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Objective: Cerebral perfusion pressure<40 mm Hg following pediatric traumatic brain injury has been associated with increased mortality independent of age, and current guidelines recommend maintaining cerebral perfusion pressure between 40 mm Hg-60 mm Hg. Although adult traumatic brain injury studies have observed an increased risk of complications associated with targeting a cerebral perfusion pressure>70, we hypothesize that targeting a cerebral perfusion pressure of 70 mm Hg with the use of phenylephrine early after injury in the immature brain will be neuroprotective., Design: Animals were randomly assigned to injury with a cerebral perfusion pressure of 70 mm Hg or 40 mm Hg. Diffuse traumatic brain injury was produced by a single rapid rotation of the head in the axial plane. Cerebral microdialysis, brain tissue oxygen, intracranial pressure, and cerebral blood flow were measured 30 min-6 hrs postinjury. One hour after injury, cerebral perfusion pressure was manipulated with the vasoconstrictor phenylephrine. Animals were euthanized 6 hrs posttraumatic brain injury, brains fixed, and stained to assess regions of cell injury and axonal dysfunction., Setting: University center., Subject: Twenty-one 4-wk-old female swine., Measurements and Main Results: Augmentation of cerebral perfusion pressure to 70 mm Hg resulted in no change in axonal dysfunction, but significantly smaller cell injury volumes at 6 hrs postinjury compared to cerebral perfusion pressure 40 (1.1% vs. 7.4%, p<.05). Microdialysis lactate/pyruvate ratios were improved at cerebral perfusion pressure 70 compared to cerebral perfusion pressure 40. Cerebral blood flow was higher in the cerebral perfusion pressure 70 group but did not reach statistical significance. Phenylephrine was well tolerated and there were no observed increases in serum lactate or intracranial pressure in either group., Conclusions: Targeting a cerebral perfusion pressure of 70 mm Hg resulted in a greater reduction in metabolic crisis and cell injury volumes compared to a cerebral perfusion pressure of 40 mm Hg in an immature swine model. Early aggressive cerebral perfusion pressure augmentation to a cerebral perfusion pressure of 70 mm Hg in pediatric traumatic brain injury before severe intracranial hypertension has the potential to be neuroprotective, and further investigations are needed.

Objective: To develop a scoring system that can assess the multidisciplinary management of respiratory failure in a pediatric ICU., Methods: In a single tertiary pediatric ICU we conducted a simulation-based evaluation in a patient care area auxiliary to the ICU. The subjects were pediatric and emergency medicine residents, nurses, and respiratory therapists who work in the pediatric ICU. A multidisciplinary focus group with experienced providers in pediatric ICU airway management and patient safety specialists was formed. A task-based scoring instrument was developed to evaluate a primary airway provider's performance through Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis. Reliability and validity of the instrument were evaluated using multidisciplinary simulation-based airway management training sessions. Each session was evaluated by 3 independent expert raters. A global assessment of the team performance and the previous experience in training were used to evaluate the validity of the instrument., Results: The Just-in-Time Pediatric Airway Provider Performance Scale (JIT-PAPPS) version 3, with 34 task-based items (14 technical, 20 behavioral), was developed. Eighty-five teams led by resident airway providers were evaluated by 3 raters. The intraclass correlation coefficient for raters was 0.64. The JIT-PAPPS score correlated well with the global rating scale (r = 0.71, P < .001). Mean total scores across the teams were positively associated with resident previous training participation (β coefficient 7.1 ± 0.9, P < .001), suggesting good validity of the scale., Conclusions: A task-based scoring instrument for a primary airway provider's performance with a multidisciplinary pediatric ICU team on simulated pediatric respiratory failure was developed. Reliability and validity evaluation supports the developed scale.

Background: The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), with limited number of beds and resource-intensive services, is a key component of patient flow. Because the PICU is a crossroads for many patients, transfer or discharge delays can negatively impact a patient's clinical status and efficiency., Objective: The objective of this study was to describe, using direct observation, PICU bed utilization., Methods: We conducted a real-time, prospective observational study in a convenience sample of days in the PICU of an urban, tertiary-care children's hospital., Results: Among 824 observed hours, 19,887 bed-hours were recorded, with 82% being for critical care services and 18% for non-critical care services. Fourteen activities accounted for 95% of bed-hours. Among 200 hours when the PICU was at full capacity, 75% of the time included at least 1 bed that was used for non-critical care services; 37% of the time at least 2 beds. The mean waiting time for a floor bed assignment was 9 hours (median, 5.5 hours) and accounted for 4.62% of all bed-hours observed., Conclusions: The PICU delivered critical care services most of the time, but periods of non-critical care services represented a significant amount of time. In particular, periods with no bed available for new patients were associated with at least 1 or more PICU beds being used for non-critical care activities. The method should be reproducible in other settings to learn more about the structure and processes of care and patient flow and to make improvements., (Copyright © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine.)

Aim: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines recommend specific chest compression (CC) target depths for children. We quantitatively describe relative anterior-posterior diameter (APD) depth, actual depth, and force of CCs during real CPR events in children., Methods: CC depth and force were recorded during real CPR events in children ≥8 years using FDA-approved CC sensor. Patient chest APD was measured at conclusion of each CPR event. CC data was stratified and analyzed according to age (pre-puberty, 8-14 years; post-puberty, 15+ years). Relative (% APD) and actual CC depth, corrected for mattress deflection, were assessed and compared with American Heart Association (AHA) 2005 and 2010 pediatric CPR guidelines., Results: 35 events in 32 subjects included 16,158 CCs for data analysis: 16 pre-puberty (CCs=7484, age 11.9±2 years, APD 164.6±25.1 mm); 19 post-puberty (CCs=8674, age 18.0±2.7 years, APD 196.5±30.4 mm). After correction for mattress deflection, 92% of CC delivered to pre-puberty were <1/3 relative APD and 60% of CC were <38 mm actual depth. Mean actual CC depth (36.2±9.6 mm vs. 36.8±9.9 mm, p=0.64), mean relative APD (22.5%±7.0% vs. 19.5±6.7%, p=0.13), and mean CC force (30.7±7.6 kg vs. 33.6±9.4 kg, p=0.07) were not significantly less in pre-puberty vs. post-puberty., Conclusions: During in-hospital cardiac arrest of children ≥8 years, CCs delivered by resuscitation teams were frequently <1/3 relative APD and <38 mm actual depth after mattress deflection correction, below pediatric and adult target guidelines. Mean CC actual depth and force were not significantly different in pre-puberty and post-puberty. Additional investigation to determine depth of CCs to optimize hemodynamics and outcomes is needed to inform future CPR guidelines., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To characterize tracheal intubation process of care and safety outcomes in a large tertiary pediatric intensive care unit using a pediatric adaptation of the National Emergency Airway Registry. Variances in process of care and safety outcome of intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit have not been described. We hypothesize that tracheal intubation is a common but high-risk procedure and that the novel pediatric adaptation of the National Emergency Airway Registry is a feasible tool to capture variances in process of care and outcomes., Design: Prospective descriptive study., Setting: A single 45-bed tertiary noncardiac pediatric intensive care unit in a large university-affiliated children's hospital., Patients: Critically ill children who required intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit., Interventions: Airway management data were prospectively collected for all initial airway management from July 2007 through September 2008 using the National Emergency Airway Registry tool tailored for pediatric application with explicit operational definitions., Measurement and Main Results: One hundred ninety-seven initial intubation encounters were reported (averaging one every 2.3 days). The first course intubation method was oral intubation in 181 (91.9%) and nasal in 16 (9.1%). Unwanted tracheal intubation-associated events were frequently reported (n = 38 [19.3%]), but severe tracheal intubation-associated events were rare (n = 6 [3.0%]). Esophageal intubation with immediate recognition was the most common tracheal intubation-associated event (n = 22). Desaturation <80% was reported in 51 of 183 (27.7%) and more than two intubation attempts in 30 of 196 (15.3%), both associated with occurrence of a tracheal intubation-associated event (p < .001, p = .001, respectively). Interestingly, patient age, history of difficult airway, and first attempt by resident were not associated with tracheal intubation-associated events., Conclusions: Unwanted tracheal intubation-associated events occurred frequently, but severe tracheal intubation-associated events were rare. Our novel registry can be used to describe the pediatric intensive care unit tracheal intubation procedural process of care and safety outcomes.

Background: Small-animal models have been used in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research to investigate the basic mechanisms and pathology of TBI. Unfortunately, successful TBI investigations in small-animal models have not resulted in marked improvements in clinical outcomes of TBI patients., Objective: To develop a clinically relevant immature large-animal model of pediatric neurocritical care following TBI., Methods: Eleven 4-week-old piglets were randomly assigned to either rapid axial head rotation without impact (n = 6) or instrumented sham (n = 5). All animals had an intracranial pressure monitor, brain tissue oxygen tension (Pbto(2)) probe, and cerebral microdialysis probe placed in the frontal lobe and data collected for 6 hours following injury., Results: Injured animals had sustained elevations in intracranial pressure and lactate-pyruvate ratio (LPR), and decreased Pbto(2) compared with sham. Pbto(2) and LPR from separate frontal lobes had strong linear correlation in both sham and injured animals. Neuropathologic examination demonstrated significant axonal injury and infarct volumes in injured animals compared with sham at 6 hours postinjury. Averaged over time, Pbto(2) in both injured and sham animals had a strong inverse correlation with total injury volume. Average LPR had a strong correlation with total injury volume., Conclusion: LPR and Pbto(2) can be utilized as serial nonterminal secondary markers in our injury model for neuropathology, and as evaluation metrics for novel interventions and therapeutics in the acute postinjury period. This translational model bridges a vital gap in knowledge between TBI studies in small-animal models and clinical trials in the pediatric TBI population.

Objective: Tracheal intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit is often performed in emergency situations with high risks. Simulation has been recognized as an effective methodology to train both technical and teamwork skills. Our objectives were to develop a feasible tool to evaluate team performance during tracheal intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit and to apply the tool in the clinical setting to determine whether multidisciplinary teams with a higher number of simulation-trained providers exhibit more proficient performance., Design: Prospective, observational pilot study., Setting: Single tertiary children's hospital pediatric intensive care unit., Subjects: Pediatric and emergency medicine residents, pediatric intensive care unit nurses, and respiratory therapists from October 2007 to June 2008., Interventions: A pediatric intensive care unit on-call resident, a pediatric intensive care unit nurse, and a respiratory therapist received simulation-based multidisciplinary airway management training every morning. An assessment tool for team technical and behavioral skills was developed. Independent trained observers rated actual intubations in the pediatric intensive care unit by using this tool., Measurements and Main Results: For observer training, two independent raters (research assistants 1 and 2) evaluated a total of 53 training sessions (research assistant 1, 16; research assistant 2, 37). The correlation coefficient with the facilitator expert (surrogate standard) was .73 for research assistant 1 and .88 for research assistant 2 (p ≤ .001 for both) in the total score, .84 for research assistant 1 and .77 for research assistant 2 (p < .001 for both) in the technical domain, and .63 for research assistant 1 (p = .009) and .84 for research assistant 2 (p < .001) in the behavioral domain. The correlation coefficient was lower in video-based observation (.62 vs. .88, on-site). For clinical observation, 15 intubations were observed in real time by raters. The performance by a team with two or more simulation-trained members was rated higher compared with the team with fewer than two trained members (total score: 127 ± 6 vs. 116 ± 9, p = .012, mean ± sd)., Conclusions: It is feasible to rate the technical and behavioral performance of multidisciplinary airway management teams during real intensive care unit intubation events by using our assessment tool. The presence of two or more multidisciplinary simulation-trained providers is associated with improved performance during real events.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of brief bedside cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to improve the skill retention of hospital-based pediatric providers. We hypothesized that a low-dose, high-frequency training program (booster training) would improve CPR skill retention., Patients and Methods: CPR recording/feedback defibrillators were used to evaluate CPR quality during simulated arrest. Basic life support-certified, hospital-based providers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 study arms: (1) instructor-only training; (2) automated defibrillator feedback only; (3) instructor training combined with automated feedback; and (4) control (no structured training). Each session (time: 0, 1, 3, and 6 months after training) consisted of a pretraining evaluation (60 seconds), booster training (120 seconds), and a posttraining evaluation (60 seconds). Excellent CPR was defined as chest compression (CC) depth ≥ one-third anterior-posterior chest depth, rate ≥90 and ≤120 CC per minute, ≤20% of CCs with incomplete release (>2500 g), and no flow fraction ≤ 0.30., Measurements and Main Results: Eighty-nine providers were randomly assigned; 74 (83%) completed all sessions. Retention of CPR skills was 2.3 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-4.5; P=.02) more likely after 2 trainings and 2.9 times (95% CI: 1.4-6.2; P=.005) more likely after 3 trainings. The automated defibrillator feedback only group had lower retention rates compared with the instructor-only training group (odds ratio: 0.41 [95% CI: 0.17-0.97]; P = .043)., Conclusions: Brief bedside booster CPR training improves CPR skill retention. Our data reveal that instructor-led training improves retention compared with automated feedback training alone. Future studies should investigate whether bedside training improves CPR quality during actual pediatric arrests., (Copyright © 2011 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of brief bedside "booster" cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to improve CPR guideline compliance of hospital-based pediatric providers., Design: Prospective, randomized trial., Setting: General pediatric wards at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia., Subjects: Sixty-nine Basic Life Support-certified hospital-based providers., Intervention: CPR recording/feedback defibrillators were used to evaluate CPR quality during simulated pediatric arrest. After a 60-sec pretraining CPR evaluation, subjects were randomly assigned to one of three instructional/feedback methods to be used during CPR booster training sessions. All sessions (training/CPR manikin practice) were of equal duration (2 mins) and differed only in the method of corrective feedback given to participants during the session. The study arms were as follows: 1) instructor-only training; 2) automated defibrillator feedback only; and 3) instructor training combined with automated feedback., Measurements and Main Results: Before instruction, 57% of the care providers performed compressions within guideline rate recommendations (rate >90 min(-1) and <120 min(-1)); 71% met minimum depth targets (depth, >38 mm); and 36% met overall CPR compliance (rate and depth within targets). After instruction, guideline compliance improved (instructor-only training: rate 52% to 87% [p .01], and overall CPR compliance, 43% to 78% [p < .02]; automated feedback only: rate, 70% to 96% [p = .02], depth, 61% to 100% [p < .01], and overall CPR compliance, 35% to 96% [p < .01]; and instructor training combined with automated feedback: rate 48% to 100% [p < .01], depth, 78% to 100% [p < .02], and overall CPR compliance, 30% to 100% [p < .01])., Conclusions: Before booster CPR instruction, most certified Pediatric Basic Life Support providers did not perform guideline-compliant CPR. After a brief bedside training, CPR quality improved irrespective of training content (instructor vs. automated feedback). Future studies should investigate bedside training to improve CPR quality during actual pediatric cardiac arrests.

Purpose: The Pediatric Cardiac Quality of Life Inventory (PCQLI) is a disease-specific, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure for pediatric heart disease (HD). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the external validity of PCQLI scores., Methods: The PCQLI development site (Development sample) and six geographically diverse centers in the United States (Composite sample) recruited pediatric patients with acquired or congenital HD. Item response option variability, scores [Total (TS); Disease Impact (DI) and Psychosocial Impact (PI) subscales], patterns of correlation, and internal consistency were compared between samples., Results: A total of 3,128 patients and parent participants (1,113 Development; 2,015 Composite) were analyzed. Response option variability patterns of all items in both samples were acceptable. Inter-sample score comparisons revealed no differences. Median item-total (Development, 0.57; Composite, 0.59) and item-subscale (Development, DI 0.58, PI 0.59; Composite, DI 0.58, PI 0.56) correlations were moderate. Subscale-subscale (0.79 for both samples) and subscale-total (Development, DI 0.95, PI 0.95; Composite, DI 0.95, PI 0.94) correlations and internal consistency (Development, TS 0.93, DI 0.90, PI 0.84; Composite, TS 0.93, DI 0.89, PI 0.85) were high in both samples., Conclusion: PCQLI scores are externally valid across the US pediatric HD population and may be used for multi-center HRQOL studies.

Objective: The purpose of this multicenter study was to confirm the validity and reliability of the Pediatric Cardiac Quality of Life Inventory (PCQLI)., Methods: Seven centers recruited pediatric patients (8-18 years of age) with heart disease (HD) and their parents to complete the PCQLI and generic health-related quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory [PedsQL]) and non-quality of life (Self-Perception Profile for Children [SPPC]/Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents [SPPA] and Youth Self-Report [YSR]/Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]) tools. PCQLI construct validity was assessed through correlations of PCQLI scores between patients and parents and with severity of congenital HD, medical care utilization, and PedsQL, SPPC/SPPA, and YSR/CBCL scores. PCQLI test-retest reliability was evaluated., Results: The study enrolled 1605 patient-parent pairs. Construct validity was substantiated by the association of lower PCQLI scores with Fontan palliation and increased numbers of cardiac operations, hospital admissions, and physician visits (P<.001); moderate to good correlations between patient and parent PCQLI scores (r=0.41-0.61; P<.001); and fair to good correlations between PCQLI total scores and PedsQL total (r=0.70-0.76), SPPC/SPPA global self-worth (r=0.43-0.46), YSR/CBCL total competency (r=0.28-0.37), and syndrome and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-oriented scale (r=-0.58 to -0.30; P<.001) scores. Test-retest reliability correlations were excellent (r=0.78-0.90; P<.001)., Conclusions: PCQLI scores are valid and reliable for children and adolescents with congenital and acquired HD and may be useful for future research and clinical management.

Background: Tracheal intubation-associated events (TIAEs) are common (20%) and life threatening (4%) in pediatric intensive care units. Physician trainees are required to learn tracheal intubation during intensive care unit rotations. The authors hypothesized that "just-in-time" simulation-based intubation refresher training would improve resident participation, success, and decrease TIAEs., Methods: For 14 months, one of two on-call residents, nurses, and respiratory therapists received 20-min multidisciplinary simulation-based tracheal intubation training and 10-min resident skill refresher training at the beginning of their on-call period in addition to routine residency education. The rate of first attempt and overall success between refresher-trained and concurrent non-refresher-trained residents (controls) during the intervention phase was compared. The incidence of TIAEs between preintervention and intervention phase was also compared., Results: Four hundred one consecutive primary orotracheal intubations were evaluated: 220 preintervention and 181 intervention. During intervention phase, neither first-attempt success nor overall success rate differed between refresher-trained residents versus concurrent non-refresher-trained residents: 20 of 40 (50%) versus 15 of 24 (62.5%), P = 0.44 and 23 of 40 (57.5%) versus 18 of 24 (75.0%), P = 0.19, respectively. The resident's first attempt and overall success rate did not differ between preintervention and intervention phases. The incidence of TIAE during preintervention and intervention phases was similar: 22.0% preintervention versus 19.9% intervention, P = 0.62, whereas resident participation increased from 20.9% preintervention to 35.4% intervention, P = 0.002. Resident participation continued to be associated with TIAE even after adjusting for the phase and difficult airway condition: odds ratio 2.22 (95% CI 1.28-3.87, P = 0.005)., Conclusions: Brief just-in-time multidisciplinary simulation-based intubation refresher training did not improve the resident's first attempt or overall tracheal intubation success.

Objective: We hypothesized that childhood obesity would be associated with decreased likelihood of survival to hospital discharge after in-hospital, pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)., Methods: We reviewed 1477 consecutive, pediatric, CPR index events (defined as the first CPR event during a hospitalization in that facility for a patient <18 years of age) reported to the American Heart Association National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation between January 2000 and July 2004. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. A total of 1268 index subjects (86%) with complete registry data were included for analysis. Children were classified as obese (> or =95th weight-for-length percentile if <2 years of age or > or =95th BMI-for-age percentile if > or =2 years of age) or underweight (<5th weight-for-length percentile if <2 years of age or <5th BMI-for-age percentile if > or =2 years of age), with adjustment for gender., Results: Obesity was noted for 213 (17%) of 1268 subjects and underweight for 571 (45%) of 1268 subjects. Obesity was more likely to be associated with male gender, noncardiac medical illness, and cancer and inversely associated with heart failure. Underweight was more likely to be associated with male gender, cardiac surgery, and prematurity and inversely associated with age and cancer. Self-reported, process-of-care, CPR quality was generally worse for obese children. With adjustment for important potential confounding factors, obesity was independently associated with worse odds of event survival (adjusted odds ratio: 0.58 [95% confidence interval: 0.35-0.76]) and survival to hospital discharge (adjusted odds ratio: 0.62 [95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.93]) after in-hospital, pediatric CPR. Underweight was not associated with worse outcomes., Conclusions: Childhood obesity is associated with a lower rate of survival to hospital discharge after in-hospital, pediatric CPR.

For stroke and spinal cord injury, folic acid supplementation has been shown to enhance neurodevelopment and to provide neuroprotection. We hypothesized that folic acid would reduce brain injury and improve neurological outcome in a neonatal piglet model of traumatic brain injury (TBI), using 4 experimental groups of 3- to 5-day-old female piglets. Two groups were intubated, anesthetized and had moderate brain injury induced by rapid axial head rotation without impact. One group of injured (Inj) animals received folic acid (Fol; 80 μg/kg) by intraperitoneal (IP) injection 15 min following injury, and then daily for 6 days (Inj + Fol; n = 7). The second group of injured animals received an IP injection of saline (Sal) at the same time points (Inj + Sal; n = 8). Two uninjured (Uninj) control groups (Uninj + Fol, n = 8; Uninj + Sal, n = 7) were intubated, anesthetized and received folic acid (80 μg/kg) or saline by IP injection at the same time points as the injured animals following a sham procedure. Animals underwent neurobehavioral and cognitive testing on days 1 and 4 following injury to assess behavior, memory, learning and problem solving. Serum folic acid and homocysteine levels were collected prior to injury and again before euthanasia. The piglets were euthanized 6 days following injury, and their brains were perfusion fixed for histological analysis. Folic acid levels were significantly higher in both Fol groups on day 6. Homocysteine levels were not affected by treatment. On day 1 following injury, the Inj + Fol group showed significantly more exploratory interest, and better motor function, learning and problem solving compared to the Inj + Sal group. Inj + Fol animals had a significantly lower cognitive composite dysfunction score compared to all other groups on day 1. These functional improvements were not seen on day 4 following injury. Axonal injury measured by β-amyloid precursor protein staining 6 days after injury was not affected by treatment. These results suggest that folic acid may enhance early functional recovery in this piglet model of pediatric head injury. This is the first study to describe the application of complex functional testing to assess an intervention outcome in a swine model of TBI., (Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aim: To quantitatively describe pauses in chest compression (CC) delivery during resuscitation from in-hospital pediatric and adolescent cardiac arrest. We hypothesized that CPR error will be more likely after a chest compression provider change compared to other causes for pauses., Methods: CPR recording/feedback defibrillators were used to evaluate CPR quality for victims >/=8 years who received CPR in the PICU/ED. Audiovisual feedback was supplied in accordance with AHA targets. Etiology of CC pauses identified by post-event debriefing/reviews of stored CPR quality data., Results: Analysis yielded 205 pauses during 304.8 min of CPR from 20 consecutive cardiac arrests. Etiologies were: 57.1% for provider switch; 23.9% for pulse/rhythm analysis; 4.4% for defibrillation; and 14.6% "other." Provider switch accounted for 41.2% of no-flow duration. Compared to other causes, CPR epochs following pauses due to provider switch were more likely to have measurable residual leaning (OR: 5.52; CI(95): 2.94, 10.32; p<0.001) and were shallower (43+/-8 vs. 46+/-7 mm; mean difference: -2.42 mm; CI(95): -4.71, -0.13; p=0.04). Individuals performing continuous CPR>or=120 s as compared to those switching earlier performed deeper chest compressions (42+/-6 vs. 38+/-7 mm; mean difference: 4.44 mm; CI(95): 2.39, 6.49; p<0.001) and were more compliant with guideline depth recommendations (OR: 5.11; CI(95): 1.67, 15.66; p=0.004)., Conclusions: Provider switches account for a significant portion of no-flow time. Measurable residual leaning is more likely after provider switch. Feedback systems may allow some providers to continue high quality CPR past the recommended switch time of 2 min during in-hospital resuscitation attempts.

Objectives: Our objectives were to determine the impact of family presence during PICU rounds on family satisfaction, resident teaching, and length of rounds and to assess factors associated with family satisfaction., Methods: This was an observational study of a convenience sample of morning work rounds in a PICU, followed by surveys of family members of patients in the unit and residents who had been present for rounds., Results: A total of 411 patient encounters were observed, 98 family questionnaires were fully completed, and 33 resident questionnaires were completed. Ninety-eight percent of family members liked to be present for rounds. On the first day of admission, family members were less likely to understand the plan (P=.03), to feel comfortable asking questions (P = .007), or to want bad news during rounds (P = .009). They were more likely to have privacy concerns (P = .02) and to want 1 individual to convey the plan after rounds (P=.01). Higher education level was associated with decreased privacy concerns (P = .002) but did not affect understanding of the plan. Fifty-two percent of residents perceived that teaching was decreased with families present. Time spent with individual patients was not increased by family member presence (P = .12)., Conclusions: Family satisfaction is high, but families of patients on the first day of admission may need special attention. The medical team should conduct rounds in a manner that addresses the privacy concerns of families. Residents often think that teaching is decreased when families are present.

Introduction: Quantitative CPR quality feedback systems improve adult CPR performance. Extension to pediatric patients is desirable; however, the anthropometric measurements of the pediatric chest pertinent to guide the development of pediatric-specific CPR monitoring systems are largely unknown., Hypothesis: Adult-based CPR quality monitoring and feedback systems will require pediatric-specific tailoring and adaptation., Methods: Anthropometric measurements pertinent to the development of pediatric-specific CPR quality monitoring systems were obtained in 150 children ages 6 months to 8 years. Standard descriptive statistics were calculated. Absolute depth point estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the American Heart Association (AHA) chest compression depth recommendations (1/3 and 1/2 Anterior-Posterior chest depth). Percentage of subjects for which the adult minimal feedback depth of 38mm would coach to achieve pediatric AHA target depths was determined., Results: Point estimate averages for measurements pertinent to pediatric adaptation of CPR monitoring technology were: sternal width: 25.1mm [22.0-29.2]; sternal length: 98.7mm [95.3-102.1]; internipple distance: 120.0mm [117.2-122.8]; chin to sternal notch: 35.3mm [31.2-39.4]; 1/3 AP chest depth: 37.0mm [36.1-37.8]; and 1/2 AP chest depth: 55.4mm [54.2-56.7]. A minimal feedback depth of 38mm would meet the minimum pediatric AHA target for depth in 55% (82/148) of subjects, and coach too deep in only 2% (3/148)., Conclusion: Extension of adult-based CPR quality monitoring and feedback systems will require pediatric-specific tailoring and adaptation. Future studies should examine chest compression depths in clinical settings with correlation to physiologic parameters to determine the best targets for pediatric CPR guidelines.

Introduction: Our clinical observation indicates that some children who have a tracheostomy may experience increasing head circumference as they grow and develop. Accurate assessment and interpretation of growth parameters is an essential component of following child development. Appreciation for variations in growth is especially important in special populations, such as children with a tracheostomy. The aim of this study is to define head growth in children with a tracheostomy., Method: This retrospective cohort study includes children who underwent tracheostomy tube placement prior to 2 years of age in a respiratory rehabilitation unit within a children's hospital. Serial head circumference measurements were plotted against age on growth charts adjusted for gestational age. The percentage of patients with accelerated head growth, defined as increased head circumference across two major percentiles within 6 months following tracheostomy, was determined., Results: Fifty-seven percent (20 out of 35 children) demonstrated increased head circumference across two major percentiles within 6 months following tracheostomy., Discussion: Accelerated head growth is associated with the presence of a tracheostomy tube in children in this study. Further investigation is warranted to establish the relationship of head circumference to other growth parameters. In addition, the etiology of this phenomenon requires additional study. Understanding head growth in children with a tracheostomy will promote adequate growth assessment and may lead to improved patient care.

Objective: Few data exist on pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) quality. This study is the first to evaluate actual in-hospital pediatric CPR. We hypothesized that with bedside CPR training and corrective feedback, CPR quality can approach American Heart Association (AHA) targets., Patients and Methods: Using CPR recording/feedback defibrillators, quality of CPR was assessed for patients >or=8 years of age who suffered a cardiac arrest in the PICU or emergency department (ED). Before and during the study, a bedside CPR training program was initiated., Results: Between October 2006 and February 2008, twenty events in 18 patients met inclusion criteria and resulted in 36749 evaluable chest compressions (CCs) during 392.3 minutes of arrest. CCs were shallow (<38 mm or <1.5 in) in 27.2% (9998 of 36749), with excessive residual leaning force (>or=2500 g) in 23.4% (8611 of 36749). Segmental analysis of the first 5 minutes of the events demonstrated that shallow CCs and excessive residual leaning force were less prevalent during the first 5 minutes. AHA targets were not achieved for CC rate in 62 (43.1%) of 144 segments, CC depth in 52 (36.1%) of 144 segments, and residual leaning force in 53 (36.8%) of 144 segments., Conclusions: This prospective, observational study demonstrates feasibility of monitoring in-hospital pediatric CPR. Even with bedside CPR retraining and corrective audiovisual feedback, CPR quality frequently did not meet AHA targets. Importantly, no flow fraction target of 10% was achieved. Future studies should investigate novel educational methods and targeted feedback technologies.

Cumulative effects of repetitive mild head injury in the pediatric population are unknown. We have developed a cognitive composite dysfunction score that correlates white matter injury severity in neonatal piglets with neurobehavioral assessments of executive function, memory, learning, and problem solving. Anesthetized 3- to 5-day-old piglets were subjected to single (n = 7), double one day apart (n = 7), and double one week apart (n = 7) moderate (190 rad/s) rapid non-impact axial rotations of the head and compared to instrumented shams (n = 7). Animals experiencing two head rotations one day apart had a significantly higher mortality rate (43%) compared to the other groups and had higher failures rates in visual-based problem solving compared to instrumented shams. White matter injury, assessed by beta-APP staining, was significantly higher in the double one week apart group compared to that with single injury and sham. Worsening performance on cognitive composite score correlated well with increasing severity of white matter axonal injury. In our immature large animal model of TBI, two head rotations produced poorer outcome as assessed by neuropathology and neurobehavioral functional outcomes compared to that with single rotations. More importantly, we have observed an increase in injury severity and mortality when the head rotations occur 24 h apart compared to 7 days apart. These observations have important clinical translation to infants subjected to repeated inflicted head trauma.

Objectives: Specific patterns of calcium use during in-hospital pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation have not been reported since publication of pediatric advanced life support guidelines by the American Heart Association in 2000 recommended that calcium use during cardiopulmonary resuscitation be limited to select circumstances. We hypothesized that calcium is used frequently during in-hospital pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation and that its use is associated with worse survival to hospital discharge., Methods: We reviewed 1477 consecutive pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation index events (for patients younger than 18 years) submitted to the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation from January 2000 through July 2004. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes included survival of event and neurologic outcome. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to analyze the association between calcium use and outcomes., Results: Calcium was used in 659 (45%) of 1477 events. Calcium was more likely to be used during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the settings of pediatric facilities, ICUs, cardiac surgery, cardiopulmonary resuscitation duration of > or = 15 minutes, asystole, and concurrently with other advanced life support medications: epinephrine, vasopressin, sodium bicarbonate, and magnesium sulfate. The use of calcium during cardiopulmonary resuscitation adjusted for confounding factors was associated with decreased survival to discharge and was not associated with favorable neurologic outcome., Conclusions: Calcium is used frequently during in-hospital pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Although epidemiologic associations do not necessarily indicate causality, calcium use during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is associated with decreased survival to hospital discharge and unfavorable neurologic outcome.

Objective: Mortality after surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) has decreased. Quality of life (QOL) assessment in survivors has become increasingly important. The purpose of this project was to create the Pediatric Cardiac Quality of Life Inventory (PCQLI)., Methods: Items were generated through nominal groups of patients, parents, and providers. The pilot PCQLI was completed by children (age 8-12), adolescents (age 13-18), and their parents at three cardiology clinics. Item reduction was performed through analysis of items, principal components, internal consistency (IC), and patterns of correlation., Results: A total of 655 patient-parent pairs completed the pilot PCQLI. Principal components identified included: impact of disease (ID); psychosocial impact (PI); and emotional environment (EE). After item reduction ID and PI had excellent IC (ID = 0.88-0.91; PI = 0.78-0.85) and correlated highly with each other (0.81-0.90) and with the total score (TS) (ID = 0.95-0.96; PI = 0.87-0.93). EE was not correlated with ID, PI, or TS and was removed from the final forms. Two-ventricle CHD patients had a higher TS than single-ventricle CHD patients across all forms (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: The PCQLI has patient and parent-proxy forms, has wide age range, and discriminates between CHD subgroups. The ID and PI subscales of the PCQLI have excellent IC and correlate well with each other and the TS.

Aim: To determine the efficacy of immediate, standardized, corrective audio feedback training as supplied by the voice advisory manikin (VAM) compared to high quality standardized instructor feedback training for the initial acquisition of 1-rescuer lay provider pediatric BLS skills., Materials and Methods: Lay care providers of hospitalized children 8-18 years were randomized to VAM (n=23) or standardized human instruction (SHI, n=27) training in one-rescuer pediatric BLS. After an identical video/instructor introduction to CPR and 20 min of training in their respective group, quantitative CPR psychomotor skill data was recorded during 3-min CPR testing epochs. All manikins used in training and testing sessions were identical in outside appearance and feel of doing CPR. The primary outcome measure was CPR psychomotor skill success defined prospectively as 70% correct chest compressions (CC) and ventilations (V). Subjects not attaining these success goals retrained for 5 min in their respective training group and were retested. Data analysis using student t-test and chi2-tests as appropriate., Results: VAM trainees delivered more total CC/min (58.7+/-7.9 versus 47.6+/-10.5, p<0.001), correct CC/min (47.9+/-15.7 versus 31.2+/-16.0, p<0.001), total V/min (7.8+/-1.2 versus 6.4+/-1.4, p<0.001), and correct V/min (5.4+/-1.9 versus 3.1+/-1.6, p<0.001). Overall error rates per individual were lower in VAM trainees for chest compressions (18.1+/-23.2% versus 34.9+/-28.8%, p<0.03) and ventilations (32.0+/-19.7% versus 50.7+/-24.1%, p<0.005). More VAM (12/23, 52%) than SHI (1/26, 4%) trainees passed the initial skill tests (p

Neurobehavioral deficits in higher cortical systems have not been described previously in a large animal model of diffuse brain injury. Anesthetized 3-5 day old piglets were subjected to either mild (142 rad/s) or moderate (188 rad/s) rapid non-impact axial rotations of the head. Multiple domains of cortical function were evaluated 5 times during the 12 day post-injury period using tests of neurobehavioral function devised for piglets. There were no observed differences in neurobehavioral outcomes between mild injury pigs (N=8) and instrumented shams (N=4). Moderately injured piglets (N=7) had significantly lower interest in exploring their environment and had higher failure rates in visual-based problem solving compared to instrumented shams (N=5) on days 1 and 4 after injury. Neurobehavioral functional deficits correlated with neuropathologic damage in the neonatal pigs after inertial head injury. Injured axons detected by immunohistochemistry (beta-APP) were absent in mild injury and sham piglets, but were observed in moderately injured piglet brains. In summary, we have developed a quantitative battery of neurobehavioral functional assessments for large animals that correlate with neuropathologic axonal damage and may have wide applications in the fields of cardiac resuscitation, stroke, and hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

Object: Intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) monitoring are fundamental to the management of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). In adults, brain tissue oxygen monitoring (specifically PO2) and treatment have been shown to be safe additions to conventional neurocritical care and are associated with improved outcome. Brain tissue oxygen monitoring, however, has not been described in pediatric patients with TBI. In this report, the authors present preliminary experience with the use of ICP and PO2 monitoring in this population., Methods: Pediatric patients (age <18 years) with severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score <8) admitted to a Level 1 trauma center who underwent ICP and PO2 monitoring were evaluated. Therapy was directed at maintaining ICP below 20 mm Hg and age-appropriate CPP (> or =40 mm Hg). Data obtained in six patients (two girls and four boys ranging in age from 6-16 years) were analyzed. Brain tissue oxygen levels were significantly higher (p < 0.01) at an ICP of less than 20 mm Hg (PO2 29.29 +/- 7.17 mm Hg) than at an ICP of greater than or equal to 20 mm Hg (PO2 22.83 +/- 13.85 mm Hg). Significant differences (p < 0.01) were also measured when CPP was less than 40 mm Hg (PO2 2.53 +/- 7.98 mm Hg) and greater than or equal to 40 mm Hg (PO2 28.97 +/- 7.85 mm Hg)., Conclusions: Brain tissue oxygen monitoring may be a safe and useful addition to ICP monitoring in the treatment of pediatric patients with severe TBI.

Unfortunately, head trauma caused by shaken baby syndrome is a common occurrence in infants and young children. The proper treatment and safety of these children can be enhanced by the nurse's ability to recognize features characteristic of this syndrome. If abuse is suspected, appropriate physicians, child-protective, and law-enforcement agencies should be notified immediately. Further research must be done to improve the understanding of the mechanisms associated with this disorder in the ultimate hope of improving the lives and outcome of infants and children.

Objective: Selective nonoperative management of pediatric blunt splenic injury became the standard of care in the late 1980s. The extent to which this practice has been adopted in both trauma centers and nontrauma hospitals has been investigated sporadically. Several studies have demonstrated significant variations in practice patterns; however, most published studies capture only a selective population over a relatively short time interval, often without simultaneous adjustment for confounding variables. The objective of this study was to characterize the variation in operative versus nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury in children in nontrauma hospitals and in trauma centers with varying resources for pediatric care within a regionalized trauma system in the past decade., Methods: The study population included all children who were younger than 19 years and had a diagnosis of blunt injury to the spleen (International Classification of Diseases code 865.00-865.09) and were admitted to each of the 175 acute care hospitals in Pennsylvania between 1991 and 2000. The proportion of patients who were treated operatively was stratified by trauma-level certification and adjusted for age and splenic injury severity. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to generate probabilities of splenectomy by age, injury severity, and hospital type., Results: From 1991 through 2000 in Pennsylvania, 3245 children sustained blunt splenic injury that required hospitalization; 752 (23.2%) were treated operatively. Generally, as age and splenic injury severity increased, the proportion of patients who were treated operatively increased. Compared with pediatric trauma centers, the relative risk (with associated 95% confidence interval) of splenectomy was 4.4 (3.0-6.3) for level 1 trauma centers with additional qualifications in pediatrics; 6.2 (4.4-8.7) for level 1 trauma centers, 6.3 (5.3-7.4) for level 2 trauma centers, and 5.0 (4.2-5.9) for nontrauma centers. Significant variation in practice pattern was seen among hospital types and over time even after adjustment for age and injury severity., Conclusions: The operative management of splenic injury in children varied significantly by hospital trauma status and over time during the past decade in Pennsylvania. Given the relative benefits of nonoperative treatment for children with blunt splenic injury, these results highlight the need for more widespread and standardized adoption of this treatment, particularly in hospitals without a large volume of pediatric trauma patients.

Cardiac output (CO) is an important hemodynamic measure that helps to guide the therapy of critically ill patients. Invasive CO assessment in infants and children is often avoided because of the inherent risks. A noninvasive CO monitor that uses partial rebreathing has been recently developed to determine CO via the Fick principle for carbon dioxide. There have been no clinical studies confirming its accuracy in pediatric patients. This is a prospective observational study of 37 children <12 yr of age who underwent cardiac catheterization. Under general anesthesia via an endotracheal tube without a leak, we made multiple CO measurements using thermodilution and compared them with noninvasively determined CO measurements. Paired measurements were analyzed for bias, precision, and correlation via Bland-Altman plot and linear regression. Noninvasive measurements showed a linear correlation with thermodilution CO assessment with an r value of 0.83 (P < 0.03). Bland-Altman analysis yielded a bias of -0.27 L/min and a precision +/-1.49 L/min. Cardiac index measurements demonstrated a decreased r value of 0.67 (P = 0.15) and a bias of -0.18 L . min(-1) . m(-2) and precision of +/-2.13 L . min(-1) . m(-2). Differences between partial rebreathing measurements and thermodilution measurements were largest in children with a body surface area of 0.6 m(2) body surface area and >300 mL tidal volume.