Surfactant Phospholipid Kinetics in Ventilated Children after Therapeutic Surfactant Supplementation.

Acute lung Injury leads to alterations in surfactant lipid composition and metabolism. Although several mechanisms contribute to dysregulated surfactant metabolism, studies investigating in vivo surfactant metabolism are limited. The aim of this study is to characterise surfactant phospholipid composition and flux utilising a stable isotope labelling technique in mechanically ventilated paediatric patients.

Rightward shift of optimal fascicle length with decreasing voluntary activity level in the soleus and lateral gastrocnemius muscles.

Much of our understanding of skeletal muscle properties is based on studies performed under maximal activation, which is problematic because muscles are rarely activated maximally during movements such as walking. Currently, force-length properties of the human triceps surae at submaximal voluntary muscle activity levels are not characterized. We therefore evaluated plantar flexor torque- and force-ankle angle, and torque- and force-fascicle length properties of the soleus and lateral gastrocnemius muscles during voluntary contractions at three activity levels: 100, 30 and 22% of maximal voluntary contraction.

Evaluation and comparison of parental needs, stressors, and coping strategies in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the needs, stressors, and coping strategies of mothers and fathers in a pediatric intensive care unit, and to advance the development of the COMPASS questionnaire for examining parent experiences.

Design: Prospective cohort study using a modified version of a pilot questionnaire, incorporating a series of 58 questions based on a visual analog scale in three categories of needs, stressors, and coping strategies.

Setting: Tertiary pediatric intensive care unit, Southampton University Hospitals, Southampton, UK.

Surfactant phospholipids, surfactant proteins, and inflammatory markers during acute lung injury in children.

Objective: To explore the pathophysiology of acute lung injury in children.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Regional University Hospital, pediatric intensive care unit.