Acute liver failure
• Pediatric acute liver failure represents a large number of heterogenous etiologies. • Effective diagnosis requires a systemic approach; however, despite thorough workup, in a large proportion of cases, cause…
Acute abdomen
• The abdomen is both a primary source of disease conditions that require care in the intensive care unit (ICU) and, frequently, a secondary source of additional pathophysiology for children…
Structure and function of the hematopoietic organs
• Normal ranges for blood cell numbers are dependent on age, gender, and race. • Because the bone marrow circulation connects with the general circulation, fluids and medications injected into…
The erythron
Pearls • Together, red blood cells (RBCs) at each stage of development may be considered an organ (termed the erythron ) now appreciated to participate in active regulation of regional…
Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) results either from absolute insulin deficiency or from relative insulin deficiency in the setting of high levels of counterregulatory hormones stimulated by infection or other illness….
Pediatric stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage
Pearls • Childhood stroke includes arterial ischemic stroke, cerebral sinus venous thrombosis, and intracranial hemorrhage. • Diagnosis of acute stroke in childhood is often delayed owing to failure to detect…
Acute rehabilitation and early mobility in the pediatric intensive care unit
Pearls • Increased survival from pediatric critical illness has been accompanied by an increase in both short- and long-term morbidities for children undergoing active neurocognitive development. • The harms of…
Acute severe hypertension
Pearls • Acute severe hypertension, defined as significant blood pressure (BP) elevation with or without evidence of acute hypertensive target-organ damage, requires prompt therapy to prevent and/or ameliorate further target-organ…
Pediatric renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit
Pearls • Patients receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT) require careful monitoring of fluid and electrolyte balance and nutritional needs. • Coordination between the critical care and nephrology staff is essential…
Cellular respiration
Pearls • Cellular respiration is largely coordinated in the mitochondria and normally aligns energy demand with energy production. In critical illness, disruption of cellular bioenergetic homeostasis may be a final…
