Continuous clonidine infusion: an alternative for children on mechanical ventilation.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the clonidine infusion rate in the first 6 h, as maintenance dose (first 24 h), and in the pre-extubation period (last 24 h), as well as the cumulative dose of other sedatives and the hemodynamic response.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Results: Children up to the age of 2 years who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary referral hospital in the south region of Brazil, between January 2017 and December 2018, were submitted to mechanical ventilation, and received continuous clonidine infusions were included in the study.

Quality and reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies in TB, HIV and malaria: evaluation using QUADAS and STARD standards.

Background: Poor methodological quality and reporting are known concerns with diagnostic accuracy studies. In 2003, the QUADAS tool and the STARD standards were published for evaluating the quality and improving the reporting of diagnostic studies, respectively. However, it is unclear whether these tools have been applied to diagnostic studies of infectious diseases.

Evolution of the medical practices and modes of death on pediatric intensive care units in southern Brazil.

Objectives: To study the possible change on mode of deaths, medical decision practices, and family participation on decisions for limiting life-sustaining treatments (L-LST) over a period of 13 yrs in three pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) located in southern Brazil.

Methods: A cross-sectional study based on a retrospective chart review (1988 and 1998) and on prospective data collection (from May 1999 to May 2000).

Setting: Three PICUs in Porto Alegre, southern Brazilian region.

[Sedation and analgesia in children submitted to mechanical ventilation could be overestimated?].

Objective: To describe the pattern of analgesic and sedative infusions in children submitted to mechanical ventilation in a regional pediatric intensive care unit during a 12-month period. To compare the use of these drugs among clinical and surgical patients, as well evaluate the influence of the length of use on the average daily doses and on the incidence of abstinence syndrome.

Methods: This cohort study was performed from April 2001 to March 2002, involving children (1 month old to 15 years old) submitted to the mechanical ventilation through a tracheal tube for a period longer than 12 hours and who were successfully extubated (dead patients and those who required reintubation were excluded from the study).