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Harmon I, Brailsford J, Sanchez-Cano I, Fishe J. Development of a Computable Phenotype for Prehospital Pediatric Asthma Encounters. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38713633 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2024.2352583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Asthma exacerbations are a common cause of pediatric Emergency Medical Services (EMS) encounters. Accordingly, prehospital management of pediatric asthma exacerbations has been designated an EMS research priority. However, accurate identification of pediatric asthma exacerbations from the prehospital record is nuanced and difficult due to the heterogeneity of asthma symptoms, especially in children. Therefore, this study's objective was to develop a prehospital-specific pediatric asthma computable phenotype (CP) that could accurately identify prehospital encounters for pediatric asthma exacerbations. METHODS This is a retrospective observational study of patient encounters for ages 2-18 years from the ESO Data Collaborative between 2018 and 2021. We modified two existing rule-based pediatric asthma CPs and created three new CPs (one rule-based and two machine learning-based). Two pediatric emergency medicine physicians independently reviewed encounters to assign labels of asthma exacerbation or not. Taking that labeled encounter data, a 50/50 train/test split was used to create training and test sets from the labeled data. A 90/10 split was used to create a small validation set from the training set. We used specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and macro F1 to compare performance across all CP models. RESULTS After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 24,283 patient encounters remained. The machine-learning models exhibited the best performance for the identification of pediatric asthma exacerbations. A multi-layer perceptron-based model had the best performance in all metrics, with an F1 score of 0.95, specificity of 1.00, sensitivity of 0.91, negative predictive value of 0.98, and positive predictive value of 1.00. CONCLUSION We modified existing and developed new pediatric asthma CPs to retrospectively identify prehospital pediatric asthma exacerbation encounters. We found that machine learning-based models greatly outperformed rule-based models. Given the high performance of the machine-learning models, the development and application of machine learning-based CPs for other conditions and diseases could help accelerate EMS research and ultimately enhance clinical care by accurately identifying patients with conditions of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ira Harmon
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Jennifer Brailsford
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Isabel Sanchez-Cano
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Jennifer Fishe
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
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Fishe JN, Crisp AM, Riney L, Bertrand A, Burcham S, Hendry P, Semenova O, Blake KV, Salloum RG. Evaluation of the implementation of evidence-based pediatric asthma exacerbation treatments in a regional consortium of emergency medical Services Agencies. J Asthma 2024; 61:405-416. [PMID: 37930329 PMCID: PMC11035098 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2023.2280917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Asthma exacerbations are a frequent reason for pediatric emergency medical services (EMS) encounters. The objective of this study was to examine the implementation of evidence-based treatments for pediatric asthma in a regional consortium of EMS agencies. METHODS This retrospective study applied the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) implementation framework to data from an EMS agency consortium in the Cincinnati, Ohio region. The study analyzed one year before an oral systemic corticosteroid (OCS) option was added to the agencies' protocol, and five years after the protocol change. We constructed logistic regression models for the primary outcome of Reach, defined as the proportion of pediatric asthma patients who received a systemic corticosteroid. We modeled Maintenance (Reach measured monthly over time) using time series models. RESULTS A total of 713 patients were included, 133 pre- and 580 post-protocol change. In terms of Reach, 3% (n = 4) of eligible patients received a systemic corticosteroid pre-OCS versus 20% (n = 116) post-OCS. Multivariable modeling of Reach revealed the study period, EMS transport time, months since implementation of OCS, and number of bronchodilators administered by EMS as significant covariates for the administration of a systemic corticosteroid. For Maintenance, it took approximately two years to reach maximal administration of systemic corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS Indicators of asthma severity and time since the protocol change were significantly associated with EMS administration of systemic corticosteroids to pediatric asthma patients. The two-year time for maximal Reach suggests further work is required to understand how to best implement evidence-based pediatric asthma treatments in EMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Fishe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of FL College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Amy M Crisp
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Lauren Riney
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Andrew Bertrand
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of FL College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Shannon Burcham
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Phyllis Hendry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of FL College of Medicine - Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Olga Semenova
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kathryn V Blake
- Nemours Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research, Nemours Children's Clinic, Pensacola, FL, USA
| | - Ramzi G Salloum
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Ramgopal S, Naik VV, Komukai S, Owusu-Ansah S, Crowe RP, Okubo M, Martin-Gill C. The association of prehospital systemic corticosteroids with emergency department and in-hospital outcomes for patients with asthma exacerbations. Acad Emerg Med 2024. [PMID: 38456349 DOI: 10.1111/acem.14890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Timely administration of systemic corticosteroids is a cornerstone of asthma exacerbation treatment, yet little is known regarding potential benefits of prehospital administration by emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians. We examined factors associated with prehospital corticosteroid administration with hospitalization and hospital length of stay (LOS). METHODS We performed a retrospective study of EMS encounters for patients 2-50 years of age with suspected asthma exacerbation from a national data set. We evaluated factors associated with systemic corticosteroid administration using generalized estimating equations. We performed propensity matching based on service level, age, encounter duration, vital signs, and treatments to evaluate the association of prehospital corticosteroid administration with hospitalization and LOS using weighted logistic regression. We evaluated the association of prehospital corticosteroid administration with admission using Bayesian models. RESULTS Of 15,834 encounters, 4731 (29.9%) received prehospital systemic corticosteroids. Administration of corticosteroids was associated with older age; sex; urbanicity; advanced life support provider; vital sign instability; increasing doses of albuterol; and provision of ipratropium bromide, magnesium, epinephrine, and supplementary oxygen. Within the matched sample, prehospital corticosteroids were not associated with hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73-1.01) or LOS (multiplier 0.76, 95% CI 0.56-1.05). Administration of corticosteroids was associated with lower odds of admission and shorter LOS in longer EMS encounters (>34 min), lower admission odds in patients with documented wheezing, and shorter LOS among patients treated with albuterol. In a Bayesian model with noninformative priors, the OR for admission among encounters given corticosteroids was 0.86 (95% credible interval 0.77-0.96). CONCLUSIONS Prehospital systemic corticosteroid administration was not associated with hospitalization or LOS in the overall cohort of asthma patients treated by EMS, though they had a lower probability of admission within Bayesian models. Improved outcomes were noted among subgroups of longer EMS encounters, documented wheezing, and receipt of albuterol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Ramgopal
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Vishal V Naik
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sho Komukai
- Division of Biomedical Statistics, Department of Integrated Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Sylvia Owusu-Ansah
- Division of Emergency Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Masashi Okubo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christian Martin-Gill
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Fishe JN, Garvan G, Bertrand A, Burcham S, Hendry P, Shah M, Kothari K, Ashby DW, Ostermeyer D, Riney L, Semenova O, Abo B, Abes B, Shimko N, Myers E, Frank M, Turner T, Kemp M, Landry K, Roland G, Blake KV. Early Administration of Steroids in the Ambulance Setting: An Observational Design Trial (EASI-AS-ODT). Acad Emerg Med 2024; 31:49-60. [PMID: 37786991 PMCID: PMC10842452 DOI: 10.1111/acem.14813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the emergency department (ED), prompt administration of systemic corticosteroids for pediatric asthma exacerbations decreases hospital admission rates. However, there is sparse evidence for whether earlier administration of systemic corticosteroids by emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians, prior to ED arrival, further improves pediatric asthma outcomes. METHODS Early Administration of Steroids in the Ambulance Setting: An Observational Design Trial is a multicenter, observational, nonrandomized stepped-wedge design study with seven participating EMS agencies who adopted an oral systemic corticosteroid (OCS) into their protocols for pediatric asthma treatment. Using univariate analyses and multivariable mixed-effects models, we compared hospital admission rates for pediatric asthma patients ages 2-18 years before and after the introduction of a prehospital OCS and for those who did and did not receive a systemic corticosteroid from EMS. RESULTS A total of 834 patients were included, 21% of whom received a systemic corticosteroid from EMS. EMS administration of systemic corticosteroids increased after the introduction of an OCS from 14.7% to 28.1% (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between hospital admission rates and ED length of stay before and after the introduction of OCS or between patients who did and did not receive a systemic corticosteroid from EMS. Mixed-effects models revealed that age 14-18 years (coefficient -0.83, p = 0.002), EMS administration of magnesium (coefficient 1.22, p = 0.04), and initial EMS respiratory severity score (coefficient 0.40, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS In this multicenter study, the addition of an OCS into EMS agency protocols for pediatric asthma exacerbations significantly increased systemic corticosteroid administration but did not significantly decrease hospital admission rates. As overall EMS systemic corticosteroid administration rates were low, further work is required to understand optimal implementation of EMS protocol changes to better assess potential benefits to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Fishe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Gerard Garvan
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Andrew Bertrand
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Shannon Burcham
- University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Phyllis Hendry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Manish Shah
- Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel Ostermeyer
- McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Lauren Riney
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Olga Semenova
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Benjamin Abo
- Lee County Emergency Medical Services, Fort Myers, Florida, USA
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Benjamin Abes
- Lee County Emergency Medical Services, Fort Myers, Florida, USA
| | - Nichole Shimko
- Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, Florida, USA
| | - Emily Myers
- Sarasota County Fire Department, Sarasota, Florida, USA
| | - Marshall Frank
- Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
- Sarasota County Fire Department, Sarasota, Florida, USA
| | - Tim Turner
- Walton County Fire Rescue, Defuniak Springs, Florida, USA
| | - Mac Kemp
- Leon County EMS, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Kim Landry
- Leon County EMS, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Greg Roland
- Nassau County Fire Rescue Department, Yulee, Florida, USA
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Huabbangyang T, Silakoon A, Sangketchon C, Sukhuntee J, Kumkong J, Srithanayuchet T, Chamnanpol P, Meechai T. Effects of Pre-Hospital Dexamethasone Administration on Outcomes of Patients with COPD and Asthma Exacerbation; a Cross-Sectional Study. ARCHIVES OF ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2023; 11:e56. [PMID: 37671276 PMCID: PMC10475744 DOI: 10.22037/aaem.v11i1.2037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma exacerbation are two common emergency situations. This study aimed to investigate the impact of pre-hospital dexamethasone initiation on treatment outcomes of these patients. Methods In this retrospective cross-sectional and comparative study, data from the emergency medical service (EMS) care report of patients with a final diagnosis of asthma or COPD, coded with Thailand's emergency medical triage protocol, collected between January 1, 2021, and October 31, 2022, were used. Data on baseline characteristics, emergency department length of stay (ED-LOS), and hospital admission rates were collected from electronic medical records and compared between cases with and without pre-hospital dexamethasone administration by EMS. Results 200 patients with COPD (n = 93) and asthma (n = 107) exacerbation were enrolled. The dexamethasone-treated group had a lower but statistically non-significant hospital admission rate (71.0% versus 81.0%, absolute difference: -10%, 95% confidence interval (CI): -21.76, 1.76; p = 0.100). In patients with asthma, the dexamethasone-treated had lower median ED-LOS time (235 (IQR: 165.5-349.5) versus 322 (IQR: 238-404) minutes; p = 0.003). Dexamethasone-treated asthma patients had lower but statistically non-significant hospital admission rates (60.4% versus 78.0%, absolute difference: -17.55%, 95% CI: -34.96, -0.14; p = 0.510). In COPD patients the dexamethasone-treated and untreated groups had non-significantly lower hospital admission rates (80.8% versus 85.40%, absolute difference: -4.60%, 95% CI: -19.82, 10.63; p = 0.561) and non-significantly lower ED-LOS (232 (IQR: 150 - 346) versus 296 (IQR: 212 - 330) minutes, absolute difference: -59 (-130.81, 12.81); p = 0.106). Conclusion The dexamethasone administration by EMS in pre-hospital setting for management of asthma and COPD patients is beneficial in reducing the ED-LOS and need for hospital admission but its effects are not statistically significant, except regarding the ED-LOS of asthma exacerbation cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thongpitak Huabbangyang
- Department of Disaster and Emergency Medical Operation, Faculty of Science and Health Technology, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Agasak Silakoon
- Department of Disaster and Emergency Medical Operation, Faculty of Science and Health Technology, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Chunlanee Sangketchon
- Department of Disaster and Emergency Medical Operation, Faculty of Science and Health Technology, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jareeda Sukhuntee
- Department of Disaster and Emergency Medical Operation, Faculty of Science and Health Technology, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jukkit Kumkong
- Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tanut Srithanayuchet
- Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Parinya Chamnanpol
- Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Theeraphat Meechai
- Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Delamare Fauvel A, Southerland LT, Panchal AR, Camargo CA, Hansen ML, Wang HE. Emergency department course of patients with asthma receiving initial emergency medical services care-Perspectives From the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open 2023; 4:e13026. [PMID: 37600901 PMCID: PMC10436788 DOI: 10.1002/emp2.13026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Although 911 calls for acute shortness of breath are common, the role of emergency medical services (EMS) in acute asthma care is unclear. We sought to characterize the demographics, course, and outcomes of adult emergency department (ED) patients with asthma in the United States receiving initial EMS care. Methods We analyzed data from the 2016-2019 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). We included patients aged ≥18 years with an ED visit diagnosis of asthma, stratifying the cases according to initial EMS care. Accounting for the survey design of NHAMCS, we generated nationalized estimates of the number of EMS and non-EMS asthma visits. Using logistic regression, we determined the associations between initial EMS care and patient demographics (age, sex, race, and insurance type), ED course (initial vital signs, triage category, testing, medications), and outcomes (hospital admission, ED length of stay). Results Of 435 million adult ED visits during 2016-2019, there were ≈5.3 million related to asthma (1.3 million annually, 1.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1%-1.4%). A total of 602,569 (150,642 annually, 11.3%; 95% CI, 8.6%-14.8%) ED patients with asthma received initial EMS care. Compared with non-EMS asthma patients, EMS asthma patients were more likely to present with an "urgent" ED triage category (odds ratio [OR], 22.2; 95% CI, 6.6-74.9) and to undergo laboratory (OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.41-5.46) or imaging tests (OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.21-4.83). ED patients with asthma receiving initial EMS care were almost 3 times more likely to be admitted to the hospital (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.27-6.25). There were no differences in demographics, ED use of β-agonists or corticosteroids, or ED length of stay between EMS and non-EMS asthma patients. Conclusions Approximately 1 in 10 adult ED patients with asthma receive initial care by EMS. EMS asthma patients present to the ED with higher acuity, undergo more diagnostic testing in the ED, and are more likely to be admitted. Although limited in information regarding the prehospital course, these findings highlight the more severe illness of asthma patients transported by EMS and underscore the importance of EMS in emergency asthma care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alix Delamare Fauvel
- Department of Emergency MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Emergency DepartmentRouen University HospitalRouenFrance
| | | | - Ashish R. Panchal
- Department of Emergency MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Carlos A. Camargo
- Department of Emergency MedicineMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Matthew L. Hansen
- Department of Emergency MedicineOregon Health and Science UniversityPortlandOregonUSA
| | - Henry E. Wang
- Department of Emergency MedicineThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
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Riney L, Palmer S, Finlay E, Bertrand A, Burcham S, Hendry P, Shah M, Kothari K, Ashby D, Ostermayer D, Semenova O, Abo BN, Abes B, Shimko N, Myers E, Frank M, Turner T, Kemp M, Landry K, Roland G, Fishe J. EMS Administration of Systemic Corticosteroids to Pediatric Asthma Patients: An Analysis by Severity and Transport Interval. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2023; 27:900-907. [PMID: 37428954 PMCID: PMC10592383 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2023.2234996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pediatric asthma exacerbations are a common cause of emergency medical services (EMS) encounters. Bronchodilators and systemic corticosteroids are mainstays of asthma exacerbation therapy, yet data on the efficacy of EMS administration of systemic corticosteroids are mixed. This study's objective was to assess the association between EMS administration of systemic corticosteroids to pediatric asthma patients on hospital admission rates based on asthma exacerbation severity and EMS transport intervals. METHODS This is a sub-analysis of the Early Administration of Steroids in the Ambulance Setting: An Observational Design Trial (EASI AS ODT). EASI AS ODT is a non-randomized, stepped wedge, observational study examining outcomes one year before and one year after seven EMS agencies incorporated an oral systemic corticosteroid option into their protocols for the treatment of pediatric asthma exacerbations. We included EMS encounters for patients ages 2-18 years confirmed by manual chart review to have asthma exacerbations. We compared hospital admission rates across asthma exacerbation severities and EMS transport intervals using univariate analyses. We geocoded patients and created maps to visualize the general trends of patient characteristics. RESULTS A total of 841 pediatric asthma patients met inclusion criteria. While most patients were administered inhaled bronchodilators by EMS (82.3%), only 21% received systemic corticosteroids, and only 19% received both inhaled bronchodilators and systemic corticosteroids. Overall, there was no significant difference in hospitalization rates between patients who did and did not receive systemic corticosteroids from EMS (33% vs. 32%, p = 0.78). However, although not statistically significant, for patients who received systemic corticosteroids from EMS, there was an 11% decrease in hospitalizations for mild exacerbation patients and a 16% decrease in hospitalizations for patients with EMS transport intervals greater than 40 min. CONCLUSION In this study, systemic corticosteroids were not associated with a decrease in hospitalizations of pediatric patients with asthma overall. However, while limited by small sample size and lack of statistical significance, our results suggest there may be a benefit in certain subgroups, particularly patients with mild exacerbations and those with transport intervals longer than 40 min. Given the heterogeneity of EMS agencies, EMS agencies should consider local operational and pediatric patient characteristics when developing standard operating protocols for pediatric asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Riney
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | | | | | | | | | - Phyllis Hendry
- University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville
| | - Manish Shah
- Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital
| | | | - David Ashby
- Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital
| | | | - Olga Semenova
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Benjamin N. Abo
- Lee County Emergency Medical Services, Florida
- Florida State University College of Medicine
- Sarasota County Fire Department, Florida
| | | | | | | | - Marshall Frank
- Florida State University College of Medicine
- Sarasota County Fire Department, Florida
| | | | | | | | - Greg Roland
- Nassau County Fire Rescue Department, Florida
| | - Jennifer Fishe
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
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Fishe JN, Heintz H, Owusu-Ansah S, Schmucker K, Riney LC, Semenova O, Garvan G, Browne LR. Prehospital Pediatric Asthma Care during COVID-19: Changes to EMS Treatment Protocols and Downstream Clinical Effects. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2022; 27:893-899. [PMID: 36260781 PMCID: PMC10164835 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2022.2137864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION During the COVID-19 pandemic, many emergency medical services (EMS) agencies modified treatment guidelines for clinical care and standard operating procedures. For the prehospital care of pediatric asthma exacerbations, modifications included changes to bronchodilator administration, systemic corticosteroid administration, and introduction of alternative medications. Since timely administration of bronchodilators and systemic corticosteroids has been shown to improve pediatric asthma clinical outcomes, we investigated the association of COVID-19 protocol modifications in the prehospital management of pediatric asthma on hospital admission rates and emergency department (ED) length-of-stay. METHODS This is a multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study comparing prehospital pediatric asthma patients treated by EMS clinicians from four EMS systems before and after implementation of COVID-19 interim EMS protocol modifications. We included children ages 2-18 years who were treated and transported by ground EMS for respiratory-related prehospital primary complaints, and who also had asthma-related ED discharge diagnoses. Patient data and outcomes were compared from 12 months prior to and 12 months after the implementation of interim COVID-19 prehospital protocol modifications using univariate and multivariable statistics. RESULTS A total of 430 patients met inclusion criteria with a median age of 8 years. There was a slight male predominance (57.9%) and the majority of patients were African American (78.4%). There were twice as many patients treated prior to the COVID-19 protocol modifications (N = 287) compared to after (N = 143). There was a significant decrease in EMS bronchodilator administration from 76% to 59.4% of patients after COVID-19 protocol guidelines were implemented (p < 0.0001). Mixed effects models for hospital admission (to both pediatric inpatient units and pediatric intensive care units) as well as ED length-of-stay did not show any significant effect after the COVID-19 protocol change period (p = 0.18 and p = 0.55, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Despite a decrease in prehospital bronchodilator administration after COVID-19 changes to prehospital pediatric asthma management protocols, hospital admission rates and ED length-of-stay did not significantly increase. However, this finding is tempered by the marked decrease in study patients treated after COVID-19 prehospital protocol modifications. Given the potential for future waves of COVID-19 variants, further studies with larger patient populations are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Fishe
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Hanna Heintz
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Sylvia Owusu-Ansah
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Kyle Schmucker
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
| | - Lauren C Riney
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Olga Semenova
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Gerard Garvan
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Lorin R Browne
- Departments of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Fishe JN, Hendry P, Brailsford J, Salloum RG, Vogel B, Finlay E, Palmer S, Datta S, Hendeles L, Blake K. Early administration of steroids in the ambulance setting: Protocol for a type I hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial with a stepped wedge design. Contemp Clin Trials 2020; 97:106141. [PMID: 32931918 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2020.106141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric asthma exacerbations are a frequent reason for emergency care. Early administration of oral systemic corticosteroids (OCS) in the emergency department (ED) decreases hospitalization rates and ED length-of-stay (LOS). However, it is unknown whether even earlier OCS administration by emergency medical services (EMS) in the prehospital setting further improves outcomes. PURPOSE To describe the background and methods of a type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of EMS-administered OCS for pediatric asthma patients incorporating a stepped wedge design and the RE-AIM framework. METHODS The study employs a non-randomized stepped wedge design where multiple EMS agencies adopt OCS as a treatment for pediatric asthma exacerbations at varying times. This design accommodates ethical considerations of studying pediatric subjects in the prehospital setting where informed consent is not feasible. We will compare hospitalization rates, ED LOS, and short-term healthcare costs between pediatric asthma patients who do and do not receive OCS from EMS. Using geographic information systems (GIS), we will measure how differences in outcomes scale with increasing EMS transport time. We will use the RE-AIM framework to guide a mixed methods analysis of barriers and enablers to EMS administration of OCS for pediatric asthma patients, including quantitative measures of adoption and uptake and qualitative EMS provider focus group data. CONCLUSION This trial will determine if earlier EMS administration of OCS to pediatric asthma patients decreases hospitalizations, ED LOS, and short-term healthcare costs, and if those outcomes scale with longer EMS transport times. We will identify barriers and enablers to implementing EMS-administered OCS for pediatric asthma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Fishe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Research, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville. 655 W. 8(th) St., Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States of America; Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, 655 W. 11(th) St., Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States of America.
| | - Phyllis Hendry
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Research, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville. 655 W. 8(th) St., Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States of America.
| | - Jennifer Brailsford
- Center for Data Solutions, University of Florida College of Medicine - Jacksonville, 655 W. 11(th) St., Jacksonville, FL 32209, United States of America.
| | - Ramzi G Salloum
- Department of Health Outcomes and Bioinformatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America.
| | - Bruce Vogel
- Department of Health Outcomes and Bioinformatics, University of Florida College of Medicine, 2004 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America.
| | - Erik Finlay
- GeoPlan Center, University of Florida College of Design, Construction, and Planning. 1480 Inner Rd, Gainesivlle, FL 32601, United States of America.
| | - Sam Palmer
- GeoPlan Center, University of Florida College of Design, Construction, and Planning. 1480 Inner Rd, Gainesivlle, FL 32601, United States of America.
| | - Susmita Datta
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida. 2004 Mowry Road, 5(th) Floor CTRB, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States of America.
| | - Leslie Hendeles
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Pulmonary Division, University of Florida College of Medicine, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Ste HD-506, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America
| | - Kathryn Blake
- Nemours Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research, 807 Children's Way, Jacksonville, FL 32207, United States of America.
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Fishe J, Finlay E, Palmer S, Hendry P. A Geospatial Analysis of Distances to Hospitals that Admit Pediatric Asthma Patients. PREHOSP EMERG CARE 2019; 23:882-886. [PMID: 30874466 DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2019.1593565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Pediatric care is now concentrated in urban specialty centers ("regionalization"), even for common conditions such as asthma. At the same time, rural emergency medical services (EMS) faces challenges related to adequate workforce staffing and financing. This statewide study describes how regionalization of pediatric inpatient care for asthma exacerbations affects EMS operations, particularly for rural agencies. Methods: This is a statewide cross-sectional study of EMS encounters for pediatric asthma in patients aged 2-18 years from 2011 to 2016 using Florida's EMS Tracking and Reporting System (EMSTARS) database. EMSTARS encounters were deterministically linked to Florida's Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA) database. We categorized AHCA hospital facilities that received included patients by whether they did or did not admit pediatric asthma patients during the study period ("admitting facility"). We used geospatial analysis to map the EMS agency's home county and the admitting facilities addresses. For each county in Florida, we calculated the average estimated EMS travel distance to the nearest admitting facility using a dasymetric mapping approach. Results: The study included a total of 11,226 EMS pediatric asthma encounters, of which 11,153 (99%) matched to an EMS home county. AHCA data was available for 3,812 (34%) patients. Most counties with distances to admitting facilities less than or equal to 15 miles were urban (31 of 39). For distances of 31-45 miles to an admitting facility, 7 of 8 of counties were rural, and for distances greater than 46 miles, all 4 counties were rural. Conclusions: In this statewide study in Florida, we found long average estimated EMS travel distances to admitting facilities for Florida's pediatric population in rural counties for pediatric asthma exacerbations. Those long distances have great implications for rural EMS operations, including pediatric destination decisions, transport times, and availability for others who call 9-1-1. Further research on bypass and secondary transport rates, and outcomes for asthma and other pediatric conditions are required to further characterize pediatric regionalization's impact on rural EMS.
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