Robert K. Pretzlaff, M.D.

Clinical/Research Interests

Dr. Pretzlaff has special clinical interest in treatment with extracorporeal life support, or ECLS, for patients with severe cardiac or respiratory failure. His current research interests are in the areas of bioethics and professional development, with a focus on research ethics.

Title:

Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Medical Director - ELLS

Specialty:

Pediatric Critical Care

Center/Program Affiliation:

UC Davis Children's Hospital

Address:

UC Davis Children's Hospital
2315 Stockton Blvd., Suite PICU
Sacramento, CA 95617

Other Languages:

English

Education:

Wayne State University School of Medicine
Detroit, Michigan
M.D. 1991

Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan
M.S. 1987

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
B.A. 1985

Internships:

University of Michigan Medical Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan
1992

Residency:

University of Michigan Medical Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan
1994
Pediatrics

Fellowships:

Children's National Medical Center
Washington, D.C.
1997
Pediatric Critical Care

Board Certifications:

American Board of Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine, 1997
American Board of Pediatrics, 1994

Professional Memberships:

Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
American Academy of Pediatrics
Society of Critical Care Medicine

Honors and Awards:

Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics, 2005
Best Basic Research Award, 3rd World Congress on Pediatric Intensive Care, 2000
Martha Franz Annual Resident Teaching Award, 1999
Alpha Omega Alpha, 1991

Select Recent Publications:

Pretzlaff RK. Should age be a deciding factor in ethical decision-making? Health Care Analysis, 2005, 13:119-128.

Irazuzta JE, Pretzlaff RK, deCourten Meyers G, Zemlan FP, and Zingarelli B. Dexamethasone decreases neurological sequelae and caspase activity. Intensive Care Med, 2005, 31:146-150.

Marcin JP, Rutan E, Rapetti PM, Brown JP, Rahnamayi R, Pretzlaff RK. Nurse staffing ratios and the incidence rate of unplanned extubation in the pediatric intensive care unit. Ped Crit Care Med, 2005, 6:254-257

Kon AA, Pretzlaff RK, Marcin JP. The association of race and ethnicity with rates of drug and alcohol testing among trauma patients. Health Policy, Aug 2004, 69(2):159-167.

Pretzlaff RK. At a loss for words. Pharos Fall, 2004, 67(4):33-34.

Wertz KK, Pretzlaff RK. Caspofungin in a pediatric patient with persistent candidemia. Ped Crit Care Med, 2004, 5:181-183.

Marcin JP, Pretzlaff RK, Pollack MM, Patel KM, Ruttimann UE. Certainty and mortality prediction in critically ill children. J Medical Ethics, 2004, 30:304-307.

Marcin JP, Pretzlaff RK, Whittaker HL, Kon AA. Evaluation of race and ethnicity on alcohol and drug testing of adolescents admitted with trauma. Acad Emer Med, 2003, 10:1253-1259.

Irazuzta JE, Pretzlaff RK, Zingarelli B, Xue V, Zemlin F. Modulation of NF-kB activation and decreased markers of neurological injury associated with hypothermic therapy in experimental bacterial meningitis. Crit Care Med, 2002, 30:2553-2559.

Pretzlaff RK. Death of an adolescent athlete with sickle cell trait due to exertional heat stroke. Ped Crit Care Med, 2002, 3:308-310.

To see if Robert K. Pretzlaff is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call (800) 2-UC DAVIS.