Immune and Respiratory Dysfunction in Critically Ill Children

Where we are

SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital

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Our group concentrates its research on paediatric intensive care with special emphasis on clinical investigation into the immune response, the inflammatory response and respiratory impairment.

Research lines

  1. Systemic inflammatory response and diagnostic technology in the critically ill paediatric patient (Principal investigator: Iolanda Jordan).
  2. Acute respiratory failure in the critically ill paediatric patient (Principal investigator: Martí Pons Òdena).

Scientific objectives

  1. To define algorithms and clinical guidelines on the management of the systemic inflammatory response in patients with sepsis, infections caused by resistant pathogenic microorganisms or in complex chronic patients.
  2. To improve biomarker-guided antibiotic de-escalation in critically ill patients.
  3. To implement new devices for the prevention of nosocomial infections.
  4. To evaluate the effectiveness of devices (interfaces/respirators) in treating children with acute respiratory infections (ARI) in the general paediatric population and in patients with acute bronchiolitis.
  5. To generate knowledge about the effectiveness of high-flow oxygen therapy and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in the critically ill patient with ARI and to facilitate prompt detection in the case of failure of this technique.
  6. To advance our knowledge on the optimisation of the mechanical ventilation weaning process in both acute and chronic patients.

Area/Field of expertise

Within our line of inquiry on the systemic inflammatory response, we have spearheaded three nationwide multicentre studies, one of which serves as a reference for nosocomial infections (ENVIN-PED registry) with the inclusion of over 1,800 patients per year. Regarding our research on biomarkers and sepsis, we have published various articles which corroborate the paradigm shift in the diagnosis and follow-up of antibiotic therapy in the critical paediatric patient. We were awarded three Health Research Fund (FIS) grants for this line of research, which has also led to the completion of five PhD theses and two more that are currently underway.

We are a group of clinicians and nursing staff offering a complementary approach to the issues raised by research in the field.

Our research into respiratory failure is conducted within the framework of research on the clinical and therapeutic aspects of respiratory care of the critically ill patient. Our main research goal is to investigate how new technologies could impact the management of respiratory failure in both the acute and chronic patient.

Our cohort studies on the effectiveness of NIV (including over 1,500 patients) is worth mentioning as this has helped consolidate our position as an international reference centre for this treatment in ICU patients, and also on a national scale, in the treating of patients on home ventilation.

Group members

Last Publications

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Projects

Project name:
Desarrollo, validación y prueba piloto de modelos basados en aprendizaje automático para predicción y detección temprana de sepsis en Urgencias e intensivos pediátricos. Proyecto PESERS 2.0
Leader
Iolanda Jordán García
Funding entities:
Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Code
PI23/00055
Starting - finishing date:
2024 - 2026
Project name:
Use of electrical impedance tomography in the ventilation of patients with severe acute bronchiolitis
Leader
Martí Pons Òdena
Funding entities:
European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care
Code
PCP00360
Starting - finishing date:
2022 - 2024
Project name:
ARDS in CHILDREN and ECMO initiation strategies impact on NEURO-DEVELOPMENT - ASCEND
Leader
Susana Segura Matute
Funding entities:
National Institute of Health (EEUU)
Code
SUBK00015894
Starting - finishing date:
2020 - 2024
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Theses

  • Estudio del papel de la microbiota nasofaríngea en la gravedad de la infección por Rino/Enterovirus humano en niños menores de 5 años
    Author
    Penela Sánchez, Daniel
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    21/09/2023
  • Millora en el diagnòstic i maneig de la pneumonia en el pacient pediàtric crític, mitjançant l’ús de l’ecografia pulmonar i la procalcitonina
    Author
    Guitart Pardellans, Carmina
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    01/02/2023
  • Infeccions relacionades amb l’assistència sanitària en el pacient pediàtric crític: Factors de risc i evolució, i estudi de resistències
    Author
    Girona Alarcon, Monica
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    27/09/2022
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