Sarcoidosis with esophageal involvement: an uncommon clinical enigma.

We present the case of a 46-year-old male, a former smoker, with a medical history significant for morbid obesity grade III, hypothyroidism, hyperuricemia, and dyslipidemia. Four months ago, he was diagnosed with sarcoidosis involving mediastinal lymph nodes and is currently undergoing treatment with corticosteroids. The patient presented to the emergency department with persistent epigastric and thoracic pain lasting one week, accompanied by dysphagia and odynophagia intermittently. Laboratory tests showed elevated acute-phase reactants, with no other notable abnormalities. Chest X-ray revealed pre-existing mediastinal adenopathy. Despite an abdominal CT scan with contrast showing no significant findings, esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed marked extrinsic compression of the esophagus between 25 and 32 cm from the dental arch, with less intensity distally. Although passage of the endoscope through this area caused significant pain, it did not hinder its advancement. A chest CT scan with oral contrast demonstrated filamentous narrowing of the esophagus in the middle third, along with concentric thickening of its walls and multiple paratracheal, parahilar, and periesophageal lymphadenopathies. Following a tapering regimen of corticosteroids, the patient was discharged with a clinical diagnosis of sarcoidosis with mediastinal and esophageal involvement secondary to extrinsic compression. Due to clinical improvement with the prescribed treatment, endoscopic ultrasound and biopsies to assess esophageal wall involvement were deemed unnecessary.

Changing perspectives: unveiling the risks of ashwagandha-induced hepatotoxicity.

Ashwagandha, an herb popular in Ayurvedic medicine, is renowned for its health-enhancing properties. However, its association with liver damage in recent years has raised significant concerns, necessitating careful assessment and management. This case underscores the dangers of Ashwagandha, particularly for individuals with preexisting liver conditions, where it can lead to life-threatening acute-on-chronic liver failure. The lack of solid clinical evidence supporting Ashwagandha's health claims emphasizes the need for an evidence-based approach. Public education is essential to raise awareness of the risks associated with herbal supplements and prevent liver diseases.

[Ukrainian war and its consequences Module "Mother and Child" of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid in Moldova]. / La guerre en Ukraine et ses conséquences. Le module « Mère-Enfant ¼ de l'aide humanitaire suisse en Moldavie.

As a result of the Ukraine conflict, more than 6.3 million refugees had to flee to neighbouring countries, among them the Republic of Moldova (RoM), triggering a social and humanitarian crisis. From our assessment of the general health situation and upon request of the RoM Ministry of Health, Swiss Humanitarian Aid module "mother and child" has been deployed to refugee transit centres to deliver primary health care of mothers and children. Due to the specific refugee population consisting mainly of mothers and children, the module showed to be very beneficial, extremely flexible and was highly appreciated. Simultaneously, strategic hospitals were revisited for contingency planning, but also in view of logistical support. We organized a "train the trainer" course together with the National Centre of pre-hospital assistance.

En raison du conflit en Ukraine, plus de 6,3 millions de réfugiés ont dû fuir vers les pays voisins, dont la Moldavie, déclenchant une crise sociale et humanitaire. Sur la base de notre évaluation et à la demande du ministère de la Santé de Moldavie, le module « Mère-Enfant ¼ de l'Aide humanitaire suisse a été déployé dans les centres de transit pour réfugiés afin de fournir des soins de santé primaires aux mères et aux enfants. La population spécifique de réfugiés étant composée principalement de mères et d'enfants, le module s'est avéré très bénéfique, flexible et très apprécié. Dans le même temps, les hôpitaux stratégiques ont été revisités pour la planification d'urgence, mais aussi pour le soutien logistique. Nous avons organisé des « formations des formateurs ¼ en collaboration avec le Centre national d'assistance préhospitalière.

Willingness to Vaccinate Children against Influenza after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To determine factors associated with parents who plan to vaccinate their children against influenza next year, especially those who did not vaccinate against influenza last year using a global survey. STUDY DESIGN: A survey of caregivers accompanying their children aged 1-19 years old in 17 pediatric emergency departments in 6 countries at the peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Anonymous online survey included caregiver and child demographic information, vaccination history and future intentions, and concern about the child and caregiver having COVID-19 at the time of emergency department visit. RESULTS: Of 2422 surveys, 1314 (54.2%) caregivers stated they plan to vaccinate their child against influenza next year, an increase of 15.8% from the previous year. Of 1459 caregivers who did not vaccinate their children last year, 418 (28.6%) plan to do so next year. Factors predicting willingness to change and vaccinate included child's up-to-date vaccination status (aOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.29-3.32, P = .003); caregivers' influenza vaccine history (aOR 3.26, 95% CI 2.41-4.40, P < .010), and level of concern their child had COVID-19 (aOR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.17, P = .022). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in risk perception due to COVID-19, and previous vaccination, may serve to influence decision-making among caregivers regarding influenza vaccination in the coming season. To promote influenza vaccination among children, public health programs can leverage this information.

A tale of two parts of Switzerland: regional differences in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to document the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on regions within a European country. METHODS: Parents arriving at two pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in North of Switzerland and two in South of Switzerland completed an online survey during the first peak of the pandemic (April-June 2020). They were asked to rate their concern about their children or themselves having COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 662 respondents completed the survey. Parents in the South were significantly more exposed to someone tested positive for COVID-19 than in the North (13.9 and 4.7%, respectively; P <  0.001). Parents in the South were much more concerned than in the North that they (mean 4.61 and 3.32, respectively; P <  0.001) or their child (mean 4.79 and 3.17, respectively; P <  0.001) had COVID-19. Parents reported their children wore facemasks significantly more often in the South than in the North (71.5 and 23.5%, respectively; P <  0.001). CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant regional differences among families arriving at EDs in Switzerland. Public health agencies should consider regional strategies, rather than country-wide guidelines, in future pandemics and for vaccination against COVID-19 for children.

The Impact of a Tablet App on Adherence to American Heart Association Guidelines During Simulated Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based best practices are the cornerstone to guide optimal cardiopulmonary arrest resuscitation care. Adherence to the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) optimizes the management of critically ill patients and increases their chances of survival after cardiac arrest. Despite advances in resuscitation science and survival improvement over the last decades, only approximately 38% of children survive to hospital discharge after in-hospital cardiac arrest and only 6%-20% after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether a mobile app developed as a guide to support and drive CPR providers in real time through interactive pediatric advanced life support (PALS) algorithms would increase adherence to AHA guidelines and reduce the time to initiation of critical life-saving maneuvers compared to the use of PALS pocket reference cards. METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled trial conducted during a simulation-based pediatric cardiac arrest scenario caused by pulseless ventricular tachycardia (pVT). A total of 26 pediatric residents were randomized into two groups. The primary outcome was the elapsed time in seconds in each allocation group from the onset of pVT to the first defibrillation attempt. Secondary outcomes were time elapsed to (1) initiation of chest compression, (2) subsequent defibrillation attempts, and (3) administration of drugs, including the time intervals between defibrillation attempts and drug doses, shock doses, and the number of shocks. All outcomes were assessed for deviation from AHA guidelines. RESULTS: Mean time to the first defibrillation attempt (121.4 sec, 95% CI 105.3-137.5) was significantly reduced among residents using the app compared to those using PALS pocket cards (211.5 sec, 95% CI 162.5-260.6, P<.001). With the app, 11 out of 13 (85%) residents initiated chest compressions within 60 seconds from the onset of pVT and 12 out of 13 (92%) successfully defibrillated within 180 seconds. Time to all other defibrillation attempts was reduced with the app. Adherence to the 2018 AHA pVT algorithm improved by approximately 70% (P=.001) when using the app following all CPR sequences of action in a stepwise fashion until return of spontaneous circulation. The pVT rhythm was recognized correctly in 51 out of 52 (98%) opportunities among residents using the app compared to only 19 out of 52 (37%) among those using PALS cards (P<.001). Time to epinephrine injection was similar. Among a total of 78 opportunities, incorrect shock or drug doses occurred in 14% (11/78) of cases among those using the cards. These errors were reduced to 1% (1/78, P=.005) when using the app. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the mobile app was associated with a shorter time to first and subsequent defibrillation attempts, fewer medication and defibrillation dose errors, and improved adherence to AHA recommendations compared with the use of PALS pocket cards.

Incidence and causes of pacemaker implantation during postoperative period of aortic valve replacement with rapid deployment prosthesis.

BACKGROUND: Aortic stenosis is currently the most frequently occurring valve pathology. Developments, such as transcatheter prostheses and rapid deployment prostheses, allow for the offer of a valve replacement to higher risk patients, but these techniques are linked with a higher need for a permanent pacemaker during the immediate postoperative period. METHODS: We studied the incidence and the factors associated with permanent pacemaker implantation after aortic valve replacement with Edwards Intuity rapid deployment prosthesis. RESULTS: Between October 2012 and December 2016, the Edwards Intuity prosthesis was implanted in 71 patients (68% male, 75.3 ± 5 years old). Six patients (8%) required a permanent pacemaker during immediate postoperative period. Univariate analysis showed that a history of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (P = .046, B = 7.5, 95% CI [1.039-54.1]) and preoperative amiodarone (P = .009, B = 31.5; 95% CI [2.32-426]) were associated with a higher need for a pacemaker during the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation during the immediate postoperative period of aortic valve replacement with Edwards Intuity prosthesis was 8%, a value which is within the limits reported for conventional aortic prostheses. Preoperative amiodarone treatment and previous AMI may increase the need for a pacemaker during the postoperative period of these aortic prostheses.

The Contemporary Bacteriologic Epidemiology of Osteoarticular Infections in Children in Switzerland.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the contemporary bacteriologic epidemiology of pediatric osteoarticular infection with particular regard to children's ages, because Kingella kingae has gained increasing recognition as the predominant pathogen for osteoarticular infection in young children. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective file review of enrolled children from 0 to 15 years of age, admitted to our institution from 2007 to 2015 for suspected osteoarticular infection (217 cases). Information on age, sex, the bone or joint infected, imaging studies, and laboratory data (including bacterial investigations) were collected for analysis. RESULTS: Microorganism identification was possible for 138 infected children (63.6%), through blood (cultures or polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) and/or operative samples (cultures or PCR). Thirty-one patients (14.3%) were found to both have positive blood cultures and operative samples. The results of positive bacteriology specimens identified the most common causative pathogen for osteoarticular infection as K kingae (47.8% of microbiologically confirmed osteoarticular infections of all ages, and 87.7% in children between the ages of 6 and 48 months), significantly more common than Staphylococcus aureus (35.5% of microbiologically confirmed osteoarticular infections of all ages, and 78.2% in children >4 years of age). CONCLUSIONS: Use of the appropriate PCR assays demonstrated that K kingae currently is the major bacterial cause of pediatric osteoarticular infection, especially in children <4 years of age in whom K kingae is more common than S aureus. PCR assays should be used in routine microbiologic laboratory evaluation to improve diagnostic performance. However, despite the use of molecular methods, there are many osteoarticular infections in which no microorganism is detected, which suggests that these infections may be caused by other as yet unrecognized fastidious microorganisms.

Association between oropharyngeal carriage of Kingella kingae and osteoarticular infection in young children: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Kingella kingae has been increasingly identified in patients with osteoarticular infections. Our main objective was to evaluate the association between carriage of K. kingae in the oropharynx of preschool children and osteoarticular infections. METHODS: We conducted this prospective case-control study in 2 tertiary care pediatric hospitals (Canada and Switzerland) between 2014 and 2016. Potential cases were children aged 6 to 48 months with a presumptive diagnosis of osteoarticular infection according to the treating emergency physician. Confirmed cases were those with diagnosis of osteomyelitis or septic arthritis proven by positive findings on technetium-labelled bone scan or magnetic resonance imaging or identification of a microorganism in joint aspirate or blood. For each case, we recruited 4 age-matched controls from among children presenting to the same emergency department for trauma. The independent variable was presence of oropharyngeal K. kingae DNA identified by a specific polymerase chain reaction assay. We determined the association between oropharyngeal carriage of K. kingae and definitive osteoarticular infection. RESULTS: The parents of 77 children admitted for suspected osteoarticular infection and 286 controls were invited to participate and provided informed consent. We identified K. kingae in the oropharynx of 46 (71%) of 65 confirmed cases and 17 (6%) of 286 controls; these results yielded an odds ratio of 38.3 (95% confidence interval 18.5-79.1). INTERPRETATION: Detection of oropharyngeal K. kingae was strongly associated with osteoarticular infection among children presenting with symptoms suggestive of such infection.

A three-step diagnosis of pediatric pneumonia at the emergency department using clinical predictors, C-reactive protein, and pneumococcal PCR.

Recommendations for the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) advocate that, in the absence of the clinical and laboratory findings typical of bacterial CAP, antibiotics are not required. However, the true value of the clinical and laboratory predictors of pediatric CAP still needs to be assessed. This prospective cohort study in three emergency departments enrolled 142 children with radiological pneumonia. Pneumonia with lung consolidation was the primary endpoint; complicated pneumonia (bacteremia, empyema, or pleural effusion) was the secondary endpoint. We showed that three clinical signs (unilateral hypoventilation, grunting, and absence of wheezing), elevated procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), negative nasopharyngeal viral PCR, or positive blood pneumococcal PCR (P-PCR) were significantly associated with both pneumonia with consolidation and complicated pneumonia. Children with negative clinical signs and low CRP values had a low probability of having pneumonia with consolidation (13%) or complicated pneumonia (6%). Associating the three clinical signs, CRP >80 mg/L and a positive P-PCR ruled in the diagnosis of complicated pneumonia with a positive predictive value of 75%. CONCLUSION: A model incorporating clinical signs and laboratory markers can effectively assess the risk of having pneumonia. Children with negative clinical signs and low CRP are at a low risk of having pneumonia. For children with positive clinical signs and high CRP, a positive blood pneumococcal PCR can more accurately confirm the diagnosis of pneumonia. What is Known: • Distinguishing between bacterial and viral pneumonia in children is challenging. • Reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotics is a priority. What is New: • Children with negative clinical signs and low C-reactive protein (CRP) values have a low probability of having pneumonia. • Children with high CRP values can be tested using a pneumococcal PCR to rule in the diagnosis of pneumonia with a high positive predictive value.

A Mobile Device App to Reduce Time to Drug Delivery and Medication Errors During Simulated Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: During pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), vasoactive drug preparation for continuous infusion is both complex and time-consuming, placing children at higher risk than adults for medication errors. Following an evidence-based ergonomic-driven approach, we developed a mobile device app called Pediatric Accurate Medication in Emergency Situations (PedAMINES), intended to guide caregivers step-by-step from preparation to delivery of drugs requiring continuous infusion. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine whether the use of PedAMINES reduces drug preparation time (TDP) and time to delivery (TDD; primary outcome), as well as medication errors (secondary outcomes) when compared with conventional preparation methods. METHODS: The study was a randomized controlled crossover trial with 2 parallel groups comparing PedAMINES with a conventional and internationally used drugs infusion rate table in the preparation of continuous drug infusion. We used a simulation-based pediatric CPR cardiac arrest scenario with a high-fidelity manikin in the shock room of a tertiary care pediatric emergency department. After epinephrine-induced return of spontaneous circulation, pediatric emergency nurses were first asked to prepare a continuous infusion of dopamine, using either PedAMINES (intervention group) or the infusion table (control group), and second, a continuous infusion of norepinephrine by crossing the procedure. The primary outcome was the elapsed time in seconds, in each allocation group, from the oral prescription by the physician to TDD by the nurse. TDD included TDP. The secondary outcome was the medication dosage error rate during the sequence from drug preparation to drug injection. RESULTS: A total of 20 nurses were randomized into 2 groups. During the first study period, mean TDP while using PedAMINES and conventional preparation methods was 128.1 s (95% CI 102-154) and 308.1 s (95% CI 216-400), respectively (180 s reduction, P=.002). Mean TDD was 214 s (95% CI 171-256) and 391 s (95% CI 298-483), respectively (177.3 s reduction, P=.002). Medication errors were reduced from 70% to 0% (P<.001) by using PedAMINES when compared with conventional methods. CONCLUSIONS: In this simulation-based study, PedAMINES dramatically reduced TDP, to delivery and the rate of medication errors.

Adherence to AHA Guidelines When Adapted for Augmented Reality Glasses for Assisted Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are nowadays recognized as the world's most authoritative resuscitation guidelines. Adherence to these guidelines optimizes the management of critically ill patients and increases their chances of survival after cardiac arrest. Despite their availability, suboptimal quality of CPR is still common. Currently, the median hospital survival rate after pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest is 36%, whereas it falls below 10% for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Among emerging information technologies and devices able to support caregivers during resuscitation and increase adherence to AHA guidelines, augmented reality (AR) glasses have not yet been assessed. In order to assess their potential, we adapted AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) guidelines for AR glasses. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine whether adapting AHA guidelines for AR glasses increased adherence by reducing deviation and time to initiation of critical life-saving maneuvers during pediatric CPR when compared with the use of PALS pocket reference cards. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups of voluntary pediatric residents, comparing AR glasses to PALS pocket reference cards during a simulation-based pediatric cardiac arrest scenario-pulseless ventricular tachycardia (pVT). The primary outcome was the elapsed time in seconds in each allocation group, from onset of pVT to the first defibrillation attempt. Secondary outcomes were time elapsed to (1) initiation of chest compression, (2) subsequent defibrillation attempts, and (3) administration of drugs, as well as the time intervals between defibrillation attempts and drug doses, shock doses, and number of shocks. All these outcomes were assessed for deviation from AHA guidelines. RESULTS: Twenty residents were randomized into 2 groups. Time to first defibrillation attempt (mean: 146 s) and adherence to AHA guidelines in terms of time to other critical resuscitation endpoints and drug dose delivery were not improved using AR glasses. However, errors and deviations were significantly reduced in terms of defibrillation doses when compared with the use of the PALS pocket reference cards. In a total of 40 defibrillation attempts, residents not wearing AR glasses used wrong doses in 65% (26/40) of cases, including 21 shock overdoses >100 J, for a cumulative defibrillation dose of 18.7 Joules per kg. These errors were reduced by 53% (21/40, P<.001) and cumulative defibrillation dose by 37% (5.14/14, P=.001) with AR glasses. CONCLUSIONS: AR glasses did not decrease time to first defibrillation attempt and other critical resuscitation endpoints when compared with PALS pocket cards. However, they improved adherence and performance among residents in terms of administering the defibrillation doses set by AHA.

Diagnostic performance of S100B protein serum measurement in detecting intracranial injury in children with mild head trauma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of S100B serum level to detect intracranial injury in children with mild traumatic brain injury. METHODS: A multicenter prospective cohort study was carried out in the paediatric emergency departments of three tertiary hospitals in Switzerland between January 2009 and December 2011. Participants included children aged <16 years with a mild traumatic brain injury (GCS ≥13) for whom a head CT was requested by the attending physician. Venous blood was obtained within 6 h of the trauma in all children for S100B measurement before a head CT was performed. As the S100B value was not available during the acute care period, the patient's management was not altered. The main measures were protein S100B value and the CT result. RESULTS: 20/73 (27.4%) included children had an intracranial injury detected on CT. S100B receiver operating characteristics area under the curve was 0.73 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.86). With a 0.14 µg/L cut-off point, S100B reached an excellent sensitivity of 95% (95% CI 77% to 100%) and 100% (95% CI 81% to 100%) in all children and in children aged >2 years, respectively. The specificity, however, was 34% (95% CI 27% to 36%) and 37% (95% CI 30% to 37%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: S100B has an excellent sensitivity but poor specificity. It is therefore an accurate tool to help rule out an intracranial injury but cannot be used as the sole marker owing to its specificity. Used with clinical decision rules, S100B may help to reduce the number of unnecessary CT scans.

Oropharyngeal Kingella kingae carriage in children: characteristics and correlation with osteoarticular infections.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in oropharyngeal K. kingae carriage during the first 4 y of life, including seasonal variation and comparison of asymptomatic carriage with cases of invasive osteoarticular infections (OAI). METHODS: Oropharyngeal bacterial K. kingae carriage was screened in 744 healthy children aged 7-48 mo between January 2009 and December 2012. Oropharyngeal swabs were analyzed by rt-PCR targeting the DNA of K. kingae RTX toxin, epidemiological characteristics of asymptomatic carriers and OAI case patients were recorded. RESULTS: The carriage prevalence showed no significant difference between age groups or seasons. Compared with asymptomatic carriers, OAI cases were more likely to be aged from 7 to 12 mo (OR = 2.5; 95% CI (1.2-5.0)) and 13-24 mo (OR = 2.2; 95% CI (1.2-3.9)), and less likely over 36 mo (OR = 0.2; 95% CI (0.1-0.7)). Fewer OAI cases were identified in spring compared to asymptomatic carriers (OR = 0.3; 95% CI (0.1-0.7)), while more were detected in autumn (OR = 2.5; 95% CI (1.4-4.4)). CONCLUSION: Although oropharyngeal K. kingae colonization is a prerequisite for further invasive infection, this epidemiological study emphasizes that the carriage rate variations do not correlate with the variations of OAI incidence by gender, season, or age group.

Proadrenomedullin and copeptin in pediatric pneumonia: a prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired-pneumonia is the leading cause of child mortality worldwide. Very few studies have explored the predictive value of Proadrenomedullin and Copeptin in pediatric severe pneumonia and bacteremia. METHODS: Proadrenomedullin and Copeptin were assessed as predictors for complicated community-acquired pneumonia (bacteremia, empyema) in 88 children aged 0 to 16 years presenting to the pediatric emergency department, using B.R.A.H.M.S. Kryptor Compact pro-ADM and Copeptin with the TRACE technology (time-resolved amplified cryptase emission). STARD standard reporting was used. RESULTS: A complicated community-acquired pneumonia was found in 11 out of 88 children (12.5 %). Proadrenomedullin median values increased more than twofold, in complicated vs. uncomplicated (0.18 vs. 0.08 nmol/L, p = 0.039), and fivefold in bacteremic vs. non-bacteremic pneumonia (0.40 vs. 0.08 nmol/L, p = 0.02). Proadrenomedullin > 0.16 nmol/L showed 100 % sensitivity (95 % CI 39.8 - 100.0) and 70 % (95 % CI 58.7 - 79.7) specificity for bacteremia. Copeptin showed no added-value. CONCLUSIONS: Proadrenomedullin seems a reliable and available predictor for complicated CAP, and could therefore help the physician with the decision to hospitalize, and choose the antibiotics administration route. Larger studies are needed.

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric emergency department utilization in three regions in Switzerland.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a decrease in emergency department (ED) visits. However, contradictory, and sparse data regarding children could not yet answer the question, how pediatric ED utilization evolved throughout the pandemic. Our objectives were to investigate the impact of the pandemic in three language regions of Switzerland by analyzing trends over time, describe regional differences, and address implications for future healthcare. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, longitudinal cohort study at three Swiss tertiary pediatric EDs (March 1st, 2018-February 28th, 2022), analyzing the numbers of ED visits (including patients` age, triage categories, and urgent vs. non-urgent cases). The impact of COVID-19 related non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on pediatric ED utilization was assessed by interrupted time series (ITS) modelling. RESULTS: Based on 304'438 ED visits, we found a drop of nearly 50% at the onset of NPIs, followed by a gradual recovery. This primarily affected children 0-4 years, and both non-urgent and urgent cases. However, the decline in urgent visits appeared to be more pronounced in two centers compared to a third, where also hospitalization rates did not decrease significantly during the pandemic. A subgroup analysis showed a significant decrease in respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, and an increase in the proportion of trauma patients during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic had substantial effects on number and reasons for pediatric ED visits, particularly among children 0-4 years. Despite equal regulatory conditions, the utilization dynamics varied markedly between the three regions, highlighting the multifactorial modification of pediatric ED utilization during the pandemic. Furthermore, future policy decisions should take regional differences into account.

Diagnostic potential of IL6 and other blood-based inflammatory biomarkers in mild traumatic brain injury among children.

Objectives: Inflammatory biomarkers, as indicators of biological states, provide a valuable approach for accurate and reproducible measurements, crucial for the effective management of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in pediatric patients. This study aims to assess the diagnostic utility of blood-based inflammatory markers IL6, IL8, and IL10 in children with mTBI, including those who did not undergo computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods: A prospective multicentric cohort study involving 285 pediatric mTBI patients was conducted, stratified into CT-scanned and non-CT-scanned groups within 24 h post-trauma, alongside 74 control subjects. Biomarker levels were quantitatively analyzed using ELISA. Sensitivity and specificity metrics were calculated to determine the diagnostic efficacy of each biomarker. Results: A total of 223 mTBI patients (78%) did not undergo CT scan examination but were kept in observation for symptoms monitoring at the emergency department (ED) for more than 6 h (in-hospital-observation patients). Among CT-scanned patients (n = 62), 14 (23%) were positive (CT+). Elevated levels of IL6 and IL10 were found in mTBI children compared to controls. Within mTBI patients, IL6 was significantly increased in CT+ patients compared to both CT- and in-hospital-observation patients. No significant differences were observed for IL8 among the compared groups. IL6 yielded a specificity of 48% in identifying CT- and in-hospital-observation patients, with 100% sensitivity in excluding all CT+ cases. These performances were maintained whether IL6 was measured within 6 h or within 24 h after the trauma. Conclusion: The inflammatory marker IL6 emerges as a robust biomarker, showing promising stratification value for pediatric mTBI patients undergoing CT scans or staying in observation in a pediatric ED.

Nasopharyngeal carriage of individual Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes during pediatric radiologically confirmed community acquired pneumonia following PCV7 introduction in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a serious cause of morbidity among children in developed countries. The real impact of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) on pneumococcal pneumonia is difficult to assess accurately. METHODS: Children aged ≤16 years with clinical and radiological pneumonia were enrolled in a multicenter prospective study. Children aged ≤16 years admitted for a minor elective surgery was recruited as controls. Nasopharyngeal samples for PCR serotyping of S. pneumoniae were obtained in both groups. Informations on age, gender, PCV7 vaccination status, day care/school attendance, siblings, tobacco exposure were collected. RESULTS: In children with CAP (n=236), 54% of the nasopharyngeal swabs were PCR-positive for S. pneumoniae compared to 32% in controls (n=105) (p=0.003). Serotype 19A was the most common pneumococcal serotype carried in children with CAP (13%) and in controls (15%). Most common serotypes were non-vaccine types (39.4% for CAP and 47.1% for controls) and serotypes included only in PCV13 (32.3% for CAP and 23.5% for controls). There was no significant difference in vaccine serotype distribution between the two groups. In fully vaccinated children with CAP, the proportion of serotypes carried only in PCV13 was higher (51.4%) than in partially vaccinated or non vaccinated children (27.6% and 28.6% respectively, p=0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Two to 4 years following introduction of PCV7, predominant S. pneumoniae serotypes carried in children with CAP were non PCV7 serotypes, and the 6 new serotypes included in PCV13 accounted for 51.4% of carried serotypes in fully vaccinated children.

Evaluation of Pupillometry for CYP2D6 Phenotyping in Children Treated with Tramadol.

Following the contraindication of codeine use in children, increasing use of tramadol has been observed in pain management protocols. However, tramadol's pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics are influenced by cytochrome P450 (CYP)2D6 activity, similarly to codeine. Previous studies in adults have demonstrated a correlation between pupillary response and tramadol PK. Our objective was to evaluate pupillometry as a phenotyping method to assess CYP2D6 activity in children treated with tramadol. We included 41 children (mean age 11 years) receiving a first dose of tramadol (2 mg/kg) in the emergency room (ER) as part of their routine care. CYP2D6 phenotyping and genotyping were performed. The concentrations of tramadol and its active metabolite, M1, were measured, and static and dynamic pupillometry was conducted using a handheld pupillometer at the time of tramadol administration and during the ER stay. Pupillometric measurements were obtained for 37 children. Tramadol affected pupillary parameters, with a decrease in pupil diameter in 83.8% of children (p = 0.002) (mean decrease 14.1 ± 16.7%) and a decrease in reflex amplitude constriction in 78.4% (p = 0.011) (mean decrease 17.7 ± 34.5%) at T150 compared to T0. We were unable to identify a correlation between pupillometry measurements and CYP2D6 activity. Likely confounding factors include light intensity, pain, and stress, making the procedure less feasible in paediatric emergency settings.