Prevalence of Cardiac Dysfunction in Malawian Children With Severe Febrile Illness.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in Malawian children with severe febrile illness and to explore associations between LVSD and mortality and lactate levels. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Pediatric ward of a tertiary government referral hospital in Malawi. PATIENTS: Children between 60 days and 10 years old with severe febrile illness (fever with at least one sign of impaired perfusion plus altered mentation or respiratory distress) were enrolled at admission from October 2017 to February 2018. INTERVENTIONS: Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) was performed, and serum lactate was measured for each child at enrollment, with repeat FoCUS the following day. LV systolic function was later categorized as normal, reduced, severely reduced, or hyperdynamic by two pediatric cardiologists blinded to clinical course and outcomes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Fifty-four children were enrolled. LVSD was present in 14 children (25.9%; 95% CI, 15.4-40.3%), of whom three had severely reduced function. Thirty patients (60%) had a lactate greater than 2.5 mmol/L, of which 20 (40%) were markedly elevated (>5 mmol/L). Ten children died during admission (18.5%). Of children who survived, 22.7% had decreased LV systolic function versus 40% of those who died. Dysfunction was not associated with mortality or elevated lactate. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac dysfunction may be present in one in four Malawian children with severe febrile illness, and mortality in these patients is especially high. Larger studies are needed to further clarify the role cardiac dysfunction plays in mortality and integrate practical bedside assessments for decision support around individualized resuscitation strategies.

Poorly Controlled Pediatric Fracture Pain Requiring Unplanned Medical Assistance or Advice.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to define the proportion of children who seek assistance for poorly controlled fracture pain, identify factors associated with requesting help, and explore caregivers' opioid preferences. METHODS: We enrolled 251 children and their caregivers in the orthopedic surgery clinic of a tertiary care children's hospital. Children 5 to 17 years old presenting within 10 days of injury for follow-up for a single-extremity, nonoperative long bone fracture(s) were eligible. The primary outcome was seeking unscheduled evaluation or advice for poorly controlled pain before the first routine follow-up appointment by telephone call, medical visit, or rescheduling to an earlier appointment. Factors associated with the outcome were assessed using bivariable analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 7.3% (95% confidence interval, 4.1%-10.6%) of participants sought unscheduled evaluation or advice for poorly controlled pain. The 2 most common reasons were to obtain over-the-counter analgesic dosage information (64.7%) and a stronger analgesic (29.4%). These children were more likely to have a leg fracture, have an overriding or translated fracture, or require manual reduction under procedural sedation. These children had higher Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pain Behavior and Pain Interference scores and more anxious caregivers. One-third of caregivers expressed hesitancy or refusal to use opioids to treat severe pain, and 45.7% reported potential addiction or abuse as the rationale. CONCLUSIONS: A notable proportion of children seek assistance for poorly controlled fracture-related pain. Medical providers should target discharge instructions to the identified risk factors and engage caregivers in shared decision making if opioids are recommended.

Early prediction of pediatric acute kidney injury from the emergency department: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Identifying acute kidney injury (AKI) early can inform medical decisions key to mitigation of injury. An AKI risk stratification tool, the renal angina index (RAI), has proven better than creatinine changes alone at predicting AKI in critically ill children. OBJECTIVE: To derive and test performance of an "acute" RAI (aRAI) in the Emergency Department (ED) for prediction of inpatient AKI and to evaluate the added yield of urinary AKI biomarkers. METHODS: Study of pediatric ED patients with sepsis admitted and followed for 72 h. The primary outcome was inpatient AKI defined by a creatinine >1.5× baseline, 24-72 h after admission. Patients were denoted renal angina positive (RA+) for an aRAI score above a population derived cut-off. Test characteristics evaluated predictive performance of the aRAI compared to changes in creatinine and incorporation of 4 urinary biomarkers in the context of renal angina were assessed. RESULTS: 118 eligible subjects were enrolled. Mean age was 7.8 ± 6.4 years, 16% required intensive care admission. In the ED, 27% had a +RAI (22% had a >50% creatinine increase). The aRAI had an AUC of 0.92 (0.86-0.98) for prediction of inpatient AKI. For AKI prediction, RA+ demonstrated a sensitivity of 94% (69-99) and a negative predictive value of 99% (92-100) (versus sensitivity 59% (33-82) and NPV 93% (89-96) for creatinine ≥2× baseline). Biomarker analysis revealed a higher AUC for aRAI alone than any individual biomarker. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study finds the aRAI to be a sensitive ED-based tool for ruling out the development of in-hospital AKI.

Using Dry-Erase Boards to Share Information in a Pediatric Emergency Department to Improve Family Experience of Care.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the use of dry-erase boards for communicating the plan of care of children evaluated in the pediatric emergency department (PED) improves the family experience of care. METHODS: Dry-erase boards were mounted at eye level in patient examination rooms. The study was conducted during a 4-week period during which physicians were instructed to use the boards on alternating weeks. During the 2 intervention weeks, they were instructed to write their name and plan of care in addition to their standard verbal communication. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of caregivers that measured their perceptions of physician listening skills, time spent with the physician, their understanding of the care plan, their willingness to ask questions, likelihood to recommend the PED, and overall physician care. Differences between intervention and nonintervention weeks were analyzed using adjusted multivariable modeling taking into account clustered observations within physician. RESULTS: Surveys were completed by 672 caregivers. There were no significant differences in reported experience of care between the intervention and nonintervention weeks. During the intervention weeks, 59% of caregivers recalled use of the dry-erase boards, whereas 10% of caregivers recalled use during nonintervention weeks. Caregivers who recalled the use of dry-erase boards were more likely to report better physician listening skills, better understanding of the plan of care, and higher overall physician ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Recommending use of dry-erase boards in pediatric emergency department rooms did not increase overall measures of experience of care, although patients who recalled dry-erase board use did report higher performance. Further study could explore how to effectively and efficiently use these boards.

A Video-Based, Case-Control Study of Factors Associated With Intraosseous Catheterization During Pediatric Resuscitation.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Factors associated with intraosseous (IO) catheterization are not well described. Our objective is to identify factors associated with the attempt and timing of IO catheterization in a pediatric emergency department (ED) resuscitation setting. METHODS: We completed a video-based, case-control study (1:3 ratio) of children undergoing IO catheterization in the resuscitation area of a high-volume, academic, pediatric ED. We selected 8 independent factors a priori for analysis: younger than 2 years, Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 8, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), parent or caregiver presence, physician team leader with greater than 5 years of pediatric ED experience, 2 or more IO-catheterization-capable staff, ultrasonographically trained nurse vascular access team presence, and resuscitation occurring during the evening (4 pm to midnight) or overnight (midnight to 8 am) shift. We fit linear regression models to analyze for associations with IO access attempts and timing. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients were enrolled; 40 encounters involved IO catheterization (35.1%). Only CPR was associated with IO catheterization (odds ratio 39.0; 95% confidence interval 12.5 to 121.6). Mean time to IO attempt was shorter with CPR (3.2 versus 14.2 minutes) and longer with vascular access team presence (23.5 versus 3.4 minutes) or caregiver presence (10.5 versus 2.6 minutes). Of resuscitations that achieved peripheral intravenous access, only 1 (1.1%) did so in less than 90 seconds. CONCLUSION: CPR was the only factor associated with IO access attempts, whereas providers may have been more hesitant to attempt IO catheterization with vascular access team or caregiver presence. Future studies should include a larger, multicenter sample and use qualitative methods to explore reasons for IO catheterization hesitancy, especially in the nonarrest scenario.

Emergency Department Management of Bronchiolitis in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine differences between general and pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) in adherence to the American Academy of Pediatrics bronchiolitis management guidelines. METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative study of ED visits by infants younger than 24 months with bronchiolitis from 2002 to 2011 using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. Diagnostic testing (complete blood counts, radiographs) and medication use (albuterol, corticosteroids, antibiotics and intravenous fluids) in general emergency departments (GEDs) were compared with those in PEDs before and after 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics guideline publication. Weighted percentages were compared, and logistic regression evaluated the association between ED type and resource use. RESULTS: Of more than 2.5 million ED visits for bronchiolitis from 2002 to 2011, 77.3% occurred in GEDs. General emergency departments were more likely to use radiography (62.7% vs 42.1%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-4.1), antibiotics (41.3% vs 18.8%; aOR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.5-5.2), and corticosteroids (24.3% vs 12.5%; aOR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.0-4.5) compared with PEDs. Compared with preguideline, after guideline publication PEDs had a greater decrease in radiography use (-19.7%; 95% CI, -39.3% to -0.03%) compared with GEDs (-12.2%; 95% CI, -22.3% to -2.1%), and PEDs showed a significant decline in corticosteroid use (-12.4%; 95% CI, -22.1% to -2.8%), whereas GEDs showed no significant decline (-4.6%; 95% CI, -13.5% to 4.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of ED visits for bronchiolitis in the United States occurred in GEDs, yet GEDs had increased use of radiography, corticosteroids, and antibiotics and did not show substantial declines with national guideline publication. Given that national guidelines discourage the use of such tests and treatments in the management of bronchiolitis, efforts are required to decrease ED use of these resources in infants with bronchiolitis, particularly in GEDs.

Describing pediatric acute kidney injury in children admitted from the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To define those children who develop acute kidney injury (AKI) within 48 h of admission from the emergency department (ED) and ascertain patient-related factors in the ED associated with AKI. METHODS: Retrospective, cohort study of children, birth to 19 years, admitted to a tertiary pediatric hospital from the ED between January 2010 and December 2013 who had serum creatinine (SCr) drawn as part of clinical care. AKI was defined as a 50% increase in SCr above baseline, as measured within 48 h of hospital presentation. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine factors associated with AKI by comparing those with and without kidney injury on hospital presentation. RESULTS: Of all ED admissions, 13,827 subjects (27%) were included; 10% developed AKI. Of kids with AKI, 75% had a measured SCr consistent with AKI while in the ED, 36% were admitted to the intensive care unit, and 2% died (all significantly more than children without AKI). Young age, history of AKI or solid organ transplant, receipt of intravenous fluids or central venous access in the ED, and admission to intensive care were factors independently associated with AKI (AUC = 0.793, 95% CI 0.78-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: One in 10 children who had SCr measured and were admitted to a tertiary pediatric hospital had AKI on or within 48 h of presentation. Inherent characteristics, identifiable in the ED, are associated with an increased risk of AKI. Future research should focus on improving AKI recognition in the ED by the development of a risk stratification tool.

Screening for Asymptomatic Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Because adolescents rely heavily on emergency services for health care, a pediatric emergency department (PED) visit may be their only opportunity for sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the proportion of Neisseria gonorrheae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infections in asymptomatic PED adolescents and patient-perceived barriers to STI screening. METHODS: A convenience sample of patients aged 14 to 21 years presenting to an urban PED with nongenitourinary complaints was offered screening for GC and CT. Regardless of declining or accepting screening, all were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to identify barriers to screening. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent of those approached participated (n = 719). Those who agreed to STI screening were more likely to be nonwhite (61.4% vs. 38.6%, P = 0.001) and publically insured (63.3%) versus privately insured (29.3%) or no insurance (7.58%). Four hundred three (56%) participants provided urine samples, and of those, 40 (9.9%) were positive for an STI. Controlling for other demographics, race was a significant predictor, with the odds of testing positive for nonwhite participants 5.90 times that of white participants. Patients who refused testing were more likely to report not engaging in sexual activity (54.3% vs. 42.4%, P = 0.009) and less likely to perceive that they were at risk for STIs. CONCLUSIONS: There are high proportions of GC and CT among asymptomatic adolescents visiting an academic urban PED. A universal PED STI screening program may be an important component of STI reduction initiatives, especially among adolescents who do not perceive that they are at risk and may not receive testing elsewhere.

Investigating the Feasibility and Utility of Bedside Balance Technology Acutely After Pediatric Concussion: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine postural instability in children acutely after concussion, using the Wii Balance Board (WBB). We hypothesized that children with traumatic brain injury would have significantly worse balance relative to children without brain injury. DESIGN: Prospective case-control pilot study. SETTING: Emergency department of a tertiary urban pediatric hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Cases were a convenience sample 11-16 years old who presented within 6 hours of sustaining concussion. Two controls, matched on gender, height, and age, were enrolled for each case that completed study procedures. Controls were children who presented for a minor complaint that was unlikely to affect balance. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The participant's postural sway expressed as the displacement in centimeters of the center of pressure during a timed balance task. Balance testing was performed using 4 stances (single or double limb, eyes open or closed). RESULTS: Three of the 17 (17.6%) cases were too dizzy to complete testing. One stance, double limbs eyes open, was significantly higher in cases versus controls (85.6 vs 64.3 cm, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: A simple test on the WBB consisting of a 2-legged standing balance task with eyes open discriminated children with concussion from non-head-injured controls. The low cost and feasibility of this device make it a potentially viable tool for assessing postural stability in children with concussion for both longitudinal research studies and clinical care. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These pilot data suggest that the WBB is an inexpensive tool that can be used on the sideline or in the outpatient setting to objectively identify and quantify postural instability.

Utilization of nebulized 3% saline in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis.

OBJECTIVES: To describe utilization of 3% hypertonic saline (HTS) in hospitalized infants and to evaluate the association between HTS use and length of stay (LOS) in a real-world setting. STUDY DESIGN: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included infants≤12 months hospitalized with bronchiolitis between October 2008 and September 2011 using the Pediatric Health Information System. HTS use was categorized as trial, rescue, daily, or sporadic. Differences in LOS were compared after matching daily HTS recipients and nonrecipients on propensity score. RESULTS: There were 63,337 hospitalizations for bronchiolitis. HTS was used in 24 of 42 hospitals and 2.9% of all hospitalizations. HTS use increased from 0.4% of visits in 2008 to 9.2% of visits in 2011. There was substantial variation in HTS use across hospitals (range 0.1%-32.6%). When used, HTS was given daily during 60.6% of hospitalizations, sporadically in 10.4%, as a trial in 11.3%, and as a rescue in 17.7%. The propensity score-matched analysis of daily HTS recipients (n=953) vs nonrecipients (n=953) showed no difference in mean LOS (HTS 2.3 days vs nonrecipients 2.5 days; ß-coefficient -0.04; 95% CI -0.15, 0.07; P=.5) or odds of staying longer than 1, 2, or 3 days. Daily HTS recipients had a 33% decreased odds of staying in the hospital>4 days compared with nonrecipients (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.47, 0.97; P=.03). CONCLUSIONS: Variation in HTS use and the lack of association between HTS and mean LOS demonstrates the need for further research to standardize HTS use and better define the infants for whom HTS will be most beneficial.

Intravenous migraine therapy in children with posttraumatic headache in the ED.

BACKGROUND: More than 3.8 million children sustain traumatic brain injuries annually. Treatment of posttraumatic headache (PTH) in the emergency department (ED) is variable, and benefits are unclear. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to determine if intravenous migraine therapy reduces pain scores in children with PTH and factors associated with improved response. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of children, 8 to 21 years old, presenting to a tertiary pediatric ED with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and PTH from November 2009 to June 2013. Inclusion criteria were mTBI (defined by diagnosis codes) within 14 days of ED visit, headache, and administration of one or more intravenous medications: ketorolac, prochlorperazine, metoclopramide, chlorpromazine, and ondansetron. Primary outcome was treatment success defined by greater than or equal to 50% pain score reduction during ED visit. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were used to determine predictors of treatment success: age, sex, migraine or mTBI history, time since injury, ED head computed tomographic (CT) imaging, and pretreatment with oral analgesics. RESULTS: A total of 254 patients were included. Mean age was 13.8 years, 51% were female, 80% were white, mean time since injury was 2 days, and 114 patients had negative head CTs. Eighty-six percent of patients had treatment success with 52% experiencing complete resolution of headache. Bivariate analysis showed that patients who had a head CT were less likely to respond (80% vs 91%; P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous migraine therapy reduces PTH pain scores for children presenting within 14 days after mTBI. Further prospective work is needed to determine long-term benefits of acute PTH treatment in the ED.

Variation in the management of infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis persists after the 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics bronchiolitis guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: To describe variation across US pediatric hospitals in the utilization of resources not recommended for routine use by the American Academy of Pediatrics guideline for infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis and to examine the association between resource utilization and disposition outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study of infants ≤12 months hospitalized for bronchiolitis from 2007-2012 at 42 hospitals contributing data to the Pediatric Health Information System. Patients with asthma were excluded. The primary outcome was hospital-level variation in utilization of 5 resources not recommended for routine use: albuterol, racemic epinephrine, corticosteroids, chest radiography, and antibiotics. We also examined the association of resource utilization with length of stay (LOS) and readmission. RESULTS: In total, 64,994 hospitalizations were analyzed. After adjustment for patient characteristics, albuterol (median, 52.4%; range, 3.5%-81%), racemic epinephrine (20.1%; 0.6%-78.8%), and chest radiography (54.9%; 24.1%-76.7%) had the greatest variation across hospitals. Utilization of albuterol, racemic epinephrine, and antibiotics did not change significantly over time compared with small decreases in corticosteroid (3.3%) and chest radiography (8.6%) use over the study period. Utilization of each resource was significantly associated with increased LOS without concomitant decreased odds of readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial use and variation in 5 resources not recommended for routine use by the American Academy of Pediatrics bronchiolitis guideline persists with increased utilization associated with increased LOS without the benefit of decreased readmission. Future work should focus on developing processes that can be widely disseminated and easily implemented to minimize unwarranted practice variation when evidence and guidelines exist.

Motivation to quit smoking in parental smokers in the pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To examine if motivation to quit is associated with parental smoker's perceived presence of a personal or child health illness or risk due to tobacco use. DESIGN/METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 218 parental smokers who presented to the pediatric emergency department with their child. We assessed factors related to motivation to quit, including personal and child smoking-related illness, perceived personal and child health risk, smoking behaviors, and demographic characteristics. Motivation to quit was measured using the Contemplation Ladder score. RESULTS: The mean score on the Contemplation Ladder was 6.2 (SD, 2.5), representing the response: thinking about cutting down or quitting . Eighty-four participants (39%) had high motivation to quit (Contemplation Ladder score 8). Bivariate analysis showed significant associations between high motivation to quit and perceived child health risk with continued smoking and perceived personal and child health benefit following smoking cessation. Parents with high motivation to quit were more likely to have high perceived self-efficacy and confidence in their ability to quit, prior quit attempts, and lower nicotine dependence. With the exception of race/ethnicity, demographic variables were not associated with motivation to quit. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of parental smokers who present to the pediatric emergency department endorse strong motivation to quit. Parents who endorse health risk or quitting-related health benefits in their child are more likely to have high motivation to quit smoking. Future studies are needed to determine if high motivation translates into smoking cessation.

A comprehensive view of parental satisfaction with pediatric emergency department visits.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We develop a comprehensive view of aspects of care associated with parental satisfaction with pediatric emergency department (ED) visits, using both quantitative and qualitative data. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study using data from an institution-wide system to measure patient satisfaction. For this study, 2,442 parents who brought their child to the ED were interviewed with telephone survey methods. The survey included closed-ended (quantitative) and open-ended (qualitative data) questions, in addition to a cognitive interview-style question. RESULTS: Overall parental satisfaction was best predicted by how well physicians and nurses work together, followed by wait time and pain management. Issues concerning timeliness of care, perceived quality of medical care, and communication were raised repeatedly by parents in response to open-ended questions. A cognitive interview-style question showed that physicians and nurses sharing information with each other, parents receiving consistent and detailed explanations of their child's diagnosis and treatments, and not having to answer the same question repeatedly informed parent perceptions of physicians and nurses working well together. Staff showing courtesy and respect through compassion and caring words and behaviors and paying attention to nonmedical needs are other potential satisfiers with emergency care. CONCLUSION: Using qualitative data to augment and clarify quantitative data from patient experience of care surveys is essential to obtaining a complete picture of aspects of emergency care important to parents and can help inform quality improvement work aimed at improving satisfaction with care.

Inability of S100B to predict postconcussion syndrome in children who present to the emergency department with mild traumatic brain injury: a brief report.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the ability of the serum marker S100B to predict the development and severity of postconcussion syndrome (PCS) at 3 months in children after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective observational study conducted in a pediatric emergency department (ED). Children were eligible for the study if they were between the ages 5 and 18 years, presented within 6 hours of injury, met the case definition of mTBI from American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of greater than 13, consented to have blood drawn for S100B levels, and completed the 3-month telephone follow-up. At the follow-up, the Rivermead Postconcussion Questionnaire was conducted to determine the development and severity of PCS. RESULTS: A total of 76 children were included in this cohort. The children had a mean (SD) age of 14.0 (3.1) years, 60.5% were male, and 89.5% had a Glasgow Coma Scale of 15. Twenty-eight (36.8%) developed PCS. For the children who developed PCS, the mean (SD) S100B level was 0.092 (0.376) µg/L. For children who did not develop PCS (n = 48), the mean (SD) S100B level was 0.022 (0.031) µg/L. The analyses did not support an association between initial S100B levels measured in the ED and development of PCS or severity of PCS symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this small sample, S100B, measured immediately after injury in the ED, did not seem to predict those children with mTBI who will go on to develop PCS.

Return visit characteristics among patients who leave without being seen from a pediatric ED.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate for differences in acuity level and rate of admission on return visit between patients who leave without being seen (LWBS) and those who are initially evaluated by a physician. Our secondary aim was as well as to identify predictors of which LWBS patients will return to the ED with high acuity or require admission. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using an administrative database at an academic tertiary-care pediatric hospital in the United States from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2008 was done. RESULTS: There were 3525 patients who LWBS during the study period (1.2% of total ED visits). Of these, 87% were triaged as nonurgent, and 13% as urgent at their initial visit. Two hundred eighty-nine (8%) of LWBS patients returned to the ED within 48 hours. Compared with the population who returned to the ED after previous evaluation, patients who LWBS from their initial visit and returned had significantly lower odds of urgent acuity at time of return visit (odds ratio [OR], 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.32) and of being admitted (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.40-0.84). Urgent acuity at initial visit (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 1.35-6.04) and number of ED visits in last 6 months (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.02-1.52) were significant predictors of admission at return visit among the LWBS population. CONCLUSIONS: Generally, patients who LWBS from a pediatric ED were unlikely to return for ED care, and those who did were unlikely to either be triaged as urgent or require hospital admission. This study showed that urgent acuity during the initial visit and number of previous ED visits were significant predictors of admission on return. Identification of these predictors may allow a targeted intervention to ensure follow-up of patients who meet these criteria after they LWBS from the pediatric ED.

Ability of S100B to predict severity and cranial CT results in children with TBI.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the ability of S100B to predict severity of TBI and abnormal cranial CT results for children with TBI. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a previously established cohort of consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department with TBI limited to children <19 years of age, who arrived within 6 hours of injury, received a cranial CT scan and consented to blood drawn for S100B. RESULTS: A total of 109 children were included in this cohort. The mean S100B levels were higher in children with moderate/severe TBI as compared to children with mild TBI based GCS score (0.281 µg L(-1), 95%CI = 0.101, 0.461 vs 0.053, 95%CI = 0.010, 0.095). S100B levels were significantly elevated in children following TBI with abnormal cranial CT as compared to children with a normal cranial CT (0.210 µg L(-1), SD = 0.313 vs 0.036 µg L(-1), SD = 0.046, p = 0.03). Area under the curve for S100B was also significant (0.72, 95%CI = 0.58, 0.86) for prediction of abnormal cranial CT for children with TBI. S100B did not predict abnormal cranial CT for children following TBI with a GCS of 15 (AUC = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.36, 0.71). CONCLUSIONS: For children following TBI, S100B appears to predict severity of TBI; however, it may not be clinically useful as an independent screening test to select children with mild TBI who need a cranial CT.

Development of a motivation-based tool to facilitate individualized self-management interventions for adolescents with asthma.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a questionnaire for segmenting adolescents with asthma into archetypes based on their motivations for individualized self-management interventions. METHODS: A prospective observational study using segmentation methodology. First, adolescents created photo diaries followed by in-person semi-structured interviews to develop a pool of candidate items for identifying and describing archetypes. Second, quantitative methods were used to test the pool of items to determine which ones best identified each archetype. RESULTS: Six archetypes based on motivations were identified and described: goal oriented visionaries; mentors and helpers; influencers; discouraged adolescents; dependent adolescents; and shame avoiders. A questionnaire with 63 candidate items was administered to 201 adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a 17-item questionnaire that identified the archetypes. CONCLUSION: This study is the first step towards applying a segmentation methodology to facilitate the application of interventions during a clinic visit to increase adherence. It has shown that a relatively short questionnaire can be used to identify archetypes based on motivations. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The 17-item questionnaire could provide a framework and direction for healthcare professionals to customize existing adherence interventions, such as motivational interviewing, to different segments of adolescents. It would be especially helpful in primary care settings where time is limited.

Overestimation of impairment-related asthma control by adolescents.

We investigated the concordance between adolescents' perceived and impairment-related asthma control. Based on self-reported medication use, symptoms, and activity limitations, most overestimated their impairment-related control (73.8%). Providers should ask detailed, structured questions to get the most comprehensive picture of a patient's impairment-related control so they can ultimately improve disease outcomes.