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Malaria is a leading cause of imported febrile illnesses in pediatric travelers, but few studies have addressed severe imported pediatric malaria. We aimed to determine the risk factors and the features of imported pediatric severe malaria.We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study using the French National Reference Center for Imported Malaria database, in children aged 0-15 years who were hospitalized with a falciparum malaria from January 1st 1996 to December 31th 2005. Uncomplicated and severe cases of falciparum malaria were compared to identify risk factors for severe cases. In the hospitals that reported more than five severe cases during the study period, we evaluated severe cases for prognostic factors and assessed the accuracy WHO criteria for predicting severity. Given the rarity of deaths, adverse outcomes were defined as requiring major therapeutic procedures (MTPs)-e.g., sedation, mechanical ventilation, nasal oxygen therapy, blood transfusions, hemodialysis, fluid resuscitation-or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission.Of 4150 pediatric malaria cases included in the study, 3299 were uncomplicated and 851 (20.5%) were severe. Only one death was recorded during this period. Predictors for severe falciparum malaria were: age

Introduction: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is considered a risk factor for, or even a potential con- traindication to, lung transplantation. However, only a few pediatric cases have been described thus far. Case Presentation: A 9-year-old boy with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension developed cardiac arrest after the insertion of a central catheter. ECMO was used as a bridge to lung transplantation. However, after prolonged resuscitation, he developed medullary ischemia and medullary syndrome. After 6 weeks of ECMO and triple combination therapy for pulmonary hypertension, including continuous intravenous prostacyclin, he was weaned off support, and after 2 weeks, bilateral lung transplantation was performed. At 4 years post-transplant, he has minimal problems. The medullary syndrome has also alleviated. He is now back to school and can walk with aids. Conclusions: Increasing evidence supports the use of ECMO as a bridge to LT, reporting good outcomes. In the modern era of PAH therapy, it is feasible to use prolonged ECMO support as a bridge to lung transplant, with the aim of weaning off this support; however, its use requires more experience and knowledge of long-term outcomes.

Backgrounds: Malaria is a leading cause of imported febrile illnesses in pediatric travelers, but few studies have addressed severe imported pediatric malaria. We aimed to determine the risk factors and the features of imported pediatric severe malaria., Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study using the French National Reference Center for Imported Malaria database, in children aged 0-15 years who were hospitalized with a falciparum malaria from January 1st 1996 to December 31th 2005. Uncomplicated and severe cases of falciparum malaria were compared to identify risk factors for severe cases. In the hospitals that reported more than five severe cases during the study period, we evaluated severe cases for prognostic factors and assessed the accuracy WHO criteria for predicting severity. Given the rarity of deaths, adverse outcomes were defined as requiring major therapeutic procedures (MTPs)-e.g., sedation, mechanical ventilation, nasal oxygen therapy, blood transfusions, hemodialysis, fluid resuscitation-or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission., Results: Of 4150 pediatric malaria cases included in the study, 3299 were uncomplicated and 851 (20.5%) were severe. Only one death was recorded during this period. Predictors for severe falciparum malaria were: age <2 years (OR = 3.2, 95% CI = 2.5-4.0, p <0.0001) and a travel in the Sahelian region (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.3-2.0, p = 0.0001). Of 422 severe malaria cases, a stay in a Sahelian region, lack of chemoprophylaxis, age <2 years or thrombocytopenia <100 x 10^3/mm^3 predicted adverse outcomes. Except for the hyperparasitemia threshold of 4%, the main WHO 2000 criteria for severe malaria reliably predicted adverse outcomes. In our study, the threshold of parasitemia most predictive of a poor outcome was 8%., Conclusion: In imported pediatric malaria, children younger than 2 years deserve particular attention. The main WHO 2000 criteria for severity are accurate, except for the threshold of hyperparasitemia, which should be revised.