Increasing the Percentage of Neonates Consuming Human Milk in a Pediatric Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

OBJECTIVE: To address a known nutritional deficit and enhance the overall health of critically ill babies, this project sought to increase the percentage of cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU) neonates consuming human milk from a 2019 baseline of 55% to 75% by December 2020 and 90% by December 2021. STUDY DESIGN: This was a quality improvement initiative targeted to all neonates admitted to the CTICU, with baseline data obtained from January 2019 through February 2020. We implemented 11 interventions from March 2020 to January 2022 to address the key drivers of "education of parents and providers," "environment/equipment," and "process." We tracked the monthly percentage of neonates who were human milk fed with a statistical process control p-chart. The balancing measure of critical human milk feeding errors was also monitored. RESULTS: The baseline percentage of CTICU neonates consuming human milk was 55%. This percentage increased to 73% by the end of 2020 and 92% by the year end 2021. Most neonates who received human milk were fed mother's milk with a minority receiving donor human milk. The number of aborted, critical human milk administration errors decreased during the intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: In this quality improvement initiative, we significantly increased the percentage of CTICU neonates consuming human milk without an increase in critical human milk errors. Interventions directly increasing the ease with which lactating mothers can provide/store their milk were likely the most effective.

Factors associated with neurodevelopment for children with single ventricle lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To measure neurodevelopment at 3 years of age in children with single right-ventricle anomalies and to assess its relationship to Norwood shunt type, neurodevelopment at 14 months of age, and patient and medical factors. STUDY DESIGN: All subjects in the Single Ventricle Reconstruction Trial who were alive without cardiac transplant were eligible for inclusion. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ, n = 203) and other measures of behavior and quality of life were completed at age 3 years. Medical history, including measures of growth, feeding, and complications, was assessed through annual review of the records and phone interviews. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition (BSID-II) scores from age 14 months were also evaluated as predictors. RESULTS: Scores on each ASQ domain were significantly lower than normal (P < .001). ASQ domain scores at 3 years of age varied nonlinearly with 14-month BSID-II. More complications, abnormal growth, and evidence of feeding, vision, or hearing problems were independently associated with lower ASQ scores, although models explained <30% of variation. Type of shunt was not associated with any ASQ domain score or with behavior or quality-of-life measures. CONCLUSION: Children with single right-ventricle anomalies have impaired neurodevelopment at 3 years of age. Lower ASQ scores are associated with medical morbidity, and lower BSID-II scores but not with shunt type. Because only a modest percentage of variation in 3-year neurodevelopmental outcome could be predicted from early measures, however, all children with single right-ventricle anomalies should be followed longitudinally to improve recognition of delays.

Association of impaired linear growth and worse neurodevelopmental outcome in infants with single ventricle physiology: a report from the pediatric heart network infant single ventricle trial.

OBJECTIVES: To describe neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with single ventricle (SV) physiology and determine factors associated with worse outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants with SV enrolled in a multicenter drug trial were assessed at 14 months of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. Multivariable regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with worse outcomes. RESULTS: Neurodevelopmental testing was performed at 14 ± 1 months in 170/185 subjects in the trial. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome was present in 59% and 75% had undergone the Norwood operation. Mean Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) and mental developmental index (MDI) were 80 ± 18 and 96 ± 14, respectively, (normal 100 ± 15, P < .001 for each). Group-based trajectory analysis provided a 2-group model ("high" and "low") for height z-score trajectory and brain type natriuretic peptide (BNP) trajectory. The predicted PDI scores were 15 points higher in the "high" height z-score trajectory compared with the "low" cluster (P < .001). A higher number of serious adverse events during the trial was associated with lower PDI scores (P = .02). The predicted MDI scores were 13-17 points lower in "low height trajectory-high BNP trajectory" group compared with the other 3 groups (P < .001). MDI scores were also lower in subjects who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during the neonatal hospitalization (P = .01) or supplemental oxygen at discharge (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Neurodevelopmental outcome at 14 months of age is impaired in infants with SV physiology. Low height trajectory and high BNP trajectory were associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Efforts to improve nutritional status alone may not improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin concentrations predict development of acute kidney injury in neonates and children after cardiopulmonary bypass.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as an early acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarker after neonatal and pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). STUDY DESIGN: Serum and urine samples were obtained before and at intervals after CPB from 374 patients. AKI was defined as a serum creatinine (S(Cr)) concentration increase from baseline ≥0.3 mg/dL in neonates and ≥50% in children within 48 hours of CPB. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors and clinical outcomes associated with AKI. RESULTS: AKI developed in 30% of patients. Plasma and urine NGAL thresholds significantly increased in patients with AKI at 2 hours after CPB and remained elevated at all points, with 2-hour NGAL the earliest, strongest predictor of AKI. In non-neonates, 2-hour plasma and urine NGAL thresholds strongly correlated with length of hospital stay and severity and duration of AKI. CONCLUSION: Plasma and urine NGAL thresholds are early predictive biomarkers for AKI and its clinical outcomes after CPB. In neonates, we recommend a 2-hour plasma NGAL threshold of 100 ng/mL and 2-hour urine NGAL threshold of 185 ng/mL for diagnosis of AKI. In non-neonates, recommended AKI thresholds are 50 ng/mL for both 2-hour plasma and urine NGAL.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia in the pediatric intensive care unit: characterizing the problem and implementing a sustainable solution.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), implement an evidence-based pediatric VAP prevention bundle, and reduce VAP rates. STUDY DESIGN: The setting is a 25-bed PICU in a 475-bed free-standing pediatric academic medical center. VAP was diagnosed according to Centers for Disease Control and National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System definitions. A pediatric VAP prevention bundle was established and implemented. Baseline VAP rates were compared with implementation and post-bundle-implementation periods. RESULTS: VAP is significantly associated with increased PICU length of stay, mechanical ventilator days, and mortality rates (length of stay VAP 19.5+/-15.0 vs non-VAP 7.5+/-9.2, P< .001; ventilator days VAP 16.3+/-14.7 vs non-VAP 5.3+/-8.4, P< .001; mortality VAP 19.1% vs non-VAP 7.2%, P= .01). The VAP rate was reduced from 5.6 (baseline) to 0.3 infections per 1000 ventilator days after bundle implementation; P< .0001. Subglottic/tracheal stenosis, trauma, and tracheostomy are significantly associated with VAP. CONCLUSIONS: PICU VAP is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates. A multidisciplinary improvement team can implement a sustainable pediatric-specific VAP prevention bundle, resulting in VAP rate reduction.