Use Of Epinephrine Research Articles

Causes and treatment of anaphylaxis in a Mexican third-level pediatric hospital

To clinically characterize the events of anaphylaxis in a third-level pediatric hospital. 1148 clinical records were reviewed. Eventually, the information of 35 events of anaphylaxis in 20 patients was analyzed; three of them had multiple episodes of anaphylaxis. The median age for the anaphylactic episodes was 11 years (Interquartile range 10 years, Q1 = 5, Q3 = 15), predominantly in adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 years, and there was a slight predominance in women. The most frequent clinical manifestations were cutaneous (86%), followed by respiratory (83%), cardiovascular (74%), and gastrointestinal (46%) alterations. Cardiac arrest was documented in three episodes; however, no anaphylaxis-related deaths were reported. The main triggers for anaphylaxis were food (34%), medications (29%), allergen-specific immunotherapy (14%), and latex (11%). In patients with perioperative anaphylaxis, the clinical behavior was severe. Epinephrine was administered in 27 out of the 35 events (77%), but only in 11 cases it was the first-line treatment. Systemic corticosteroids were the most frequently used treatment, followed by epinephrine and antihistamines. The use of epinephrine, which is the mainstay of the treatment, is suboptimal; with a preferred use of second-line medications like corticosteroids. Clear protocols for the diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis, as well as continuous education of health personnel, are necessary.

Hemodynamic Impact of Drug Interactions With Epinephrine and Antipsychotics Under General Anesthesia With Propofol.

Antipsychotic drugs exhibit α-1 adrenergic receptor-blocking activity. When epinephrine and antipsychotic drugs are administered in combination, β-2 adrenergic effects are thought to predominate and induce hypotension. This study aimed to assess hemodynamic parameters in patients regularly taking antipsychotics who were administered epinephrine-containing lidocaine under general anesthesia in a dental setting. Thirty patients taking typical and/or atypical antipsychotics and scheduled for dental procedures under general anesthesia were enrolled. Five minutes after tracheal intubation, baseline systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), and percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurements were taken. The SBP, DBP, HR, and SpO2 measurements were repeated 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 minutes after the injection of 1.8 mL of 2% lidocaine (36 mg) with 1:80,000 epinephrine (22.5 mcg) via buccal infiltration. Differences between the baseline measurements and those of each time point were analyzed using Dunnett test, and no statistically significant changes were observed. Our findings demonstrate that the use of epinephrine at a clinically relevant dose of 22.5 mcg for dental treatment under general anesthesia is unlikely to affect the hemodynamic parameters of patients taking antipsychotic medications.

Treatment Outcomes of Epinephrine for Traumatic Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction:Despite the standard guidelines stating that giving epinephrine for patients with cardiac arrest is recommended, the clinical benefits of epinephrine for patients with traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are still limited. This study aims to evaluate the benefits of epinephrine administration in traumatic OHCA patients.Methods:We searched four electronic databases up to June 30, 2020, without any language restriction in research sources. Studies comparing epinephrine administration for traumatic OHCA patients were included. Two independent authors performed the selection of relevant studies, data extraction, and assessment of the risk of bias. The primary outcome was inhospital survival rate. Secondary outcomes included prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), short-term survival, and favorable neurological outcome. We calculated the odds ratios (ORs) of those outcomes using the Mantel–Haenszel model and assessed the heterogeneity using the I2 statistic.Results:Four studies were included. The risk of bias of the included studies was low, except for one study in which the risk of bias was fair. All included studies reported the inhospital survival rate. Epinephrine administration during traumatic OHCA might not demonstrate a benefit for inhospital survival (OR: 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11–3.37). Epinephrine showed no significant improvement in prehospital ROSC (OR: 4.67, 95% CI: 0.66–32.81). In addition, epinephrine might not increase the chance of short-term survival (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 0.53–3.79).Conclusion:The use of epinephrine for traumatic OHCA may not improve either inhospital survival or prehospital ROSC and short-term survival. Epinephrine administration as indicated in standard advanced life support algorithms might not be routinely used in traumatic OHCA.

P29. Gram negative vs gram positive cultures: A comparison of gram type on washouts & antibiotic duration

P29. Gram negative vs gram positive cultures: A comparison of gram type on washouts & antibiotic duration

Anaphylaxis and Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Call for Public Health Actions

Although rare, anaphylaxis during pregnancy implies a risk to both mothers and newborns. This systematic review is intended to identify key issues in the diagnosis and management of this condition to support prevention strategies and decrease the risk for death related to anaphylaxis during pregnancy. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane, LILACS, SciELO, and Science Direct databases for manuscripts concerning the term "anaphylaxis during pregnancy," without language restrictions. We screened studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk for bias independently in duplicate. We selected 12 articles. Frequency of anaphylaxis during maternity was estimated to be 1.5 to 3.8 per 100,000 pregnancies. Only one study provided anaphylaxis mortality data in pregnant women; the rate of anaphylaxis-related maternal mortality was estimated at 0.05/100,000 live births. No standard definition of anaphylaxis severity has been used. A total of 49% to 74% of anaphylaxis cases were described during caesarean section. Beta-lactam antibiotics (58%), latex (25%), and anesthetic agents (17%) were the main causes. In 17% of reports, causative agents were proven by allergy testing. Moreover, 72% of articles proposed the same management and treatment for a clinical episode of anaphylaxis during pregnancy as for nonpregnant patients, and the use of epinephrine in the patient's care during anaphylaxis in pregnancy. Few studies address anaphylaxis during pregnancy. Most have been produced by nonallergy specialists. Collaboration among different specialists involved in the care of pregnant women should be established to support preventive strategies and reduce avoidable deaths.

QS10: Clinical Practice Patterns and Evidence-based Medicine in Dupuytren’s Contracture: A Twelve-year Review of Continuous Certification Tracer Data From The American Board of Plastic Surgery

Purpose:Since 2008, The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) has collected clinical practice data on Dupuytren’s contracture repair as part of their Continuous Certification (CC) process. Submitted twice every ten years by each plastic surgeon, this collection can help describe clinical trends in Dupuyren’s contracture repair as they relate to Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) articles published in this timeframe.Methods:Cumulative tracer data for Dupuytren’s contracture repair from February, 2008 through December, 2014 were reviewed and compared to data from January, 2015 through March, 2020 with the goal of identifying national practice trends. These trends were then evaluated alongside EBM reviews published in 2010, 2014 and 2017.Results:As of March 2020, 230 cases of Dupuytren’s contracture were included in the tracer. The median age at time of surgery was 65 years (range, 38-91 years), and the average age of disease onset was 47 years. The most common surgical technique was limited fasciectomy, comprising 62% of cases. There were no postoperative adverse events reported in 77% of cases. The most common complications were loss of finger flexion (3%) and skin loss (2%). Topics addressed in EBM articles but not tracer data included adjuvant treatments and non-operative techniques such as tamoxifen administration. The use of minimally invasive procedures such as percutaneous cordotomy (0% vs. 13%) and collagenase injections (0% vs. 9%, p = .001) showed significant increases between the two time periods. More invasive procedures such as radical fasciectomy decreased in popularity (34% vs. 16%, p = .002). Use of Z-plasty also decreased between 2015 and 2020 (67% vs. 45%, p < .001). General anesthesia was the most commonly used form of anesthesia, being employed in 54% of tracer cases. There was an increase in the use of Bier block regional anesthesia (1% vs. 9%, p = 0.029) as well as in the use of epinephrine for hemostasis (0 vs. 8%, p = 0.006). Significant changes were also noted in post-operative management, including a decrease in the employment of formal postoperative hand therapy. This is consistent with evidence showing that it has no significant clinical benefit.Conclusion:The tracer data collected on Dupuytren’s contracture repair over a twelve-year period allow us to describe national trends in presentation and surgical techniques, and can help plastic surgeons evaluate their surgical practice in the context of these trends and EBM.

Methylprednisolone-induced anaphylaxis diagnosed by intradermal skin test: a case report

BackgroundGlucocorticoids rarely cause anaphylaxis. Common methods for the determination of allergens include in vivo skin prick test (SPT) and intradermal skin test (IDST) and the in vitro basophil activation test (BAT). However, to our knowledge, the best strategy for diagnosing glucocorticoid-induced anaphylaxis has not been elucidated.Case presentationA 10-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital because of 2 weeks of fever and arthralgia. He had not been treated with glucocorticoids before, including methylprednisolone (mPSL). He was suspected to have bacterial myositis and was treated with ceftriaxone. However, his symptoms persisted for > 2 weeks. Autoinflammatory arthritis was suspected, and he was treated with mPSL sodium succinate (MPS) pulse therapy (30 mg/kg). After 15 min of mPSL injection, he had wheezing and generalized wheal formation with decreased oxygen saturation. As anaphylaxis was suspected, mPSL was discontinued, and olopatadine and oxygen were administered. The symptoms improved considerably without the use of epinephrine and disappeared in 30 min. One month after discharge, SPT, IDST, and BAT were performed without discontinuing his prescribed oral prednisolone. SPTs for MPS, hydrocortisone sodium succinate (HCS), prednisolone sodium succinate (PSS), dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP), and betamethasone sodium phosphate (BSP) were negative. IDSTs for MPS, HCS, and PSS were positive, whereas those for DSP and BSP were negative. By contrast, BATs for MPS, HCS, and PSS were negative. Although glucocorticoid-induced hypersensitivity caused by nonmedicinal ingredients such as lactose, carboxymethylcellulose, polyethylene glycol, and hexylene glycol has been reported; the glucocorticoids tested in this patient did not contain any of these nonmedicinal ingredients. As the glucocorticoids that were positive on IDST share a succinate ester, this might have caused MPS-induced anaphylaxis.ConclusionsWe report the case of MPS-induced anaphylaxis diagnosed by IDST but not BAT. In case reports of glucocorticoid-induced anaphylaxis in the literature, most patients were diagnosed with SPT or IDST. These results suggest that BAT should be considered when IDST and SPT are negative. Further studies are necessary to clarify the best strategy for diagnosing glucocorticoid-induced anaphylaxis.

Clinical Management of Infant Anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is a condition that is likely increasing in prevalence and commonly treated by allergists as well as other first responders and emergency room providers. Although a relatively rare event, anaphylaxis can occur in infants, with the most common cause attributed to foods. Infant anaphylaxis can present with unique diagnostic challenges and treatment considerations. While infants can present with classic signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis (eg, urticaria, angioedema, dyspnea, wheeze, and vomiting) they can also present with non-classical signs. Non-classical signs of infant anaphylaxis can include ear pulling, tongue thrusting, fussiness, and increase clinginess to the caregiver. These non-classic signs of infant anaphylaxis can often mimic normal infant behavior further complicating the diagnosis. Additionally, when treating infant anaphylaxis, there are special considerations regarding the use of epinephrine. These include determining appropriate needle length, dosages appropriate to administer depending on the weight of the infant, and the availability of different epinephrine auto-injectors. In this article, we aim to review the clinical management of infant anaphylaxis including diagnosis, recognition, treatment, strategies for follow-up and special considerations regarding epinephrine administration in this demographics.

Descenso del uso de broncodilatadores en el manejo de la bronquiolitis tras aplicar iniciativas de mejora

IntroductionIn the treatment of patients with acute bronchiolitis there is great variability in clinical practice. Treatments whose efficacy has not been demonstrated are frequently used despite the recommendations contained in the Clinical Practice Guidelines. Material and methodsA quality improvement strategy is implemented in the care of patients with acute bronchiolitis in the Emergency Department, which is maintained for five years and is periodically updated to be increasingly restrictive regarding the use of bronchodilators. To evaluate the impact of the intervention, a retrospective study of the rates of prescription of bronchodilators in children diagnosed with acute bronchiolitis in the month of December of four epidemic periods (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018) was carried out. Results1767 children are included. There were no differences regarding age, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation or the estimated severity in each of the study seasons. The use of salbutamol in the Emergency Department decreased from 51.2% (95% CI: 46.6%–55.8%) in 2012 to 7.8% (95% CI: 5.7%–10.5%) in 2018 (P<.001) and epinephrine prescription rates fell from 12.9% (95% CI: 10.1%–16.3%) to 0.2% (95% CI: 0–1.1%) (P<.001). At the same time, there was a decrease in the median time of attendance in the Emergency Department and in the admission rate without changing the readmission rate in 72h. ConclusionsThe systematic and continuous deployment over time of actions aimed at reducing the use of salbutamol and epinephrine in the treatment of bronchiolitis, prior to the epidemic period, seems an effective strategy to reduce the use of bronchodilators in the Emergency Department.

Reducing Unnecessary Treatments for Acute Bronchiolitis Through an Integrated Care Pathway.

To analyze the impact of an integrated care pathway on reducing unnecessary treatments for acute bronchiolitis. We implemented an evidence-based integrated care pathway in primary care (PC) centers and the referral emergency department (ED). This is the third quality improvement cycle in the management of acute bronchiolitis implemented by our research team. Family and provider experiences were incorporated by using design thinking methodology. A multifaceted plan that included several quality improvement initiatives was adopted to reduce unnecessary treatments. The primary outcome was the percentage of infants prescribed salbutamol. Secondary outcomes were prescribing rates of other medications. The main control measures were hospitalization and unscheduled return rates. Salbutamol prescribing rate data were plotted on run charts. We included 1768 ED and 1092 PC visits, of which 913 (51.4%) ED visits and 558 (51.1%) PC visits occurred in the postintervention period. Salbutamol use decreased from 7.7% (interquartile range [IQR] 2.8-21.4) to 0% (IQR 0-1.9) in the ED and from 14.1% (IQR 5.8-21.6) to 5% (IQR 2.7-8) in PC centers. In the ED, the overall epinephrine use rate fell from 9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.2-11.1) to 4.6% (95% CI, 3.4-6.1) (P < .001). In PC centers, overall corticosteroid and antibiotic prescribing rates fell from 3.5% (95% CI, 2.2-5.4) to 1.1% (95% CI, 0.4-2.3) (P =.007) and from 9.5% (95% CI; 7.3-12.3) to 1.7% (95% CI, 0.9-7.3) (P <.001), respectively. No significant variations were noted in control measures. An integrated clinical pathway that incorporates the experiences of families and clinicians decreased the use of medications in the management of bronchiolitis.

Impact of Total Epinephrine Dose on Long Term Neurological Outcome for Cardiac Arrest Patients: A Cohort Study.

Introduction: Although epinephrine is universally acknowledged to increase return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cardiac arrest, its balanced effects on later outcomes remain uncertain, causing potential harm during post-resuscitation phase. Recent studies have questioned the efficacy and potential deleterious effects of epinephrine on long-term survival and neurological outcomes, despite that the adverse relationship between epinephrine dose and outcome can be partially biased by longer CPR duration and underlying comorbidities. This study explored the long-term effect of epinephrine when used in a cohort of patients that underwent cardiac arrest during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methods: The data were originally collected from a retrospective institutional database from January 2007 to December 2015 and are now available on Dryad (via: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qv6fp83). Use of epinephrine was coded by dose (<2 mg, 2 mg, 3–4 mg, ≥5 mg). A favorable neurological outcome was defined using a Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) 1 or 2. The association between epinephrine dosing and 3-months neurological outcome was analyzed by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated a negative association between total epinephrine dose and neurological outcome. Of the 373 eligible patients, 92 received less than 2 mg of epinephrine, 60 received 2 mg, 97 received 3–4 mg and 124 received more than 5 mg. Compared to patients who received less than 2 mg of epinephrine, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of a favorable neurological outcome was 0.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.38–1.68) for 2 mg of epinephrine, 0.43 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21–0.89) for 3–4 mg of epinephrine and 0.40 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.17–0.96) for more than 5 mg of epinephrine. Conclusion: In this cohort of patients who achieved ROSC, total epinephrine dosing during resuscitation was associated with a worse neurological outcome three months after cardiac arrest, after adjusting other confounding factors. Further researches are needed to investigate the long-term effect of epinephrine on cardiac arrest patients.

4-step, 2-h carboplatin desensitization in Japanese patients with ovarian cancer: a prospective study

BackgroundCarboplatin is a key drug for ovarian cancer. However, it sometimes induces hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) that result in the discontinuation of the treatment. Although various desensitization protocols have been reported in previous retrospective studies, a limited number of prospective studies have analyzed these protocols.MethodsPatients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer who experienced carboplatin-induced HSRs were treated with diluted solutions of 1/1000, 1/100, 1/10 and an undiluted solution of carboplatin over a 1-h period. If no HSRs occurred within the first two cycles, a short protocol regimen over a 30-min period per solution was followed. The primary endpoint was treatment completion rate.ResultsBetween May 2015 and September 2018, 21 patients were enrolled from two institutions. One patient experienced platinum-sensitive recurrence after the desensitization protocol; thus, 22 sessions were analyzed. Epinephrine use, treatment-related death, and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions did not occur. The median number of desensitization cycles was 6 (range 1–6). Two sessions were discontinued early because of grade 2 dysgeusia and grade 2 malaise. Treatment in two (9.1%) patients was discontinued because of HSR development. The treatment completion rate was 90.9%. Six (27.3%) sessions met the criteria for transition to the short protocol regimen. In 14 (63.6%) sessions, HSRs were observed during infusion of the undiluted solution. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 14.8 and 23.8 months, respectively.ConclusionThis 4-step, 2-h carboplatin desensitization protocol is safe and feasible. Patients require careful monitoring with a rapid response to HSRs, especially during the administration of undiluted solutions.

Risk factors for Takotsubo syndrome following cardiac surgery: A case-control study.

Takotsubo syndrome following cardiac surgery is a rare occurrence. However, early diagnosis is essential to prevent treatment which could increase the left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient in patients with Takotsubo syndrome, and lead to cardiogenic shock. Therefore, our study aimed to identify the incidence of Takotsubo syndrome after cardiopulmonary bypass and the associated risk factors and prognosis. We retrospectively studied 5773 patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass between February 2007 and July 2017. Among these, Takotsubo syndrome was diagnosed in 52 (0.9%). To evaluate the risk factors for Takotsubo syndrome, 104 of the remaining 5721 patient were randomly selected as the control group (1:2 ratio). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used for risk factor analysis. Majority of patients (69.2%) in the Takotsubo syndrome group underwent mitral valve surgery, compared with 32.7% in the control group. The following risk factors of Takotsubo syndrome were identified: atrio-ventricular valve surgery (odds ratio (OR) 10.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.6-42.5; p = 0.001); and the immediate postoperative use of epinephrine (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.0-10.7; p = 0.05) and dobutamine (OR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.72-13.3; p = 0.003). Hypertension was a significant protective factor against Takotsubo syndrome following cardiac surgery (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.06-0.73; p = 0.01). Takotsubo syndrome following cardiac surgery is rare. Immediate postoperative use of epinephrine and doputamine, as well as atrio-ventricular valve surgery were factors associated with the development of Takotsubo syndrome.

Pheochromocytoma Presenting With Cardiomyopathy in an Otherwise Healthy Young Patient: A Rare Case Report

Background: Pheochromocytomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors. The classic triad of symptoms includes diaphoresis, episodic headache, and tachycardia. Rarely, patients may develop cardiomyopathy associated with pheochromocytoma. It is uncommon for cardiomyopathy to be the initial presenting symptom of pheochromocytoma and can lead to a delayed diagnosis.Clinical Case: The patient is a 30-year old female with no significant medical history who presented with complaints of dyspnea, fever and malaise. The patient had no known prior history of hypertension and did not report complaints of headache, diaphoresis or palpitations. Patient was hypertensive and tachycardic on admission. Upon treatment with intravenous fluids, the patient acutely decompensated and developed respiratory failure requiring emergent intubation. CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis was performed which showed diffuse bilateral pulmonary edema as well as a circumscribed, heterogeneously enhancing 4.4 cm mass involving the right adrenal gland. An echocardiogram was performed which showed significant left ventricular dysfunction with ejection fraction of 5%. Patient had wide fluctuations in her blood pressure during admission ranging from hypotension to extreme hypertension. She did require the use of epinephrine and milrinone when hypotensive. Due to the use of vasopressors, plasma fractionated metanephrines and 24-hour urine fractionated metanephrines and catecholamines were not recommended to be obtained as these medications may contribute to false positive testing. A dedicated CT of the abdomen with and without contrast was performed to further assess the patient’s right adrenal mass; this revealed a 3.9 x 2.4 x 4.9 cm right adrenal mass with 33% absolute washout and 17% relative washout concerning for pheochromocytoma. The patient underwent an open right adrenalectomy during admission. Surgical pathology results were consistent with a pheochromocytoma measuring 5.2 cm at greatest dimension; the tumor was confined to the adrenal gland and completely excised. Following her surgery, the patient’s clinical status improved significantly over the next several days. She was discharged home in stable condition on hospital day #18. An echocardiogram was repeated 2 months after her hospitalization with ejection fraction improved to 58%.Conclusion: Catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy in pheochromocytoma is rare, occurring in approximately 8–11% of patients with pheochromocytoma. Cardiomyopathy as the initial presentation of pheochromocytoma is very uncommon. It is important to accurately diagnose pheochromocytoma-related cardiomyopathy as early detection and resection can lead to marked improvement in cardiac function and prevent catastrophic consequences including death.

Impact of neonatal resuscitation changes on outcomes\xa0of very-low-birth-weight infants

The improvement of delivery room care, according to the 2015 International Consensus, may affect neonatal outcome, especially in very-low-birth-weight infants. We aimed to investigate the current practice of neonatal resuscitation by year and analyze the association with neonatal outcomes. A total of 8142 very-low-birth-weight infants, registered in the Korean Neonatal Network between 2014 and 2017 were included. A significant decreasing trend of intubation (64.5% vs 55.1%, P < 0.0001) and markedly increasing trend of positive pressure ventilation (PPV) (11.5% vs 22.9%, P < 0.0001) were noted. The annual PPV rate differed significantly by gestation (P < 0.0001). The highest level of resuscitation was also shown as an independent risk factor for mortality within 7 days and for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and periventricular leukomalacia. PPV and intubation were associated with significantly decreased risk of mortality and morbidities compared to epinephrine use. When considering association, the incidence of mortality within 7 days, IVH, PVL, and BPD or mortality showed significant differences by combination of year, gestational age, and level of resuscitation. According to updated guidelines, changes in the highest level of resuscitation significantly associated with reducing mortality and morbidities. More meticulous delivery room resuscitation focusing on extreme prematurity is needed.

A severity grading system of food-induced acute allergic reactions to avoid the delay of epinephrine administration

BackgroundSubstantial discrepancies among anaphylaxis severity scores may delay epinephrine administration. ObjectiveThe study aims to develop a transparent severity grading system of food-induced acute allergic reactions with a decision model for epinephrine use. MethodsThe natural course of 315 acute food-induced allergic reactions in children hospitalized at the Allergology department between May 2016 and July 2019 owing to follow-up treatment and allergy diagnostics was evaluated. The severity of episodes was classified according to the 5 most accepted grading systems. The interrater reliability of classification between anaphylaxis severity scores was assessed. All symptoms were grouped into a heat map according to their real-life incidence and clinical relevance. Based on the heat map analysis, a severity grading system of food-induced acute allergic reactions in children with the epinephrine administration decision model was created. ResultsData from 259 food-induced anaphylaxis episodes in 157 children were included in the analysis. Comparing the grading systems, we observed a 24.7% to 70.2% disagreement between severity scores. The heat map illustrated a strong association between 29 symptoms and their categorization. A new severity grading system was developed and a 2-stage decision model was proposed: “epinephrine yes” (any rapidly progressing symptoms, even mild ones or from 1 organ system; any symptoms from more than 1 organ system; or every grade of anaphylaxis), and “epinephrine available and prepared to use” (nonprogressing mild systemic allergic reaction from 1 system area only; no anaphylaxis). ConclusionA new severity grading system of food-induced acute allergic reactions in children could serve as a clinical tool for health care professionals to avoid epinephrine administration delay.

Cannula for periocular eyelid lidocaine injection to prevent bruising

Bruising after cosmetic procedures is a cause of patient complaints and a common complication with periocular procedures that require injected lidocaine because of the delicate nature of eyelid tissue and ample vascularity. Reported methods for bruise prevention and treatment include blood pressure control; avoidance of anticoagulants; and the use of epinephrine, ice, arnica, and vascular lasers.1

Effectiveness of Targeted Interventions on Treatment of Infants With Bronchiolitis

In developed countries, bronchiolitis is the most common reason for infants to be admitted to the hospital, and all international bronchiolitis guidelines recommend supportive care; however, significant variation in practice continues with infants receiving non-evidence-based therapies. Deimplementation research aims to reduce the use of low-value care, and advancing science in this area is critical to delivering evidence-based care. To determine the effectiveness of targeted interventions vs passive dissemination of an evidence-based bronchiolitis guideline in improving treatment of infants with bronchiolitis. This international, multicenter cluster randomized clinical trial included 26 hospitals (clusters) in Australia and New Zealand providing tertiary or secondary pediatric care (13 randomized to intervention, 13 to control) during the 2017 bronchiolitis season. Data were collected on 8003 infants for the 3 bronchiolitis seasons (2014-2016) before the implementation period and 3727 infants for the implementation period (2017 bronchiolitis season, May 1-November 30). Data were analyzed from November 16, 2018, to December 9, 2020. Interventions were developed using theories of behavior change to target key factors that influence bronchiolitis management. These interventions included site-based clinical leads, stakeholder meetings, a train-the-trainer workshop, targeted educational delivery, other educational and promotional materials, and audit and feedback. The primary outcome was compliance during the first 24 hours of care with no use of chest radiography, albuterol, glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and epinephrine, measured retrospectively from medical records of randomly selected infants with bronchiolitis who presented to the hospital. There were no patient-level exclusions. A total of 26 hospitals were randomized without dropouts. Analysis was by intention to treat. Baseline data collected on 8003 infants for 3 bronchiolitis seasons (2014-2016) before the implementation period were similar between intervention and control hospitals. Implementation period data were collected on 3727 infants, including 2328 boys (62%) and 1399 girls (38%), with a mean (SD) age of 6.0 (3.2) months. A total of 459 (12%) were Māori (New Zealand), and 295 (8%) were Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander (Australia). Compliance with recommendations was 85.1% (95% CI, 82.6%-89.7%) in intervention hospitals vs 73.0% (95% CI, 65.3%-78.8%) in control hospitals (adjusted risk difference, 14.1%; 95% CI, 6.5%-21.7%; P < .001). Targeted interventions led to improved treatment of infants with bronchiolitis. This study has important implications for bronchiolitis management and the development of effective interventions to deimplement low-value care. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12616001567415.

Peripheral nerve block for hip fracture.

Between 2000 and 2010, there were 2.6 million hospitalizations for hip fractures in the United States among women over 55 years of age alone.1 This is nearly as many hospitalizations as those for myocardial infarction or stroke among that same population and outnumbered hospitalizations for all other fractures combined.1 Studies have also demonstrated an increased risk for mortality in the months after hip fracture.

Corticosteroids as Adjunct Therapy for Refractory Vasoplegia Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

<h3>Purpose</h3> Post-operative vasoplegia following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation carries high morbidity and mortality. Although clinical studies have shown some benefit in steroid administration in certain post-operative populations, no study has evaluated such in patients with refractory vasoplegia following LVAD implantation. <h3>Methods</h3> This retrospective case series evaluated the use of intravenous corticosteroids among patients with refractory vasoplegia following LVAD implantation. All patients necessitated at least 75% maximum dose of epinephrine and norepinephrine with increasing requirements within a 48-hour period following surgical implantation to maintain stable hemodynamic profiles. Pre- and post- steroid parameters, including hemodynamics and vasoactive requirements, were compared. <h3>Results</h3> Among six patients included in this cohort, the average age was 54 years, and most had a non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (n=5, 83%). Patients were either INTERMACS 1 (n=2, 33%) or 2 (n=4, 68%) and did not require pressor support at time of surgical implantation. Vasoactive requirements were substantially lower within 24 hours following steroid administration compared to requirements 24 hours prior, including the use of epinephrine (5.5 vs 15.5 mcg/min, p<0.01), norepinephrine (4.2 vs 16.3 mcg/min, p<0.01), and vasopressin (0.04 vs 0.12 units/min, p<0.01). Other hemodynamic and laboratory values remained stable. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Steroid administration among patients with refractory vasoplegia reduced the need for vasoactive support in this cohort and may be considered as an adjunctive therapies in this population. Further research is needed to support these novel findings.