Temperature Measurement at Well-Child Visits in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and predictors of temperature measurement at well-child visits in the US and report rates of interventions associated with visits at which temperature is measured and fever is detected. STUDY DESIGN: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 22 518 sampled well-child visits from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey between 2003 and 2015. We estimated the frequency of temperature measurement and performed multivariable regression to identify patient, provider/clinic, and seasonal factors associated with the practice. We described rates of interventions (complete blood count, radiograph, urinalysis, antibiotic prescription, and emergency department/hospital referral) by measurement and fever (temperature ≥100.4 °F, ≥38.0 °C) status. RESULTS: Temperature was measured in 48.5% (95% CI 45.6-51.4) of well-child visits. Measurement was more common during visits by nonpediatric providers (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.6-2.5; reference: pediatricians), in Hispanic (aOR 1.9, 95% CI 1.6-2.3) and Black (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.9; reference: non-Hispanic White) patients, and in patients with government (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.7-2.4; reference: private) insurance. Interventions were more commonly pursued when temperature was measured (aOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.6) and fever was detected (aOR 3.8, 95% CI 1.5-9.4). CONCLUSIONS: Temperature was measured in nearly one-half of all well-child visits. Interventions were more common when temperature was measured and fever was detected. The value of routine temperature measurement during well-child visits warrants further evaluation.

Factors Associated with Adverse Outcomes among Febrile Young Infants with Invasive Bacterial Infections.

OBJECTIVE: To determine factors associated with adverse outcomes among febrile young infants with invasive bacterial infections (IBIs) (ie, bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis). STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter, retrospective cohort study (July 2011-June 2016) of febrile infants ≤60 days of age with pathogenic bacterial growth in blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid. Subjects were identified by query of local microbiology laboratory and/or electronic medical record systems, and clinical data were extracted by medical record review. Mixed-effect logistic regression was employed to determine clinical factors associated with 30-day adverse outcomes, which were defined as death, neurologic sequelae, mechanical ventilation, or vasoactive medication receipt. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty infants met inclusion criteria; 279 (79.7%) with bacteremia without meningitis and 71 (20.3%) with bacterial meningitis. Forty-two (12.0%) infants had a 30-day adverse outcome: 29 of 71 (40.8%) with bacterial meningitis vs 13 of 279 (4.7%) with bacteremia without meningitis (36.2% difference, 95% CI 25.1%-48.0%; P < .001). On adjusted analysis, bacterial meningitis (aOR 16.3, 95% CI 6.5-41.0; P < .001), prematurity (aOR 7.1, 95% CI 2.6-19.7; P < .001), and ill appearance (aOR 3.8, 95% CI 1.6-9.1; P = .002) were associated with adverse outcomes. Among infants who were born at term, not ill appearing, and had bacteremia without meningitis, only 2 of 184 (1.1%) had adverse outcomes, and there were no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Among febrile infants ≤60 days old with IBI, prematurity, ill appearance, and bacterial meningitis (vs bacteremia without meningitis) were associated with adverse outcomes. These factors can inform clinical decision-making for febrile young infants with IBI.

Epidemiology and Etiology of Invasive Bacterial Infection in Infants ≤60 Days Old Treated in Emergency Departments.

OBJECTIVES: To help guide empiric treatment of infants ≤60 days old with suspected invasive bacterial infection by describing pathogens and their antimicrobial susceptibilities. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of infants ≤60 days old with invasive bacterial infection (bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis) evaluated in the emergency departments of 11 children's hospitals between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2016. Each site's microbiology laboratory database or electronic medical record system was queried to identify infants from whom a bacterial pathogen was isolated from either blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Medical records of these infants were reviewed to confirm the presence of a pathogen and to obtain demographic, clinical, and laboratory data. RESULTS: Of the 442 infants with invasive bacterial infection, 353 (79.9%) had bacteremia without meningitis, 64 (14.5%) had bacterial meningitis with bacteremia, and 25 (5.7%) had bacterial meningitis without bacteremia. The peak number of cases of invasive bacterial infection occurred in the second week of life; 364 (82.4%) infants were febrile. Group B streptococcus was the most common pathogen identified (36.7%), followed by Escherichia coli (30.8%), Staphylococcus aureus (9.7%), and Enterococcus spp (6.6%). Overall, 96.8% of pathogens were susceptible to ampicillin plus a third-generation cephalosporin, 96.0% to ampicillin plus gentamicin, and 89.2% to third-generation cephalosporins alone. CONCLUSIONS: For most infants ≤60 days old evaluated in a pediatric emergency department for suspected invasive bacterial infection, the combination of ampicillin plus either gentamicin or a third-generation cephalosporin is an appropriate empiric antimicrobial treatment regimen. Of the pathogens isolated from infants with invasive bacterial infection, 11% were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins alone.

Risk factors for possible serious bacterial infection in a rural cohort of young infants in central India.

BACKGROUND: Possible serious bacterial infection (PBSI) is a major cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. We studied risk factors for PSBI in a large rural population in central India where facility deliveries have increased as a result of a government financial assistance program. METHODS: We studied 37,379 pregnant women and their singleton live born infants with birth weight ≥ 1.5 kg from 20 rural primary health centers around Nagpur, India, using data from the 2010-13 population-based Maternal and Newborn Health Registry supported by NICHD's Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research. Factors associated with PSBI were identified using multivariable Poisson regression. RESULTS: Two thousand one hundred twenty-three infants (6 %) had PSBI. Risk factors for PSBI included nulliparity (RR 1.13, 95 % CI 1.03-1.23), parity > 2 (RR 1.30, 95 % CI 1.07-1.57) compared to parity 1-2, first antenatal care visit in the 2nd/3rd trimester (RR 1.46, 95 % CI 1.08-1.98) compared to 1st trimester, administration of antenatal corticosteroids (RR 2.04, 95 % CI 1.60-2.61), low birth weight (RR 3.10, 95 % CI 2.17-4.42), male sex (RR 1.20, 95 % CI 1.10-1.31) and lack of early initiation of breastfeeding (RR 3.87, 95 % CI 2.69-5.58). CONCLUSION: Infants who are low birth weight, born to mothers who present late to antenatal care or receive antenatal corticosteroids, or born to nulliparous women or those with a parity > 2, could be targeted for interventions before and after delivery to improve early recognition of signs and symptoms of PSBI and prompt referral. There also appears to be a need for a renewed focus on promoting early initiation of breastfeeding following delivery in facilities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01073475 ).

Trends in the incidence of possible severe bacterial infection and case fatality rates in rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America, 2010-2013: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Possible severe bacterial infections (pSBI) continue to be a leading cause of global neonatal mortality annually. With the recent publications of simplified antibiotic regimens for treatment of pSBI where referral is not possible, it is important to know how and where to target these regimens, but data on the incidence and outcomes of pSBI are limited. METHODS: We used data prospectively collected at 7 rural community-based sites in 6 low and middle income countries participating in the NICHD Global Network's Maternal and Newborn Health Registry, between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2013. Participants included pregnant women and their live born neonates followed for 6 weeks after delivery and assessed for maternal and infant outcomes. RESULTS: In a cohort of 248,539 infants born alive between 2010 and 2013, 32,088 (13 %) neonates met symptomatic criteria for pSBI. The incidence of pSBI during the first 6 weeks of life varied 10 fold from 3 % (Zambia) to 36 % (Pakistan), and overall case fatality rates varied 8 fold from 5 % (Kenya) to 42 % (Zambia). Significant variations in incidence of pSBI during the study period, with proportions decreasing in 3 sites (Argentina, Kenya and Nagpur, India), remaining stable in 3 sites (Zambia, Guatemala, Belgaum, India) and increasing in 1 site (Pakistan), cannot be explained solely by changing rates of facility deliveries. Case fatality rates did not vary over time. CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective population based registry with trained data collectors, there were wide variations in the incidence and case fatality of pSBI in rural communities and in trends over time. Regardless of these variations, the burden of pSBI is still high and strategies to implement timely diagnosis and treatment are still urgently needed to reduce neonatal mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01073475 ).

Incidence of Pediatric Urinary Tract Infections Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

IMPORTANCE: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is common in children, but the population incidence is largely unknown. Controversy surrounds the optimal diagnostic criteria and how to balance the risks of undertreatment and overtreatment. Changes in health care use during the COVID-19 pandemic created a natural experiment to examine health care use and UTI diagnosis and outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To examine the population incidence of UTI in children and assess the changes of the COVID-19 pandemic regarding UTI diagnoses and measures of UTI severity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective observational cohort study used US commercial claims data from privately insured patients aged 0 to 17 years from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021. EXPOSURE: Time periods included prepandemic (January 1, 2016, to February 29, 2020), early pandemic (April 1 to June 30, 2020), and midpandemic (July 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the incidence of UTI, defined as having a UTI diagnosis code with an accompanying antibiotic prescription. Balancing measures included measures of UTI severity, including hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions. Trends were evaluated using an interrupted time-series analysis. RESULTS: The cohort included 13 221 117 enrollees aged 0 to 17 years, with males representing 6 744 250 (51.0%) of the population. The mean incidence of UTI diagnoses was 1.300 (95% CI, 1.296-1.304) UTIs per 100 patient-years. The UTI incidence was 0.86 per 100 patient-years at age 0 to 1 year, 1.58 per 100 patient-years at 2 to 5 years, 1.24 per 100 patient-years at 6 to 11 years, and 1.37 per 100 patient-years at 12 to 17 years, and was higher in females vs males (2.48 [95% CI, 2.46-2.50] vs 0.180 [95% CI, 0.178-0.182] per 100 patient-years). Compared with prepandemic trends, UTIs decreased in the early pandemic: -33.1% (95% CI, -39.4% to -26.1%) for all children and -52.1% (95% CI, -62.1% to -39.5%) in a subgroup of infants aged 60 days or younger. However, all measures of UTI severity decreased or were not significantly different. The UTI incidence returned to near prepandemic rates (-4.3%; 95% CI, -32.0% to 34.6% for all children) after the first 3 months of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study, UTI diagnosis decreased during the early pandemic period without an increase in measures of disease severity, suggesting that reduced overdiagnosis and/or reduced misdiagnosis may be an explanatory factor.

Clinical Course of Children 1 to 24 Months Old With Positive Urine Cultures Without Pyuria.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical course of children with positive urine cultures without pyuria who were not given antibiotics initially, identify predictors of subsequent antibiotic treatment, and evaluate the association between subsequent treatment and urinary tract infection (UTI) within 30 days. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study of children 1 to 24 months old who had positive urine cultures without pyuria and who were not started on antibiotics upon presentation to 3 health care systems from 2010 to 2021. Outcomes included clinical status at the time urine cultures resulted, escalation of care (emergency department visit or hospitalization) and subsequent antibiotic treatment within 7 days, and subsequent UTI within 30 days of presentation. RESULTS: Of 202 included children, 61% were female and median age was 9 months. Of 151 patients with clinical status information when cultures resulted, 107 (70.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 62.9-77.9%) were improved. Two of 202 children (1.0%, 95% CI 0.2-4.0%) experienced care escalation. Antibiotics were started in 142 (82.2%) children, and treatment was associated with prior UTI (risk ratio [RR] 1.20, 95% CI 1.15-1.26) and lack of improvement (RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.13-1.33). Subsequent UTI was diagnosed in 2 of 164 (1.2%, 95% CI 0.1-4.3%) treated and 0 of 36 (0%, 95% CI 0-9.7%) untreated children. CONCLUSIONS: Seventy percent of children with positive urine cultures without pyuria improved before starting antibiotics; however, >80% were ultimately treated. Future research should study the impact of diagnostic stewardship interventions and various urine testing strategies to optimize the management of children evaluated for UTI.retain-->.

A National Quality Improvement Collaborative to Improve Antibiotic Use in Pediatric Infections.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 25% of antibiotics prescribed to children are inappropriate or unnecessary, subjecting patients to avoidable adverse medication effects and cost. METHODS: We conducted a quality improvement initiative across 118 hospitals participating in the American Academy of Pediatrics Value in Inpatient Pediatrics Network 2020 to 2022. We aimed to increase the proportion of children receiving appropriate: (1) empirical, (2) definitive, and (3) duration of antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, and urinary tract infections to ≥85% by Jan 1, 2022. Sites reviewed encounters of children >60 days old evaluated in the emergency department or hospital. Interventions included monthly audit with feedback, educational webinars, peer coaching, order sets, and a mobile app containing site-specific, antibiogram-based treatment recommendations. Sites submitted 18 months of baseline, 2-months washout, and 10 months intervention data. We performed interrupted time series (analyses for each measure. RESULTS: Sites reviewed 43 916 encounters (30 799 preintervention, 13 117 post). Overall median [interquartile range] adherence to empirical, definitive, and duration of antibiotic therapy was 67% [65% to 70%]; 74% [72% to 75%] and 61% [58% to 65%], respectively at baseline and was 72% [71% to 72%]; 79% [79% to 80%] and 71% [69% to 73%], respectively, during the intervention period. Interrupted time series revealed a 13% (95% confidence interval: 1% to 26%) intercept change at intervention for empirical therapy and a 1.1% (95% confidence interval: 0.4% to 1.9%) monthly increase in adherence per month for antibiotic duration above baseline rates. Balancing measures of care escalation and revisit or readmission did not increase. CONCLUSIONS: This multisite collaborative increased appropriate antibiotic use for community-acquired pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, and urinary tract infection among diverse hospitals.

Prioritization of Randomized Clinical Trial Questions for Children Hospitalized With Common Conditions: A Consensus Statement.

Importance: There is a lack of randomized clinical trial (RCT) data to guide many routine decisions in the care of children hospitalized for common conditions. A first step in addressing the shortage of RCTs for this population is to identify the most pressing RCT questions for children hospitalized with common conditions. Objective: To identify the most important and feasible RCT questions for children hospitalized with common conditions. Design, Setting, and Participants: For this consensus statement, a 3-stage modified Delphi process was used in a virtual conference series spanning January 1 to September 29, 2022. Forty-six individuals from 30 different institutions participated in the process. Stage 1 involved construction of RCT questions for the 10 most common pediatric conditions leading to hospitalization. Participants used condition-specific guidelines and reviews from a structured literature search to inform their development of RCT questions. During stage 2, RCT questions were refined and scored according to importance. Stage 3 incorporated public comment and feasibility with the prioritization of RCT questions. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was RCT questions framed in a PICO (population, intervention, control, and outcome) format and ranked according to importance and feasibility; score choices ranged from 1 to 9, with higher scores indicating greater importance and feasibility. Results: Forty-six individuals (38 who shared demographic data; 24 women [63%]) from 30 different institutions participated in our modified Delphi process. Participants included children's hospital (n = 14) and community hospital (n = 13) pediatricians, parents of hospitalized children (n = 4), other clinicians (n = 2), biostatisticians (n = 2), and other researchers (n = 11). The process yielded 62 unique RCT questions, most of which are pragmatic, comparing interventions in widespread use for which definitive effectiveness data are lacking. Overall scores for importance and feasibility of the RCT questions ranged from 1 to 9, with a median of 5 (IQR, 4-7). Six of the top 10 selected questions focused on determining optimal antibiotic regimens for 3 common infections (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and cellulitis). Conclusions and Relevance: This consensus statementhas identified the most important and feasible RCT questions for children hospitalized with common conditions. This list of RCT questions can guide investigators and funders in conducting impactful trials to improve care and outcomes for hospitalized children.

Research Methods: Diagnostic Test Characteristics.

The goal of a diagnostic test is to provide information on the probability of disease. In this article, we review the principles of diagnostic test characteristics, including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, receiver operating characteristics curves, likelihood ratios, and interval likelihood ratios. We illustrate how interval likelihood ratios optimize the information that can be obtained from test results that can take on >2 values, how they are reflected in the slope of the receiver operating characteristics curve, and how they can be easily calculated from published data.

A Cross-sectional Study Characterizing Pediatric Temperature Percentiles in Children at Well-Child Visits.

BACKGROUND: Temperature measurement plays a central role in determining pediatric patients' disease risk and management. However, current pediatric temperature thresholds may be outdated and not applicable to children. OBJECTIVE: To characterize pediatric temperature norms and variation by patient characteristics, time of measurement, and thermometer route. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed 134,641 well-child visits occurring between 2014-2019 at primary care clinics that routinely measured temperature. We performed bivariate and multivariable quantile regressions with clustered standard errors to determine temperature percentiles and variation by age, sex, time of measurement, and thermometer route. We performed sensitivity analyses: 1) using a cohort that excluded visits with infectious diagnoses that could explain temperature aberrations and 2) including clinic as a fixed effect. RESULTS: The median rectal temperature for visits of infants ≤12 months old was 37.2˚C, which was 0.4˚C higher than the median axillary temperature. The median axillary temperature for children 1-18 years old was 36.7˚C, which was 0.1˚C lower than the median values of all other routes. The 99th percentile for rectal temperatures in infants was 37.8˚C and the 99.9th percentile for axillary temperatures in children was 38.5˚C. Adjusted analyses did not demonstrate clinically significant variation in temperature by sex, age, or time of measurement. CONCLUSIONS: These updated temperature norms can serve as reference values in clinical practice and should be considered in the context of thermometer route used and the clinical condition being evaluated. Variations in temperature values by sex, age, and time of measurement were not clinically significant.

Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection, Bacteremia, and Meningitis Among Febrile Infants Aged 8 to 60 Days With SARS-CoV-2.

Importance: The prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI), bacteremia, and bacterial meningitis in febrile infants with SARS-CoV-2 is largely unknown. Knowledge of the prevalence of these bacterial infections among febrile infants with SARS-CoV-2 can inform clinical decision-making. Objective: To describe the prevalence of UTI, bacteremia, and bacterial meningitis among febrile infants aged 8 to 60 days with SARS-CoV-2 vs without SARS-CoV-2. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a quality improvement initiative at 106 hospitals in the US and Canada. Participants included full-term, previously healthy, well-appearing infants aged 8 to 60 days without bronchiolitis and with a temperature of at least 38 °C who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing in the emergency department or hospital between November 1, 2020, and October 31, 2022. Statistical analysis was performed from September 2022 to March 2023. Exposures: SARS-CoV-2 positivity and, for SARS-CoV-2-positive infants, the presence of normal vs abnormal inflammatory marker (IM) levels. Main Outcomes and Measures: Outcomes were ascertained by medical record review and included the prevalence of UTI, bacteremia without meningitis, and bacterial meningitis. The proportion of infants who were SARS-CoV-2 positive vs negative was calculated for each infection type, and stratified by age group and normal vs abnormal IMs. Results: Among 14 402 febrile infants with SARS-CoV-2 testing, 8413 (58.4%) were aged 29 to 60 days; 8143 (56.5%) were male; and 3753 (26.1%) tested positive. Compared with infants who tested negative, a lower proportion of infants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 had UTI (0.8% [95% CI, 0.5%-1.1%]) vs 7.6% [95% CI, 7.1%-8.1%]), bacteremia without meningitis (0.2% [95% CI, 0.1%-0.3%] vs 2.1% [95% CI, 1.8%-2.4%]), and bacterial meningitis (<0.1% [95% CI, 0%-0.2%] vs 0.5% [95% CI, 0.4%-0.6%]). Among infants aged 29 to 60 days who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 0.4% (95% CI, 0.2%-0.7%) had UTI, less than 0.1% (95% CI, 0%-0.2%) had bacteremia, and less than 0.1% (95% CI, 0%-0.1%) had meningitis. Among SARS-CoV-2-positive infants, a lower proportion of those with normal IMs had bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis compared with those with abnormal IMs (<0.1% [0%-0.2%] vs 1.8% [0.6%-3.1%]). Conclusions and Relevance: The prevalence of UTI, bacteremia, and bacterial meningitis was lower for febrile infants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, particularly infants aged 29 to 60 days and those with normal IMs. These findings may help inform management of certain febrile infants who test positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Clinical guideline highlights for the hospitalist: Diagnosis and management of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in children.

GUIDELINE TITLE: Clinical practice guideline by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America: 2021 Guideline on Diagnosis and Management of Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis in Children RELEASE DATE: August 5, 2021 PRIOR VERSION(S): n/a DEVELOPER: Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) and Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) FUNDING SOURCE: PIDS and IDSA TARGET POPULATION: Children with suspected or confirmed acute hematogenous osteomyelitis.

Improving Efficiency on a Pediatric Hospital Medicine Service With Schedule-Based Family-Centered Rounds.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Inconsistencies in the timing and process of family-centered rounds can contribute to inefficiencies in patient care, inconsistent nursing participation, and variable end times. Through the implementation of schedule-based rounds, our aims were to (1) start 90% of rounds encounters within 30 minutes of the scheduled time, (2) increase nursing presence from 79% to >90%, and (3) increase the percentage of rounds completed by 11:20 am from 0% to 80% within 1 year. METHODS: We used quality improvement methods to implement and evaluate a scheduled rounds process on a pediatric hospital medicine service at a university-affiliated children's hospital. Interventions included customization of an electronic health record-linked scheduling tool, daily schedule management by the senior resident, real-time rounds notification to nurses, improved education on rounding expectations, streamlined rounding workflow, and family notification of rounding time. Data were collected daily and run charts were used to track metrics. RESULTS: One year after implementation, a median of 96% of rounds encounters occurred within 30 minutes of scheduled rounding time, nursing presence increased from a median of 79% to 94%, and the percentage of rounds completed by 11:20 am increased from a median of 0% to 86%. Rounds end times were later with a higher patient census. CONCLUSIONS: We improved the efficiency of our rounding workflow and bedside nursing presence through a scheduled rounds process facilitated by an electronic health record-linked scheduling tool.

Trends in Prevalence of Bacterial Infections in Febrile Infants During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to describe the prevalence of urinary tract infection (UTI) and invasive bacterial infection (IBI) in febrile infants during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study that included 97 hospitals in the United States and Canada. We included full-term, well-appearing infants 8 to 60 days old with a temperature of ≥38°C and an emergency department visit or hospitalization at a participating site between November 1, 2020 and March 31, 2022. We used logistic regression to determine trends in the odds of an infant having UTI and IBI by study month and to determine the association of COVID-19 prevalence with the odds of an infant having UTI and IBI. RESULTS: We included 9112 infants; 603 (6.6%) had UTI, 163 (1.8%) had bacteremia without meningitis, and 43 (0.5%) had bacterial meningitis. UTI prevalence decreased from 11.2% in November 2020 to 3.0% in January 2022. IBI prevalence was highest in February 2021 (6.1%) and decreased to 0.4% in January 2022. There was a significant downward monthly trend for odds of UTI (odds ratio [OR] 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.91-0.94) and IBI (OR 0.90; 95% CI: 0.87-0.93). For every 5% increase in COVID-19 prevalence in the month of presentation, the odds of an infant having UTI (OR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96-0.98) or bacteremia without meningitis decreased (OR 0.94; 95% CI: 0.88-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of UTI and IBI in eligible febrile infants decreased to previously published, prepandemic levels by early 2022. Higher monthly COVID-19 prevalence was associated with lower odds of UTI and bacteremia.

Frequency and Consequences of Routine Temperature Measurement at Well-Child Visits.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the (1) frequency and visit characteristics of routine temperature measurement and (2) rates of interventions by temperature measurement practice and the probability of incidental fever detection. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed well-child visits between 2014-2019. We performed multivariable regression to characterize visits associated with routine temperature measurement and conducted generalized estimating equations regression to determine adjusted rates of interventions (antibiotic prescription, and diagnostic testing) and vaccine deferral by temperature measurement and fever status, clustered by clinic and patient. Through dual independent chart review, fever (≥100.4°F) was categorized as probable, possible, or unlikely to be incidentally detected. RESULTS: Temperature measurement occurred at 155 527 of 274 351 (58.9%) well-child visits. Of 24 clinics, 16 measured temperature at >90% of visits ("routine measurement clinics") and 8 at <20% of visits ("occasional measurement clinics"). After adjusting for age, ethnicity, race, and insurance, antibiotic prescription was more common (adjusted odds ratio: 1.21; 95% CI 1.13-1.29), whereas diagnostic testing was less common (adjusted odds ratio: 0.76; 95% CI 0.71-0.82) at routine measurement clinics. Fever was detected at 270 of 155 527 (0.2%) routine measurement clinic visits, 47 (17.4%) of which were classified as probable incidental fever. Antibiotic prescription and diagnostic testing were more common at visits with probable incidental fever than without fever (7.4% vs 1.7%; 14.8% vs 1.2%; P < .001), and vaccines were deferred at 50% such visits. CONCLUSIONS: Temperature measurement occurs at more than one-half of well-child visits and is a clinic-driven practice. Given the impact on subsequent interventions and vaccine deferral, the harm-benefit profile of this practice warrants consideration.

Duration of Antibiotic Therapy for Bacterial Meningitis in Young Infants: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recommendations for parenteral antibiotic therapy duration in bacterial meningitis in young infants are based predominantly on expert consensus. Prolonged durations are generally provided for proven and suspected meningitis and are associated with considerable costs and risks. The objective of the study was to review the literature on the duration of parenteral antibiotic therapy and outcomes of bacterial meningitis in infants <3 months old. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for publications until May 31, 2021. Eligible studies were published in English and included infants <3 months old with bacterial meningitis for which the route and duration of antibiotic therapy and data on at least 1 outcome (relapse rates, mortality, adverse events, duration of hospitalization, or neurologic sequelae) were reported. RESULTS: Thirty-two studies were included: 1 randomized controlled trial, 25 cohort studies, and 6 case series. The randomized controlled trial found no difference in treatment failure rates between 10 and 14 days of therapy. One cohort study concluded that antibiotic courses >21 days were not associated with improved outcomes as compared with shorter courses. The remaining studies had small sample sizes and/or did not stratify outcomes by therapy duration. Meta-analysis was not possible because of the heterogeneity of the treatments and reported outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Rigorous, prospective clinical trial data are lacking to determine the optimal parenteral antibiotic duration in bacterial meningitis in young infants. Given the associated costs and risks, there is a pressing need for high-quality comparative effectiveness research to further study this question.

Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship practices at discharge: A national survey.

We surveyed pediatric antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) site leaders within the Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship collaborative regarding discharge stewardship practices. Among 67 sites, 13 (19%) reported ASP review of discharge antimicrobial prescriptions. These findings highlight discharge stewardship as a potential opportunity for improvement during the hospital-to-home transition.

A National Survey of Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy Practices.

We conducted a national survey of pediatric infectious diseases (ID) clinicians on outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) practices and post-discharge ID follow-up. Only 15% of sites required ID consultation for all OPAT. ID division resources for post-discharge care varied. Opportunities exist to increase ID involvement in post-discharge management of serious infections.

Management and Outcomes in Children with Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant Urinary Tract Infections.

BACKGROUND: Third-generation cephalosporin-resistant urinary tract infections (UTIs) often have limited oral antibiotic options with some children receiving prolonged parenteral courses. Our objectives were to determine predictors of long parenteral therapy and the association between parenteral therapy duration and UTI relapse in children with third-generation cephalosporin-resistant UTIs. METHODS: We conducted a multisite retrospective cohort study of children <18 years presenting to acute care at 5 children's hospitals and a large managed care organization from 2012 to 2017 with a third-generation cephalosporin-resistant UTI from Escherichia coli or Klebsiella spp. Long parenteral therapy was ≥3 days and short/no parenteral therapy was 0-2 days of concordant parenteral antibiotics. Discordant therapy was antibiotics to which the pathogen was non-susceptible. Relapse was a UTI from the same organism within 30 days. RESULTS: Of the 482 children included, 81% were female and the median age was 3.3 years (interquartile range: 0.8-8). Fifty-four children (11.2%) received long parenteral therapy (median duration: 7 days). Predictors of long parenteral therapy included age <2 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 67.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 16.4-275.7), limited oral antibiotic options (aOR 5.9; 95% CI: 2.8-12.3), and genitourinary abnormalities (aOR 5.4; 95% CI: 1.8-15.9). UTI relapse occurred in 1 of the 54 (1.9%) children treated with long parenteral therapy and in 6 of the 428 (1.5%) children treated with short/no parenteral therapy (P = .57). Of the 105 children treated exclusively with discordant antibiotics, 3 (2.9%, 95% CI: 0.6%-8.1%) experienced UTI relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Long parenteral therapy was associated with age <2 months, limited oral antibiotic options, and genitourinary abnormalities. UTI relapse was rare and not associated with duration of parenteral therapy. For UTIs with limited oral options, further research is needed on the effectiveness of continued discordant therapy.