Guideline-Concordant Antiviral Treatment in Children at High Risk for Influenza Complications.

BACKGROUND: National guidelines recommend antiviral treatment for children with influenza at high risk for complications regardless of symptom duration. Little is known about concordance of clinical practice with this recommendation. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of outpatient children (aged 1-18 years) at high risk for complications who were diagnosed with influenza during the 2016-2019 influenza seasons. High-risk status was determined using an existing definition that includes age, comorbidities, and residence in a long-term care facility. The primary outcome was influenza antiviral dispensing within 2 days of influenza diagnosis. We determined patient- and provider-level factors associated with guideline-concordant treatment using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 274 213 children with influenza at high risk for influenza complications, 159 350 (58.1%) received antiviral treatment. Antiviral treatment was associated with the presence of asthma (aOR, 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.16), immunosuppression (aOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.05-1.16), complex chronic conditions (aOR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07), and index encounter in the urgent care setting (aOR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.26-1.34). Factors associated with decreased odds of antiviral treatment include age 2-5 years compared with 6-17 years (aOR, 0.95; 95% CI, .93-.97), residing in a chronic care facility (aOR, .61; 95% CI, .46-.81), and index encounter in an emergency department (aOR, 0.66; 95% CI, .63-.71). CONCLUSIONS: Among children with influenza at high risk for complications, 42% did not receive guideline-concordant antiviral treatment. Further study is needed to elucidate barriers to appropriate use of antivirals in this vulnerable population.

Management of Pediatric Pneumonia: A Decade After the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America Guideline.

BACKGROUND: Incomplete uptake of guidelines can lead to nonstandardized care, increased expenditures, and adverse clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the 2011 Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America (PIDS/IDSA) pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) guideline that emphasized aminopenicillin use and de-emphasized the use of chest radiographs (CXRs) in certain populations. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study queried a national administrative database of children's hospitals to identify children aged 3 months-18 years with CAP who visited 1 of 28 participating hospitals from 2009 to 2021. PIDS/IDSA pediatric CAP guideline recommendations regarding antibiotic therapy, diagnostic testing, and imaging were evaluated. Segmented regression interrupted time series was used to measure guideline-concordant practices with interruptions for guideline publication and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. RESULTS: Of 315 384 children with CAP, 71 804 (22.8%) were hospitalized. Among hospitalized children, there was a decrease in blood culture performance (0.5% per quarter) and increase in aminopenicillin prescribing (1.1% per quarter). Among children discharged from the emergency department (ED), there was an increase in aminopenicillin prescription (0.45% per quarter), whereas the rate of obtaining CXRs declined (0.12% per quarter). However, use of CXRs rebounded during the COVID-19 pandemic (increase of 1.56% per quarter). Hospital length of stay, ED revisit rates, and hospital readmission rates remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Guideline publication was associated with an increase of aminopenicillin prescribing. However, rates of diagnostic testing did not materially change, suggesting the need to consider implementation strategies to meaningfully change clinical practice for children with CAP.

Impact of Adjunct Corticosteroid Therapy on Quality of Life for Children With Suspected Pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between adjunct corticosteroid therapy and quality of life (QoL) outcomes in children with signs and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection and clinical suspicion for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: Secondary analysis from a prospective cohort study of children aged 3 months to 18 years with signs and symptoms of LRTI and a chest radiograph for suspected CAP in the ED, excluding children with recent (within 14 days) systemic corticosteroid use. The primary exposure was receipt of corticosteroids during the ED visit. Outcomes were QoL measures and unplanned visits. Multivariable regression was used to evaluate the association between corticosteroid therapy and outcomes. RESULTS: Of 898 children, 162 (18%) received corticosteroids. Children who received corticosteroids were more frequently boys (62%), Black (45%), had history of asthma (58%), previous pneumonia (16%), presence of wheeze (74%), and more severe illness at presentation (6%). Ninety-six percent were treated for asthma as defined by report of asthma or receipt of ß-agonist in the ED. Receipt of corticosteroids was not associated with QoL measures: days of activity missed (adjusted incident rate ratio [aIRR], 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.11) and days of work missed (aIRR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.60-1.27). There was a statistically significant interaction between age (>2 years) and corticosteroids receipt; the patients had fewer days of activity missed (aIRR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.46-0.83), with no effect on children 2 years or younger (aIRR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.54-1.27). Corticosteroid treatment was not associated with unplanned visit (odds ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.69-2.75). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of children with suspected CAP, receipt of corticosteroids was associated with asthma history and was not associated with missed days of activity or work, except in a subset of children aged older than 2 years.

Viral Detection Is Associated With Severe Disease in Children With Suspected Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of virus detection on disease severity among children presenting to the emergency department (ED) with suspected community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS: We performed a single-center prospective study of children presenting to a pediatric ED with signs and symptoms of a lower respiratory tract infection and who had a chest radiograph performed for suspected CAP. We included patients who had virus testing, with results classified as negative for virus, human rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and other viruses. We evaluated the association between virus detection and disease severity using a 4-tiered measure of disease severity based on clinical outcomes, ranging from mild ( discharged from the ED) to severe (receipt of positive-pressure ventilation, vasopressors, thoracostomy tube placement, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, intensive care unit admission, diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock, or death) in models adjusted for age, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, radiologist interpretation of the chest radiograph, presence of wheeze, fever, and provision of antibiotics. RESULTS: Five hundred seventy-three patients were enrolled in the parent study, of whom viruses were detected in 344 (60%), including 159 (28%) human rhinovirus, 114 (20%) RSV, and 34 (6%) with influenza. In multivariable models, viral infections were associated with increasing disease severity, with the greatest effect noted with RSV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30-4.81) followed by rhinovirus (aOR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.27-3.76). Viral detection was not associated with increased severity among patients with radiographic pneumonia (n = 223; OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.87-3.87) but was associated with severity among patients without radiographic pneumonia (n = 141; OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.40-4.59). CONCLUSIONS: The detection of a virus in the nasopharynx was associated with more severe disease compared with no virus; this finding persisted after adjustment for age, biomarkers, and radiographic findings. Viral testing may assist with risk stratification of patients with lower respiratory tract infections.

Pediatric Brain Abscesses, Epidural Empyemas, and Subdural Empyemas Associated with Streptococcus Species - United States, January 2016-August 2022.

In May 2022, CDC learned of three children in California hospitalized concurrently for brain abscess, epidural empyema, or subdural empyema caused by Streptococcus intermedius. Discussions with clinicians in multiple states raised concerns about a possible increase in pediatric intracranial infections, particularly those caused by Streptococcus bacteria, during the past year and the possible contributing role of SARS-CoV-2 infection (1). Pediatric bacterial brain abscesses, epidural empyemas, and subdural empyemas, rare complications of respiratory infections and sinusitis, are often caused by Streptococcus species but might also be polymicrobial or caused by other genera, such as Staphylococcus. On June 9, CDC asked clinicians and health departments to report possible cases of these conditions and to submit clinical specimens for laboratory testing. Through collaboration with the Children's Hospital Association (CHA), CDC analyzed nationally representative pediatric hospitalizations for brain abscess and empyema. Hospitalizations declined after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, increased during summer 2021 to a peak in March 2022, and then declined to baseline levels. After the increase in summer 2021, no evidence of higher levels of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mortality, genetic relatedness of isolates from different patients, or increased antimicrobial resistance of isolates was observed. The peak in cases in March 2022 was consistent with historical seasonal fluctuations observed since 2016. Based on these findings, initial reports from clinicians (1) are consistent with seasonal fluctuations and a redistribution of cases over time during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDC will continue to work with investigation partners to monitor ongoing trends in pediatric brain abscesses and empyemas.

Development and evaluation of a pediatric hospital medicine board review course.

BACKGROUND: The American Board of Medical Specialties recognized Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) for subspecialty certification in 2016, with the first certification exam in 2019. To address the need for exam preparatory materials, we designed and evaluated a novel PHM board review course that was offered both in-person and online. METHODS: Course content was based on the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) PHM certifying exam outline. Course objectives were developed from published PHM core competencies and the 2012 ABP general pediatrics content objectives. National experts served as faculty, presenting didactic sessions, and contributing to a question bank for high-yield review. For program evaluation, we applied the Kirkpatrick Model, evaluating estimated exam pass rates (Level 4), participant learning (Level 2) via post-presentation practice questions, and participants' ratings of presenters (via five-point Likert scale) and satisfaction (Level 1). RESULTS: There were 112 in-person and 144 online participants with estimated pass rates of 89 and 93%, respectively. The mean correct response for the post-presentation knowledge questions was 84%. Faculty effectiveness ratings ranged from 3.81 to 4.96 (median score 4.60). Strengths included the pace of the course, question bank, and printed syllabus. Suggestions for improvement included question bank expansion, focus on "testable" points rather than general information, and challenges with long days of didactic presentations. CONCLUSIONS: This novel PHM board review course demonstrated effectiveness. Hospitalists preferred focused "testable" information, an active learning environment, and a robust question bank. Future preparatory courses should consider including more opportunities for practice questions, focused content review, and learner engagement.

Development and Internal Validation of a Prediction Model to Risk Stratify Children With Suspected Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Although community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most common infections in children, no tools exist to risk stratify children with suspected CAP. We developed and validated a prediction model to risk stratify and inform hospitalization decisions in children with suspected CAP. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of children aged 3 months to 18 years with suspected CAP in a pediatric emergency department. Primary outcome was disease severity, defined as mild (discharge home or hospitalization for <24 hours with no oxygen or intravenous [IV] fluids), moderate (hospitalization <24 hours with oxygen or IV fluids, or hospitalization >24 hours), or severe (intensive care unit stay for >24 hours, septic shock, vasoactive agents, positive-pressure ventilation, chest drainage, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or death). Ordinal logistic regression and bootstrapped backwards selection were used to derive and internally validate our model. RESULTS: Of 1128 children, 371 (32.9%) developed moderate disease and 48 (4.3%) severe disease. Severity models demonstrated excellent discrimination (optimism-corrected c-indices of 0.81) and outstanding calibration. Severity predictors in the final model included respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, oxygenation, retractions, capillary refill, atelectasis or pneumonia on chest radiograph, and pleural effusion. CONCLUSIONS: We derived and internally validated a score that accurately predicts disease severity in children with suspected CAP. Once externally validated, this score has potential to facilitate management decisions by providing individualized risk estimates that can be used in conjunction with clinical judgment to improve the care of children with suspected CAP.

Proadrenomedullin Predicts Severe Disease in Children With Suspected Community-acquired Pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Proadrenomedullin (proADM), a vasodilatory peptide with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, predicts severe outcomes in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to a greater degree than C-reactive protein and procalcitonin. We evaluated the ability of proADM to predict disease severity across a range of clinical outcomes in children with suspected CAP. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of children 3 months to 18 years with CAP in the emergency department. Disease severity was defined as mild (discharged home), mild-moderate (hospitalized but not moderate-severe or severe), moderate-severe (eg, hospitalized with supplemental oxygen, broadening of antibiotics, complicated pneumonia), and severe (eg, vasoactive infusions, chest drainage, severe sepsis). Outcomes were examined using proportional odds logistic regression within the cohort with suspected CAP and in a subset with radiographic CAP. RESULTS: Among 369 children, median proADM increased with disease severity (mild: median [IQR], 0.53 [0.43-0.73]; mild-moderate: 0.56 [0.45-0.71]; moderate-severe: 0.61 [0.47-0.77]; severe: 0.70 [0.55-1.04] nmol/L) (P = .002). ProADM was significantly associated with increased odds of developing severe outcomes (suspected CAP: OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.2-2.36; radiographic CAP: OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.36-3.38) adjusted for age, fever duration, antibiotic use, and pathogen. ProADM had an AUC of 0.64 (95% CI, .56-.72) in those with suspected CAP and an AUC of 0.77 (95% CI, .68-.87) in radiographic CAP. CONCLUSIONS: ProADM was associated with severe disease and discriminated moderately well children who developed severe disease from those who did not, particularly in radiographic CAP.

Effect of Haemophilus influenzae Type b and 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines on Childhood Pneumonia Hospitalizations and Deaths in Botswana.

BACKGROUND: Globally, pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children. Few data exist regarding the effect of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13) on the burden of childhood pneumonia in African settings. METHODS: We collected data on children aged 1 to 59 months at 3 hospitals in Botswana. Hib vaccine and PCV-13 were introduced in Botswana in November 2010 and July 2012, respectively. We compared pneumonia hospitalizations and deaths prevaccine (January 2009 to October 2010) with postvaccine (January 2013 to December 2017) using seasonally adjusted, interrupted time-series analyses. RESULTS: We identified 6943 pneumonia hospitalizations and 201 pneumonia deaths. In the prevaccine period, pneumonia hospitalizations and deaths increased by 24% (rate, 1.24; 95% CI, .94-1.64) and 59% (rate, 1.59; 95% CI, .87-2.90) per year, respectively. Vaccine introduction was associated with a 48% (95% CI, 29-62%) decrease in the number of pneumonia hospitalizations and a 50% (95% CI, 1-75%) decrease in the number of pneumonia deaths between the end of the prevaccine period (October 2010) and the beginning of the postvaccine period (January 2013). During the postvaccine period, pneumonia hospitalizations and deaths declined by 6% (rate, .94; 95% CI, .89-.99) and 22% (rate, .78; 95% CI, .67-.92) per year, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumonia hospitalizations and deaths among children declined sharply following introduction of Hib vaccine and PCV-13 in Botswana. This effect was sustained for more than 5 years after vaccine introduction, supporting the long-term effectiveness of these vaccines in preventing childhood pneumonia in Botswana.

Antibiotic Choice and Clinical Outcomes in Ambulatory Children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

OBJECTIVES: To describe antibiotic prescribing patterns in ambulatory children with community-acquired pneumonia and to assess the relationship between antibiotic selection and clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study of ambulatory Medicaid-enrolled children 0-18 years of age diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia from 2010 to 2016. The exposure was antibiotic class: narrow-spectrum (aminopenicillins), broad-spectrum (amoxicillin/clavulanate and cephalosporins), macrolide monotherapy, macrolides with narrow-spectrum antibiotics, or macrolides with broad-spectrum antibiotics. The associations between antibiotic selection and the outcomes of subsequent hospitalization and development of severe pneumonia (chest drainage procedure, intensive care admission, mechanical ventilation) were assessed, controlling for measures of illness severity. RESULTS: Among 252 177 outpatient pneumonia visits, macrolide monotherapy was used in 43.2%, narrow-spectrum antibiotics in 26.1%, and broad-spectrum antibiotics in 24.7%. A total of 1488 children (0.59%) were subsequently hospitalized and 117 (0.05%) developed severe pneumonia. Compared with children receiving narrow-spectrum antibiotics, the odds of subsequent hospitalization were higher in children receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics (aOR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.17-1.52) and lower in children receiving macrolide monotherapy (aOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.55-0.73) and macrolides with narrow-spectrum antibiotics (aOR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39-0.97). Children receiving macrolide monotherapy had lower odds of developing severe pneumonia than children receiving narrow-spectrum antibiotics (aOR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33-0.93). However, the absolute risk difference was <0.5% for all analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Macrolides are the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for ambulatory children with community-acquired pneumonia. Subsequent hospitalization and severe pneumonia are rare. Future efforts should focus on reducing broad-spectrum and macrolide antibiotic prescribing.

Short- Versus Prolonged-Duration Antibiotics for Outpatient Pneumonia in Children.

OBJECTIVE: To identify practice patterns in the duration of prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of ambulatory children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to compare the frequency of adverse clinical outcomes between children prescribed short-vs prolonged-duration antibiotics. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective cohort study from 2010-2016 using the IBM Watson MarketScan Medicaid Database, a claims database of publicly insured patients from 11 states. We included children 1-18 years old with outpatient CAP who filled a prescription for oral antibiotics (n = 121 846 encounters). We used multivariable logistic regression to determine associations between the duration of prescribed antibiotics (5-9 days vs 10-14 days) and subsequent hospitalizations, new antibiotic prescriptions, and acute care visits. Outcomes were measured during the 14 days following the end of the dispensed antibiotic course. RESULTS: The most commonly prescribed duration of antibiotics was 10 days (82.8% of prescriptions), and 10.5% of patients received short-duration therapy. During the follow-up period, 0.2% of patients were hospitalized, 6.2% filled a new antibiotic prescription, and 5.1% had an acute care visit. Compared with the prolonged-duration group, the aORs for hospitalization, new antibiotic prescriptions, and acute care visits in the short-duration group were 1.16 (95% CI 0.80-1.66), 0.93 (95% CI 0.85-1.01), and 1.06 (95% CI 0.98-1.15), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Most children treated for CAP as outpatients are prescribed at least 10 days of antibiotic therapy. Among pediatric outpatients with CAP, no significant differences were found in rates of adverse clinical outcomes between patients prescribed short-vs prolonged-duration antibiotics.

Association of Clinical Guidelines and Decision Support with Computed Tomography Use in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the presence of clinical guidelines and clinical decision support (CDS) for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are associated with lower use of head computed tomography (CT). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 45 pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in the Pediatric Hospital Information System from 2015 through 2019. We included children discharged with mTBI and surveyed ED clinical directors to ascertain the presence and implementation year of clinical guidelines and CDS. The association of clinical guidelines and CDS with CT use was assessed, adjusting for relevant confounders. As secondary outcomes, we evaluated ED length of stay and rates of 3-day ED revisits and admissions after revisits. RESULTS: There were 216 789 children discharged with mTBI, and CT was performed during 20.3% (44 114/216 789) of ED visits. Adjusted hospital-specific CT rates ranged from 11.8% to 34.7% (median 20.5%, IQR 17.3%, 24.3%). Of the 45 EDs, 17 (37.8%) had a clinical guideline, 9 (20.0%) had CDS, and 19 (42.2%) had neither. Compared with EDs with neither a clinical guideline nor CDS, visits to EDs with CDS (aOR 0.52 [0.47, 0.58]) or a clinical guideline (aOR 0.83 [0.78, 0.89]) had lower odds of including a CT for mTBI. ED length of stay and revisit rates did not differ based on the presence of a clinical guideline or CDS. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical guidelines for mTBI, and particularly CDS, were associated with lower rates of head CT use without adverse clinical outcomes.

Short-term Focused Feedback: A Model to Enhance Patient Engagement in Research and Intervention Delivery.

BACKGROUND: Our grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) focused on the use of nurse home visits postdischarge for primarily pediatric hospital medicine patients. While our team recognized the importance of engaging parents and other stakeholders in our study, our project was one of the first funded to address transitions of care issues in patients without chronic illness; little evidence existed about how to engage acute stakeholders longitudinally. OBJECTIVE: This manuscript describes how we used both a short-term focused feedback model and longitudinal engagement methods to solicit input from parents, home care nurses, and other stakeholders throughout our 3-year study. RESULTS: Short-term focused feedback allowed the study team to collect feedback from hundreds of stakeholders. Initially, we conducted focus groups with parents with children recently discharged from the hospital. We used this feedback to modify our nurse home visit intervention, then used quality improvement methods with continued short-term focus feedback from families and nurses delivering the visits to adjust the visit processes and content. We also used their feedback to modify the outcome collection. Finally, during the randomized controlled trial, we added a parent to the study team to provide longitudinal input, as well as continued to solicit short-term focused feedback to increase recruitment and retention rates. CONCLUSION: Research studies can benefit from soliciting short-term focused feedback from many stakeholders; having this variety of perspectives allows for many voices to be heard, without placing an undue burden on a few stakeholders.

Corticosteroids for periorbital and orbital cellulitis.

BACKGROUND: Periorbital and orbital cellulitis are infections of the tissue anterior and posterior to the orbital septum, respectively, and can be difficult to differentiate clinically. Periorbital cellulitis can also progress to become orbital cellulitis. Orbital cellulitis has a relatively high incidence in children and adults, and potentially serious consequences including vision loss, meningitis, and death. Complications occur in part due to inflammatory swelling from the infection creating a compartment syndrome within the bony orbit, leading to elevated ocular pressure and compression of vasculature and the optic nerve. Corticosteroids are used in other infections to reduce this inflammation and edema, but they can lead to immune suppression and worsening infection. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of adjunctive corticosteroids for periorbital and orbital cellulitis, and to assess their effectiveness and safety in children and in adults separately. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register) (2020, Issue 3); Ovid MEDLINE; Embase.com; PubMed; Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature Database (LILACS); ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic search for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 2 March 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included studies of participants diagnosed with periorbital or orbital cellulitis. We excluded studies that focused exclusively on participants who were undergoing elective endoscopic surgery, including management of infections postsurgery as well as studies conducted solely on trauma patients. Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials were eligible for inclusion. Any study that administered corticosteroids was eligible regardless of type of steroid, route of administration, length of therapy, or timing of treatment. Comparators could include placebo, another corticosteroid, no treatment control, or another intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures recommended by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: The search yielded 7998 records, of which 13 were selected for full-text screening. We identified one trial for inclusion. No other eligible ongoing or completed trials were identified. The included study compared the use of corticosteroids in addition to antibiotics to the use of antibiotics alone for the treatment of orbital cellulitis. The study included a total of 21 participants aged 10 years and older, of which 14 participants were randomized to corticosteroids and antibiotics and 7 participants to antibiotics alone. Participants randomized to corticosteroids and antibiotics received adjunctive corticosteroids after initial antibiotic response (mean 5.13 days), at an initial dose of 1.5 mg/kg for three days followed by 1 mg/kg for another three days before being tapered over a one- to two-week period. We assessed the included study as having an unclear risk of bias for allocation concealment, masking (blinding), selective outcome reporting, and other sources of bias. Risk of bias from sequence generation and incomplete outcome data were low. The certainty of evidence for all outcomes was very low, downgraded for risk of bias (-1) and imprecision (-2). Length of hospital stay was compared between the group receiving antibiotics alone compared to the group receiving antibiotics and corticosteroids (mean difference (MD) 4.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.48 to 9.08; 21 participants). There was no observed difference in duration of antibiotics between treatment groups (MD 3.00, 95% CI -0.48 to 6.48; 21 participants). Likewise, preservation of visual acuity at 12 weeks of follow-up between group was also assessed (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.22; 21 participants). Pain scores were compared between groups on day 3 (MD -0.20, 95% CI -1.02 to 0.62; 22 eyes) along with the need for surgical intervention (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.11 to 9.23; 21 participants). Exposure keratopathy was reported in five participants who received corticosteroids and antibiotics and three participants who received antibiotic alone (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.40 to 3.63; 21 participants). No major complications of orbital cellulitis were seen in either the intervention or the control group. No side effects of corticosteroids were reported, although it is unclear which side effects were assessed. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the use of corticosteroids in the treatment of periorbital and orbital cellulitis. Since there is significant variation in how corticosteroids are used in clinical practice, additional high-quality evidence from randomized controlled trials is needed to inform decision making. Future studies should explore the effects of corticosteroids in children and adults separately, and evaluate different dosing and timing of corticosteroid therapy.

Impact of PCV-13 vaccine on invasive pneumococcal disease in hospitalised children: A multi-institutional analysis.

AIM: We aimed to describe changes in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) hospitalisations after introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database, including children with IPD pre-PCV13 (2004-2009) and post-PCV13 (2012-2017). Healthy children and those with chronic conditions were analysed separately. The primary outcome was IPD incidence. Secondary outcomes included length of stay, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mechanical ventilation and mortality. RESULTS: 9160 hospitalisations for IPD were included. The IPD rate per 100 000 discharges was 180 pre-PVC13 and 150 post-PCV13 [17% decrease (P = 0.085)]. The observed IPD rate in 2017 was 45.5% lower than the rate predicted by the pre-PCV13 trend (95% CI: 44%-46%). While a significant decrease in IPD (32%, P = 0.026) was observed among healthy children, there was no change in those with chronic conditions (9%, P = 0.24). In the post-PCV13 period, more IPD patients had chronic conditions, ICU admissions and longer ICU stays. CONCLUSION: Although there was no overall reduction in IPD after PCV13, we observed a significant decrease in IPD among healthy patients. Further research is needed to elucidate microbiology or other factors contributing to persistent IPD hospitalisations.

Factors Associated With Antibiotic Prescribing and Outcomes for Pediatric Pneumonia in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: Chest radiographs (CXRs) are often performed in children with respiratory illness to inform the decision to prescribe antibiotics. Our objective was to determine the factors associated with clinicians' plans to treat with antibiotics prior to knowledge of CXR results and the associations between preradiograph plans with antibiotic prescription and return to medical care. METHODS: Previously healthy children aged 3 months to 18 years with a CXR for suspected pneumonia were enrolled in a prospective cohort study in the emergency department. Our primary outcomes were antibiotic prescription or administration in the emergency department and medical care sought within 7 to 15 days after discharge. Inverse probability treatment weighting was used to limit bias due to treatment selection. Inverse probability treatment weighting was included in a logistic regression model estimating the association between the intention to give antibiotics and outcomes. RESULTS: Providers planned to prescribe antibiotics prior to CXR in 68 children (34.9%). There was no difference in the presence of radiographic pneumonia between those with and without a plan for antibiotics. Children who had a plan for antibiotics were more likely to receive antibiotics than those without (odds ratio [OR], 6.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.7-11.0). This association was stronger than the association between radiographic pneumonia and antibiotic receipt (OR, 3.49; 95% CI, 1.98-6.14). Children prescribed antibiotics were more likely to seek care after discharge than children who were not (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.13-3.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intention to prescribe antibiotics based on clinical impression was the strongest predictor of antibiotic prescription in our study. Prescribing antibiotics may lead to subsequent medical care after controlling for radiographic pneumonia.

Test Characteristics of Cerebrospinal Fluid Gram Stain to Identify Bacterial Meningitis in Infants Younger Than 60 Days.

ABSTRACT: In our cohort of 20,947 infants aged 60 days or younger, cerebrospinal fluid Gram stain had a sensitivity of 34.3% (95% confidence interval, 28.1%-41.1%) and a positive predictive value of 61.4% (95% confidence interval, 52.2%-69.8%) for positive cerebrospinal fluid culture, suggesting that Gram stain alone may lead to both underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis of bacterial meningitis.

Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in girls with recurrent urinary tract infections.

BACKGROUND: Children who experience more than one urinary tract infection (UTI) are at increased risk of kidney scarring due to their UTIs. Girls are at especially high risk for developing kidney scarring as a result of recurrent UTIs. Prior work suggested that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) may be lower in children with recurrent UTI compared with those without. The objective of this work was to compare urine NGAL concentrations in matched urine samples in girls with single and recurrent UTIs. METHODS: Girls less than 6 years of age who presented with signs and symptoms of a UTI were eligible for enrollment. Both acute, obtained from residual urine collected as part of their clinical evaluation, and follow-up urine samples, obtained after the completion of antibiotics when the patient was in their usual state of health, were collected from patients. Acute and follow-up urine NGAL concentrations were compared between girls with single and recurrent UTIs, as well as those with negative cultures who served as controls. RESULTS: Seventy girls were included in this study, 6 controls, 43 single UTIs, and 20 girls with recurrent UTIs. Patients in the control group had lower median acute NGAL concentrations than either those with single or recurrent UTI. There were no differences in either acute or follow-up urine NGAL concentrations between those with single and recurrent UTIs. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of girls less than 6 years of age, there is no difference in urine NGAL concentrations between those with single and recurrent UTIs.

Interpretation of pediatric chest radiographs by non-radiologist clinicians in Botswana using World Health Organization criteria for endpoint pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: In low- and middle-income countries, chest radiographs are most frequently interpreted by non-radiologist clinicians. OBJECTIVE: We examined the reliability of chest radiograph interpretations performed by non-radiologist clinicians in Botswana and conducted an educational intervention aimed at improving chest radiograph interpretation accuracy among non-radiologist clinicians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited non-radiologist clinicians at a referral hospital in Gaborone, Botswana, to interpret de-identified chest radiographs for children with clinical pneumonia. We compared their interpretations with those of two board-certified pediatric radiologists in the United States. We evaluated associations between level of medical training and the accuracy of chest radiograph findings between groups, using logistic regression and kappa statistics. We then developed an in-person training intervention led by a pediatric radiologist. We asked participants to interpret 20 radiographs before and immediately after the intervention, and we compared their responses to those of the facilitating radiologist. For both objectives, our primary outcome was the identification of primary endpoint pneumonia, defined by the World Health Organization as presence of endpoint consolidation or endpoint effusion. RESULTS: Twenty-two clinicians interpreted chest radiographs in the primary objective; there were no significant associations between level of training and correct identification of endpoint pneumonia; concordance between respondents and radiologists was moderate (κ=0.43). After the training intervention, participants improved agreement with the facilitating radiologist for endpoint pneumonia from fair to moderate (κ=0.34 to κ=0.49). CONCLUSION: Non-radiologist clinicians in Botswana do not consistently identify key chest radiographic findings of pneumonia. A targeted training intervention might improve non-radiologist clinicians' ability to interpret chest radiographs.

Paediatric clinical and social concerns identified by home visit nurses in the immediate postdischarge period.

AIM: To describe paediatric postdischarge concerns manifesting in the first 96 hr after hospital discharge. DESIGN: Analysis of nursing documentation generated as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a nurse home visit on healthcare re-use. METHODS: We analysed home visit records of 651 children (age <18) hospitalized at a large Midwestern children's hospital in 2015 and 2016 who were enrolled in the trial. Registered nurses documented concerns in structured fields and free-text notes in visit records. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize visit documentation. Free-text visit notes were reviewed and exemplars illustrative of quantitative findings were selected. RESULTS: Overall, nurses documented at least one concern in 56% (N = 367) of visits. Most commonly, they documented concerns about medication safety (15% or 91 visits). Specifically, in 11% (N = 58) of visits nurses were concerned that caregivers lacked a full understanding of medications and in 8% (N = 49) of visits families did not have prescribed discharge medications. Pain was documented as present in 9% of all visits (N = 56). Nurses completed referrals to other providers/services in 12% of visits (N = 78), most frequently to primary care providers. In 13% of visits (N = 85) nurses documented concerns considered beyond the immediate scope of the visit related to social needs such as housing and transportation. CONCLUSION: Inpatient and community nurses and physicians should be prepared to reconcile and manage discharge medications, assess families' medication administration practices and anticipate social needs after paediatric discharge. IMPACT: Little empirical data are available describing concerns manifesting immediately after paediatric hospital discharge. Concerns about medication safety were most frequent followed by concerns related to housing and general safety. The results are important for clinicians preparing children and families for discharge and for community clinicians caring for discharged children.