The effect of atropine on rhythm and conduction disturbances during 322 critical care intubations.

Objectives: Our objectives were to describe the prevalence of arrhythmia and conduction abnormalities before critical care intubation and to test the hypothesis that atropine had no effect on their prevalence during intubation.

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Setting: PICU and pediatric/neonatal intensive care transport.

Atropine for critical care intubation in a cohort of 264 children and reduced mortality unrelated to effects on bradycardia.

Background: Atropine has is currently recommended to facilitate haemodynamic stability during critical care intubation. Our objective was to determine whether atropine use at induction influences ICU mortality.

Methodology/principal Findings: A 2-year prospective, observational study of all first non-planned intubations, September 2007-9 in PICU and Intensive Care Transport team of Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, 4 other PICUs and 5 NICUs in the Paris Region, France.

Positive end-expiratory pressure-induced functional recruitment in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Objective: In acute respiratory distress syndrome, alveolar recruitment improves gas exchange only if perfusion of the recruited alveolar units is adequate. To evaluate functional recruitment induced by positive end-expiratory pressure, we assessed pulmonary conductance for gas exchange based on lung diffusion for carbon monoxide and its components, including pulmonary capillary blood volume.

Design: Prospective, randomized, crossover study.

Chiari type I malformation causing central apnoeas in a 4-month-old boy.

Apnoea is a rare but well-known clinical presentation of the Chiari type I malformation. It may be either obstructive or central in nature, and has been described in children, adolescents and adults. Here, we report a 4-month-old infant who presented with frequent central sleep apnoeas leading to the diagnosis of a Chiari type I malformation.