The clinical management of preterm infants with bronchiolitis

Factors Associated with Inhaled Bronchodilator and Oral Corticosteroid Use in Young Children with First Lower Respiratory Tract Infection

OBJECTIVES

To examine factors associated with claims for and potential overuse of inhaled bronchodilators (IBs) and oral corticosteroids (OCSs) for children <2 years old at first lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using Colorado All Payer Claims data from 2009 through 2019. Children with asthma were excluded. Primary outcomes were 1) IB and 2) OCS claims within 7 days of index LRTI. Primary predictors were previous IB or OCS claims for each outcome respectively. Covariates included demographics, atopy, family history of asthma, complex chronic conditions, prior inhaled corticosteroid claim, and location of index LRTI. Separate multivariable logistic regression models were used for each outcome.

RESULTS

Of 10 194 eligible children, 1468 (14.4%) had an IB and 741 (7.3%) an OCS claim at or within 7 days of index LRTI. Index LRTIs were most often at outpatient visits (64%). Adjusting for covariates, prior IB prescription was associated with the IB outcome (aOR 1.9; 95% CI 1.3, 2.8), and prior OCS prescription was associated with the OCS outcome (AOR 2.2; 95% CI 1.7, 2.9). Other variables associated with either outcome included age, sex, insurance, location, and atopy. Prior inhaled corticosteroid claim, asthma family history, and complex chronic conditions were not associated with either outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies factors that might serve as opportunities for de-implementation strategies for IB and OCS overuse in young children with LRTI.

Population-based Analysis of Bronchiolitis Epidemiology in Valencia, Spain

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of European epidemiologic population-based studies on bronchiolitis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis including both hospitalizations and primary care attendance.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of all children born between 2009 and 2012 was followed from birth to 2 years of age using population and health databases. We searched for global bronchiolitis (International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification codes 466.1, 466.11 and 466.19) and RSV bronchiolitis (code 466.11 and code 466.19 with positive RSV test) in the first appearance either in primary care or in hospitalization databases. A preterm subcohort (International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification codes 765) was also analyzed.

RESULTS

The cohort consisted of 198,223 children of whom 41,479 were diagnosed of bronchiolitis (incidence rate 16.4/100 children <2 years per year). Of those, 5390 were hospitalized with the majority of hospitalizations occurring at <6 months of age (incidence rate of 5.2/100 children <6 months per year) and 3106 of the hospitalizations were RSV positive (incidence rate 3.2/100 children <6 months per year). RSV hospitalizations were 26% longer than non-RSV. In preterm infants, hospitalization incidence was more than double, and the mean length of hospitalization was 29% longer.

CONCLUSIONS

Most (87%) bronchiolitis cases are managed in primary care offices. Approximately 2 out of every 10 children <2 are diagnosed of bronchiolitis, 3 out of every 100 are hospitalized and 1.6 out of every 100 are hospitalized with RSV bronchiolitis in our cohort. Infants between 2 and 10 weeks constitute a risk group for severe bronchiolitis.

Clinical and Virological Characteristics of Early and Moderate Preterm Infants Readmitted With Viral Respiratory Infections

BACKGROUND

Rehospitalization of children born prematurely (referred to as preterm children) caused by severe respiratory infections is common. Most studies have focused on respiratory syncytial virus infection. We designed a study to determine the virological and clinical characteristics of severe respiratory infections of children born early (<32 weeks) and moderate preterm (32 to 36 weeks), and compared them with full term (FT; ≥37 weeks) children who were subsequently admitted with respiratory illness.

METHODS

A 7-year observational prospective study was conducted on preterm and FT children, less than 14 years old hospitalized with respiratory infection. The presence of 16 respiratory viruses in nasopharyngeal aspirates was sought. Clinical and virological characteristics of subjects were compared among term and preterm children.

RESULTS

We studied 411 respiratory hospital admissions of 262 preterm children who were compared with 2057 respiratory hospital admissions of term children. In 78.6% of preterm episodes, at least 1 respiratory virus was identified. The most frequent viruses were respiratory syncytial virus (29%), rhinovirus (25%) and human bocavirus (13%). Human metapneumovirus and parainfluenza virus were significantly more frequent in preterm than in term children (P < 0.001 and P = 0.017, respectively). Early preterm (EPT) infants admitted with bronchiolitis presented more hypoxia (P = 0.08), longer hospital stay (P = 0.05), more infiltrate on chest radiograph (P = 0.02) and more antibiotic treatment (P = 0.02) than moderate preterm (MPT) infants. Moreover, MPT needed more intensive care unit admission than FT infants (P < 0.001). Regarding wheezing episodes, EPT patients showed significantly more infiltrate/atelectasis (P < 0.001), longer oxygen therapy (P = 0.039) and longer hospital stay (P = 0.07) than MPT children, although similar percentage of intensive care unit admission was seen in both groups. MPT-wheezy children needed longer hospital stay than FT (P = 0.05). Previous bronchiolitis and EPT were independent factors associated with multiple wheezing admissions.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that besides respiratory syncytial virus, other viruses mainly rhinovirus and human bocavirus are important pathogens in severe respiratory infections in preterm children. Human metapneumovirus and parainfluenza virus seem also to play a significant role in this group of children. There is increased medical resource utilization, not only among EPT but also in MPT hospitalized children with respiratory infections as many of them require more medical support than FT children.

The Argentina Premature Asthma and Respiratory Team (APART): objectives, design, and recruitment results of a prospective cohort study of viruses and wheezing in very low birth weight infants

Background

Asthma and wheezing account for a substantial disease burden around the world. Very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 grams) infants are at an increased risk for the development of severe acute respiratory illness (ARI) and recurrent wheeze/asthma. The role of respiratory viruses in asthma predisposition in premature infants is not well understood. Preliminary evidence suggests that infection with human rhinovirus (RV) early in life may contribute to greater burden of asthma later in life.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of premature VLBW infants from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was enrolled year-round during a three-year period in the neonatal intensive care unit and followed during every ARI and with monthly well visits during the first year of life. Longitudinal follow-up up until age five years is ongoing.

Results

This report describes the objectives, design, and recruitment results of this prospective cohort. Two hundred and five patients were enrolled from August 2011 through January 2014, and follow-up is ongoing. A total of 319 ARI episodes were observed from August 2011 to July 2014, and 910 well visits occurred during this time period.

Conclusions

The Argentina Premature Asthma and Respiratory Team (APART) is a unique cohort consisting of over 200 patients and over 1200 specimens who have been and will continue to be followed intensively from NICU discharge to capture baseline risk factors and every ARI, with interceding well visits during the first year of life, as well as longitudinal follow-up to age 5 years for asthma and atopy outcomes.

Choosing wisely in pediatric hospital medicine: five opportunities for improved healthcare value

BACKGROUND

Despite estimates that waste constitutes up to 20% of healthcare expenditures in the United States, overuse of tests and therapies is significantly under-recognized in medicine, particularly in pediatrics. The American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation developed the Choosing Wisely campaign, which challenged medical societies to develop a list of 5 things physicians and patients should question. The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) joined this effort in the spring of 2012. This report provides the pediatric work group's results.

METHODS

A work group of experienced and geographically dispersed pediatric hospitalists was convened by the Quality and Safety Committee of the SHM. This group developed an initial list of 20 recommendations, which was pared down through a modified Delphi process to the final 5 listed below.

RESULTS

The top 5 recommendations proposed for pediatric hospital medicine are: (1) Do not order chest radiographs in children with asthma or bronchiolitis. (2) Do not use systemic corticosteroids in children under 2 years of age with a lower respiratory tract infection. (3) Do not use bronchodilators in children with bronchiolitis. (4) Do not treat gastroesophageal reflux in infants routinely with acid suppression therapy. (5) Do not use continuous pulse oximetry routinely in children with acute respiratory illness unless they are on supplemental oxygen.

CONCLUSION

We recommend that pediatric hospitalists use this list to prioritize quality improvement efforts and include issues of waste and overuse in their efforts to improve patient care.