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El uso de avena forrajera para alimentación animal en la Sabana de Bogotá es una práctica generalizada debido a su aporte energético, proteico, además de ser un cultivo de ciclo corto; por estas razones es importante incrementar su volumen de producción, optimizando la nutrición de este forraje. La respuesta al silicio por parte de la avena no ha sido comprobada, como sí lo ha sido en otros cultivos de especies gramíneas, los cuales mostraron respuestas positivas en producción. La investigación pretendió evaluar el efecto benéfico del silicio mediante curvas de crecimiento de los componentes de rendimiento (macollas, altura de planta, diámetro de tallo y materia seca de tallo y raíz), teniendo como factor principal épocas de aplicación (presiembra y macollamiento) y factor secundario dosis (0, 50, 100, 150 y 200 mg·kg-1 de ácido monosilícico como fuente de mayor asimilación en los cultivos). Bajo condiciones de invernadero se efectuó un diseño experimental con arreglo factorial 2 X 5, 10 tratamientos, 4 repeticiones, y para el análisis de medias se utilizó la prueba de Tukey (P-1 (116,42 g por maceta) respecto al testigo (90 g por maceta seca) y se asocia a un mejor índice de materia seca radicular (0,17) para la misma dosis respecto a la no aplicación de Si, lo cual implica una mayor capacidad de absorción de nutrientes.

Abstract Background Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a well-established independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and the influence of several genetic variants in genes related with triglyceride (TG) metabolism has been described, including LPL, APOA5 and APOE. The combined analysis of these polymorphisms could produce clinically meaningful complementary information. Methods A subgroup of the ICARIA study comprising 1825 Spanish subjects (80% men, mean age 36 years) was genotyped for the LPL-HindIII (rs320), S447X (rs328), D9N (rs1801177) and N291S (rs268) polymorphisms, the APOA5-S19W (rs3135506) and -1131T/C (rs662799) variants, and the APOE polymorphism (rs429358; rs7412) using PCR and restriction analysis and TaqMan assays. We used regression analyses to examine their combined effects on TG levels (with the log-transformed variable) and the association of variant combinations with TG levels and hypertriglyceridemia (TG ≥ 1.69 mmol/L), including the covariates: gender, age, waist circumference, blood glucose, blood pressure, smoking and alcohol consumption. Results We found a significant lowering effect of the LPL-HindIII and S447X polymorphisms (p < 0.0001). In addition, the D9N, N291S, S19W and -1131T/C variants and the APOE-ε4 allele were significantly associated with an independent additive TG-raising effect (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Grouping individuals according to the presence of TG-lowering or TG-raising polymorphisms showed significant differences in TG levels (p < 0.0001), with the lowest levels exhibited by carriers of two lowering variants (10.2% reduction in TG geometric mean with respect to individuals who were homozygous for the frequent alleles of all the variants), and the highest levels in carriers of raising combinations (25.1% mean TG increase). Thus, carrying two lowering variants was protective against HTG (OR = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39-0.98; p = 0.042) and having one single raising polymorphism (OR = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.39-2.87; p < 0.001) or more (2 or 3 raising variants; OR = 2.90; 95% CI, 1.56-5.41; p < 0.001) were associated with HTG. Conclusion Our results showed a significant independent additive effect on TG levels of the LPL polymorphisms HindIII, S447X, D9N and N291S; the S19W and -1131T/C variants of APOA5, and the ε4 allele of APOE in our study population. Moreover, some of the variant combinations studied were significantly associated with the absence or the presence of hypertriglyceridemia.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections and antibiotic resistance worsen globally. Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP) aim to optimise infection treatment and curb resistance, yet implementation hurdles persist. This study examined ASP challenges in ICUs., Methods: This study employed a qualitative methodological design to evaluate the implementation process of an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) in eight intensive care units (ICUs) across Argentina. Thirty-four semi-structured interviews with healthcare workers (HCWs) were conducted. Interviews were analysed guided by Normalisation Process Theory, examining coherence, cognitive participation, collective action, and reflexive monitoring constructs., Results: Key challenges included insufficient human resources, lack of institutional support, and resistance to change, particularly among staff not initially involved in the study. Despite these challenges, the program saw partial success in improving ICU practices, particularly in antibiotic use and communication across departments. The main strategy implemented in this quality improvement collaborative was the use of improvement cycles, which served as the central component for driving change. However, participation in improvement cycles was inconsistent, and sustainability post-intervention remains uncertain due to workload pressures and the need for continuous education. Concerns about workload and communication barriers persisted. Many participants did not perceive training as a separate component, which led to low engagement. Resistance to change became evident during modifications to clinical guidelines. The intervention had a positive impact on various processes, including communication and record keeping., Conclusion: This study underscores the persistent challenges in implementing ASPs in healthcare, emphasising the need for enhanced collaboration, workforce capacity building, and evidence-based practices to overcome barriers and optimize antimicrobial use to improve patient outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm there are no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction. spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) in weaning from pediatric invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is an endorsed practice, its positivity is based on clinical parameters; however, its results could be better documented. Objective. To describe the results of the SBT in the IMV weaning process. Population and methods. Retrospective analysis. Patients with ≥48 h in IMV from March 1, 2022 to January 31, 2024. Results. A total of493 SBT were analyzed in 304 patients; 71% (348) were positive, and 87% (302) resulted in successful extubations. The causes of negative SBT were increased work of breathing (70%), respiratory rate (57%), and heart rate (27%). In univariate analysis, respiratory distress as the reason for admission, peak inspiratory pressure before SBT and T-tube use, were predictors of negative SBT. In multivariate analysis, this association persisted for admission for respiratory cause, the higher programmed respiratory rate in IMV, as the T-tube modality. Those with negative SBT stayed more days in IMV (9 [7-12] vs. 7 [4-10]) and in PICU (11 [9-15] vs. 9 [7-12]). Conclusion. Positive SBT predicted successful extubation in a high percentage of cases. Respiratory distress on admission, higher programmed respiratory rate, and a higher proportion of T-tube mode were negative predictors of the test. Negative SBT was associated with more extended stays in IMV and PICU., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

This article discusses the challenges in balancing the utility and harm associated with pediatric medical devices. Takashima et al. explored the prevalence and complications of invasive devices across three Australian pediatric tertiary hospitals and reported a high prevalence of complications, particularly with vascular access devices. We also highlight the need to pay attention to the use of these devices, particularly intravenous catheters, and the importance of a culture of patient safety in healthcare systems. We emphasize the need for a nuanced approach that carefully weighs the benefits against potential risks and encourages collaboration among stakeholders to establish robust regulatory frameworks and prioritize the safety and well-being of pediatric patients. Finally, we conclude by advocating the involvement of parents and families in gathering information about hospital safety incidents and fostering a culture of safety that supports reporting, flexibility, and learning. IMPACT: Reporting adverse events and their consequences is essential in the strategy to prevent them, allowing comparison with national or international standards, and identifying indicators to optimize and harbor the possibility of determining improvement measures that pursue a multifactorial approach and are cost-effective. Our comment advocates limiting the prevalence of medical invasive devices and their consequences by reviewing their epidemiology. Although advancements in medical technology have undoubtedly improved the diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities, the delicate balance between device utility and potential harm necessitates careful consideration., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Pediatric Research Foundation, Inc.)

Background: The demand for healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was excessive for less-resourced settings, with intensive care units (ICUs) taking the heaviest toll., Objective: The aim was to achieve adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) use in 90% of patient encounters, to reach 90% compliance with objectives of patient flow (OPF) and to provide emotional support tools to 90% of healthcare workers (HCWs)., Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental study with an interrupted time-series design in 14 ICUs in Argentina. We randomly selected adult critically ill patients admitted from July 2020 to July 2021 and active HCWs in the same period. We implemented a quality improvement collaborative (QIC) with a baseline phase (BP) and an intervention phase (IP). The QIC included learning sessions, periods of action and improvement cycles (plan-do-study-act) virtually coached by experts via platform web-based activities. The main study outcomes encompassed the following elements: proper utilisation of PPE, compliance with nine specific OPF using daily goal sheets through direct observations and utilisation of a web-based tool for tracking emotional well-being among HCWs., Results: We collected 7341 observations of PPE use (977 in BP and 6364 in IP) with an improvement in adequate use from 58.4% to 71.9% (RR 1.2, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.29, p<0.001). We observed 7428 patient encounters to evaluate compliance with 9 OPF (879 in BP and 6549 in IP) with an improvement in compliance from 53.9% to 67% (RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.32, p<0.001). The results showed that HCWs did not use the support tool for self-mental health evaluation as much as expected., Conclusion: A QIC was effective in improving healthcare processes and adequate PPE use, even in the context of a pandemic, indicating the possibility of expanding QIC networks nationwide to improve overall healthcare delivery. The limited reception of emotional support tools requires further analyses., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

More than 20 years have passed since the identification of SLC3A1 and SLC7A9 as causative genes for cystinuria. However, cystinuria patients exhibit significant variability in the age of lithiasis onset, recurrence, and response to treatment, suggesting the presence of modulatory factors influencing cystinuria severity. In 2016, a second renal cystine transporter, AGT1, encoded by the SLC7A13 gene, was discovered. Although it was discarded as a causative gene for cystinuria, its possible effect as a modulatory gene remains unexplored. Thus, we analyzed its function in mouse models of cystinuria, screened the SLC7A13 gene in 34 patients with different lithiasic phenotypes, and functionally characterized the identified variants. Mice results showed that AGT1/rBAT may have a protective role against cystine lithiasis. In addition, among the four missense variants detected in patients, two exhibited a 25% impairment in AGT1/rBAT transport. However, no correlation between SLC7A13 genotypes and lithiasis phenotypes was observed in patients, probably because these variants were found in heterozygous states. In conclusion, our results, consistent with a previous study, suggest that AGT1/rBAT does not have a relevant effect on cystinuria patients, although an impact in patients carrying homozygous pathogenic variants cannot be discarded.

Heart failure (HF) is a major clinical and public health problem associated with significant mortality, morbidity, and health-care costs. Despite the existence of evidence-based guidelines for the optimal treatment of HF, the quality of care remains suboptimal. Our aim was to increase the use a care bundle in 50% of enrolled subjects during their hospitalization and discharge and to reduce their readmission for HF causes by 10%. We conducted an uncontrolled before-after study in eight hospitals in Argentina to evaluate the effect of a quality improvement intervention on the use of an HF care bundle in patients with HF New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II-III. The HF bundle of care included medication, continuum of care, lifestyle habits, and predischarge examinations. Training and follow-up of multidisciplinary teams in each center were performed through learning sessions and plan-do-study-act improvement cycles. Data collectors reviewed bundle compliance in the health records of recruited patients after their hospital discharge and verified readmissions through phone calls to patients within 30-40 days after discharge. We recruited 200 patients (83 before and 127 during the intervention phase), and bundle compliance increased from 9.6% to 28.3% [odds ratio 3.71, 95% confidence interval (8.46; 1.63); P = .002]. Despite a slow improvement during the first months, bundle compliance gained momentum near the end of the intervention surpassing 80%. We observed a non-significant decreased readmission rate within 30 days of discharge due to HF in the postintervention period [8.4% vs. 5.5%, odds ratio 0.63, 95% CI (1.88; 0.21); P = .410]. Qualitative analysis showed that members of the intervention teams acknowledged the improvement of work organization and standardization of care, teamwork, shared mental model, and health record completeness as well as the utility of training fellows. Despite the challenges related to the pandemic, better care of patients with HF NYHA Class II-III was possible through simple interventions and collaborative work. Graphical abstract., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction. Adequate sedation and analgesia is essential in the management of patients requiring mechanical ventilation (MV). The implementation of protocols and their monitoring is recommended; mixed results on adherence and impact have been reported. Objectives. To assess the impact of the implementation of a sedation and analgesia protocol on the use of benzodiazepines, opioids, and evolution in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in patients requiring MV for more than 72 hours. Methods. Before-and-after, uncontrolled study in the PICU of a children’s hospital. The study was developed in 3 stages: pre-intervention for situational diagnosis (from April to September 2019), intervention,and post-intervention for implementation of a sedation and analgesia protocol, education on use, and monitoring of adherence and impact (from October 2019 to October 2021). Results. A total of 99 and 92 patients were included in the study in the pre- and post-intervention stages, respectively. Patients had a more severe condition, were younger, and had a lower weight in the preintervention period. After adjusting for severity and age, the group comparison in the post-intervention stage showed a reduction in days of continuous infusion of opioids (6 ± 5.2 versus 7.6–5.8, p = 0.018) and days of continuous infusion of benzodiazepines (3.3 ± 3.5 versus 7.6 ± 6.8, p = 0.001). No significantdifferences were observed in days of MV and total days of benzodiazepine use. Conclusion. The implementation of a sedation and analgesia protocol resulted in a reduction in the use of continuous infusion of drugs., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría)

Nowadays, medicine tends towards specialization. But there are also more shared or interdisciplinary processes in which professionals request some type of technique or a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure that must performed by another specialist. In this scenario that involves different professionals, it is reasonable a certain debate about which of them should obtain the informed consent of the patient. The first error would be to pose this process as a confrontation between professionals who derive or delegate their own responsibilities to another. It is, on the contrary, a teamwork and not a mere delegation of duties. On the one hand, it should be the doctor who carries out the technique and, therefore, knows it best as a procedure and is an expert in the early diagnosis and management of side effects, who should inform about the procedure and its risks. And, therefore, it is his duty to obtain the appropriate informed consent. And, since everything is understood as a shared process, it would also be advisable that the physician in charge of the care and follow-up of the patient, and who has taken the initiative to request this technique, had already provided basic information, more focused on the reason for the indication, and that a pre-consent had been obtained, that is a prior elementary verbal consent of acceptance or, at least, of non-rejection. And it would be convenient to record this information in the medical record as well.

Background: There are only a few studies on handoff quality and adverse events (AEs) rigorously evaluating handoff improvement programmes' effectiveness. None of them have been conducted in low and middle-income countries. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a handoff programme implementation in reducing AE frequency in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs)., Methods: Facility-based, cluster-randomised, stepped-wedge trial in six Argentine PICUs in five hospitals, with >20 admissions per month. The study was conducted from July 2018 to May 2019, and all units at least were involved for 3 months in the control period and 4 months in the intervention period. The intervention comprised a Spanish version of the I-PASS handoff bundle consisting of a written and verbal handoff using mnemonics, an introductory workshop with teamwork training, an advertising campaign, simulation exercises, observation and standardised feedback of handoffs. Medical records (MR) were reviewed using trigger tool methodology to identify AEs (primary outcome). Handoff compliance and duration were evaluated by direct observation., Results: We reviewed 1465 MRs: 767 in the control period and 698 in the intervention period. We did not observe differences in the rates of preventable AE per 1000 days of hospitalisation (control 60.4 (37.5-97.4) vs intervention 60.4 (33.2-109.9), p=0.99, risk ratio: 1.0 (0.74-1.34)), and no changes in the categories or AE types. We evaluated 841 handoffs: 396 in the control period and 445 in the intervention period. Compliance with all items in the verbal and written handoffs was significantly higher in the intervention group. We observed no difference in the handoff time in both periods (control 35.7 min (29.6-41.8) vs intervention 34.7 min (26.5-42.1); difference 1.43 min (95% CI -2.63 to 5.49, p=0.49)). The providers' perception of improved communication did not change., Conclusions: After the implementation of the I-PASS bundle, compliance with handoff items improved. Nevertheless, no differences were observed in the AEs' frequency or the perception of enhanced communication., Trial Registration Number: NCT03924570., Competing Interests: Competing interests: FJB, LML, MP, GR, NDM, RBP and ISA report grants from the Ministry of Health of the Nation, through the Directorate of Research for Health, Argentine, during the conduct of the study., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Our health system runs the risk of ruling out or neglecting a significant proportion of patients who require less technological but closer and humane care, those who require more support and attention. In this scenario, it is easy that both the assistance and close care and the patients who need this care and who would not benefit from aggressive or interventionist treatments may be considered as secondary: as children of a lesser god. It would be necessary to change the paradigm to understand that the quality of care is not limited to technology. And it would also be necessary to promote the dignity of care so that it is not seen as secondary and passive. On the contrary, care should be understood not only as active but also as intense without losing its close and human profile. Promoting the dignity of care also means promoting the dignity of all patients who may have been marginalized or excluded from this health system that is marked by technology and complexity and whose goal is efficiency.

The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus declared by the WHO in March 11th 2020, affects a small number of pediatric patients, who mostly present mild respiratory compromise and favorable evolution. However began to be observed in previously healthy children, an increase in cases defined as "Multisystemic Inflammatory Syndrome" (MIS-C) or "Kawasaki-like" post-COVID 19 (KLC) that evolve to shock and require hospitalization in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. MIS-C and KL-C are characterized by fever; signs of inflammation, gastrointestinal symptoms, and cardiovascular dysfunction, associated with sever forms of presentation with higher incidence of hypotension and/or shock. In the laboratory, markers of inflammation, hypercoagulability and myocardial damage are observed. Firstline drug treatment consists of intravenous immunoglobulin plus oral acetylsalicylic acid. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended for an accurate diagnosis and an early and effective treatment, in order to reduce morbidity and mortality., Competing Interests: None, (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children related to COVID-19 is defined as the presence of persistent fever, inflammation, and organ dysfunction, with evidence of past or recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, and excluding other microbial causes. It overlaps with other inflammatory diseases (Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome) and shares some features with hypercytokinemia conditions (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and macrophage activation syndrome). It differs from these and severe acute COVID-19 in its clinical presentation and laboratory parameters. It has a potentially severe course and may occur with cardiovascular failure; mortality is low (2 %). Here we provide an update on this syndrome and describe the presentation of two clinical cases with cardiovascular dysfunction who required vasoactive support and invasive ventilation. Serum lab tests showed inflammation parameters. Both patients were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and systemic corticosteroids and had a favorable course., Competing Interests: None, (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has grabbed worldwide attention. The different national governments are making an effort to optimize resources and provide effective treatments inasmuch as they are supported by the evidence, at a rate of production in line with the pressing needs. In the field of pediatrics, COVID-19 has a low severity rate compared to the adult population. Approximately 6 % of cases present with a severe course, accounting for patients younger than 1 year and/or with underlying conditions. The therapeutic approach to pediatric patients with COVID-19 is unclear. The small number of pediatric cases hinders the possibility of making evidence-based recommendations for criticallyill patients. The objective of this review is to summarize the different current publications about the clinical course of COVID-19 and its management in critically-ill pediatric patients., Competing Interests: None, (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Introduction: Failures in communication are common during patient handoffs between physicians, which predisposes to errors. Few articles have been published on this topic in Argentina. For this reason, our objective was to confirm whether using a structured handoff (I-PASS), which has been successfully used in the USA by Doctor Starmer, may reduce the omission of key data without prolonging its duration at our department., Poulation and Methods: The study was conducted at a private facility in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires between June 15th, 2017 and March 31st, 2018. It had a quasi-experimental, uncontrolled, before-and-after design. Pre- and post-intervention handoffs were assessed. The intervention included training physicians on how to use a structured handoff mnemonic (I-PASS: illness severity, patient summary, action list, situation awareness and contingency planning, synthesis by receiver), training on team work, written computerized handoff document, feedback observations, and simulation., Results: A total of 158 and 124 pre- and postintervention assessments were done respectively. The pre- and post-intervention comparison showed a significant improvement in most of the handoff key points. The time used for the handoff was 199 seconds (174-225) before the intervention and 210 seconds (190-230) after the intervention, p = 0.523; interruptions also decreased significantly., Conclusion: Introducing the I-PASS program reduced key data omission without prolonging handoffs. Interruptions were also reduced., Competing Interests: None, (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Several circulating biomarkers and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been correlated with efficacy and tolerability to antiangiogenic agents. These associations remain unexplored in well-differentiated, metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors treated with the multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib. We have assessed the effect on tumor response at 6 months, overall survival, progression-free survival and safety of 14 SNPs, and 6 soluble proteins. Forty-three patients were recruited. Two SNPs in the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3) gene predicted lower overall survival: rs307826 with hazard ratio (HR) 3.67 (confidence interval [CI] 95%, 1.35-10.00) and rs307821 with HR 3.84 (CI 95%, 1.47-10.0). Interleukin-6 was associated with increased mortality: HR 1.06 (CI 95%, 1.01-1.12), and osteopontin was associated with shorter PFS: HR 1.087 (1.01-1.16), independently of Ki-67. Furthermore, levels of osteopontin remained higher at the end of the study in patients considered non-responders: 38.5 ng/mL vs. responders: 18.7 ng/mL, p-value=0.039. Dynamic upward variations were also observed with respect to IL-8 levels in sunitinib-refractory individuals: 28.5 pg/mL at baseline vs. 38.3 pg/mL at 3 months, p-value=0.024. In conclusion, two VEGFR-3 SNPs as well as various serum biomarkers were associated with diverse clinical outcomes in patients with well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors treated with sunitinib., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors state that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this study.

Introduction: Among children hospitalized in the intensive care unit who have pressure ulcers (PUs), more than 50% are related to the sustained pressure from a device or equipment. PUs are an indirect indicator of the quality of health care. Objective. To assess the impact of a health care quality improvement intervention on the development of PUs at the pediatric intensive care unit. Materials and methods. Uncontrolled, before and after study. Pre-intervention: measurement of PUs; post-intervention: implementation of a bundle of measures (staff training, identification of patients at risk, and pressure relief by using antibedsore mattresses and polymer gel positioners) and the same measurements., Results: A total of 152 patients were included: 74 before the intervention and 78 after the intervention. A significant reduction was observed in the incidence of PUs (preintervention: 50.60%; post-intervention: 23.08%; p= 0.001). A higher risk score was seen in the post-intervention group (pre-intervention: 12.4 ± 1.9; post-intervention: 13.7 ± 2.1; p= 0.001). No differences were observed in the risk score on the day of PU onset and the number of PUs. The risk-stratified analysis maintained the significant difference in the incidence of PUs (PIM2 < 5: 47.37%; 19.23%; p= 0.004; and PIM2 ≥ 5: 55.56%; 30.77%; p= 0.053)., Conclusion: A lower incidence of PUs was observed after the implementation of the health care quality improvement intervention. No changes were detected in the number of PUs or the severity staging., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Introduction: Children in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are exposed to experiencing pain, stress and anxiety due to their disease, treatment or care setting. Adequate sedation and analgesia are key to their care, particularly in patients requiring mechanical ventilation (MV)., Objective: To determine the usual practice in sedation and analgesia management in patients requiring MV in PICUs in Argentina., Material and Methods: Descriptive, crosssectional, multi-center study conducted by means of e-mailed surveys., Results: A total of 45 PICUs were surveyed, 18% (N= 8) of which follow a sedation and analgesia protocol strictly, while 58% (N= 26) follow an "implied" protocol based on routine practice. The most commonly used drugs were midazolam, for sedation, and fentanyl, for analgesia. In 31% (N= 14) of the PICUs, sedation was monitored through assessment scales (modified Ramsay and/or Comfort scales). In 4% (N= 2) of units, daily, scheduled interruptions of sedation was implemented. In patients who are difficult to sedate, dexmedetomidine was the most commonly used adjuvant. In 73% (N= 33) of the units, neuromuscular blocking agents were used in compliance with precise guidelines and under clinical monitoring. In 20% (N= 9) of the PICUs there was a sedation and analgesia weaning protocol in place, and morphine and lorazepam are the most commonly used drugs., Conclusion: Only a low percentage of surveyed PICUs had a protocol in place for the routine management of sedation and analgesia in patients on MV., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Brain death (BD) is a condition determined by the complete and irreversible absence of brain functions. Maintenance of vital functions creates an opportunity for organ donation. A retrospective study was carried out in 7 pediatric intensive care units of Argentina (from 1/1/2013 to 9/30/2016) to determine the incidence of clinical and certified BD, and the proportion of effective transplantations. Among deceased patients, 19.14% (147/768) met the clinical requirements for BD, and the main cause of BD was multiple trauma. BD was certified in 13.4% of deceased patients (103); an electroencephalogram and an apnea test were the most commonly used ancillary methods. Organ maintenance time was 24 hours. A total of 87 families were approached for donation; 59 were rejected (they were not suitable or refused). Effective donors accounted for 25% (26/103) of patients with certified BD and 72 patients received solid organs., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Pertussis is a contagious disease that in patients under 1 year of age may evolve to a highly lethal course characterized by hypoxemia and refractory pulmonary hypertension, being this responsible for cardiovascular collapse. Pulmonary hypertension occurs by direct action of bacteria and its toxins, responsible for the vascular tone alteration associated with hyperviscosity syndrome and arteriolar thrombosis due to hyperleukocytosis. Since 2004, leucodepletion has been proposed as a treatment option; there are currently 18 publications on leucodepletion in patients with severe Pertussis, with a total of 288 patients, 68 cytoreduction procedures and a mortality rate of 28% in those exposed to the mentioned treatment. Published studies have design limitations, so the evidence for using leukoreduction in patients with severe pertussis remains low.

Unlabelled: Medical prescribing errors (MPEs) are one of the most common causes of adverse events. Intensive care units are a high-risk setting for their occurrence., Objectives: To describe the incidence and types of MPEs in our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. To assess whether the implementation of an improvement strategy on MPEs affects their incidence in the short- and long-term., Population and Methods: Prospective, uncontrolled, before-after study. Universe and sample. All medical prescriptions for patients hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital General de Niños Pedro de Elizalde from July-December, 2013 and from July-August, 2014., Results: In the pre-intervention period, MPEs rate was 13.9%, the most common being the absence of the time a given medication was modified, followed by missing a dose or medication. The medication most frequently involved in MPEs was the sedation and continuous analgesia group. After the implementation of an improvement program on MPEs, the incidence decreased to 6.3 errors every 100 prescriptions. The MPE type which showed the greatest reduction was the absence of the time of modification. Except for parenteral hydration and electrolyte supplementation, the rest of the analyzed medication groups showed a marked reduction. One year after having reviewed the situation, the MPE rate was 5.8%, and values remained similar to those of the immediate postintervention period., Conclusion: Managing an improvement program on MPEs resulted in a decrease in its incidence.

Staphylococcus aureus frequently affects human beings. Among clinical manifestations, necrotizing pneumonia is associated with a high mortality rate. Our objective is to describe the progress of severe Staphylococcus aureus infections in three intensive care units and analyze cases ofnecrotizing pneumonia in the period ranging from January 2011 to March 2013. Forty-three patients were studied, 76.7% had a community-acquired infection, and 31 had community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The main reason for admission was respiratory failure. Bacteremia was confirmed in 55.8% of cases. Mechanical ventilation was required in 86% of admitted patients, while 27 patients developed septic shock. The length of stay in the intensive care unit was 13 (5-25) days, and the mortality rate was 14%. Necrotizing pneumonia was observed in 51% of cases. Conclusion. A high rate of community-acquired infection was identified. Necrotizing pneumonia was associated with a worse clinical course.

In the present study we investigated the prognostic value of Circulating Tumour Cells (CTC) and their utility for therapy monitoring in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 43 patients newly diagnosed with NSCLC were prospectively enrolled. Blood samples were obtained before the 1st, 2nd and 5th cycles of chemotherapy and analyzed using CellSearch technology. Both CTC and CTC-related objects (not morphological standard or broken epithelial cells) were counted. At baseline 18 (41.9%) patients were positive for intact CTC count and 10 (23.2%) of them had ≥5 CTC, while CK positive events were found in 79.1% of patients. The group of patients with CTC ³5 at baseline presented worse PFS and OS than those with <5 CTC (p = 0.034 and p = 0.008, respectively). Additionally, high levels of total CK positive events were associated with poor prognosis in the group of patients with <5 CTC. Regarding therapy monitoring, patients presenting increased levels of CTC during the treatment demonstrated lower OS and PFS rates. All these data supported the value of CTC as a prognostic biomarker and as a surrogate indicator of chemotherapy effectiveness in advanced NSCLC patients, with the additional value of analyzing other "objects" such as apoptotic CTC or CK fragments to guide the clinical management of these patients.

During boar semen liquid preservation, extender is one of the factors that influence storage tolerance of spermatozoa. However, there are few studies about intra-breed variation in the preservation of semen quality during storage in different extenders. Similarly, boar breed is generally not considered a possible factor influencing variation in the semen storage tolerance in a particular extender. The aim of this study was to compare boar semen storage potential, in terms of the ability to maintain sperm viability and motility, of two currently used long-term extenders, MR-A and XCell. Extended semen from two breeds, Iberian and Duroc that had been stored at 17°C for up to 7 days was used. Intra- and inter-breed effect was studied. On Days 1, 4 and 7 (Day 0=day of semen collection), motility parameters and the percentage of total motile sperm and progressively motile sperm using a CASA system was evaluated. Viability (SYBR-14/PI) was evaluated by flow cytometry. Within each breed and for each storage day, there were differences between extenders, although semen tolerance to preservation was more influenced by the extender in the Iberian than in the Duroc breed. Neither breed nor extender influenced the percentage of viable spermatozoa during the storage time. Moreover, differences in motility parameters were observed between breeds, although the differences were greater when the XCell extender was used. In conclusion, both extender and breed influence motility characteristics of liquid-stored boar semen, so both aspects have to be considered in the design of comparative studies about stored boar semen quality from different breeds or with different extenders. Further studies are needed to corroborate these findings., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction. High frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is a rescue therapy for hypoxemic patients who deteriorate in conventional mechanical ventilation and/or for the air-leak syndrome treatment. A recent meta analysis showed that HFOV might have reduced mortality in pediatric and adult patients compared with conventional ventilation. In this context it's important to evaluate the effectiveness of this method in everyday use. Objectives. Main: To analize the effectiveness of HFOV in everyday practice in a center without extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) capabilities. Secondary: To describe demographics and causes of severe respiratory failure of patients requiring HFOV. To assess the relationship between potential predictors and the occurrence of mortality. Population and methods. Retrospective study analyzing medical records of all patients that required HFOV in a tertiary care pediatric hospital pediatric intensive care units between march 1st 2008 and july 1st 2010. Results. Sixty-nine patients received 76 HFOV treatments. Eighty percent were diagnosed with acute lower respiratory infection or sepsis and 62.3% (n= 43) had preexisting chronic co-morbidities. The majority of HFOV treatments were because refractory hypoxemia (93.4%). Non survivors patients had worse clinical status at PICU admission, higher multiorgan failure, worse oxygenation and pulmonary condition. Conclusions. Everyday use of HFOV in a population with high incidence of chronic, oncologic and/or immunocompromised patients was associated with a survival of 33.4%. More prognostic studies are needed for a more effective selection of HFOV candidates.

Background: The objectives of this pilot study were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the central nervous system stimulant methylphenidate in the management of asthenia in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel., Patients and Methods: Patients with early breast cancer who presented asthenia >3 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) after the first cycle of docetaxel-based chemotherapy were included. Patients received two additional cycles of chemotherapy, one with methylphenidate (10 mg bid) and the other without methylphenidate. Asthenia was evaluated using VAS and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue (FACT-F) scale. Distress was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and quality of life using FACT-F., Results: Ten patients were included and evaluated for efficacy and safety. Overall, cycles with methylphenidate were better tolerated than those without methylphenidate in terms of asthenia (VAS, p = 0.004; FACT-F, p = 0.027) and quality of life (FACT-F, p = 0.047). No significant differences were observed in terms of distress (HADS, p = 0.297). Six (60%) patients continued with methylphenidate after study end. Main adverse events during study were palpitations and insomnia (30% of patients each)., Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that methylphenidate may reduce asthenia and improve quality of life in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel.

Cardiac tamponade is an uncommon disorder in pediatric patients. We report a case of cardiac tamponade secondary to accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid due to ventriculo-atrial derivation (VAD) disfunction. An 11-month-old girl was assisted because of respiratory distress and tachycardia, without fever. She had a ventriculoatrial derivation, because of hydro-cephalus since two month earlier. The echocardiogram showed a pericardial effusion and the distal VAD located inside the right cardiac ventricle. The distal VAD was retired and replaced between superior cava vein and right atrium. The patient recovered ad integrum without pericardial effusion. In cases of patients with VAD presenting a clinical disorder, it should be ruled out VAD dysfunction or inappropriate placement.

Melatonin (MLT) is an efficient antioxidant that protects cells and tissues and initiates a host of receptor-mediated effects. In order to enhance the life span of refrigerated boar semen, our aim was to evaluate the effects of addition of 1 μM MLT to commercially produced pig semen (33 seminal doses from 14 boars) that had been preserved at 17 °C for 7 days. Samples without MLT served as controls. On Days 1, 4 and 7, we evaluated motility parameters and the percentage of total motile and progressively motile spermatozoa by a computer-aided sperm analysis system. Viability (SYBR-14/PI), acrosomal status (FITC-PNA/PI), membrane fluidity (M-540/YoPro-1) and mitochondrial membrane potential status (JC-1) were evaluated by flow cytometry. MLT treatment significantly enhanced the percentage of static spermatozoa after 7 days of storage and significantly reduced the percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa on Day 7. The velocity characteristics (VCL, VSL and VAP) were significantly higher for MLT-treated samples on Day 1 and were their lowest on Day 7. With regard to flow cytometry results, the percentage of viable spermatozoa with an intact acrosome was higher in MLT samples throughout the entire storage period. In addition, there was a significantly higher proportion of live spermatozoa on Day 7 in the samples that had not been treated with MLT. The proportion of spermatozoa showing a high mitochondrial membrane potential remained at similar levels (P > 0.05) throughout the trial. Although the findings of the present study revealed that 1 μM MLT increased the proportion of live sperm with an intact acrosome, this treatment did not enhance the spermatic quality of refrigerated boar semen., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: New therapeutic approaches are being developed based on the findings that several genetic abnormalities underlying NSCLC could influence chemosensitivity. In this study, we assessed whether the presence of polymorphisms in ERCC1, XPD, RRM1 and MDR1 genes can affect the efficacy and the tolerability of cisplatin and vinorelbine in NSCLC patients., Material and Methods: Eligible patients had histological confirmed stage IV or IIIB (with malignant pleural effusion) non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously untreated with chemotherapy; World Health Organization performance status (PS) 0-1. Patients received intravenous doses of vinorelbine 25 mg/m² on day 1 and 8 and cisplatin 75 mg/m² on day 1, every 21 days, for a maximum of eight cycles., Results: 94 patients were included. Median age was 61 years; 84% were male; WHO performance status (PS) was 0 in 24%; and 88% of patients had stage IV disease. The median number of cycles was 6. Overall median survival was 10.92 months (95% CI 9.0-12.9). Overall median time to progression was 5.89 months (95% CI 5.2-6.6). Results of the multivariate analysis for time to progression showed that ECOG 0 (hazard ratio [HR] ECOG 1 vs. ECOG 0, 1.74; p=0.036), MDR13435CC (HR CT vs. CC, 2.01; p=0.017; HR TT vs. CC, 1.54; p=0.22), and decreasing age (HR of age, 0.97; p=0.016) were the most powerful prognostic factors significantly related to lower risk of progression. Whereas ECOG 0 was the only prognostic factor for survival (HR ECOG 1 vs. ECOG 0, 3.02; p=0.001). There was no significant association between any of the SNPs analysed and the occurrence of vinorelbine and cisplatin-related toxicity., Conclusion: In our results, the most important prognostic factors associated with lower risk of progression were MDR1 3435 CC genotype, PS 0 and younger age., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The goals of this epidemiological paper are focused on studying teachers' vocal complaints, their voice pattern, and the impact of voice disorders on psychosocial working conditions., Patients: A representative stratified random sample of 282 teachers from kindergartens and elementary schools was studied. Two types of self-report questionnaires were applied: an inquiry about teachers' occupational voice profile, and the adapted Spanish version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (ISTAS-21). Pearson's chi(2) test was performed to search for statistical associations., Results: 62.7% of subjects were experiencing occupational voice disorders; these teachers showed significantly worse psychosocial conditions than their healthy voice colleagues., Conclusions: Occupational voice disorders affect more than 60% of teachers and have an impact on their psychosocial working conditions. Interdisciplinary work is essential to shed light on these multifactor mechanisms and effects., ((c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.)