One hundred useful references in pediatric cardiac intensive care: the 2012 update

Useful References in Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care: The 2017 Update

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric cardiac intensive care continues to evolve, with rapid advances in knowledge and improvement in clinical outcomes. In the past, the Board of Directors of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society created and subsequently updated a list of sentinel references focused on the care of critically ill children with congenital and acquired heart disease. The objective of this article is to provide clinicians with a compilation and brief summary of updated and useful references that have been published since 2012.

DATA SELECTION

Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society members were solicited via a survey sent out between March 20, 2017, and April 28, 2017, to provide important references that have impacted clinical care. The survey was sent to approximately 523 members. Responses were received from 45 members, of which some included multiple references.

DATA EXTRACTION

Following review of the list of references, and removing editorials, references were compiled by the first and last author. The final list was submitted to members of the society's Research Briefs Committee, who ranked each publication.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Rankings were compiled and the references with the highest scores included. Research Briefs Committee members ranked the articles from 1 to 3, with one being highly relevant and should be included and 3 being less important and should be excluded. Averages were computed, and the top articles included in this article. The first (K.C.U.) and last author (K.M.G.) reviewed and developed summaries of each article.

CONCLUSIONS

This article contains a compilation of useful references for the critical care of children with congenital and acquired heart disease published in the last 5 years. In conjunction with the prior version of this update in 2012, this article may be used as an educational reference in pediatric cardiac intensive care.

Medical missions for the provision of paediatric cardiac surgery in low- and middle-income countries

This review will outline the role of visiting cardiac surgical teams in low- and middle-income countries drawing on the collective experience of the authors in a wide range of locations. Requests for assistance can emerge from local programmes at a beginner or advanced stage. However, in all circumstances, careful pre-trip planning is necessary in conjunction with clinical and non-clinical local partners. The clinical evaluation, surgical procedures, and postoperative care all serve as a template for collaboration and education between the visiting and local teams in every aspect of care. Education focusses on both common and patient-specific issues. Case selection must appropriately balance the clinical priorities, safety, and educational objectives within the time constraints of trip duration. Considerable communication and practical challenges will present, and clinicians may need to make significant adjustments to their usual practice in order to function effectively in a resource-limited, unfamiliar, and multilingual environment. The effectiveness of visiting trips should be measured and constantly evaluated. Local and visiting teams should use data-driven evaluations of measurable outcomes and critical qualitative evaluation to repeatedly re-assess their interim goals. Progress invariably takes several years to achieve the final goal: an autonomous self-governing, self-financed, cardiac programme capable of providing care for children with complex CHD. This outcome is consistent with redundancy for the visiting trips model at the site, although fraternal, professional, and academic links will invariably remain for many years.

The Role of Regional Oxygen Saturation Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Blood Lactate Levels as Early Predictors of Outcome After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association between regional oxygen saturation (rSO2) desaturation score (calculated by multiplying the rSO2 < 50% by time in seconds the preoperative baseline value) measured with near-infrared spectroscopy and the peak of lactate with postoperative major morbidities in pediatric patients who undergo cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the postoperative course of 152 patients between January 2012 and December 2013, for whom we continuously monitored cerebral rSO2 using near-infrared spectroscopy and serial arterial blood lactate levels for at least 48 hours.

RESULTS

The median age at surgery was 128 days (interquartile range [IQR], 17-537 days). Thirty-nine patients had a single ventricle physiology (26%) and 135 patients (89%) required the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (median time of 130 minutes; IQR, 93-172 minutes). Median postoperative peak lactate level was 3 mmol/L (IQR, 2-5.3 mmol/L); 52 patients (34%) had a postoperative lactate level > 4.6 mmol/L. The median postoperative rSO2 desaturation score was 157 (IQR, 0-2050); 62 patients (41%) had an rSO2 desaturation score > 345. Fifty-seven patients (37%) had postoperative major morbidities. Using a multivariable regression model only rSO2 desaturation score > 345 was independently associated with major morbidities after surgery (odds ratio, 27.26; 95% confidence interval, 10.18-73.00). The proportion of patients with an rSO2 desaturation score > 345 within 240 minutes after surgery was higher than the rate of those who showed a peak of lactate > 4.6 mmol/L (84% vs 59%; P = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The postoperative rSO2 desaturation score has a stronger association with major postoperative morbidities than lactate and it also provides an earlier warning sign of hemodynamic or metabolic compromise.