Utility of Blood Culture Among Children Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Characterizing the blood microbiota in healthy and febrile domestic cats via 16s rRNA sequencing

This study aimed to evaluate the blood bacterial microbiota in healthy and febrile cats. High-quality sequencing reads from the 16S rRNA gene variable region V3-V4 were obtained from genomic blood DNA belonging to 145 healthy cats, and 140 febrile cats. Comparisons between the blood microbiota of healthy and febrile cats revealed dominant presence of Actinobacteria, followed by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, and a lower relative abundance of Bacteroidetes. Upon lower taxonomic levels, the bacterial composition was significantly different between healthy and febrile cats. The families Faecalibacterium and Kineothrix (Firmicutes), and Phyllobacterium (Proteobacteria) experienced increased abundance in febrile samples. Whereas Thioprofundum (Proteobacteria) demonstrated a significant decrease in abundance in febrile. The bacterial composition and beta diversity within febrile cats was different according to the affected body system (Oral/GI, systemic, skin, and respiratory) at both family and genus levels. Sex and age were not significant factors affecting the blood microbiota of febrile cats nor healthy ones. Age was different between young adult and mature adult healthy cats. Alpha diversity was unaffected by any factors. Overall, the findings suggest that age, health status and nature of disease are significant factors affecting blood microbiota diversity and composition in cats, but sex is not.

Adenovirus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae co-infection as a risk factor for severe community-acquired pneumonia in children

Background

To investigate the pathogenic characteristics and risk factors of pediatric severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of hospitalized children with severe CAP from April 2014 to June 2019 in China. Data of age, sex and pathogenic results were collected: bacterial and fungal cultures, respiratory viruses from sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), serum Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)-IgM and Chlamydia Pneumoniae-IgM, and BALF or blood (1-3)-β-D-glucan/galactomannan test.

Results

A total of 679 children with severe CAP were included in the analysis. The number of cases infected with MP was higher in males than in females. There were significant differences between the ≤1-year and >1-year groups in terms of pathogen. The top three bacteria cultured were Haemophilus influenzae (57/679, 8.4%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (50/679, 7.4%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25/679, 3.7%). The top three viruses detected were adenovirus (AdV, 124/679, 18.3%), respiratory syncytial virus (24/679, 3.5%), and parainfluenza virus (21/679, 3.1%). AdV and MP were the leading pathogens, detected in 18.3% and 32.6% cases, respectively. MP infection increased the risk of AdV infection (OR 3.77, p < 0.0001). MP infection was a risk factor for severe AdV-infected pneumonia, while sex, age, bacteria, Chlamydia Pneumoniae, fungal, and AdV infections were risk factors for severe MP-infected pneumonia.

Conclusions

AdV and MP were dominant pathogens in children with severe CAP. AdV and MP infection predisposed each other to develop severe illness. AdV-MP co-infection may lead to severe pneumonia.

Update on Fever of Unknown Origin in Children: Focus on Etiologies and Clinical Approach

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) can be caused by four etiological categories of diseases. The most common cause of FUO in children is represented by infections, followed by inflammatory conditions and neoplastic causes; a decreasing quote remains still without diagnosis. Despite the fact that several diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have been proposed since the first definition of FUO, none of them has been fully validated in pediatric populations. A focused review of the patient's history and a thorough physical examination may offer helpful hints in suggesting a likely diagnosis. The diagnostic algorithm should proceed sequentially, and invasive testing should be performed only in select cases, possibly targeted by a diagnostic suspect. Pioneering serum biomarkers have been developed and validated; however, they are still far from becoming part of routine clinical practice. Novel noninvasive imaging techniques have shown promising diagnostic accuracy; however, their positioning in the diagnostic algorithm of pediatric FUO is still not clear. This narrative review aims to provide a synopsis of the existent literature on FUO in children, with its major causes and possible diagnostic workup, to help the clinician tackle the complex spectrum of pediatric FUO in everyday clinical practice.

Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

ABSTRACT

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common cause of childhood mortality globally. In the United States, CAP is a leading cause of pediatric hospitalization and antibiotic use and is associated with substantial morbidity. There has been a dramatic shift in microbiological etiologies for CAP in children over time as pneumococcal pneumonia has become less common and viral etiologies have become predominant. There is no commonly agreed on approach to the diagnosis of CAP in children. When indicated, antimicrobial treatment should consist of narrow-spectrum antibiotics. In this article, we will describe the current understanding of the microbiological etiologies, clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, risk factors, treatment, and future directions in the diagnosis and management of pediatric CAP.

Management of Pediatric Pneumonia: A Decade After the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America Guideline

BACKGROUND

Incomplete uptake of guidelines can lead to nonstandardized care, increased expenditures, and adverse clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the 2011 Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America (PIDS/IDSA) pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) guideline that emphasized aminopenicillin use and de-emphasized the use of chest radiographs (CXRs) in certain populations.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study queried a national administrative database of children's hospitals to identify children aged 3 months-18 years with CAP who visited 1 of 28 participating hospitals from 2009 to 2021. PIDS/IDSA pediatric CAP guideline recommendations regarding antibiotic therapy, diagnostic testing, and imaging were evaluated. Segmented regression interrupted time series was used to measure guideline-concordant practices with interruptions for guideline publication and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

RESULTS

Of 315 384 children with CAP, 71 804 (22.8%) were hospitalized. Among hospitalized children, there was a decrease in blood culture performance (0.5% per quarter) and increase in aminopenicillin prescribing (1.1% per quarter). Among children discharged from the emergency department (ED), there was an increase in aminopenicillin prescription (0.45% per quarter), whereas the rate of obtaining CXRs declined (0.12% per quarter). However, use of CXRs rebounded during the COVID-19 pandemic (increase of 1.56% per quarter). Hospital length of stay, ED revisit rates, and hospital readmission rates remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS

Guideline publication was associated with an increase of aminopenicillin prescribing. However, rates of diagnostic testing did not materially change, suggesting the need to consider implementation strategies to meaningfully change clinical practice for children with CAP.

Decreasing Blood Culture Collection in Hospitalized Patients with CAP, SSTI, and UTI

Background

Blood culture collection in pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), and urinary tract infections (UTI) remains high despite evidence of its limited utility. We aimed to decrease the number of cultures collected in children hospitalized for CAP, SSTI, and UTI by 25% over 11 months.

Methods

Quality improvement initiative at a children's hospital among well-appearing patients aged 2 months or more to 18 years diagnosed with CAP, SSTI, or UTI. Our primary and secondary outcomes were blood culture collection rate and positivity rate, respectively. Interventions focused on three key drivers: academic detailing, physician awareness of personal performance, and data transparency.

Results

Over the 2-year study period, there were 105 blood cultures collected in 223 hospitalized patients. Blood culture collection rates demonstrated special cause variation, decreasing from 63.5% to 24.5%. For patients with UTI, 86% (18/21) of blood cultures were negative, whereas 100% were negative for CAP and SSTI. All three patients with bacteremic UTI had a concurrent urine culture growing the same pathogen. Balancing measures remained unchanged, including escalation to a higher level of care and return to the emergency department or hospital within 14 days for the same infection.

Conclusions

A multifaceted quality improvement approach can reduce blood culture collection for hospitalized patients with CAP, SSTI, and UTI without significant changes to balancing measures. Despite the reduction achieved, the near-universal negative culture results suggest continued overutilization and highlight the need for more targeted approaches to blood culture collection.

The Sepsis Bundle Effect: An Evaluation of Culture Results and Utilization in Pediatric Appendicitis

INTRODUCTION

Sepsis prevention pathways, which often include blood and urine cultures, are common in children's hospitals. Fever and tachycardia, signs often seen in patients with appendicitis, frequently trigger these pathways. We hypothesized that cultures were frequently obtained in children with appendicitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study evaluating children with image-confirmed appendicitis from 4/1/2019 to 10/1/2020, coinciding with the initiation of sepsis prevention pathways. Factors associated with culture acquisition, as well as culture results, treatment, and outcomes were evaluated.

RESULTS

Six hundred and fifty eight children presented with acute appendicitis during the 1.5-year period, with a median age of 10.67 years (interquartile range (IQR) 8.17-14.08). Cultures were obtained in 22.9%, including blood culture (BCx) in 8.1% and urine culture (UCx) in 17.9%. Culture acquisition decreased by 17.6% after sepsis protocol initiation. Blood culture acquisition correlated with fever (P = .003) and younger age (P = .03), whereas the attainment of BCx and UCx was associated with female sex (P = .04, P < .0001), complicated appendicitis (P = .0001, P = .03), and unknown diagnosis (P < .0001, P < .0001). There were five positive UCx (4.24%); however, all remained asymptomatic despite a short antibiotic duration dictated by institutional appendicitis protocol. The one positive BCx (1.89%) was suspected contamination and not treated.

DISCUSSION

The findings of this cohort suggest a low incidence of positive culture as well as lack of impact on clinical management in image-proven appendicitis and the initiation of a sepsis bundle without automatic culture acquisition may result in decreased culture attainment.

Variation in bacterial pneumonia diagnoses and outcomes among children hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections

BACKGROUND

Current diagnostics do not permit reliable differentiation of bacterial from viral causes of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), which may lead to over-treatment with antibiotics for possible bacterial community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

OBJECTIVES

We sought to describe variation in the diagnosis and treatment of bacterial CAP among children hospitalized with LRTIs and determine the association between CAP diagnosis and outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

This multicenter cross-sectional study included children hospitalized between 2017 and 2019 with LRTIs at 42 children's hospitals.

MAIN OUTCOME AND METHODS

We calculated the proportion of children with LRTIs who were diagnosed with and treated for bacterial CAP. After adjusting for confounders, hospitals were grouped into high, moderate, and low CAP diagnosis groups. Multivariable regression was used to examine the association between high and low CAP diagnosis groups and outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 66,581 patients hospitalized with LRTIs and observed substantial variation across hospitals in the proportion diagnosed with and treated for bacterial CAP (median 27%, range 12%-42%). Compared with low CAP diagnosing hospitals, high diagnosing hospitals had higher rates of CAP-related revisits (0.6% [95% confidence interval: 0.5, 0.7] vs. 0.4% [0.4, 0.5], p = .04), chest radiographs (58% [53, 62] vs. 46% [41, 51], p = .02), and blood tests (43% [33, 53] vs. 26% [19, 35], p = .046). There were no significant differences in length of stay, all-cause revisits or readmissions, CAP-related readmissions, or costs.

CONCLUSION

There was wide variation across hospitals in the proportion of children with LRTIs who were treated for bacterial CAP. The lack of meaningful differences in clinical outcomes among hospitals suggests that some institutions may over-diagnose and overtreat bacterial CAP.

The Etiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Correlates with Serum Inflammatory Markers in Children

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) severely affects pediatric hospitalizations. This study assessed the contribution of CAP to hospitalizations, its etiology in relationship with age, and the inflammatory markers. Between 2013 and 2018, 1064 CAP patients were hospitalized and diagnosed with bacterial/possibly bacterial pneumonia (BP), viral/possibly viral pneumonia (VP) and atypical pneumonia (AP). The etiology was confirmed using blood/pleural fluid culture/polymerase chain reaction (PCR), rapid antigen test/PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs, or serological studies. CAP accounted for 9.9% of hospitalizations and 14.8% of patient days. BP was diagnosed in 825 (77.5%), VP in 190 (17.9%), and AP in 49 (4.6%) cases; the confirmed etiology (n = 209; 20%) included mostly influenza (39%; n = 82), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV, 35%; n = 72), and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (19%; n = 39). VP frequency decreased with age (41% in < 3 mo to 9% in ≥ 60 mo), in contrast to AP (13% in ≥ 60 mo). Among the analyzed parameters, the best differentiating potential was shown by: C-reactive protein (CRP, AUCBP-VP = 0.675; 95% CI: 0.634−0.715), procalcitonin (AUCBP-AP = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.67−0.794), and CRP/procalcitonin (AUCAP-VP = 0.752; 95% CI: 0.67−0.83); a good positive predictive value (88.8%, 98.3%, and 91.6%, respectively) but a low negative predictive value (29.5%, 13.1%, and 40.7%, respectively) was observed. CAP influences hospital patient days more than the crude number of patients would suggest. On a clinical basis, BP is mainly recognized, although viral pneumonia is confirmed most often. RSV and influenza are responsible for a huge percentage of hospitalized cases, as well as M. pneumoniae in children aged ≥ 5 years. Serum inflammatory markers may help differentiate etiological factors.

Respiratory virus testing and clinical outcomes among children hospitalized with pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Despite the increased availability of diagnostic tests for respiratory viruses, their clinical utility for children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

To identify patterns of respiratory virus testing across children's hospitals prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine whether hospital-level rates of viral testing were associated with clinical outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Multicenter retrospective cohort study of children hospitalized for CAP at 19 children's hospitals in the United States from 2010-2019.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Using a novel method to identify the performance of viral testing, we assessed time trends in the use of viral tests, both overall and stratified by testing method. Adjusted proportions of encounters with viral testing were compared across hospitals and were correlated with length of stay, antibiotic and oseltamivir use, and performance of ancillary laboratory testing.

RESULTS

There were 46,038 hospitalizations for non-severe CAP among children without complex chronic conditions. The proportion with viral testing increased from 38.8% to 44.2% during the study period (p < .001). Molecular testing increased (27.2% to 40.0%, p < .001) and antigen testing decreased (33.2% to 7.8%, p < .001). Hospital-specific adjusted proportions of testing ranged from 10.0% to 83.5% and were not associated with length of stay, antibiotic use, or antiviral use. Hospitals that performed more viral testing did not have lower rates of ancillary laboratory testing.

CONCLUSIONS

Viral testing practices varied widely across children's hospitals and were not associated with clinically important process or outcome measures. Viral testing may not influence clinical management for many children hospitalized with CAP.

Low Levels of Procalcitonin Are Related to Decreased Antibiotic Use in Children Hospitalized Due to Influenza

Procalcitonin increases in bacterial infections, which are often suspected (though rarely confirmed) in paediatric influenza. We retrospectively verified procalcitonin’s usefulness in antibiotic guidance in children hospitalized due to laboratory-confirmed influenza. The ROC curve analysis evaluated procalcitonin’s performance in terms of antibiotic implementation or continuation in patients who were naive or had been receiving antibiotic treatment prior to hospital admission. We also assessed the procalcitonin’s usefulness to predict lower-respiratory-tract infections (LRTI), the presence of radiologically confirmed pneumonia, an intensive care unit transfer and a fatal outcome. Multiple regression models were built to verify the previously reported procalcitonin cut-off values. The study enrolled 371 children (median age 33 months). The AUC (area under the curve) for antibiotic implementation reached 0.66 (95%CI: 0.58–0.73) and 0.713 (95%CI: 0.6–0.83) for antibiotic continuation; optimal cut-offs (0.4 and 0.23 ng/mL, respectively) resulted in a negative predictive value (NPV) of 79.7% (95%CI: 76.2–82.9%) and 54.6% (95%CI: 45.8–63%), respectively. The use of 0.25 ng/mL as a reference decreased the odds of antibiotic treatment by 67% (95%CI: 43–81%) and 91% (95%CI: 56–98%), respectively. Procalcitonin showed lower AUC for the prediction of LRTI and pneumonia (0.6, 95%CI: 0.53–0.66, and 0.63, 95%CI: 0.56–0.7, respectively), with a moderately high NPV in the latter case (83%, 95%CI: 79.3–86.1%). Procalcitonin use may decrease the antibiotic frequency in hospitalized influenza cases both in terms of antibiotic administration and continuation. Procalcitonin concentrations may suggest bacterial suprainfections at lower concentrations than in adults, and a focus on its rule-out value is of special interest.

FGF21 improves LPS-induced pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell dysfunction and inflammatory response through SIRT1-mediated NF-κB deacetylation

Pneumonia is a common infectious disease of the respiratory system in children. It often leads to death in children by causing acute lung injury. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a peptide hormone that plays important role in the regulation of energy homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the role of FGF21 in alleviating the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cell (HPMEC) injury, as well as the underlying mechanism. The expression of SIRT1, NF-κB p65, Ac-NF-κB p65, apoptosis-related proteins, tight junction proteins and adhesion molecules in HPMECs. The viability and apoptosis of HPMECs was detected by CCK-8 and Tunel assays. LDH level and levels of inflammatory factors were respectively determined by assay kits. The mRNA expression of adhesion molecules in HPMECs was analyzed by RT-qPCR. As a result, SIRT1 expression was decreased and expression of NF-κB p65 and Ac-NF-κB p65 was increased in LPS-induced HPMECs, which were reversed by rFGF21. rFGF21 increased the viability and inhibited the apoptosis, inflammatory response, permeability and release of cell adhesion molecules of LPS-induced HPMECs. In addition, EX527 as SIRT1 inhibitor, could reversed the effect of rFGF21 on LPS-induced HPMECs. In conclusion, FGF21 improved LPS-induced HPMECs dysfunction and inflammatory response through SIRT1-mediated NF-κB deacetylation.

Is Serum Endocan Level an Indicator of the Severity of Childhood Community-Acquired Pneumonia?

Objective We aimed to investigate the relationship between serum endocan, procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratios (NLR), and the severity of the disease in childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) cases.

Methods This cross-sectional designed study included 30 pneumonia cases and 30 severe pneumonia cases aged between 3 months and 18 years who were hospitalized and treated in our hospital with the diagnosis of CAP. We also included 30 healthy controls in the same age range. Pearson's correlation and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyzes were performed.

Results PCT, endocan, NLR, and CRP levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with severe pneumonia. Sensitivity and specificity values in detecting pneumonia were 72.5 and 93% for PCT, 78.4 and 83.3% for CRP, 78.4 and 76.7% for endocan, and 64.7 and 63.3% for NLR. However, the area under the curve in ROC analysis were 0.821, 0.840, 0.842, and 0.670 for PCT, CRP, endocan, and NLR respectively.

Conclusion Endocan may be a marker of the diagnosis of pneumonia and not clinical severity, but studies are needed in large patient populations.

Impact of Cell-Free Next-Generation Sequencing on Management of Pediatric Complicated Pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is common in pediatrics. More severe complicated CAP (cCAP) requires broad-spectrum empirical therapy. Cell-free plasma next-generation sequencing (cfNGS), a DNA-based diagnostic tool, could be used to guide therapy. We retrospectively compared the pathogen identification rate of cfNGS to that of standard culture methods and assessed the impact of cfNGS on antibiotic therapy in children hospitalized for cCAP.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of children aged 3 months to 18 years hospitalized for cCAP with cfNGS results from January 24, 2018, to December 31, 2020. We compared the positivity rate of conventional microbiologic diagnostic testing with that of cfNGS and the impact on clinical management, including changes in antibiotic therapy.

RESULTS

We identified 46 hospitalized children with cCAP with cfNGS results. Of these children, 34 also had blood cultures (1 positive for pathogen; 3%) and 37 had pleural fluid cultures (10 positive for pathogen; 27%). Of the 46 children, positive cfNGS testing results were positive for pathogen in 45 (98%), with the causative pathogen identified in 41 (89%). cfNGS was the only method for pathogen identification in 32 children (70%). cfNGS results changed management in 36 (78%) of 46 children, with the antibiotic spectrum narrowed in 29 (81%).

CONCLUSIONS

cfNGS provided a higher diagnostic yield in our pediatric cCAP cohort compared with conventional diagnostic testing and affected management in 78% of children. Prospective studies are needed to better characterize the clinical outcome, cost-effectiveness, and antimicrobial stewardship benefits of cfNGS in pediatric cCAP.

The impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the prevalence and severity of hospitalizations for pneumonia in children

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) were introduced into the Israeli national immunization plan starting with the heptavalent PCV7 in 2009 and then PCV13 in the late 2010. The objective of this study was to determine the vaccines' impact on hospitalization rates for community-acquired pneumonia on the severity of the pneumonia episodes and upon pneumococcal serotype distribution. We retrospectively reviewed all children hospitalized in our institution with pneumonia, aged between 1 and 16 years, between the years 2006 and 2015. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data between three time periods: pre-PCV, PCV7, and PCV13, were compared. During the study period, 1375 children were hospitalized with pneumonia. A gradual decline in hospitalization rates due to pneumonia was observed starting in 2006 in the pre-PCV period and continued until after the introduction of PCV13. A similar trend was observed in pneumonias with a culture positive for S. pneumoniae. Pleural effusion was observed in 24% of all pneumonias, and this percentage was stable throughout the study period. The average age at hospitalization increased during the study period, as did the average duration of hospital stay. Pneumococcal serotypes included in the vaccine were isolated less frequently during the study and non-vaccine serotypes tended to appear more frequently. Pediatric pneumonia hospitalization rates continued to decline since the introduction of PCV without increasing the frequency of complications. Pneumococcal serotype distribution shifted in parallel. Our findings confirm the efficacy of PCV and support the evidence to include more serotypes in the next generation of PCV.

Risk factors for complicated community-acquired pneumonia in children

BACKGROUND

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children continues to be one of the prominent causes of pediatric morbidity and mortality worldwide. By determining the risk factors associated with the development of complicated CAP (CCAP), new approaches for early diagnosis and effective treatment can be identified.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with CAP and CCAP who visited the pediatric ward of the study hospital between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. For patients with CCAP, data regarding medical procedures performed, surgical intervention, and hospitalization duration were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 111 patients, 93 (83.7%) with CAP and 18 (16.3%) with CCAP, aged between 3 months and 18 years were hospitalized because of severe pneumonia. The mean age of the patients was 3.6 ± 1.2 years and 60 (54%) of them were female. The mean age of patients with CCAP was higher than that of patients with CAP (4.2 ± 3.3 vs. 2.8 ± 2.1 years respectively); however, the difference was not significant (p = 0.012). Patients with CCAP exhibited a significantly higher C-reactive protein level than those with CAP (10.06 ± 7.55 vs. 4.43 ± 3.37 g/L respectively; p = 0.007). Hypoxia upon admission was noted more commonly in the CCAP group than in the CAP group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Findings related to hypoxia, respiratory distress, and pleural effusion on imaging are important distinguishing factors associated with the development of complications in patients hospitalized with CAP. Therefore, CCAP etiology, diagnosis, and treatment approaches should be established and protective measures adopted.

Critical illness related to community acquired pneumonia, its epidemiology and outcomes in a pediatric intensive care unit of Pakistan

BACKGROUND

To determine the epidemiology and outcomes in critically ill children admitted with severe community acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to identify risk factors associated with mortality in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) METHODS: Retrospective review of medical records of all children (age 1 month to 18 years) admitted to PICU with CAP from January 2013 to March 2018 was done. Patients admitted in last 2 weeks before current illness and those with bronchiolitis (based on clinical diagnosis) were excluded. Data were collected on a structured proforma and included demographic, clinical data, comorbidities, therapeutic information, laboratory data, and outcome data. Results were presented as mean with SD and frequency with percentages. Factors associated with mortality were analyzed, using logistic regression for both univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 187 children with severe CAP were identified, 53.5% (n = 100) were <1 year of age and 65.2% (n = 122) were male, 32.6% (n = 61) were underweight, and 24.6% (n = 46) were stunted. A total of 94% (175) required mechanical ventilation. Mortality among the cohort was 20.3% (n = 38) with median length of mechanical ventilation 4 (2-8) days, and median length of PICU stay was 6 (4-12) days. PRISM score >10 on admission, presence of systemic illness, empyema, and length of PICU stay 14 (±2) days were associated with increased mortality among critically ill children admitted with CAP (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Severe illness on presentation, presence of systemic illness and empyema are associated with increased mortality in children admitted to the PICU with severe CAP.

Development and Use of a Calculator to Measure Pediatric Low-Value Care Delivered in US Children's Hospitals

IMPORTANCE

The scope of low-value care in children's hospitals is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and apply a calculator of hospital-based pediatric low-value care to estimate prevalence and cost of low-value services.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cross-sectional study developed and applied a calculator of hospital-based pediatric low-value care to estimate the prevalence and cost of low-value services among 1 011 950 encounters reported in 49 US children's hospitals contributing to the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database. To develop the calculator, a multidisciplinary stakeholder group searched existing pediatric low-value care measures and used an iterative process to identify and operationalize relevant hospital-based measures in the PHIS database. Children with an eligible encounter in 2019 were included in the calculator-applied analysis. Two cohorts were analyzed: an emergency department cohort (with encounters resulting in emergency department discharge) and a hospitalized cohort.

EXPOSURES

Eligible condition-specific hospital encounters.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The proportion and volume of encounters in which low-value services were delivered and their associated standardized costs. Measures were ranked by those outcomes.

RESULTS

There were 1 011 950 encounters eligible for 1 or more of 30 calculator-included measures in 2019; encounters were incurred by 816 098 unique patients with a median age of 3 years (IQR, 1-8 years). In the emergency department cohort, low-value services delivered in the greatest percentage of encounters were Group A streptococcal testing among children younger than 3 years with pharyngitis (3679 of 9785 [37.6%]), computed tomography scan for minor head injury (7541 of 42 602 [17.7%]), and bronchodilators for treatment of bronchiolitis (8899 of 55 616 [16.0%]). In the hospitalized cohort, low-value care was most prevalent for broad-spectrum antibiotics in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (3406 of 5658 [60.2%]), acid suppression therapy for infants with esophageal reflux (3814 of 7507 of [50.8%]), and blood cultures for uncomplicated community-acquired pneumonia (2277 of 5823 [39.1%]). Measured low-value services generated nearly $17 million in total standardized cost. The costliest services in the emergency department cohort were computed tomography scan for abdominal pain (approximately $1.8 million) and minor head injury (approximately $1.5 million) and chest radiography for asthma (approximately $1.1 million). The costliest services in the hospitalized cohort were receipt of 2 or more concurrent antipsychotics (approximately $2.4 million), and chest radiography for bronchiolitis ($801 680) and asthma ($625 866).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This cross-sectional analysis found that low-value care for some pediatric services was prevalent and costly. Measuring receipt of low-value services across conditions informs prioritization of deimplementation efforts. Continued use of this calculator may establish trends in low-value care delivery.

Paediatric pneumonia in high-income countries: Defining and recognising cases at increased risk of severe disease

World Health Organisation definitions of pneumonia severity are routinely used in research. In high income health care settings with high rates of pneumococcal vaccination and low rates of mortality, malnutrition and HIV infection, these definitions are less applicable. National guidelines from leading thoracic and infectious disease societies describe 'severe pneumonia' according to criteria derived from expert consensus rather than a robust evidence base. Contemporary cohort studies have used clinical outcomes such as intensive care therapy or invasive procedures for complicated pneumonia, to define severe disease. Describing severe pneumonia in such clinically relevant terms facilitates the identification of risk factors associated with worsened disease and the subsequently increased morbidity, and need for tertiary level care. The early recognition of children at higher risk of severe pneumonia informs site of care decisions, antibiotic treatment decisions as well as guiding appropriate investigations. Younger age, malnutrition, comorbidities, tachypnoea, and hypoxia have been identified as important associations with 'severe pneumonia' by WHO definition. Most studies have been performed in low-middle income countries and whilst they provide some insight into those at risk of mortality or treatment failure, their generalisability to the high-income setting is limited. There is a need to determine more precise definitions and criteria for severe disease in well-resourced settings and to validate factors associated with intensive care admission or invasive procedures to enhance the early recognition of those at risk.

How to interpret a paediatric blood culture

Blood culture is one of the most important diagnostic tests in medicine, considering the significant morbidity and mortality associated with bloodstream infection (BSI). However, it is an often misused and misinterpreted test in everyday paediatric practice. In this article, we explore the evidence related to paediatric blood cultures, with the aim of providing clear and clinically-relevant recommendations for its judicious use.

Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Hospitalized children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia in a Secondary Care Center

BACKGROUND

Narrow-spectrum antibiotics are recommended as the first-line therapy for management of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). There are limited data evaluating the antibiotic prescription patterns for CAP in Saudi Arabia. The goal of this study to report on the antibiotic patterns in children hospitalized with CAP.

METHODS

A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in children aged 1 month to 13 years who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of CAP at King Khalid Hospital in Majmaah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2019 and January 2020.

RESULTS

Data from 233 patients were collected. The majority of patients received amoxicillin clavulanate (57.9%), followed by ceftriaxone (30%), azithromycin (20.6%), cefuroxime (6%), ampicillin (2.1%), and piperacillin-tazobactam (2.1%). None of our patients were started on narrow-spectrum therapy. The younger age group (1-3 months) and patients with severe pneumonia were more likely to receive broad-spectrum cephalosporin and have a longer hospital stay (P = .000 and P = .002, respectively). However, the 4 months to 5 years age group was more likely to receive amoxicillin clavulanate (P = .001). Male gender was a significate risk factor for patients with severe pneumonia (P=.013) CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the inappropriate use of broad-spectrum therapy in children hospitalized with CAP. Further large multicenter studies are necessary to evaluate the patterns of antibiotic use and implement antimicrobial stewardship programs or quality-improvement projects to improve adherence to guidelines.

Assessment of nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization does not permit discrimination between Canadian children with viral and bacterial respiratory infection: a matched-cohort cross-sectional study

Background

Readily-available diagnostics do not reliably discriminate between viral and bacterial pediatric uncomplicated pneumonia, both of which are common. Some have suggested that assessment of pneumococcal carriage could be used to identify those children with bacterial pneumonia. The objective of this study was to determine if nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization patterns differed between children with definite viral disease, definite bacterial disease, and respiratory disease of indeterminate etiology.

Methods

Three groups of subjects were recruited: children with critical respiratory illness, previously healthy children with respiratory illness admitted to the ward, and previously healthy children diagnosed in the emergency department with non-severe pneumonia. Subjects were categorized as follows: a) viral infection syndrome (eg. bronchiolitis), b) bacterial infection syndrome (ie. pneumonia complicated by effusion/empyema), or c) ‘indeterminate’ pneumonia. Subjects’ nasopharyngeal swabs underwent quantitative PCR testing for S. pneumoniae. Associations between categorical variables were determined with Fisher’s exact, chi-square, or logistic regression, as appropriate. Associations between quantitative genomic load and categorical variables was determined by linear regression.

Results

There were 206 children in Group 1, 122 children in Group 2, and 179 children in Group 3. Only a minority (227/507, 45%) had detectable pneumococcal carriage; in those subjects, there was no association of quantitative genomic load with age, recruitment group, or disease category. In multivariate logistic regression, pneumococcal colonization > 3 log copies/mL was associated with younger age and recruitment group, but not with disease category.

Conclusions

The nasopharyngeal S. pneumoniae colonization patterns of subjects with definite viral infection were very similar to colonization patterns of those with definite bacterial infection or indeterminate pneumonia. Assessment and quantification of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization does not therefore appear useful to discriminate between acute viral and bacterial respiratory disease; consequently, this diagnostic testing is unlikely to reliably determine which children with indeterminate pneumonia have a bacterial etiology and/or require antibiotic treatment.

Antibiotic Use and Treatment Outcomes among Children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia Admitted to a Tertiary Care Public Hospital in Nepal

In the era of growing antimicrobial resistance, there is a concern about the effectiveness of first-line antibiotics such as ampicillin in children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia. In this study, we describe antibiotic use and treatment outcomes among under-five children with community-acquired pneumonia admitted to a tertiary care public hospital in Nepal from 2017 to 2019. In this cross-sectional study involving secondary analysis of hospital data, there were 659 patients and 30% of them had a history of prehospital antibiotic use. Irrespective of prehospital antibiotic use, ampicillin monotherapy (70%) was the most common first-line treatment provided during hospitalization followed by ceftriaxone monotherapy (12%). The remaining children (18%) were treated with various other antibiotics alone or in combination as first-line treatment. Broad-spectrum antibiotics such as linezolid, vancomycin, and meropenem were used in less than 1% of patients. Overall, 66 (10%) children were required to switch to second-line treatment and only 7 (1%) children were required to switch to third-line treatment. Almost all (99%) children recovered without any sequelae. This study highlights the effectiveness of ampicillin monotherapy in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized children in a non-intensive care unit setting.

Blood cultures and blood microbiota analysis as surrogates for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis in dogs with bacterial pneumonia

Background

Diagnosis of canine bacterial pneumonia relies on airway lavage to confirm septic, suppurative inflammation, and a positive bacterial culture. Considering risks of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collection, minimally invasive methods like culture or next generation sequencing of blood would be appealing. In dogs with bacterial pneumonia, our study aims included (1): determining proportion of agreement between cultivable bacteria in BALF and blood (2); characterizing BALF, blood, and oropharyngeal (OP) microbiota and determining if bacteria cultured from BALF were present in these communities; and (3) comparing relatedness of microbial community composition at all three sites. Bacterial cultures were performed on BALF and blood. After DNA extraction of BALF, blood and OP, 16S rRNA amplicon libraries were generated, sequenced, and compared to a bacterial gene sequence database.

Results

Disregarding one false positive, blood cultures were positive in 2/9 dogs (5 total isolates), all 5 isolates were present in BALF cultures (16 total isolates). Based on sequencing data, all sites had rich and diverse microbial communities. Comparing cultured BALF bacterial genera with sequenced taxa, all dogs had ≥1 cultured isolate present in their microbiota: cultured BALF isolates were found in microbiota of BALF (12/16), blood (7/16), and OP (6/11; only 7 dogs had OP swabs). Of 394 distinct taxa detected in BALF, these were present in 75% OP and 45% blood samples. BALF community composition was significantly different than OP (p = 0.0059) and blood (p = 0.0009).

Conclusions

Blood cultures are insensitive but specific for cultured BALF bacteria in canine bacterial pneumonia. Cultivable BALF bacteria were present in BALF, blood and OP microbiota to differing degrees.

Respiratory Failure and Death in Vulnerable Premature Children With Lower Respiratory Tract Illness

Background

Efforts to better understand the risk factors associated with respiratory failure (RF) and fatal lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in premature children in developing countries are necessary to elaborate evidenced-based preventive interventions. We aim to characterize the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) LRTI in premature children and determine risk factors for RF and fatal illness in a vulnerable population.

Methods

This is a prospective, population-based, cross-sectional study. Subjects with severe LRTI were enrolled during respiratory season. Risk factors for RF and death in premature infants were investigated.

Results

A total of 664 premature children participated. Infant’s hospitalization rate due to LRTI was 82.6/1000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 68.6–96.7/1000). Infant’s RSV and hMPV rates were 40.9/1000 (95% CI, 36.3–45.6/1000) and 6.6/1000 (95% CI, 3.9–9.2/1000), respectively. The RF rate was 8.2/1000 (95% CI, 4.9–11.5/1000). The LRTI mortality was 2.2/1000 (95% CI, 0.7–3.7/1000); for RSV, the rate was 0.8/1000 (95% CI, 0–1.7/1000) with a case-fatality ratio of 1.8%. Never breastfeeding, malnutrition, younger than 6 months, congenital heart disease, and lower hematocrit were risk factors for RF. Experiencing pneumonia, pneumothorax, sepsis, or apnea were clinical determinants of poor outcomes.

Conclusions

Premature children under 2 years old in vulnerable environments experience RF and death more often than term counterparts. Modifiable risk factors associated with poor outcomes should prompt evidence-based interventions.

Variation in Management and Outcomes of Children With Complicated Pneumonia

OBJECTIVES

To assess the characteristics of children hospitalized with complicated pneumonia at US children's hospitals and compare these characteristics with those of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

METHODS

We identified children hospitalized with complicated pneumonia (parapneumonic effusion, empyema, necrotizing pneumonia, or lung abscess) or CAP across 34 hospitals between 2011 and 2019. We evaluated differences in patient characteristics, antibiotic selection, and outcomes between children with complicated pneumonia and CAP. We, also, assessed seasonal variability in the frequency of these 2 conditions and evaluated the prevalence of complicated pneumonia over the 9-year study period.

RESULTS

Compared with children hospitalized with CAP (n = 75 702), children hospitalized with complicated pneumonia (n = 6402) were older (a median age of 6.1 vs 3.4 years; P < .001), with 59.4% and 35.2% of patients ≥5 years of age, respectively. Patients with complicated pneumonia had higher rates of antibiotic therapy targeted against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (46.3% vs 12.2%; P < .001) and Pseudomonas (8.6% vs 6.7%; P < .001), whereas differences in rates of coverage against mycoplasma were not clinically significant. Children with complicated pneumonia had a longer median hospital length of stay and higher rates of ICU admissions, mechanical ventilation, 30-day readmissions, and costs. Seasonal variation existed in both complicated pneumonia and CAP, with 42.7% and 46.0% of hospitalizations occurring during influenza season. The proportion of pneumonia hospitalizations due to complicated pneumonia increased over the study period (odds ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.06).

CONCLUSIONS

Complicated pneumonia more frequently occurs in older children and accounts for higher rates of resource use, compared to CAP.

[Effects of an In-House Antibiotic Stewardship Initiative on Diagnosis and Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Childhood and Adolescence]

BACKGROUND

 Pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (pCAP) often leads to prescription of antibiotics and hospital admission of children. Unfortunately, adherence to diagnosis and treatment guidelines is inconsistent, and misuse of antibiotics may occur. Antimicrobial stewardship interventions, which were started in many hospitals during the last decade, can optimize management of pCAP without negative patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

 The objective of this retrospective analysis was to assess the influence of a newly implemented in-house pediatric antibiotic stewardship (ABS) initiative on guideline adherence and treatment quality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 Retrospective, patients' file-based analysis of the effects of an ABS initiative in a pediatric university hospital from January 2017 until March 2020. ABS initiative included creation of a local pCAP guideline for hospitalized children aged 90 days - 18 years, periodic training and continuous ABS support.

RESULTS

 A total of 230 patients with pCAP were included (145 before and 85 after intervention). Implementation of the ABS program led to reduction of antibiotics prescription without clear indication from 26 % to 10 % (p < 0.05). The inappropriate use of antibiotics decreased from 64 % to 27 % (p < 0.05), the rate of incorrect doses declined from 17 % to 10 % (p < 0.05) and the mean duration of antibiotic treatment declined from 10 to 7 days (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the two groups regarding length of stay, treatment failure or readmissions for respiratory infection.

CONCLUSIONS

 Pediatric antibiotic stewardship is an appropriate and safe method, and is beneficial to hospitalized patients with pCAP. Application of ABS programs may increase adherence to clinical guidelines and improve appropriate antimicrobial use without negative impact on patient outcomes. Multicenter follow-up studies are needed to clarify long-term effects of ABS programs.

Diagnosis of Community-acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Children: A Multicenter Experience in Bolivia

BACKGROUND

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) represents a major cause of hospitalization, especially among young children. In the third world countries, information about CAP etiology is scarce. Therefore, rapid and highly sensitive diagnostic methods are crucial to determine etiologic agents.

METHODS

Between March 2016 and March 2017, we have prospectively studied the clinical, radiologic, laboratory, and molecular aspects of patients with CAP at 2 tertiary-level hospitals in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, using a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS

A total of 274 children were evaluated, with a median age of 13 months. An etiologic agent was identified in 187 patients (68.2%): 54% (n = 148) were viruses and 14.2% (n = 39) were bacteria. CAP prevalence was highest among children under 2 years (71%; 195/274); respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most frequent cause in 22% (60/274), especially among infants, followed by influenza (14.5%; 40/274). Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 7% of the total (19/274), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (3%;8/274) and Haemophilus influenzae (1.4%;4/274). Together, these cases accounted for 79.5% (31/39) of all bacterial CAP. Pleural effusion (PE) complicated CAP in 13.8% (38/274), of which 29 were of bacterial etiology. RT-PCR increased the detection rate of pneumococcus by 47%. Coinfection occurred in 28 patients (10%); 26 (9.5%) required intensive care and 9 patients (3%) died.

CONCLUSIONS

RT-PCR provided additional diagnostic value to conventional, clinical, and laboratory methods. The higher prevalence of RSV, influenza, and Streptococcus pneumoniae reveals the need for preventive measures with better vaccine uptake and future research for RSV vaccines.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Routinely Available Biomarkers to Predict Bacteremia in Children With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Secondary Analysis of the GPIP/ACTIV Pneumonia Study in France, 2009-2018

Objective(s): Blood cultures (BC), when performed in children seen in the emergency department with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), are most of the time sterile. We described the diagnostic accuracy of white blood cells (WBC), absolute neutrophils count (ANC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) to predict blood culture (BC) result in childhood CAP. Study Design: Secondary analysis of a prospective study carried out in eight pediatric emergency departments (France, 2009-2018), including children (≤15 years) with CAP. Analyses involved univariate comparisons and ROC curves. Results: We included 13,752 children with CAP. BC was positive in 137 (3.6%) of the 3,829 children (mean age 3.7 years) in whom it was performed, mostly with Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 107). In children with bacteremia, ANC, CRP and PCT levels were higher (median 12,256 vs. 9,251/mm³, 223 vs. 72 mg/L and 8.6 vs. 1.0 ng/mL, respectively; p ≤ 0.002), but WBC levels were not. The area under the ROC curve of PCT (0.73 [95%CI 0.64-0.82]) was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.01) than that of WBC (0.51 [0.43-0.60]) and of ANC (0.55 [0.46-0.64]), but not than that of CRP (0.66 [0.56-0.76]; p = 0.21). CRP and PCT thresholds that provided a sensitivity of at least 90% were 30 mg/L and 0.25 ng/mL, respectively, for a specificity of 25.4 and 23.4%, respectively. CRP and PCT thresholds that provided a specificity of at least 90% were 300 mg/L and 20 ng/mL, respectively, for a sensitivity of 31.3 and 28.9%, respectively. Conclusions: PCT and CRP are the best routinely available predictive biomarkers of bacteremia in childhood CAP.

Complicated pneumonia in children

Complicated community-acquired pneumonia in a previously well child is a severe illness characterised by combinations of local complications (eg, parapneumonic effusion, empyema, necrotising pneumonia, and lung abscess) and systemic complications (eg, bacteraemia, metastatic infection, multiorgan failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and, rarely, death). Complicated community-acquired pneumonia should be suspected in any child with pneumonia not responding to appropriate antibiotic treatment within 48-72 h. Common causative organisms are Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Patients have initial imaging with chest radiography and ultrasound, which can also be used to assess the lung parenchyma, to identify pleural fluid; CT scanning is not usually indicated. Complicated pneumonia is treated with a prolonged course of intravenous antibiotics, and then oral antibiotics. The initial choice of antibiotic is guided by local microbiological knowledge and by subsequent positive cultures and molecular testing, including on pleural fluid if a drainage procedure is done. Information from pleural space imaging and drainage should guide the decision on whether to administer intrapleural fibrinolytics. Most patients are treated by drainage and more extensive surgery is rarely needed; in any event, in low-income and middle-income countries, resources for extensive surgeries are scarce. The clinical course of complicated community-acquired pneumonia can be prolonged, especially when patients have necrotising pneumonia, but complete recovery is the usual outcome.

Diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin for bacterial pneumonia in children - a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: The predictive role of procalcitonin for childhood bacterial pneumonia, a leading cause of death, is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin for childhood bacterial pneumonia.Methods: Major bibliographic databases were searched from inception through September 2019 using pre-defined index terms, including 'procalcitonin,' 'pneumonia' and 'children'. The study is reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies. Meta-analyses of the diagnostic accuracy and odds ratio of procalcitonin for bacterial pneumonia were conducted along with subgroup analyses for different cut-offs of procalcitonin. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 instrument was used to assess the methodologic quality of eligible studies.Results: Twenty-five studies (with 2,864 patients) showed that procalcitonin for bacterial pneumonia had an overall sensitivity of 0.64 (95% confidence interval: 0.53-0.74), specificity of 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.64-0.79), positive likelihood ratio of 2.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.8-3.0) and negative likelihood ratio of 0.50 (95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.66), and Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics of 0.74 (95% confidence interval: 0.70-0.78). Using a cut-off of 0.5 ng/ml, Procalcitonin had a sensitivity of 0.68 (95% confidence interval: 0.50-0.82), specificity of 0.60 (95% confidence interval: 0.47-0.72), and Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics of 0.68 (95% confidence interval: 0.64-0.72). Using a cut-off of 2 ng/ml, procalcitonin had a sensitivity of 0.59 (95% confidence interval: 0.40-0.76), specificity of 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.58-0.81), and AUROC curve of 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.67-0.75). Elevated procalcitonin was not associated with increased odds of bacterial pneumonia (odds ratio: 1.36, 95% confidence interval: 0.81-1.92, p = .18). Quality assessment found minimal concerns for bias or applicability.Conclusions: Given the moderate diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin for bacterial pneumonia, we recommend that procalcitonin be used in conjunction with other findings for management and disposition of children with pneumonia.

Microbial Distribution and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Patients From Pediatric Ward, Adult Respiratory Ward, and Respiratory Intensive Care Unit

Introduction

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) account for significant morbidity and mortality in patients admitted to hospitals worldwide, especially in children and elderly. The prevalent microorganisms and antibiotic susceptibility were investigated among LRTI patients from the pediatric ward, adult respiratory ward, and respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) in order to achieve more efficient treatment protocols and better recovery.

Methods

In this retrospective cross-sectional study (January 2016 to December 2019), 4,161 positive culture samples out of 18,798 different specimens (9,645 respiratory tract samples and 9,153 blood samples) from LRTI patients were analyzed for pathogen incidence and antibiotic sensitivity.

Results

Among the respiratory tract cultures, the frequency of Gram-negative bacterial strains was higher than Gram-positive bacterial strains. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the dominant pathogen in both the adult respiratory ward (n = 156, 21.49%) and RICU (n = 975, 35.67%), whereas Staphylococcus aureus (n = 66, 19.19%) was the most common bacterium in the pediatric ward. Among the blood cultures, Gram-positive bacteria remained the major microorganisms involved in LRTIs, and the most frequent pathogen was Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 59, 47.20%) in the pediatric ward and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 10, 21.8%) in adult respiratory ward. However, Gram-negative bacteria were the main pathogens in the RICU, of which Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 51, 27.57%) is the most prevalent. Pseudomonas aeruginosa of LRTI patients remained highly susceptible (>70%) to routine antibiotics in pediatric ward. However, it only had high susceptibility to amikacin, tobramycin, gentamicin in both the adult respiratory ward and RICU and its antibiotic sensitivity to meropenem and imipenem was moderate in the adult respiratory ward and mild (<30%) in the RICU. Staphylococcus aureus isolated from LRTI patients was highly susceptible to linezolid, daptomycin, teicoplanin, vancomycin, tigecycline, rifampicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in all three wards, moderately susceptible to gentamicin in both the adult respiratory ward and RICU and to clindamycin, oxacillin, moxifloxacin only in the adult respiratory ward.

Conclusions

Microbial distribution and their patterns of antibiotic susceptibility revealed a high divergence among LRTI patients admitted to different wards in this hospital. Thus, different antibiotic therapies should be considered for distinct age groups.

The Association of Antibiotic Duration With Successful Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

BACKGROUND

National guidelines recommend 10 days of antibiotics for children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), acknowledging that the outcomes of children hospitalized with CAP who receive shorter durations of therapy have not been evaluated.

METHODS

We conducted a comparative effectiveness study of children aged ≥6 months hospitalized at The Johns Hopkins Hospital who received short-course (5-7 days) vs prolonged-course (8-14 days) antibiotic therapy for uncomplicated CAP between 2012 and 2018 using an inverse probability of treatment weighted propensity score analysis. Inclusion was limited to children with clinical and radiographic criteria consistent with CAP, as adjudicated by 2 infectious diseases physicians. Children with tracheostomies; healthcare-associated, hospital-acquired, or ventilator-associated pneumonia; loculated or moderate to large pleural effusion or pulmonary abscess; intensive care unit stay >48 hours; cystic fibrosis/bronchiectasis; severe immunosuppression; or unusual pathogens were excluded. The primary outcome was treatment failure, a composite of unanticipated emergency department visits, outpatient visits, hospital readmissions, or death (all determined to be likely attributable to bacterial pneumonia) within 30 days after completing antibiotic therapy.

RESULTS

Four hundred and thirty-nine patients met eligibility criteria; 168 (38%) patients received short-course therapy (median, 6 days) and 271 (62%) received prolonged-course therapy (median, 10 days). Four percent of children experienced treatment failure, with no differences observed between patients who received short-course vs prolonged-course antibiotic therapy (odds ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, .18-1.30).

CONCLUSIONS

A short course of antibiotic therapy (approximately 5 days) does not increase the odds of 30-day treatment failure compared with longer courses for hospitalized children with uncomplicated CAP.

Common bacterial infections and their treatment in hospitalized pediatric patients

PURPOSE

Common bacterial infections in pediatric patients that the hospital pharmacist may encounter are reviewed, and guidance on the safe and effective use of antibiotics to treat those infections is provided.

SUMMARY

Pharmacists play a key role in evaluating and creating antibiotic treatment plans for patients with infections. Bacterial infections are a common reason for hospital admission in pediatric patients, and pharmacists working in hospitals may be consulted to provide treatment and monitoring recommendations. It is important for pharmacists to be aware of similarities and differences in adult and pediatric populations with regard to presenting signs and symptoms of bacterial infections, common causative pathogens, and antibiotic selection, dosing, and monitoring. This article reviews current approaches to treatment of common bacterial infections in pediatric patients and also provides general suggestions for antibiotic use.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacists have an opportunity to positively impact the care of pediatric patients with bacterial infections. Especially at facilities where pediatric patients are not regularly treated, pharmacists can potentially improve care through provision of recommendations for optimal antibiotic selection, dosing, and monitoring.

Things We Do For No Reason™: Routine Blood Culture Acquisition for Children Hospitalized with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Inspired by the ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely^® campaign, the "Things We Do for No Reason™" (TWDFNR) series reviews practices that have become common parts of hospital care but may provide little value to our patients. Practices reviewed in the TWDFNR series do not represent "black and white" conclusions or clinical practice standards but are meant as a starting place for research and active discussions among hospitalists and patients. We invite you to be part of that discussion.

Etiology and Resource Use of Fever of Unknown Origin in Hospitalized Children

BACKGROUND

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a well-known pediatric presentation. The primary studies determining the causes of prolonged fever in children were performed 4 decades ago, before major advances in laboratory and diagnostic testing. Given that the distribution of diagnosed causes of adult FUO has changed in recent decades, we hypothesized that the etiology of FUO in children has concordantly changed and also may be impacted by a definition that includes a shorter required duration of fever.

METHODS

A single-center, retrospective review of patients 6 months to 18 years of age admitted to the North Carolina Children's Hospital from January 1, 2002, to December 21, 2012, with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis of fever, a documented fever duration >7 days before admission, and a previous physician evaluation of each patient's illness.

RESULTS

A total of 1164 patients were identified, and of these, 102 met our inclusion criteria for FUO. Etiologic categories included "infectious" (42 out of 102 patients), "autoimmune" (28 out of 102 patients), "oncologic" (18 out of 102 patients), and "other" or "unknown" (14 out of 102 patients). Several clinical factors were statistically and significantly different between etiologic categories, including fever length, laboratory values, imaging performed, length of stay, and hospital costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Unlike adult studies, the categorical distribution of diagnoses for pediatric FUO has marginally shifted compared to previously reported pediatric studies. Patients hospitalized with FUO undergo prolonged hospital stays and have high hospital costs. Additional study is needed to improve the recognition, treatment, and expense of diagnosis of prolonged fever in children.

The Usefulness of Lung Ultrasound for the Aetiological Diagnosis of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

The aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is not easy to establish. As lung ultrasound (LUS) has already proved to be an excellent diagnostic tool for CAP, we analysed its usefulness for discriminating between the aetiologically different types of CAP in children. We included 147 children hospitalized because of CAP. LUS was performed in all patients at admission, and follow-up LUS was performed in most patients. LUS-detected consolidations in viral CAP were significantly smaller, with a median diameter of 15 mm, compared to 20 mm in atypical bacterial CAP (p = 0.05) and 30 mm in bacterial CAP (p < 0.001). Multiple consolidations were detected in 65.4% of patients with viral CAP and in 17.3% of patients with bacterial CAP (p < 0.001). Bilateral consolidations were also more common in viral CAP than in bacterial CAP (51.9% vs. 8.0%, p < 0.001). At follow-up, a regression of consolidations was observed in 96.6% of patients with bacterial CAP and in 33.3% of patients with viral CAP (p < 0.001). We found LUS to be especially suitable for differentiating bacterial CAP from CAP due to other aetiologies. However, LUS must be interpreted in light of clinical and laboratory findings.

Predictors of Bacteremia in Children Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The yield of blood cultures in children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is low. Characteristics of children at increased risk of bacteremia remain largely unknown.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study of children aged 3 months to 18 years hospitalized with CAP in 6 children's hospitals from 2007 to 2011. We excluded children with complex chronic conditions and children without blood cultures performed at admission. Clinical, laboratory, microbiologic, and radiologic data were assessed to identify predictors of bacteremia.

RESULTS

Among 7509 children hospitalized with CAP, 2568 (34.2%) had blood cultures performed on the first day of hospitalization. The median age was 3 years. Sixty-five children with blood cultures performed had bacteremia (2.5%), and 11 children (0.4%) had bacteremia with a penicillin-nonsusceptible pathogen. The prevalence of bacteremia was increased in children with a white blood cell count >20 × 10³ cells per µL (5.4%; 95% confidence interval 3.5%-8.1%) and in children with definite radiographic pneumonia (3.3%; 95% confidence interval 2.4%-4.4%); however, the prevalence of penicillin-nonsusceptible bacteremia was below 1% even in the presence of individual predictors. Among children hospitalized outside of the ICU, the prevalence of contaminated blood cultures exceeded the prevalence of penicillin-nonsusceptible bacteremia.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the prevalence of bacteremia is marginally higher among children with leukocytosis or radiographic pneumonia, the rates remain low, and penicillin-nonsusceptible bacteremia is rare even in the presence of these predictors. Blood cultures should not be obtained in children hospitalized with CAP in a non-ICU setting.

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Bacteremic Pneumonia in Children

BACKGROUND

Previous studies examining bacteremia in hospitalized children with pneumonia are limited by incomplete culture data. We sought to determine characteristics of children with bacteremic pneumonia using data from a large prospective study with systematic blood culturing.

METHODS

Children <18 years hospitalized with pneumonia and enrolled in the multicenter Etiology of Pneumonia in the Community study between January 2010 and June 2012 were eligible. Bivariate comparisons were used to identify factors associated with bacteremia. Associations between bacteremia and clinical outcomes were assessed by using Cox proportional hazards regression for length of stay and logistic regression for ICU admission and invasive mechanical ventilation or shock.

RESULTS

Blood cultures were obtained in 2143 (91%) of 2358 children; 46 (2.2%) had bacteremia. The most common pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 23, 50%), Staphylococcus aureus (n = 6, 13%), and Streptococcus pyogenes (n = 4, 9%). Characteristics associated with bacteremia included male sex, parapneumonic effusion, lack of chest indrawing or wheezing, and no previous receipt of antibiotics. Children with bacteremia had longer lengths of stay (median: 5.8 vs 2.8 days; adjusted hazard ratio: 0.79 [0.73-0.86]) and increased odds of ICU admission (43% vs 21%; adjusted odds ratio: 5.21 [3.82-6.84]) and invasive mechanical ventilation or shock (30% vs 8%; adjusted odds ratio: 5.28 [2.41-11.57]).

CONCLUSIONS

Bacteremia was uncommonly detected in this large multicenter cohort of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia but was associated with severe disease. S pneumoniae was detected most often. Blood culture was of low yield in general but may have greater use in those with parapneumonic effusion and ICU admission.

Outcome prediction using the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score combined with procalcitonin for influenza patients

BACKGROUND

Severe influenza is often associated with bacterial coinfection and can trigger sepsis, which increases the severity, complexity and mortality of the disease. To determine an effective method for predicting 28-day mortality of emergency department (ED) patients with influenza, we investigated the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis (MEDS) score, procalcitonin (PCT) and other relevant biomarkers.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, observational, monocentric study, and the endpoint was 28-day mortality. Independent predictors were identified and a new combination predictive model was created both by logistic regression, and the model was evaluated by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

A total of 364 consecutive ED admitted patients with influenza were enrolled and 45 patients died within 28 days. For predicting 28-day mortality, the MEDS score and PCT were independent predictors with adjusted odds ratio of 1.318 (95% CI 1.206-1.439) and 1.038 (95% CI 1.010-1.065), and with AUCs of 0.817 (95% CI 0.756-0.878) and 0.793 (95% CI 0.725-0.861), respectively. The new combination of the MEDS score with PCT significantly improved the efficacy for predicting 28-day mortality with an AUC of 0.857 (95% CI 0.809-0.905), and was superior to the SOFA score with an AUC of 0.837 (95% CI 0.779-0.894).

CONCLUSION

The MEDS score and PCT, especially when combined, perform well for predicting mortality of ED admitted patients with influenza.

Long-term Association of 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Implementation With Rates of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children

IMPORTANCE

In several countries, 5 years after 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) implementation, serotype replacement has been reported for invasive pneumococcal disease, which raises concerns about the long-term outcome of PCV13 implementation. The long-term effect of vaccination on community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the long-term outcome of PCV13 implementation on CAP in children.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This quasi-experimental, population-based, interrupted time-series analysis was based on a prospective multicenter study conducted from June 2009 to May 2017 in 8 French pediatric emergency departments. All patients 15 years and younger with chest radiography-confirmed CAP were included.

EXPOSURES

Community-acquired pneumonia.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The number of CAP cases per 1000 pediatric emergency department visits over time, analyzed using a segmented regression model, adjusted for influenza-like illness syndromes.

RESULTS

We enrolled 12 587 children with CAP, including 673 cases of CAP with pleural effusion (5.3%), 4273 cases of CAP requiring hospitalization (33.9%), 2379 cases of CAP with high inflammatory biomarkers (18.9%), and 221 cases of proven pneumococcal CAP (1.8%). The implementation of PCV13 in 2010 was followed by a sharp decrease in the frequency of CAP (-0.8% per month [95% CI, -1.0% to -0.5% per month]), from 6.3 to 3.5 cases of CAP per 1000 pediatric emergency department visits until May 2014, then a slight increase since June 2014 (0.9% per month [95% CI, 0.4%-1.4% per month]), until 3.8 cases of CAP per 1000 pediatric emergency department visits in May 2017. There were marked immediate decreases in cases of CAP with pleural effusion (-48% [95% CI, -84% to -12%]), CAP requiring hospitalization (-30% [95% CI, -56% to -5%]), and CAP with high inflammatory biomarkers (-30% [95% CI, -54% to -6%]), without any rebound thereafter.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

The changes associated with PCV13 use 7 years after implementation remain substantial, especially for CAP with pleural effusion, CAP requiring hospitalization, and CAP with high inflammatory biomarkers. Emerging non-PCV13 serotypes may be less likely involved in severe CAP than invasive pneumococcal disease.

Radiologic Diagnosis and Hospitalization among Children with Severe Community Acquired Pneumonia: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objectives

This study was designed to assess the role of chest radiography for the diagnosis of pneumonia and assess the association of clinical characteristics with radiologic findings and predictors of hospitalization among children with severe community acquired pneumonia.

Methods

A prospective study was conducted on 122 children between ages of 3 month and 14 years admitted to pediatric emergency unit with diagnosis of severe pneumonia from September 1^st to November 30^th, 2017. Eligible children were subjected to chest radiography which was read by two senior radiologists independently (R1 and R2). Disagreements between R1 and R2 were resolved by a third senior radiologist (R3). Level of agreement between radiologists was assessed using Cohen's kappa coefficient. Clinical and laboratory parameters which could explain the variability in the duration of hospital stay were assessed using a linear regression mode. Independent predictors were assessed using multiple linear regression.

Results

The median age of the cohort was 10.0 months (interquartile range (IQR): 6.75-24.0); 76 (62.3%) were male. Nearly half, 63 (51.6%) did not have radiologic evidence of pneumonia. There was low level of agreement between R1 and R2 in reporting consolidation (kappa=0.435, p-value≤0.001), haziness (kappa=0.375, p-value≤0.001), and infiltration (kappa=0.267, p-value=0.008). Children with higher recorded temperature were more likely to have radiologic abnormalities suggesting pneumonia (p-value=0.033). The median duration of hospitalization was 3 days (IQR: 1-4 days); 118 (96.7%) were discharged with improvement. Height-for-age z-score (Coef.=0.203, R²=0.041, p-value=0.027); and hemoglobin level (Coef.=-0.249, R²=0.062, p-value=0.006) explained 4.1% and 6.2% of the variability in the duration of hospital stay, respectively.

Conclusion

Radiologic evidence of pneumonia was absent in half of the children with severe pneumonia. There was low agreement between senior radiologists in reporting chest radiographic findings, potentially necessitating harmonization activities to uniformly implement the WHO guidelines in reading chest radiographs.

Factors Associated With Pneumonia Severity in Children: A Systematic Review

Community-acquired pneumonia in children is associated with significant morbidity and mortality; however, data are limited in predicting which children will have negative outcomes, including clinical deterioration, severe disease, or development of complications. The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America (PIDS/IDSA) pediatric pneumonia guideline includes criteria that were modified from adult criteria and define pneumonia severity to assist with resource allocation and site-of-care decision-making. However, the PIDS/IDSA criteria have not been formally developed or validated in children. Definitions for mild, moderate, and severe pneumonia also vary across the literature, further complicating the development of standardized severity criteria. This systematic review summarizes (1) the current state of the evidence for defining and predicting pneumonia severity in children as well as (2) emerging evidence focused on risk stratification of children with pneumonia.

Community-acquired bacterial co-infection predicts severity and mortality in influenza-associated pneumonia admitted patients

BACKGROUND

Influenza is frequently complicated by bacterial co-infection, causing additional hospitalization and mortality. We determined the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of patients with influenza-associated community-acquired bacterial co-infection.

METHOD

This was a retrospective, observational study. Influenza was diagnosed using the polymerase chain reaction. Co-infection had to be confirmed using standard bacteriological tests. The primary endpoint was presence of community-acquired co-infection, and the secondary endpoint was in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

During the 8 influenza seasons from 2010 to 2018, of the 209 influenza-associated pneumonia admitted patients, 41 (19.6%) were identified with community-acquired bacterial co-infections and Staphylococcus aureus was the predominant strain. Compared with patients without co-infection, patients with co-infection had similar demographic characteristics and co-morbidities, obtained a higher APACHE II score and a higher SOFA score, and had higher ratio of sepsis shock, invasive mechanical ventilation, and ICU requirement. In-hospital mortality independently associated with bacterial co-infection (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 2.619; 95%CI 1.252-5.480; p = 0.011); in subgroup S. aureus (aHR 6.267; 95%CI 2.679-14.662; p < 0.001) and other pathogens (aHR 2.964; 95%CI 1.160-7.577; p = 0.023); and in subgroup positive findings in bloodstream (aHR 7.420; 95%CI 2.712-20.302; p < 0.001) and positive findings in other site (aHR 3.427; 95%CI 1.514-7.757; p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

Community-acquired bacterial co-infection was frequent in influenza-associated pneumonia, without risk factor identified yet. Bacterial co-infection was likely to predict severity, and was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality. Co-infection of Staphylococcus aureus with influenza was identified as a lethal synergism, and should be targeted when developing clinical antibiotic strategies.

Guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a common cause of respiratory infection, accounting for more than 800,000 hospitalizations in the United States annually. Presenting symptoms of pneumonia are typically cough, pleuritic chest pain, fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Children and the elderly have different presenting features of pneumonia, which include headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and absence of one or more of the prototypical symptoms. Knowledge of local bacterial pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility and resistance profiles is the key for effective pharmacologic selection and treatment of pneumonia.

Using Quality Improvement to Change Testing Practices for Community-acquired Pneumonia

BACKGROUND

National guidelines for pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) contain recommendations regarding diagnostic testing including chest radiographs (CXRs), complete blood counts (CBCs), and blood cultures. Local data indicated that our institution was not delivering care at standards outlined by these guidelines. This project aimed to decrease CXRs for children with CAP discharged from the emergency department (ED) by 10% and decrease CBCs and blood cultures for patients hospitalized with uncomplicated CAP by 20% within 1 year.

METHODS

This single-site quality improvement initiative targeted otherwise healthy children 3 months to 18 years who presented to the ED with uncomplicated CAP at a free-standing academic children's hospital. A quality improvement team performed a series of interventions including guideline implementation, data sharing, and annual education. Process measures included CXR, CBC, and blood culture rates. Balancing measures included the number of patients diagnosed with CAP, the frequency of antibiotic use, length of stay, and ED and hospital return rates. The team used statistical process control charts to plot measures.

RESULTS

There was special cause improvement with a desirable downward shift in testing that correlated with the project's interventions. The percentage of CXRs for discharged patients decreased from 79% to 57%. CBCs and blood cultures for hospitalized patients decreased from 30% to 19% and 24% to 14%, respectively. Balancing measures remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

We used elements of quality improvement methodology to reduce testing for uncomplicated CAP without impacting the number of patients diagnosed with CAP, the frequency of antibiotic use, length of stay, and reutilization rates.

Complicated pneumonia: current concepts and state of the art

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to provide clinicians engaged in the care of infants and children an update on the current understanding of the epidemiology, etiology, diagnostic evaluation, and clinical management of complicated pneumonia. The review provides timely information surrounding areas of consensus and ongoing research.

RECENT FINDINGS

The epidemiology and etiologies of complicated pneumonia continue to evolve over the past several decades in context of the introduction of new vaccines. We review uncommon and emerging pathogens. Immunocompromised patients are particularly at risk for complications. The 2011 clinical practice guidelines for pediatric community-acquired pneumonia from The Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America and the British Thoracic Society are changing approaches to evaluation and management. The efficacy of new diagnostic laboratory studies, and imaging techniques, continues to be studied. Antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment, with several new options to consider. Techniques for the drainage of parapneumonic effusions continue to optimize.

SUMMARY

Although much is known about complicated pneumonia, it remains a significant burden. New diagnostic and therapeutic interventions hold much promise. This review seeks to provide clinicians with evidence that motivates a reasoned approach to the evaluation and management of complicated pneumonia.