Protocols and Pathways in Pediatric Critical Asthma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Pediatric critical asthma is one of the most frequent reasons for presentation to the emergency department and admission to the floor or pediatric ICU (PICU) in pediatric patients. Clinical pathways and protocols have been used frequently in respiratory care, and many have been associated with an improvement in outcomes. We performed a systematic review on the use of protocols or pathways in the treatment of critical asthma.

AARC and PALISI Clinical Practice Guideline: Pediatric Critical Asthma.

To address the lack of guidance for clinicians in their care of children with critical asthma, a multidisciplinary team of medical providers used Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology to make the following recommendations: 1. We suggest the use of continuous inhaled short-acting β agonist (SABA) over frequent intermittent SABA in children treated for critical asthma. (Conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence) 2.

Ralstonia pickettii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bloodstream Infections Associated With Contaminated Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Water Heater Devices.

We report on probable factory-based contamination of portable water heaters with waterborne pathogens and 2 bloodstream infections potentially attributable to off-label use of these water heaters to warm extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuits. Great caution is warranted when using water-based devices to care for critically ill patients.

Cluster of Burkholderia cepacia Complex Infections Associated With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Water Heater Devices.

Background: Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of potential nosocomial pathogens often linked to contaminated water. We report on a cluster of 8 B. cepacia complex infections in cardiothoracic intensive care unit patients, which were attributed to contaminated extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) water heaters.

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Inhaled Epoprostenol and Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Refractory Hypoxemia in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of inhaled epoprostenol and inhaled nitric oxide in patients with refractory hypoxemia secondary to coronavirus disease 2019.

Design: Retrospective single-center study.

Setting: ICUs at a large academic medical center in the United States.

A Clinical Pathway for the Care of Critically Ill Patients With Asthma in the Community Hospital Setting.

Objectives: The management of severe pediatric asthma exacerbations is variable. The use of clinical pathways has been shown to decrease time to clinical recovery and length of stay (LOS) for critically ill patients with asthma in freestanding children's hospitals. We sought to determine if implementing a clinical pathway for pediatric patients who are on continuous albuterol in a community hospital would decrease time to clinical recovery and LOS.