Postoperative Hematocrit and Adverse Outcomes in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study From the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society Database Collaboration.

BACKGROUND: We sought to examine potential associations between pediatric postcardiac surgical hematocrit values and postoperative complications or mortality. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional study from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (STS-CHSD) and Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society Database Module (2014-2019) was completed. Multivariable logistic regression models, adjusting for covariates in the STS-CHSD mortality risk model, were used to assess the relationship between postoperative hematocrit and the primary outcomes of operative mortality or any major complication. Hematocrit was assessed as a continuous variable using linear splines to account for nonlinear relationships with outcomes. Operations after which the oxygen saturation is typically observed to be <92% were classified as cyanotic and ≥92% as acyanotic. RESULTS: In total, 27,462 index operations were included, with 4909 (17.9%) being cyanotic and 22,553 (82.1%) acyanotic. For cyanotic patients, each 5% incremental increase in hematocrit over 42% was associated with a 1.31-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.55; P = .003) increase in the odds of operative mortality and a 1.22-fold (95% CI, 1.10-1.36; P < .001) increase in the odds of a major complication. For acyanotic patients, each 5% incremental increase in hematocrit >38% was associated with a 1.45-fold (95% CI, 1.28-1.65; P < .001) increase in the odds of operative mortality and a 1.21-fold (95% CI, 1.14-1.29; P < .001) increase in the odds of a major complication. CONCLUSIONS: High hematocrit on arrival to the intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with increased operative mortality and major complications in pediatric patients following cardiac surgery.

Declining Procedures in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Using a National Database.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the change in rate of invasive procedures (endotracheal intubation, central venous catheters, arterial catheters, and peripheral inserted central venous catheters) performed in PICUs per admission over time. Secondarily, to investigate the change in type of respiratory support over time. DESIGN: Retrospective study of prospectively collected data using the Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS; LLC, Los Angeles, CA) database. SETTING: North American PICUs. PATIENTS: Patients admitted from January 2009 to December 2017. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: There were 902,624 admissions from 161 PICUs included in the analysis. Since 2009, there has been a decrease in rate of endotracheal intubations, central venous catheters placed, and arterial catheters placed and an increase in the rate of peripheral inserted central venous catheter insertion per admission over time after controlling for severity of illness and unit level effects. As compared to 2009, the incident rate ratio for 2017 for endotracheal intubation was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83-0.98; p = 0.017), for central venous line placement 0.69 (0.63-0.74; p < 0.001), for arterial catheter insertion 0.85 (0.79-0.92; p < 0.001), and for peripheral inserted central venous catheter placement 1.14 (1.03-1.26; p = 0.013). Over this time period, in a subgroup with available data, there was a decrease in the rate of invasive mechanical ventilation and an increase in the rate of noninvasive respiratory support (bilevel positive airway pressure/continuous positive airway pressure and high-flow nasal oxygen) per admission. CONCLUSIONS: Over 9 years across multiple North American PICUs, the rate of endotracheal intubations, central catheter, and arterial catheter insertions per admission has decreased. The use of invasive mechanical ventilation has decreased with an increase in noninvasive respiratory support. These data support efforts to improve exposure to invasive procedures in training and structured systems to evaluate continued competency.

Cost Efficacy of Rapid Whole Genome Sequencing in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

The diagnostic and clinical utility of rapid whole genome sequencing (rWGS) for critically ill children in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been substantiated by multiple studies, but comprehensive cost-effectiveness evaluation of rWGS in the ICU outside of the neonatal age group is lacking. In this study, we examined cost data retrospectively for a cohort of 38 children in a regional pediatric ICU (PICU) who received rWGS. We identified seven of 17 patients who received molecular diagnoses by rWGS and had resultant changes in clinical management with sufficient clarity to permit cost and quality adjusted life years (QALY) modeling. Cost of PICU care was estimated to be reduced by $184,846 and a total of 12.1 QALYs were gained among these seven patients. The total cost of rWGS for patients and families for the entire cohort (38 probands) was $239,400. Thus, the net cost of rWGS was $54,554, representing $4,509 per QALY gained. This quantitative, retrospective examination of healthcare utilization associated with rWGS-informed medicine interventions in the PICU revealed approximately one-third of a QALY gained per patient tested at a cost per QALY that was approximately one-tenth of that typically sought for cost-effective new medical interventions. This evidence suggests that performance of rWGS as a first-tier test in selected PICU children with diseases of unknown etiology is associated with acceptable cost-per-QALY gained.

Declining Procedures by Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Trainees.

Background: Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship trainees need to acquire skills to perform procedures. Over the last several years there have been advances that allowed for less invasive forms of interventions. Objective: Our hypothesis was that over the past decade the rate of procedures performed by Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship trainees decreased. Methods: Retrospective review at a single institution, tertiary, academic, children's hospital of patients admitted from July 1, 2007-June 30, 2017 to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit. A Poisson regression model with a scale adjustment for over-dispersion estimated by the square root of Pearson's Chi-Square/DOF was applied. Results: There has been a statistically significant decrease in the average rate of central venous lines (p = 0.004; -5.72; 95% CI: -9.45, -1.82) and arterial lines (p = 0.02; -7.8; 95% CI: -13.90, -1.25) per Fellow per years in Fellowship over the last 10 years. There was no difference in the rate of intubations per Fellow per years in Fellowship (p = 0.27; 1.86; 95% CI:-1.38, 5.24). Conclusions: There has been a statistically significant decrease in the rate of central venous lines and arterial lines performed by Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship trainees per number of years in Fellowship over the last 10 years. Educators need to be constantly reassessing the clinical landscape in an effort to make sure that trainees are receiving adequate educational experiences as this has the potential for an impact on the education of trainees and the safety of the patients that they care for.

Admission Criteria for Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea After Adenotonsillectomy: Considerations for Cost.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Postoperative respiratory complications (PRCs) are common among children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) after adenotonsillectomy. We analyzed postoperative admission guidelines to determine which optimally balanced patient safety and cost. METHODS: Retrospective study of children aged 12 years or younger undergoing adenotonsillectomy for OSA after polysomnography at a tertiary academic care center over 2 years. Demographics, medical History, and hospital course were collected. Advanced Excel modeling was used to assess the number of children with PRCs identified with guideline admission criteria and to validate the significance of these findings in our patient population with logistic regression. RESULTS: Six hundred thirty children were included; 116 had documented PRCs. Children with PRCs were younger (P = .024) and more frequently male (P = .012). There were no significant differences in race (P = .411) or obesity (P = .265). More children with PRCs had an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 24 events/h (P < .001). Following guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, and Nationwide Children's Hospital, 82%, 87%, and 99% of children with PRCs would be identified, costing $535,962, $647,165, and $1,053,694 for admission, respectively. Using a non-validated, forced model to refine predictors described in published guidelines, our model would have identified 95% of children with one or more PRCs, with a moderate cost. CONCLUSIONS: Current admission guidelines attempt to identify children with OSA at high risk for PRCs after adenotonsillectomy; however, none consider the economic cost to the health care system. We present a comparison of the number of patients identified with PRCs after adenotonsillectomy and the cost of expected admissions using currently published guidelines. COMMENTARY: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 1371.

Perioperative hypothermia in neonatal intensive care unit patients: effectiveness of a thermoregulation intervention and associated risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Hypothermia in neonatal intensive care unit patients is associated with morbidity. Perioperative normothermia is the standard of care. AIMS: We hypothesized that a quality improvement intervention (transport protocol, transport education, ongoing monitoring) would decrease the incidence of perioperative hypothermia. Secondarily, we hypothesized that patients undergoing surgery at a postmenstrual age of <37 weeks or at a weight of <1.5 kg would be at higher risk for perioperative hypothermia. METHODS: Lean Six Sigma methodology was used to institute a quality improvement intervention. In a retrospective chart review, we identified 708 cases for which the neonatal intensive care unit was the preoperative and postoperative destination and documented patient characteristics, including postoperative temperature. Cardiac surgical cases and cases with no postoperative temperature record were excluded. RESULTS: Patients in the postintervention group had a statistically significant decrease in hypothermia compared to those in the preintervention group (P < 0.001; OR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.09-0.31). The absolute risk of hypothermia was 23% in the preintervention group and 6% in the postintervention group. Weight <1.5 kg on day of surgery (P = 0.45; OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.16-2.24) and postmenstrual age (P = 0.91; OR: 1.07; 95% CI: 0.33-3.98) were not risk factors. Odds of hypothermia were increased in patients undergoing interventional cardiology procedures (P = 0.003; OR: 17.77; 95% CI: 2.07-125.7). CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative hypothermia is a challenge in the care of neonatal intensive care unit patients; however, a thermoregulation intervention can decrease the incidence with sustained results. Future studies can examine why certain procedures have a tendency toward increased perioperative hypothermia, determine the relative value of quality improvement interventions, and characterize the morbidity and mortality associated with perioperative hypothermia in neonatal intensive care unit patients.