Acute Appendicitis in Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Neither Delayed Diagnosis Nor Worse Outcomes.

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of complicated appendicitis during the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) pandemic lockdown. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of pediatric patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis in a single pediatric institution that assumed care responsibility for most of the pediatric emergencies during the lockdown period in Madrid (Spain). A control group was made up of the same number of patients diagnosed the previous year. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-one patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis were included (77 during self-quarantine and 74 during the previous year). The incidence of complicated appendicitis was 38.9% versus 28.3%, showing no significant differences. The 2 groups were homogeneous, with no differences in time elapsed between symptom onset and first emergency department visit, laboratory test results, median length of stay, intensive care admissions, or patients correctly diagnosed on their first visit. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) self-quarantine has not increased the incidence of complicated appendicitis, and children who developed complicated appendicitis did not have worse clinical outcomes. Parents did not delay presenting for medical attention, and emergency department pediatricians did not fail to diagnose this condition. Reorganization of hospital resources, fast-track treatment protocols for noncomplicated appendicitis, and extended use of home-stay hospitalization for complicated appendicitis could have contributed to these favorable outcomes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

En respuesta al artículo «Impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 en urgencias: primeros hallazgos en un hospital de Madrid / In response to the article «Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the emergency room: First findings in a hospital in Madrid»

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Lactante con tortícolis adquirida: cavernoma gigante cerebeloso / Post-natally acquired torticollis: Giant cavernous cerebellum

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