Objective:To understand the management of children with pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted. A total of 101 children with PALF hospitalized in PICU of Beijing Children′s Hospital from July 2017 to October 2022 were included. Demographic, clinical management and prognosis data were collected. According to whether PALF was the main diagnosis, the patients were divided into primary diagnosis group and complication group. The primary diagnosis group was subdivided into effective group and ineffective group with routine treatment (except liver transplantation). The intergroup comparisons were performed using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test or Fisher exact test. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors associated with prognosis. Results:Among the 101 children with PALF, 58 were male and 43 were female, with an age of 30 (10, 103) months, 60 cases in primary diagnosis group and 41 cases in complication group. There were no significant differences in prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) between the two groups (both P>0.05), while the total bilirubin, direct bilirubin and blood ammonia were all significantly higher in the primary diagnosis group (all P<0.05). Unoriginal liver failure (25 cases (42%)) and poisoning (13 cases (22%)) were the most common causes of PALF in the primary diagnosis group, while shock (17 cases, 43%) and hemophagocytic syndrome (14 cases (34%)) in the complication group. The mortality rate of the main diagnosis group was significantly lower than that of the complication group (25% (15/60) vs. 61% (25/41), χ2=13.18, P<0.001), as well as the incidence of combined organ function injury, while the amount of plasma used and the ratio of plasma exchange times to PICU hospitalization days were significantly higher (all P<0.05). In the primary diagnosis group, there were 32 cases (53%) in the effective group and 28 cases (47%) in the ineffective group. In the ineffective group, 15 cases (54%) died and 13 cases (46%) were transferred to another site for liver transplantation assessment. The hospitalization time of PICU in the effective group was significantly longer than that in the ineffective group, while the ratio of plasma exchange times to PICU hospitalization days, the average daily hours of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), the rate of CRRT and the average daily plasma dosage in the effective group were all significantly lower than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.05). The worst PT, INR and blood ammonia, and the stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy morbidity and significant bleeding rate in the effective group were all significantly lower than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, sex, total bilirubin, INR and blood ammonia, stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy was the independent risk factor for the failure of routine treatment of PALF ( OR=84.16,95% CI 4.04-1752.37, P=0.004). Conclusions:PT and INR could not specifically represent liver synthetic function in some PICU patients, so current PALF diagnostic criteria for PICU children has limitations. Complicated with stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy was an independent risk factor of the failure of conventional treatment in patients with PALF.

Objective:To explore the impact of different blood transfusion thresholds on clinical outcomes in children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data was collected from 64 children with severe TBI who received red blood cell transfusions and were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Beijing Children′s Hospital between January 2020 and December 2024. Data included basic clinical characteristics, mortality rate, neurological recovery (measured by Glasgow coma scale (GCS) at discharge, pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) score), length of stay in the PICU, duration of mechanical ventilation, and incidence of complications. Patients were divided into a liberal transfusion group (hemoglobin >70-<100 g/L at first transfusion) and a restrictive transfusion group (hemoglobin ≤70 g/L at first transfusion). Stratified analysis was performed based on age (children >5 and children ≤5 years old). Comparisons between groups were conducted using the independent samples t test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test or Fisher′s exact test. Results:Among the 64 children with severe TBI (43 males and 21 females), the age was 4.9 (2.3, 10.0) years. There were 33 cases in the liberal transfusion group and 31 cases in the restrictive transfusion group. No statistically significant differences were observed in baseline data, including gender, age, trauma mechanism, GCS at admission, surgical intervention, presence of multiple injuries, or comorbidities (sepsis, shock, ventilator-associated pneumonia and acute kidney injury) between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the liberal and restrictive transfusion groups in mortality rate, GCS and PCPC score at discharge, length of PICU stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, or transfusion volume (all P>0.05). In the stratified analysis, 38 children aged over 5 years were included. The restrictive transfusion subgroup, which included 19 children, had a significantly longer PICU length of stay compared to the liberal transfusion subgroup, which also included 19 children (29.5 (18.0, 36.3) vs. 17.0 (6.3, 25.8) d, Z=2.11, P=0.035). Conclusions:There were no significant differences in PICU mortality or neurological functional recovery between the liberal and restrictive blood transfusion strategies in children with severe TBI. However, among children aged over than 5 years, a restrictive transfusion strategy might be associated with a longer length of PICU stay.

Objective:To understand the management of children with pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted. A total of 101 children with PALF hospitalized in PICU of Beijing Children′s Hospital from July 2017 to October 2022 were included. Demographic, clinical management and prognosis data were collected. According to whether PALF was the main diagnosis, the patients were divided into primary diagnosis group and complication group. The primary diagnosis group was subdivided into effective group and ineffective group with routine treatment (except liver transplantation). The intergroup comparisons were performed using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test or Fisher exact test. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors associated with prognosis. Results:Among the 101 children with PALF, 58 were male and 43 were female, with an age of 30 (10, 103) months, 60 cases in primary diagnosis group and 41 cases in complication group. There were no significant differences in prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) between the two groups (both P>0.05), while the total bilirubin, direct bilirubin and blood ammonia were all significantly higher in the primary diagnosis group (all P<0.05). Unoriginal liver failure (25 cases (42%)) and poisoning (13 cases (22%)) were the most common causes of PALF in the primary diagnosis group, while shock (17 cases, 43%) and hemophagocytic syndrome (14 cases (34%)) in the complication group. The mortality rate of the main diagnosis group was significantly lower than that of the complication group (25% (15/60) vs. 61% (25/41), χ2=13.18, P<0.001), as well as the incidence of combined organ function injury, while the amount of plasma used and the ratio of plasma exchange times to PICU hospitalization days were significantly higher (all P<0.05). In the primary diagnosis group, there were 32 cases (53%) in the effective group and 28 cases (47%) in the ineffective group. In the ineffective group, 15 cases (54%) died and 13 cases (46%) were transferred to another site for liver transplantation assessment. The hospitalization time of PICU in the effective group was significantly longer than that in the ineffective group, while the ratio of plasma exchange times to PICU hospitalization days, the average daily hours of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), the rate of CRRT and the average daily plasma dosage in the effective group were all significantly lower than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.05). The worst PT, INR and blood ammonia, and the stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy morbidity and significant bleeding rate in the effective group were all significantly lower than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, sex, total bilirubin, INR and blood ammonia, stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy was the independent risk factor for the failure of routine treatment of PALF ( OR=84.16,95% CI 4.04-1752.37, P=0.004). Conclusions:PT and INR could not specifically represent liver synthetic function in some PICU patients, so current PALF diagnostic criteria for PICU children has limitations. Complicated with stage 4 hepatic encephalopathy was an independent risk factor of the failure of conventional treatment in patients with PALF.

Objective:To explore the impact of different blood transfusion thresholds on clinical outcomes in children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data was collected from 64 children with severe TBI who received red blood cell transfusions and were admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Beijing Children′s Hospital between January 2020 and December 2024. Data included basic clinical characteristics, mortality rate, neurological recovery (measured by Glasgow coma scale (GCS) at discharge, pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) score), length of stay in the PICU, duration of mechanical ventilation, and incidence of complications. Patients were divided into a liberal transfusion group (hemoglobin >70-<100 g/L at first transfusion) and a restrictive transfusion group (hemoglobin ≤70 g/L at first transfusion). Stratified analysis was performed based on age (children >5 and children ≤5 years old). Comparisons between groups were conducted using the independent samples t test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test or Fisher′s exact test. Results:Among the 64 children with severe TBI (43 males and 21 females), the age was 4.9 (2.3, 10.0) years. There were 33 cases in the liberal transfusion group and 31 cases in the restrictive transfusion group. No statistically significant differences were observed in baseline data, including gender, age, trauma mechanism, GCS at admission, surgical intervention, presence of multiple injuries, or comorbidities (sepsis, shock, ventilator-associated pneumonia and acute kidney injury) between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the liberal and restrictive transfusion groups in mortality rate, GCS and PCPC score at discharge, length of PICU stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, or transfusion volume (all P>0.05). In the stratified analysis, 38 children aged over 5 years were included. The restrictive transfusion subgroup, which included 19 children, had a significantly longer PICU length of stay compared to the liberal transfusion subgroup, which also included 19 children (29.5 (18.0, 36.3) vs. 17.0 (6.3, 25.8) d, Z=2.11, P=0.035). Conclusions:There were no significant differences in PICU mortality or neurological functional recovery between the liberal and restrictive blood transfusion strategies in children with severe TBI. However, among children aged over than 5 years, a restrictive transfusion strategy might be associated with a longer length of PICU stay.

Objective:To investigate the dynamic trend of platelet（PLT）count and mean platelet volume（MPV）in children with severe community-acquired pneumonia（SCAP）in PICU and their correlation with prognosis.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted in 215 SCAP children who were admitted to the PICU of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2016 to December 2019.According to the disease outcome，the patients were divided into improvement group ( n=184) and unrecovered group ( n=31).The changes of PLT count and MPV at admission，on the 2nd，3rd，and 7th days of hospitalization and before discharge were observed，and the relationship between changes in PLT parameters and poor prognosis was analyzed. Meanwhile，the correlation between thrombocytopenia on admission and on the 7th day of hospitalization and prognosis was further explored. Results:The PLT count of improvement group at admission，on the 2nd，3rd，and 7th days of hospitalization and at discharge[(328±159, 329±137, 362±159, 439±168, 510±171)×10 9/L] were significantly higher than those of unrecovered group [(210±142, 207±152, 267±143, 260±162, 343±159)×10 9/L]（ P＜0.05）.Although the MPV of improvement group [(10.9±1.9)fL] on admission was significantly lower than that of the unrecovered group[(12.7±2.5) fL]（ P＜0.05），there was no significant difference in MPV between two groups on the 2nd，3rd，7th days of hospitalization and discharge（ P＞0.05）.In addition，compared with the admission，children in improvement group had significantly higher PLT count on the 7th day of hospitalization and before discharge（ P＜0.05），but there was no significant change in unrecovered group（ P＞0.05）.Compared with SCAP patients with thrombocytopenia at admission (PLT＜100×10 9/L)( n=22),those with thrombocytopenia on 7th day of hospitalization had a significant higher rate of non recovery( P＜0.05). Conclusion:The occurrence of thrombocytopenia on admission and after 7 days of hospitalization in children with SCAP is associated with poor prognosis.No significant increase or decrease in PLT count after 7 days of hospitalization is often indicative of poor prognosis.Dynamic monitoring of PLT parameter changes may help to better judge the prognosis of severe pneumonia.

Objective:To analyze the difference of clinical characteristics and outcomes of infants with moderate and severe pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome(PARDS)diagnosed according to baseline oxygenation index(OI) in pediatric intensive care unit(PICU).Methods:Second analysis of the data collected from the "Efficacy of pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the treatment of children with moderate and severe ARDS" program.Retrospectively compare of the differences in clinical data such as general condition, underlying diseases, OI, mechanical ventilation, PS administration and outcomes among infants with moderate and severe PARDS divided by baseline OI who admitted to PICUs at 14 participating tertiary hospitals from 2016 to December 2021.Results:Among the 101 cases, 55 cases (54.5%) were moderate and 46 cases (45.5%) were severe PARDS.The proportion of male in the severe group (50.0% vs.72.7%, P=0.019) and the pediatric critical illness score(PCIS)[72 (68, 78) vs.76 (70, 80), P=0.019] were significantly lower than those in the moderate group, while there was no significant difference regarding age, body weight, etiology of PARDS and underlying diseases.The utilization rate of high-frequency ventilator in the severe group was significantly higher than that in the moderate group (34.8% vs.10.9%, P=0.004), but there was no significant difference in PS use, fluid load and pulmonary complications.The 24 h OI improvement (0.26±0.33 vs.0.04±0.34, P=0.001) and the 72 h OI improvement[0.34 (-0.04, 0.62) vs.0.15 (-0.14, 0.42), P=0.029)]in the severe group were significantly better than those in the moderate group, but there was no significant difference regarding mortality, length of hospital stay and intubation duration after diagnosis of PARDS between the two groups. Conclusion:In moderate and severe(divided by baseline OI) PARDS infants with invasive mechanical ventilation, children in severe group have better oxygenation improvement in the early stage after PARDS identified and are more likely to receive high frequency ventilation compared to those in moderate group.Baseline OI can not sensitively distinguish the outcomes and is not an ideal index for PARDS grading of this kind of patient.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of andrographolide sulfonate(ADS) nebulized inhalation on pediatric moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation.Methods:We conducted a prospective randomized controlled single-blind study.Children with moderate-to-severe ARDS admitted to the PICU at Beijing Children′s Hospital of Capital Medical University from November 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019, aging from 29 days to 18 years, and requiring invasive mechanical ventilation therapy were collected.The experimental group received ADS, while the control group received normal saline.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was collected to detect cytokines before and after the experiment.The differences of demography, cytokines and management between two groups were analyzed.Results:Twenty children with a median age of 2.15(1.48, 8.01)years were included and 15(75.00%)cases were boys.Median score of pediatric index of mortality-2 was 12.25(4.53, 16.30). There was no significant differences in demography, basic clinical data and prognosis between two groups( P>0.05). Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 decreased in the experimental group while increased in the control group with statistic difference[967.50(119.25, 5 206.00)pg/mL vs.-945.00(-3 935.50, 495.09)pg/mL, P=0.041]. Interleukin(IL)-8 decreased in the experimental group but increased in the control group[303.22(-452.00, 1 172.38)pg/mL vs.-490.14(-780.25, 240.52)pg/mL, P=0.151]; and the IL-6 increase of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group[-24.53(-501.76, 135.27)pg/mL vs.-325.85(-633.22, 133.75)pg/mL, P=0.364]; all with no statistic differences( P>0.05). The oxygenation index[11.35(6.00, 15.83) vs.20.65(6.23, 38.35), P=0.374] and the improvement rate of ARDS(80%vs.60%, P=0.628) of the experimental group was better than that of the control group, but with no statistic difference( P>0.05). There was no statistic difference of mortality and mechanical ventilation time between two groups( P>0.05). Conclusion:Inhalation of ADS might reduce the increase of IL-6 and the concentration of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and IL-8 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of children with ARDS, and might improve pulmonary oxygenation function.Further research is needed to verify the above conclusion.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of children with septic shock caused by invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).Methods:The clinical data of children diagnosed as septic shock caused by IPDs and hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University and the PICU of Henan Children′s Hospital from January 2013 to August 2019 were retrospectively collected, and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of these patients were analyzed.Results:Twenty-one children were included, with a median age of 1.2 (0.75, 3.90) years old.The pediatric index of mortality 2 (PIM-2) at admitting was (23.3±29.6)%, and 6 cases had underlying diseases.Main sites of infection included blood flow (20 cases) and suppurative meningitis (15 cases). The drug sensitivity test was performed on 18 children, among who 9 cases were sensitive to Penicillin, 10 cases to Cefepime, 11 cases to Cefotaxime and 10 cases to Meropenem.All 18 patients were sensitive to Vancomycin and Linezolid.Seven cases and 13 cases were treated with sensitive antibiotics at the disease onset and before septic shock, respectively.In 21 cases whose lactic acid level was (6.1±4.6) mmol/L, the shock redress time of 10 cases was (10.9±10.1)h, and 13 cases (61.9%) died (14.6±12.2) hours after septic shock, among who 10 died of transforamed magna herniation.The PIM-2 score at admitting into PICU and the rate of intracranial hypertension crisis in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group [(37.1±30.3)% vs.(0.9±1.3)%, 69.9% (9/13 cases) vs.25.0% (2/8 cases)](all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in age and the utilization rate of effective antibiotics before septic shock between the two groups (all P<0.05). Four of the surviving 8 children had severe cerebral functional disability. Conclusions:Septic shock caused by IPD is more common in children under 5 years old, and the most common sites are blood flow and intracranial infection.It has high resistance rate against Cephalosporins and Carbopenem.Patients with purulent meningitis are easy to develop intracranial hypertension crisis, which has an extremely high mortality and morbidity, so it needs to be identified and treated early.

Objective:To understand the early clinical characteristics and drug sensitivity results of children died of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) so as to guide the early clinical identification and treatment.Methods:The early clinical data and drug sensitivity result of children died of IPD in PICU of the Children′s Hospital, Zhengzhou University and Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University from May 2015 to May 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:A total of 18 children meeting the criteria were enrolled, including 6 males and 12 females.The median age was 1 year and 9 months (ranged from 2 months and 20 days to 6 years and 7 months), there were 2 cases(11.1%) > 5 years old, and 16 cases(88.9%)≤ 5 years old.There were 17(94.4%) children related to community acquired infection.Among 18 cases, the first symptom was intracranial infection in 10 cases (55.6%), bloodstream infection in 4 cases (22.2%), and pulmonary infection in 3 cases (16.7%). There were 5 cases complicated with virus infection at the same time.Auxiliary examination: all of the 18 cases had anemia and hypoalbuminemia, and 15 cases(93.8%) had HCO 3- reduction.White blood cells(WBC), platelets(PLT) and natural killer (NK) cell decreased in 7 cases (7/18 cases), 12 cases (12/18 cases) and 6 cases (5/16 cases), respectively, but C-reactive protein(CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), lactic acid concentration(LAC), D-dimer (D-Di), international normalized ratio (INR) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) were increased in 12 cases (12/18 cases), 14 cases (14/18 cases), 7 cases (7/17 cases), 14 cases (14/17 cases) and 9 cases (9/9 cases), respectively.Six children(33.3%) did not receive the treatment of sensitive antibiotics before admission.According to the drug sensitivity results: all the 18 strains had multiple-drug resistance(MDR), and the resistance rates of Penicillin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline, Clindamycin and Sulfamethoxazole were 22.2%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 100.0% and 94.4%, respectively, all the strains were sensitive to Vancomycin, Linezolid and Levofloxacin. Conclusions:Most of the children died of IPD in PICU are of community-acquired infection and less than 5 years old.Anemia and hypoalbuminemia are common in the dead children.The decreased in HCO 3- and increased PCT, LAC and D-Di in the early stage might be related to poor prognosis of patients.Most of the children died of IPD are infected with MDR strains.