Crises fébriles : mise au point pour le médecin aux urgences

Les crises fébriles (CF), définies comme des crises d’épilepsie en contexte fébrile chez un enfant âgé entre six mois et cinq ans sans infection du système nerveux central affectent entre 2 et 5 % des enfants. Leur pronostic à long terme est excellent, n’exposant ni à un excès de mortalité ni à une diminution des compétences intellectuelles et comportementales. Poser le diagnostic de CF nécessite d’éliminer les autres causes de crises d’épilepsie en contexte fébrile, dont une méningite bactérienne et une méningoencéphalite herpétique. Cependant, le diagnostic de CF ne nécessite généralement aucun examen complémentaire sous réserve d’un interrogatoire et d’un examen clinique minutieux. L’indication des examens complémentaires pour identifier l’étiologie de la fièvre n’est pas modifiée par le fait que l’enfant ait présenté une CF. Bien qu’un tiers des enfants ayant eu une CF récidiveront au moins une fois avant l’âge de cinq ans, aucune mesure prophylactique (traitement antiépileptique, prise en charge agressive de la fièvre) n’est indiquée pour éviter ces récidives pour la quasi-totalité de ces enfants. Plusieurs facteurs de risque d’épilepsie sont à rechercher pour identifier les rares patients nécessitant un avis spécialisé sans urgence. Enfin, assister à un épisode de CF est une expérience très éprouvante pour les parents. Plusieurs messages clés doivent être délivrés aux parents avant le retour au domicile dans le but d’améliorer leur compréhension de l’épisode qui a eu lieu et de prévenir un syndrome posttraumatique ainsi que des modifications du comportement parental face à la fièvre.

Retour d’expérience d’un hôpital pédiatrique pendant la crise Covid-19 en Île-de-France

La crise sanitaire de la Covid-19 du printemps 2020 a peu touché les enfants avec peu d’hospitalisations dans les hôpitaux pédiatriques. Le défi a été d’apporter une aide aux hôpitaux adultes avec un personnel principalement formé à la pédiatrie tout en maintenant la permanence des soins urgents pour les enfants atteints ou non de la Covid-19. À l’hôpital universitaire Armand-Trousseau, nous avons créé des unités dédiées pour les enfants atteints de la Covid-19, identifié les spécificités des enfants atteints de la Covid-19 et notamment les formes de Kawasaki like ou PIMS (paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome), créé une unité de réanimation adulte au pic de l’épidémie pour augmenter les capacités en lits de réanimation dans notre région, mutualisé notre centre de dépistage pour le personnel d’hôpitaux adultes. Enfin, nous avons envoyé plus de 140 personnels médicaux et paramédicaux dans les hôpitaux adultes de notre groupe hospitalier. Cette aide a pu être organisée grâce aux liens étroits établis par des cellules de crises communes avec les hôpitaux adultes de notre groupe hospitalier. Nous rapportons ainsi un retour d’expérience d’un hôpital pédiatrique au cours de la crise de la Covid-19 en Île-de-France.

Children and screens: Groupe de Pédiatrie Générale (Société française de pédiatrie) guidelines for pediatricians and families

The Groupe de Pédiatrie Générale (General Pediatrics Group), a member of the Société française de pédiatrie (French Pediatrics Society), has proposed guidelines for families and doctors regarding children's use of digital screens. A number of guidelines have already been published, in particular by the French Academy of Sciences in 2013 and the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2016. These new guidelines were preceded by an investigation into the location of digital screen use by young children in France, a survey of medical concerns on the misuse of digital devices, and a review of their documented benefits. The Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (Higher Council on Audiovisual Technology) and the Union Nationale de Associations Familiales (National Union of Family Associations) have taken part in the preparation of this document. Five simple messages are proposed: understanding without demonizing; screen use in common living areas, but not in bedrooms; preserve time with no digital devices (morning, meals, sleep, etc.); provide parental guidance for screen use; and prevent social isolation.

[Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in critically ill neonates and children]

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is used as a last resort during neonatal and pediatric resuscitation in case of refractory circulatory or respiratory failure under maximum conventional therapies. Different types of ECMO can be used depending on the initial failure. The main indications for ECMO are refractory respiratory failure (acute respiratory distress syndrome, status asthmaticus, severe pneumonia, meconium aspiration syndrome, pulmonary hypertension) and refractory circulatory failure (cardiogenic shock, septic shock, refractory cardiac arrest). The main contraindications are a gestational age under 34 weeks or birth weight under 2kg, severe underlying pulmonary disease, severe immune deficiency, a neurodegenerative disease and hereditary disease of hemostasis. Neurological impairment can occur during ECMO (cranial hemorrhage, seizure or stroke). Nosocomial infections and acute kidney injury are also frequent complications of ECMO. The overall survival rate of ECMO is about 60 %. This survival rate can change depending on the initial disease: from 80 % for meconium aspiration syndrome to less than 10 % for out-of-hospital refractory cardiac arrest. Recently, mobile ECMO units have been created. These units are able to perform ECMO out of a referral center for untransportable critically ill patients.

[Sedation and analgesia practices among Spanish neonatal intensive care units]

INTRODUCTION

Pain management and sedation is a priority in neonatal intensive care units. A study was designed with the aim of determining current clinical practice as regards sedation and analgesia in neonatal intensive care units in Spain, as well as to identify factors associated with the use of sedative and analgesic drugs.

METHOD

A multicenter, observational, longitudinal and prospective study.

RESULTS

Thirty neonatal units participated and included 468 neonates. Of these, 198 (42,3%) received sedatives or analgesics. A total of 19 different drugs were used during the study period, and the most used was fentanyl. Only fentanyl, midazolam, morphine and paracetamol were used in at least 20% of the neonates who received sedatives and/or analgesics. In infusions, 14 different drug prescriptions were used, with the most frequent being fentanyl and the combination of fentanyl and midazolam. The variables associated with receiving sedation and/or analgesia were, to have required invasive ventilation (P<.001; OR=23.79), a CRIB score >3 (P=.023; OR=2.26), the existence of pain evaluation guides in the unit (P<.001; OR=3.82), and a pain leader (P=.034; OR=2.35).

CONCLUSIONS

Almost half of the neonates admitted to intensive care units receive sedatives or analgesics. There is significant variation between Spanish neonatal units as regards sedation and analgesia prescribing. Our results provide evidence on the "state of the art", and could serve as the basis of preparing clinical practice guidelines at a national level.

[Pain in neonatology. Non-pharmacological treatment]

Diagnostic and therapeutic skin-breaking procedures have become ubiquitous in current medical practice and neonatology does not constitute an exception. One of the main sources of neonatal pain is procedure-induced pain. It has recently become clear that pain prevention must be a health care priority. Non-pharmacological approaches constitute a first option for the analgesia of common procedures performed in neonatology. This article reviews the non-pharmacological treatments most frequently used in this context: swaddling, tucking, containment, sweet solutions, non-nutritive sucking (NNS), breastfeeding analgesia, breast milk and music. In practice, the dose of 1 to 2mL of 24% or 30% sucrose solution or 30% glucose solution immediately followed by NNS can be given for minor painful procedures in term neonates or those weighing more than 2500g. In the preterm, 0.3mL of a sweet solution (sucrose or glucose) can be given for infants weighing less than 1500g and 0.5mL for those weighing between 1500 and 2500g. The synergistic effect of sweet solutions and NNS has been clearly shown and thus their association is largely justified in practice. For breast-fed term neonates, breastfeeding can be given to sooth procedure-induced pain. All these non-pharmacological options can be effective to relieve pain from minor or moderate procedures. However, when more painful procedures are performed, stronger analgesics must be used.

Case report: boldo (Peumus boldus) and tacrolimus interaction in a renal transplant patient

INTRODUCTION

Boldo is an extract of a Chilean tree leave (Peumus boldus mol) that have been traditionally employed in folk medicine. We have presented a case of subtherapeutic tacrolimus levels in a renal transplant patient while taking boldo. In the literature search, no interaction has been reported between boldo and tacrolimus.

CASE REPORT

A 78-year-old Hispanic man with history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and deceased donor renal transplant in 2005 presented to the renal clinic for regular follow-up on September 1, 2010. No complaints were reported and physical examination was unremarkable. Laboratory tests taken on July 26, 2010, were significant for tacrolimus level of <3 ng/mL (measured by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry) and serum creatinine of 1.2 mg/dL (106 μmol/L). Medications included tacrolimus 2 mg bid and mycophenolate 500 mg bid. On further inquiry, the patient admitted taking herbal medication, boldo 300 mg bid, for the last few weeks. There was no change in his regular medications. He was adherent to his medication. He had been taking tacrolimus from the same company and pharmacy since August 2009. The last dose of boldo was on September 1, 2010. One week after he stopped taking boldo, tacrolimus level was 6.1 ng/mL (9/8/2010) on the same tacrolimus dose of 2 mg bid. Tacrolimus dose was increased to 3 mg bid (9/9/2010), awaiting tacrolimus levels. Subsequent levels (ng/mL) were 8.6 and 9.5, which made us resume the prior tacrolimus dose (2 mg bid).

CONCLUSIONS

We have reported a case of an allograft renal transplant recipient who presented to the clinic with subtherapeutic levels of tacrolimus while taking the herbal remedy boldo. Tacrolimus levels rose to the intended target after discontinuation of boldo. Although it is a single case report, our observation suggests a possible herb-drug interaction.