severity scale for these lesions, and was predictive of the development of chronic laryngeal injury.

Risk factors for need of mechanical ventilation in children with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09

OBJECTIVE The pandemic caused by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus peaked between July and August of 2009 in southern Brazil, with the highest incidence in children and young adults. In the post-pandemic period, there was an increase in the incidence of cases during the winter months of 2011 and 2012 in Brazil, similar to seasonal influenza virus. Since infections due to pandemic influenza are still occurring, the present study aimed to investigate the risk factors for worse outcome in children. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed by reviewing the charts of hospitalized patients younger than 14 years with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 during the first pandemic wave in six Brazilian tertiary centers. Need for mechanical ventilation was defined as the severity of outcome; age, chronic diseases, bacterial and viral co-detection, chest radiograph findings, and use of oseltamivir were possible predictors. RESULTS In the present study, 120 patients were included. In a multivariate analysis, chronic diseases (prevalence ratio: 2.613, 95% CI: 1.267-5.386) and viral co-detection (prevalence ratio: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.203-4.905) were statistically associated with worse outcome (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The presence of chronic diseases as predictors reinforces previous finding. Furthermore, viral co-detection was found to be a risk factor. Further studies are necessary to confirm this association.

Accuracy of clinical swallowing evaluation for diagnosis of dysphagia in children with laryngomalacia or glossoptosis

To investigate the accuracy of clinical evaluation of swallowing in a sample of children with laryngomalacia or glossoptosis and describe the prevalence of dysphagia in each of these diseases, as well as characterize the swallow response to speech and language therapy interventions.

Undersedation is a risk factor for the development of subglottic stenosis in intubated children

OBJECTIVE To analyze the level of sedation in intubated children as a risk factor for the development of subglottic stenosis. METHODS All patients between 30 days and 5 years of age who required endotracheal intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit between 2013 and 2014 were included in this prospective study. They were monitored daily and COMFORT-B scores were obtained. Flexible fiber-optic laryngoscopy was performed within eight hours of extubation, and repeated seven to ten days later if the first examination showed moderate to severe laryngeal injuries. If these lesions persisted and/or if the child developed symptoms in the follow-up period, microlaryngoscopy under general anesthesia was performed to evaluate for subglottic stenosis. RESULTS The study included 36 children. Incidence of subglottic stenosis was 11.1%. Children with subglottic stenosis had a higher percentage of COMFORT-B scores between 23 and 30 (undersedated) than those who did not develop subglottic stenosis (15.8% vs. 3.65%, p=0.004). CONCLUSION Children who developed subglottic stenosis were less sedated than children who did not develop subglottic stenosis.