Advances in pediatric perioperative care using artificial intelligence.

PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW: This article explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to evaluate risks in pediatric perioperative care. It will also describe potential future applications of AI, such as models for airway device selection, controlling anesthetic depth and nociception during surgery, and contributing to the training of pediatric anesthesia providers. RECENT FINDINGS: The use of AI in healthcare has increased in recent years, largely due to the accessibility of large datasets, such as those gathered from electronic health records. Although there has been less focus on pediatric anesthesia compared to adult anesthesia, research is on- going, especially for applications focused on risk factor identification for adverse perioperative events. Despite these advances, the lack of formal external validation or feasibility testing results in uncertainty surrounding the clinical applicability of these tools. SUMMARY: The goal of using AI in pediatric anesthesia is to assist clinicians in providing safe and efficient care. Given that children are a vulnerable population, it is crucial to ensure that both clinicians and families have confidence in the clinical tools used to inform medical decision- making. While not yet a reality, the eventual incorporation of AI-based tools holds great potential to contribute to the safe and efficient care of our patients.

Estudio multicéntrico de conciliación de la medicación en onco-hematología pediátrica / Multicentre study of medication reconciliation in paediatric onco-hematology

Objetivo determinar la prevalencia de errores de conciliación (EC) al ingreso hospitalario en la población pediátrica onco-hematológica para comprobar si ésta presenta una susceptibilidad similar a la de los adultos para ser afectados por estos EC y describir las características de los pacientes en los que se producen.Métodoestudio prospectivo y multicéntrico de 12 meses de duración, de conciliación de medicación al ingreso en la población pediátrica onco-hematológica para evaluar la incidencia de EC y describir las características de los pacientes en los que se producen.Resultadosse concilió la medicación de 157 pacientes. En 96 pacientes se detectó al menos una discrepancia de la medicación. De las discrepancias detectadas, el 52,1% fueron justificadas por la nueva situación clínica del paciente o por el médico responsable mientras que el 48,9% se consideraron EC. El tipo de EC más frecuente fue la «omisión de algún medicamento», seguido por «una dosis, frecuencia o vía de administración diferente». Se efectuaron un total de 77 intervenciones farmacéuticas, de las que se aceptaron el 94,2%. En el grupo de pacientes con un número igual o mayor a 4 fármacos en tratamiento domiciliario se observó un incremento de 2,1 veces la probabilidad de experimentar un EC.Conclusionespara evitar o reducir los errores en uno de los puntos críticos de seguridad como son las transiciones asistenciales, existen medidas, como la conciliación de la medicación. En el caso de los pacientes pediátricos crónicos complejos, como los pacientes onco-hematológicos, el número de fármacos como parte del tratamiento domiciliario es la variable que se ha asociado a la presencia de EC al ingreso hospitalario, siendo la omisión de algún medicamento la causa principal de estos errores. (AU)

Objective To determine the prevalence of reconciliation errors (RE) on admission to hospital in the paediatric onco-haematological population in order to check whether they are similarly susceptible to these RE as adults and to describe the characteristics of the patients who suffer them.MethodsA 12-month prospective, multicentre study of medication reconciliation on admission in the paediatric onco-haematological population to assess the incidence of RE and describe the characteristics of the patients in whom they occur.ResultsMedication reconciliation was performed in 157 patients. At least 1 medication discrepancy was detected in 96 patients. Of the discrepancies detected, 52.1% were justified by the patient's new clinical situation or by the physician, while 48.9% were determined to be RE. The most frequent type of RE was the "omission of a medication", followed by "a different dose, frequency or route of administration". A total of 77 pharmaceutical interventions were carried out, 94.2% of which were accepted. In the group of patients with a number equal to or greater than 4 drugs in home treatment, there was a 2.1-fold increase in the probability of suffering a RE.ConclusionsIn order to avoid or reduce errors in one of the critical safety points such as transitions of care, there are measures such as medication reconciliation. In the case of complex chronic paediatric patients, such as onco-haematological patients, the number of drugs as part of home treatment is the variable that has been associated with the presence of medication RE on admission to hospital, with the omission of some medication being the main cause of these errors. (AU)

Pediatric Applications of Photon-Counting Detector CT.

Photon-counting detector (PCD) CT represents the most recent generational advance in CT technology. PCD CT has the potential to reduce image noise, improve spatial resolution and contrast resolution, and provide multispectral capability, all of which may be achieved with an overall decrease in the radiation dose. These effects may be used to reduce the iodinated contrast media dose and potentially obtain multiphase images through a single-acquisition technique. The benefits of PCD CT have previously been shown primarily in phantoms and adult patients. This article describes the application of PCD CT in children, as illustrated by clinical examples from a commercially available PCD CT system.

Pedi-R-MAPP: The development of a nutritional awareness tool for use in remote paediatric consultations using a modified Delphi consensus.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The Remote Malnutrition Application (R-MAPP) was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide support for health care professionals (HCPs) working in the community to complete remote nutritional assessments, and provide practical guidance for nutritional care. The aim of this study was to modify the R-MAPP into a version suitable for children, Pediatric Remote Malnutrition Application (Pedi-R-MAPP), and provide a structured approach to completing a nutrition focused assessment as part of a technology enabled care service (TECS) consultation. METHODS: A ten-step process was completed: 1) permission to modify adult R-MAPP, 2) literature search to inform the Pedi-R-MAPP content, 3) Pedi-R-MAPP draft, 4) international survey of HCP practice using TECS, 5) nutrition experts invited to participate in a modified Delphi process, 6) first stakeholder meeting to agree purpose/draft of the tool, 7) round-one online survey, 8) statements with consensus removed from survey, 9) round-two online survey for statements with no consensus and 10) second stakeholder meeting with finalisation of the Pedi-R-MAPP nutrition awareness tool. RESULTS: The international survey completed by 463 HCPs, 55% paediatricians, 38% dietitians, 7% nurses/others. When HCPs were asked to look back over the last 12 months, dietitians (n = 110) reported that 5.7 ± 10.6 out of every 10 appointments were completed in person; compared to paediatricians (n = 182) who reported 7.5 ± 7.0 out of every 10 appointments to be in person (p < 0.0001), with the remainder completed as TECS consultations. Overall, 74 articles were identified and used to develop the Pedi-R-MAPP which included colour-coded advice using a traffic light system; green, amber, red and purple. Eighteen participants agreed to participate in the Delphi consensus and completed both rounds of the modified Delphi survey. Agreement was reached at the first meeting on the purpose and draft sections of the proposed tool. In round-one of the online survey, 86% (n = 89/104) of statements reached consensus, whereas in round-two 12.5% (n = 13/104) of statements reached no consensus. At the second expert meeting, contested statements were discussed until agreement was reached and the Pedi-R-MAPP could be finalised. CONCLUSION: The Pedi-R-MAPP nutrition awareness tool was developed using a modified Delphi consensus. This tool aims to support the technological transformation fast-tracked by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing a structured approach to completing a remote nutrition focused assessment, as well as identifying the frequency of follow up along with those children who may require in-person assessment.

Addressing Pediatric Developmental and Mental Health in Primary Care Using Tele-Education.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of an early childhood tele-education program in preparing community pediatric clinicians to manage developmental and mental health disorders in young children. Community pediatric clinicians from rural, underserved, or school-based health center practices in the mid-Atlantic region participated in a weekly tele-education videoconference. There was a significant knowledge gain evidenced by the percentage of questions answered correctly from pre- to post- didactic exposure (P < .001). Participants reported an increase in knowledge from pre- (P < .001) and in confidence from pre- to post- participation (P < .001). Practice management changes demonstrated an encouraging trend toward managing patients in the Medical Home, as compared with immediately deferring to specialists following participation. This early childhood tele-education videoconferencing program is a promising response to the urgent need to confidently increase the role of pediatricians in the provision of care for childhood developmental and mental health disorders.

Long-term Health and Social Outcomes in Children and Adolescents Placed in Out-of-Home Care.

Importance: Children who are placed in out-of-home care may have poorer outcomes in adulthood, on average, compared with their peers, but the direction and magnitude of these associations need clarification. Objective: To estimate associations between being placed in out-of-home care in childhood and adolescence and subsequent risks of experiencing a wide range of social and health outcomes in adulthood following comprehensive adjustments for preplacement factors. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort and cosibling study of all children born in Finland between 1986 and 2000 (N = 855 622) monitored each person from their 15th birthday either until the end of the study period (December 2018) or until they migrated, died, or experienced the outcome of interest. Cox and Poisson regression models were used to estimate associations with adjustment for measured confounders (from linked population registers) and unmeasured familial confounders (using sibling comparisons). Data were analyzed from October 2020 to August 2021. Exposures: Placement in out-of-home care up to age 15 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: Through national population, patient, prescription drug, cause of death, and crime registers, 16 specific outcomes were identified across the following categories: psychiatric disorders; low socioeconomic status; injuries and experiencing violence; and antisocial behaviors, suicidality, and premature mortality. Results: A total of 30 127 individuals (3.4%) were identified who had been placed in out-of-home care for a median (interquartile range) period of 1.3 (0.2-5.1) years and 2 (1-3) placement episodes before age 15 years. Compared with their siblings, individuals who had been placed in out-of-home care were 1.4 to 5 times more likely to experience adverse outcomes in adulthood (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] for those with a fall-related injury, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.25-1.57 and aHR for those with an unintentional poisoning injury, 4.79; 95% CI, 3.56-6.43, respectively). The highest relative risks were observed for those with violent crime arrests (aHR, 4.16; 95% CI, 3.74-4.62; cumulative incidence, 24.6% in individuals who had been placed in out-of-home care vs 5.1% in those who had not), substance misuse (aHR, 4.75; 95% CI, 4.25-5.30; cumulative incidence, 23.2% vs 4.6%), and unintentional poisoning injury (aHR 4.79; 95% CI, 3.56-6.43; cumulative incidence, 3.1% vs 0.6%). Additional adjustments for perinatal factors, childhood behavioral problems, and traumatic injuries, including experiencing violence, did not materially change the findings. Conclusions and Relevance: Out-of-home care placement was associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes in adulthood, which persisted following adjustments for measured preplacement factors and unmeasured familial factors.

Lineamientos para el diagnóstico, abordaje en el período agudo y seguimiento post COVID-19 de niños, niñas y adolescentes

Documento destinado a los equipos de salud que realizan atención pediátrica obligatoria, con el objetivo de ofrecer lineamientos y algoritmos de utilidad para el diagnóstico y el seguimiento de niñas, niños y adolescentes cursando el período agudo y post infección COVID-19, en sus diversas formas clínicas, y que fue elaborado y consensuado por representantes de los distintos comités científicos de la Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría en conjunto con la Dirección Nacional de Salud Perinatal y Niñez del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación.

DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in pediatric central nervous system tumors may impact tumor classification and is a positive prognostic marker.

BACKGROUND: Nucleotide-specific 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) remains understudied in pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors. 5hmC is abundant in the brain, and alterations to 5hmC in adult CNS tumors have been reported. However, traditional approaches to measure DNA methylation do not distinguish between 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and its oxidized counterpart 5hmC, including those used to build CNS tumor DNA methylation classification systems. We measured 5hmC and 5mC epigenome-wide at nucleotide resolution in glioma, ependymoma, and embryonal tumors from children, as well as control pediatric brain tissues using tandem bisulfite and oxidative bisulfite treatments followed by hybridization to the Illumina Methylation EPIC Array that interrogates over 860,000 CpG loci. RESULTS: Linear mixed effects models adjusted for age and sex tested the CpG-specific differences in 5hmC between tumor and non-tumor samples, as well as between tumor subtypes. Results from model-based clustering of tumors was used to test the relation of cluster membership with patient survival through multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. We also assessed the robustness of multiple epigenetic CNS tumor classification methods to 5mC-specific data in both pediatric and adult CNS tumors. Compared to non-tumor samples, tumors were hypohydroxymethylated across the epigenome and tumor 5hmC localized to regulatory elements crucial to cell identity, including transcription factor binding sites and super-enhancers. Differentially hydroxymethylated loci among tumor subtypes tended to be hypermethylated and disproportionally found in CTCF binding sites and genes related to posttranscriptional RNA regulation, such as DICER1. Model-based clustering results indicated that patients with low 5hmC patterns have poorer overall survival and increased risk of recurrence. Our results suggest 5mC-specific data from OxBS-treated samples impacts methylation-based tumor classification systems giving new opportunities for further refinement of classifiers for both pediatric and adult tumors. CONCLUSIONS: We identified that 5hmC localizes to super-enhancers, and genes commonly implicated in pediatric CNS tumors were differentially hypohydroxymethylated. We demonstrated that distinguishing methylation and hydroxymethylation is critical in identifying tumor-related epigenetic changes. These results have implications for patient prognostication, considerations of epigenetic therapy in CNS tumors, and for emerging molecular neuropathology classification approaches.

Concordancia en la medición testicular de varones adolescentes con 3 métodos de orquidometría / Concordance of testicular measurement in male adolescents with three methods of orchidometry

Introducción. El orquidómetro de Prader es el método estándar para medir el volumen testicular (VT) en niños y adolescentes. Objetivo. Evaluar la concordancia en la estimación del VT y del inicio puberal con las técnicas de orquidometría de Prader, Chipkevitch y Sotos. Métodos. Diseño descriptivo transversal realizado en varones de entre 9 y 20 años. Se midió el VT (ml) en cada adolescente con las técnicas de Prader (método de referencia), Chipkevitch (modelo gráfico) y Sotos (medición de ancho testicular con regla plástica y fórmula equivalente a ecuación elipsoide). Se excluyeron varones con patología urogenital y enfermedades que afectan el crecimiento testicular. Para la concordancia entre métodos, se utilizó kappa para el inicio puberal, y coeficiente de correlación intraclase (CCI) y gráficos de Bland-Altman (GBA) para el VT. Resultados. Se incluyeron 377 varones sanos. Para la concordancia en VT (ml), la comparación Prader-Chipkevitch obtuvo CCI: 0,994 y p < 0,001; y de CCI; 0,312 y p < 0,001 para la de Prader-Sotos. En los GBA se halló una media de las diferencias cercana a 0 ml en la comparación Prader-Chipkevitch y cercana a 8 ml en la de Prader-Sotos. El acuerdo en el inicio puberal obtuvo un valor de kappa 0,93 en la comparación Prader-Chipkevitch y de 0,75 en la de Prader-Sotos. Conclusión. Los orquidómetros de Prader y Chipkevitch tienen una excelente concordancia en la estimación del VT y el inicio puberal; por lo tanto, podrían intercambiarse en la atención diaria de varones adolescentes. El método de Sotos mostró una concordancia buena en la estimación del inicio puberal, pero baja en la medición del VT

Introduction. The Prader orchidometer is the standard method used to measure testicular volume (TV) in children and adolescents. Objective. To assess the concordance in the estimation of TV and puberty onset with the Prader, Chipkevitch, and Sotos orchidometric techniques. Methods. Cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among male children and adolescents aged 9-20 years. For each adolescent, TV was measured with the methods by Prader (gold standard), Chipkevitch (graphic model), and Sotos (measurement of testicular width with a plastic ruler and use of a formula equivalent to the ellipsoid equation). Male children and adolescents with urogenital conditions and disorders affecting testicular growth were excluded. Kappa statistics was used to determine concordance among methods for puberty onset, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman (B&A) plots for TV. Results. In total, 377 healthy males were included. Regarding the concordance for TV (mL), the Prader-Chipkevitch comparison obtained an ICC of 0.994 and a p < 0.001; while the Prader-Soto comparison obtained an ICC of 0.312 and a p < 0.001. With the B&A plots, mean differences were close to 0 mL in the Prader-Chipkevitch comparison and close to 8 mL in the Prader-Sotos comparison. Concordance for puberty onset obtained a kappa value of 0.93 and 0.75 in the Prader-Chipkevitch and Prader-Sotos comparisons, respectively. Conclusion. The Prader and Chipkevitch orchidometers show an excellent concordance in estimating TV and puberty onset; therefore, both methods could be used interchangeably in the daily care of male adolescents. The Sotos method showed a high concordance in estimating pubertal onset, but low in measuring TV.

Evolution of inspiratory muscle function in children during mechanical ventilation.

BACKGROUND: There is no universally accepted method to assess the pressure-generating capacity of inspiratory muscles in children on mechanical ventilation (MV), and no study describing its evolution over time in this population. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, we have assessed the function of the inspiratory muscles in children on various modes of MV. During brief airway occlusion maneuvers, we simultaneously recorded airway pressure depression at the endotracheal tube (ΔPaw, force generation) and electrical activity of the diaphragm (EAdi, central respiratory drive) over five consecutive inspiratory efforts. The neuro-mechanical efficiency ratio (NME, ΔPaw/EAdimax) was also computed. The evolution over time of these indices in a group of children in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) was primarily described. As a secondary objective, we compared these values to those measured in a group of children in the operating room (OR). RESULTS: In the PICU group, although median NMEoccl decreased over time during MV (regression coefficient - 0.016, p = 0.03), maximum ΔPawmax remained unchanged (regression coefficient 0.109, p = 0.50). Median NMEoccl at the first measurement in the PICU group (after 21 h of MV) was significantly lower than at the only measurement in the OR group (1.8 cmH2O/µV, Q1-Q3 1.3-2.4 vs. 3.7 cmH2O/µV, Q1-Q3 3.5-4.2; p = 0.015). Maximum ΔPawmax in the PICU group was, however, not significantly different from the OR group (35.1 cmH2O, Q1-Q3 21-58 vs. 31.3 cmH2O, Q1-Q3 28.5-35.5; p = 0.982). CONCLUSIONS: The function of inspiratory muscles can be monitored at the bedside of children on MV using brief airway occlusions. Inspiratory muscle efficiency was significantly lower in critically ill children than in children undergoing elective surgery, and it decreased over time during MV in critically ill children. This suggests that both critical illness and MV may have an impact on inspiratory muscle efficiency.

Surfactant therapies for pediatric and neonatal ARDS: ESPNIC expert consensus opinion for future research steps.

Pediatric (PARDS) and neonatal (NARDS) acute respiratory distress syndrome have different age-specific characteristics and definitions. Trials on surfactant for ARDS in children and neonates have been performed well before the PARDS and NARDS definitions and yielded conflicting results. This is mainly due to heterogeneity in study design reflecting historic lack of pathobiology knowledge. We reviewed the available clinical and preclinical data to create an expert consensus aiming to inform future research steps and advance the knowledge in this area. Eight trials investigated the use of surfactant for ARDS in children and ten in neonates, respectively. There were improvements in oxygenation (7/8 trials in children, 7/10 in neonates) and mortality (3/8 trials in children, 1/10 in neonates) improved. Trials were heterogeneous for patients' characteristics, surfactant type and administration strategy. Key pathobiological concepts were missed in study design. Consensus with strong agreement was reached on four statements: 1. There are sufficient preclinical and clinical data to support targeted research on surfactant therapies for PARDS and NARDS. Studies should be performed according to the currently available definitions and considering recent pathobiology knowledge. 2. PARDS and NARDS should be considered as syndromes and should be pre-clinically studied according to key characteristics, such as direct or indirect (primary or secondary) nature, clinical severity, infectious or non-infectious origin or patients' age. 3. Explanatory should be preferred over pragmatic design for future trials on PARDS and NARDS. 4. Different clinical outcomes need to be chosen for PARDS and NARDS, according to the trial phase and design, trigger type, severity class and/or surfactant treatment policy. We advocate for further well-designed preclinical and clinical studies to investigate the use of surfactant for PARDS and NARDS following these principles.

Solving Unmet Needs With Innovative Pediatric Medical Devices.

In the last decade, only 24% of class III life-saving devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were for pediatric use-and most of those were for children over 12. Of these, less than 4% were labeled for pediatric patients ages 0-2 years old and the number of approved devices is even lower for neonatal patients. For these young patients, adult medical devices are often manipulated by pediatric specialists in order to provide stop-gap solutions. However, these repurposed devices are not always able to fulfill the unique needs of children's biology and growth patterns.

Three-dimensional printing in medicine: a systematic review of pediatric applications.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional printing (3DP) addresses distinct clinical challenges in pediatric care including: congenital variants, compact anatomy, high procedural risk, and growth over time. We hypothesized that patient-specific applications of 3DP in pediatrics could be categorized into concise, discrete categories of use. METHODS: Terms related to "three-dimensional printing" and "pediatrics" were searched on PubMed, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science. Initial search yielded 2122 unique articles; 139 articles characterizing 508 patients met full inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Four categories of patient-specific 3DP applications were identified: Teaching of families and medical staff (9.3%); Developing intervention strategies (33.9%); Procedural applications, including subtypes: contour models, guides, splints, and implants (43.0%); and Material manufacturing of shaping devices or prosthetics (14.0%). Procedural comparative studies found 3DP devices to be equivalent or better than conventional methods, with less operating time and fewer complications. CONCLUSION: Patient-specific applications of Three-Dimensional Printing in Medicine can be elegantly classified into four major categories: Teaching, Developing, Procedures, and Materials, sharing the same TDPM acronym. Understanding this schema is important because it promotes further innovation and increased implementation of these devices to improve pediatric care. IMPACT: This article classifies the pediatric applications of patient-specific three-dimensional printing. This is a first comprehensive review of patient-specific three-dimensional printing in both pediatric medical and surgical disciplines, incorporating previously described classification schema to create one unifying paradigm. Understanding these applications is important since three-dimensional printing addresses challenges that are uniquely pediatric including compact anatomy, unique congenital variants, greater procedural risk, and growth over time. We identified four classifications of patient-specific use: teaching, developing, procedural, and material uses. By classifying these applications, this review promotes understanding and incorporation of this expanding technology to improve the pediatric care.

Child and adolescent asynchronous technology competencies for clinical care and training: Scoping review.

Objective: Asynchronous technologies such as mobile health, e-mail, e-consult, and social media are being added to in-person and synchronous service delivery. To ensure quality care, clinicians need skills, knowledge, and attitudes related to technology that can be measured. This study sought out competencies for asynchronous technologies and/or an approach to define them. Methods: This 6-stage scoping review of Pubmed/Medline, APA PsycNET, PsycINFO and other databases was based on a broad research question, "What skills are needed for clinicians and trainees to provide quality care using asynchronous technologies for children and adolescents, and how can they be made measurable to implement, teach and evaluate?" The search focused on key words in 4 concept areas: (a) competencies; (b) asynchronous technology; (c) synchronous telepsychiatry, telebehavioral or telemental health; and (d) clinical. The screeners reviewed the full-text articles based on inclusion (mesh of the key words) and exclusion criteria. Results: From a total of 5,877 potential references, 2 authors found 509 eligible for full text review and found 110 articles directly relevant to the concepts. Clinical studies discuss clinical, technical and administrative workflow rather than competencies, though behavioral health professions' position statements advise on adapting care and training. Existing technology competencies for video, social media, mobile health, and other asynchronous technologies were used to build a framework. Training, faculty development, and organizational suggestions are suggested. Conclusions: Research is needed on how to implement and evaluate asynchronous competencies to ensure quality clinical care and training, which is a paradigm shift for participants. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Comparison of supportive regulatory measures for pediatric medical device development in Japan and the United States.

Further development of medical devices for children is required in Japan, but the development of such devices is delayed compared to that of medical devices for adults. Herein, we investigated policies for advancing the development of pediatric medical devices in Japan and the United States. Considering the achievements of each policy, we proposed a strategy to promote further development of pediatric medical devices in Japan. We investigated policies for supporting the development of pediatric medical devices and approved cases in Japan and the United States by searching contents of websites of regulatory bodies and other related administrations, and scientific papers. We found the main six policies in Japan and nine main policies in the United States for the development of pediatric medical devices. In the United States, various measures have initiated mainly in the 2000s, while in Japan, the main measures have been in place since 2013. Similarities were found in both countries, such as subsidies for application fees and research and development expenses, exemption of requirements for regulatory approval, and priority review and consultation by the regulatory body. Our study revealed that there are similarities in initiatives by both countries. To promote further development of pediatric medical devices in the future, improvements to expediting the review process to approval by the regulatory body, global development, and implementation of alternative measures to ensure the efficacy and safety of the device instead of large-scale clinical trials should be anticipated through cooperation among industry, government, and academia.

Prothrombin Time ratio can predict mortality in severe pediatric trauma: Study in a French trauma center level 1.

BACKGROUND: Injury results in more deaths in children than all other causes combined, but there is little data regarding the association of early coagulopathy on outcomes in pediatric patients with traumatic injuries. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal cut-off value for the Prothrombin Time ratio (PTr) and to show the diagnostic characteristics of the PTr to predict mortality. METHODS: We retrospectively included during 4 years all patients less than 16 years old referred to our trauma center for traumatic injury with ISS ≥9. RESULTS: A total of 272 children were included. Mean age was 9.4 ± 4.8 years and median ISS was 17 [interquartile range, 12 to 26]. Day 28 mortality was 6.7%. The optimal cut-off value in our population for predicting day 28 mortality was 1.24. Using this value, the sensitivity of PTr was 84%, specificity was 82%, positive likelihood ratio was 4.7, and negative likelihood ratio was 0.19. Early mortality (i.e., mortality at 24 h) was also well-predicted (1.0% versus 16.4%, p < .0001), as the need for massive transfuion. Similarly, patients with PTr ≥1.24 at admission presented with a higher rate of severe thoracic and abdominal trauma, higher ISS, higher likelihood of admission to an intensive care unit, longer hospitalization, and higher rate of significant procedure (e.g., surgery or embolization). CONCLUSIONS: Trauma-induced coagulopathy defined only by a PTr ≥1.24 could be used as a severity predictive marker and as a sensitive, specific, quick, and easy to use tool for admission triage of pediatric patients.

Medical Device-Related Pressure Injuries in Infants and Children.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs) in hospitalized pediatric patients. DESIGN: A prospective, descriptive study. SAMPLE/SUBJECTS AND SETTING: The sample comprised 625 patients cared for in 8 US pediatric hospitals. Participants were aged preterm to 21 years, on bed rest for at least 24 hours, and had a medical device in place. METHODS: Two nursing teams, blinded to the other's assessments, worked in tandem to assess pressure injury risk, type of medical devices in use, and preventive interventions for each medical device. They also identified the presence, location, and stage of MDRPI. Subjects were observed up to 8 times over 4 weeks, or until discharge, whichever occurred first. RESULTS: Of 625 enrolled patients, 42 (7%) developed 1 or more MDRPIs. Two-thirds of patients with MDRPIs were younger than 8 years. Patients experiencing MDRPIs had higher acuity scores on hospital admission, were more frequently cognitively and/or functionally impaired, or were extreme in body mass index. Respiratory devices caused the most injuries (6.19/1000 device-days), followed by immobilizers (2.40/1000 device-days), gastric tubes (2.24/1000 device-days), and external monitoring devices (1.77/1000 device-days). Of the 6336 devices in place, 36% did not have an MDRPI preventive intervention in place. Clinical variables contributing to MDRPI development included intensive care unit care (odds ratio [OR] 8.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-43.6), use of neuromuscular blockade (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.7-7.8), and inotropic/vasopressor medications (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.7-4.3). Multivariable analysis indicated that Braden QD scores alone predicted MDRPI development. CONCLUSION: Medical devices are common in hospitalized infants and children and these medical devices place patients at risk for MDRPI.

Design of 3D-Printed Nasopharyngeal Swabs for Children is Enabled by Radiologic Imaging.

3D-printed nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 molecular diagnostic testing address the national shortage of swabs. Swab designs for adult use were placed in the public domain in March 2020. Swabs for pediatric use, however, need to be smaller and more flexible to navigate delicate pediatric nasopharyngeal cavities. We describe a novel use of maxillofacial CT scans to aid in the design of pediatric nasopharyngeal swabs.

The efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal compound in pediatric patients with allergic rhinitis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: We design this study to assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal compound for allergic rhinitis in children. METHODS: PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and China biomedical literature database (CBM) will be searched from the establishment of each database to July 2020. Randomized controlled trials of Chinese herbal compound for the treatment of allergic rhinitis in children will be included. Two researchers will screen the literature, extract data, and assess the risk of bias independently. Statistical analysis will be performed in RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: This study will summarize high quality evidence of randomized controlled trials on exploring the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal compound for allergic rhinitis in children. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of study will provide scientific evidence of the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal compound for allergic rhinitis in children for clinician and further studies. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The private information from individuals will not be published. This systematic review also will not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval is not required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/Q5TRZ.