Repurposing a PICU for Adult Care in a State Mandated COVID-19 Only Hospital: Outcome Comparison to the MICU Cohort to Determine Safety and Effectiveness.

The ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is disproportionally impacting the adult population. This study describes the experiences after repurposing a PICU and its staff for adult critical care within a state mandated COVID-19 hospital and compares the outcomes to adult patients admitted to the institution's MICU during the same period. A retrospective chart review was performed to analyze outcomes for the adults admitted to the PICU and MICU during the 27-day period the PICU was incorporated into the institution's adult critical care surge plan.

Methylprednisolone, dexamethasone or hydrocortisone for acute severe pediatric asthma: does it matter?

Objective: Various intravenous (IV) corticosteroids are available for acute severe asthma (ASA) treatment. The choice of IV corticosteroids varies broadly and depends on institution, country, or physician preferences. In this study, we compared the efficacy of IV methylprednisolone, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone in ASA treatment during pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission.

Performance comparison in Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support among staff from the USA versus those from resource-limited countries.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of participants in the USA compared with international participants taking the Pediatric Fundamental Critical Care Support (PFCCS) course, and the significance of training for resource-limited environments.

Methods: PFCCS courses were conducted in the USA, El Salvador, Haiti, Kenya, and Nepal between January 2011 and July 2013. All of the participants took pre- and post-tests.

Acute myocardial infarction induced by concurrent use of adderall and alcohol in an adolescent.

Adderall (amphetamine, dextroamphetamine mixed salts), a widely prescribed stimulant for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents, is considered safe with due precautions. Nonmedical use of Adderall is prevalent and rising in high school and college students. Use of prescribed Adderall without intention to overdose as a cause of myocardial infarction is extremely rare, and to our knowledge, only 3 cases have been reported in the pediatric literature.