Comparing Finger-stick Βeta-hydroxybutyrate with Dipstick Urine Tests in the Detection of Ketone Bodies in the Diagnosis of Children with Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Objective: To compare the finger-stick β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB) method accuracy with dipstick urine test for the detection of ketone bodies to diagnose diabetic ketoacidosis in children.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Department of Pediatrics, National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, from March to August 2021.

Comparison of Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and Pediatric Risk of Mortality III Score as Mortality Prediction in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Objective: To assess and compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) III score and Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (p-SOFA) for the prediction of mortality in critically ill children.

Methodology: This was a cross-validation study conducted at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of the National Institute of Child Health Karachi from February 2021 to July 2021. Two hundred eighty-six critically ill children of age one month to 15 years of either gender staying in PICU for more than 24 hours were included.

Frequency of Drug Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is known to complicate one-third of cases in pediatric intensive care units (PICU), and almost one-fourth of these are due to nephrotoxic drugs (NTDs). Although stopping NTDs seems the most obvious option, it is not practically applicable. Many NTDs are the only existing option, and their potential benefits outweigh the risk of drug-induced AKI.

Pediatric Risk of Mortality III Score in Predicting Mortality Among Diabetic Ketoacidosis Patients in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Background Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of the most common complications of type 1 diabetes. Mortality is not uncommon in DKA, mostly in younger children with severe DKA and those complicated with cerebral edema. Early identification of high-risk patients can help in timely interventions to improve the outcome of DKA.

Correlation Between the Ratio of Oxygen Saturation to Fraction of Inspired Oxygen and the Ratio of Partial Pressure of Oxygen to Fraction of Inspired Oxygen in Detection and Risk Stratification of Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Objective: To measure the correlation between the ratio of oxygen saturation to fraction of inspired oxygen [SpO/FiO (SF)] and the ratio of partial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen [PaO/FiO (PF)] among children diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Methodology:  A cross-sectional study was conducted at the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi, a tertiary care government hospital, from November 2020 to July 2021. One hundred twenty children (of either gender) having the age range of 2 months to 16 years, admitted to PICU with acute onset of respiratory distress, were included in the study.