Efficacy of a cartoon and photograph montage storybook in preparing children for voiding cystourethrogram.

Background: Undergoing voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) can be distressing for children.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of a cartoon and photograph montage storybook in preparing children for VCUG.

Materials And Methods: Outpatient children (ages 2-14 years) who had VCUGs between December 2011 and June 2012 were randomly assigned to two groups; one group received the storybook a week before the procedure.

The frequency of withdrawal from acute care is impacted by severe acute renal failure.

Introduction: In the general intensive care setting, decisions to withdraw life support when patients deteriorate despite aggressive treatment are estimated to occur in 10% of all patients and in 40% of the patients who die. Acute renal failure (ARF) severe enough to necessitate renal replacement therapy (RRT) is associated with in-hospital mortality approximating 50%. Yet the impact of severe ARF on decisions to withdraw treatment has not been previously described.