Pragmatic Adaptive Trial for Respiratory Infection in Children (PATRIC) Clinical Registry protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are the most common cause of paediatric hospitalisation. There is an urgent need to address ongoing critical knowledge gaps in ARI management. The Pragmatic Adaptive Trial for Respiratory Infections in Children (PATRIC) Clinical Registry will evaluate current treatments and outcomes for ARI in a variety of paediatric patient groups. The registry will provide a platform and data to inform a number of PATRIC clinical trials, testing various interventions in ARI treatment and management to optimise paediatric ARI care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The PATRIC Clinical Registry is a single-centre, prospective observational registry recruiting from a tertiary paediatric Emergency Department in Western Australia. Through characterising demographic, clinical, treatment and outcome data, the PATRIC Clinical Registry will improve our understanding of antibiotic utilisation and ARI outcomes in children. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The PATRIC Clinical Registry is conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) Guidelines for Good Clinical Practice (CPMP/ICH/13595) July 1996. Approval is provided by the Child and Adolescent Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). Study results will be communicated by presentation and publication (HREC: RGS0000003078.) TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12619000903189. UTN: U1111-1231-3365.

Understanding the uptake and adaption of targeted implementation interventions for reducing bronchiolitis investigations and therapies.

AIM: To understand and evaluate the uptake and local adaptations of proven targeted implementation interventions that have effectively reduced unnecessary investigations and therapies in infants with bronchiolitis within emergency departments. METHODS: A multi-centred, mixed-methods quality improvement study in four Australian hospitals that provide paediatric emergency and inpatient care from May to December 2021. All hospitals were provided with the same implementation intervention package and training. Real-time tracking logs of adaptions were completed followed by semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and subsequently coded using FRAME-IS to further describe the adaptions made. RESULTS: Tracking logs were summarised and data from 12 interviews were compared from participating sites. The intervention resulted in 116 education sessions and a total of 23 adaptations made to educational materials, both content and contextual. Shortening education presentations, addition of bronchiolitis definitions, formatting of materials and novel interventions were the most common modifications. Audit and feedback were completed across all sites with varying utilisation. Targeted teaching was noted to dictate adaptions prior to and during implementation. CONCLUSION: Quantitative and qualitative analysis of clinical 'real-world' adaptations to proven targeted implementation interventions allows invaluable insight for future de-implementation initiatives and national roll-out of implementation packages in the ED setting.

Factors influencing health professionals' use of high-flow nasal cannula therapy for infants with bronchiolitis - A qualitative study.

Aim: To explore the factors influencing the use of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy for infants with bronchiolitis. Design: Qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews. Methods: The semi-structured interviews (face-to-face or virtual) were conducted between September 2020 and February 2021. Deductive content analysis was used to map key influencing factors for use of HFNC therapy to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Results: Nineteen interviews were undertaken before reaching thematic saturation (7 nurses, 12 doctors) in emergency departments and paediatric wards from four purposively selected hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. Influencing factors were mapped to eight domains in the TDF with 21 themes identified. Main findings included: (1) Health professionals' expectations of HFNC therapy on patient deterioration, work of breathing and oxygenation; (2) Staff emotions relating to concern and anxiety about deterioration and "need to do something"; (3) Social influences from other health professionals and parents and (4) Environmental factors relating to logistics of care and patient transfer considerations. These factors, combined with the ready availability of HFNC equipment and health professionals having the required skills to administer the therapy, contributed to its initiation. Conclusion: Individual/personal and contextual/environmental factors contribute to the use of HFNC therapy for infants with bronchiolitis. It is evident these influences contribute substantially to increased use, despite evidence-based guidelines recommending a more nuanced approach to this therapy. These findings will inform a targeted implementation intervention to promote evidence-based use of HFNC therapy in infants with bronchiolitis.

The characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-positive children in Australian hospitals: a PREDICT network study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the clinical characteristics and short term outcomes for children with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections who presented to Australian hospitals during 2020 and 2021. DESIGN, SETTING: Retrospective case review study in nineteen hospitals of the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network from all Australian states and territories, including seven major paediatric tertiary centres and eight Victorian hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: SARS-CoV-2-positive people under 18 years of age who attended emergency departments or were admitted to hospital during 1 February 2020 - 31 December 2021. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics, by hospital care type (emergency department [ED] or inpatient care). RESULTS: A total of 1193 SARS-CoV-2-positive children and adolescents (527 girls, 44%) attended the participating hospitals (107 in 2020, 1086 in 2021). Their median age was 3.8 years (interquartile range [IQR], 0.8-11.4 years); 63 were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people (5%). Other medical conditions were recorded for 293 children (25%), including asthma (86, 7%) and premature birth (68, 6%). Medical interventions were not required during 795 of 1181 ED presentations (67%); children were discharged directly home in 764 cases (65%) and admitted to hospital in 282 (24%; sixteen to intensive care units). The 384 admissions to hospital (including 102 direct admissions) of 341 children (25 infants under one month of age) included 23 to intensive care (6%); the median length of stay was three days (IQR, 1-9 days). Medical interventions were not required during 261 admissions (68%); 44 children received respiratory support (11%) and 21 COVID-19-specific treatments, including antiviral and biologic agents (5%). Being under three months of age (v one year to less than six years: odds ratio [OR], 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-4.0) and pre-existing medical conditions (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.9-3.2) were the major predictors of hospital admission. Two children died, including one without a known pre-existing medical condition. CONCLUSION: During 2020 and 2021, most SARS-CoV-2-positive children and adolescents who presented to participating hospitals could be managed as outpatients. Outcomes were generally good, including for those admitted to hospital.

Evaluation of targeted implementation interventions for reducing investigations and therapies in infants with bronchiolitis.

AIM: To evaluate the impact of locally adapted targeted implementation interventions on bronchiolitis management through reduction in ineffective investigation and therapies within emergency departments. METHODS: A multi-centred, quality improvement study in four different grades of hospitals in Western Australia that provide paediatric emergency and inpatient care. All hospitals incorporated an adapted implementation intervention package for infants under 1 year with bronchiolitis. The proportion whose care complied with guideline recommendations to not receive investigations and therapies of minimal benefit were compared to pre-intervention care in a previous bronchiolitis season. RESULTS: A total of 457 infants in 2019 (pre-intervention) and 443 in 2021 (post-intervention) were included, with mean age of 5.6 months (SD 3.2, 2019; SD 3.0, 2021). In 2019, compliance was 78.1% versus 85.6% in 2021, RD 7.4 (95% CI -0.6; 15.5). The strongest evidence was reduced salbutamol use (compliance improvement: 88.6% to 95.7%, RD 7.1 95% CI (1.7; 12.4)). Hospitals initially at <80% compliance demonstrated greatest improvements (Hospital 2: 95 (78.5%) to 108 (90.8%) RD 12.2 95% CI (3.3; 21.2); Hospital 3: 67 (62.6%) to 63 (76.8%) RD 14.2 95% CI (1.3; 27.2)). CONCLUSION: Targeted site-adapted implementation interventions resulted in improvement in compliance with guideline recommendations, particularly for those hospitals with initial low compliance. Maximising benefits through guidance on how to adapt and effectively use interventions will enhance sustainable practice change.

Effect of Early High-Flow Nasal Oxygen vs Standard Oxygen Therapy on Length of Hospital Stay in Hospitalized Children With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: The PARIS-2 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Nasal high-flow oxygen therapy in infants with bronchiolitis and hypoxia has been shown to reduce the requirement to escalate care. The efficacy of high-flow oxygen therapy in children aged 1 to 4 years with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure without bronchiolitis is unknown. Objective: To determine the effect of early high-flow oxygen therapy vs standard oxygen therapy in children with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Design, Setting, and Participants: A multicenter, randomized clinical trial was conducted at 14 metropolitan and tertiary hospitals in Australia and New Zealand, including 1567 children aged 1 to 4 years (randomized between December 18, 2017, and March 18, 2020) requiring hospital admission for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. The last participant follow-up was completed on March 22, 2020. Interventions: Enrolled children were randomly allocated 1:1 to high-flow oxygen therapy (n = 753) or standard oxygen therapy (n = 764). The type of oxygen therapy could not be masked, but the investigators remained blinded until the outcome data were locked. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was length of hospital stay with the hypothesis that high-flow oxygen therapy reduces length of stay. There were 9 secondary outcomes, including length of oxygen therapy and admission to the intensive care unit. Children were analyzed according to their randomization group. Results: Of the 1567 children who were randomized, 1517 (97%) were included in the primary analysis (median age, 1.9 years [IQR, 1.4-3.0 years]; 732 [46.7%] were female) and all children completed the trial. The length of hospital stay was significantly longer in the high-flow oxygen group with a median of 1.77 days (IQR, 1.03-2.80 days) vs 1.50 days (IQR, 0.85-2.44 days) in the standard oxygen group (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.75-0.92]; P < .001). Of the 9 prespecified secondary outcomes, 4 showed no significant difference. The median length of oxygen therapy was 1.07 days (IQR, 0.50-2.06 days) in the high-flow oxygen group vs 0.75 days (IQR, 0.35-1.61 days) in the standard oxygen therapy group (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.70-0.86]). In the high-flow oxygen group, there were 94 admissions (12.5%) to the intensive care unit compared with 53 admissions (6.9%) in the standard oxygen group (adjusted odds ratio, 1.93 [95% CI, 1.35-2.75]). There was only 1 death and it occurred in the high-flow oxygen group. Conclusions and Relevance: Nasal high-flow oxygen used as the initial primary therapy in children aged 1 to 4 years with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure did not significantly reduce the length of hospital stay compared with standard oxygen therapy. Trial Registration: anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12618000210279.

Prevalence of high flow nasal cannula therapy use for management of infants with bronchiolitis in Australia and New Zealand.

AIM: To determine the prevalence of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in infants presenting to hospital in Australia and New Zealand with bronchiolitis over four bronchiolitis seasons. Secondary aims were to determine temporal trends in HFNC use, and associations between HFNC, hospital length of stay (LOS) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. METHODS: A planned sub-study of a multi-centre international cluster randomised controlled trial investigating knowledge translation strategies for a bi-national bronchiolitis guideline. Demographics, management and outcomes data were collected retrospectively for infants presenting with bronchiolitis to 26 hospitals between 1 May 2014 and 30 November 2017. Prevalence data are presented as absolute frequencies (95% confidence interval (CI)) with differences between groups for continuous and categorical variables analysed using linear and logistic regression, respectively. RESULTS: 11 715 infants were included with 3392 (29.0%, 95% CI (28.1-29.8%)) receiving oxygen therapy; of whom 1817 (53.6%, 95% CI (51.9-55.3%)) received HFNC. Use of oxygen therapy did not change over the four bronchiolitis seasons (P = 0.12), while the proportion receiving HFNC increased (2014, 336/2587 (43.2%); 2017, 609/3720 (57.8%); P ≤ 0.001). Infants who received HFNC therapy were not substantially different to infants who received oxygen therapy without HFNC. HFNC use was associated with increases in both hospital LOS (P < 0.001) and ICU admissions (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Use of HFNC therapy for infants with bronchiolitis increased over 4 years. Of those who received oxygen therapy, the majority received HFNC therapy without improvement in hospital LOS or ICU admissions. Strategies to guide appropriate HFNC use in infants with bronchiolitis are required.

Bronchiolitis.

Viral bronchiolitis is the most common cause of admission to hospital for infants in high-income countries. Respiratory syncytial virus accounts for 60-80% of bronchiolitis presentations. Bronchiolitis is diagnosed clinically without the need for viral testing. Management recommendations, based predominantly on high-quality evidence, advise clinicians to support hydration and oxygenation only. Evidence suggests no benefit with use of glucocorticoids or bronchodilators, with further evidence required to support use of hypertonic saline in bronchiolitis. Evidence is scarce in the intensive care unit. Evidence suggests use of high-flow therapy in bronchiolitis is limited to rescue therapy after failure of standard subnasal oxygen only in infants who are hypoxic and does not decrease rates of intensive care unit admission or intubation. Despite systematic reviews and international clinical practice guidelines promoting supportive rather than interventional therapy, universal de-implementation of interventional care in bronchiolitis has not occurred and remains a major challenge.

Status Epilepticus Australasian Registry for Children: A pilot prospective, observational, cohort study of paediatric status epilepticus.

OBJECTIVE: Paediatric status epilepticus (SE) has potential for long-term sequelae. Existing data demonstrate delays to aspects of care. The objective of the present study was to examine the feasibility of collecting data on children with paediatric SE and describe current management strategies in pre-hospital and in-hospital settings. METHODS: A pilot, prospective, observational cohort study of children 4 weeks to 16 years of age with SE, in four EDs in Australia. Clinical details including medications administered, duration of seizure and short-term outcomes were collected. Follow up occurred by telephone at 1 month. RESULTS: We enrolled 167 children with SE. Mean age was 5.4 years (standard deviation [SD] 4.1), and 81 (49%) male. Median seizure duration was 10 min (interquartile range 7-30). Midazolam was the first medication administered in 87/100 (87%) instances, mean dose of 0.21 mg/kg (SD 0.13). The dose of midazolam was adequate in 30 (35%), high (>0.2 mg/kg) in 44 (51%) and low (<0.1 mg/kg) in 13 (15%). For second-line agents, levetiracetam was administered on 33/55 (60%) occasions, whereas phenytoin and phenobarbitone were administered on 11/55 (20%) occasions each. Mean dose of levetiracetam was 26.4 mg/kg (SD 13.5). One hundred and four (62%) patients were admitted to hospital, with 13 (8%) admitted to ICU and seven (4%) intubated. CONCLUSION: In children presenting with SE in Australia medical management differed from previous reports, with midazolam as the preferred benzodiazepine, and levetiracetam replacing phenytoin as the preferred second-line agent. This pilot study indicates the feasibility of a paediatric SE registry and its utility to understand and optimise practice.

Treatment patterns and frequency of key outcomes in acute severe asthma in children: a Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) multicentre cohort study.

RATIONALE: Severe acute paediatric asthma may require treatment escalation beyond systemic corticosteroids, inhaled bronchodilators and low-flow oxygen. Current large asthma datasets report parenteral therapy only. OBJECTIVES: To identify the use and type of escalation of treatment in children presenting to hospital with acute severe asthma. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of children with an emergency department diagnosis of asthma or wheeze at 18 Australian and New Zealand hospitals. The main outcomes were use and type of escalation treatment (defined as any of intensive care unit admission, nebulised magnesium, respiratory support or parenteral bronchodilator treatment) and hospital length of stay (LOS). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 14 029 children (median age 3 (IQR 1-3) years; 62.9% male), 1020 (7.3%, 95% CI 6.9% to 7.7%) had treatment escalation. Children with treatment escalation had a longer LOS (44.2 hours, IQR 27.3-63.2 hours) than children without escalation 6.7 hours, IQR 3.5-16.3 hours; p<0.001). The most common treatment escalations were respiratory support alone (400; 2.9%, 95% CI 2.6% to 3.1%), parenteral bronchodilator treatment alone (380; 2.7%, 95% CI 2.5% to 3.0%) and both respiratory support and parenteral bronchodilator treatment (209; 1.5%, 95% CI 1.3% to 1.7%). Respiratory support was predominantly nasal high-flow therapy (99.0%). The most common intravenous medication regimens were: magnesium alone (50.4%), magnesium and aminophylline (24.6%) and magnesium and salbutamol (10.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, 7.3% children with acute severe asthma received some form of escalated treatment, with 4.2% receiving parenteral bronchodilators and 4.3% respiratory support. There is wide variation treatment escalation.

Lessons Learned from OpenNotes Learning Mode and Subsequent Implementation across a Pediatric Health System.

BACKGROUND: The 21st Century Cures Act has accelerated adoption of OpenNotes, providing new opportunities for patient and family engagement in their care. However, these regulations present new challenges, particularly for pediatric health systems aiming to improve information sharing while minimizing risks associated with adolescent confidentiality and safety. OBJECTIVE: Describe lessons learned preparing for OpenNotes across a pediatric health system during a 4-month trial period (referred to as "Learning Mode") in which clinical notes were not shared by default but decision support was present describing the upcoming change and physicians could request feedback on complex cases from a multidisciplinary team. METHODS: During Learning Mode (December 3, 2020-March 9, 2021), implementation included (1) educational text at the top of commonly used note types indicating that notes would soon be shared and providing guidance, (2) a new confidential note type, and (3) a mechanism for physicians to elicit feedback from a multidisciplinary OpenNotes working group for complex cases with questions related to OpenNotes. The working group reviewed lessons learned from this period, as well as implementation of OpenNotes from March 10, 2021 to June 30, 2021. RESULTS: During Learning Mode, 779 confidential notes were written across the system. The working group provided feedback on 14 complex cases and also reviewed 7 randomly selected confidential notes. The proportion of physician notes shared with patients increased from 1.3% to 88.4% after default sharing of notes to the patient portal. Key lessons learned included (1) sensitive information was often present in autopopulated elements, differential diagnoses, and supervising physician note attestations; and (2) incorrect reasons were often selected by clinicians for withholding notes but this accuracy improved with new designs. CONCLUSION: While OpenNotes provides an unprecedented opportunity to engage pediatric patients and their families, targeted education and electronic health record designs are needed to mitigate potential harms of inappropriate disclosures.

Can targeted interventions change the factors influencing variation in management of infants with bronchiolitis? A survey of Australian and New Zealand clinicians: A paediatric research in emergency departments international collaborative (PREDICT) study.

AIM: This study aimed to determine whether targeted interventions, proven to be effective at improving evidence-based bronchiolitis management, changed factors previously found to influence variation in bronchiolitis management. METHODS: This survey assessed change in factors influencing clinicians' (nurses and doctors) bronchiolitis management at baseline and post-intervention in a cluster randomised controlled trial of targeted, theory-informed interventions aiming to de-implement non-evidence-based bronchiolitis management (no use of chest X-ray, salbutamol, antibiotics, glucocorticoids and adrenaline). Survey questions addressed previously identified factors influencing bronchiolitis management from six Theoretical Domains Framework domains (knowledge; skills; beliefs about consequences; social/professional role and identity; environmental context and resources; social influences). Data analysis was descriptive. RESULTS: A total of 1958 surveys (baseline = 996; post-intervention = 962) were completed by clinicians from the emergency department and paediatric inpatient units from 26 hospitals (intervention = 13; control = 13). Targeted bronchiolitis interventions significantly increased knowledge of the Australasian Bronchiolitis Guideline (intervention clinicians = 74%, control = 39%, difference = 34.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 25.6-43.8%), improved skills in diagnosing (intervention doctors = 89%, control = 76%, difference = 12.6%, 95% CI = 6.2-19%) and managing bronchiolitis (intervention doctors = 87%, control = 76%, difference = 9.9%, 95% CI = 3.7-16.1%), positively influenced both beliefs about consequences regarding salbutamol use (intervention clinicians = 49%, control = 29%, difference = 20.3%, 95% CI = 13.2-27.4%) and nurses questioning non-evidence-based bronchiolitis management (chest X-ray: intervention = 71%, control = 51%, difference = 20.8%, 95% CI = 11.4-30.2%; glucocorticoids: intervention = 64%, control = 40%, difference = 21.9%, 95% CI = 10.4-33.5%) (social/professional role and identity). A 14% improvement in evidence-based bronchiolitis management favouring intervention hospitals was demonstrated in the cluster randomised controlled trial. CONCLUSION: Targeted interventions positively changed factors influencing bronchiolitis management resulting in improved evidence-based bronchiolitis care. This study has important implications for improving bronchiolitis management and future development of interventions to de-implement low-value care.

Process evaluation of a cluster randomised controlled trial to improve bronchiolitis management - a PREDICT mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiolitis is the most common reason for hospitalisation in infants. All international bronchiolitis guidelines recommend supportive care, yet considerable variation in practice continues with infants receiving non-evidence based therapies. We developed six targeted, theory-informed interventions; clinical leads, stakeholder meeting, train-the-trainer, education delivery, other educational materials, and audit and feedback. A cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) found the interventions to be effective in reducing use of five non-evidence based therapies in infants with bronchiolitis. This process evaluation paper aims to determine whether the interventions were implemented as planned (fidelity), explore end-users' perceptions of the interventions and evaluate cRCT outcome data with intervention fidelity data. METHODS: A pre-specified mixed-methods process evaluation was conducted alongside the cRCT, guided by frameworks for process evaluation of cRCTs and complex interventions. Quantitative data on the fidelity, dose and reach of interventions were collected from the 13 intervention hospitals during the study and analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data identifying perception and acceptability of interventions were collected from 42 intervention hospital clinical leads on study completion and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The cRCT found targeted, theory-informed interventions improved bronchiolitis management by 14.1%. The process evaluation data found variability in how the intervention was delivered at the cluster and individual level. Total fidelity scores ranged from 55 to 98% across intervention hospitals (mean = 78%; SD = 13%). Fidelity scores were highest for use of clinical leads (mean = 98%; SD = 7%), and lowest for use of other educational materials (mean = 65%; SD = 19%) and audit and feedback (mean = 65%; SD = 20%). Clinical leads reflected positively about the interventions, with time constraints being the greatest barrier to their use. CONCLUSION: Our targeted, theory-informed interventions were delivered with moderate fidelity, and were well received by clinical leads. Despite clinical leads experiencing challenges of time constraints, the level of fidelity had a positive effect on successfully de-implementing non-evidence-based care in infants with bronchiolitis. These findings will inform widespread rollout of our bronchiolitis interventions, and guide future practice change in acute care settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12616001567415 .

The impact of translation modality on user experience: an eye-tracking study of the Microsoft Word user interface.

This paper presents results of the effect of different translation modalities on users when working with the Microsoft Word user interface. An experimental study was set up with 84 Japanese, German, Spanish, and English native speakers working with Microsoft Word in three modalities: the published translated version, a machine translated (MT) version (with unedited MT strings incorporated into the MS Word interface) and the published English version. An eye-tracker measured the cognitive load and usability according to the ISO/TR 16982 guidelines: i.e., effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction followed by retrospective think-aloud protocol. The results show that the users' effectiveness (number of tasks completed) does not significantly differ due to the translation modality. However, their efficiency (time for task completion) and self-reported satisfaction are significantly higher when working with the released product as opposed to the unedited MT version, especially when participants are less experienced. The eye-tracking results show that users experience a higher cognitive load when working with MT and with the human-translated versions as opposed to the English original. The results suggest that language and translation modality play a significant role in the usability of software products whether users complete the given tasks or not and even if they are unaware that MT was used to translate the interface.

Déjà Vu: Recurrent Sudden Cardiac Arrests in a Child With an Anomalous Left Coronary Artery.

Sudden cardiac arrest from anomalous coronary artery from the opposite sinus of Valsalva is rarely observed in children under 10 years of age. We report a 7-week-old infant with a brief resolved unexplained event from left anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery who underwent unroofing and again developed syncope at 8 years of age. Ischemia was detected by stress echocardiography both times. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

The characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-positive children who presented to Australian hospitals during 2020: a PREDICT network study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2-positive children in Australia during 2020. DESIGN, SETTING: Multicentre retrospective study in 16 hospitals of the Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) network; eleven in Victoria, five in four other Australian states. PARTICIPANTS: Children aged 0-17 years who presented to hospital-based COVID-19 testing clinics, hospital wards, or emergency departments during 1 February - 30 September 2020 and who were positive for SARS-CoV-2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children positive for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: A total of 393 SARS-CoV-2-positive children (181 girls, 46%) presented to the participating hospitals (426 presentations, including 131 to emergency departments [31%]), the first on 3 February 2020. Thirty-three children presented more than once (8%), including two who were transferred to participating tertiary centres (0.5%). The median age of the children was 5.3 years (IQR, 1.9-12.0 years; range, 10 days to 17.9 years). Hospital admissions followed 51 of 426 presentations (12%; 44 children), including 17 patients who were managed remotely by hospital in the home. Only 16 of the 426 presentations led to hospital medical interventions (4%). Two children (0.5%) were diagnosed with the paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS). CONCLUSION: The clinical course for most SARS-CoV-2-positive children who presented to Australian hospitals was mild, and did not require medical intervention.

Development of targeted, theory-informed interventions to improve bronchiolitis management.

BACKGROUND: Despite international guidelines providing evidence-based recommendations on appropriate management of infants with bronchiolitis, wide variation in practice occurs. This results in infants receiving care of no benefit, with associated cost and is potentially harmful. Theoretical frameworks are increasingly used to develop interventions, utilising behaviour change techniques specifically chosen to target factors contributing to practice variation, with de-implementation often viewed as harder than implementing. This paper describes the stepped process using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to develop targeted, theory-informed interventions which subsequently successfully improved management of infants with bronchiolitis by de-implementing ineffective therapies. Explicit description of the process and rationale used in developing de-implementation interventions is critical to dissemination of these practices into real world clinical practice. METHODS: A stepped approach was used: (1) Identify evidence-based recommendations and practice variation as targets for change, (2) Identify factors influencing practice change (barriers and enablers) to be addressed, and (3) Identification and development of interventions (behaviour change techniques and methods of delivery) addressing influencing factors, considering evidence of effectiveness, feasibility, local relevance and acceptability. The mode of delivery for the intervention components was informed by evidence from implementation science systematic reviews, and setting specific feasibility and practicality. RESULTS: Five robust evidence-based management recommendations, targeting the main variation in bronchiolitis management were identified: namely, no use of chest x-ray, salbutamol, glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and adrenaline. Interventions developed to target recommendations addressed seven TDF domains (identified following qualitative clinician interviews (n = 20)) with 23 behaviour change techniques chosen to address these domains. Final interventions included: (1) Local stakeholder meetings, (2) Identification of medical and nursing clinical leads, (3) Train-the-trainer workshop for all clinical leads, (4) Local educational materials for delivery by clinical leads, (5) Provision of tools and materials targeting influencing factors, and prompting recommended behaviours, and (6) Audit and feedback. CONCLUSION: A stepped approach based on theory, evidence and issues of feasibility, local relevance and acceptability, was successfully used to develop interventions to improve management of infants with bronchiolitis. The rationale and content of interventions has been explicitly described allowing others to de-implement unnecessary bronchiolitis management, thereby improving care.

Randomised controlled trial comparing immobilisation in above-knee plaster of Paris to controlled ankle motion boots in undisplaced paediatric spiral tibial fractures.

BACKGROUND: Management of common childhood spiral tibial fractures, known as toddler's fractures, has not significantly changed in recent times despite the availability of immobilisation devices known as controlled ankle motion (CAM) boots. We compared standard therapy with these devices on quality-of-life measures. METHODS: A prospective randomised controlled trial, comparing immobilisation with an above-knee plaster of Paris cast (AK-POP) with a CAM boot in children aged 1-5 years with proven or suspected toddler's fractures presenting to a tertiary paediatric ED in Perth, Western Australia, between March 2018 and February 2020. The primary outcome measure was ease of personal care, as assessed by a Care and Comfort Questionnaire (eight questions scored from 0, very easy, to 8, impossible) completed by the caregiver and assessed during three treatment time-points and preintervention and postintervention. Secondary outcome measures included weight-bearing status as well as complications of fracture healing and number of pressure injuries. RESULTS: 87 patients were randomised (44 CAM boot, median age 2 (IQR 1.5-2.3), 71% male; 43 AK-POP, median age 2 (IQR 1.7-2.8), 80% male), a significant difference in the care and comfort score was demonstrated at all treatment time-points; with the AK-POP group reporting greater personal care needs on assessment on day 2, day 7-10 and 4-week review (all p≤0.001). Weight-bearing status was significantly different at day 7-10 (77.5% CAM vs 53.8% AK-POP, p=0.027). There was no difference in fracture healing or pressure areas between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Immobilisation of toddler's fractures in a CAM boot allows faster return to activities of daily living and weight-bearing without any effect on fracture healing. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618001311246).

Effectiveness of Targeted Interventions on Treatment of Infants With Bronchiolitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: In developed countries, bronchiolitis is the most common reason for infants to be admitted to the hospital, and all international bronchiolitis guidelines recommend supportive care; however, significant variation in practice continues with infants receiving non-evidence-based therapies. Deimplementation research aims to reduce the use of low-value care, and advancing science in this area is critical to delivering evidence-based care. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of targeted interventions vs passive dissemination of an evidence-based bronchiolitis guideline in improving treatment of infants with bronchiolitis. Design, Setting, and Participants: This international, multicenter cluster randomized clinical trial included 26 hospitals (clusters) in Australia and New Zealand providing tertiary or secondary pediatric care (13 randomized to intervention, 13 to control) during the 2017 bronchiolitis season. Data were collected on 8003 infants for the 3 bronchiolitis seasons (2014-2016) before the implementation period and 3727 infants for the implementation period (2017 bronchiolitis season, May 1-November 30). Data were analyzed from November 16, 2018, to December 9, 2020. Interventions: Interventions were developed using theories of behavior change to target key factors that influence bronchiolitis management. These interventions included site-based clinical leads, stakeholder meetings, a train-the-trainer workshop, targeted educational delivery, other educational and promotional materials, and audit and feedback. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was compliance during the first 24 hours of care with no use of chest radiography, albuterol, glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and epinephrine, measured retrospectively from medical records of randomly selected infants with bronchiolitis who presented to the hospital. There were no patient-level exclusions. Results: A total of 26 hospitals were randomized without dropouts. Analysis was by intention to treat. Baseline data collected on 8003 infants for 3 bronchiolitis seasons (2014-2016) before the implementation period were similar between intervention and control hospitals. Implementation period data were collected on 3727 infants, including 2328 boys (62%) and 1399 girls (38%), with a mean (SD) age of 6.0 (3.2) months. A total of 459 (12%) were Maori (New Zealand), and 295 (8%) were Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander (Australia). Compliance with recommendations was 85.1% (95% CI, 82.6%-89.7%) in intervention hospitals vs 73.0% (95% CI, 65.3%-78.8%) in control hospitals (adjusted risk difference, 14.1%; 95% CI, 6.5%-21.7%; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: Targeted interventions led to improved treatment of infants with bronchiolitis. This study has important implications for bronchiolitis management and the development of effective interventions to deimplement low-value care. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12616001567415.

The virtual pediatric perioperative home, experience at a major metropolitan safety net hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Successes from anesthesiologist-led perioperative surgical homes in the adult patient population have inspired similar initiatives by pediatric hospitals. Typically the care coordination for these perioperative homes is run through hospital-funded, on-site, preanesthesia clinics. Preliminary data from pediatric perioperative homes have shown promising results in improved patient outcomes and decreased length of hospital stay. The majority of pediatric surgeries within the country are performed in nonpediatric hospitals. Such centers may not have the infrastructure or financial resources for a freestanding pediatric preanesthesia clinic. Faced with this situation at the largest safety net hospital in New England, the authors present their experience designing and implementing a "Virtual Pediatric Perioperative Home," a telemedicine-based triage and preanesthetic optimization for pediatric patients at Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all pediatric anesthesia cases at Boston Medical Center from February 1, 2019, to January 31, 2020, as well as the number of pediatric cases canceled or postponed on the day of surgery for any reason during the same time period was conducted. RESULTS: From February 1, 2019, to January 31, 2020, 1546 anesthetics were performed in children 18 years and under. Of those, 63 were designated as emergent and hence excluded from our analysis. 153 of the total 1483 (9.4%) of nonemergent bookings were canceled or postponed on the day of surgery. This represented a marked decline from our previous year's 13.7% same-day cancellation rate for pediatric patients. The most common reason for case cancellations (41.8%) was acute illness. Cancellation rates varied from month to month, with the highest cancellation rate of the year in September 2019 (18.8%). The departments of Podiatry and Gastroenterology represented the highest cancellation rates as a denominator of their case volumes, 15.4% and 15.2%, respectively. Younger children had 2.4 times the odds (95% CI: 1.720, 3.4) of cancellation compared to older children. DISCUSSION: The virtual pediatric perioperative home (VPPH) may benefit quality of care while decreasing costs to pediatric patients, families, and hospital systems. While direct financial gains may be difficult to demonstrate, the VPPH has the potential to reduce OR delays and same day cancellations related to questions of medical optimization. In the context of a socioeconomically disadvantaged patient population, our VPPH's team of subspecialists created inroads for at risk children to establish or reestablish care for their comorbidities, while collaboration with the Department of Children and Families further streamlined communication and consent for pediatric patients in foster care. CONCLUSIONS: The authors describe the design and successful implementation of a telemedicine-based pediatric preanesthesia triage and medical optimization service at a large safety net hospital. By creating a communication network of pediatric subspecialists, the anesthesiologists were able to, at minimal institutional cost, coordinate care for children with a variety of comorbidities leading up to the day of surgery. This yielded a 9.4% same day cancellation rate in a complex, socioeconomically disadvantaged pediatric patient population at a general hospital.