Understanding Disparities in the Pediatric ICU: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Health disparities are pervasive in pediatrics. We aimed to describe disparities among patients who are likely to be cared for in the PICU and delineate how sociodemographic data are collected and categorized. METHODS: Using MEDLINE as a data source, we identified studies which included an objective to assess sociodemographic disparities among PICU patients in the United States. We created a review rubric, which included methods of sociodemographic data collection and analysis, outcome and exposure variables assessed, and study findings. Two authors reviewed every study. We used the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework to organize outcome and exposure variables. RESULTS: The 136 studies included used variable methods of sociodemographic data collection and analysis. A total of 30 of 124 studies (24%) assessing racial disparities used self- or parent-identified race. More than half of the studies (52%) dichotomized race as white and "nonwhite" or "other" in some analyses. Socioeconomic status (SES) indicators also varied; only insurance status was used in a majority of studies (72%) evaluating SES. Consistent, although not uniform, disadvantages existed for racial minority populations and patients with indicators of lower SES. The authors of only 1 study evaluated an intervention intended to mitigate health disparities. Requiring a stated objective to evaluate disparities aimed to increase the methodologic rigor of included studies but excluded some available literature. CONCLUSIONS: Variable, flawed methodologies diminish our understanding of disparities in the PICU. Meaningfully understanding and addressing health inequity requires refining how we collect, analyze, and interpret relevant data.

Virtual Interviews and the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Match Geography: A National Survey.

Introduction: Virtual interviews (VI) are now a permanent part of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) recruitment, especially given the cost and equity advantages. Yet inability to visit programs in person can impact decision-making, leading applicants to apply to more programs. Moreover, the cost advantages of VI may encourage applicants to apply to programs farther away than they might otherwise have been willing or able to travel. This could create unnecessary strain on programs. We conducted this study to determine whether PEM fellowship applicants would apply to a larger number of programs and in different geographic patterns with VI (2020 and 2021) as compared to in-person interviews (2018 and 2019). Methods: We conducted an anonymous national survey of all PEM fellows comparing two cohorts: current fellows who interviewed inperson (applied in 2018/2019) and fellows who underwent VIs in 2020/2021 (current fellows and those recently matched in 2021). The study took place in March-April 2022. Questions focused on geographic considerations during interviews and the match. We used descriptive statistics, chi-square and t-tests for analysis. Results: Overall response rate was 42% (231/550); 32% (n = 74) interviewed in person and 68% (n = 157) virtually. Fellows applied to a median of 4/6 geographic regions (interquartile range 2, 5). Most applied for fellowship both in the same region as residency (216, 93%) and outside (192, 83%). Only the Pacific region saw a statistically significant increase in applicants during VI (59.9% vs 43.2%, P = 0.02). There was no statistical difference in the number of programs applied to during in-person vs VI (mean difference (95% confidence interval 0.72, -2.8 - 4.2). A majority matched in their preferred state both during VI (60.4%) and in-person interviews (65.7%). The difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.45). Conclusion: While more PEM fellowship applicants applied outside the geographic area where their residency was and to the Pacific region, there was no overall increase in the number of programs or geographic areas PEM applicants applied to during VI as compared to in-person interview seasons. As this was the first two years of VI, ongoing data collection will further identify trends and the impactof VI.

Race, Ethnicity, Language, and the Treatment of Low-Risk Febrile Infants.

Importance: Febrile infants at low risk of invasive bacterial infections are unlikely to benefit from lumbar puncture, antibiotics, or hospitalization, yet these are commonly performed. It is not known if there are differences in management by race, ethnicity, or language. Objective: To investigate associations between race, ethnicity, and language and additional interventions (lumbar puncture, empirical antibiotics, and hospitalization) in well-appearing febrile infants at low risk of invasive bacterial infection. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a multicenter retrospective cross-sectional analysis of infants receiving emergency department care between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019. Data were analyzed from December 2022 to July 2023. Pediatric emergency departments were determined through the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Collaborative Research Committee. Well-appearing febrile infants aged 29 to 60 days at low risk of invasive bacterial infection based on blood and urine testing were included. Data were available for 9847 infants, and 4042 were included following exclusions for ill appearance, medical history, and diagnosis of a focal infectious source. Exposures: Infant race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, non-Hispanic White, and other race or ethnicity) and language used for medical care (English and language other than English). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was receipt of at least 1 of lumbar puncture, empirical antibiotics, or hospitalization. We performed bivariate and multivariable logistic regression with sum contrasts for comparisons. Individual components were assessed as secondary outcomes. Results: Across 34 sites, 4042 infants (median [IQR] age, 45 [38-53] days; 1561 [44.4% of the 3516 without missing sex] female; 612 [15.1%] non-Hispanic Black, 1054 [26.1%] Hispanic, 1741 [43.1%] non-Hispanic White, and 352 [9.1%] other race or ethnicity; 3555 [88.0%] English and 463 [12.0%] language other than English) met inclusion criteria. The primary outcome occurred in 969 infants (24%). Race and ethnicity were not associated with the primary composite outcome. Compared to the grand mean, infants of families that use a language other than English had higher odds of the primary outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]; 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.33). In secondary analyses, Hispanic infants, compared to the grand mean, had lower odds of hospital admission (aOR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63-0.93). Compared to the grand mean, infants of families that use a language other than English had higher odds of hospital admission (aOR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.08-1.46). Conclusions and Relevance: Among low-risk febrile infants, language used for medical care was associated with the use of at least 1 nonindicated intervention, but race and ethnicity were not. Secondary analyses highlight the complex intersectionality of race, ethnicity, language, and health inequity. As inequitable care may be influenced by communication barriers, new guidelines that emphasize patient-centered communication may create disparities if not implemented with specific attention to equity.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program Directors' Viewpoint: Minimum Levels of Entrustment for Graduating Fellows and Practicing Physicians to Perform the Subspecialty's Professional Activities.

OBJECTIVES: Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are essential tasks physicians perform within their professions. Entrustment levels that pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship program directors (FPDs) expect graduating fellows to achieve for PEM-specific and common pediatric subspecialty EPAs remain unreported. This study aims to determine minimum entrustment levels FPDs require fellows to achieve to graduate from fellowship and to compare FPD expectations for fellows versus practicing PEM physicians. METHODS: Secondary analysis of PEM-specific data from a national multispecialty cross-sectional survey of pediatric subspecialty FPDs. For 6 PEM-specific and 7 common pediatric subspecialty EPAs, PEM FPDs indicated (1) minimum entrustment levels fellows should achieve by training completion, (2) whether they would allow a fellow to graduate below these minimum levels, and (3) minimum levels for safe and effective practice by PEM physicians. Minimum levels were defined as the level that more than 80% of FPDs would not drop below. RESULTS: Sixty of 77 PEM FPDs (78%) completed the survey. Most respondents did not require fellows to achieve the highest level (level 5-no supervision) by graduation for any PEM-specific EPAs. The median level FPDs expected for practicing PEM physicians was 5 (trusted to perform without supervision) for EPAs 1 and 4 and level 4 (indirect supervision for complex cases) for the remaining PEM-specific EPAs. Minimum levels expected by FPDs for common subspecialty pediatric EPAs were lower for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Most PEM FPDs indicated that they would graduate fellows before their achievement of the highest entrustment level for all EPAs. Most also indicated that they do not expect practicing PEM physicians to perform all EPAs without supervision. These findings indicate need for stakeholders to evaluate current structure and outcomes of PEM fellowship programs and for institutions and organizations to ensure adequate support in time and resources for ongoing learning for practicing PEM physicians.

Acute phlegmonous gastritis: A case report.

Acute phlegmonous gastritis (APG) is an extremely uncommon and potentially rapid fatal systemic infection with very few reported cases in the literature. This case report demonstrates a case of idiopathic APG in an afebrile, otherwise healthy individual that resolved with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and did not require operative management.

Guiding Fellows to Independent Practice: Current Trends in Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow Supervision.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies highlight the importance of physician readiness to practice beyond graduate training. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education mandates that pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellows be prepared for independent practice by allowing "progressive responsibility for patient care." Prior unpublished surveys of program directors (PDs) indicate variability in approaches to provide opportunities for more independent practice during fellowship training. OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to describe practices within PEM fellowship programs allowing fellows to work without direct supervision and to identify any barriers to independent practice in training. DESIGN/METHODS: An anonymous electronic survey of PEM fellowship PDs was performed. Survey items were developed using an iterative modified Delphi process and pilot tested. Close-ended survey responses and demographic variables were summarized with descriptive statistics. Responses to open-ended survey items were reviewed and categorized by theme. RESULTS: Seventy two of 84 PDs (88%) responded to the survey; however, not all surveys were completed. Of the 68 responses to whether fellows could work without direct supervision (as defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) during some part of their training, 31 (45.6%) reported that fellows did have this opportunity. In most programs, clinical independence was conditional on specific measures including the number of clinical hours completed, milestone achievement, and approval by the clinical competency committee. Reported barriers to fellow practice without direct oversight included both regulatory and economic constraints. CONCLUSIONS: Current training practices that provide PEM fellows with conditional clinical independence are variable. Future work should aim to determine best practices of entrustment, identify ideal transition points, and mitigate barriers to graduated responsibility.

Virtual Interviewing for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship-A National Survey.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate both applicant and interviewer satisfaction with the virtual interviewing process for pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship in hopes to improve the fellowship interviewing process. It was proposed that fellowship programs and applicants would prefer virtual interviews over traditional interviews. METHODS: A survey developed in collaboration with UT Southwestern PEM fellowship leaders and national PEM leaders was sent to all PEM fellowship applicants and programs at the conclusion of the 2020 interview season and rank list submission. The applicant survey obtained information on ease of virtual interviews and whether applicants felt that they obtained adequate information from virtual interviews to make informed program selections. Program director surveys collected data on thoughts and feelings about virtual interviews and obstacles encountered during the recruitment season. Both surveys asked about costs for interviews and interview type preference. RESULTS: A response rate of 49% from applicants and 47% from programs was obtained. Virtual interview days were similar in the amount of time and staff hours used compared with traditional days. Applicants spent less on virtual interviews compared with those who underwent traditional interviews (average $725 vs $4312). Programs received more applications than the prior year and spent less money during the virtual cycle. The majority of the applicants (90%) were comfortable with the virtual interview platform, and most (66%) agreed that virtual interviews provided adequate information to determine program rank. Geography was the number 1 rank determining factor. Programs and applicants preferred a form of in-person interviews. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual interviews provide cost savings for both applicants and programs. Despite this, both parties prefer a form of in-person interviews.

Associations of Air Pollution and Pediatric Asthma in Cleveland, Ohio.

Air pollution has been associated with poor health outcomes and continues to be a risk factor for respiratory health in children. While higher particulate matter (PM) levels are associated with increased frequency of symptoms, lower lung function, and increase airway inflammation from asthma, the precise composition of the particles that are more highly associated with poor health outcomes or healthcare utilization are not fully elucidated. PM is measured quantifiably by current air pollution monitoring systems. To better determine sources of PM and speciation of such sources, a particulate matter (PM) source apportionment study, the Cleveland Multiple Air Pollutant Study (CMAPS), was conducted in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2009-2010, which allowed more refined assessment of associations with health outcomes. This article presents an evaluation of short-term (daily) and long-term associations between motor vehicle and industrial air pollution components and pediatric asthma emergency department (ED) visits by evaluating two sets of air quality data with healthcare utilization for pediatric asthma. Exposure estimates were developed using land use regression models for long-term exposures for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and coarse (i.e., with aerodynamic diameters between 2.5 and 10 µm) particulate matter (PM) and the US EPA Positive Matrix Factorization receptor model for short-term exposures to fine (<2.5 µm) and coarse PM components. Exposure metrics from these two approaches were used in asthma ED visit prevalence and time series analyses to investigate seasonal-averaged short- and long-term impacts of both motor vehicles and industry emissions. Increased pediatric asthma ED visits were found for LUR coarse PM and NO2 estimates, which were primarily contributed by motor vehicles. Consistent, statistically significant associations with pediatric asthma visits were observed, with short-term exposures to components of fine and coarse iron PM associated with steel production. Our study is the first to combine spatial and time series analysis of ED visits for asthma using the same periods and shows that PM related to motor vehicle emissions and iron/steel production are associated with increased pediatric asthma visits.

A Human Trafficking Educational Program and Point-of-Care Reference Tool for Pediatric Residents.

Introduction: Trafficked youth experience complex health issues such as substance abuse, severe physical trauma, and sexual health problems, with many entering trafficking between 15 and 17 years old. There is increasing awareness of the need to educate pediatric health care providers on identifying and aiding trafficked children; however, critical gaps in the literature exist regarding educational sessions specific to the human trafficking of pediatric patients. Our objective was to implement and evaluate a survivor-informed educational session for pediatric resident physicians to improve identification of and assistance to trafficked youth in the clinical setting. Methods: We designed an educational session on human trafficking, which included a 60-minute interactive didactic presentation and distribution of a point-of-care reference tool, in collaboration with a survivor of human trafficking, for 59 pediatric trainees in 2019. We utilized pre/post knowledge assessments. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and Fisher exact analysis. Results: Of 99 total eligible residents, 59 (59%) participated. Statistically significant increases in correct identification of hypothetical trafficked youth and next steps for intervention were observed. Over 80% of participants reported comfort with defining, recognizing, referring to, and understanding health consequences of human trafficking on the postassessment, compared to 25% on the preassessment (p < .001). Discussion: Our educational session resulted in statistically significant increased comfort in identification of human trafficking victims and can be replicated at other institutions. The point-of-care reference tool-which can be adapted for use in different settings-can guide pediatric residents in managing suspected trafficked youth in the clinical setting.

Pediatric emergency medicine fellows' milestone evaluations: Do they all meet the targets for graduation?

BACKGROUND: The ACGME Milestone Project created a competency-based trainee assessment tool. Subcompetencies (SCs) are scored on a 5-point scale; level 4 is recommended for graduation. The 2018 Milestones Report found that across subspecialties, not all graduates attain level 4 for every SC. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to describe the number of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellows who achieve ≥ level 4 in all 23 SCs at graduation and identify SCs where level 4 is not achieved and factors predictive of not achieving a level 4. METHODS: This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of PEM fellows from 2014 to 2018. Program directors provided milestone reports. Descriptive analysis of SC scores was performed. Subanalyses assessed differences in residency graduation scores, first-year fellowship scores, and the rate of milestone attainment between fellows who did and did not attain ≥ level 4 at graduation. RESULTS: Data from 392 fellows were obtained. There were no SCs in which all fellows attained ≥ level 4 at graduation; the range of fellows scoring < level 4 per SC was 7% to 39%. A total of 67% of fellows did not attain ≥ level 4 on one or more SC. While some fellows failed to attain ≥ level 4 on up to all 23 SCs, 26% failed to meet level 4 on only one or two. In 19 SCs, residency graduation and/or first year fellow scores were lower for fellows who did not attain ≥ level 4 at graduation compared to those who did (mean difference = 0.74 points). Among 10 SCs, fellows who did not attain ≥ level 4 at graduation had a faster rate of improvement compared to those who did attain ≥ level 4. CONCLUSION: In our sample, 67% of PEM fellows did not attain level 4 for one or more of the SCs at graduation. Low scores during residency or early in fellowship may predict difficulty in meeting level 4 by fellowship completion.

Milestone achievements in a national sample of pediatric emergency medicine fellows: impact of primary residency training.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowships recruit trainees from both pediatric and emergency medicine (EM) residencies. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) defines separate training pathways for each. The 2015 PEM milestones reflect a combination of subcompetencies from the two residencies. This project aims to compare the milestone achievement of PEM fellows based on their primary residency training. We hypothesize that fellows trained in pediatrics achieve PEM milestones at different rates than EM-trained fellows in the ACGME domains of patient care, medical knowledge, systems-based practice, practice-based learning, professionalism, and interpersonal and communication skills. METHODS: This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of fellows from a national sample of U.S. PEM fellowship programs. Basic demographic information and deidentified, biannual milestone scores for 23 competencies were collected for fellows training between 2015 and 2018. Subcompetencies are scored on a 5-point milestone scale. Descriptive and multivariable analyses for longitudinal data were performed to compare milestone assessments by primary residency training. RESULTS: Complete data were obtained for 600 fellows; 95% (570) and 5% (30) completed pediatric and EM residency, respectively. In both year 1 and year 2 of fellowship, the mean milestone scores of EM-trained fellows were statistically higher than pediatrics-trained fellows across the majority of subcompetencies. By the final year of training, there were no statistically significant differences in milestone scores for any of the subcompetencies. CONCLUSIONS: Fellow milestone achievement between groups was not significantly different by graduation. However, fellows entering PEM training from an EM background attained higher scores on the milestones than fellows from a pediatric background in the first year of fellowship.

Milestones comparisons from residency to pediatric emergency medicine fellowship: Resetting expectations.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowships accept trainees who have completed a residency in either emergency medicine (EM) or pediatrics and have adopted 17 subcompetencies with accompanying set of milestones from these two residency programs. This study aims to examine the changes in milestone scores among common subcompetencies from the end of EM or pediatrics residency to early PEM fellowship and evaluates time to reattainment of scores for subcompetencies in which a decline was noted. METHODS: This is a national, retrospective cohort study of trainees enrolled in PEM fellowship programs from July 2014 to June 2018. PEM fellowship program directors voluntarily submitted deidentified milestone reports within the study time frame, including end-of-residency reports. Descriptive analyses of milestone scores between end of residency and PEM fellowship were performed. RESULTS: Forty-eight U.S. PEM fellowship programs (65%) provided fellowship milestone data on 638 fellows, 218 (34%) of whom also had end-of-residency milestone scores submitted. Of 218 fellows eligible for analysis, 210 (96%) had completed a pediatrics residency and eight (4%) had completed an EM residency. Pediatric-trained fellows had statistically significant decreases in mean milestone scores in all 10 shared subcompetencies. Reattainment of milestone scores across all common subcompetencies for both EM and pediatric-trained PEM fellows occurred by the end of fellowship. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated declines in milestone scores from the end of primary residency training in pediatrics to early PEM fellowship in shared subcompetencies, which may suggest that performance expectations are reset at the beginning of PEM fellowship. Changes in subcompetency milestone anchors to provide subspecialty-specific context may be needed to more accurately define skills acquisition in the residency-to-fellowship transition.

Gender Differences Among Milestone Assessments in a National Sample of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Programs.

BACKGROUND: Understanding gender gaps in trainee evaluations is critical because these may ultimately determine the duration of training. Currently, no studies describe the influence of gender on the evaluation of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellows. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to compare milestone scores of female versus male PEM fellows. METHODS: This is a multicenter retrospective cohort study of a national sample of PEM fellows from July 2014 to June 2018. Accreditation Council for Medical Education (ACGME) subcompetencies are scored on a 5-point scale and span six domains: patient care (PC), medical knowledge, systems-based practice, practice-based learning and improvement, professionalism, and interpersonal and communication skills (ICS). Summative assessments of the 23 PEM subcompetencies are assigned by each program's clinical competency committee and submitted semiannually for each fellow. Program directors voluntarily provided deidentified ACGME milestone reports. Demographics including sex, program region, and type of residency were collected. Descriptive analysis of milestones was performed for each year of fellowship. Multivariate analyses evaluated the difference in scores by sex for each of the subcompetencies. RESULTS: Forty-eight geographically diverse programs participated, yielding data for 639 fellows (66% of all PEM fellows nationally); sex was recorded for 604 fellows, of whom 67% were female. When comparing the mean milestone scores in each of the six domains, there were no differences by sex in any year of training. When comparing scores within each of the 23 subcompetencies and correcting the significance level for comparison of multiple milestones, the scores for PC3 and ICS2 were significantly, albeit not meaningfully, higher for females. CONCLUSION: In a national sample of PEM fellows, we found no major differences in milestone scores between females and males.

US children of minority race are less likely to be admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit after traumatic injury, a retrospective analysis of a single pediatric trauma center.

BACKGROUND: The public health impact of pediatric trauma makes identifying opportunities to equalize health related disparities imperative. The influence of a child's race on the likelihood of admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is not well described. We hypothesized that traumatically injured children of minority race would have higher rates of PICU admission, compared to White children. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of a single institution's trauma registry including children ≤18 years of age presenting to the emergency department (ED) whose injury necessitated pediatric trauma team activation at a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2016. Demographics, injury characteristics and hospital utilization data were collected. Race was categorized as White or racial minority, which included patients identifying as Black, Hispanic ethnicity, Native American or "other." The primary outcome measure was admission to the PICU. Chi square or Mann Whitney rank sum tests were used, as appropriate, to compare differences in demographics and injury characteristics between those children who were and were not admitted to the PICU setting. Variables associated with PICU admission in univariate analyses were included in a multivariate analysis. Data are presented as median values and interquartile ranges, or numbers and percentages. RESULTS: The median age of the 654 included subjects was 8 [IQR 4-13] years; 55.2% were a racial minority. Nine (1.4%) children died in the ED and 576 (88.1%) were admitted to the hospital. Of the children requiring hospitalization, 195 (33.9%) were admitted to the PICU. Children admitted to the PICU were less likely to be from a racial minority group (26.1% vs 42.5%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for age and injury characteristics in a multivariable analysis, racial minority children had a lower odds of PICU admission compared to White children (OR 0.492 [95% C.I. 0.298-0.813, p = 0.006]). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective analysis of traumatically injured children, minority race was associated with lower odds of PICU admission, suggesting that health care disparities based on race persist in pediatric trauma-related care.

Trends in Head Computed Tomography Utilization in Children Presenting to Emergency Departments After Traumatic Head Injury.

OBJECTIVES: Although closed head injuries occur commonly in children, most do not have a clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI) and do not require neuroimaging. We sought to determine whether the utilization of computed tomography of the head (CT-H) in children presenting to an emergency department (ED) with a closed head injury changed after publication of validated clinical prediction rules to identify children at risk of ciTBI by the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). METHODS: We used the nationwide ED sample (2008-2013) to examine children visiting an ED after a mild closed head injury. Multiple patient and hospital characteristics were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 4,552,071 children presenting to an ED with a mild closed head injury, 1,181,659 (26.0%) underwent CT-H. Care was most commonly received at metropolitan teaching hospitals (43.5%) and varied markedly by geographic region. Overall, there were no significant changes in the nationwide rates of CT-H utilization in the period immediately after publication of the PECARN prediction rules. However, compared with metropolitan teaching hospitals, CT-H utilization increased significantly for patients treated at nonteaching hospitals and at nonmetropolitan hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: There was no overall reduction in CT-H utilization after publication of the 2009 PECARN prediction rules. However, patients treated at metropolitan teaching hospitals were significantly less likely to undergo CT-H after 2009, suggesting some penetration of the PECARN tool in that setting. Further research should study patterns of CT-H utilization in nonteaching hospitals and nonmetropolitan hospitals to assess challenges for adoption of validated pediatric ciTBI prediction rules.

The Relationship Between Estimated Median Household Income and Critical Care Length of Stay in Children With Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an important diagnosis in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and is associated with significant morbidity. We hypothesized children with DKA living in poorer communities would have unfavorable outcomes while critically ill. This single-center retrospective study included children with DKA admitted to a PICU over a 27-month period. Patients were classified as low-income if they lived in a ZIP code where the median household income was estimated to be less than 200% of the federal poverty threshold, or $48 016 for a family of 4. In this study, living in a low-income ZIP code was not associated with increased severity of illness, longer PICU length of stay (LOS), or readmission.