Management and outcomes of pneumonia among children with complex chronic conditions

Community-Acquired Pneumonia Diagnosis Following Emergency Department Visits for Respiratory Illness

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is often considered for children presenting to the emergency department (ED) with respiratory symptoms. It is unclear how often children are diagnosed with CAP following an ED visit for respiratory illness. We performed a retrospective case-control study to evaluate 7-day CAP diagnosis among children 3 months to 18 years discharged from the ED with respiratory illness from 2011 to 2021 and who receive care at 4 hospital-affiliated primary care clinics. Logistic regression was performed to assess for predictors of 7-day CAP diagnosis. Seventy-four (0.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.6%, 0.9%) of 10 329 children were diagnosed with CAP within 7 days, and fever at the index visit was associated with increased odds of diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.75-6.28). Community-acquired pneumonia diagnosis after discharge from the ED with respiratory illness is rare, even among children who are febrile at time of initial evaluation.

Disease burden and high-risk populations for complications in patients with acute respiratory infections: a scoping review

Background

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) represent a significant public health concern in the U.S. This study aimed to describe the disease burden of ARIs and identify U.S. populations at high risk of developing complications.

Methods

This scoping review searched PubMed and EBSCO databases to analyze U.S. studies from 2013 to 2022, focusing on disease burden, complications, and high-risk populations associated with ARIs.

Results

The study included 60 studies and showed that ARI is associated with a significant disease burden and healthcare resource utilization (HRU). In 2019, respiratory infection and tuberculosis caused 339,703 cases per 100,000 people, with most cases being upper respiratory infections and most deaths being lower respiratory infections. ARI is responsible for millions of outpatient visits, especially for influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia, and indirect costs of billions of dollars. ARI is caused by multiple pathogens and poses a significant burden on hospitalizations and outpatient visits. Risk factors for HRU associated with ARI include age, chronic conditions, and socioeconomic factors.

Conclusion

The review underscores the substantial disease burden of ARIs and the influence of age, chronic conditions, and socioeconomic status on developing complications. It highlights the necessity for targeted strategies for high-risk populations and effective pathogen detection to prevent severe complications and reduce HRU.

Adaptive Intervention to Prevent Respiratory Illness in Cerebral Palsy: Protocol for a Feasibility Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

This study will pilot-test an innovative just-in-time adaptive intervention to reduce severe respiratory illness among children with severe cerebral palsy (CP). Our intervention program, Respiratory Exacerbation-Plans for Action and Care Transitions (RE-PACT), delivers timely customized action planning and rapid clinical response when hospitalization risk is elevated.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to establish RE-PACT's feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity in up to 90 children with severe CP. An additional aim is to preliminarily estimate RE-PACT's effect size.

METHODS

The study will recruit up to 90 caregivers of children with severe CP aged 0 to 17 years who are cared for by a respiratory specialist or are receiving daily respiratory treatments. Participants will be recruited from pediatric complex care programs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Study participants will be randomly assigned to receive usual care through the complex care clinical program at UW or UCLA or the study intervention, RE-PACT. The intervention involves action planning, rapid clinical response to prevent and manage respiratory illness, and weekly SMS text messaging surveillance of caregiver confidence for their child to avoid hospitalization. RE-PACT will be run through 3 successively larger 6-month trial waves, allowing ongoing protocol refinement according to prespecified definitions of success for measures of feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity. The feasibility measures include recruitment and intervention time. The acceptability measures include recruitment and completion rates as well as intervention satisfaction. The fidelity measures include observed versus expected rates of intervention and data collection activities. The primary clinical outcome is a severe respiratory illness, defined as a respiratory diagnosis requiring hospitalization. The secondary clinical outcomes include hospital days and emergency department visits, systemic steroid courses, systemic antibiotic courses, and death from severe respiratory illness.

RESULTS

The recruitment of the first wave began on April 27, 2022. To date, we have enrolled 30 (33%) out of 90 participants, as projected. The final wave of recruitment will end by October 31, 2023, and the final participant will complete the study by April 30, 2024. We will start analyzing the complete responses by April 30, 2024, and the publication of results is expected at the end of 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot intervention, using adaptive just-in-time strategies, represents a novel approach to reducing the incidence of significant respiratory illness for children with severe CP. This protocol may be helpful to other researchers and health care providers caring for patients at high risk for acute severe illness exacerbations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05292365; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05292365.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/49705.

The Role of Mannose-Binding Lectin and Inflammatory Markers in Establishing the Course and Prognosis of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

BACKGROUND

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most significant childhood diseases worldwide and a leading infectious cause of death in children. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the inflammatory markers-C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT)-and the polymorphic glycoprotein mannose-binding lectin (MBL), deficiency of which is associated with severe infections, in the determination of the optimal type and timing of therapeutic intervention for CAP in childhood.

METHODS

Retrospective evaluation was conducted on a cohort of 204 children aged 4 months-17 years hospitalized with CAP. Their levels of CRP, PCT, and MBL were assessed for their association with a variety of outcomes, including the incidence of local and systemic complications, admission to the ICU, duration of antibiotic treatment and hospital stay, and death.

RESULTS

CRP and PCT proved to be better predictors of complications of CAP than MBL. The area under the curve (AUC) value was highest for PCT as a predictor of systemic complications (AUC = 0.931, 95%CI 0.895-0.967), while CRP (AUC = 0.674, 95%CI 0.586-0.761) performed best as a predictor of local complications (AUC = 0.674, 95%CI 0.586-0.761). Regarding admission to the ICU, CRP was the weakest predictor (AUC = 0.741), while PCT performed the best (AUC = 0.833), followed by MBL (AUC = 0.797). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for the optimal threshold generated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, rendering sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 87% for PCT in assessing the risk of systemic complications, compared to sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 90% for CRP. MBL showed relatively high sensitivity (96%) but low specificity (25%) for predicting the need for ICU admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Early measurement of CRP, PCT, and MBL provides clinicians with important information regarding the course and prognosis of children diagnosed with CAP, thus ensuring prompt, optimal therapeutic management.

Antibiotic Use and Respiratory Viral PCR Testing Among Pediatric Patients With Nosocomial Fever

Objective Pediatric patients admitted to the hospital often develop fevers during their inpatient stay, and many children are empirically started on antibiotics. The utility of respiratory viral panel (RVP) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing in the evaluation of nosocomial fevers in admitted patients is unclear. We sought to evaluate whether RVP testing is associated with the use of antibiotics among inpatient pediatric patients. Patients and methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of children admitted from November 2015 to June 2018. We included all patients who developed fever 48 hours or more after admission to the hospital and who were not already receiving treatment for a presumed infection (on antibiotics). Results Among 671 patients, there were 833 inpatient febrile episodes. The mean age of children was 6.3 years old, and 57.1% were boys. Out of 99 RVP samples analyzed, 22 were positive (22.2%). Antibiotics were started in 27.8% while 33.5% of patients were already on antibiotics. On multivariate logistic regression, having an RVP sent was significantly associated with increased initiation of antibiotics (aOR 95% CI 1.18-14.18, p=0.03). Furthermore, those with a positive RVP had a shorter course of antibiotics compared to those with a negative RVP (mean 6.8 vs 11.3 days, p=0.019). Conclusions Children with positive RVP had decreased antibiotic exposure compared to those with negative RVP results. RVP testing may be used to promote antibiotic stewardship among hospitalized children.

Impact of children with complex chronic conditions on costs in a tertiary referral hospital

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the impact of complex chronic conditions on the use of healthcare resources and hospitalization costs in a pediatric ward of a public tertiary referral university hospital in Brazil.

METHODS

This is a longitudinal study with retrospective data collection. Overall, three one-year periods, separated by five-year intervals (2006, 2011, and 2016), were evaluated. Hospital costs were calculated in three systematic samples of 100 patients each, consisting of patients with and without complex chronic conditions in proportion to their participation in the studied year.

RESULTS

Over the studied period, the hospital received 2,372 admissions from 2,172 patients. The proportion of hospitalized patients with complex chronic conditions increased from 13.3% in 2006 to 16.9% in 2016 as a result of a greater proportion of neurologically impaired children, which rose from 6.6% to 11.6% of the total number of patients in the same period. Patients’ complexity also progressively increased, which greatly impacted the use of healthcare resources and costs, increasing by 11.6% from 2006 (R$1,300,879.20) to 2011 (R$1,452,359.71) and 9.4% from 2011 to 2016 (R$1,589,457.95).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalizations of pediatric patients with complex chronic conditions increased from 2006 to 2016 in a Brazilian tertiary referral university hospital, associated with an important impact on hospital costs. Policies to reduce these costs in Brazil are greatly needed.

Study on the Changes and Significance of Immune State and Cycokines in Children with Adenovirus Pneumonia

Objective. To observe the difference between peripheral blood T lymphocytes subsets and cycokines in children with severe adenovirus pneumonia and nonsevere adenovirus pneumonia, and to investigate their clinical value in the prognosis of severe pneumonia. Methods. 215 children with adenovirus pneumonia and 30 healthy volunteers (which was set as the control group) in our hospital from January 2017 to May 2019 were enrolled in the study. There were 47 children with severe pneumonia in the severe group and 168 nonsevere pneumonia children in the nonsevere group. The flow cytometry and ELISA methods were used to detect the serum levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cells and interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Results. (1) The levels of CD3 (%) T cells, CD4 (%) T cells, and CD4/CD8 ratio values of children with adenovirus pneumonia were lower than these of normal children ( $P<0.05$ ). And the levels of CD3 (%) T cells, CD4 (%) T cells, and CD4/CD8 ratio values of children in the severe group were lower than these of children in the nonsevere group ( $P<0.05$ ). (2) The levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ values of children with adenovirus pneumonia were lower than these of normal children ( $P<0.05$ ). And the levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ of children in the severe group were higher than these of children in the nonsevere group ( $P<0.05$ ). (3) Among the 47 children with severe adenoviral pneumonia, 39 received systematic treatment in our hospital. According to the treatment effect, 39 children were divided into the effective group (n = 25) and the ineffective group (n = 14). (4) The CD3 (%), CD4 (%), and CD4/CD8 ratios of the children in the effective group were higher than those in the ineffective group ( $P<0.05$ ). (5) The levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in the effective group were lower than those in the ineffective group ( $P<0.05$ ). Conclusion. The immunophenotype of peripheral blood T lymphocytes and cycokines could be helpful to judge the severity of adenovirus pneumonia, which could be used as the objective indexes to evaluate the prognosis of children with severe adenovirus pneumonia.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with medical complexity

Background

Descriptions of the COVID-19 pandemic’s indirect consequences on children are emerging. We aimed to describe the impacts of the pandemic on children with medical complexity (CMC) and their families.

Methods

A one-time survey of Canadian paediatricians using the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP) was conducted in Spring 2021.

Results

A total of 784 paediatricians responded to the survey, with 70% (n = 540) providing care to CMC. Sixty-seven (12.4%) reported an adverse health outcome due to a COVID-19 pandemic-related disruption in healthcare delivery. Disruption of the supply of medication and equipment was reported by 11.9% of respondents (n = 64). Respondents reported an interruption in family caregiving (47.5%, n = 252) and homecare delivery (40.8%, n = 218). Almost 47% of respondents (n = 253) observed a benefit to CMC due to COVID-19 related changes in healthcare delivery, including increased availability of virtual care and reduction in respiratory illness. Some (14.4%) reported that CMC were excluded from in-person learning when their peers without medical complexity were not.

Conclusion

Canadian paediatricians reported that CMC experienced adverse health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including disruptions to family caregiving and community supports. They also describe benefits related to the pandemic including the expansion of virtual care. These results highlight the need for healthcare, community and education policymakers to collaborate with families to optimize their health.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12887-022-03549-y.

Associations between comorbidity-related functional limitations and pneumonia outcomes

BACKGROUND

Underlying comorbidities are common in children with pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE

To determine associations between comorbidity-related functional limitations and risk for severe pneumonia outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

We prospectively enrolled children <18 years with and without comorbidities presenting to the emergency department with clinical and radiographic pneumonia at two institutions. Comorbidities included chronic conditions requiring daily medications, frequent healthcare visits, or which limited age-appropriate activities. Among children with comorbidities, functional limitations were defined as none or mild, moderate, and severe.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Outcomes included an ordinal severity outcome, categorized as very severe (mechanical ventilation, shock, or death), severe (intensive care without very severe features), moderate (hospitalization without severe features), or mild (discharged home), and length of stay (LOS). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to examine associations between comorbidity-related functional limitations and outcomes, while accounting for relevant covariates.

RESULTS

A cohort of 1116 children, including 452 (40.5%) with comorbidities; 200 (44.2%) had none or mild functional limitations, 93 (20.6%) moderate, and 159 (35.2%) had severe limitations. In multivariable analysis, comorbidity-related functional limitations were associated with the ordinal severity outcome and LOS (p < .001 for both). Children with severe functional limitations had tripling of the odds of a more severe ordinal (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.01, 95% confidence interval [2.05, 4.43]) and quadrupling of the odds for longer LOS (aOR: 4.72 [3.33, 6.70]) as compared to children without comorbidities.

CONCLUSION

Comorbidity-related functional limitations are important predictors of disease outcomes in children with pneumonia. Consideration of functional limitations, rather than the presence of comorbidity alone, is critical when assessing risk of severe outcomes.

Disease Severity and Risk Factors of 30-Day Hospital Readmission in Pediatric Hospitalizations for Pneumonia

Pneumonia is the leading cause of hospitalization in pediatric patients. Disease severity greatly influences pneumonia progression and adverse health outcomes such as hospital readmission. Hospital readmissions have become a measure of healthcare quality to reduce excess expenditures. The aim of this study was to examine 30-day all-cause readmission rates and evaluate the association between pneumonia severity and readmission among pediatric pneumonia hospitalizations. Using 2018 Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD), we conducted a cross-sectional study of pediatric hospitalizations for pneumonia. Pneumonia severity was defined by the presence of respiratory failure, sepsis, mechanical ventilation, dependence on long-term supplemental oxygen, and/or respiratory intubation. Outcomes of interest were 30-day all-cause readmission, length of stay, and cost. The rate of 30-day readmission for the total sample was 5.9%, 4.7% for non-severe pneumonia, and 8.7% for severe pneumonia (p < 0.01). Among those who were readmitted, hospitalizations for severe pneumonia had a longer length of stay (6.5 vs. 5.4 days, p < 0.01) and higher daily cost (USD 3246 vs. USD 2679, p < 0.01) than admissions for non-severe pneumonia. Factors associated with 30-day readmission were pneumonia severity, immunosuppressive conditions, length of stay, and hospital case volume. To reduce potentially preventable readmissions, clinical interventions to improve the disease course and hospital system interventions are necessary.

Systemic corticosteroid as an adjunctive treatment for lower respiratory tract infection in children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities

INTRODUCTION

Children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) are susceptible to severe lower respiratory tract infection (LTRI). As SMID patients are prone to develop recurrent wheezing and are often diagnosed with bronchial asthma, they frequently receive systemic corticosteroids as an adjunctive treatment for LRTIs. However, the efficacy of corticosteroid therapy for LTRIs in SMID children is unclear. We investigated whether or not corticosteroid therapy was associated with better clinical outcomes for SMID children with LRTIs.

METHODS

Our retrospective study enrolled 217 SMID children 1-15 years old hospitalized for LTRIs. We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes between patients with and without corticosteroid therapy.

RESULTS

Of the 217 patients, 29 (13.3%) received corticosteroid therapy. The proportion of patients with a history of bronchial asthma was higher and LRTI was more severe in patients with corticosteroid therapy than in those without the therapy. The length of hospital stay (LOHS) was significantly longer in patients with corticosteroid therapy (median 13 days) than in those without corticosteroid therapy (median 9 days) (P = 0.02). The same tendency was shown for the LOHS in patients with severe or moderate LRTI, although not to a significant extent.

CONCLUSION

Systemic corticosteroid therapy was not associated with better clinical outcomes in SMID children with LRTIs, even if the patients suffer from severe LRTIs. Corticosteroids should be used cautiously for LRTIs in SMID children because bronchial asthma is likely to be overdiagnosed in these children.

Clinical characteristics of recurrent pneumonia in children with or without underlying diseases

BACKGROUND

Recurrent pneumonia is uncommon in children and few studies investigate the clinical impact of underlying diseases on this issue. This study aimed to explore the difference in clinical manifestations, pathogens, and prognosis of recurrent pneumonia in children with or without underlying diseases.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of pediatric recurrent pneumonia from 2007 to 2019 in National Taiwan University Hospital. Patients under the age of 18 who had two or more episodes of pneumonia in a year were included, and the minimum interval of two pneumonia episodes was more than one month. Aspiration pneumonia was excluded. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were collected and compared.

RESULTS

Among 8508 children with pneumonia, 802 (9.4%) of them had recurrent pneumonia. Among these 802 patients, 655 (81.7%) had underlying diseases including neurological disorders (N = 252, 38.5%), allergy (N = 211, 32.2%), and cardiovascular diseases (N = 193, 29.5%). Children without underlying diseases had more viral bronchopneumonia (p < 0.001). Children with underlying diseases were more likely to acquire Staphylococcus aureus (p = 0.001), and gram-negative bacteriae, more pneumonia episodes (3 vs 2, p < 0.001), a longer hospital stay (median: 7 vs. 4 days, p < 0.001), a higher ICU rate (28.8% vs 3.59%, p < 0.001), and a higher case-fatality rate (5.19% vs 0%, p < 0.001) than those without underlying diseases.

CONCLUSION

Children with underlying diseases, prone to have recurrent pneumonia and more susceptible to resistant microorganisms, had more severe diseases and poorer clinical outcomes. Therefore, more attention may be paid on clinical severity and the therapeutic plan.

Patients with chronic conditions and their complex care needs in a tertiary care hospital

INTRODUCTION

Health care for children with complex chronic conditions (CCC) constitutes an evolving and a challenging part of practices in pediatrics. These children need end-of-life services such as palliative care. The aim of this study was to identify the frequency of patients with CCC among all hospitalized children at our general pediatrics services and to describe the demographics, diagnosis, clinical spectrum, long-term care needs, and mortality data of patients with CCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All hospitalizations in 2018 at the general pediatric services were screened retrospectively. Patients' hospitalization diagnoses, gender, age, comorbid conditions, number of emergency admissions in 2018, intensive care unit needs, mortality rates, and the number of hospitalizations in 2018 were investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 1591 patients were hospitalized for 2083 times in 2018. Overall, 145 of 1591 patients (9%) had CCC. Patients with CCC were hospitalized for 472 times (23% of all hospitalizations). The number of emergency admissions, the number of hospitalizations in 2018 and the need for intensive care, and the mortality rate during hospitalization for patients with CCC were significantly higher than those for patients without CCC. The median length of hospitalization in patients with CCC was significantly longer.

CONCLUSION

Patients with CCC were hospitalized frequently and longer, had increased emergency and PICU admissions, and special long-term care needs. Pediatricians who pioneer care for children with CCC need education, training, and coordinated support to ensure qualified long-term care for these patients.

Role of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Pediatric Pneumonia

Respiratory viral infections represent the leading cause of hospitalization in infants and young children worldwide and the second leading cause of infant mortality. Among these, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) represents the main cause of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in young children worldwide. RSV manifestation can range widely from mild upper respiratory infections to severe respiratory infections, mainly bronchiolitis and pneumonia, leading to hospitalization, serious complications (such as respiratory failure), and relevant sequalae in childhood and adulthood (wheezing, asthma, and hyperreactive airways). There are no specific clinical signs or symptoms that can distinguish RSV infection from other respiratory pathogens. New multiplex platforms offer the possibility to simultaneously identify different pathogens, including RSV, with an accuracy similar to that of single polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the majority of cases. At present, the treatment of RSV infection relies on supportive therapy, mainly consisting of oxygen and hydration. Palivizumab is the only prophylactic method available for RSV infection. Advances in technology and scientific knowledge have led to the creation of different kinds of vaccines and drugs to treat RSV infection. Despite the good level of these studies, there are currently few registered strategies to prevent or treat RSV due to difficulties related to the unpredictable nature of the disease and to the specific target population.

Multicenter Interim Guidance on Use of Antivirals for Children With Coronavirus Disease 2019/Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2

BACKGROUND

Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a mild infection in most children, a small proportion develop severe or critical illness. Data describing agents with potential antiviral activity continue to expand such that updated guidance is needed regarding use of these agents in children.

METHODS

A panel of pediatric infectious diseases physicians and pharmacists from 20 geographically diverse North American institutions was convened. Through a series of teleconferences and web-based surveys, a set of guidance statements was developed and refined based on review of the best available evidence and expert opinion.

RESULTS

Given the typically mild course of COVID-19 in children, supportive care alone is suggested for most cases. For children with severe illness, defined as a supplemental oxygen requirement without need for noninvasive or invasive mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), remdesivir is suggested, preferably as part of a clinical trial if available. Remdesivir should also be considered for critically ill children requiring invasive or noninvasive mechanical ventilation or ECMO. A duration of 5 days is appropriate for most patients. The panel recommends against the use of hydroxychloroquine or lopinavir-ritonavir (or other protease inhibitors) for COVID-19 in children.

CONCLUSIONS

Antiviral therapy for COVID-19 is not necessary for the great majority of pediatric patients. For children with severe or critical disease, this guidance offers an approach for decision-making regarding use of remdesivir.

Discharge Before Return to Respiratory Baseline in Children With Neurologic Impairment

BACKGROUND

Children with neurologic impairment (NI) are commonly hospitalized with acute respiratory infections (ARI). These children frequently require respiratory support at baseline and are often discharged before return to respiratory baseline.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if discharge before return to respiratory baseline is associated with reutilization among children with NI hospitalized with ARI.

METHODS

This single-center retrospective cohort study included children with NI aged 1 to 18 years hospitalized with ARI who required increased respiratory support between January 2010 and September 2015. The primary exposure was discharge before return to respiratory baseline. The primary outcome was 30-day hospital reutilization. A generalized estimating equation was used to examine the association between exposure and outcome while accounting for within-patient clustering and patient-level clinical complexity and illness severity.

RESULTS

In the 632 hospitalizations experienced by 366 children, children were discharged before return to respiratory baseline in 30.4% of hospitalizations. Compared with those hospitalizations in which children were discharged at baseline, hospitalizations with a discharge before return to respiratory baseline were more likely to be for privately insured, technology-dependent children with respiratory comorbidities. Compared with discharges at respiratory baseline, discharges with increased respiratory support had no difference in 30-day reutilization (32.8% vs 31.8%; P = .81; adjusted OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.51-1.26).

CONCLUSIONS

Among children with NI hospitalized with ARI, discharge before return to respiratory baseline was common, but it was not associated with hospital reutilization. Return to respiratory baseline may not be a necessary component of discharge criteria in this population.

Parent Perspectives During Hospital Readmissions for Children With Medical Complexity: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVES

Children with medical complexity (CMC) have high readmission rates, but relatively little is known from the parent perspective regarding care experiences surrounding and factors contributing to readmissions. We aimed to elicit parent perspectives on circumstances surrounding 30-day readmissions for CMC.

METHODS

We conducted 20 semistructured interviews with parents of CMC experiencing an unplanned 30-day readmission at 1 academic medical center between December 2016 and January 2018, asking about topics such as previous discharge experiences, medical services and resources, and home environment and social support. Interviews were recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed thematically by using a modified grounded theory approach.

RESULTS

Children ranged in age from 0 to 15 years, with neurologic complex chronic conditions being predominant (35%). Although the majority of parents did not identify any factors that they perceived to have contributed to readmission, themes emerged regarding challenges associated with chronicity of care and transitions of care that might influence readmissions, including frequency of hospital use, symptom confusion, lack of inpatient continuity, resources needed but not received, and difficulty filling prescriptions.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents identified multiple challenges associated with chronicity of medical management and transitions of care for CMC. Future interventions aiming to improve continuity and communication between admissions, ensure that home services are provided when applicable and prescriptions are filled, and provide comprehensive support for families in both the short- and long-term may help improve patient and family experiences while potentially decreasing readmissions.

Transition to adult care for young people with cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is associated with a high burden of comorbid respiratory disease subsequent to multiple risk factors associated with increasing levels of disability. Correspondingly, respiratory disease is the leading cause of death in CP, including amongst young people who are transitioning or who have just transitioned between paediatric and adult healthcare services. Therefore, consideration of both preventive and therapeutic respiratory management is integral to transition in patients with CP, as summarised in this review.

Exosomal miR-103a-3p ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced immune response in BEAS-2B cells via NF-κB pathway by targeting transducin β-like 1X related protein 1

Abnormal immune response contributes to pathophysiology of pneumonia and is recognized as a main factor for high incidence rate in children. The association between exosomes and inflammation has been reported in diverse cell types and diseases. The current study focuses on exploring the effects of exosomal miR-103a-3p on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation, and investigates the underlying mechanisms. We proved that miR-103a-3p was lowly expressed in blood samples of pneumonia patients and LPS-induced lung cells, and overexpression of miR-103a-3p weaken the LPS-induced inflammation. Using luciferase reporter assay and immunoprecipitation assay, we demonstrated that miR-103a-3p directly binds to a specific region of transducin β-like 1X related protein 1 (TBL1XR1), mediating the NF-κB signalling pathway, thus regulating immune response. Taken together, our data revealed that miR-103a-3p functions as an anti-inflammatory gene in childhood pneumonia and can be applied as therapeutic targets for the treatment of childhood pneumonia in the future.

Decreasing trend in the incidence of serious pneumonias in Finnish children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVES

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) may be predisposed to serious pneumonia due to modern disease-modifying anti-rheumatic treatment. In this nationwide retrospective study with clinical data, we describe the pneumonia episodes among children with JIA.

METHODS

Patients under 18 years of age with JIA and pneumonia during 1998-2014 were identified in the National Hospital Discharge Register in Finland. Each individual patient record was reviewed, and detailed data on patients with JIA and pneumonia were retrieved, recorded, and analyzed. If the patient was hospitalized or received intravenous antibiotics, the pneumonia was considered serious.

RESULTS

There were 157 episodes of pneumonia among 140 children with JIA; 111 episodes (71%) were serious (80% in 1998-2006 and 66% in 2007-2014). The mean age of the patients was 9 years. Forty-eight percent had active JIA and 46% had comorbidities. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD) were used at the time of 135 episodes (86%): methotrexate (MTX) by 62% and biologic DMARDs (bDMARD) by 30%. There was no significant difference in the use of bDMARDs, MTX and glucocorticoids between the patient groups with serious and non-serious pneumonia episodes. During six of the episodes, intensive care was needed. Two patients (1.3%) died, the remaining ones recovered fully.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the incidence of pneumonia and the use of immunosuppressive treatment among children with JIA increased from 1998 to 2014, the proportion of serious pneumonias in these patients decreased. There was no significant difference in the use of anti-rheumatic medication between patients with serious and non-serious pneumonia.Key Points• The incidence of serious pneumonias decreased from 1998 to 2014 among children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).• There was no significant difference in the use of the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic medication between JIA patients with serious and non-serious pneumonias.• Active JIA, comorbidities, and combination medication were associated with nearly half of the pneumonias.

MiR-146b protects against the inflammation injury in pediatric pneumonia through MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway

Background: Pneumonia is a common respiratory disease worldwide that can be prevented and treated. However, it is considered to be the leading cause of children death. The present study was aimed to explore the functional role and molecular mechanism of miR-146b in the inflammation injury in pediatric pneumonia.Materials and methods: The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pulmonary injury cell model was established in WI-38 human lung fibroblasts cells. QRT-PCR and Western blot was applied to detect miR-146b and MyD88 expression. ELISA assay was used to analyze the production of pro-inflammatory factors. Cell viability was evaluated by CCK-8 assay. The apoptosis proteins and the downstream genes of NF-κB pathway were detected by Western blot.Results: we displayed that miR-146b was down-regulated, whereas MyD88 was up-regulated in the serum of children patients with pneumonia and in WI-38 cells treated with LPS. Moreover, re-expression of miR-146b suppressed the production of inflammatory factors in the serum of pneumonia patients and WI-38 cells treated with LPS. In addition, elevating miR-146b expression increased WI-38 cell viability and reduced cell apoptosis. More importantly, bioinformatics analysis revealed that MyD88 was a target of miR-146b and could overturn the protective effect of miR-146b on the inflammation injury in LPS-injured WI-38 cells. Furthermore, miR-146b over-expression inhibited the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway by suppressing MyD88.Conclusion: miR-146b attenuated the inflammation injury in pediatric pneumonia through inhibiting MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. These preliminarily findings further deepened our understanding of this mechanism and identified new potential therapeutic targets for pediatric pneumonia.

Epidemiology of Children With Multiple Complex Chronic Conditions in a Mixed Urban-Rural US Community

OBJECTIVES

Children with multiple complex chronic conditions (MCCs) represent a small fraction of our communities but a disproportionate amount of health care cost and mortality. Because the temporal trends of children with MCCs within a geographically well-defined US pediatric population has not been previously assessed, health care planning and policy for this vulnerable population is limited.

METHODS

In this population-based, repeated cross-sectional study, we identified and enrolled all eligible children residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota, through the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a medical record linkage system of Olmsted County residents. The pediatric complex chronic conditions classification system version 2 was used to identify children with MCCs. Five-year period prevalence and incidence rates were calculated during the study period (1999-2014) and characterized by age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) by using the housing-based index of socioeconomic status, a validated individual housing-based SES index. Age-, sex-, and ethnicity-adjusted prevalence and incidence rates were calculated, adjusting to the 2010 US total pediatric population.

RESULTS

Five-year prevalence and incidence rates of children with MCCs in Olmsted County increased from 1200 to 1938 per 100 000 persons and from 256 to 335 per 100 000 person-years, respectively, during the study period. MCCs tend to be slightly more prevalent among children with a lower SES and with a racial minority background.

CONCLUSIONS

Both 5-year prevalence and incidence rates of children with MCCs have significantly increased over time, and health disparities are present among these children. The clinical and financial outcomes of children with MCCs need to be assessed for formulating suitable health care planning given limited resources.

Developing Prediction Models for 30-Day Unplanned Readmission Among Children With Medical Complexity

OBJECTIVES

To target interventions to prevent readmission, we sought to develop clinical prediction models for 30-day readmission among children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs).

METHODS

After extracting sociodemographic and clinical characteristics from electronic health records for children with CCCs admitted to an academic medical center, we constructed a multivariable logistic regression model to predict readmission from characteristics obtainable at admission and then a second model adding hospitalization and discharge variables to the first model. We assessed model performance using c-statistic and calibration curves and internal validation using bootstrapping. We then created readmission risk scoring systems from final model β-coefficients.

RESULTS

Of the 2296 index admissions involving children with CCCs, 188 (8.2%) had unplanned 30-day readmissions. The model with admission characteristics included previous admissions, previous emergency department visits, number of CCC categories, and medical versus surgical admission (c-statistic 0.65). The model with hospitalization and discharge factors added discharge disposition, length of stay, and weekday discharge to the admission variables (c-statistic 0.67). Bootstrap samples had similar c-statistics, and slopes did not suggest significant overfitting for either model. Readmission risk was 3.6% to 4.9% in the lowest risk quartile versus 15.9% to 17.6% in the highest risk quartile (or 3.6-4.5 times higher) for both models.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical variables related to the degree of medical complexity and illness severity can stratify children with CCCs into groups with clinically meaningful differences in the risk of readmission. Future research will explore whether these models can be used to target interventions and resources aimed at decreasing readmissions.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children with medical complexity

Children with medical complexity (CMC) are vulnerable to respiratory illness hospitalization (RIH) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related hospitalization (RSVH) due to multisystem disorders and compromised airways. It is unknown whether RSV prophylaxis is effective, or if RSVH is associated with significant morbidities in CMC. The study objectives were to (1) determine the incidence of RSV-related infection in prophylaxed CMC during the first 3 years of life and (2) assess the burden of illness following RSVH. A single tertiary center, retrospective study, was conducted of CMC who received palivizumab during the 2012-2016 RSV seasons. Fifty-four subjects were enrolled; most received one (38.9%, n = 21) or two (57.4%, n = 31) seasons of prophylaxis (mean = 4.2 [SD = 1.24], palivizumab doses per season). The cohort comprised children with multiple medical conditions (n = 22, 40.8%), tracheostomy (n = 18, 33.3%), and invasive (n = 10, 18.5%) or non-invasive (n = 4, 7.4%) ventilation. Of the CMC, 24 were hospitalized 47 times for a viral-related respiratory illness. RSV incidence in the first 3 years of life was 7.4%. Viral-related RIH and RSVH rates were 44.4% (n = 24/54) and 1.9% (n = 1/54), respectively. Of the four RSV-positive children, one was ventilated for 9 days, two acquired nosocomial RSV that was managed on the ward, and one was discharged home under close complex care supervision. All four RSV-positive cases required additional oxygen during their illness. CMC experience a high viral-related RIH rate and palivizumab likely minimizes RSV-related events and associated morbidities. The efficacy of palivizumab in CMC, especially in those ≤ 3 years, should be prospectively evaluated.

Development and Validation of a Model to Predict Growth of Potentially Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli in Critically Ill Children With Suspected Infection

Background

Risk-based guidelines aid empiric antibiotic selection for critically ill adults with suspected infection with Gram-negative bacilli with high potential for antibiotic resistance (termed high-risk GNRs). Neither evidence-based guidelines for empiric antibiotic selection nor validated risk factors predicting high-risk GNR growth exist for critically ill children. We developed and validated a model for predicting high-risk GNR growth in critically ill children with suspected infection.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study involving 2 pediatric cohorts admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) with suspected infection. We developed a risk model predicting growth of high-risk GNRs using multivariable regression analysis in 1 cohort and validated it in a separate cohort.

Results

In our derivation cohort (556 infectious episodes involving 489 patients), we identified the following independent predictors of high-risk GNR growth: hospitalization >48 hours before suspected infection, hospitalization within the past 4 weeks, recent systemic antibiotics, chronic lung disease, residence in a chronic care facility, and prior high-risk GNR growth. The model sensitivity was 96%, the specificity was 48%, performance using the Brier score was good, and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.722, indicating good model performance. In our validation cohort (525 episodes in 447 patients), model performance was similar (AUROC, 0.733), indicating stable model performance.

Conclusions

Our model predicting high-risk GNR growth in critically ill children demonstrates the high sensitivity needed for ICU antibiotic decisions, good overall predictive capability, and stable performance in 2 separate cohorts. This model could be used to develop risk-based empiric antibiotic guidelines for the pediatric ICU.

Factors Associated With Length of Stay and 30-Day Revisits in Pediatric Acute Pancreatitis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to identify factors associated with length of stay (LOS) and 30-day hospital revisit for patients hospitalized with acute pancreatitis (AP).

METHOD

Multicenter, retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric Health Information System database. Multilevel linear and logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with the primary outcome variables of LOS and 30-day hospital revisit in children aged 1 and 18 years discharged with a primary discharge diagnosis of AP from participating hospitals between 2008 and 2013.

RESULTS

For the 7693 discharges, median LOS was 4 days (interquartile range 3-7 days) and 30-day revisit rate 17.6% (n = 1356). Discharges were primarily girls (55%), Caucasian (46%), and 6 years old or older (85%). On multilevel regression, factors independently associated with both longer LOS and higher revisit odds included malignant and gastrointestinal complex chronic conditions (CCCs) and total parenteral nutrition use while hospitalized. Male gender was associated with both lower LOS (adjusted length of stay = -0.6 days, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.8 to -0.4) and decreased revisit odds (aOR 0.85; 95% CI = 0.74 to 0.97). Hispanic ethnicity was associated with increased LOS (adjusted length of stay = +0.8 days, 95% CI = +0.5 to +1.1), but no change in revisit odds.

CONCLUSIONS

Certain demographic and clinical factors, including gender, ethnicity, and type of CCC, were independently associated with LOS and risk of 30-day hospital revisit for pediatric AP. Children with malignant and gastrointestinal CCCs who require total parenteral nutrition are at highest risk for both longer LOS and hospital revisit when admitted with AP. These patient populations may benefit from intensive care coordination when hospitalized for AP.

Length of Stay and Hospital Revisit After Bacterial Tracheostomy-Associated Respiratory Tract Infection Hospitalizations

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors associated with longer length of stay (LOS) and higher 30-day hospital revisit rates for children hospitalized with bacterial tracheostomy-associated respiratory tract infections (bTARTIs).

METHODS

This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort study using administrative data from the Pediatric Health Information System database between 2007 and 2014 of patients 30 days to 17 years old with a principal discharge diagnosis of bTARTI or a principal discharge diagnosis of bTARTI symptoms with a secondary diagnosis of bTARTI. Primary outcomes of LOS (in days) and 30-day all-cause revisit rates (inpatient, observation, or emergency department visit) were analyzed by using a 3-level hierarchical regression model (discharges within patients within hospital).

RESULTS

We included 3715 unique patients and 7355 discharges. The median LOS was 4 days (interquartile range: 3-8 days), and the 30-day revisit rate was 30.5%. Compared with children 1 to 4 years old, children aged 30 days to 12 months had both longer LOS (adjusted length of stay [aLOS] = +0.9 days; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6 to 1.3) and increased hospital revisit risk (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.5; 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.7). Other factors associated with longer LOS included public insurance (aLOS = +0.5 days; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.8), 3 or more complex chronic conditions (CCCs), mechanical ventilation (acute or chronic), and empirical anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibiotics (aLOS = +0.6 days; 95% CI: 0.3 to 0.9). Other factors associated with 30-day revisit included 4 or more CCCs (aOR = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1 to 1.6) and chronic ventilator dependency (aOR = 1.1; 95% CI: 1.0 to 1.3).

CONCLUSIONS

Ventilator-dependent patients <12 months old with at least 4 CCCs are at highest risk for both longer LOS and 30-day revisit after discharge for bTARTIs. They may benefit from bTARTI prevention strategies and intensive care coordination while hospitalized.

MicroRNA‑20a promotes inflammation via the nuclear factor‑κB signaling pathway in pediatric pneumonia

Pneumonia is a common respiratory disease worldwide, which is preventable and treatable; however, it is recognized as a leading cause of mortality in children. The present study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of microRNA (miR)‑20a in inflammation in pediatric pneumonia. Clinical serum samples were collected from children with pneumonia and healthy children. Initially, the serum expression levels of miR‑20a were detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently, A549 cells were randomly divided into four groups: Control group; lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 µg/ml) group; LPS + miR‑20a group; and LPS + miR‑20a + pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC; 100 mmol/l) group. The concentrations of interleukin‑6 (IL‑6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α and C‑reactive protein (CRP) in clinical serum samples and A549 cells were determined by ELISA. In addition, the protein expression levels of inhibitor of nuclear factor (NF)‑κB α (IκBα) and phosphorylated (p)‑NF‑κB were measured by western blotting. The results demonstrated that miR‑20a was upregulated in children with pneumonia and in lung cells with LPS‑induced inflammatory injury (P<0.01). In addition, compared with the LPS group, cells in the LPS + miR‑20a group exhibited increased expression levels of IL‑6, TNF‑α and CRP (P<0.05). Overexpression of miR‑20a also resulted in upregulation of the expression levels of IκBα and p‑NF‑κB compared with in the LPS group (P<0.05). Furthermore, treatment with the NF‑κB inhibitor PDTC inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors compared with in the LPS + miR‑20a group (P<0.05). In conclusion, the present study indicated that miR‑20a is upregulated in pediatric pneumonia, and overexpression of miR‑20a may promote inflammation through activation of the NF‑κB signaling pathway.

Pediatric Readmissions After Hospitalizations for Lower Respiratory Infections

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Lower respiratory infections (LRIs) are among the most common reasons for pediatric hospitalization and among the diagnoses with the highest number of readmissions. Characterizing LRI readmissions would help guide efforts to prevent them. We assessed variation in pediatric LRI readmission rates, risk factors for readmission, and readmission diagnoses.

METHODS

We analyzed 2008-2009 Medicaid Analytic eXtract data for patients <18 years of age in 26 states. We identified LRI hospitalizations based on a primary diagnosis of bronchiolitis, influenza, or community-acquired pneumonia or a secondary diagnosis of one of these LRIs plus a primary diagnosis of asthma, respiratory failure, or sepsis/bacteremia. Readmission rates were calculated as the proportion of hospitalizations followed by ≥1 unplanned readmission within 30 days. We used logistic regression with fixed effects for patient characteristics and a hospital random intercept to case-mix adjust rates and assess risk factors.

RESULTS

Of 150 590 LRI hospitalizations, 8233 (5.5%) were followed by ≥1 readmission. The median adjusted hospital readmission rate was 5.2% (interquartile range: 5.1%-5.4%), and rates varied across hospitals (P < .0001). Infants (patients <1 year of age), boys, and children with chronic conditions were more likely to be readmitted. The most common primary diagnoses on readmission were LRIs (48.2%), asthma (10.0%), fluid/electrolyte disorders (3.4%), respiratory failure (3.3%), and upper respiratory infections (2.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

LRI readmissions are common and vary across hospitals. Multiple risk factors are associated with readmission, indicating potential targets for strategies to reduce readmissions. Readmission diagnoses sometimes seem related to the original LRI.

Diagnostic Testing and Hospital Outcomes of Children with Neurologic Impairment and Bacterial Pneumonia

OBJECTIVE

To assess hospital-level variability in diagnostic testing and outcomes for children with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study of 27 455 children ages 1-18 years with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia at 39 children's hospitals. K-means clustering was used to assign each hospital to 1 of 3 groups (termed A, B, and C) based on similar diagnostic testing patterns. Outcomes of hospital-level median length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmissions, and pneumonia-associated complications were compared while controlling for patient differences.

RESULTS

Overall, 48.5% had comorbid complex chronic conditions, and 25.4% were assisted with medical technology. Outcomes and diagnostic testing varied across hospitals: median hospital-level LOS, 3.2 days (IQR 2.8-3.8); median readmission, 8.4% (IQR 6.8,-10.0); and median pneumonia-associated complication rate, 23.1% (IQR 18.7-26.8). Despite similar populations, hospitals in group A tended to perform fewer tests than those in groups B and C. Across hospital groups, there was a significant difference in adjusted readmission rates (group A 7.2%, group B 9.0%, group C 7.7%, P = .003). There was no significant difference in adjusted median LOS (group A 3.4 days, group B 3.2 days, group C 3.3 days, P = .3) or adjusted pneumonia-associated complication rates (group A 22.5%, group B 22.5%, group C 25.0%, P = .6).

CONCLUSIONS

For children with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia, across hospital differences in diagnostic testing were not associated with clinically meaningful differences in outcomes. High-utilizing hospitals may be able to decrease diagnostic testing for children with neurologic impairment hospitalized with pneumonia without adversely impacting outcomes.