Hypercapnia in hospitalized children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa as a predictive marker for readmission: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether hypercapnia is associated with risk of hospital readmission related to anorexia nervosa (AN) in children and adolescents. METHODS: We performed a prospective study of patients ≤ 18 years old admitted due to AN decompensation from November 2018 to October 2019. Both subtypes of AN, restricting subtype (AN-R) and binge-eating/purging subtype (AN-BP), were included. Study participants were evaluated upon admission, at discharge and six months after discharge. T-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests was used to compare means values. Pearson or Spearman correlations were used to measure the association between two variables. Logistic regression models were developed to evaluate the relationship between scoring methods and readmission. RESULTS: Of the 154 persons admitted during the study period, 131 met the inclusion criteria. Median age was 15.1 years. At admission, 71% of participants were malnourished and 33 (25%) had been previously admitted. We observed a marked decrease in venous pH and stable pCO2 elevation during follow-up period. Hypercapnia at discharge was associated with a twofold increased likelihood of readmission and the odds of readmission increased as discharge pCO2 rose. These findings did not depend on AN subtype or participant sex. Electrolytes persisted within the normal range. CONCLUSION: Hypercapnia and respiratory acidosis are common alterations in children and adolescents hospitalized due to AN decompensation. Hypercapnia persists for at least 6 months after discharge despite clinical improvement and is associated with higher odds of readmission. This is the first study to identify an abnormal laboratory finding as a potential predictor of readmission in AN. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV: Multiple time series without intervention.

Decrease in the use of bronchodilators in the management of bronchiolitis after applying improvement initiatives.

INTRODUCTION: In the treatment of patients with acute bronchiolitis there is great variability in clinical practice. Treatments whose efficacy has not been demonstrated are frequently used despite the recommendations contained in the Clinical Practice Guidelines. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quality improvement strategy is implemented in the care of patients with acute bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department, which is maintained for five years and is periodically updated to be increasingly restrictive regarding the use of bronchodilators. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, a retrospective study of the rates of prescription of bronchodilators in children diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis in the month of December of four epidemic periods (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018) was carried out. RESULTS: 1767 children are included. There were no differences regarding age, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation or the estimated severity in each of the study seasons. The use of salbutamol in the Emergency Department decreased from 51.2% (95% CI: 46.6-55.8%) in 2012 to 7.8% (95% CI: 5.7%-10.5%) in 2018 (P < .001) and epinephrine prescription rates fell from 12.9% (95% CI: 10.1%-16.3%) to 0.2% (95% CI: 0-1.1%) (P < .001). At the same time, there was a decrease in the median time of attendance in the Emergency Department and in the admission rate without changing the readmission rate in 72 h. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic and continuous deployment over time of actions aimed at reducing the use of salbutamol and epinephrine in the treatment of bronchiolitis, prior to the epidemic period, seems an effective strategy to reduce the use of bronchodilators in the Emergency Department.

Descenso del uso de broncodilatadores en el manejo de la bronquiolitis tras aplicar iniciativas de mejora / Decrease in the use of bronchodilators in the management of bronchiolitis after applying improvement initiatives

Introducción: En el tratamiento de los pacientes con bronquiolitis aguda existe una gran variabilidad de la práctica clínica y con frecuencia se utilizan de forma indiscriminada tratamientos cuya eficacia no está demostrada a pesar de las recomendaciones recogidas en las guías de práctica clínica. Material y métodos: Se implementó una estrategia de mejora de la calidad en la atención a los pacientes con bronquiolitis aguda en el Servicio de Urgencias que se mantuvo durante 5 años y se actualizó periódicamente para ser cada vez más restrictiva respecto al uso de tratamientos broncodilatadores. Para evaluar el impacto de la intervención se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de las tasas de prescripción de broncodilatadores en los niños diagnosticados de bronquiolitis aguda en el mes de diciembre de 4 periodos epidémicos (2012, 2014, 2016 y 2018). Resultados: Se incluyó a 1.767 niños. No existieron diferencias respecto a edad, frecuencia respiratoria, saturación de oxígeno ni gravedad en cada una de las temporadas a estudio. El empleo de salbutamol en Urgencias descendió del 51,2% (IC del 95%: 46,6-55,8%) en 2012 al 7,8% (IC del 95%: 5,7-10,5%) en 2018 (p <0,001) y el de adrenalina del 12,9% (IC del 95%: 10,1-16,3%) al 0,2% (IC del 95%: 0-1,1%) (p <0,001). Se produjo a su vez un descenso en la mediana de tiempo de asistencia en Urgencias y en la tasa de ingreso sin que se modificase la tasa de readmisión en 72 h. Conclusiones: El despliegue sistemático y continuado en el tiempo de acciones dirigidas a la reducción del uso de fármacos en el tratamiento de la bronquiolitis, previo al periodo epidémico, parece una estrategia eficaz para reducir el uso de broncodilatadores en urgencias. (AU)

Introduction: In the treatment of patients with acute bronchiolitis there is great variability in clinical practice. Treatments whose efficacy has not been demonstrated are frequently used despite the recommendations contained in the Clinical Practice Guidelines. Material and methods: A quality improvement strategy is implemented in the care of patients with acute bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department, which is maintained for five years and is periodically updated to be increasingly restrictive regarding the use of bronchodilators. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, a retrospective study of the rates of prescription of bronchodilators in children diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis in the month of December of four epidemic periods (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018) was carried out. Results: 1767 children are included. There were no differences regarding age, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation or the estimated severity in each of the study seasons. The use of salbutamol in the Emergency Department decreased from 51.2% (95% CI: 46.6%–55.8%) in 2012 to 7.8% (95% CI: 5.7%–10.5%) in 2018 (P<.001) and epinephrine prescription rates fell from 12.9% (95% CI: 10.1%–16.3%) to 0.2% (95% CI: 0–1.1%) (P<.001). At the same time, there was a decrease in the median time of attendance in the Emergency Department and in the admission rate without changing the readmission rate in 72h. Conclusions: The systematic and continuous deployment over time of actions aimed at reducing the use of salbutamol and epinephrine in the treatment of bronchiolitis, prior to the epidemic period, seems an effective strategy to reduce the use of bronchodilators in the Emergency Department. (AU)

¿Neumonía redonda o hallazgo casual? / Round pneumonia or incidental finding?

El diagnóstico diferencial de las neumonías redondas es amplio y engloba enfermedades infecciosas, neoplásicas y congénitas. La paciente que se presenta a continuación fue diagnosticada de una neumonía redonda con una clínica e imagen radiológica compatible. Sin embargo, el diagnóstico definitivo fue una malformación vascular. Este caso permite reflexionar sobre la importancia de valorar distintitos diagnósticos ante una condensación redondeada y sobre la necesidad o no de realizar una radiografía de control en estos casos. Además, lo más original del caso radica en el tratamiento que recibió para la malformación vascular, que no estaba descrito previamente: el propranolol (AU)

The differential diagnosis of round pneumonia is broad and includes infectious, malignant, and congenital diseases. The patient presented below received a diagnosis of round pneumonia based on compatible clinical and radiological findings; however, the definitive diagnosis was a vascular malformation. This case allows us to reflect on the importance of considering alternative diagnoses in the presence of round opacities in the lung and when performance of a follow-up X-ray is or not required in such cases. In addition, the most original aspect of this case lies in the treatment provided for the vascular malformation, which has not been previously described: propranolol. (AU)

[Decrease in the use of bronchodilators in the management of bronchiolitis after applying improvement initiatives]. / Descenso del uso de broncodilatadores en el manejo de la bronquiolitis tras aplicar iniciativas de mejora.

INTRODUCTION: In the treatment of patients with acute bronchiolitis there is great variability in clinical practice. Treatments whose efficacy has not been demonstrated are frequently used despite the recommendations contained in the Clinical Practice Guidelines. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quality improvement strategy is implemented in the care of patients with acute bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department, which is maintained for five years and is periodically updated to be increasingly restrictive regarding the use of bronchodilators. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, a retrospective study of the rates of prescription of bronchodilators in children diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis in the month of December of four epidemic periods (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018) was carried out. RESULTS: 1767 children are included. There were no differences regarding age, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation or the estimated severity in each of the study seasons. The use of salbutamol in the Emergency Department decreased from 51.2% (95% CI: 46.6%-55.8%) in 2012 to 7.8% (95% CI: 5.7%-10.5%) in 2018 (P<.001) and epinephrine prescription rates fell from 12.9% (95% CI: 10.1%-16.3%) to 0.2% (95% CI: 0-1.1%) (P<.001). At the same time, there was a decrease in the median time of attendance in the Emergency Department and in the admission rate without changing the readmission rate in 72h. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic and continuous deployment over time of actions aimed at reducing the use of salbutamol and epinephrine in the treatment of bronchiolitis, prior to the epidemic period, seems an effective strategy to reduce the use of bronchodilators in the Emergency Department.

Acral peeling as the sole skin manifestation of COVID-19 in children.

Skin lesions in children with proven COVID-19 are not frequent in the literature apart from those associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Fortunately, microbiologic testing for SARS-CoV-2 has become widely available not only for admitted patients but also for mild cases. We present a series of 6 children with mild erythema and desquamation of the fingertips and/or toes as the only skin manifestation of COVID-19. As all children had asymptomatic to mildly symptomatic disease, it is reasonable to consider this a sign of benign disease and favorable outcome.

Síndrome del abdomen en ciruela pasa / Prune belly syndrome

No disponible

Infección por adenovirus que requiere ingreso hospitalario: epidemiología, datos analíticos y manejo / Adenovirus infections that require hospital admission: epidemiology, laboratory findings and approach

Introducción: las infecciones por adenovirus tienen una presentación clínica variable y son una importante causa de morbilidad en la infancia. Frecuentemente reciben tratamiento antibiótico de forma innecesaria. Este estudio busca analizar las características de los pacientes con infección por adenovirus y ver si difieren de aquellos con infección bacteriana. Pacientes y métodos: se estudiaron 174 pacientes ingresados en un hospital terciario desde enero de 2009 hasta agosto de 2017 a los que se les detectó adenovirus. Se analizaron las variables clínicas y analíticas y se compararon con las de una muestra de pacientes diagnosticados de infección bacteriana confirmada en el mismo centro en 2016. Resultados: la tasa de pacientes con infección por adenovirus fue de 1,58/100 ingresos. El 64% eran varones, siendo la edad media de 17 meses. Los que solo presentaban síntomas gastrointestinales tenían una menor edad y resultados analíticos más favorables que los que solo mostraban síntomas respiratorios. Un 24,5% presentaban coinfección por otro virus, observándose en este grupo una mayor estancia hospitalaria (7,93 frente a 6,17 días, p = 0,006). Los criterios analíticos de infección bacteriana grave no mostraron diferencias significativas al comparar entre los pacientes infectados por adenovirus y los que tenían una infección bacteriana confirmada, excepto una diferencia mínima, aunque estadísticamente significativa, al comparar las cifras de proteína C reactiva. Conclusiones: las variables analíticas y clínicas estudiadas no son suficientes para discriminar entre infección bacteriana y por adenovirus. Sería adecuado descartar infección por adenovirus sistemáticamente antes de instaurar tratamiento antibiótico

Introduction: adenovirus infections have a heterogeneous clinical presentation and are an important cause of childhood morbidity. They are frequently and unnecessarily treated with antibiotics. In this study, we analysed the characteristic of patients with adenovirus infections in order to determine whether they differed from those of patients with bacterial infection. Patients and methods: the study included 174 patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital between January 2009 and August 2017 who tested positive for adenovirus. We analysed the clinical and laboratory findings in these patients and compared them to those of a group of patients that received a diagnosis of confirmed bacterial infection in the same hospital in 2016. Results: the incidence of adenovirus was of 1.58 cases per 100 admissions. Sixty-four percent of the sample was male, and the mean age was 17 months. Patients that presented with gastrointestinal symptoms alone were younger and had more favourable laboratory findings compared to patients with respiratory symptoms alone. Coinfection with another virus was found in 24.5%, and this group had a longer length of stay (7.93 versus 6.17 days, p = 0.006). We found no significant differences in the laboratory criteria indicative of severe bacterial infection between the patients with adenovirus infection and the controls with a confirmed bacterial infection except for a very small, although statistically significant, difference in the levels of C-reactive protein. Conclusions: the clinical and laboratory parameters analysed in our study are not sufficient to discriminate between bacterial infection and adenovirus infection. Thus, it would be appropriate to rule out adenovirus infection before initiating antibiotic treatment