Low Diagnostic Utility of Frequent Serial Tracheal Aspirate Cultures in the PICU.

Objectives: To determine the diagnostic outcomes of serial tracheal aspirate cultures (TACs) in the PICU.

Design: A retrospective chart review of TAC utilization was performed. Items recorded for each TAC included the time and date of culture acquisition, result, changes in microbial resistance patterns, antimicrobial therapy, and patient clinical course.

Risk Variants in the Exomes of Children With Critical Illness.

Importance: Diagnostic genetic testing can lead to changes in management in the pediatric intensive care unit. Genetic risk in children with critical illness but nondiagnostic exome sequencing (ES) has not been explored.

Objective: To assess the association between loss-of-function (LOF) variants and pediatric critical illness.