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Markham JL, Richardson T, Stephens JR, Gay JC, Hall M. Essential Concepts for Reducing Bias in Observational Studies. Hosp Pediatr 2023; 13:e234-e239. [PMID: 37416975 PMCID: PMC10527895 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard study design for clinical research, as prospective randomization, at least in theory, balances any differences that can exist between groups (including any differences not measured as part of the study) and isolates the studied treatment effect. Any remaining imbalances after randomization are attributable to chance. However, there are many barriers to conducting RCTs within pediatric populations, including lower disease prevalence, high costs, inadequate funding, and additional regulatory requirements. Researchers thus frequently use observational study designs to address many research questions. Observational studies, whether prospective or retrospective, do not involve randomization and thus have more potential for bias when compared with RCTs because of imbalances that can exist between comparison groups. If these imbalances are associated with both the exposure of interest and the outcome, then failure to account for these imbalances may result in a biased conclusion. Understanding and addressing differences in sociodemographic and/or clinical characteristics within observational studies are thus necessary to reduce bias. Within this Method/ology submission we describe techniques to minimize bias by controlling for important measurable covariates within observational studies and discuss the challenges and opportunities in addressing specific variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Markham
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas
| | | | - John R. Stephens
- Department of Medicine, North Carolina Children’s Hospital, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - James C. Gay
- Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Monroe Carrell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Matt Hall
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
- Children’s Hospital Association, Lenexa, Kansas
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Nguyen ELV, Hersi L, Mahant S, Cichon J, Drouin O, Pound C, Quet J, Wahi G, Bayliss A, Vomiero G, Foulds JL, Kanani R, Sakran M, Sehgal A, Borkhoff CM, Pullenayegum E, Widjaja E, Reginald A, Wolter NE, Oni S, Anwar R, Louriachi H, Ge Y, Kirolos N, Patel A, Jasani H, Kornelsen E, Chugh A, Gouda S, Akbaroghli S, McKerlie M, Parkin PC, Gill PJ. Variation in the Management of Hospitalized Children With Orbital Cellulitis Over 10 Years. Hosp Pediatr 2023; 13:375-391. [PMID: 37122049 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2022-007006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES No previous study has examined the management of hospitalized children with orbital cellulitis at both children's and community hospitals across multiple sites in Canada. We describe variation and trends over time in diagnostic testing and imaging, adjunctive agents, empiric antibiotics, and surgical intervention in children hospitalized with orbital cellulitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Multicenter cohort study of 1579 children aged 2 months to 18 years with orbital cellulitis infections admitted to 10 hospitals from 2009 to 2018. We assessed hospital-level variation in the use of diagnostic tests, imaging, antibiotics, adjunctive agents, surgical intervention, and clinical outcomes using X2, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The association between clinical management and length of stay was evaluated with median regression analysis with hospital as a fixed effect. RESULTS There were significant differences between children's hospitals in usage of C-reactive protein tests (P < .001), computed tomography scans (P = .004), MRI scans (P = .003), intranasal decongestants (P < .001), intranasal corticosteroids (P < .001), intranasal saline spray (P < .001), and systemic corticosteroids (P < .001). Children's hospital patients had significantly longer length of hospital stay compared with community hospitals (P = .001). After adjustment, diagnostic testing, imaging, and subspecialty consults were associated with longer median length of hospital stay at children's hospitals. From 2009 to 2018, C-reactive protein test usage increased from 28.8% to 73.5% (P < .001), whereas erythrocyte sedimentation rate decreased from 31.5% to 14.1% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS There was significant variation in diagnostic test usage and treatments, and increases in test usage and medical intervention rates over time despite minimal changes in surgical interventions and length of stay.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leo Hersi
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sanjay Mahant
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Pediatrics
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Cichon
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olivier Drouin
- Departments of Pediatrics and
- Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Catherine Pound
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julie Quet
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gita Wahi
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ann Bayliss
- Trillium Health Partners, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gemma Vomiero
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jessica L Foulds
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Mahmoud Sakran
- Department of Paediatrics, Queens University
- Research, Lakeridge Health, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anupam Sehgal
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cornelia M Borkhoff
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Pediatrics
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eleanor Pullenayegum
- Departments of Pediatrics
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elysa Widjaja
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Pediatrics
| | - Arun Reginald
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
| | - Nikolaus E Wolter
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery
| | - Semipe Oni
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rashid Anwar
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Yipeng Ge
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nardin Kirolos
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashaka Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hardika Jasani
- Trillium Health Partners, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily Kornelsen
- Trillium Health Partners, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashton Chugh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sandra Gouda
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Morgyn McKerlie
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Patricia C Parkin
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Pediatrics
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter J Gill
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Pediatrics
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Gill PJ, Drouin O, Pound C, Quet J, Wahi G, Bayliss A, Vomiero G, Foulds J, Kanani R, Sakran M, Sehgal A, Pullenayegum E, Widjaja E, Reginald A, Wolter NE, Oni S, Anwar R, Cichon J, Louriachi H, Ge Y, Kirolos N, Patel A, Jasani H, Kornelsen E, Chugh A, Gouda S, Akbaroghli S, McKerlie M, Parkin PC, Mahant S. Factors Associated with Surgery and Imaging Characteristics in Severe Orbital Infections. J Pediatr 2022; 248:66-73.e7. [PMID: 35568061 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate risk factors associated with surgical intervention and subperiosteal/orbital abscess in hospitalized children with severe orbital infections. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a multicenter cohort study of children 2 months to 18 years hospitalized with periorbital or orbital cellulitis from 2009 to 2018 at 10 hospitals in Canada. Clinical details were extracted, and patients were categorized as undergoing surgical or medical-only management. Primary outcome was surgical intervention and the main secondary outcome was clinically important imaging. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors. RESULTS Of 1579 patients entered, median age was 5.4 years, 409 (25.9%) had an orbital/subperiosteal abscess, and 189 (12.0%) underwent surgery. In the adjusted analysis, the risk of surgical intervention was associated with older age (age 9 to <14: aOR 3.9, 95% CI 2.3-6.6; and age 14 to ≤18 years: aOR 7.0, 95% CI 3.4-14.1), elevated C-reactive protein >120 mg/L (aOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-5.9), elevated white blood cell count of 12-20 000/μL (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6), proptosis (aOR 2.6, 95% CI 1.7-4.0), and subperiosteal/orbital abscess (aOR 5.3, 95% CI 3.6-7.9). There was no association with antibiotic use before hospital admission, sex, presence of a chronic disease, temperature greater than 38.0°C, and eye swollen shut. Complications were identified in 4.7% of patients, including vision loss (0.6%), intracranial extension (1.6%), and meningitis (0.8%). CONCLUSIONS In children hospitalized with severe orbital infections, older age, elevated C-reactive protein, elevated white blood cell count, proptosis, and subperiosteal/orbital abscess were predictors of surgical intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Gill
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Olivier Drouin
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Catherine Pound
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julie Quet
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gita Wahi
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ann Bayliss
- Trillium Health Partners, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gemma Vomiero
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jessica Foulds
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ronik Kanani
- North York General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mahmoud Sakran
- Department of Paediatrics, Queens University, Lakeridge Health, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada; Research, Lakeridge Health, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anupam Sehgal
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eleanor Pullenayegum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elysa Widjaja
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arun Reginald
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nikolaus E Wolter
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Semipe Oni
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rashid Anwar
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jessica Cichon
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hossam Louriachi
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yipeng Ge
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nardin Kirolos
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashaka Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University, McMaster Children's Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Hardika Jasani
- Trillium Health Partners, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emily Kornelsen
- Trillium Health Partners, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ashton Chugh
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sandra Gouda
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Susan Akbaroghli
- North York General Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Morgyn McKerlie
- Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Patricia C Parkin
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sanjay Mahant
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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