AIM To determine the frequency of use of complementary treatment and measure its impact on clinical outcomes in a hospitalised general paediatric population. METHODS A population based random sample of children admitted to the general paediatric service at a metropolitan children's hospital in Auckland, New Zealand from February to July 1998. Children with asthma, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, ga...

No severe or prolonged bodily illness followed this incident in the red-room; it only gave my nerves a shock; of which I feel the reverberation to this day...Next day, by noon I was up and dressed, and sat wrapped in a shawl by the nursery hearth. I felt physically weak and broken down; but my worst ailment was an unutterable wretchedness of mind: a wretchedness which kept drawing from me silen...

BACKGROUND Axonal damage in large myelinated nerve fibres occurs in about 70% of patients with severe sepsis, known as critical illness polyneuropathy and contributes significantly to an increased short- and long-term morbidity and mortality in this population. Among other pathophysiological mechanisms, autonomic dysregulation, characterized by high concentrations of circulating catecholamines ...

Intensive care unit (ICU) acquired muscle weakness (ICUAW) is a clinically detected condition characterized by diffuse, symmetric weakness involving the limbs and respiratory muscles.(1) Patients have different degrees of limb muscle weakness and are dependent on a ventilator, while the facial muscles are spared. Diagnosis of ICUAW requires that no plausible etiology other than critical illness...

INTRODUCTION Critical illness myopathy (CIM) and polyneuropathy (CIP) are common complications of critical illness that frequently occur together. Both cause so called intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired muscle weakness. This weakness of limb muscles increases morbidity and delay rehabilitation and recovery of walking ability. Although full recovery has been reported people with severe weakness ...