[Prospective, multicenter study of mortality and risk factors in children with acute respiratory distress syndrome in 25 pediatric intensive care units in China].

Objective: To investigate the mortality and predictors of outcome of children with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: ARDS cases were selected from the 12 018 patients admitted in 25 pediatric intensive care units in China from January 1 to December 31, 2004, aged 29 days to 14 years, using the Chinese Pediatric Critical Index of Severity (PCIS) and American Guidelines for Admission and Discharge Policies for PICU. ARDS was diagnosed according to the 1994 American-European Consensus Conference criteria.

[Effects of hydrocortisone on circulating and intramyocardial inflammatory mediators in severe septic rats with myocardial injury induced by Escherichia coli].

Objective: Severe sepsis and septic shock remain the most common cause of death in intensive care units. The main causes of death in sepsis are the cardiac dysfunction and hypotension resistant to cateolamines. The prevalence of relative adrenal insufficiency in severe sepsis and septic shock was estimated at about 32%-51%.

[Effects of different doses of hydrocortisone on acute lung injury in rats with early septic shock induced by Escherichia coli].

Objective: To observe the effects of different doses of hydrocortisone (HC) on acute lung injury (ALI) and inflammatory response in rats at early stage of septic shock induced by Escherichia coli and to investigate the possible mechanisms for such differences.

Methods: ALI model of early septic shock was induced in rats by two injections of Escherichia coli at 5 hours interval, with the first intraperitoneal injection of 6.50 x 10(10) cfu/kg and followed by an external jugular vein injection of 2.

[Effects of aminoguanidine in different dosages on renal function in endotoxin induced rabbits shock model].

Objectives: To explore the effects of aminoguanidine (AG) in different dosages on renal function in endotoxin induced rabbits shock model in the early stage and to approve the effects of dose-depended and time-depended of AG.

Methods: Fourty New Zealand rabbits under anaesthesia were randomly divided into 5 groups: sham group, LPS group, the first group of AG, the second group of AG, the third group of AG. Each rabbits from the four groups received Escherichia Coli O55B5 LPS 400 micro g/kg to induce endotoxic shock except sham group.

[Effect of dexamethasone, aminoguanidin, amrinone on oxygen utilization in endotoxin shock rabbits].

Objective: To investigate the effect of three kinds of drug with different mechanism, dexamethasone (Dex), aminoguanidin (AG) and amrinone (Amr) on oxygen utilization in endotoxic shock rabbits.

Methods: Thirty-five rabbits were randomly allocated into five groups: operation, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Dex, Amr and AG. The endotoxin shock was induced by intravenously injecting LPS (400 micro g/kg).

[Clinical application of simplified pediatric critical illness scoring system].

Objective: To simplify the Pediatric Critical Illness Scoring (PCIS), to evaluate the simplified PCIS and to make the simplified scoring system applicable in the grassroots hospitals.

Methods: Totally 1,036 patients were scored by PCIS on 1, 3, 7 and the last (discharged or dead) hospital days. The PCIS has 10 items.

[Transcranial Doppler monitoring of cerebral blood flow velocity during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in sheep].

Objective: To investigate the hemodynamics during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and the value of transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring.

Methods: ECMO was conducted on 14 sheep. TCD monitoring was conducted at different time-points to examine the bilateral cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), including systolic peak flow velocity (Vs), end-diastolic flow velocity (Vd), mean flow velocity (Vm), and pulse index (PI, Vs-Vd/Vm).

On-line lung volume measurement during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.

OBJECTIVE: A bag-in-box system using a closed-circuit helium-dilution technique was used to determine the functional residual capacity during conventional mechanical ventilation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the bag-in-box system could be used to measure mean lung volume without interrupting high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. DESIGN: Laboratory study.