Pediatric Gastrointestinal Outcomes During the Post-Acute Phase of COVID-19.

Background: The impact of COVID-19 on gastrointestinal (GI) outcomes in children during the post-acute and chronic phases of the disease is not well understood. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study across twenty-nine healthcare institutions from March 2020 to September 2023, including 413,455 pediatric patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and 1,163,478 controls without infection. Infection was confirmed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), serology, antigen tests, or clinical diagnosis of COVID-19 and related conditions. We examined the incidence of predefined GI symptoms and disorders during the post-acute (28 to 179 days post-infection) and chronic (180 to 729 days post-infection) phases. The adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) were calculated using stratified Poisson regression, with stratification based on propensity scores. Results: Our cohort comprised 1,576,933 patients, with females representing 48.0% of the sample. The analysis revealed that children with SARS-CoV-2 infection had an increased risk of developing at least one GI symptom or disorder in both the post-acute (8.64% vs. 6.85%; aRR 1.25, 95% CI 1.24-1.27) and chronic phases (12.60% vs. 9.47%; aRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.26-1.30) compared to uninfected peers. Specifically, the risk of abdominal pain was higher in COVID-19 positive patients during the post-acute phase (2.54% vs. 2.06%; aRR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11-1.17) and chronic phase (4.57% vs. 3.40%; aRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.22-1.27). Interpretation: Children with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection are at an increased risk of GI symptoms and disorders during the post-acute and chronic phases of COVID-19. This highlights the need for ongoing monitoring and management of GI outcomes in this population. Research in Context: Evidence before this study: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases up to September 2023 for studies assessing the incidence and risk of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and disorders in children following viral infections, including COVID-19. We included studies published in any language and involving various methodologies (observational studies, cohort studies, and clinical trials). Our search terms included "COVID-19," "SARS-CoV-2," "gastrointestinal symptoms," "children," "post-acute," and "chronic." The evidence prior to this study suggested an increased risk of GI disorders in adults after viral infections but was less definitive for the pediatric population.Added value of this study: This study significantly extends the existing literature by specifically examining the risk of GI symptoms and disorders in the pediatric population during the post-acute and chronic phases of COVID-19. Using a large retrospective cohort design encompassing over 1.5 million children and adolescents from 29 healthcare institutions, our analysis provides robust evidence of increased GI symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation among COVID-19 positive patients compared to non-infected peers. It is one of the largest studies of its kind and the first to provide such comprehensive data for the U.S. pediatric population, with follow-up extending up to two years post-infection.Implications of all the available evidence: The findings underscore the importance of monitoring children and adolescents for persistent GI symptoms following COVID-19, suggesting that these symptoms may be more common and prolonged than previously recognized. These insights are crucial for pediatric healthcare providers and could influence guidelines for the follow-up care of children recovering from COVID-19. The study also highlights the need for future research to explore the underlying mechanisms of post-acute and chronic GI symptoms in children to develop targeted interventions and improve long-term outcomes. Authorship Statement: Authorship has been determined according to ICMJE recommendations.

Post-Acute Cardiovascular Outcomes of COVID-19 in Children and Adolescents: An EHR Cohort Study from the RECOVER Project.

Background: The risk of cardiovascular outcomes in the post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection has been quantified among adults and children. This paper aimed to assess a multitude of cardiac signs, symptoms, and conditions, as well as focused on patients with and without congenital heart defects (CHDs), to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the post-acute cardiovascular outcomes among children and adolescents after COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from the RECOVER consortium comprising 19 US children's hospitals and health institutions between March 2020 and September 2023. Every participant had at least a six-month follow-up after cohort entry. Absolute risks of incident post-acute COVID-19 sequelae were reported. Relative risks (RRs) were calculated by contrasting COVID-19-positive with COVID-19-negative groups using a Poisson regression model, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and healthcare utilization factors through propensity scoring stratification. Results: A total of 1,213,322 individuals under 21 years old (mean[SD] age, 7.75[6.11] years; 623,806 male [51.4%]) were included. The absolute rate of any post-acute cardiovascular outcome in this study was 2.32% in COVID-19 positive and 1.38% in negative groups. Patients with CHD post-SARS-CoV-2 infection showed increased risks of any cardiovascular outcome (RR, 1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.47-1.80), including increased risks of 11 of 18 post-acute sequelae in hypertension, arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias), myocarditis, other cardiac disorders (heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and cardiac arrest), thrombotic disorders (thrombophlebitis and thromboembolism), and cardiovascular-related symptoms (chest pain and palpitations). Those without CHDs also experienced heightened cardiovascular risks after SARS-CoV-2 infection (RR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.57-1.69), covering 14 of 18 conditions in hypertension, arrhythmias (ventricular arrhythmias and premature atrial or ventricular contractions), inflammatory heart disease (pericarditis and myocarditis), other cardiac disorders (heart failure, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrest, and cardiogenic shock), thrombotic disorders (pulmonary embolism and thromboembolism), and cardiovascular-related symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, and syncope). Conclusions: Both children with and without CHDs showed increased risks for a variety of cardiovascular outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection, underscoring the need for targeted monitoring and management in the post-acute phase.

Vaccine Effectiveness Against Long COVID in Children.

OBJECTIVES: Vaccination reduces the risk of acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in children, but it is less clear whether it protects against long COVID. We estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) against long COVID in children aged 5 to 17 years. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used data from 17 health systems in the RECOVER PCORnet electronic health record program for visits after vaccine availability. We examined both probable (symptom-based) and diagnosed long COVID after vaccination. RESULTS: The vaccination rate was 67% in the cohort of 1 037 936 children. The incidence of probable long COVID was 4.5% among patients with COVID-19, whereas diagnosed long COVID was 0.8%. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness within 12 months was 35.4% (95 CI 24.5-44.7) against probable long COVID and 41.7% (15.0-60.0) against diagnosed long COVID. VE was higher for adolescents (50.3% [36.6-61.0]) than children aged 5 to 11 (23.8% [4.9-39.0]). VE was higher at 6 months (61.4% [51.0-69.6]) but decreased to 10.6% (-26.8% to 37.0%) at 18-months. CONCLUSIONS: This large retrospective study shows moderate protective effect of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 vaccination against long COVID. The effect is stronger in adolescents, who have higher risk of long COVID, and wanes over time. Understanding VE mechanism against long COVID requires more study, including electronic health record sources and prospective data.

Racial and ethnic disparities in diagnostic imaging for child physical abuse.

IMPORTANCE: Racial bias may affect occult injury testing decisions for children with concern for abuse. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association of race on occult injury testing decisions at children's hospitals. DESIGN: In this retrospective study, we measured disparities in: (1) the proportion of visits for which indicated diagnostic imaging studies for child abuse were obtained; (2) the proportion of positive tests. SETTING: The Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) administrative database encompassing 49 tertiary children's hospitals during 2017-2019. PARTICIPANTS: We built three cohorts based on guidelines for diagnostic testing for child abuse: infants with traumatic brain injury (TBI; n = 1952), children <2 years old with extremity fracture (n = 20,842), and children <2 years old who received a skeletal survey (SS; n = 13,081). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: For each group we measured: (1) the odds of receiving a specific guideline-recommended diagnostic imaging study; (2) among those with the indicated imaging study, the odds of an abuse-related injury diagnosis. We calculated both unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) by race and ethnicity, adjusting for sex, age in months, payor, and hospital. RESULTS: In infants with TBI, the odds of receiving a SS did not differ by racial group. Among those with a SS, the odds of rib fracture were higher for non-Hispanic Black than Hispanic (AOR 2.05 (CI 1.31, 3.2)) and non-Hispanic White (AOR 1.57 (CI 1.11, 2.32)) patients. In children with extremity fractures, the odds of receiving a SS were higher for non-Hispanic Black than Hispanic and non-Hispanic White patients (AOR 1.97 (CI 1.74, 2.23)); (AOR 1.17 (CI 1.05, 1.31)), respectively, and lower for Hispanic than non-Hispanic White patients (AOR 0.59 (CI 0.53, 0.67)). Among those receiving a SS, the rate of rib fractures did not differ by race. In children with skeletal surveys, the odds of receiving neuroimaging did not differ by race. Among those with neuroimaging, the odds of a non-fracture, non-concussion TBI were lower in non-Hispanic Black than Hispanic patients (AOR 0.7 (CI 0.57, 0.86)) and were higher among Hispanic than non-Hispanic White patients (AOR 1.23 (CI 1.02, 1.47)). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: We did not identify a consistent pattern of race-based disparities in occult injury testing when considering the concurrent yield for abuse-related injuries.

Unwinding of Continuous Medicaid Coverage Among Patients at Community Health Centers.

This retrospective cohort study uses data from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network to assess patterns of Medicaid disenrollment during the first 6 months after the end of continuous enrollment.

Vaccine Effectiveness Against Long COVID in Children: A Report from the RECOVER EHR Cohort.

Objective: Vaccination reduces the risk of acute COVID-19 in children, but it is less clear whether it protects against long COVID. We estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) against long COVID in children aged 5-17 years. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used data from 17 health systems in the RECOVER PCORnet electronic health record (EHR) Program for visits between vaccine availability, and October 29, 2022. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate VE against long COVID with matching on age group (5-11, 12-17) and time period and adjustment for sex, ethnicity, health system, comorbidity burden, and pre-exposure health care utilization. We examined both probable (symptom-based) and diagnosed long COVID in the year following vaccination. Results: The vaccination rate was 56% in the cohort of 1,037,936 children. The incidence of probable long COVID was 4.5% among patients with COVID-19, while diagnosed long COVID was 0.7%. Adjusted vaccine effectiveness within 12 months was 35.4% (95 CI 24.5 - 44.5) against probable long COVID and 41.7% (15.0 - 60.0) against diagnosed long COVID. VE was higher for adolescents 50.3% [36.3 - 61.0]) than children aged 5-11 (23.8% [4.9 - 39.0]). VE was higher at 6 months (61.4% [51.0 - 69.6]) but decreased to 10.6% (-26.8 - 37.0%) at 18-months. Discussion: This large retrospective study shows a moderate protective effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination against long COVID. The effect is stronger in adolescents, who have higher risk of long COVID, and wanes over time. Understanding VE mechanism against long COVID requires more study, including EHR sources and prospective data. Article Summary: Vaccination against COVID-19 has a protective effect against long COVID in children and adolescents. The effect wanes over time but remains significant at 12 months. What's Known on This Subject: Vaccines reduce the risk and severity of COVID-19 in children. There is evidence for reduced long COVID risk in adults who are vaccinated, but little information about similar effects for children and adolescents, who have distinct forms of long COVID. What This Study Adds: Using electronic health records from US health systems, we examined large cohorts of vaccinated and unvaccinated patients <18 years old and show that vaccination against COVID-19 is associated with reduced risk of long COVID for at least 12 months. Contributors' Statement: Drs. Hanieh Razzaghi and Charles Bailey conceptualized and designed the study, supervised analyses, drafted the initial manuscript, and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript.Drs. Christopher Forrest and Yong Chen designed the study and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript.Ms. Kathryn Hirabayashi, Ms. Andrea Allen, and Dr. Qiong Wu conducted analyses, and critically reviewed and revised the manuscript.Drs. Suchitra Rao, H Timothy Bunnell, Elizabeth A. Chrischilles, Lindsay G. Cowell, Mollie R. Cummins, David A. Hanauer, Benjamin D. Horne, Carol R. Horowitz, Ravi Jhaveri, Susan Kim, Aaron Mishkin, Jennifer A. Muszynski, Susanna Nagie, Nathan M. Pajor, Anuradha Paranjape, Hayden T. Schwenk, Marion R. Sills, Yacob G. Tedla, David A. Williams, and Ms. Miranda Higginbotham critically reviewed and revised the manuscript.All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Authorship statement: Authorship has been determined according to ICMJE recommendations.

Child Opportunity Index and Rehospitalization for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions at US Children's Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: Child Opportunity Index (COI) measures neighborhood contextual factors (education, health and environment, social and economic) that may influence child health. Such factors have been associated with hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC). Lower COI has been associated with higher health care utilization, yet association with rehospitalization(s) for ACSC remains unknown. Our objective is to determine the association between COI and ACSC rehospitalizations. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective cohort study of children ages 0 to 17 years with a hospital admission for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in 2017 or 2018. Exposure was COI. Outcome was rehospitalization within 1 year of index admission (analyzed as any or ≥2 rehospitalization) for ACSC. Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, severity, and complex and mental health conditions. RESULTS: The study included 184 478 children. Of hospitalizations, 28.3% were by children from very low COI and 16.5% were by children from very high COI neighborhoods. In risk-adjusted models, ACSC rehospitalization was higher for children from very low COI than very high COI neighborhoods; any rehospitalization occurred for 18.7% from very low COI and 13.5% from very high COI neighborhoods (adjusted odds ratio 1.14 [1.05-1.23]), whereas ≥2 rehospitalization occurred for 4.8% from very low COI and 3.2% from very high COI neighborhoods (odds ratio 1.51 [1.29-1.75]). CONCLUSIONS: Children from neighborhoods with low COI had higher rehospitalizations for ACSCs. Further research is needed to understand how hospital systems can address social determinants of health in the communities they serve to prevent rehospitalizations.

Effects of a QI intervention on pediatric asthma treatment using patient outcomes and workflow in an emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate a nurse-initiated quality improvement (QI) intervention aimed at enhancing asthma treatment in a pediatric emergency department (ED), utilizing outcomes and workflow. METHODS: We evaluated the impact of QI interventions for pediatric patients presenting to the ED with asthma with pre-post analysis. A pediatric asthma score (PAS) of >8 indicated moderate to severe asthma. This secondary analysis of the electronic health record (EHR), evaluated on 1) patient outcomes (time to clinical treatment, ED length of stay [EDLOS], admissions and discharges home), 2) clinical workflow. RESULTS: We compared 886 visits occurring between 01/01/2015 and 09/27/2015 (pre-implementation period) with 752 visits between 01/01/2016 and 09/27/2016 (post-implementation). Time to first documentation of PAS was decreased post-intervention (p<.001) by >30 min (75 ± 57 to 39 ± 54 min). There were significant decreases in time to treatment with both steroid and bronchodilator administration (both p<.001). EDLOS did not significantly change. Based on acuity level, those discharged home from the ED with high acuity (PAS score ≥8), had a significant decrease in time to initial PAS, steroid and bronchodilator use and EDLOS. Of those with high acuity who were admitted to the hospital, there was a difference pre- to post-implementation, in time to first PAS (p<.05), but not to treatment. Workflow visualization provided additional insights and detailed (task level) comparisons of the timing of ED activities. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse-initiated ED interventions, can significantly improve the timeliness of pediatric asthma evaluation and treatment. Examining workflow along with the outcomes, can better inform QI evaluations and clinical management.

Neighborhood Child Opportunity and Emergency Department Utilization.

The Child Opportunity Index measures the structural neighborhood context that may influence a child's healthy development. We examined relationships between the Child Opportunity Index and emergency department utilization. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Child Opportunity Index (COI) is a multidimensional measure of structural neighborhood context that may influence a child's healthy development. Our objective was to determine if COI is associated with children's emergency department (ED) utilization using a national sample. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of the Pediatric Health Information Systems, a database from 49 United States children's hospitals. We analyzed children aged 0 to 17 years with ED visits from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019. We modeled associations between COI and outcomes using generalized regression models that adjusted for patient characteristics (eg, age, clinical severity). Outcomes included: (1) low-resource intensity (LRI) ED visits (visits with no laboratories, imaging, procedures, or admission), (2) ≥2 or ≥3 ED visits, and (3) admission. RESULTS: We analyzed 6 810 864 ED visits by 3 999 880 children. LRI visits were more likely among children from very low compared with very high COI (1 LRI visit: odds ratio [OR] 1.35 [1.17-1.56]; ≥2 LRI visits: OR 1.97 [1.66-2.33]; ≥3 LRI visits: OR 2.4 [1.71-3.39]). ED utilization was more likely among children from very low compared with very high COI (≥2 ED visits: OR 1.73 [1.51-1.99]; ≥3 ED visits: OR 2.22 [1.69-2.91]). Risk of hospital admission from the ED was lower for children from very low compared with very high COI (OR 0.77 [0.65-0.99]). CONCLUSIONS: Children from neighborhoods with low COI had higher ED utilization overall and more LRI visits, as well as visits more cost-effectively managed in primary care settings. Identifying neighborhood opportunity-related drivers can help us design interventions to optimize child health and decrease unnecessary ED utilization and costs.

Injury-Related Pediatric Emergency Department Visits in the First Year of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiology of pediatric injury-related visits to children's hospital emergency departments (EDs) in the United States during early and later periods of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Pediatric Health Information System, an administrative database to identify injury-related ED visits at 41 United States children's hospitals during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic period (March 15, 2020 to March 14, 2021) and a 3 year comparator period (March 15-March 14, 2017-2020). For these 2 periods, we compared patient characteristics, injury type and severity, primary discharge diagnoses, and disposition, stratified by early (March 15, 2020 to June 30, 2020), middle (July 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020), and late (November 1, 2020 to March 14, 2021) pandemic periods. RESULTS: Overall, ED injury-related visits decreased by 26.6% during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with the largest decline observed in minor injuries. ED injury-related visits resulting in serious-critical injuries increased across the pandemic (15.9% early, 4.9% middle, 20.6% late). Injury patterns with the sharpest relative declines included superficial injuries (41.7% early) and sprains/strains (62.4% early). Mechanisms of injury with the greatest relative increases included (1) firearms (22.9% early; 42.8% middle; 37% late), (2) pedal cyclists (60.4%; 24.9%; 32.2%), (3) other transportation (20.8%; 25.3%; 17.9%), and (4) suffocation/asphyxiation (21.4%; 20.2%; 28.4%) and injuries because of suicide intent (-16.2%, 19.9%, 21.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric injury-related ED visits declined in general. However, there was a relative increase in injuries with the highest severity, which warrants further investigation.

Child Opportunity Index and Changes in Pediatric Acute Care Utilization in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric acute care utilization decreased dramatically during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study examined the association between the Child Opportunity Index (COI), a multidimensional neighborhood measure of childhood opportunity, and changes in acute care utilization at US pediatric hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the previous 3 years. METHODS: This observational study used administrative data across 41 US-based pediatric hospitals. Children aged 0 to 17 years with emergency department (ED) encounters during the study period were included. The COVID-19 pandemic time period (March 15, 2020-March 14, 2021) was the primary exposure. The primary outcome was the relative volume drop in ED encounters and observation/inpatient admissions through the ED by COI quintile. RESULTS: Of 12 138 750 encounters, 3 705 320 (30.5%) were among the very low COI quintile. Overall, there was a 46.8% relative volume reduction in the pandemic period compared with the prepandmic period. This drop in volume occurred disproportionately among the very low COI quintile (51.1%) compared with the very high COI quintile (42.8%). The majority of clinical diagnosis groups demonstrated larger relative volume drops among the very low COI quintile. CONCLUSIONS: Acute care utilization decreased the most among children from very low COI neighborhoods, narrowing previously described acute care utilization disparities. Additional study of patient perspectives on health care needs and access during this period is required to understand these changes.

Development of a Health Disparities Index: Proof of Concept with Chest Radiography in Asthma.

OBJECTIVES: To develop a tool for quantifying health disparity (Health Disparity Index[HDI]) and explore hospital variation measured by this index using chest radiography (CXR) in asthma as the proof of concept. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric Health Information System database including children with asthma between 5 and 18 years old. Inpatient and emergency department (ED) encounters from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2018, with low or moderate severity were included. Exclusions included hospitals with <10 cases in any racial/ethnic group. The HDI measured variation in CXR use among children with asthma based on race/ethnicity. The HDI was calculated as the absolute difference between maximum and minimum percentages of CXR use (range = 0-100) when there was statistical evidence that the percentages were different. RESULTS: Data from 36 hospitals included 16 744 inpatient and 75 805 ED encounters. Overall, 19.7% of encounters had a CXR (34.3% for inpatient; 16.5% for ED). In inpatient encounters, 47.2% (17/36) of hospitals had a significant difference in imaging across racial/ethnic groups. Of these, the median hospital-level HDI was 19.4% (IQR 13.5-20.1). In ED encounters, 78.8% (28/36) of hospitals had a statistically significant difference in imaging across racial/ethnic groups, with a median hospital-level HDI of 10.2% (IQR 8.3-14.1). There was no significant association between the inpatient HDI and ED HDI (P = .46). CONCLUSIONS: The HDI provides a practical measure of disparity. To improve equity in healthcare, metrics are needed that are intuitive, accurate, usable, and actionable. Next steps include application of this index to other conditions.

Predicting hospitalization of pediatric asthma patients in emergency departments using machine learning.

MOTIVATION: The timely identification of patients for hospitalization in emergency departments (EDs) can facilitate efficient use of hospital resources. Machine learning can help the early prediction of ED disposition; however, application of machine learning models requires both computer science skills and domain knowledge. This presents a barrier for those who want to apply machine learning to real-world settings. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to construct a competitive predictive model with a minimal amount of human effort to facilitate decisions regarding hospitalization of patients. METHODS: This study used the electronic health record data from five EDs in a single healthcare system, including an academic urban children's hospital ED, from January 2009 to December 2013. We constructed two machine learning models by using automated machine learning algorithm (autoML) which allows non-experts to use machine learning model: one with data only available at ED triage, the other adding information available one hour into the ED visit. Random forest and logistic regression were employed as bench-marking models. The ratio of the training dataset to the test dataset was 8:2, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, and F1 were calculated to assess the quality of the models. RESULTS: Of the 9,069 ED visits analyzed, the study population was made up of males (62.7 %), median (IQR) age was 6 (4, 10) years, and public insurance coverage (66.0 %). The majority had an Emergency Severity Index score of 3 (52.9 %). The prevalence of hospitalization was 22.5 %. The AUCs were 0.914 and 0.942. AUCs were 0.831 and 0.886 for random forests, and 0.795 and 0.823 for logistic regression. Among the predictors, an outcome at a prior visit, ESI level, time to first medication, and time to triage were the most important features for the prediction of the need for hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with the conventional approaches, the use of autoML improved the predictive ability for the need for hospitalization. The findings can optimize ED management, hospital-level resource utilization and improve quality. Furthermore, this approach can support the design of a more effective patient ED flow for pediatric asthma care.

Factors Associated With First Medication Time for Children Treated in the Emergency Department for Asthma.

OBJECTIVES: Acute asthma exacerbations are among the most common reasons for childhood emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Although early ED administration of asthma medication has been shown to decrease hospitalizations, studies of factors associated with early ED asthma medication delivery have been limited. The objective of our study was to identify patient- and ED-related factors associated with early medication delivery among children treated in the ED for asthma exacerbations. METHODS: This retrospective study used electronic health record data from all encounters for a primary diagnosis of asthma in an academic children's hospital ED during the study period 2009 to 2013. Using multivariate logistic regression, we identified the association between patient- and ED-related factors and the time to first medication defined as a binary outcome using a threshold of 1 hour from ED arrival. We then stratified our analysis by triage level (Emergency Severity Index [ESI]). RESULTS: Of the 4846 encounters during the study period, 62% were male, mean age was 7.30 years, 76% had public insurance, and 57% had an ESI level of 3. Medication was administered within 1 hour of arrival in 2236 encounters (46%). After adjusting for covariates, multivariate logistic regression revealed that patients were less likely to have medications within 1 hour when they had less severe ESI (ESI 2 vs ESI 4: odds ratio [OR], 0.139; confidence interval [CI], 0.114-0.170), arrived via non-emergency medical services (OR, 0.525; CI, 0.413-0.665), or arrived to a crowded ED (OR, 0.574; CI, 0.505-0.652). Age, sex, and insurance type were not associated with timeliness of initial medication administration. Stratified analyses demonstrated that the crowding effect was larger for less severely ill patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that patient severity (acuity level, arrival mode) and level of ED crowing-but not demographic factors-are associated with the administration of medication in the first hour to pediatric patients with asthma. Our findings may be helpful in redesigning asthma care management strategies.

Analysis of medication patterns for pediatric asthma patients in emergency department: Does the sequence placement of glucocorticoids administration matter?

Objectives: Timely glucocorticoid administration is associated with decreased admission rate and is thus a common quality metric for ED asthma care; less is known about the impact of the timing of glucocorticoids in the context of the sequence of asthma medications administered. Therefore, we investigated the distribution of asthma medication sequences in one ED and analyzed the effect of the sequence placement of glucocorticoids administration on treatment outcomes.Methods: A retrospective study using five-year electronic health record data obtained from an academic urban children's hospital ED was conducted. We clustered the sequences of medication administration using an exact string-matching algorithm to identify the most frequently used asthma medication sequences. Then, we used the identified patterns to perform statistical tests to examine the effect of the sequence placement of glucocorticoids administration on the outcomes length-of-stay and ED disposition.Results: A total of 4,844 encounters were included in our study. The ten most common treatment sequences accounted for 43% of all encounters. Stratified analyses confirmed that treatment sequences pattern was correlated with patient severity, but ED crowding does not impact treatment sequences. In multivariable models, glucocorticoids administration earlier in the treatment sequence was associated with shorter length of stay and lower hospital admission rates.Conclusions: By analyzing medication sequence patterns for the ED encounter of pediatric asthma, we found that the earlier sequence placement of glucocorticoids administration is associated with improved outcomes. Our findings can help inform quality improvement and clinical guideline development related to ED asthma care for children.

Pediatric Emergency Department Visits at US Children's Hospitals During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on pediatric emergency department (ED) visits is not well characterized. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of pediatric ED visits and resource use during the pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Pediatric Health Information System for ED visits to 27 US children's hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic period (March 15, 2020, to August 31, 2020) and a 3-year comparator period (March 15 to August 31, 2017-2019). ED visit rates, patient and visit characteristics, resource use, and ED charges were compared between the time periods. We specifically evaluated changes in low-resource-intensity visits, defined as ED visits that did not result in hospitalization or medication administration and for which no laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, or procedures were performed. RESULTS: ED visit rates decreased by 45.7% (average 911 026 ED visits over 2017-2019 vs 495 052 visits in 2020) during the pandemic. The largest decrease occurred among visits for respiratory disorders (70.0%). The pandemic was associated with a relative increase in the proportion of visits for children with a chronic condition from 23.7% to 27.8% (P < .001). The proportion of low-resource-intensity visits decreased by 7.0 percentage points, and total charges decreased by 20.0% during the pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a marked decrease in pediatric ED visits across a broad range of conditions; however, the proportional decline of poisoning and mental health visits was less pronounced. The impact of decreased visits on patient outcomes warrants further research.

Longitudinal Trends in Costs for Hospitalizations at Children's Hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: Children's hospitals are increasingly focused on value-based improvement efforts to improve outcomes and lower costs. Such efforts are generally focused on improving outcomes in specific conditions. Examination of cost drivers across all admissions may facilitate strategic prioritization of efforts. METHODS: Pediatric Health Information System data set discharges from 2010 to 2017 were aggregated into services lines and billing categories. The mean annual growth per discharge as a percentage of 2010 total costs was calculated for aggregated medical and surgical service lines and 6 individual service lines with highest rates of growth. The mean annual growth per discharge for each billing category and changes in length of stay was further assessed. RESULTS: The mean annual growth in total costs was similar for aggregated medical (2.6%) and surgical (2.7%) service lines. Individual medical service lines with highest mean annual growth were oncology (3.5%), reproductive services (2.9%), and nonsurgical orthopedics (2.8%); surgical service lines with highest rate of growth were solid organ transplant (3.7%), ophthalmology (3.3%), and otolaryngology (2.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Room costs contributed most consistently to cost increases without concomitant increases in length of stay. Value-based health care initiatives must focus on room cost increases and their impacts on patient outcomes.

Care of Pediatric High-Cost Hospitalizations Across Hospital Types.

BACKGROUND: High-cost hospitalizations (HCHs) account for a substantial proportion of pediatric health care expenditures. We aimed to (1) describe the distribution of pediatric HCHs across hospital types caring for children and (2) compare characteristics of pediatric HCHs by hospital type. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of all pediatric hospitalizations in the 2012 Kids' Inpatient Database. HCHs were defined as costs >$40 000 (94th percentile). Hospitals were categorized as children's, small general, and large general. RESULTS: Approximately 166 000 HCHs were responsible for 50.8% of aggregate hospital costs ($18.1 of $35.7 billion) and were mostly at children's hospitals (65%). Children with an HCH were largely neonates (45%), had public insurance (50%), and had ≥1 chronic condition (74%). A total of 131 children's hospitals cared for a median of 559 HCHs per hospital (interquartile range [IQR]: 355-1153) compared to 76 HCHs per hospital (IQR: 32-151) at 397 large general hospitals and 5 HCHs per hospital (IQR: 2-22) at 3581 small general hospitals. The median annual aggregate cost for HCHs was $60 million (IQR: $36-$135) per children's hospital compared to $6.6 million (IQR: $2-$15) per large general hospital and $300 000 (IQR: $116 000-$1.5 million) per small general hospital. HCHs from children's hospitals encompassed nearly 5 times as many unique clinical conditions as large general hospitals and >30 times as many as small general hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Children's hospitals cared for a disproportionate volume, cost, and diversity of HCHs compared to general hospitals. Future studies should characterize the factors driving cost, resources, and reimbursement practices for HCH to ensure the long-term financial viability of the pediatric health care system.