Unusual local epidemic of paediatric respiratory syncytial virus during a time of global pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Western Australia (WA) public health measures to eradicate SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a secondary reduction in paediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) admissions. Following an absent expected 2020 winter peak, RSV-positive admissions surged during the summer of 2020. AIM: This report examines the number of RSV-positive admissions and severities across 36 months to better understand this out-of-season epidemic. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed assessing the number and severity of RSV-related respiratory hospitalisations at a peripheral paediatric centre from March 2018 to February 2021. Data were extracted from the hospital clinical database. RESULTS: The total number of included participants was n = 294. The total number of RSV hospitalisations in SY (study year) 2018 (March 2018 to February 2019), SY 2019 (March 2019 to February 2020) and SY 2020 (March 2020 to February 2021) was 67, 98 and 129, respectively. Prior to SARS-CoV-2, RSV hospitalisations were highest during the winter months. In SY 2020, there were 0 RSV hospitalisations during winter, while 101 admissions in the following summer season. The proportion of admissions requiring respiratory support was significantly reduced in SY 2020 (34.1%) compared to SY 2018 (46.9%, P = 0.050) and SY 2019 (55.2%, P = 0.004). The median length of stay (LOS) in 2020 was 2.0 which was significantly reduced from 2018 and 2019 which was 3.0, P = 0.001; and 3.0, P < 0.001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Following a period of RSV absence, there was an unprecedented surge in admission, however, with lower severity and shorter LOS.

Antibiotic Allergy Labels in Children Are Associated with Adverse Clinical Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Self-reported antibiotic allergies are common among hospitalized adults and children. However, there is a paucity of studies investigating the impact of an antibiotic allergy label in childhood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of antibiotic allergy labeling on clinical outcomes in children. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in a major pediatric tertiary hospital to capture inpatient admissions (N = 1672) in April 2014 and April 2015. Data, collected by chart review, included documented antibiotic allergy labels, antibiotic prescriptions, admitting specialty, hospital length of stay, and hospital readmissions. RESULTS: Of the 1672 pediatric patients surveyed, 58.1% were male and 44.8% were prescribed antibiotics. Antibiotic allergy labels were recorded in 5.3% of patients; most were ß-lactam allergy labels (85%), mostly to unspecified penicillins. There was an increasing incidence of antibiotic allergy label with age, which was statistically significant (P < .001); no sex effect was seen. Patients with antibiotic allergy labels received more macrolide (P = .045), quinolones (P = .01), lincosamide (P < .001), and metronidazole (P = .009) antibiotics than did patients without an antibiotic allergy label. After adjusting for patient age, sex, principal diagnosis, and admitting specialty, children with any antibiotic or ß-lactam allergy label had longer hospital stays (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.05-2.50; P = .03) with a mean length of hospital stay of 3.8 days for those without a label and 5.2 days for those with a ß-lactam allergy label. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study demonstrating the negative impact of antibiotic allergy labels on clinical outcomes in children, as evidenced by significant alternate antibiotic use and longer hospital stays.

Long QT syndrome manifesting as pulseless epilepsy.

A-10-year-old child admitted with repeated seizures due to the long QT syndrome is described. The cardiac origin of the epilepsy was suggested by the fact that during the episode of convulsions his peripheral pulses were not palpable.