Incidence of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome During Antipsychotic Treatment in Children and Youth: A National Cohort Study.

Objective: The incidence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a rare, potentially fatal adverse effect of antipsychotics, among children and youth is unknown. This cohort study estimated NMS incidence in antipsychotic users age 5-24 years and described its variation according to patient and antipsychotic characteristics. Methods: We used national Medicaid data (2004-2013) to identify patients beginning antipsychotic treatment and calculated the incidence of NMS during antipsychotic current use. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) assessed the independent contribution of patient and antipsychotic characteristics to NMS risk. Results: The 1,032,084 patients had 131 NMS cases during 1,472,558 person-years of antipsychotic current use, or 8.9 per 100,000 person-years. The following five factors independently predicted increased incidence: age 18-24 years (HR [95% CI] = 2.45 [1.65-3.63]), schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (HR = 5.86 [3.16-10.88]), neurodevelopmental disorders (HR = 7.11 [4.02-12.56]), antipsychotic dose >200mg chlorpromazine-equivalents (HR = 1.71 [1.15-2.54]), and first-generation antipsychotics (HR = 4.32 [2.74-6.82]). NMS incidence per 100,000 person-years increased from 1.8 (1.1-3.0) for those with none of these factors to 198.1 (132.8-295.6) for those with 4 or 5 factors. Findings were essentially unchanged in sensitivity analyses that restricted the study data to second-generation antipsychotics, children age 5-17 years, and the 5 most recent calendar years. Conclusion: In children and youth treated with antipsychotics, five factors independently identified patients with increased NMS incidence: age 18-24 years, schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, first-generation drugs, and antipsychotic doses greater than 200 mg chlorpromazine-equivalents. Patients with 4 or 5 of these factors had more than 100 times the incidence of those with none. These findings could improve early identification of children and youth with elevated NMS risk, potentially leading to earlier detection and improved outcomes.

Longitudinal Symptom Burden and Pharmacologic Management of Catatonia in Autism with and without Profound Impairment: An Observational Study.

Introduction: Catatonia is a highly morbid psychomotor and affective disorder which can affect autistic individuals with and without profound impairment. Catatonic symptoms are treatable with pharmacotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy, but the longitudinal effectiveness of these treatments has not been described. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of patients with autism and co-morbid catatonia who received outpatient care in a specialized outpatient clinic from July 1st, 2021 to May 31st, 2024. Data investigating pharmacologic interventions, and clinical measures including the Bush Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS), Kanner Catatonia Severity Scale (KCS), Kanner Catatonia Examination (KCE), and Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I) were collected. Results: Forty-five patients were identified with 39 (86.7%) meeting criteria for profound autism. All patients received pharmacotherapy. 44 (97.8%) were treated with benzodiazepines with a mean maximal daily dose of 17.4 mg (SD=15.8) lorazepam equivalents. Thirty-five patients (77.8%) required more than one medication class for treatment. Fourteen patients (31.1%) attempted to taper off benzodiazepines during the study period; of these, 5 patients (11.1%) were successfully tapered off, and the remaining 9 (17.8%) discontinued the taper due to a return of catatonic symptoms. Statistically significant improvement was observed across all clinical domains except the KCS. However, the majority remained symptomatic over the study period. Conclusions: Despite clinical improvements while receiving the gold standard for psychopharmacologic management of catatonia, chronic symptoms remained for the majority of catatonia patients over the study period, and few were able to taper and discontinue benzodiazepine treatment.

Evaluating the Role of Competency-Based Behavioral Interviewing in Holistic Medical School Admissions.

PROBLEM: Holistic review is a multifaceted concept that aims to increase diversity and applicant fit with program needs by complementing traditional academic requirements with appraisal of a wider range of personal characteristics and experiences. Behavioral interviewing has been practiced and studied in human resources, business, and organizational psychology for over 50 years. Its premise is that future performance can be anticipated from past actions. However, many of the interview approaches within the holistic framework are resource intensive and logistically challenging. APPROACH: The Vanderbilt University School of Medicine instituted a competency-based behavioral interview (CBBI) to augment the selection process in 2012. Behavioral interviews are based on key competencies needed for entering students and require applicants to reflect on their actual experiences and what they learned from them. The authors reviewed 5 years of experience (2015-2019) to evaluate how CBBI scores contributed to the overall assessment of applicants for admission. OUTCOMES: The final admission committee decision for each applicant was determined by reviewing multiple factors, with no single assessment determining the final score. The CBBI and summary interview scores showed a strong association ( P < .005), suggesting that the summary interviewer, who had access to the full applicant file, and the CBBI interviewer, who did not, assessed similar strengths despite the 2 different approaches, or that the strengths assessed tracked in the same direction. Students whose 2 interview scores were not aligned were less likely to be accepted to the school. NEXT STEPS: The review raised awareness about the cultural aspects of interpreting the competencies and the need to expand our cultural framework throughout interviewer training. Findings indicate that CBBIs have the potential to reduce bias related to overreliance on standardized metrics; however, additional innovation and research are needed.

Antipsychotic Medications and Mortality in Children and Young Adults.

Importance: Dose-related effects of antipsychotic medications may increase mortality in children and young adults. Objective: To compare mortality for patients aged 5 to 24 years beginning treatment with antipsychotic vs control psychiatric medications. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a US national retrospective cohort study of Medicaid patients with no severe somatic illness or schizophrenia or related psychoses who initiated study medication treatment. Study data were analyzed from November 2022 to September 2023. Exposures: Current use of second-generation antipsychotic agents in daily doses of less than or equal to 100-mg chlorpromazine equivalents or greater than 100-mg chlorpromazine equivalents vs that for control medications (α agonists, atomoxetine, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers). Main Outcome and Measures: Total mortality, classified by underlying cause of death. Rate differences (RDs) and hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for potential confounders with propensity score-based overlap weights. Results: The 2 067 507 patients (mean [SD] age, 13.1 [5.3] years; 1 060 194 male [51.3%]) beginning study medication treatment filled 21 749 825 prescriptions during follow-up with 5 415 054 for antipsychotic doses of 100 mg or less, 2 813 796 for doses greater than 100 mg, and 13 520 975 for control medications. Mortality was not associated with antipsychotic doses of 100 mg or less (RD, 3.3; 95% CI, -5.1 to 11.7 per 100 000 person-years; HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.89-1.32) but was associated with doses greater than 100 mg (RD, 22.4; 95% CI, 6.6-38.2; HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.11-1.70). For higher doses, antipsychotic treatment was significantly associated with overdose deaths (RD, 8.3; 95% CI, 0-16.6; HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.02-2.42) and other unintentional injury deaths (RD, 12.3; 95% CI, 2.4-22.2; HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.12-2.22) but was not associated with nonoverdose suicide deaths or cardiovascular/metabolic deaths. Mortality for children aged 5 to 17 years was not significantly associated with either antipsychotic dose, whereas young adults aged 18 to 24 years had increased risk for doses greater than 100 mg (RD, 127.5; 95% CI, 44.8-210.2; HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.23-2.29). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of more than 2 million children and young adults without severe somatic disease or diagnosed psychosis, antipsychotic treatment in doses of 100 mg or less of chlorpromazine equivalents or in children aged 5 to 17 years was not associated with increased risk of death. For doses greater than 100 mg, young adults aged 18 to 24 years had significantly increased risk of death, with 127.5 additional deaths per 100 000 person-years.

Another Option for Aggression and Self-Injury, Alternative Benzodiazepines for Catatonia in Profound Autism.

Introduction: Individuals with profound autism often present for inpatient care due to aggression. Diagnostic and treatment options are limited. Agitated catatonia is a treatable comorbidity in autism, which should be considered in cases of aggression. Preliminary data report high clinical response rates of catatonia in autism when treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), with poor response to lorazepam. However, access to ECT is often limited, especially in pediatric populations. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review to identify cases of hyperactive catatonia with partial response to lorazepam in profoundly autistic children presenting to the pediatric medical hospital. Five cases were identified, all of whom were followed by the child and adolescent psychiatry consult-liaison service during admission and treated without the use of ECT. Data from the medical record were obtained after institutional review board (IRB) approval including the following: (1) treatment course, (2) Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS) scores, and (3) Kanner Catatonia Rating Scale (KCRS) severity scores. The Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) Scale was applied retrospectively to each case. Results: All five patients demonstrated clinically significant improvements. The average CGI-I score was 1.2. The average percentage reduction in the BFCRS and KCRS severity scores was 63% and 59%, respectively. Two of five patients were first stabilized with infusions midazolam and dexmedetomidine due to the symptom severity and then transitioned to long-acting oral benzodiazepines. Overall, four of five patients were stabilized with oral clonazepam and one of five with oral diazepam. Notably, four of five patients experienced an acute worsening of aggression, self-injury, and other catatonic symptoms with escalating dosages of antipsychotic treatment, which occurred before inpatient admission. All patients experienced resolution of physical aggression toward self and/or others, experienced improvement in their communicative abilities, and were able to return home or enter residential level of care upon discharge. Conclusions: Given the limited availability of ECT and the unclear utility of lorazepam for hyperactive catatonia in autism, the use of long-acting benzodiazepines and/or midazolam infusion may offer a safe and readily available treatment alternative.

Postoperative opioid administration and post-traumatic stress symptoms in preschool children after cardiac surgery.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between postoperative opioid administration and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in preschool-aged children surviving cardiac surgery. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study using survey administration and medical chart review. Primary caregivers of children aged three to six years who underwent cardiac surgery at our institution between 2018 and 2020 were invited to participate. Opioid administration was calculated according to morphine milligram equivalents and indexed to the child's body weight. Caregivers completed the Young Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist to explore child PTSS. We used correlational methods to assess the strength and direction of relationships between postoperative opioid administration and child PTSS. RESULTS: We did not find a statistically significant relationship between total postoperative opioid administration and child PTSS. When analyzing individual opioid agents, morphine did show a significant inverse relationship to YCPC scores (rs = -.57, p = .017) in children with single ventricle physiology. CONCLUSIONS: Total postoperative opioid administration was not statistically significantly related to child PTSS in our sample. Differing patterns of association were noted among children with single- versus bi-ventricular physiology. Postoperative morphine administration was favorably associated with PTSS in children with single-ventricle physiology. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses caring for preschool children who undergo cardiac surgery should anticipate the potential development of PTSS in their patients. Studies using larger sample sizes and longitudinal design are needed to replicate the significant relationship between morphine administration and PTSS in preschoolers with single-ventricle physiology.

Improving Delirium Assessments in Vanderbilt Pediatric and Pediatric Cardiovascular Intensive Care Units.

Introduction: Delirium is a disturbance of attention and awareness that represents a change from baseline mental status. Accurate diagnosis of delirium is of paramount importance to improving the management of pediatric delirium in the intensive care unit. Despite ongoing education, inconsistencies in delirium assessments occur. Here, we aimed to determine the extent of the problem and increase compliance with delirium assessments. Methods: We collected preintervention data to assess baseline compliance of delirium assessments in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) at Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in November 2020. We executed 2 Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles with different interventions and collected data after each and approximately 1 year after the interventions. The first intervention consisted of virtual lectures on delirium assessments for the nursing staff. The second intervention included an educational handout and a new electronic medical record documentation tool. Results: Five hundred five individual nurse-patient encounters were assessed and collected throughout the project. The mean compliance of delirium documentation before the interventions was 52.5%. Target compliance after interventions was 70%. Mean compliance was 70% after cycle 1, 78% after cycle 2, and 86% in March 2022. Conclusions: Using pre- and postintervention data from chart reviews and nurse interviews regarding delirium screenings, we found that interventions targeting nurse education and EMR flowsheet improved compliance with delirium assessment and documentation in the PICU and PCICU. Future work should focus on assessing the clinical implications of this project in diagnosing and treating delirium.

Training Needs Assessment Survey in Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry.

OBJECTIVE: Despite growing recognition of how curriculum modules can benefit child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) training, there are few standardized teaching resources for pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry (PCLP). A Special Interest Group (SIG) of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Physically Ill Child Committee (PICC) conducted a needs assessment to establish interest in, and availability of, a library of online, self-paced learning modules specific to PCLP. METHOD: An email needs assessment survey was distributed to the PICC listserv in the fall of 2019 with four core areas of inquiry: (1) clinical service description, (2) teaching barriers, (3) interest in curriculum resources, and (4) interest in evaluation resources. RESULTS: Respondents were representative of typical academic PCLP programs. The response rate was 28% (n = 39). Programs endorsed barriers to teaching including high service obligations and limited protected teaching time. All respondents indicated that they would utilize high-quality, online learning modules. Psychiatric complications of medical illness, catatonia, and delirium were identified as priority topics in the care of pediatric patients with comorbid medical conditions. CONCLUSIONS: There are currently no published educational studies regarding the training needs for PCLP programs, even among tertiary care academic facilities. This training needs assessment is the first step in establishing a national PCLP training curriculum. New paradigms to develop standardized curriculum resources for PCLP are needed.

Decreasing the Use of Restraints on Children Admitted for Behavioral Health Conditions.

OBJECTIVES: Pediatric behavioral health admissions to children's hospitals for disposition planning are steadily increasing. These children may exhibit violent behaviors, which can escalate to application of physical limb restraints for safety. Using quality improvement methodology, we sought to decrease physical restraint use on children admitted to our children's hospital for behavioral health conditions from a baseline mean of 2.6% of behavioral health patient days to <1%. METHODS: We included all children ≥3 years of age admitted to our hospital medicine service with a primary behavioral health diagnosis from July 1, 2016, to February 1, 2020. A multidisciplinary team, formed in July 2018, tested interventions based on key drivers targeted toward our aim. The primary outcome measure was the percent of behavioral health patient days on which physical restraints were ordered. The balancing measure was the percent of patient days with a staff injury event. Statistical process control charts were used to view and analyze data. RESULTS: Our cohort included 3962 consecutive behavioral health patient encounters, encompassing a total of 9758 patient days. A 2-year baseline revealed physical restraint orders placed on 2.6% of behavioral health patient days, which was decreased to 0.9% after interventions and has been sustained over 19 months without any change in staff injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Team-based quality improvement methodology was associated with a sustained reduction in physical restraint use on children admitted for behavioral health conditions to our children's hospital. These results indicate that physical restraint use can be safely reduced in children's hospitals.

Prospective Validation of the Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU to Screen for Delirium in Infants Less Than 6 Months Old.

OBJECTIVES: ICU delirium is a predictor of greater morbidity and higher mortality in the pediatric population. The diagnostic obstacles and validity of delirium monitoring among neonates and young infants have yet to be fully delineated. We sought to validate the Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU in neonates and young infants and determine delirium prevalence in this young population. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study to validate the Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU for the assessment of ICU delirium in neonates and young infants compared with the reference standard, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. SETTING: Tertiary medical center PICU, including medical, surgical, and cardiac patients. PARTICIPANTS: Infants less than 6 months old admitted to the PICU regardless of admission diagnosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We enrolled 49 patients with a median age of 1.8 months (interquartile range, 0.7-4.1 mo), 82% requiring mechanical ventilation. Enrolled patients were assessed for delirium in blinded-fashion by the research team using the Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU and independently assessed by the psychiatry reference rater using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 criteria. A total of 189 paired assessments were completed, and the Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU performed with a sensitivity of 95% (95% CI, 89-100%), specificity of 81% (68-90%), "negative and positive predictive values" of 97% (94-100%) and 69% (55-79%), respectively, compared with the reference rater. Delirium prevalence was 47%, with higher rates of 61% observed among neonates (< 1 mo old) and 39% among infants 1-6 months old. CONCLUSIONS: The Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU is a valid screening tool for delirium monitoring in infants less than 6 months old. Delirium screening was feasible in this population despite evolving neurocognition and arousal architecture. ICU delirium was prevalent among infants. The consequence of acute brain dysfunction during crucial neurocognitive development remains unclear. Future studies are necessary to determine the long-term impact of ICU delirium and strategies to reduce associated harm in critically ill infants.

Developing Consensus in the Assessment and Treatment Pathways for Autoimmune Encephalitis in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Children with a diagnosis of Autoimmune Encephalitis (AE) frequently require multi-disciplinary care in order to mobilize the assessment and treatment necessary for recovery. Institutional and provider practice differences often influence the diagnostic workup and treatment pathways made available to patients. There are a variety of provider coalitions in pediatric rheumatology, internal medicine, and neurology that have been making meaningful progress toward the development of consensus in assessment and treatment approaches to patient care. However, child psychiatry is currently underrepresented in this work in spite of the high psychiatric symptom burden seen in some young patients. The need for consensus is often made visible only with inter-institutional dialogue regarding patient care trajectories. We aim to review key updates in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with autoimmune encephalitis during the acute phase, with or without catatonia, and to outline provider perspectives by comparing current treatment models in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Disorders of Adjustment, Mood, and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents Undergoing Heart Transplantation and the Association of Ventricular Assist Device Support.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and associated therapies in children during their heart transplantation admission. STUDY DESIGN: All pediatric heart transplant recipients (1999-2016) were included from a linked administrative and clinical registry database. Psychiatric disorders and associated therapies were identified using International Classification of Diseases or billing codes during the transplant admission. Data were analyzed using standard descriptive statistics. Multivariable logistic regression assessed factors independently associated with psychiatric disorders or therapies. RESULTS: A total of 3073 pediatric heart transplant recipients were included. Psychiatric disorders were present in 434 (14.1%) patients during the heart transplant admission, with adjustment disorders being the most common. Antidepressant therapy was prescribed to 212 patients (6.9%) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were most commonly used. Psychiatric diagnoses (8.4% vs 18.1%; P < .001) and the use of antidepressants (4.5% vs 8.9%; P < .001) increased over time (era 1, 1999-2009 vs era 2, 2010-2016). Psychiatric disorders were present in 39.8% of patients ≥8 years of age requiring ventricular assist device support at heart transplantation. The need for ventricular assist device support was independently associated with psychiatric diagnoses (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.18-2.1; P = .002) and antidepressant therapy (aOR, 2.11; 95% CI. 1.43-3.12; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric disorders are common in pediatric heart transplant recipients, especially among those bridged with ventricular assist device support. Psychiatric diagnoses and the use of antidepressants has increased over time, likely representing improved recognition of psychiatric comorbidities in this vulnerable population. Access to psychiatric services represents an important component of the multidisciplinary team caring for pediatric heart transplant recipients.

Core Competencies for Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Training.

BACKGROUND: Learners developing competency-based skills, attitudes, and knowledge through the achievement of defined milestones is a core feature of competency-based medical education. In 2017, a special interest study group of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry convened a panel of specialists to describe pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) best educational practices during child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project was to develop a national consensus on pediatric CLP competencies to help guide training in this specialty. METHODS: An expert working group developed a list of candidate competences based on previously established educational outcomes for CLP (formerly Psychosomatic Medicine), child and adolescent psychiatry, and general psychiatry. A survey was distributed to members of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Physically Ill Child Committee to determine child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship educational needs on pediatric CLP services and generate consensus regarding pediatric CLP competencies. RESULTS: Most survey respondents were supportive of the need for a national consensus on core competencies for pediatric CLP. Consensus from a panel of experts in the field of pediatric CLP generated a list of proposed core competencies that track the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's six core competencies. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent learning outcomes provide the foundation for further development of tools to support training in pediatric CLP. There is a need to develop further tools including outcome assessment instruments and self-directed learning materials that can be used to support lifelong learning.

Transitional Age Youth and College Mental Health.

Transitional age youth with a history of mood disorders, such as major depressive disorder, are uniquely vulnerable to clinical destabilization and relapse in the context of life transition. Moving from a structured adolescence to a more independent and potentially more demanding young adult life can result in worsening symptoms and barriers to effective help-seeking. Transitional age youth newly diagnosed are exposed to their first course of treatment of a potentially chronic condition. This article describes the challenges inherent in navigating this life transition, and also offers strategies to promote a successful "launch" into adulthood.

Association of Antipsychotic Treatment With Risk of Unexpected Death Among Children and Youths.

Importance: Children and youths who are prescribed antipsychotic medications have multiple, potentially fatal, dose-related cardiovascular, metabolic, and other adverse events, but whether or not these medications are associated with an increased risk of death is unknown. Objective: To compare the risk of unexpected death among children and youths who are beginning treatment with antipsychotic or control medications. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study was conducted from 1999 through 2014 and included Medicaid enrollees aged 5 to 24 years in Tennessee who had no diagnosis of severe somatic illness, schizophrenia or related psychoses, or Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorder. Data analysis was performed from January 1, 2017, to August 15, 2018. Exposures: Current, new antipsychotic medication use at doses higher than 50 mg (higher-dose group) or 50 mg or lower chlorpromazine equivalents (lower-dose group) as well as control medications (ie, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications, antidepressants, or mood stabilizers) (control group). Main Outcomes and Measures: Deaths during study follow-up while out of hospital or within 7 days after hospital admission, classified as either deaths due to injury or suicide or unexpected deaths. Secondary outcomes were unexpected deaths not due to overdose and death due to cardiovascular or metabolic causes. Results: This study included 189 361 children and youths in the control group (mean [SD] age, 12.0 [5.1] years; 43.4% female), 28 377 in the lower-dose group (mean [SD] age, 11.7 [4.4] years; 32.3% female), and 30 120 in the higher-dose group (mean [SD] age, 14.5 [4.8] years; 39.2% female). The unadjusted incidence of death in the higher-dose group was 146.2 per 100 000 person-years (40 deaths per 27 354 person-years), which was significantly greater than that in the control group (54.5 per 100 000 population; 67 deaths per 123 005 person-years) (P < .001). The difference was primarily attributable to the increased incidence of unexpected deaths in the higher-dose group (21 deaths; 76.8 per 100 000 population) compared with the control group (22 deaths; 17.9 per 100 000 population). The propensity score-adjusted hazard ratios were as follows: all deaths (1.80; 95% CI, 1.06-3.07), deaths due to unintentional injury or suicide (1.03; 95% CI, 0.53-2.01), and unexpected deaths (3.51; 95% CI, 1.54-7.96). The hazard ratio was 3.50 (95% CI, 1.35-9.11) for unexpected deaths not due to overdose and 4.29 (95% CI, 1.33-13.89) for deaths due to cardiovascular or metabolic causes. Neither the unadjusted nor adjusted incidence of death in the lower-dose group differed significantly from that in the control group. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings suggest that antipsychotic use is associated with increased risk of unexpected death and appear to reinforce recommendations for careful prescribing and monitoring of antipsychotic treatment for children and youths and to underscore the need for larger antipsychotic treatment safety studies in this population.

Delirium and Benzodiazepines Associated With Prolonged ICU Stay in Critically Ill Infants and Young Children.

OBJECTIVES: Delirium is prevalent among critically ill children, yet associated outcomes and modifiable risk factors are not well defined. The objective of this study was to determine associations between pediatric delirium and modifiable risk factors such as benzodiazepine exposure and short-term outcomes. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of collected data from the prospective validation study of the Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU. SETTING: Tertiary-level PICU. PATIENTS: Critically ill patients 6 months to 5 years old. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Daily delirium assessments were completed using the Preschool Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU. Associations between baseline and in-hospital risk factors were analyzed for likelihood of ICU discharge using Cox proportional hazards regression and delirium duration using negative binomial regression. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine associations between daily risk factors and delirium presence the following day. Our 300-patient cohort had a median (interquartile range) age of 20 months (11-37 mo), and 44% had delirium for at least 1 day (1-2 d). Delirium was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of ICU discharge in preschool-aged children (age-specific hazard ratios at 60, 36, and 12 mo old were 0.17 [95% CI, 0.05-0.61], 0.50 [0.32-0.80], and 0.98 [0.68-1.41], respectively). Greater benzodiazepine exposure (75-25th percentile) was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of ICU discharge (hazard ratio, 0.65 [0.42-1.00]; p = 0.01), longer delirium duration (incidence rate ratio, 2.47 [1.36-4.49]; p = 0.005), and increased risk for delirium the following day (odds ratio, 2.83 [1.27-6.59]; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Delirium is associated with a lower likelihood of ICU discharge in preschool-aged children. Benzodiazepine exposure is associated with the development and longer duration of delirium, and lower likelihood of ICU discharge. These findings advocate for future studies targeting modifiable risk factors, such as reduction in benzodiazepine exposure, to mitigate iatrogenic harm in pediatric patients.