Nitrous oxide use in Canadian pediatric emergency departments: a survey of physician's knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

Objectives: Nitrous oxide (NO) is an inhaled analgesic/ anxiolytic gas with evidence supporting its safety and efficacy for distressing procedures in children. Despite this, its use is not consistent across Canadian pediatric emergency departments (EDs). We aimed to characterize a) physicians' knowledge and practices with NO and b) site-specific NO protocols in Canadian pediatric EDs to help optimize its use nationally.

Sedation and Analgesia for Reduction of Pediatric Ileocolic Intussusception.

Importance: Ileocolic intussusception is an important cause of intestinal obstruction in children. Reduction of ileocolic intussusception using air or fluid enema is the standard of care. This likely distressing procedure is usually performed without sedation or analgesia, but practice variation exists.

Inhaled nitrous oxide for painful procedures in children and youth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to synthesize indication-based evidence for NO for distress and pain in children.

Study Design: We included trials of NO in participants 0-21 years, reporting distress or pain for emergency department procedures. The primary outcome was procedural distress.

Efficacy and safety of deep sedation by non-anesthesiologists for cardiac MRI in children.

Background: Cardiac MRI has become widespread to characterize cardiac lesions in children. No study has examined the role of deep sedation performed by non-anesthesiologists for this investigation.

Objective: We hypothesized that deep sedation provided by non-anesthesiologists can be provided with a similar safety and efficacy profile to general anesthesia provided by anesthesiologists.

Use of oseltamivir in children.

Question: Because of the recent outbreak of pandemic H1N1 2009, I am anticipating a large number of children with influenza-like symptoms or children diagnosed with influenza. Is oseltamivir effective and safe when used for children?

Answer: Oseltamivir is effective for prevention of complications associated with influenza A (including H1N1) in children. Oseltamivir also reduces the duration of influenza by a median of 36 hours, with nausea and vomiting as the primary reported adverse effects.

Novel influenza A(H1N1): clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management.

In April 2009, a novel influenza A(H1N1) virus was identified in Mexico and has since spread rapidly worldwide. The unique genetic and antigenic features of this virus have resulted in a high incidence of infection, with an epidemiologic profile that is different from that of previous seasonal influenza infections. As a consequence, a surge of pediatric patients has been presenting to emergency departments and physician's offices across the country during this 2009-2010 flu season.