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Tsze DS, Kuppermann N, Casper TC, Barney BJ, Richer LP, Liberman DB, Okada PJ, Morris CR, Myers SR, Soung JK, Mistry RD, Babcock L, Spencer SP, Johnson MD, Klein EJ, Quayle KS, Steele DW, Cruz AT, Rogers AJ, Thomas DG, Grupp-Phelan JM, Johnson TJ, Dayan PS. Stratification of risk for emergent intracranial abnormalities in children with headaches: a Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) study protocol. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e079040. [PMID: 37993148 PMCID: PMC10668138 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Headache is a common chief complaint of children presenting to emergency departments (EDs). Approximately 0.5%-1% will have emergent intracranial abnormalities (EIAs) such as brain tumours or strokes. However, more than one-third undergo emergent neuroimaging in the ED, resulting in a large number of children unnecessarily exposed to radiation. The overuse of neuroimaging in children with headaches in the ED is driven by clinician concern for life-threatening EIAs and lack of clarity regarding which clinical characteristics accurately identify children with EIAs. The study objective is to derive and internally validate a stratification model that accurately identifies the risk of EIA in children with headaches based on clinically sensible and reliable variables. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Prospective cohort study of 28 000 children with headaches presenting to any of 18 EDs in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). We include children aged 2-17 years with a chief complaint of headache. We exclude children with a clear non-intracranial alternative diagnosis, fever, neuroimaging within previous year, neurological or developmental condition such that patient history or physical examination may be unreliable, Glasgow Coma Scale score<14, intoxication, known pregnancy, history of intracranial surgery, known structural abnormality of the brain, pre-existing condition predisposing to an intracranial abnormality or intracranial hypertension, head injury within 14 days or not speaking English or Spanish. Clinicians complete a standardised history and physical examination of all eligible patients. Primary outcome is the presence of an EIA as determined by neuroimaging or clinical follow-up. We will use binary recursive partitioning and multiple regression analyses to create and internally validate the risk stratification model. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethics approval was obtained for all participating sites from the University of Utah single Institutional Review Board. A waiver of informed consent was granted for collection of ED data. Verbal consent is obtained for follow-up contact. Results will be disseminated through international conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and open-access materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Tsze
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nathan Kuppermann
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - T Charles Casper
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Bradley J Barney
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Critical Care, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Lawrence P Richer
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Danica B Liberman
- Departments of Pediatrics and Population and Public Health Sciences, Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Pamela J Okada
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Claudia R Morris
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sage R Myers
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jane K Soung
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rakesh D Mistry
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Lynn Babcock
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Sandra P Spencer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Michael D Johnson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, The University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Eileen J Klein
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kimberly S Quayle
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Dale W Steele
- Departments of Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics and Health Services, Policy & Practice, Warren Alpert Medical School and School of Public Health of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Andrea T Cruz
- Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Emergency Medicine & Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Alexander J Rogers
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Danny G Thomas
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Tiffani J Johnson
- Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Peter S Dayan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, USA
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Cercone DJ, Berger RP, Manole MD, Soung JK, Coombs CM, Noorbakhsh KA. Increased severity of abusive head trauma during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Child Abuse Negl 2023; 135:105971. [PMID: 36427395 PMCID: PMC9676164 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abusive head trauma (AHT) is the leading cause of death from physical abuse in children. Reports regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates and severity of AHT are limited and with conflicting results. OBJECTIVE To determine the number and clinical characteristics of AHT cases presenting to a pediatric tertiary care center during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the two prior years. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients <5 years old diagnosed with AHT at a single pediatric tertiary care center over a three-year period. METHODS Data were obtained for the pandemic year and two years before, including demographics, length of stay, physical and retinal examination findings, radiologic studies, electroencephalogram results, and mortality. RESULTS There were 27 cases of AHT during the first year of the pandemic and 55 during the two pre-pandemic years. Length of stay was similar for the two cohorts. The mortality rate was higher during the pandemic (29.6 % vs. 3.6 %; p < .01), as were the proportion of patients with retinal hemorrhages (84.6 % vs. 41.5 %; p < .01) and abnormal cervical spine imaging (52.6 % vs. 21.2 %; p = .02). There were no differences in age, sex, race, abnormalities on dermatological exam, skeletal surveys, and electroencephalograms. CONCLUSIONS We did not observe an increase in the number of patients with AHT during the pandemic but did see an increase in mortality, patients with retinal hemorrhages, and patients with abnormalities on cervical spine imaging. These data suggest a higher severity of AHT presenting to a pediatric tertiary care center during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic J Cercone
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, United States.
| | - Rachel P Berger
- Division of Child Advocacy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, United States.
| | - Mioara D Manole
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, United States.
| | - Jane K Soung
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, United States.
| | - Carmen M Coombs
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, United States; Division of Child Advocacy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, United States.
| | - Kathleen A Noorbakhsh
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, United States.
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Cramer N, Cantwell L, Ong H, Sivasankar SM, Graff D, Lawson SL, Wilson PM, Noorbakhsh KA, Mickley M, Zuckerbraun NS, Sobolewski B, Soung JK, Azhdam DB, Wagner Neville DN, Hincapie MR, Marin JR. Pediatric emergency medicine fellowship point-of-care ultrasound training in 2020. AEM Educ Train 2021; 5:e10643. [PMID: 34568713 PMCID: PMC8448484 DOI: 10.1002/aet2.10643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The primary objective was to survey pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) leaders and fellows regarding point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training in PEM fellowship programs, including teaching methods, training requirements, and applications taught. Secondary objectives were to compare fellows' and program leaders' perceptions of fellow POCUS competency and training barriers. METHODS This was a cross-sectional survey of U.S. PEM fellows and fellowship program leaders of the 78 fellowship programs using two online group-specific surveys exploring five domains: program demographics; training strategies and requirements; perceived competency; barriers, strengths, and weaknesses of POCUS training; and POCUS satisfaction. RESULTS Eighty-three percent (65/78) of programs and 53% (298/558) of fellows responded. All participating PEM fellowship programs included POCUS training in their curriculum. Among the 65 programs, 97% of programs and 92% of programs utilized didactics and supervised scanning shifts as educational techniques, respectively. Sixty percent of programs integrated numerical benchmarks and 49% of programs incorporated real-time, hands-on demonstration as training requirements. Of the 19 POCUS applications deemed in the literature as core requirements for fellows, at least 75% of the 298 fellows reported training in 13 of those applications. Although less than half of fellows endorsed competency for identifying intussusception, ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis, and transvaginal pregnancy evaluation, a higher proportion of leaders reported fellows as competent for these applications (40% vs. 68%, p ≤ 0.001; 21% vs. 39%, p = 0.003; and 21% vs. 43%, p ≤ 0.001). Forty-six percent of fellows endorsed a lack of PEM POCUS evidence as a training barrier compared to 31% of leaders (p = 0.02), and 39% of leaders endorsed a lack of local financial support as a training barrier compared to 23% of fellows (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Although most PEM fellowship programs provide POCUS training, there is variation in content and requirements. Training does conform to many of the expert recommended guidelines; however, there are some discrepancies and perceived barriers to POCUS training remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natan Cramer
- Department of Emergency MedicineUPMC Children's Hospital of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Lauren Cantwell
- Department of Emergency MedicineStanford University School of MedicinePalo AltoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Hilary Ong
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Trauma ServicesChildren's National HospitalWashingtonDCUSA
- Present address:
Department of Emergency MedicineUCSF Benioff Children's HospitalSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Shyam M. Sivasankar
- Department of Emergency MedicineStanford University School of MedicinePalo AltoCaliforniaUSA
- Dell Medical School Department of PediatricsAustinTexasUSA
| | - Danielle Graff
- Division of Emergency MedicineDepartment of PediatricsNorton Children's HospitalUniversity of Louisville School of MedicineLouisvilleKentuckyUSA
| | - Simone L. Lawson
- Department of Emergency Medicine and Trauma ServicesChildren's National HospitalWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Paria M. Wilson
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiOhioUSA
- Division of Emergency MedicineCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Kathleen A. Noorbakhsh
- Department of Emergency MedicineUPMC Children's Hospital of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Megan Mickley
- Section of Pediatric Emergency MedicineDepartment of PediatricsChildren's Hospital ColoradoAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Noel S. Zuckerbraun
- Department of Emergency MedicineUPMC Children's Hospital of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Brad Sobolewski
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of Cincinnati College of MedicineCincinnatiOhioUSA
- Division of Emergency MedicineCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CenterCincinnatiOhioUSA
| | - Jane K. Soung
- Department of Emergency MedicineUPMC Children's Hospital of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Devora B. Azhdam
- Department of Emergency MedicineUPMC Children's Hospital of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Mark R. Hincapie
- Department of Emergency MedicineUPMC Children's Hospital of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Jennifer R. Marin
- Department of Emergency MedicineUPMC Children's Hospital of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvaniaUSA
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