From the original SARS-CoV-2 strain to the Omicron variant: Predictors of COVID-19 in ambulatory symptomatic children.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the predictors of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in a pediatric ambulatory setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional prospective study (November 2020-February 2022) of 93 ambulatory settings in France. We included symptomatic children < 15 years old tested for SARS-CoV-2. For each period corresponding to the spread of the original strain and its variants (period 1: original strain; period 2: Alpha, period 3: Delta; period 4: Omicron), we used a multivariate analysis to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) associated with COVID-19 among age, signs, symptoms or contact, and 95 % confidence intervals (95CIs). RESULTS: Of 5,336 children, 13.9 % (95CI 13.0-14.8) had a positive test. During the first three periods, the positivity rate ranged from 5.6 % (95CI 4.6-6.7) to 12.6 % (95CI 10.8-14.6). The main factors associated with a positive test were contact with an infected adult at home or outside the home (aOR 11.5 [95CI 4.9-26.9] to 38.9 [95CI 19.3-78.7]) or an infected household child (aOR 15.0 [95CI 4.8-47.1] to 28.4 [95CI 8.7-92.6]). By contrast, during period 4, aORs for these predictors were substantially lower (2.3 [95CI 1.1-4.5] to 5.5 [95CI 3.2-7.7]), but the positivity rate was 45.7 % (95CI 42.3-49.2). CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric ambulatory settings, before the Omicron period, the main predictor of a positive test was contact with an infected person. During the Omicron period, the odds of these predictors were substantially lower while the positivity rate was higher. An accurate diagnostic strategy should only rely on testing and not on age, signs, symptoms or contact.

Efficacy of fascia iliaca nerve block in daily routine for children with femoral fractures in a pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of fascia iliaca nerve block (FINB), routinely used for children with femoral fractures, in a pediatric emergency department (PED). METHODS: This retrospective, single-center, observational study examined FINB using ropivacaine and a 1% lidocaine hydrochloride solution, in all patients under 18 years of age admitted with a femoral fracture from January 2012 to December 2016. Pain was assessed using two validated pediatric pain scales: EVENDOL or a visual analog scale. A level of ≥ 4 on either scale indicates the need for an analgesic. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients who were pain free after the FINB procedure defined by a pain score of < 4. Secondary outcomes were the time spent between PED admission and FINB, the need of additional analgesics, side effects, and the success rate of FINB. RESULTS: Of 161 patients screened, 144 were included. The median age was 3.2 years (range 2 months to 16 years) and 74% were boys. The number of children determined to be pain free (pain score < 4) increased from 36 (25%) before the FINB to 123 (85%) after the FINB (absolute risk difference 60%, 95% CI: 51%-70%). Overall, 21 children (15%) required a second analgesic after the FINB. CONCLUSION: The routine use of FINB with ropivacaine and lidocaine by pediatric ED physicians provided effective pain relief for children admitted for a femoral fracture in the emergency department. Our data support the efficiency and feasibility of FINB for the antalgic management of children with femoral fracture.

Severe and fatal forms of COVID-19 in children.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe severe forms of novel coronavirus disease 2019 in children, including patient characteristics, clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings, as well as the disease management and outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center, observational study conducted in a pediatric intensive and high-dependency care unit (PICU, HDU) in an urban hospital in Paris. All patients, aged from 1 month to 18 years, admitted for confirmed or highly suspected SARS-CoV-2 were included. RESULTS: We analyzed the data of 27 children. Comorbidities (n=19, 70%) were mainly neurological (n=7), respiratory, (n=4), or sickle cell disease (n=4). SARS-CoV-2 PCR results were positive in 24 children (nasopharyngeal swabs). The three remaining children had a chest CT scan consistent with COVID-19. Respiratory involvement was observed in 24 patients (89%). Supportive treatments were invasive mechanical ventilation (n=9), catecholamine (n=4), erythropheresis (n=4), renal replacement therapy (n=1), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n=1). Five children died, of whom three were without past medical history. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the large spectrum of clinical presentation and time course of disease progression as well as the non-negligible occurrence of pediatric life-threatening and fatal cases of COVID-19 mostly in patients with comorbidities. Additional laboratory investigations are needed to further analyze the mechanism underlying the variability of SARS-Cov-2 pathogenicity in children.

Cervical trauma in children: Be aware of the risk of infection.

Neck abscesses after a cervical trauma rarely occur, especially in children. Cervical abscesses are more generally complications of otolaryngological infections. Progression to severe complication or death may be rapid. We describe a case of a sternocleidomastoid muscle and retropharyngeal abscess that developed after a minor cervical trauma from being struck in the neck. The patient was surgically treated and received antibiotics, but returned with a recurrence of the cervical infection. We discuss the superinfection of the hematoma, cervical abscess management, and its treatment in children.

Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, national study of antimicrobial treatment for pediatric urinary tract infection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical practices for ESBL-producing urinary tract infection (UTI) in France. METHODS: We performed an observational, retrospective, cross-sectional, hospital-based study in 22 pediatric departments of university or secondary care hospitals. We collected data of the last five patients presenting with ESBL-producing UTI in 2012 and the physicians' therapeutic approach to two case vignettes of acute non-septic ESBL-producing pyelonephritis (7-month-old girl) and cystitis (30-month-old girl). The adequacy of the therapeutic decision was analyzed by a panel of independent infectious disease experts. RESULTS: A total of 80 case patients of ESBL-producing UTI were collected: 54 with acute pyelonephritis (mean age: 28 months, female: 66%), of whom 98% received an intravenous ESBL-adapted antibiotic treatment and 55% a two-drug antibiotic therapy. Carbapenems were used in 56% of cases and aminoglycosides in 36%. Of the 26 cystitis patients (mean age: 5 years, female: 73%), 85% were treated with antibiotics, including three intravenously (carbapenems=2). For the case vignettes, physicians (n=85) would have treated the pyelonephritis patient with carbapenems (76%) and/or aminoglycosides (68%); 71% would have used a two-drug antibiotic treatment. The cystitis patient would have been treated intravenously by 29% of physicians; 8% would have used a two-drug antibiotic treatment, 16% would have prescribed carbapenems, and 11% aminoglycosides. Antibiotic treatments were deemed appropriate in 37% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial treatment for ESBL-producing UTI greatly varies, and carbapenems are excessively prescribed. Specific guidelines for ESBL infections are required.

Antibiotic treatment of lower respiratory tract infections.

Lower respiratory tract infections, i.e., bronchitis, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia, are the second leading cause of antibiotic prescriptions. The vast majority of these infections are due to viruses and are self-limited diseases: most patients recover spontaneously. These two facts explain that antibiotic prescriptions must be limited to some clinical situations for which the diagnosis has to be done early. The first message of this manuscript is to strengthen non-antibiotic prescriptions in many situations such as bronchitis and bronchiolitis. Implementation of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) has reduced the incidence of pneumonia and empyema, and induced a dramatic decrease in the proportion of pneumococcus in these diseases. However, pneumococcus remains probably the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia and empyema and the main target of antibiotic treatment. Furthermore, the implementation of PCVs has reduced resistance to antibiotics including penicillins and macrolides antibiotics, explaining the de-escalation proposed in the last few years, with the reduction of the use if third generation cephalosporins and vancomycin. The therapeutic choices proposed in this article follow the previous official guidelines in France. Serious infections represented by empyema and severe pneumonia remain therapeutic emergencies, most often warranting hospitalization and IV antibiotics.

Traumatic spinal epidural hematoma in a 1-year-old boy.

Traumatic spinal epidural hematoma is uncommon in children, making rapid diagnosis difficult. In this report, we present a case of traumatic cervical epidural hematoma in a 1-year-old boy, diagnosed with computed tomography scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Management was conservative and the lesion regressed spontaneously. The presentation in childhood is often nonspecific. MRI is the imaging modality of choice for diagnosing these lesions. Conservative treatment has to be considered in cases with a benign clinical course and provided that the patient is followed up neurologically with repeated MRI.

[Consensus validation of a tool to identify inappropriate prescribing in pediatrics (POPI)]. / Validation par consensus d'un outil d'identification de prescriptions inappropriées en pédiatrie (POPI).

OBJECTIVE: Medication errors including inappropriate prescriptions and drug omissions are one of the causes of adverse drug events in children. Our aim was to develop a preliminary screening tool to detect omissions and inappropriate prescriptions in pediatrics based on French and international guidelines. MATERIEL AND METHODS: Disease classification was based on the prevalence rate of pathology and hospital statistics. The criteria were obtained by reviewing many French and international references. The Delphi consensus technique was used to establish the content validity of POPI. The level of agreement and the proposals of healthcare professionals was noted on a nine-point Likert scale. RESULTS: The criteria were categorized according to the main physiological systems (gastroenterology, respiratory infections, pain, neurology, dermatology, and miscellaneous). They were distributed to 16 French pediatric panelists (eight pharmacists, eight pediatricians who were hospital-based [50%] or working in the community [50%]). After two rounds of the Delphi process, 101 of 108 criteria were chosen with strong consensus (76 inappropriate prescriptions and 25 omissions). CONCLUSIONS: POPI is the first screening tool to detect inappropriate prescriptions and omissions in pediatrics. It is now necessary to conduct a prospective study to determine inter-rater reliability and the tool's detection capacity.

[Nationwide survey on pediatric infectious disease organisation and antibiotic management in French hospitals]. / Enquête nationale sur l'organisation des activités de référence en maladies infectieuses et antibiothérapie de l'enfant dans les centres hospitaliers français.

UNLABELLED: Skills in pediatric infectious disease (PID) and antibiotic management are of critical importance in hospitals. This nationwide survey aimed to assess the characteristics, training, and tasks of PID consultants in French hospitals. The management of PID and antibiotic therapy was also analyzed in hospitals lacking PID consultants. METHODS: An electronic survey linked to a dedicated website was sent to French hospitals with a pediatric department in June 2012. In hospitals where PID consultants were available, they were asked to answer the questionnaire. In hospitals lacking PID consultants, pediatricians were asked to send the questionnaire to their infectious disease consultant, if available. RESULTS: A total of 86 individual responses were received from 76 hospitals (including 26 academic hospitals). The existence of a PID consultant was declared in 53 hospitals. Responses were received from the person claiming to be "the" or "one of the" PID consultants in 46 cases, representing 39 centers. PID consultants had a degree in PID (46%) or antibiotic therapy (37%), or a complementary qualification as a specialist in infectious diseases (13%). The PID consultants worked in departments of general pediatrics (61%) and emergency medicine (15%), or neonatology (15%). They were involved in the Nosocomial Infection Prevention Committee (43%) or the Antimicrobial Therapy Committee (63%) and had teaching activities (65%). There was a specific unit with a PID label in 10% of the 39 centers reporting at least one consultant and consultations of infectious diseases took place in 28%. CONCLUSION: PID consultants are rare. Their important role in patient care should be recognized. Efforts should focus on recruiting and training such specialists.

Impact of 2011 French guidelines on antibiotic prescription for acute otitis media in infants.

OBJECTIVE: In 2011, new guidelines on antibiotic prescription for acute otitis media (AOM) were published in France to decrease the use of third generation cephalosporins that promote the carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli. Our objective was to assess the impact of the 2011 French recommendations on the type of antibiotics prescribed for AOM. METHODS: Fourteen thousand six hundred and sixty-one children, 6 to 24 months of age, presenting with AOM were included in 2 studies, between November 1, 2009 and October 31, 2012. The first one was conducted with the support of 62 private practice pediatricians; the second one was conducted in 7 pediatric emergency departments. Three periods of 1 year each were defined. RESULTS: Antibiotics were prescribed in 12,471 (85.1%) of cases of AOM during the study period. Amoxicillin prescriptions was multiplied by 25, between the first year (2.6%) and the last year (66.1%). Conversely, prescriptions of cefpodoxime proxetil and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid decreased from 33.6% and 62.0% in the first year to 5.2% and 27.7% in the last year, respectively. This trend was observed in both private practices and in the pediatric emergency departments. CONCLUSION: Amoxicillin became the most frequently prescribed antibiotic for AOM in 2012, complying with the 2011 French guidelines, while the proportion of prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics decreased. Our study highlights the importance of guidelines to decrease the prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics, a crucial factor in the prevention of antibiotic resistance.

[Recommendations for the use of diagnostic testing in low respiratory infections in children older than three months]. / Recommandations sur l'utilisation des nouveaux outils diagnostiques étiologiques des infections respiratoires basses de l'enfant de plus de trois mois.

Recommendations for the use of diagnostic testing in low respiratory infection in children older than 3 months were produced by the Groupe de Recherche sur les Avancées en Pneumo-Pédiatrie (GRAPP) under the auspices of the French Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology Society (SP(2)A). The Haute Autorité de santé (HAS) methodology, based on formalized consensus, was used. A first panel of experts analyzed the English and French literature to provide a second panel of experts with recommendations to validate. Only the recommendations are presented here, but the full text is available on the SP(2)A website.

Early impact of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on community-acquired pneumonia in children.

BACKGROUND: Pneumococcal serotypes 1, 3, 5, 7F, and 19A were the most implicated in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) after implementation of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7). In France, the switch from PCV7 to 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) occurred in June 2010. An active surveillance network was set up to analyze the impact of PCV13 on CAP. METHODS: An observational prospective study performed in 8 pediatric emergency departments from June 2009 to May 2012 included all children between 1 month and 15 years of age with chest radiography-confirmed pneumonia. Three 1-year periods were defined: pre-PCV13, transitional, and post-PCV13. RESULTS: During the 3-year study period, among the 953 274 pediatric emergency visits, 5645 children with CAP were included. CAP with pleural effusion and documented pneumococcal CAP were diagnosed in 365 and 136 patients, respectively. Despite an increase (4.5%) in number of pediatric emergency visits, cases of CAP decreased by 16% (2060 to 1725) between pre- and post-PCV13 periods. The decrease reached 32% in infants in the same periods (757 to 516; P < .001). Between pre- and post-PCV13 periods, the proportion of CAP patients with a C-reactive protein level >120 mg/dL decreased from 41.3% to 29.7% (P < .001), the number of pleural effusion cases decreased by 53% (167 to 79; P < .001) and the number of pneumococcal CAP cases decreased by 63% (64 to 24; P = .002). The number of additional PCV13 serotypes identified decreased by 74% (27 to 7). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest a strong impact of PCV13 on CAP, pleural effusion, and documented pneumococcal pneumonia, particularly cases due to PCV13 serotypes.

Multiple health care visits related to a pediatric emergency visit for young children with common illnesses.

UNLABELLED: We aim to describe the number of health care visits before and after pediatric emergency department (PED) visits for common illnesses in a French tertiary pediatric hospital. This was a prospective cohort study with 501 children under 6 years of age who were evaluated and discharged from a tertiary care PED. Enrollment occurred on eight randomly selected study days between November 2010 and June 2011. The caregivers were then contacted via telephone 8 days later to obtain follow-up data, including information about return visits to health care facilities. Multiple visits were made by 206 (41 %) children, previous visits had occurred for 139 (28 %) children, and return visits had occurred for 94 (19 %) children. Previous and return visits were made at the PED as well as in general practitioners' offices and private pediatric offices. The median age of the subjects was 18 months. Fever was the most common complaint and was associated with more frequent multiple heath care visits. CONCLUSION: Multiple heath care visits for the same illness are frequent, especially for febrile children. Interestingly, this phenomenon concerns every type of health care facility, including the PED, general practitioners' offices, and private pediatric offices. Further studies should be performed to achieve a better understanding of this phenomenon and to test specific interventions, such as parental education and improvement of the information system.

[Neonatal exposure to active pulmonary tuberculosis in a maternity ward: screening and clinical course of a cohort of exposed infants]. / Contage tuberculeux néonatal en maternité : dépistage et évolution d'une cohorte de nourrissons exposés.

UNLABELLED: Few data are available on the impact of a tuberculosis exposure on newborns in a maternity ward. OBJECTIVES: To describe the screening and clinical course of infants exposed during the neonatal period to a caregiver with bacillary tuberculosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Infants exposed during the postnatal period in a maternity unit in Paris, from March to August 2005, to a caregiver with bacillary tuberculosis were included in a standardized screening protocol. The screening performed at baseline (M0) and at 3 months (M3) included a clinical evaluation, a tuberculin skin test (TST), and a chest X-ray. A preventive treatment for tuberculosis with isoniazid and rifampicin for 3 months was systematically proposed. RESULTS: At M0, 182 of the 217 infants (84%) with significant exposure were evaluated. Data were available for 172 infants. The median age at M0 was 4.9 months (IQR=3.8-6.2). At M0, 4 of 172 infants (2.3%) had latent TB infection. Between M0 and M3, 19 infants (11%) were lost to follow-up and 1 on 153 developed a latent TB infection. No cases of tuberculosis disease were diagnosed. The treatment was administered properly in 83% of cases and side effects were observed in 11% of infants without any serious adverse event. Four infants received no treatment and 11 stopped their treatment prematurely. CONCLUSION: In the absence of neonatal massive exposure, although low (2.9%), the risk of latent TB infection requires close monitoring of the infants exposed. However, in the context of a mild exposure in the maternity unit, surveillance without systematic initiation of TB preventive treatment could be discussed.

Impact of implementing French antibiotic guidelines for acute respiratory-tract infections in a paediatric emergency department, 2005-2009.

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are the main reason for antibiotic prescription in children. In 2005, the French Drug Agency published guidelines to minimise inappropriate use of antibiotics for ARTI. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of implementing these guidelines in a paediatric emergency department. We retrospectively analysed data collected prospectively in a French paediatric emergency department from November 2005 (date of guideline implementation) to October 2009. For each child diagnosed with ARTI, we collected age, diagnosis, and prescribed antibiotics. We computed antibiotic prescription rates in the study population. During the study period, 53,055 children were diagnosed with ARTI and 59% of the 22,198 antibiotic prescriptions given at discharge were related to ARTI. The proportion of ARTI patients given antibiotic prescriptions fell from 32.1% during the first year to 21% in year 4 (p<10(-4), Cochran-Armitage test). Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and amoxicillin accounted for 50% and 34% of antibiotic prescriptions for ARTI, respectively. French antibiotic guidelines led to significant decreases in antibiotic prescription for ARTI in our paediatric emergency department.