Ethnic Disparities in the Management of Pediatric Subcutaneous Abscesses.

(1) Background: Significant racial and ethnic disparities affect access to pediatric Emergency Department (ED) and surgical care across the United States. The present study sought to assess the role of racial and ethnic disparities in the management of pediatric subcutaneous abscesses. (2) Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed including ED visits for subcutaneous abscesses in patients < 18 years of age, over a 12-month period. The effects of self-reported ethnicity (Hispanic versus non-Hispanic) and race (Hispanic, Black, Caucasian and Asian) on the diagnosis and management of subcutaneous abscesses were analyzed. (3) Results: 192 patients were identified with an average age of 4.7 ± 5.3 years and 43.8% identified as Hispanic. Non-Hispanic patients were significantly more likely to receive treatment of their SSTI prior to the ED and to be admitted, compared to Hispanic patients. There was no difference in bedside versus operating room incision and drainage (I&D); however, significantly more non-Hispanic patients received procedural sedation for bedside I&D compared to Hispanic patients. There were no differences in outcomes such as recurrence or re-admission based on ethnicity or race. (4) Conclusions: Ethnic and racial disparities exist in the management of subcutaneous abscesses in the United States. Further studies are needed to address the systemic causes of these disparities such as access to tertiary healthcare facilities and systems-based analyses of unconscious bias in healthcare.

Pediatric Subcutaneous Abscess: Still a Clinical Exam-Based Diagnosis and Treatment.

Subcutaneous abscesses occur frequently in the pediatric population, yet there is great variability in the approach to diagnosis and management, partly due to opposing recommendations in the current literature and the lack of a standardized protocol for diagnosis and management among pediatric medical centers. This has led to inconsistencies by the providers, as well as the hospital clinical pathways, with regards to the appropriate management of subcutaneous abscesses. We hypothesize that the current variability in diagnostic work-up and management contributes to the wide use of unnecessary imaging and therapeutics without altering the overall outcomes. We performed a retrospective chart review that compared 200 encounters for patients < 18 years of age with a diagnosis of subcutaneous abscess at a single large tertiary pediatric institution. Our results showed that only 13.6% of wound cultures obtained led to a change in the antibiotic regimen and that blood cultures were positive in only 2.1% of cases. There was no difference in the incision and drainage performed based on ultrasound findings in the presence of fluctuance on physical exam. Patients presenting with fever were more likely to be admitted to the hospital for further care than those without fever. Our results showed no difference in outcome after incision and drainage for abscesses packed with gauze versus those left to drain via a vessel loop drain. There was no difference in recurrence in patients discharged with oral antibiotics versus without oral antibiotic treatment. Our data indicate that many of the diagnostic studies used for the management of a subcutaneous abscess have little to no effect on the outcome. Subcutaneous abscesses are a common pediatric complaint, and this study could help healthcare providers utilize more effective and efficient management strategies for skin and soft tissue infections.

El yogurt como terapeutica en la diarrea cronica por giardiasis / Yogurt as therapy in chronic diarrhea by giardiasis

Se estudian 26 niños menores de 3 años de edad, con diarreas de más de evolución, y a los cuales se les había diagnosticado giardiasis, con el objetivo de determinar el efecto del yogurt en pacientes diarreicos crónicos por su actividad betagalactosidásica y su autodigestabilidad de la lactosa. Se precisa que el 53% de los niños presenta intolerancia total a la leche y derivados, desde hacía más de 3 meses, y el 47% presenta una intolerancia intemitente a la leche, que le produce agudización de sus diarreas, por lo que se administró a todos yogurt 1 a 2 tomas/día, según la edad, la cual se aumentó progresivamente hasta 1 l diario, y se obtuvo una mejoría de las diarreas en el 100% de los casos, antes de recibir tratamiento específico para el parásito. La d'xilosa realizada se mostró alterada en el 27% de los pacientes; la dosificación de lactasa en muestra de mucosa yeyunal estuvo disminuida en el 100%, el estudio hístico del yeyuno mostró atrofia parcial de las vellosidades, en un 94% y atrofia subtotal en un 6%; la prueba de sobrecarga oral de lactosa dio alterada en el 77%. En nuestra serie se halló un daño de la mucosa intestinal, con deficiencia secundária de lactasa en todos los casos, lo que permite interpretar las manifestaciones clínicas de intolerancia a la leche y el efecto beneficioso del yogurt, en la terapéutica de la diarrea crónica, por intolerancia a la lactosa en la giardiasis