Endothelium and endotheliopathy
• Because of their location, endothelial cells have the ability to interact with blood components, such as flow, soluble factors, and other cells. Endothelial cells integrate these signals into a…
Assessment of cardiovascular function
Pearls • Cardiovascular assessment and monitoring in the pediatric intensive care unit require careful integration of physical findings, laboratory studies, and electronic data to make appropriate therapeutic decisions. • Noninvasive…
Principles of invasive cardiovascular monitoring
Pearls • Hemodynamic monitoring refers to measurement of the functional characteristics of the heart and circulatory system that affect the perfusion of tissues with oxygenated blood. • Hemodynamic monitoring can…
Regional peripheral circulation
Pearls • When delivering critical care, one must understand the specific properties that characterize the various regional circulations because therapies that benefit one region may be detrimental to another. •…
Structure and function of the heart
Pearls • The basic form of the human heart and great vessels is complete 8 weeks after conception, after which the structures grow and mature. • Immediately after birth, there…
Burnout and resiliency
Pearls • Both individual and organizational measures can be used to mitigate burnout and build resilience. • Organizational strategies to promote a healthy work environment include team debriefings after critical…
Long-term outcomes following critical illness in children
Pearls • Development of specialized pediatric intensive care has contributed to substantially reduced mortality for critically ill children. • Research has identified physical, cognitive, health-related quality of life, and mental…
Innate Immunity
Key Points Innate immunity depends on recognition of conserved molecular patterns found in many microorganisms. Several families of pattern recognition receptors are responsible for triggering innate immune responses. Toll-like receptors…
The Immunologic Repercussions of Cell Death
Key Points Apoptosis is a discrete form of cell death induced by multiple stimuli and mediated by a group of cysteine proteases known as caspases. This type of cell death…
Principles of Signaling
Key Points Cells of the immune system sense environmental stimuli via receptors, which may be expressed on the cell surface or may be intra-cellular. Interaction of ligands with receptors initiates…
