Interim Singapore guidelines for basic and advanced life support for paediatric patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant challenges for the resuscitation of paediatric patients, especially for infants and children who are suspected or confirmed to be infected. Thus, the paediatric subcommittee of the Singapore Resuscitation and First Aid Council developed interim modifications to the current Singapore paediatric guidelines using extrapolated data from the available literature, local multidisciplinary expert consensus and institutional best practices. It is hoped that this it will provide a framework during the pandemic for improved outcomes in paediatric cardiac arrest patients in the local context, while taking into consideration the safety of all community first responders, medical frontline providers and healthcare workers.

Personalising Outcomes after Child Cardiac Arrest (POCCA): design and recruitment challenges of a multicentre, observational study

IntroductionBlood and imaging biomarkers show promise in prognosticating outcomes after paediatric cardiac arrest in pilot studies. We describe the methods and early recruitment challenges and solutions for an ongoing multicentre (n=14) observational trial, Personalising Outcomes following Child Cardiac Arrest to validate clinical, blood and imaging biomarkers individually and together in a clinically relevant panel.Methods and analysisChildren (n=164) between 48 hours and 17 years of age who receive chest compressions irrespective of provider, duration, or event location and are admitted to an intensive care unit are eligible. Blood samples will be taken on days 1–3 for the measurement of brain-focused biomarkers analysed to predict the outcome. Clinically indicated and timed brain MRI and spectroscopy biomarkers will be analysed to predict the outcome. The primary outcome for the trial is survival with favourable (Vineland Adaptive Behavioural Scale score >70) outcome at 1 year. Secondary outcomes include mortality and pre-event and postdischarge measures of emotional, cognitive, physical and family functioning and health-related quality of life. Early enrollment targets were not met due to prolonged regulatory and subcontract processes. Multiple, simultaneous interventions including modification to inclusion criteria, additional sites and site visits were implemented with successful improvement in recruitment. Study procedures including outcomes and biomarker analysis are ongoing.Ethics and disseminationTwelve of 14 sites will use the centralised Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Pittsburgh (PRO14030712). Two sites will use individual IRBs: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Institutional Review Board and Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin IRB. Parents and/or guardians are consented and children assented (when possible) by the site Primary investigator (PI) or research coordinator for enrollment. Study findings will be disseminated through scientific conferences, peer-reviewed journal publications, public study website materials and invited lectures.Trial registration numberNCT02769026.

Cardiac arrest

High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with targeted post-arrest management have resulted in dramatic improvements in survival with favourable neurological outcome from in-hospital paediatric cardiac arrest over the past two decades. High-quality CPR focuses on five key components: (1) chest compression depth of at least one-third of the anterior–posterior chest diameter; (2) chest compression rate between 100 and 120 compressions per minute; (3) limitation of interruptions in chest compressions; (4) full chest recoil between compressions; and (5) avoidance of overventilation. Quantitative capnography with a target end-tidal CO2 of at least 20 mmHg and invasive arterial blood pressure monitoring targeting a diastolic blood pressure of at least 25 mmHg in infants and 30 mmHg in children during chest compressions are promising markers of effective CPR. Post-arrest management should target normoxia, normocarbia, normotension for age, and normoglycaemia with active targeted temperature management to prevent hyperthermia and surveillance for and aggressive treatment of seizures.

NEUROlogical Prognosis After Cardiac Arrest in Kids (NEUROPACK) study: protocol for a prospective multicentre clinical prediction model derivation and validation study in children after cardiac arrest

IntroductionCurrently, we are unable to accurately predict mortality or neurological morbidity following resuscitation after paediatric out of hospital (OHCA) or in-hospital (IHCA) cardiac arrest. A clinical prediction model may improve communication with parents and families and risk stratification of patients for appropriate postcardiac arrest care. This study aims to the derive and validate a clinical prediction model to predict, within 1 hour of admission to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), neurodevelopmental outcome at 3 months after paediatric cardiac arrest.Methods and analysisA prospective study of children (age: >24 hours and <16 years), admitted to 1 of the 24 participating PICUs in the UK and Ireland, following an OHCA or IHCA. Patients are included if requiring more than 1 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mechanical ventilation at PICU admission Children who had cardiac arrests in PICU or neonatal intensive care unit will be excluded. Candidate variables will be identified from data submitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network registry. Primary outcome is neurodevelopmental status, assessed at 3 months by telephone interview using the Vineland Adaptive Behavioural Score II questionnaire. A clinical prediction model will be derived using logistic regression with model performance and accuracy assessment. External validation will be performed using the Therapeutic Hypothermia After Paediatric Cardiac Arrest trial dataset. We aim to identify 370 patients, with successful consent and follow-up of 150 patients. Patient inclusion started 1 January 2018 and inclusion will continue over 18 months.Ethics and disseminationEthical review of this protocol was completed by 27 September 2017 at the Wales Research Ethics Committee 5, 17/WA/0306. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented in conferences.Trial registration numberNCT03574025.