Risk Identification of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Premature Infants Based on Machine Learning.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is one of the most common complications in premature infants. This disease is caused by long-time use of supplemental oxygen, which seriously affects the lung function of the child and imposes a heavy burden on the family and society. This research aims to adopt the method of ensemble learning in machine learning, combining the Boruta algorithm and the random forest algorithm to determine the predictors of premature infants with BPD and establish a predictive model to help clinicians to conduct an optimal treatment plan. Data were collected from clinical records of 996 premature infants treated in the neonatology department of Liuzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Western China. In this study, premature infants with congenital anomaly, premature infants who died, and premature infants with incomplete data before the diagnosis of BPD were excluded from the data set. After exclusion, we included 648 premature infants in the study. The Boruta algorithm and 10-fold cross-validation were used for feature selection in this study. Six variables were finally selected from the 26 variables, and the random forest model was established. The area under the curve (AUC) of the model was as high as 0.929 with excellent predictive performance. The use of machine learning methods can help clinicians predict the disease so as to formulate the best treatment plan.

Molecular characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from children with acute otitis media in Liuzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: There have been few studies focused on the prevalence, bacterial etiology, antibiotic resistance, and genetic background of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in children with acute otitis media (AOM) in China. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in Liuzhou Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital. Patients younger than 18 years diagnosed with AOM were enrolled in the study. Middle ear fluid specimens were collected and cultured for bacterial pathogens. The antibiotic susceptibility, virulence genes, macrolide resistant genes and sequence types of S. aureus were identified. RESULTS: From January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015, a total of 228 cases of AOM were identified. Pathogenic bacteria were positive in 181 (79.4%) of 228 specimens. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bacteria (36.4%), followed by S. aureus (16.2%). Among the 37 S. aureus isolates, 12 (23.5%) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and 25 (77.5%) were methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA). A total of 23 isolates (62.2%) were resistant to erythromycin, 40.5% of isolates were resistant to clindamycin, and 37.8% isolates were resistant to tetracycline. Twenty-three isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR) S. aureus. Eighteen isolates carried the pvl gene. Up to 22 (59.4%) isolates expressed ermA gene, 8 (21.6%) isolates expressed both ermA and ermC genes, and only 8.1% expressed ermB. Among all S.aureus isolates, 7 sequence types (STs) were identified by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The most common ST was ST59 (16/37, 43.2%), followed by ST45 (7/37, 18.9%) and ST30 (7/37, 18.9%). The predominant MSSA isolates were ST59-t437-MSSA (5/25, 20.0%), the prevailing MRSA isolates were Taiwan related strains ST59-SCCmec-IVa/V (5/12, 41.6%). CONCLUSIONS: S. aureus was the second most common cause for AOM in children in Liuzhou. Most of the S. aureus was MDR which carried a high proportion of ermA and ermC gene. CA-MRSA (ST59-SCCmec-IV/V-t437) is circulating in children with AOM. These findings support continued surveillance of S. aureus infections in children with AOM in both communities and hospitals.

Preemptive Ethanol Lock Therapy in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Patients With Catheter-Associated Bloodstream Infection: Impact on Length of Stay, Cost, and Catheter Salvage.

BACKGROUND: Ethanol lock therapy (ELT) with systemic antimicrobial therapy is a promising therapy for catheter-related infection (CRI). The impact of ELT timing on treatment efficacy and costs is unknown. PROCEDURES: A prospective study was conducted in the Hematology/Oncology Unit at the Children's Hospital of Michigan. Patients with suspected CRI were randomized to Preemptive ELT arm or Rescue ELT arm after positive culture. RESULTS: Five cases in Preemptive arm and 9 in Rescue arm had a confirmed CRI. All cases cleared infection with line salvage with no adverse events due to ELT or recurrence within 14 days. Our data showed a trend toward 36% reduction in average hospital costs and 40% reduction in average length of stay in Preemptive arm over Rescue arm. CONCLUSION: Although a small study, our data on preemptive ELT with systemic antimicrobial therapy suggest a potentially important treatment strategy in reducing length of stay as well as hospital costs.

Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at risk of fatal sepsis with encapsulated bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, because of the inherent autosplenectomy that occurs in SCD. This risk is thwarted with oral penicillin prophylaxis during the first 5 years of life, and with stringent vaccination against S. pneumoniae alongside routine childhood immunization. But compared with the general African American pediatric population, the rate of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in patients with SCD still remains high, resulting in hospitalization and fatality. METHODS: Patients with SCD who developed IPD from 2004 up to 2013 were identified using microbiology records. Descriptive analysis of presence of risk factors for IPD, type of SCD, pneumococcal vaccination and prophylaxis status, clinical presentation, microbiological data, and the outcome of IPD was performed. RESULTS: Eight patients with SCD developed IPD (7 bacteremia and 1 respiratory tract infection). Three of the 8 isolates underwent serotype analysis (15 C in 2 and 15A in 1), none covered with the current vaccination program. One patient had fatal outcome (15A). CONCLUSIONS: Breakthrough cases of IPD may involve nonvaccine isolates, and seem to occur after 5 years of age when oral penicillin prophylaxis has been terminated.

A 10-year retrospective review of pediatric lung abscesses from a single center.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric lung abscesses can be primary or secondary, and there is limited data regarding response to treatments and patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To assess the clinical and microbiologic profile of pediatric patients with lung abscess and assess the differences in outcomes for patients treated with medical therapy or medical plus surgical therapy. METHODS: A retrospective review of all pediatric patients ≤ 18 years of age that were treated as an inpatient for lung abscess between the dates of August 2004 and August 2014 was conducted. Patients were divided into two subgroups based on the need for surgical intervention. RESULTS: A total of 39 patients with lung abscess (30 treated with medical therapy alone, 9 also required surgical interventions) were included. Fever, cough, and emesis were the most common presenting symptoms, and most of the patients had underlying respiratory (31%) or neurologic disorders (15%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common organism in those that had culture results available, and ceftriaxone with clindamycin was the most common combination of antibiotics used for treatment. Comparison of medical and surgical subgroups identified the duration of fever and abscess size as risk factors for surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric lung abscesses can be managed with medical therapy alone in most cases. Presence of prolonged duration of fever and larger abscess size may be predictive of the need for surgical intervention. Good clinical response to prolonged therapy with ceftriaxone and clindamycin was noted.

Limited granulomatosis with polyangiitis in an adolescent with Crohn's disease on infliximab therapy: cause or coincidence?

Pulmonary involvement in Crohn's disease (CD) may precede the development of intestinal inflammation, but in most cases occurs during the course of treatment, either as an extra-intestinal manifestation, because of secondary infections, or as a side effect of the therapy itself. This case highlights the differential diagnosis and work up for multiple pulmonary nodules that developed in a patient with CD who had been in remission on infliximab therapy. Even though infectious causes, such as Mycobacteria and Fungi, account for majority of these cases, the possibility of non-infectious conditions such as autoimmune disorders should also be considered.

Ceftaroline Fosamil for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Pulmonary Exacerbation in a Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Patient.

Ceftaroline, an advanced generation cephalosporin with activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), may present a new therapeutic alternative for treating lung infections among patients with cystic fibrosis. We report a case of ceftaroline therapy in a pediatric patient with cystic fibrosis, whose dose was increased from 9.7 mg/kg/dose every 12 hours to 10.8 mg/kg/dose every 8 hours by using pharmacokinetic analyses.

The impact of ethanol lock therapy on length of stay and catheter salvage in pediatric catheter-associated bloodstream infection.

BACKGROUND: Ethanol lock therapy (ELT) with systemic antimicrobial therapy (SAT) is a treatment for catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSI). However, its impact on hospital length of stay (LOS) is unknown. OBJECTIVES: Assess the impact of ELT on LOS, LOS attributable to CABSI (ALOS), and catheter salvage in pediatric hematology, oncology, stem cell transplant (HOSCT) CABSI. METHODS: Retrospective review of HOSCT CABSI from January 2009 to July 2011. RESULTS: A total of 124 CABSI episodes were reviewed in 66 patients. Mean LOS with ELT after 1 positive blood culture (BC) was 7.1 versus 12.3 days after ≥2 positive BC (P = .014). Mean ALOS was 1.6 days with ELT versus 2.9 days without ELT (P = .018). Mean ALOS with ELT after 1 positive BC was 3.75 days versus 5.8 days after ≥2 positive BC (P = .022). Catheter salvage rate: 41 of 48 (85%) with ELT versus 49 of 68 (72%) without ELT (P = .169). CONCLUSION: Earlier initiation of ELT may decrease ALOS.