Long-term multidisciplinary follow-up programs in pediatric cardiac arrest survivors

Long-term outcome studies after pediatric cardiac arrest (CA) are few. They require a CA registry and dedicated outcome teams. Learning about the long-term outcomes is very important for developing prognostication guidelines, improving post-cardiac care, counseling caregivers about the future of their child, and creating opportunities for therapeutic intervention studies to improve outcomes. Few PICUs worldwide provide a multidisciplinary follow-up program as routine practice at an outpatient clinic with standardized measurements, using validated instruments including neuropsychological assessments by psychologists. The primary goal of such a follow-up program should be to provide excellent care to children and their caregivers, thereby resulting in a high attendance. Pediatric psychologists, neurologists and pediatricians/pediatric intensivists should ideally be involved to screen for delayed development and psychosocial problems and offer appropriate care at the same time. Preferably, outcomes should consist of evaluation of morbidity (physical and neuropsychological), functional health and Health Related Quality Of Life (QoL) of the patient and their caregivers.

Trends in community response and long-term outcomes from pediatric cardiac arrest: A retrospective observational study

AIM

This study aimed to investigate trends over time in pre-hospital factors for pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (pOHCA) and long-term neurological and neuropsychological outcomes. These have not been described before in large populations.

METHODS

Non-traumatic arrest patients, 1 day-17 years old, presented to the Sophia Children's Hospital from January 2002 to December 2020, were eligible for inclusion. Favorable neurological outcome was defined as Pediatric Cerebral Performance Categories (PCPC) 1-2 or no difference with pre-arrest baseline. The trend over time was tested with multivariable logistic and linear regression models with year of event as independent variable.

FINDINGS

Over a nineteen-year study period, the annual rate of long-term favorable neurological outcome, assessed at a median 2.5 years follow-up, increased significantly (OR 1.10, 95%-CI 1.03-1.19), adjusted for confounders. Concurrently, annual automated external defibrillator (AED) use and, among adolescents, initial shockable rhythm increased significantly (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.33 and OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.29, respectively), adjusted for confounders. For generalizability purposes, only the total intelligence quotient (IQ) was considered for trend analysis of all tested domains. Total IQ scores and bystander basic life support (BLS) rate did not change significantly over time.

INTERPRETATION

Long-term favorable neurological outcome, assessed at a median 2.5 years follow-up, improved significantly over the study period. Total IQ scores did not significantly change over time. Furthermore, AED use (OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.10-1.33) and shockable rhythms among adolescents (OR1.15, 95%CI 1.02-1.29) increased over time.

Association between shockable rhythms and long-term outcome after pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Rotterdam, the Netherlands: An 18-year observational study

INTRODUCTION

Shockable rhythm following pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (pOHCA) is consistently associated with hospital and short-term survival. Little is known about the relationship between shockable rhythm and long-term outcomes (>1 year) after pOHCA. The aim was to investigate the association between first documented rhythm and long-term outcomes in a pOHCA cohort over 18 years.

METHODS

All children aged 1 day-18 years who experienced non-traumatic pOHCA between 2002-2019 and were subsequently admitted to the emergency department (ED) or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital were included. Data was abstracted retrospectively from patient files, (ground) ambulance and Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) records, and follow-up clinics. Long-term outcome was determined using a Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) score at the longest available follow-up interval through august 2020. The primary outcome measure was survival with favorable neurologic outcome, defined as PCPC 1-2 or no difference between pre- and post-arrest PCPC. The association between first documented rhythm and the primary outcome was calculated in a multivariable regression model.

RESULTS

369 children were admitted, nine children were lost to follow-up. Median age at arrest was age 3.4 (IQR 0.8-9.9) years, 63% were male and 14% had a shockable rhythm (66% non-shockable, 20% unknown or return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) before emergency medical service (EMS) arrival). In adolescents (aged 12-18 years), 39% had shockable rhythm. 142 (39%) of children survived to hospital discharge. On median follow-up interval of 25 months (IQR 5.1-49.6), 115/142 (81%) of hospital survivors had favorable neurologic outcome. In multivariable analysis, shockable rhythm was associated with survival with favorable long-term neurologic outcome (OR 8.9 [95%CI 3.1-25.9]).

CONCLUSION

In children with pOHCA admitted to ED or PICU shockable rhythm had significantly higher odds of survival with long-term favorable neurologic outcome compared to non-shockable rhythm. Survival to hospital discharge after pOHCA was 39% over the 18-year study period. Of survivors to discharge, 81% had favorable long-term (median 25 months, IQR 5.1-49.6) neurologic outcome. Efforts for improving outcome of pOHCA should focus on early recognition and treatment of shockable pOHCA at scene.

Analgosedation in paediatric severe traumatic brain injury (TBI): practice, pitfalls and possibilities

Analgosedation is a fundamental part of traumatic brain injury (TBI) treatment guidelines, encompassing both first and second tier supportive strategies. Worldwide analgosedation practices continue to be heterogeneous due to the low level of evidence in treatment guidelines (level III) and the choice of analgosedative drugs is made by the treating clinician. Current practice is thus empirical and may result in unfavourable (often hemodynamic) side effects. This article presents an overview of current analgosedation practices in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and addresses pitfalls both in the short and long term. We discuss innovative (pre-)clinical research that can provide the framework for initiatives to improve our pharmacological understanding of analgesic and sedative drugs used in paediatric severe TBI and ultimately facilitate steps towards evidence-based and precision pharmacotherapy in this vulnerable patient group.

A rare complication after laparoscopic gastric banding: connecting-tube penetration into the hilus of the kidney

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is a common operation for morbid obesity. Late complications mainly originate from either the injection port (dislocation, infection, leakage) or the gastric band (pouch dilatation, slippage, leakage, gastric erosion). Complications from the tube, connecting the port with the band, are rarely described. We report the penetration of a loose connecting tube into the kidney 8 months after removal of an infected injection port.