Effectiveness of sequential intravenous-to-oral antibiotic switch therapy in hospitalized patients with gram-positive infection: the SEQUENCE cohort study.

Switching from intravenous to oral antibiotic therapy may improve inpatient management and reduce hospital stays and the complications of intravenous treatment. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of intravenous-to-oral antibiotic switch therapy and an early discharge algorithm in hospitalized patients with gram-positive infection. We performed a prospective cohort study with a retrospective comparison cohort, recruited from eight tertiary, acute-care Spanish referral hospitals.

A New Technique for Collection of Cerebrospinal Fluid in Rat Pups.

Background: Neuroprotective strategies to prevent or decrease brain injury in hypoxic ischemic newborns are one of the main research lines in neonatology. Animal models have been used to assess the efficiency of new therapeutic strategies. Brain damage biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are frequently used to evaluate the outcome at the bedside.

Clinical, biochemical and microbiological factors associated with the prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis in children.

Background: Pneumococcal meningitis (PM) has a high morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to evaluate what factors are related to a poor PM prognosis.

Methods: Prospective observational study conducted on patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a tertiary hospital with a diagnosis of PM (January 2000 to December 2013).

Sex differences in children with severe health conditions: Causes of admission and mortality in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Objectives: Based on the existing sex differences in mortality rates in children, we would like to explore whether girls and boys respond differently under severe health conditions, in terms of mortality and cause of admission.

Methods: We analyzed demographic characteristics (age and sex), causes of admission, clinical parameters, and mortality in a sample of 2,609 patients from a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in a children's hospital in Barcelona, Spain.

Results: PICU admittance was significantly higher in boys (57.

Glutamine effects on heat shock protein 70 and interleukines 6 and 10: Randomized trial of glutamine supplementation versus standard parenteral nutrition in critically ill children.

Background & Aims: To determine whether glutamine (Gln) supplementation would have a role modifying both the oxidative stress and the inflammatory response of critically ill children.

Methods: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, interventional clinical trial. Selection criteria were children requiring parenteral nutrition for at least 5 days diagnosed with severe sepsis or post major surgery.

[Eye disease in international adoption: Importance of the region of origin].

Introduction: To describe the ophthalmological conditions seen in children adopted internationally by Spanish families, and to assess the influence of the world region of origin and the preadoption period of institutional care on these conditions.

Material And Methods: A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 232 children divided into 4 groups according to world region of origin: Group 1, eastern Europe (n=95); Group 2, Asia (n=95); Group 3, Central and South America (n=26); and Group 4, Africa (n=16). A complete ophthalmological study was carried out and the groups were compared for the prevalence of ophthalmological conditions.

Adrenomedullin is a useful biomarker for the prognosis of critically ill septic children.

Aim: To measure midregional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-pro-ADM) in critically ill septic patients to determine its prognostic usefulness as compared with other used biomarkers in pediatric intensive care units, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT).

Materials & Methods: Prospective observational study conducted on 95 patients.

Results: Mean levels of MR-pro-ADM were significantly higher when patients needed mechanical ventilation (3.

Prognostic factors in pediatric sepsis study, from the Spanish Society of Pediatric Intensive Care.

Background: Sepsis and septic shock represent up to 30% of admitted patients in pediatric intensive care units, with a mortality that can exceed 10%. The objective of this study is to determine the prognostic factors for mortality in sepsis.

Methods: Multicenter prospective descriptive study with patients (aged 7 days to 18 years) admitted to the pediatric intensive care units for sepsis, between January 2011 and April 2012.

Initiation and discontinuation of substrate inhibitor treatment in patients with Niemann-Pick type C disease.

Niemann-Pick type C disease (NP-C) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by a progressive neurological deterioration. Different clinical forms have been defined based on patient age at neurological symptoms onset: perinatal, early infantile (EI), late infantile (LI), juvenile and adult. There is no curative treatment for NP-C.

Procalcitonin: a useful biomarker to discriminate infection after cardiopulmonary bypass in children.

Objective: To determine whether procalcitonin discriminates between postcardiopulmonary bypass inflammatory syndrome and infectious complication in children better than does C-reactive protein.

Design: Prospective study of children admitted to the intensive care unit after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Patients: Classified according to a diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and bacterial infection or systemic inflammatory response syndrome but no bacterial infection.

Infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis: follow-up on a Spanish series.

Infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL; NCL1, Haltia-Santavuori disease) is caused by mutations in the CLN1/PPT gene which are associated with an early onset INCL phenotype. The most detailed descriptions of INCL have come from Finland and a few series have been reported from southern European countries. Clinical course and follow-up of six Spanish patients with INCL are reported with the aim of assessing the chronological evolution and severity of this disease.

Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis: clinical course and genetic studies in Spanish patients.

Background: Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL, NCL3, Batten disease) is usually caused by a 1.02-kb deletion in the CLN3 gene. Mutations in the CLN1 gene may be associated with a variant form of JNCL (vJNCL).

ENTOG, European Network of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

ENTOG is the European Network of Trainees in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. This organization aims to represent all European trainee organisations in obstetrics and gynaecology and speaks out on their behalf. Trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology have officially organised meetings for European trainees since 1992, but it was only in 1997 in Athens, that the first ENTOG Council took place.

Motavizumab for prophylaxis of respiratory syncytial virus in high-risk children: a noninferiority trial.

Objective: Palivizumab reduces respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization in children at high risk by approximately 50% compared with placebo. We compared the efficacy and safety of motavizumab, an investigational monoclonal antibody with enhanced anti-RSV activity in preclinical studies, with palivizumab.

Methods: This randomized, double-blind, multinational, phase 3, noninferiority trial assessed safety and RSV hospitalization in 6635 preterm infants aged View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Glossitis with linear lesions: an early sign of vitamin B12 deficiency.

The classic oral manifestations of vitamin B(12) deficiency are considered nonspecific. We describe 4 patients with oral linear lesions associated with vitamin B(12) deficiency. Patients were free of neurologic symptoms and anemia at diagnosis.

[Supraventricular tachycardia in infants and children].

Introduction: Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the second most frequent form of arrhythmia in pediatrics after extrasystole.

Objectives: 1. To determine the clinical characteristics and treatment of SVT in infants and children.

Vascular endothelial growth factor serum concentrations in hypercholesterolemic patients.

Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes normal and pathological angiogenesis. VEGF is a chemotactic factor for macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells, and induces synthesis of metalloproteinases and adhesion molecules. VEGF expression is regulated by hypoxia, cytokines, oncogenes, and oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

[Indications and utility of allergen provocation testing].

Specific bronchial provocation tests have been used to confirm diagnosis, as a laboratory model for the study of asthma, and to evaluate the efficacy of immunotherapy with allergen extracts. However, despite the advances achieved in our knowledge of the etiopathogenic mechanisms of asthma, bronchial provocation tests with allergens have certain methodological limitations. These are due to the difficulty of evaluating these tests as regards which markers of inflammation (exhaled nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, etc.

[Focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver].

Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver is an uncommon benign lesion that usually occurs in young or middle-aged women. Although it has been associated with oral contraceptive use, no evidence supports this hypothesis. Most patients with this lesion are asymptomatic.

The spanish version of the paediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire (PAQLQ): metric characteristics and equivalence with the original version.

Unlabelled: The Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ), developed by Juniper et al., assesses the impact of asthma on children's daily life. It contains 23 items, covering three dimensions: symptoms, activities limitation and emotional function.