Pediatric Mental Health Hospitalizations at Acute Care Hospitals in the US, 2009-2019.

Importance: Approximately 1 in 6 youth in the US have a mental health condition, and suicide is a leading cause of death among this population. Recent national statistics describing acute care hospitalizations for mental health conditions are lacking. Objectives: To describe national trends in pediatric mental health hospitalizations between 2009 and 2019, to compare utilization among mental health and non-mental health hospitalizations, and to characterize variation in utilization across hospitals. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective analysis of the 2009, 2012, 2016, and 2019 Kids' Inpatient Database, a nationally representative database of US acute care hospital discharges. Analysis included 4 767 840 weighted hospitalizations among children 3 to 17 years of age. Exposures: Hospitalizations with primary mental health diagnoses were identified using the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Disorders Classification System, which classified mental health diagnoses into 30 mutually exclusive disorder types. Main Outcomes and Measures: Measures included number and proportion of hospitalizations with a primary mental health diagnosis and with attempted suicide, suicidal ideation, or self-injury; number and proportion of hospital days and interfacility transfers attributable to mental health hospitalizations; mean lengths of stay (days) and transfer rates among mental health and non-mental health hospitalizations; and variation in these measures across hospitals. Results: Of 201 932 pediatric mental health hospitalizations in 2019, 123 342 (61.1% [95% CI, 60.3%-61.9%]) were in females, 100 038 (49.5% [95% CI, 48.3%-50.7%]) were in adolescents aged 15 to 17 years, and 103 456 (51.3% [95% CI, 48.6%-53.9%]) were covered by Medicaid. Between 2009 and 2019, the number of pediatric mental health hospitalizations increased by 25.8%, and these hospitalizations accounted for a significantly higher proportion of pediatric hospitalizations (11.5% [95% CI, 10.2%-12.8%] vs 19.8% [95% CI, 17.7%-21.9%]), hospital days (22.2% [95% CI, 19.1%-25.3%] vs 28.7% [95% CI, 24.4%-33.0%]), and interfacility transfers (36.9% [95% CI, 33.2%-40.5%] vs 49.3% [95% CI, 45.9%-52.7%]). The percentage of mental health hospitalizations with attempted suicide, suicidal ideation, or self-injury diagnoses increased significantly from 30.7% (95% CI, 28.6%-32.8%) in 2009 to 64.2% (95% CI, 62.3%-66.2%) in 2019. Length of stay and interfacility transfer rates varied significantly across hospitals. Across all years, mental health hospitalizations had significantly longer mean lengths of stay and higher transfer rates compared with non-mental health hospitalizations. Conclusions and Relevance: Between 2009 and 2019, the number and proportion of pediatric acute care hospitalizations due to mental health diagnoses increased significantly. The majority of mental health hospitalizations in 2019 included a diagnosis of attempted suicide, suicidal ideation, or self-injury, underscoring the increasing importance of this concern.

Surveillance of osteoarticular infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus in a paediatric hospital in Mexico City.

Staphylococcus aureus is the main aetiologic agent of osteoarticular infections (OAIs) in paediatric patients. The aim of this prospective unicenter study was to describe the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of S. aureus isolates obtained from OAIs in paediatric patients admitted to tertiary care hospital. Through a surveillance program called OsteoCode, a multidisciplinary team was created and we identified 27 patients with OAIs caused by S. aureus from 2019 to 2021. The susceptibility profile, virulence factors, biofilm formation, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), clonal complex (CC) and sequence type (ST) were determined. In addition, the clinical characteristics and evolution of the patients presented six months after the diagnosis of OAIs were described. Ninety-two percent of the isolates were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). In methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), SCCmec-II and SCCmec-V were detected. The pvl gene was only observed in MSSA (18.5%) and was associated with highest fever (p=0.015), multiple localization (p=0.017), and soft tissue sites of infection beyond the bone (pyomyositis, pulmonary abscess) (p=0.017). Biofilm formation was detected in 55.6% of isolates. The most common CC were CC5 and CC30 which represent the most common linages for bone and joint infections worldwide. The isolates were distributed in different STs, and ST672 was predominant. MRSA were associated with a longer duration of intravenous treatment and a prolonged hospital stay (p=0.023). Recurrent infection occurred in five children and orthopaedic complications in 33.3% of patients. This is the first study that reflects the epidemiology of S. aureus in OAIs in paediatric patients in Mexico; a clear predominance of MSSA distributed in different STs was observed. Our findings highlight that a multidisciplinary team is required for the diagnosis and treatment of OAIs.

Características clínicas y epidemiológicas asociadas con internación en niños con COVID-19 en un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad: Estudio de cohorte enero-marzo 2022 / Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics associated with hospital admission in children with COVID19 in a tertiary-care pediatric hospital: A January-March 2022 cohort study

Introducción: La proporción de casos reportados de niños y adolescentes con COVID-19 aumenta progresivamente. La hospitalización relacionada con COVID-19 en niños es infrecuente, pero causa morbilidad y sobrecarga al sistema de salud. Objetivos: Describir las características clínicas y evolutivas de los niños con diagnóstico de COVID-19 en un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad. Comparar los pacientes que requirieron internación y los que no. Material y métodos: Cohorte prospectiva. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes con diagnóstico virológico de COVID-19 desde 1.1.2022 a 1.3.22 en un hospital pediátrico de alta complejidad. Se compararon los antecedentes, características clínicas y evolutivas de los pacientes según requirieran o no internación. Se utilizó STATA 16. Resultados: n: 1764 pacientes, de ellos 958 eran varones (54%). La mediana de edad fue 56 meses (RIC 17-116). Tenían enfermedad de base 789 pacientes (46%). Las más frecuentes fueron: enfermedad oncohematológica 215 (12%), neurológica 103 pacientes (6%) , enfermedad pulmonar crónica 68 (4%), cardiopatías congénitas 65 (4%) y síndrome genético 57 pacientes (3%). Eran inmunosuprimidos: 292 (17%). Presentaron síntomas relacionados con COVID-19 1319 pacientes (79%). Requirieron internación 591 (34%). Tuvieron coinfección con otros virus respiratorios 33 pacientes (2%). Ingresaron a Cuidados intensivos en relación a la COVID-19 22 pacientes (1.3%) y fallecieron en relación con la infección 8 (0.5%). En el análisis univariado, la presencia de comorbilidades, la coinfección viral y la inmunosupresión se asociaron estadísticamente con el requerimiento de internación. El antecedente de 2 o más dosis de vacuna para SARS-CoV-2 fue un factor protector para la internación en los mayores de 3 años. En el modelo multivariado, los pacientes menores de 3 años (OR 6.5, IC95% 1.2-36.8, p 0.03), con comorbilidades (OR 2.04, IC 95% 1.7- 3.3, p 0.00) y los huéspedes inmunocomprometidos (OR 2.89, IC95% 2.1-4.1, p 0.00) tuvieron más riesgo de internación. Ajustado por el resto de las variables, haber recibido dos o más dosis de vacuna fue un factor protector para la internación (OR 0.65, IC 95% 0.49-0.87, p<0.01). Conclusiones: En este estudio de cohorte prospectivo de niños con diagnóstico confirmado de COVID-19 predominó la enfermedad sintomática. Fueron admitidos en relación con el COVID-19, 34% de los pacientes. La vacunación con dos o más dosis fue un factor protector para la internación en el modelo multivariado. Además, se asociaron estadísticamente con la hospitalización, la edad menor de 3 años, las comorbilidades previas y la inmunosupresión (AU)

Introduction: The rate of reported cases of children and adolescents with COVID-19 is progressively increasing. COVID-19-related hospital admission in children is uncommon, but leads to morbidity and places a burden on the healthcare system. Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of children diagnosed with COVID-19 in a pediatric tertiary-care hospital and to compare patients who required hospital admission with those who did not. Material and methods: A prospective cohort study. All patients with a virological diagnosis of COVID-19 seen between 1.1.2022 and 1.3.22 in a tertiary-care pediatric hospital were included. We compared patient history, clinical characteristics, and outcome according to whether or not they required hospital admission. STATA 16 was used. Results: n: 1764 patients, 958 of whom were male (54%). The median age was 56 months (IQR, 17- 116). Overall, 789 patients had an underlying disease (46%), the most frequent of which were hematology-oncology disease in 215 patients (12%), neurological disease in 103 (6%), chronic lung disease in 68 (4%), congenital heart disease in 65 (4%), and a genetic syndrome in 57 (3%); 292 were immunosuppressed (17%). Overall, 1319 patients (79%) had COVID-19-related symptoms and 591 (34%) required hospital admission. A coinfection with other respiratory viruses was observed in 33 patients (2%). Intensive care admission due to COVID-19 was required in 22 patients (1.3%) and 8 (0.5%) died with COVID-19. In univariate analysis, the presence of comorbidities, viral coinfecton, and immunosuppression were statistically significantly associated with the need for hospitalization. A history of two or more doses of the SARSCoV2 vaccine was a protective factor against hospital admission in children older than 3 years. In the multivariate model, patients younger than 3 years (OR 6.5, 95% CI 1.2-36.8, p 0.03), with comorbidities (OR 2.04, 95%CI 1.7-3.3, p 0.00) and immunocompromised hosts (OR 2.89, 95% CI 2.1-4.1, p 0.00) had a higher risk of hospital admission. When adjusting for the remaining variables, having received two or more doses of the vaccine was found to be a protective factor against hospital admission (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49-0.87, p<0.01). Conclusions: In this prospective cohort study of children with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, symptomatic disease predominated. Thirty-four percent of the patients were admitted for COVID-19. Vaccination with two or more doses was a protective factor against hospitalization in the multivariate model. In addition, age younger than 3 years, previous comorbidities, and immunosuppression were statistically associated with hospital admission (AU)

Características clínicas y sociodemográficas de pacientes con epilepsia en un hospital pediátrico en Honduras / Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with epilepsy in a pediatric hospital in Honduras

Antecedentes: La epilepsia es una patología frecuente en pediatría; representa el mayor número de referencias al Servicio de Neurología. En Honduras son pocas las publicaciones recientes del tema. Objetivo: Describir las características clínicas y sociodemográficas de pacientes con epilepsia en un centro nacional de referencia pediátrica. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo. Se utilizaron expedientes clínicos de pacientes atendidos en Consulta Externa de Neuropediatría Hospital María, Especialidades Pediátricas (HMEP), Tegucigalpa, Honduras, durante mayo 2015-marzo 2019. Para el análisis de datos se utilizó estadística descriptiva. Resultados: De los 334 pacientes, el sexo masculino fue el más afectado 55.7% (186), procedentes de zona urbana 69.5% (232); la mediana de edad fue 7 años. En 26.3% (88) de los casos, el padre estuvo ausente y el 81.1% (271) de los pacientes eran hijos de madre desempleada. Como etiología se encontró que el 54.4% (182) fue desconocida. El 26.3% (88) tuvo antecedente familiar de epilepsia y el 50.6% (174/344) de los pacientes tuvieron eventualidad perinatal, de estos 24.7% (43/174) presentó asfixia neonatal. El 32.7% (108/330) se encontraban en estado de malnutrición. Las crisis focales fueron más frecuentes y el factor precipitante de crisis más común fue abandono de tratamiento. El 36.6% (126) tenía algún tipo de discapacidad, siendo la cognitiva la más sobresaliente. Discusión: Es necesario reforzar estrategias de salud pública dirigidas a la prevención prenatal, natal y posnatal de la epilepsia, brindar apoyo a las familias monoparentales y asegurar acceso continuo a servicios de salud...(AU)

Portación nasal de Staphylococcus aureus en el personal de salud de áreas críticas de un Hospital Pediátrico durante julio-setiembre 2018 / Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in health personnel in critical areas of a Pediatric Hospital during July-September 2018 / Transporte nasal de Staphylococcus aureus em profissionais de saúde em áreas críticas de um Hospital Pediátrico durante julho-setembro de 2018

Las infecciones intrahospitalarias (IIH) son causa de elevada morbimortalidad y representan un problema sanitario importante. El personal de salud es reservorio y potencial transmisor de los agentes etiológicos de las mismas. S. aureus es uno de los microorganismos implicados, por lo tanto es importante conocer la frecuencia de portación en el personal de salud y establecer el perfil de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana para contribuir con la elaboración de medidas de prevención incluyendo actividades educativas. Objetivo: Conocer la frecuencia de portación de S. aureus, distribución y antibiotipos de las cepas presentes en el personal sanitario del Hospital Pediátrico de Referencia (HPR). Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo durante el periodo julio-setiembre del año 2018. Se incluyeron muestras de hisopados nasales de trabajadores de la salud de distintas áreas de internación que consintieron participar en el estudio. Se excluyeron aquellos que recibieron antibióticos dentro de los 3 meses previos al estudio. Las muestras fueron sembradas en agar sangre ovina al 5% (ASO) y se incubaron a 35-37ºC en aerobiosis por 24-48 horas. La identificación de las colonias sospechosas de Staphylococcus aureus por métodos convencionales y MALDI-TOF. El patrón de resistencia antimicrobiana de S. aureus se detectó por disco-difusión. En los cultivos resistentes a meticilina (SAMR) se determinó la presencia del gen mecA y se realizó la tipificación del SCCmec por pruebas de reacción en cadena de polimerasa. Resultados: Se obtuvieron 225 hisopados a partir de 225 trabajadores, presentaron desarrollo 212. En 49 se recuperaron cultivos de S. aureus. Correspondieron a SAMR 11 de las 49 cepas, todas portaban el gen mecA. Hubo predominio en el personal de enfermería (7/11), en los servicios de hemato-oncología (3/11) y cuidados intensivos neonatales (4/11). Asociaron resistencia a macrólidos y clindamicina 8 de 11 aislamientos SAMR, a gentamicina 2 y a mupirocina uno. El SCCmec más frecuentemente identificado fue el tipo IV (7/11). Conclusiones: Los resultados muestran la presencia de cepas SAMR entre el personal de salud del CHPR y aportan información complementaria para efectuar prevención y control de las IIH, actuando sobre todo en el personal de salud encargado de la atención de pacientes susceptibles.

Hospital-acquired infections (IIH) are a cause of high morbidity and mortality and represent a major health problem. Health personnel are reservoirs and potential transmitters of their etiological agents. S. aureus is one of the microorganisms involved, therefore it is important to know the frequency of carriage in health personnel and establish the antimicrobial susceptibility profile to contribute to the development of prevention measures, including educational activities. Objective: To know the frequency of carriage of S. aureus, distribution and antibiotypes of the strains present in the health personnel of the Reference Pediatric Hospital (HPR). Materials and methods: A descriptive study was carried out during the period July-September 2018. Nasal swab samples from health workers from different hospitalization areas who agreed to participate in the study were included. Those who received antibiotics within 3 months prior to the study were excluded. The samples were seeded in 5% sheep blood agar (ASO) and incubated at 35-37ºC in aerobiosis for 24-48 hours. Identification of suspicious Staphylococcus aureus colonies by conventional methods and MALDI-TOF. The antimicrobial resistance pattern of S. aureus was detected by disc diffusion. In methicillin-resistant cultures (MRSA), the presence of the mecA gene was determined and SCCmec was typified by polymerase chain reaction tests. Results: 225 swabs were obtained from 225 workers, 212 showed development. S. aureus cultures were recovered from 49. 11 of the 49 strains corresponded to MRSA, all of them carried the mecA gene. There was a predominance in the nursing staff (7/11), in the hematology-oncology services (3/11) and neonatal intensive care (4/11). They associated resistance to macrolides and clindamycin in 8 of 11 MRSA isolates, 2 to gentamicin, and 1 to mupirocin. The most frequently identified SCCmec was type IV (7/11). Conclusions: The results show the presence of MRSA strains among the health personnel of the CHPR and provide complementary information to carry out prevention and control of IIH, acting especially on the health personnel in charge of the care of susceptible patients.

As infecções hospitalares (HII) são causa de alta morbidade e mortalidade e representam um importante problema de saúde. Os profissionais de saúde são reservatórios e potenciais transmissores de seus agentes etiológicos. O S. aureus é um dos micro-organismos envolvidos, por isso é importante conhecer a frequência de portadores em profissionais de saúde e estabelecer o perfil de suscetibilidade antimicrobiana para contribuir no desenvolvimento de medidas de prevenção incluindo atividades educativas. Objetivo: Conhecer a frequência de portadores de S. aureus, distribuição e antibiótipos das cepas presentes no pessoal de saúde do Hospital Pediátrico de Referência (HPR). Materiais e métodos: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo durante o período de julho a setembro de 2018. Foram incluídas amostras de swab nasal de profissionais de saúde de diferentes áreas de internação que concordaram em participar do estudo. Aqueles que receberam antibióticos nos 3 meses anteriores ao estudo foram excluídos. As amostras foram semeadas em 5% de ágar sangue de carneiro (ASO) e incubadas a 35-37ºC em aerobiose por 24-48 horas. Identificação de colônias suspeitas de Staphylococcus aureus por métodos convencionais e MALDI-TOF. O padrão de resistência antimicrobiana de S. aureus foi detectado por difusão em disco. Em culturas resistentes à meticilina (MRSA), a presença do gene mecA foi determinada e SCCmec foi tipificado por testes de reação em cadeia da polimerase. Resultados: 225 swabs foram obtidos de 225 trabalhadores, 212 apresentaram desenvolvimento. Culturas de S. aureus foram recuperadas de 49. 11 das 49 cepas correspondiam a MRSA, todas carregavam o gene mecA. Houve predominância na equipe de enfermagem (7/11), nos serviços de hematologia-oncologia (3/11) e de terapia intensiva neonatal (4/11). Eles associaram resistência a macrolídeos e clindamicina em 8 de 11 isolados de MRSA, 2 à gentamicina e 1 à mupirocina. O SCCmec mais frequentemente identificado foi o tipo IV (7/11). Conclusões: Os resultados mostram a presença de cepas de MRSA entre os profissionais de saúde do CHPR e fornecem informações complementares para realizar a prevenção e controle da HII, atuando principalmente sobre os profissionais de saúde responsáveis ​​pelo atendimento de pacientes suscetíveis.

Use of Acute Mental Health Care in U.S. Children's Hospitals Before and After Statewide COVID-19 School Closure Orders.

Objective: This study aimed to examine changes in child emergency department (ED) discharges and hospitalizations for primary general medical (GM) and primary psychiatric disorders; prevalence of psychiatric disorders among acute care encounters; and change in acute mental health (MH) care encounters by disorder type and, within these categories, by child sociodemographic characteristics before and after statewide COVID-19­related school closure orders. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional cohort study used the Pediatric Health Information System database to assess percent changes in ED discharges and hospitalizations (N=2,658,474 total encounters) among children ages 3­17 years in 44 U.S. children's hospitals in 2020 compared with 2019, by using matched data for 36- and 12-calendar-week intervals. Results: Decline in MH ED discharges accounted for about half of the decline in ED discharges and hospitalizations for primary GM disorders (−24.8% vs. −49.1%), and MH hospitalizations declined 3.4 times less (−8.0% vs. −26.8%) in 2020. Suicide attempt or self-injury and depressive disorders accounted for >50% of acute MH care encounters before and after the statewide school closures. The increase in both ED discharges and hospitalizations for suicide attempt or self-injury was 5.1 percentage points (p<0.001). By fall 2020, MH hospitalizations for suicide attempt or self-injury rose by 41.7%, with a 43.8% and 49.2% rise among adolescents and girls, respectively. Conclusions: Suicide or self-injury and depressive disorders drove acute MH care encounters in 44 U.S. children's hospitals after COVID-19­related school closures. Research is needed to identify continuing risk indicators (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric disorder types, and social determinants of health) of acute child MH care.

Evaluation of advanced practice provider related return visits to a pediatric emergency department and their outcomes.

BACKGROUND: While multiple studies have evaluated physician-related return visits (RVs) to a pediatric emergency department (PED) limited data exists for Advanced Practice Provider (APP)-related RVs, hence our study aimed to evaluate APP-related RVs and their outcomes in a PED. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 72-h RVs where clinical care was independently provided by an APP during the index visit from January 2018 to December 2019. We extracted patient demographics, index and return visits' characteristics and outcomes. Reasons for RVs were categorized as progression of illness, medication-related, callbacks and others. Index visits were assessed for any diagnostic errors; impact of which to the patient was classified as none, minor or major. RESULTS: Our APP-related RV rate was 2.1% (653/30,328). 462 eligible RVs were included in the final analysis. Majority of RVs were for medical reasons (n = 442, 95.7%); lower acuity (Emergency Severity Index ≥3, n = 426, 92.2%); due to persistence/progression of illness (n = 403; 87.2%) with viral illness being the common diagnosis (n = 159; 34.4%). 12 (2.6%) RVs were secondary to callbacks (8 radiology callbacks; 4 false positive blood cultures). Diagnostic errors were noted in 14 (3%) encounters of which 3 resulted in a major impact; radiological (7 fractures) and ophthalmological (2 corneal abrasions and 2 foreign bodies) misses constituted the majority of these. CONCLUSIONS: APP-related RVs for low acuity medical patients remain low and are associated with good outcomes. Diagnostic errors account for a minority of these RVs. Focused interventions targeting provider errors can further decrease these RVs.

Association of Race/Ethnicity and Social Determinants with Rehospitalization for Mental Health Conditions at Acute Care Children's Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations of race/ethnicity and social determinants with 90-day rehospitalization for mental health conditions to acute care nonpsychiatric children's hospitals. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of mental health hospitalizations for children aged 5-18 years from 2016 to 2018 at 32 freestanding US children's hospitals using the Children's Hospital Association's Pediatric Health Information System database to assess the association of race/ethnicity and social determinants (insurance payer, neighborhood median household income, and rurality of patient home location) with 90-day rehospitalization. Risk factors for rehospitalization were modeled using mixed-effects multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 23 556 index hospitalizations, there were 1382 mental health rehospitalizations (5.9%) within 90 days. Non-Hispanic Black children were 26% more likely to be rehospitalized than non-Hispanic White children (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.08-1.48). Those with government insurance were 18% more likely to be rehospitalized than those with private insurance (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34). In contrast, those living in a suburban location were 22% less likely to be rehospitalized than those living in an urban location (suburban: aOR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Non-Hispanic Black children and those with public insurance were at greatest risk for 90-day rehospitalization, and risk was lower in those residing in suburban locations. Future work should focus on upstream interventions that will best attenuate social disparities to promote equity in pediatric mental healthcare.

Inequities in quality and safety outcomes for hospitalized children with intellectual disability.

AIM: To investigate if there are inequities in quality and safety outcomes for children with intellectual disability admitted to two tertiary paediatric hospitals. METHOD: A cross-sectional study of 1367 admissions for 1018 randomly selected patients admitted for more than 23 hours to one of two tertiary children's hospitals in Sydney, Australia (1st January-31st December 2017). Electronic medical records were manually interrogated to identify children with intellectual disability (including developmental delay). Data extracted included patient demographics, length of stay, number of admissions, and reported clinical incidents. RESULTS: In total, 12.3% (n=125) of children admitted during the study period had intellectual disability, which represented 13.9% (n=190) of admissions. Sex and age at admission in children with and without intellectual disability were similar: 83 (43.7%) vs 507 (43.1%) females and 107 (56.3%) vs 670 (56.9%) males, p=0.875; median age 3 years (0-18y) vs 4 years (0-18y), p=0.122. Children with intellectual disability had significantly greater median length of stay (100.5h vs 79h, p<0.001) and cost of admission (A$11 596.38 vs A$8497.96) than their peers (p=0.001). Children with intellectual disability had more admissions with at least one incident compared to children without intellectual disability (14.7% vs 9.7%); this was not statistically significant (p=0.06). INTERPRETATION: Children with intellectual disability experience inequitable quality and safety outcomes in hospital. Engaging children and families in clinical incident reporting may enhance understanding of safety risks for children with intellectual disability in hospital.

Vigilancia de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 en un hospital pediátrico / Surveillance of the SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 infection in a pediatric hospital / Vigilância da infecção por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 em um hospital pediátrico

Introducción: a partir de enero de 2020, cuando la OMS declaró la infección por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 como una emergencia de interés internacional, en los centros de atención pediátrica se comenzaron a implementar protocolos de actuación y actividades con miras a la preparación y contención de la pandemia. Objetivo: describir los resultados de la vigilancia hospitalaria y las características epidemiológicas-clínicas de niños y adolescentes con infección por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 en el período comprendido entre 1/4/2020 y 30/4/2021 en un hospital pediátrico. Material y métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo retrospectivo. Período considerado 1/4/2020-30/4/2021. Se incluyeron todos los niños y adolescentes menores de 16 años con diagnóstico de infección por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 por test de PCR y captados por el Comité de Infecciones Hospitalarias (CIH) y la Unidad de Epidemiología e Infectología Pediátrica. Se realizó PCR para SARS-CoV-2 a todos los usuarios internados, a los incluidos en la vigilancia IRAG según definición de caso, y a niños y adolescentes con internaciones prolongadas cada 10 días. Fuente de datos: vigilancia activa establecida por el CIH, historias clínicas, laboratorio. Variables: sexo, edad, motivo de testeo, comorbilidad, contacto, presentación clínica, evolución, brotes hospitalarios. Análisis estadístico: distribución de frecuencias y medidas de resumen. Consideraciones éticas: se garantizó el anonimato en todo el proceso de análisis y comunicación. Resultados: en el período considerado se realizaron 10.645 test de PCR. Se identificaron 53 casos positivos, 7 (13, 2%) correspondieron a 2020 (noviembre y diciembre), 46 (86,8%) a 2021 (enero a abril), 30 (56,6%) de sexo femenino. Edad: 23 (43,4%) fueron menores de 1 año. Mediana 2,5 años. 13 pacientes presentaban comorbilidades (24,5%). En 30 casos (56,6%) el motivo del test fue la presencia de síntomas compatibles, mientras que 22 (41,5%) se encontraban asintomáticos. En 40 casos (75%) se identificó contacto conviviente como fuente de contagio. Permanecieron internados 39 casos, 5 requirieron CTI. 14 casos se asistieron en forma ambulatoria. Ninguno falleció. Se identificó un único brote de transmisión intrahospitalaria con tres usuarios en este período, que se controló en forma rápida. No se constataron contagios de usuarios a personal de salud en el período considerado. Conclusiones: las estrategias de vigilancia y control hospitalario han permitido identificar en forma oportuna los casos de COVID-19 y controlar la transmisión. Los casos crecieron en forma exponencial en consonancia con la situación epidemiológica nacional en el período considerado.

Introduction: as of January 2020, when the WHO declared the SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 infection as a global health emergency, action protocols and activities began to be implemented in pediatric care centers with the purpose preparing and containing the pandemic. Objective: describe the results of hospital surveillance and the epidemiological-clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with a SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 infection between 4/1/2020 and 4/30/2021 in a pediatric hospital. Material and methods: a retrospective descriptive observational study was carried out. Period: 4/1/2020-4/30/2021. All children and adolescents under 16 years of age with diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 infection by PCR test and assisted by the In-Hospital Infectious Diseases Center (CIH) and by the Pediatric Epidemiology and Infectiology Unit. A PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 was performed to all hospitalized users and to those included in SARI surveillance as defined for this case, and to children and adolescents with prolonged hospitalizations every 10 days. Data source: active surveillance established by the CIH, medical records, laboratory data. Variables: sex, age, reason for testing, comorbidities, contact, clinical presentation, evolution, hospital outbreaks. Statistical Analysis: frequency distribution and summary measures. Ethical considerations: anonymity throughout the analysis and communication process. Results: in the period analyzed, 10,645 PCR tests were performed. 53 cases were identified as positive, 7 (13.2%) were in 2020 (November and December), 46 (86.8%) in 2021 (January to April), 30 (56.6%) were female. Age: 23 (43.4%) were under 1 year of age. Median 2.5 years. 13 patients had comorbidities (24.5%). In 30 cases (56.6%), the reason for the test was the presence of compatible symptoms, while 22 (41.5%) were asymptomatic. In 40 cases (75%), we identified a home contact as a source of contagion. 39 cases remained hospitalized, 5 required ICU. 14 cases were assisted on an outpatient basis. None died. A single case was caused by an outbreak of nosocomial transmission involving three users in this period, which was controlled timely. No infections were recorded from users to health staff in the period analyzed. Conclusions: hospital surveillance and control strategies have enabled us to identify cases of COVID-19 in a timely manner and control transmission. Cases grew exponentially in line with the national epidemiological situation in the period analyzed.

Introdução: a partir de janeiro de 2020, quando a OMS declarou a infecção por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 como emergência de interesse internacional, começaram a ser implementados protocolos de ação e atividades nos centros de atendimento pediátrico com vistas à preparação e contenção da pandemia. Objetivo: descrever os resultados da vigilância hospitalar e as características epidemiológicas-clínicas de crianças e adolescentes com infecção por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 entre 01/04/2020 e 30/04/2021 em um hospital pediátrico. Material e métodos: foi realizado um estudo observacional descritivo retrospectivo. O período considerado foi de 01/04/2020 a 30/04/2021. Participaram todas as crianças e adolescentes com menos de 16 anos de idade com diagnóstico da infecção por SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 por teste de PCR assistidas no Centro de Infectologia Hospitalar (CIH) e Unidade de Epidemiologia e Infectologia Pediátrica. O Teste PCR foi realizado para SARS-CoV-2 para todos os usuários hospitalizados, para aqueles incluídos na vigilância de SARI, conforme definido para o caso, e para crianças e adolescentes com internações prolongadas a cada 10 dias. Fonte de dados: vigilância ativa estabelecida pelo CIH, prontuário, laboratório. Variáveis: sexo, idade, motivo do teste, comorbidade, contato, apresentação clínica, evolução, surtos hospitalares. Análise estatística: distribuição de frequência e medidas sumárias. Considerações éticas: anonimato durante todo o processo de análise e comunicação. Resultados: no período considerado, foram realizados 10.645 testes de PCR. 53 casos foram identificados positivos, 7 (13,2%) corresponderam a 2020 (novembro e dezembro), 46 (86,8%) a 2021 (janeiro a abril), 30 (56,6%) eram do sexo feminino. Idade: 23 (43,4%) eram menores de 1 ano. Média 2,5 anos. 13 pacientes apresentavam comorbidades (24,5%). Em 30 casos (56,6%) o motivo do exame foi a presença de sintomas compatíveis, enquanto 22 (41,5%) foram assintomáticos. Em 40 casos (75%) o contato foi identificado como fonte de contágio. 39 casos permaneceram internados, 5 foram internados na UTI. 14 casos foram atendidos ambulatorialmente. Nenhum morreu. Um único caso foi causado por transmissão hospitalar envolvendo a três usuários neste período, ele foi controlado rapidamente. Não foram encontradas infecções de usuários para profissionais de saúde no período considerado. Conclusões: as estratégias de vigilância e controle hospitalares permitiram identificar casos de COVID-19 em tempo hábil e controle da transmissão. Os casos cresceram exponencialmente de acordo com a situação epidemiológica nacional no período considerado.

Development and Use of a Calculator to Measure Pediatric Low-Value Care Delivered in US Children's Hospitals.

Importance: The scope of low-value care in children's hospitals is poorly understood. Objective: To develop and apply a calculator of hospital-based pediatric low-value care to estimate prevalence and cost of low-value services. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study developed and applied a calculator of hospital-based pediatric low-value care to estimate the prevalence and cost of low-value services among 1 011 950 encounters reported in 49 US children's hospitals contributing to the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database. To develop the calculator, a multidisciplinary stakeholder group searched existing pediatric low-value care measures and used an iterative process to identify and operationalize relevant hospital-based measures in the PHIS database. Children with an eligible encounter in 2019 were included in the calculator-applied analysis. Two cohorts were analyzed: an emergency department cohort (with encounters resulting in emergency department discharge) and a hospitalized cohort. Exposures: Eligible condition-specific hospital encounters. Main Outcomes and Measures: The proportion and volume of encounters in which low-value services were delivered and their associated standardized costs. Measures were ranked by those outcomes. Results: There were 1 011 950 encounters eligible for 1 or more of 30 calculator-included measures in 2019; encounters were incurred by 816 098 unique patients with a median age of 3 years (IQR, 1-8 years). In the emergency department cohort, low-value services delivered in the greatest percentage of encounters were Group A streptococcal testing among children younger than 3 years with pharyngitis (3679 of 9785 [37.6%]), computed tomography scan for minor head injury (7541 of 42 602 [17.7%]), and bronchodilators for treatment of bronchiolitis (8899 of 55 616 [16.0%]). In the hospitalized cohort, low-value care was most prevalent for broad-spectrum antibiotics in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (3406 of 5658 [60.2%]), acid suppression therapy for infants with esophageal reflux (3814 of 7507 of [50.8%]), and blood cultures for uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia (2277 of 5823 [39.1%]). Measured low-value services generated nearly $17 million in total standardized cost. The costliest services in the emergency department cohort were computed tomography scan for abdominal pain (approximately $1.8 million) and minor head injury (approximately $1.5 million) and chest radiography for asthma (approximately $1.1 million). The costliest services in the hospitalized cohort were receipt of 2 or more concurrent antipsychotics (approximately $2.4 million), and chest radiography for bronchiolitis ($801 680) and asthma ($625 866). Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional analysis found that low-value care for some pediatric services was prevalent and costly. Measuring receipt of low-value services across conditions informs prioritization of deimplementation efforts. Continued use of this calculator may establish trends in low-value care delivery.

Prevalencia de trastornos respiratorios del sueño en pacientes asmáticos que se controlan en el Hospital Roberto del Río: estudio piloto / Prevalence of sleep breathing disorders in asthmatic patients monitored at Roberto del Río Hospital: a pilot study

Introducción. El asma es una de las enfermedades crónicas más frecuentes en niños. Múltiples estudios han sugerido que en la infancia presenta una asociación significativa con los trastornos respiratorios del sueño, con una prevalencia en niños asmáticos de un 24%. El objetivo fue determinar la prevalencia de trastornos respiratorios del sueño (TRS) en pacientes con asma controlados en un hospital pediátrico (6-15 años). Pacientes y Método. Estudio transversal descriptivo. Se aplicaron los cuestionarios de sueño pediátrico validado en español (pediatric sleep questionnaire, PSQ) y el Cuestionario de Control del Asma en Niños (CAN) a los padres de los niños con diagnósticos de asma controlados en Hospital Roberto del Río, vía telefónica y vía email. Resultados: La prevalencia de TRS fue de 34,8%. Un 20% presenta mal control de asma definido como CAN >8. Un 58,1% de los padres reportaron sobrepeso en los pacientes Conclusiones: la prevalencia de TRS en los niños estudiados es alta y obliga a investigar en cada consulta por estos síntomas. Aplicar la encuesta en cada consulta, de forma online podría aportar al conocimiento de estos pacientes y mantener la prevalencia del problema actualizada, para focalizar las intervenciones apropiadas.

Introduction. Asthma is one of the most frequent chronic diseases in children, multiple studies have suggested that in childhood it presents a significant association with sleep-disordered breathing, with a prevalence in asthmatic children of 24%.The objective was to determine the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (RRT) in patients with asthma controlled in a pediatric hospital (6-15 years). Patients and Methods. Descriptive cross-sectional study. The pediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ) and the Child Asthma Control Questionnaire (CAN) were applied to the parents of children with controlled asthma diagnoses at Hospital Roberto del Río, by telephone and via e-mail. Results: The prevalence of RRT was 34.8%. 20% have poor asthma control defined as CAN> 8. 58.1% of parents reported overweight in patients Conclusions: the prevalence of RRT in the children studied is high and makes it necessary to investigate these symptoms at each visit. Applying the survey in each consultation, online, could contribute to the knowledge of these patients and keep the prevalence of the problem updated, in order to focalized the interventions.

Trends in Hospital Costs and Levels of Services Provided for Children With Bronchiolitis Treated in Children's Hospitals.

Importance: Increasing hospital costs for bronchiolitis have been associated with increasing patient complexity and mechanical ventilation. However, the associations of illness severity and diagnostic coding practices with bronchiolitis hospitalization costs have not been examined. Objective: To investigate the association of patient complexity, illness severity, and diagnostic coding practices with bronchiolitis hospitalization costs. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 385 883 infants aged 24 months or younger who were hospitalized with bronchiolitis at 39 hospitals in the Pediatric Health Information System database from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2019. Exposure: Hospitalization for bronchiolitis. Main Outcomes and Measures: Inflation-adjusted standardized unit cost (expressed in dollar units) per hospitalization over time. A nested subgroup analysis was performed to further examine factors associated with changes in cost. Results: A total of 385 883 bronchiolitis hospitalizations were studied; the patients had a mean (SD) age of 7.5 (6.4) months and included 227 309 of 385 883 boys (58.9%) and 253 870 of 385 883 publicly insured patients (65.8%). Among patients hospitalized with bronchiolitis, the median standardized unit cost per hospitalization increased significantly during the study period (from $5636 [95% CI, $5558-$5714] in 2010 to $6973 [95% CI, $6915-$7030] in 2019; P < .001 for trend). Similar increases in cost were observed among subgroups of patients without a complex chronic condition and without the need for mechanical ventilation. However, costs for patients without a complex chronic condition or mechanical ventilation, who received care outside the intensive care unit did not change in an economically significant manner (from $4803 [95% CI, $4752-$4853] in 2010 to $4853 [95% CI, $4811-$4895] in 2019; P < .001 for trend), suggesting that intensive care unit use was a primary factor associated with cost increases. Substantial changes in coding practices were observed. Among patients hospitalized with bronchiolitis, 1.2% (95% CI, 1.1%-1.3%) were assigned an APR-DRG (All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Group) for respiratory failure in 2010, which increased to 21.6% (95% CI, 21.2%-21.9%) in 2019 (P < .001 for trend). Increased costs and coding intensity were not accompanied by objective evidence of worsening illness severity. Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional study suggests that hospitalized children with bronchiolitis are receiving costlier and more intensive care without objective evidence of increasing severity of illness. Changes in coding practices may complicate efforts to study trends in the use of health care resources using administrative data.

Patient attendance at a pediatric emergency referral hospital in an area with low COVID-19 incidence.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of individual infection control measures and physical distancing on pediatric medical care in a local prefecture in Japan, where the incidence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in pediatric patients was extremely low. We extracted data from hospital records on the number of outpatients, inpatients, infectious disease consultations, and consultations for representative pediatric diseases. We compared attendance in 2017-2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, with 2020, when COVID-19 spread to Japan. There were no COVID-19 patients in the pediatric department during the study period. The total number outpatient visits decreased by 24.4%, and the number of hospital admissions, excluding neonatal care unit admissions, decreased by approximately 35%. There was a marked reduction in the number of hospitalizations for infectious diseases such as influenza (-74.8%) and respiratory syncytial virus infection (-93.5%), and the number of hospitalizations for bronchitis/pneumonia, Kawasaki disease, and bronchial asthma decreased. In contrast, the number of clinical psychological interventions and cases reported to the child guidance center increased. In the context of pandemic infectious diseases, it is important to control the spread of problematic infectious diseases by individual infection control measures and physical distancing. However, it is necessary to maintain social life as much as possible for the mental health and physical development of children.

Carbapenem stewardship program in a French university children's hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Carbapenems, last-resort antibiotics, are widely used as first-line treatment in patients carrying extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) Enterobacteriaceae, including in a pediatric setting. We aimed to implement an antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) to improve the use of carbapenems. METHODS: We implemented an ASP at the Bordeaux Children's University Hospital with 6-month audits on prescribing practice before and after an intervention (revision of antibiotic treatment protocols, a half-day educational session with feedback of the first study period). The number of carbapenem prescriptions was analyzed and two criteria were used to assess conformity of the indication for carbapenem prescription and conformity of the reassessment. A logistic regression was used to assess the overall compliance of carbapenem prescriptions over the two periods adjusted for ESBL carriage. RESULTS: A total of 57 patients were included with 37 carbapenem prescriptions before the intervention and 23 after. Overall carbapenem consumption decreased from 0.54 prescriptions per 100 admissions to 0.32 (p = 0.06). Conformity increased during the study for indication (46-87%, p = 0.004) and for reassessment (48-78%, p = 0.04) and was significantly associated with the second study period, after adjustment for ESBL carriage. CONCLUSION: Our intervention contributed to a significant improvement in the compliance to indications for carbapenem indication and in the reassessment of the prescription.

Trends in Management of Simple Febrile Seizures at US Children's Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to measure trends in evaluation and management of children with simple febrile seizures (SFSs) before and after the American Academy of Pediatrics updated guidelines published in 2011. METHODS: In this retrospective, cross-sectional analysis, we used the Pediatric Health Information System database comprising 49 tertiary care pediatric hospitals in the United States from 2005 to 2019. We included children aged 6 to 60 months with an emergency department visit for first SFS identified using codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, and International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision. RESULTS: We identified 142 121 children (median age 21 months, 42.4% female) with an emergency department visit for SFS. A total of 49 668 (35.0%) children presented before and 92 453 (65.1%) after the guideline. The rate of lumbar puncture for all ages declined from 11.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.8% to 12.4%) in 2005 to 0.6% (95% CI, 0.5% to 0.8%) in 2019 (P < .001). Similar reductions were noted in rates of head computed tomography (10.6% to 1.6%; P < .001), complete blood cell count (38.8% to 10.9%; P < .001), hospital admission (19.2% to 5.2%; P < .001), and mean costs ($1523 to $601; P < .001). Reductions in all outcomes began before, and continued after, the publication of the American Academy of Pediatrics guideline. There was no significant change in delayed diagnosis of bacterial meningitis (preperiod 2 of 49 668 [0.0040%; 95% CI, 0.00049% to 0.015%], postperiod 3 of 92 453 [0.0032%; 95% CI, 0.00066% to 0.0094%]; P = .99). CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic testing, hospital admission, and costs decreased over the study period, without a concomitant increase in delayed diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. These data suggest most children with SFSs can be safely managed without lumber puncture or other diagnostic testing.

Neumonía necrotizante: experiencia en el Hospital Roberto del Río período 2014 a 2020 / Necrotizing pneumonia: experience at the Roberto del Río Hospital from 2014 to 2020

La neumonía necrotizante se refiere a la necrosis del parénquima pulmonar producto de una infección. Existe escasa literatura nacional sobre esta complicación. OBJETIVO: Caracterizar a los pacientes que cursaron con neumonía necrotizante en el Hospital Roberto del Río entre los años 2014 y 2020. MÉTODO: Revisión retrospectiva y descriptiva. RESULTADOS: 22 pacientes. Promedio de edad 4 años 7 meses, 68% masculino, esta complicación correspondió a 1,3% de todos los casos de neumonía hospitalizados en ese periodo. Un 95,5% presentó fiebre y un 59% dificultad respiratoria y tos. La duración promedio de la hospitalización fue de 31 días y del tratamiento antibiótico de 30,3 días. El 63% de los pacientes requirió cirugía. En el laboratorio destaca la leucocitosis y proteína C reactiva elevados con 71,4% > a 90 mg/L (promedio: 211 mg/L) y 52,3% leucocitosis > 15.000 (promedio: 18.127). La ecografía torácica fue la imagen más frecuentemente utilizada (95,5%). Agentes identificados Streptococcus pneumoniae (40%) y Staphylococcus aureus (40%). Un 63,6% ingresó a UCI, 35,7% requirió ventilación mecánica invasiva, 35,7% recibió drogas vasoactivas, 9% requirió de soporte ECMO (Oxigenación por Membrana Extracorpórea) y 1 paciente falleció (4,5%). DISCUSIÓN: en nuestro estudio encontramos una baja incidencia de esta patología, un alto índice de gravedad y una evolución favorable en la gran mayoría de los casos.

Necrotizing pneumonia refers to necrosis of lung parenchyma resulting from an infection. There is little national literature on this complication. OBJECTIVE: To characterize patients with necrotizing pneumonia at the Roberto del Río Children´s Hospital between 2014 to 2020. METHOD: Retrospective and descriptive review. RESULTS: A total of 22 patients, average age 4 years 7 months, male (68%). Average incidence 1.3% in 7 years; 95.5% had fever 59% had respiratory distress and cough. Average duration of hospitalization was 31 days and antibiotic treatment 30.3 days. A 63% of the patients had surgery. Leukocytosis and C-reactive protein (CRP) were elevated, 71.4% CRP > 90 mg /L (average: 211 mg /L) and 52.3% leukocytosis > 15.000 (average: 18.127). Chest ultrasound was used in 95.5%. Main agents identified were Streptococcus pneumoniae (40%) and Staphylococcus aureus (40%). A 63.6% of patients were admitted to ICU, 35.7% required invasive mechanical ventilation, 35.7% received vasoactive drugs, 9% required ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), and one patient died (4,5%). DISCUSSION: In our study we found a low incidence of this pathology, a high severity index an a favorable evolution in most cases.