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Objective: Analysis of infectious complications and risk factors in percutaneous central venous catheters., Design: One-year observational, prospective, multicenter study (1998-1999)., Setting: Twenty Spanish pediatric intensive care units., Patients: Eight hundred thirty-two children aged 0-14 years., Intervention: None., Measurements and Main Results: One thousand ninety-two catheters were analyzed. Seventy-four (6.81%) catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) were found. The CRBSI rate was 6.4 per 1,000 CVC days (95% CI 5.0-8.0). Risk factors for CRBSI were weight under 8 kg (p < 0.001), cardiac failure (RR 2.69; 95% CI 1.95-4.38; p < 0.001), cancer (RR 1.66; 95% CI 0.97-2.78; p=0.05), silicone catheters (RR 2.82; 95% CI 1.49-5.35; p = 0.006), guidewire exchange catheterization (p=0.002), obstructed catheters (RR 2.67; 95% CI 1.63-4.39; p<0.001), and more than 12 days' indwelling time (RR 5.9; 95% CI 3.63-9.41; p<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression identified lower patient weight (HR 2.4; 95% CI 1.11-5.19; p=0.002), guidewire exchange catheterization (HR 2.2; 95% CI 1.07-4.54; p=0.049) and more than 12 days' indwelling time (HR 1.97; 95% CI 0.89-4.36; p=0.089) as significant independent predictors of CRBSI. Factors which protected against infection were the use of povidone-iodine on hubs (HR 0.42; 95% CI 0.19-0.96; p=0.025) and porous versus impermeable dressing (HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.23-0.74; p=0.004). Two children (0.24%) died from endocarditis following catheter-related sepsis due to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in one case and P. aeruginosa in the other., Conclusions: Catheter-related sepsis is associated with lower patient weight and more than 12 days' indwelling time, but not with the insertion site. Cleaning hubs with povidone-iodine protects from infection.

Hepatomegaly and alterations in hepatic function are common to all patients with sickle-cell disease. In these patients, hepatic sickling is a manifestation of severe intrahepatic vaso-oclusive crises, even at levels of 25 % HbS and hematocrits of more than 45-50 %, which in 10 % of cases can lead to acute hepatic failure (AHF). AHF can be due to a variety of causes, including hematologic malignancies, but T cell lymphoma, which is usually secondary to diffuse hepatic infiltration and ischemia, is an exceptional cause, although other mechanisms can be involved. Cytokines released by lymphomas have recently been implicated as a cause of AHF.We describe a black girl with sickle cell disease, who developed AHF due to T cell lymphoma without lymphomatous infiltration of the liver. The only mechanism found to explain the clinical findings was release of cytokines by lymphoma. In patients with AHF of unknown etiology we propose early liver biopsy, because prognosis depends on the presence or absence of hepatic tumour infiltration. If AHF develops in a patient with diagnosed malignant disease, cytokine release may be the cause of AHF. Consequently, early diagnosis of the underlying disease and provision of liver support, as well as direct removal of inflammatory mediators from the circulation by exchange transfusion or other methods, should be the main priorities.

Very few cases of children with cardiac tamponade from central venous catheterization have been reported. Four cases are described. In 3 patients the diagnosis was suspected, a pericardiocentesis was performed and they survived. The other patient died and, at autopsy, diagnosis was made. The available literature on cardiac tamponade from central venous catheters in children is reviewed, preventive measures are considered in detail and the need for a high index of suspicion is highlighted.

A retrospective study of the patients admitted during the last 8 years with status asthmaticus is reported. We compare the requirement of mechanical ventilation with the beta-agonist therapy received and the type of asthma. About 71 patients admitted, 67% were IgE dependent asthmatic (EDA) children and 31% no-IgE dependent asthmatic (nEDA) ones. They needed intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) in 20 instances; no difference was found between both types of asthma. We studied the ventilatory parameters used. The 33% of EDA children was treated using a continuous IV infusion of hexoprenalina, requiring IPPV in 5 (31%) of them. The rest received a continuous IV of isoproterenol, and only the 16% required IPPV. We found isoproterenol to be more effective than hexoprenalina in the treatment of status asthmaticus. Similar results were obtained with the nEDA group. The Downes score was showed to be a good predictor-index scoring system in many cases.