Epidemiology and treatment of sepsis at a public pediatric emergency department

Objective

To describe the clinical characteristics and treatment of children with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock at a pediatric emergency department of a public hospital.

Methods

A retrospective, observational study. The medical records of patients included in the hospital Pediatric Sepsis Protocol and patients with discharge ICD-10 A41.9 (sepsis, unspecified), R57 (shock) and A39 (meningococcal meningitis) were evaluated.

Results

A total of 399 patients were included. The prevalence of sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock at the emergency room were 0.41%, 0.14% and 0.014%, respectively. The median age was 21.5 months for sepsis, 12 months for severe sepsis, and 20.5 months for septic shock. Sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock were more often associated with respiratory diseases. The Respiratory Syncytial Virus was the most common agent. The median time to antibiotic and fluid administration was 3 hours in patients with sepsis and severe sepsis. In patients with septic shock, the median times to administer antibiotics, fluid and vasoactive drugs were 2 hours, 2.5 hours and 6 hours, respectively. The median length of hospital stay for patients with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock were 3 days, 4 days and 1 day, respectively. The overall mortality was 2%.

Conclusion

Sepsis had a low prevalence. Early diagnosis and recognition are a challenge for the emergency care pediatrician, the first place of admission.

A Pediatric Sepsis Protocol Reduced Mortality and Dysfunctions in a Brazilian Public Hospital

Introduction: Few studies in the literature discuss the benefits of compliance with sepsis bundles in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries, where resources are limited and mortality is high. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at a public hospital in a low-income region in Brazil. We evaluated whether completion of a sepsis bundle is associated with reduced in-hospital mortality for sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock, as well as prevention of septic shock and organ dysfunction. Bundle compliance required the completion of three items: (1) obtaining blood count and culture, arterial or venous blood gases, and arterial or venous lactate levels; (2) antibiotic infusion within the first hour of diagnosis; and (3) infusion of 10-20 ml/kg saline solution within the first hour of diagnosis. Results: A total of 548 children with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock who were treated at the emergency room from February 2008 to August of 2016 were included in the study. Of those, 371 patients were included in the protocol group and had a lower median length of stay (3 days vs. 11 days; p < 0.001), fewer organ dysfunctions during hospitalization (0 vs. 2, p < 0.001), and a lower probability of developing septic shock. According to a propensity score analysis, mortality was lower during the post-implementation period [2.75 vs. 15.4% (RR 95%IC 0.13 (0.06, 0.27); p < 0.001)]. Conclusions: A simple and low-cost protocol was feasible and yielded good results at a general hospital in a low-income region in Brazil. Protocol use resulted in decreased mortality and progression of dysfunctions and was associated with a reduced probability of developing septic shock.

Barriers and Proposed Solutions to a Successful Implementation of Pediatric Sepsis Protocols

The implementation of managed protocols contributes to a systematized approach to the patient and continuous evaluation of results, focusing on improving clinical practice, early diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. Advantages to the adoption of a pediatric sepsis recognition and treatment protocol include: a reduction in time to start fluid and antibiotic administration, decreased kidney dysfunction and organ dysfunction, reduction in length of stay, and even a decrease on mortality. Barriers are: absence of a written protocol, parental knowledge, early diagnosis by healthcare professionals, venous access, availability of antimicrobials and vasoactive drugs, conditions of work, engagement of healthcare professionals. There are challenges in low-middle-income countries (LMIC). The causes of sepsis and resources differ from high-income countries. Viral agent such as dengue, malaria are common in LMIC and initial approach differ from bacterial infections. Some authors found increased or no impact in mortality or increased length of stay associated with the implementation of the SCC sepsis bundle which reinforces the importance of adapting it to most frequent diseases, disposable resources, and characteristics of healthcare professionals. Conclusions: (1) be simple; (2) be precise; (3) education; (5) improve communication; (5) work as a team; (6) share and celebrate results.

Vomiting in newborns as a result of a duodenal membrane: two case reports

Vomiting episodes in newborns are extremely common and often attributed to gastroesophageal reflux. The symptoms of vomiting, however, may be caused by other complications. In this report, we present two cases of a 1-month-old male and a 2-month-old female, both presenting vomiting episodes that led to malnutrition. Some pediatricians often attribute the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux to newborns that are vomiting; however, there is a portion of the population that has other causes that lead to similar symptoms. The pediatrician should be alert to the clinical signs of weight loss, dehydration and malnutrition to investigate other causes of vomiting.

Accident involving a 2-year-old child and Lonomia obliqua venom: clinical and coagulation abnormalities

Poisons of caterpillars have different effects on inflammatory and coagulation systems. This is a case report of a 2-year-old child that accidentally came in contact with several caterpillars of the species Lonomia obliqua. At first, the patient's exams presented abnormal coagulation and decreased fibrinogen, but the patient did not evolve to active bleeding or acute renal failure. The patient received antilonomic serum 15 h after the accident and the treatment was repeated after another 12 h due to persistent alterations shown by the coagulation exams. The venom of L. obliqua has several substances that act on the coagulation and inflammatory systems. The event is characterized by a hemorrhagic syndrome with decreases in fibrinogen. L. obliqua Stuart-factor activator (Losac) and L. obliqua prothrombin activator protease (Lopap) are components that act with procoagulatory effects. The pro-inflammatory action occurs due to metalloproteases, hyaluronidases and other substances with inflammatory activity. Studies on caterpillar venom can give new perspectives on the treatment of cancer and other diseases that cause dysfunction of the extra-cellular matrix.