[Mechanisms of acute pulmonary edema during meningococcal shock in children (author's transl)]

Meningococcic shocks may induce fatal acute pulmonary edemas. Ten children, who died in this condition, have been compared to 19 others, who during the treatment of the shock, developed right heart failure, without acute pulmonary edema (8 deaths, 11 survivals). The three groups of children could not be differentiated regarding their clinical status on admission, during the shock phase, or the treatments administered. Composition, volume and speed of administration of fluids were similar in the three groups. An increase in pulmonary capillary permeability could have occurred, and lead to the development of acute pulmonary failure, as presented by the children of the first group.