Impact of the implementation of an evidence-based guideline on diagnostic testing, management, and clinical outcomes for infants with bronchiolitis.

BACKGROUND: Although bronchiolitis poses a significant health problem in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to the best of our knowledge, to date it has not been determined whether evidence-based bronchiolitis clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) complemented by standardized educational strategies reduce the use of unnecessary diagnostic tests and medications and improve clinically important outcomes in LMICs. METHODS: In an uncontrolled before and after study, we assessed the impact of the implementation of an evidence-based bronchiolitis CPG on physician behavior and the care of infants with bronchiolitis by comparing pre-guideline (March to August 2014) and post-guideline (March to August 2015) use of diagnostic tests and medications through an electronic medical record review in a children's hospital in Bogota, Colombia. We also sought to assess the impact of the implementation of the CPG on clinically important outcomes such as lengths of stay, hospital admissions, intensive care admissions, and hospital readmissions. RESULTS: Data from 662 cases of bronchiolitis (pre-guideline period) were compared with the data from 703 cases (post-guideline period). On comparing the pre- and post-guideline periods, it was seen that there was a significant increase in the proportion of patients with an appropriate diagnosis and treatment of bronchiolitis (36.4% versus 44.5%, p = 0.003), and there were statistically significant decreases in the use of a hemogram (33.2% versus 26.6%, p=0.010), procalcitonin (3.9% versus 1.6%, p=0.018), nebulized beta-2 agonists (45.6% versus 3.4%, p < 0.001), nebulized anticholinergics (3.3% versus 1.4%, p= 0.029), and nebulized epinephrine (16.2% versus 7.8%, p < 0.001). Likewise, a significant increase in the use of nebulized hypertonic saline was seen (79.6% versus 91.7%, p < 0.001). However, implementation of the CPG for bronchiolitis was not associated with significant changes in clinically important outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The development and implementation of a good quality bronchiolitis CPG is associated with a significant increase in the proportion of cases with an appropriate diagnosis and treatment of the disease in the context of a university-based hospital located in the capital of an LMIC. However, we could not demonstrate an improvement in clinically important outcomes such as any of the bronchiolitis severity parameters.

Neonatal Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist and Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment at United States Children's Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To determine treatment frequency and duration of histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA)/proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use among infants hospitalized within US children's hospital neonatal intensive care units and evaluate diagnoses/demographic factors associated with use. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of neonatal intensive care unit infants admitted to 43 US children's hospitals within the Pediatric Health Information System database between January 2006 and March 2013 to determine H2RA/PPI treatment frequency, timing/duration of treatment, factors associated with use, percent of infants remaining on treatment at discharge, and interhospital prescribing variation. We used a modified Poisson regression to calculate the adjusted probability of infants ever receiving H2RAs/PPIs in relation to diagnosis, gestation, and sex. RESULTS: Of the 122 002 infants evaluated, 23.8% (n = 28 989) ever received an H2RA or PPI; 19.0% received H2RAs (n = 23 187), and 10.5% (n = 12 823) received PPIs. Extremely preterm infants and term infants were the most likely to receive H2RA and PPI treatment. Infants with gastroesophageal reflux disease (relative risk [RR] = 3.13) and congenital heart disease (RR = 2.41) had the highest H2RA/PPI treatment probabilities followed by those with an ear, nose, and throat diagnosis (RR = 2.34; P < .05). The majority of treated infants remained treated at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Despite limited evidence and increasing safety concerns, H2RAs/PPIs are frequently prescribed to extremely preterm neonates and those with congenital anomalies and continued through discharge. Our findings support the need for innovative studies to examine the comparative effectiveness and safety of H2RA/PPIs vs no treatment in these high-risk neonatal populations.