Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score Research Articles

Factors associated with family decision-making after pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

AimThis study aims to identify demographic factors, area-based social determinants of health (SDOH), and clinical features associated with medical decision-making after pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). MethodsThis is a retrospective, exploratory, descriptive analysis of patients < 18 years old admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) after OHCA from 2011 to 2022 (n = 217) at an urban tertiary care, free-standing children’s hospital. Outcomes of interest included: (1) whether a new advance care plan (ACP) (defined as a written advance directive including do not resuscitate and/or do not intubate) was ordered during hospitalization, and (2) whether the patient was discharged with new medical technology (defined as tracheostomy and/or feeding tube). Logistic regression models identified features associated with these outcomes. ResultsOf the 217 patients, 78 patients (36%) had a new ACP placed during their admission. Of the survivors, 26% (27/102) were discharged home with new medical technology. Factors associated with ACP were greater change in Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) score (aOR = 1.49, 95% CI [1.28–1.73], p-value < 0.001) and palliative care consultation (aOR = 2.39, 95% CI [1.16–4.89], p-value 0.018). Factors associated with new medical technology were lower change in PCPC score (aOR = 0.76, 95% C.I. [0.61–0.95], p-value = 0.015) and palliative care consultation (aOR = 7.07, 95% CI [3.01–16.60], p-value < 0.001). There were no associations between area-based SDOH and outcomes. ConclusionsUnderstanding factors associated with decision-making related to ACP after OHCA is critical to optimize counseling for families. Multi-institutional studies are warranted to identify whether these findings are generalizable.

A nationwide survey of adenovirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy in Japan

BackgroundAdenovirus is a major pathogen causing febrile illness among children. It may also cause acute encephalitis/encephalopathy. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical features of adenovirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy (AdVE) among children in Japan. MethodsA nationwide survey of children with AdVE was conducted. An initial survey was distributed among pediatricians to obtain information about children with AdVE treated between January 2014 and March 2019. A second survey was used to obtain the clinical information of children with AdVE from hospitals that responded to the initial survey and those identified from a literature search of the reported cases. We collected demographic data and information about symptoms of infection, neurological symptoms, laboratory parameters, treatment, and outcomes. Outcomes were determined using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score. ResultsClinical information was available for 23 children with a median age of 39 months. Two had preexisting neurological disorders and six had a history of febrile seizures. The outcome was good in 15 patients and poor in eight patients. Serum lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, and ammonia levels were higher among children with a poor outcome compared to those with a good outcome. Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion was the most common type (n = 8), followed by acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (n = 7). ConclusionA prior history of febrile seizures was frequent in children with AdVE. Several different subtypes of acute encephalopathy were seen in children with AdVE, and the outcome was poor in those with acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion and hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome. Elevated lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, and ammonia levels on admission were found to correlate with a poor outcome.

Long-Term Functional Outcome Following Neurosurgical Intervention for Suspected Abusive Head Trauma

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term functional and neurodevelopmental outcomes in pediatric patients who underwent neurosurgical intervention following suspected abusive head trauma (AHT). MethodsWe performed a single-center retrospective review (January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2019) of patients aged less than three years who had intracranial injury suspicious for AHT and received a neurosurgical procedure. Long-term functional outcome was measured using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC), Pediatric Overall Performance Category (POPC), and the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL). ResultsSeventy-seven patients were identified; 53 survived to discharge and had at least one-year follow-up. To examine long-term functional outcome, PCPC at the last available visit was examined and found to be 1 or 2 (normal to mild disability) for 64% of patients and 3 or 4 (moderate to severe disability) for 36%. The last available MSEL composite score for neurodevelopmental assessment also demonstrated that 13% of patients scored in the “average” range, 17% in the “below average” range, and 70% in the “very low” range. There was no statistical difference in the last available PCPC or POPC score or the last available MSEL score for patients who received a craniotomy when compared with those who received an intracranial shunt. ConclusionsFor patients with AHT who survived to discharge, functional improvements over time were noted in both patients who received craniotomy or who simply required shunt placement. These results suggest that, for patients who survive to discharge, operative management of AHT can lead to reasonable long-term functional outcomes.

Outcomes and characteristics of cardiac arrest in children with pulmonary hypertension: A secondary analysis of the ICU-RESUS clinical trial

BackgroundPrevious studies have identified pulmonary hypertension (PH) as a relatively common diagnosis in children with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), and preclinical laboratory studies have found poor outcomes and low systemic blood pressures during CPR for PH-associated cardiac arrest. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of PH among children with IHCA and the association between PH diagnosis and intra-arrest physiology and survival outcomes. MethodsThis was a prospectively designed secondary analysis of patients enrolled in the ICU-RESUS clinical trial (NCT02837497). The primary exposure was a pre-arrest diagnosis of PH. The primary survival outcome was survival to hospital discharge with favorable neurologic outcome (Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score 1–3 or unchanged from baseline). The primary physiologic outcome was event-level average diastolic blood pressure (DBP) during CPR. ResultsOf 1276 patients with IHCAs during the study period, 1129 index IHCAs were enrolled; 184 (16.3%) had PH and 101/184 (54.9%) were receiving inhaled nitric oxide at the time of IHCA. Survival with favorable neurologic outcome was similar between patients with and without PH on univariate (48.9% vs. 54.4%; p = 0.17) and multivariate analyses (aOR 0.82 [95%CI: 0.56, 1.20]; p = 0.32). There were no significant differences in CPR event outcome or survival to hospital discharge. Average DBP, systolic BP, and end-tidal carbon dioxide during CPR were similar between groups. ConclusionsIn this prospective study of pediatric IHCA, pre-existing PH was present in 16% of children. Pre-arrest PH diagnosis was not associated with statistically significant differences in survival outcomes or intra-arrest physiologic measures.

What Is the True Meaning of a "Good" Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score at Hospital Discharge in Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Survivors?

Albrecht, Marijn MD; Dulfer, Karolijn PhD; Hunfeld, Maayke MD, PhD; de Jonge, Rogier C. J. MD, PhD; Buysse, Corinne M. P. MD, PhD Author Information

Performance of a Provider-Assigned Functional Outcome Score in Critically Ill Children.

Determine agreement between Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) scores integrated into clinical workflow and traditional investigator-assigned scores. Longitudinal study. A single-center quaternary-care academic institution. Children admitted to the PICU between November 2019 and April 2020. Providers assigned PCPC scores as part of daily workflow. Investigators assigned scores using retrospective chart review. Of 803 patients admitted to the PICU, 782 survived and were included. Admission and discharge scores were recorded in 95% and 90% of patients, respectively. Agreement between provider- and investigator-assigned scores was excellent, with a weighted kappa of 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84-0.90) and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76-0.84) for admission and discharge. Provider-assigned PCPC scores, documented as standard of care, are largely concordant with retrospective investigator-assigned scores. Measurement of cognitive functional status can be successfully integrated into daily provider workflow for use in the clinical, quality improvement, and research arenas.

Perioperative risk factors for neurological impairment in infants with acute liver failure following liver transplantation

Neurological impairment is not rare in infants with acute liver failure (ALF). This study aimed to investigate the perioperative risk factors for neurological impairment following liver transplantation (LT) in infantile ALF. Retrospective analysis was performed in infants who were younger than 1 year with ALF who subsequently underwent LT at our hospital between January 2005 and December 2016. Patients were considered to have neurological impairment if the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score was between 2 and 5 at the age of 6 years. A comparison between the groups of infants with and without neurological impairment was performed, and factors with p < .10 in the comparison were analyzed using univariate logistic regression analysis for neurological impairment. Twenty-six infants survived until 6 years of age, and 31% (8/26) of them had neurological impairment. Patients with neurological impairment were significantly younger in age at ALF onset, had significantly higher pre-LT bilirubin and prothrombin time/international normalized ratio, and stayed significantly longer in the intensive care unit than those without neurological impairment. Total bilirubin (odds ratio (OR) = 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.22, p = .012), indirect bilirubin (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20, p = .025), direct bilirubin (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.01-1.47, p = .040), and age in month at ALF (OR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.58-0.999, p = .049) showed significant association with neurological impairment. High pre-LT peak bilirubin value and younger age at ALF onset can be perioperative risk factors for neurological impairment after LT in infantile ALF.

The physiologic response to epinephrine and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcomes

BackgroundEpinephrine is provided during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to increase systemic vascular resistance and generate higher diastolic blood pressure (DBP) to improve coronary perfusion and attain return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The DBP response to epinephrine during pediatric CPR and its association with outcomes have not been well described. Thus, the objective of this study was to measure the association between change in DBP after epinephrine administration during CPR and ROSC.MethodsThis was a prospective multicenter study of children receiving ≥ 1 min of CPR with ≥ 1 dose of epinephrine and evaluable invasive arterial BP data in the 18 ICUs of the ICU-RESUS trial (NCT02837497). Blood pressure waveforms underwent compression-by-compression quantitative analysis. The mean DBP before first epinephrine dose was compared to mean DBP two minutes post-epinephrine. Patients with ≥ 5 mmHg increase in DBP were characterized as “responders.”ResultsAmong 147 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 66 (45%) were characterized as responders and 81 (55%) were non-responders. The mean increase in DBP with epinephrine was 4.4 [− 1.9, 11.5] mmHg (responders: 13.6 [7.5, 29.3] mmHg versus non-responders: − 1.5 [− 5.0, 1.5] mmHg; p < 0.001). After controlling for a priori selected covariates, epinephrine response was associated with ROSC (aRR 1.60 [1.21, 2.12]; p = 0.001). Sensitivity analyses identified similar associations between DBP response thresholds of ≥ 10, 15, and 20 mmHg and ROSC; DBP responses of ≥ 10 and ≥ 15 mmHg were associated with higher aRR of survival to hospital discharge and survival with favorable neurologic outcome (Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score of 1–3 or no worsening from baseline).ConclusionsThe change in DBP following epinephrine administration during pediatric in-hospital CPR was associated with return of spontaneous circulation.

Severe pediatric acute encephalopathy syndromes related to SARS-CoV-2.

To clarify whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection cause acute encephalopathy in children and which are the most common syndromes that cause them and what are the outcomes. A nationwide web-based survey among all members of the Japanese Society of Child Neurology to identify pediatric patients aged < 18 years who developed acute encephalopathy in Japan between 1 January 2020 and 31 May 2022 associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction or antigen tests using pharyngeal swabs. Acute encephalopathy was defined as acute onset of impaired consciousness lasting > 24 h or an altered mental state; neurological symptoms arising within 2 weeks of onset of COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)/pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS); evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection; and reasonable exclusion of other diseases. Patients were divided into the known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndrome group and unexplained or unclassifiable acute encephalopathy group. Outcomes were assessed by pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) score at hospital discharge. Of the 3,802 society members, 217 representing institutions responded, and 39 patients with suspected acute encephalopathy were reported, of which 31 met inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 14 were diagnosed with known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndromes, with acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (five patients) being the most common. Five developed acute encephalopathy associated with MIS-C/PIMS. Among 31 patients, 9 (29.0%) had severe sequelae or died (PCPC ≥ 4). Two of three patients with encephalopathy with acute fulminant cerebral edema and two with hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome died. The PCPC scores were higher in the known clinico-radiological acute encephalopathy syndrome group than in the unexplained or unclassifiable acute encephalopathy group (P < 0.01). Acute encephalopathy related to SARS-CoV-2 infection was demonstrated to be more severe than that caused by other viruses in Japan. Acute encephalopathy syndromes characterized by specific neuroradiological findings was associated with poor clinical outcomes.

A nationwide survey of human metapneumovirus-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy in Japan

BackgroundAs there have been no comprehensive reports of human metapneumovirus-associated encephalopathy (hMPVE), this study examined the clinical features of hMPVE in children in Japan. MethodA nationwide survey of children with hMPVE was conducted using a structured research form. An initial survey asked pediatricians about children with hMPVE treated between 2014 and 2018. A second survey obtained patient information from hospitals that responded to the initial survey and those identified as having treated cases from a literature search. We collected demographic data, symptoms of hMPV infection, neurological symptoms, laboratory data, treatment, and outcomes. Outcomes were determined using the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score. ResultClinical information was available for 16 children. Their median age was 37 months. Six had preexisting neurological disorders. The interval between the onsets of infection and hMPVE was 4 days. Outcomes were good in 11 patients and poor in 5. There were no significant differences in demographic data, neurological symptoms, or laboratory data between the patients with good and poor outcomes. The encephalopathy subtypes were acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion in 3, clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion in 3, hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome in 2, and others in 8. ConclusionThe outcomes of children with hMPVE were not very different from those of acute encephalopathy due to other viruses. We found no factors associated with poor outcomes.

540: NEUROLOGIC OUTCOMES IN HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN WITH ACUTE SARS-COV-2 OR MIS-C

Introduction: We aimed to describe neurologic outcomes in hospitalized children diagnosed with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). Methods: Multinational (n=50 centers), cross-sectional study of neurologic manifestations in children < 18 y old hospitalized with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test or clinical diagnosis of a SARS-CoV-2-related condition between January 2020-July 2021. Multivariable logistic regression to identify risk factors for unfavorable outcome at hospital discharge (Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Score 3-6) was performed. Severe neurologic manifestation included those with univariate logistic regression significant to p< 0.05 for unfavorable outcome: dysautonomia, stroke, encephalopathy, cardiac arrest, meningitis/encephalitis, coma, seizures, weakness, and delirium. Results: Of 3,556 children (46% female), 3333 (94%) had acute SARS-CoV-2 and 223 (6%) had MIS-C. Unfavorable outcome occurred in 368 (11%) children and 39 (1.1%) died. Children with unfavorable outcome were older (median 9 interquartile range [4-14] vs. 8 [1-14] y, p< 0.001), and more likely to have neurologic comorbidity (72% vs. 10%, p< 0.001), worse Glasgow coma scale score (GCS) group (19% with combined GCS 9-15 vs. 1.7% with GCS< 9, p< 0.001), any neurologic manifestation (52% vs. 37%, p< 0.001), and severe neurologic manifestation (48% vs. 20%, p< 0.001) compared to children with favorable outcome. In multivariate logistic regression, older age (odds ratio 1.1 95% confidence interval [1.0, 1.1], total pre-existing conditions (2.1 [1.8, 2.5]), severe neurologic manifestation (3.4 [2.0, 6.0], and worse GCS group (4.0 [2.6, 5.9]) were associated with unfavorable outcome. Conclusions: Children with severe neurologic manifestation, pre-existing conditions, and children of older age hospitalized with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection or MIS-C have worse hospital discharge outcomes. Follow-up of these children is necessary to identify and manage neurologic and functional impairment.

671: HEAD INJURY DEPTH AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN PEDIATRIC TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Introduction: The centripetal theory of traumatic brain injury (TBI) posits that an inertial mechanism (rotational acceleration and deceleration) injures the brain in an outward-in fashion, where mild injuries affect only the superficial brain and severe injuries affect the deep, subcortical structures of the brain. Neurologic symptoms progressively worsen as depth of injury increases. Depth of brain lesion has been proposed as a potential prediction tool for functional outcome in older children and adolescents, but there is a paucity of data connecting depth of injury and outcome in young children. We hypothesized that functional outcome at hospital discharge will worsen as greatest depth of injury increases in children < 3. Methods: Retrospective chart review including patients < 3 years of age admitted to a tertiary children’s hospital PICU or Intermediate Care Unit between 2015 - 2020 with acute TBI. Patients were divided into 4 cohorts based on greatest depth of injury visible on initial neuroimaging: scalp/skull/epidural vs. subdural/subarachnoid vs. cortical brain vs. subcortical brain injury. Baseline and hospital discharge Functional Status Score (FSS) (score 6-30) and Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) (score 1-5) were assigned. Results: A total of 170 patients were included (scalp/skull/epidural, n=54; subdural/subarachnoid, n=76; cortical brain, n=17; subcortical brain, n=23). Median age was 6 months. Sixty percent of patients were male. Nine patients died, 1 with a cortical injury and 8 with subcortical injuries. Total length of stay (LOS), PICU LOS, and ventilator days all increased as depth of injury increased (p< 0.001). All patients had a normal baseline FSS of 6 and a PCPC of 1. As depth of injury increased from superficial to deepest, patients were more likely to have functional deficits at discharge (FSS: 4% vs. 7% vs. 38% vs. 73%, p< 0.001; PCPC: 2% vs. 8% vs. 44% vs. 73%, p< 0.001). Patients with subcortical injuries had significantly higher median FSS (10, IQR 6.5-13, p< 0.001) and PCPC (2, IQR 1.5-3.5, p< 0.001) at discharge. Conclusions: Functional outcomes at hospital discharge worsen as greatest depth of injury increases in children < 3 with acute TBI, supporting the potential use of depth of brain injury as a prediction tool for functional outcome in this population.

Development and Validation of a Prognostic Model and Bedside Score for the Neurological Outcome in Children with Tuberculous Meningitis.

Only a few studies have explored prognostic factors for tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in children, and an easily applicable bedside prognostic score for TBM has not been developed yet. We compared the sociodemographic, clinical, radiological, and cerebrospinal fluid parameters in the cohort of 94 TBM cases aged 1 to 18 years, with at least 6 months of completed follow-up and determined the prognostic factors associated with poor functional outcome. We assessed our proposed prognostic model using both discrimination and calibration and subsequently used the bootstrap method to validate the model internally. We finally derived an easily applicable bedside prognostic score by rounding off the regression coefficients to the nearest integers. A total of 39 (41%) and 55 (59%) patients had poor and good functional outcomes, respectively, at the end of 6 months (12 died, 13%). In multivariate analysis, a high baseline Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) score, brain infarction in neuroimaging, tonic motor posturing, younger age, and stage III TBM were independent predictors of poor functional outcomes. The final model showed good discrimination (area under the curve = 88.2%, P < 0.001) and good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = 0.53). Bootstrapping also confirmed the internal validity of this model. The PITAS (PCPC score [P], brain infarction in neuroimaging [I], tonic motor posturing [T], age [A], and stage of TBM [S]) score developed from this model has a score ranging from 0 to 12, with a higher score predicting a higher risk of poor functional outcome. The PITAS score performed better than medical research council staging alone in predicting poor functional outcomes (area under the curve = 87.1% versus 82.3%). Our study's PITAS score, developed and internally validated, has good sensitivity and specificity in predicting poor functional outcomes in pediatric TBM cases at 6 months.

Abstract 317: Brain MRI And Spectroscopy Biomarkers Predict Outcome After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest In POCCA

Conventional (T2) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and lactate and N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) on MR spectroscopy (MRS) can characterize brain hypoxic-ischemic injury. We hypothesized these neuroimaging biomarkers would be associated with 1 year outcome after pediatric cardiac arrest in a multicenter, observational study. Fourteen US centers enrolled children aged &lt; 18 years with pediatric intensive care unit admission post-arrest if pre- arrest Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score was 1-3. Brain MRI/MRS performed within 2 weeks post-arrest were analyzed independently by 2 pediatric neuroradiologists blinded to outcome. MRI lesions on T2 and DWI were scored by region and severity (0=none, 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe). Total MRI score was a sum of T2 and DWI lesions in gray and white matter (max 34). Lactate and NAA were measured in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and occipital-parietal white/gray matter and quantified by LCModel. Multivariate regression was performed to determine the association with unfavorable outcome (Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scale &lt; 70 or dead at 1 year). Of 164 children, 66 and 32 had evaluable MRI and MRS data and 23 (35%) and 12 (38%) had unfavorable outcome, respectively. Children with unfavorable outcome had more unwitnessed and out-of-hospital events. DWI lesions in all 4 lobes predicted unfavorable outcome, whereas T2 temporal gray and parietal white matter lesions predicted unfavorable outcome, p&lt;0.05. T2/DWI lesions in the basal ganglia, thalamus, and centrum semi-ovale predicted unfavorable outcome, p&lt;0.05. Cerebellar/ brain stem white matter lesions predicted unfavorable outcome, p&lt;.05. Total MRI scores were markedly higher in the unfavorable group (median [interquartile range]) (22 [7, 32] vs. 1 [0,8], p&lt;0.001). Increased lactate and decreased NAA predicted unfavorable outcome in all 4 regions of interest, p&lt;0.05. In a multivariate logistic regression, MRI total score (odds ratio 1.12 [95% confidence interval 1.05, 1.20]) and witnessed event status (0.07 [0.01, 0.34]) predicted outcome. Brain MRI and MRS biomarkers are useful to identify children with unfavorable outcome within 2 weeks post-cardiac arrest.

Abstract 15047: Survival With Favorable Neurological Outcome and Quality of CPR Following In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Children With Cardiac Disease Compared to Non-Cardiac Disease

Introduction: Children with cardiac disease have higher rates of in hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) compared to non-cardiac disease. We aimed to determine differences in survival in children with medical and surgical cardiac compared to non-cardiac disease following IHCA and to assess whether CPR quality was different between groups. Hypothesis: We hypothesized: 1) medical cardiac have worse and surgical cardiac have improved outcomes compared to non-cardiac patients, and 2) CPR quality is similar between groups. Methods: A secondary analysis of the ICU-RESUS citation project ( ICU-RESUS ; NCT02837497) was conducted. The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge with favorable neurological outcome defined as a Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score of 1 - 3 or no change from baseline. Secondary outcomes included physiologic measures of intra-arrest quality. Results: Of 1100 children with IHCA, 273 (25%) were medical cardiac, 383 (35%) were surgical cardiac, and 444 (40%) were non-cardiac. The medical cardiac group was less likely to survive with favorable outcome compared to the non-cardiac group (48% vs. 55%, aOR 0.59, CI 95 0.40, 0.88). There was no difference in outcome between the surgical cardiac (58%) and non-cardiac group. There were no differences in chest compression (CC) rate, CC fraction, ventilation rate, intra-arrest average target diastolic blood pressure or average target systolic blood pressure between medical cardiac vs. non-cardiac and surgical cardiac vs. non-cardiac groups. The surgical cardiac group was less likely to achieve target CC depth compared to non-cardiac group (OR 0.15, CI 95 0.02, 0.52). There was no difference in CC depth in medical cardiac vs. non-cardiac groups. Conclusions: In this large study of pediatric IHCA, medical cardiac patients had lower survival with favorable neurologic outcome compared to non-cardiac patients. Surgical cardiac patients had similar outcome to non-cardiac patients. CPR quality was similar in medical-cardiac and non-cardiac patients, however delivered CC depths were lower in surgical cardiac compared to non-cardiac patients.

Abstract 180: Impact Of Hot Debriefing Programs On Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Quality And Outcomes

Introduction: Successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outcomes rely on AHA guideline compliant chest compressions (CC). Resuscitation teams struggle to achieve these CPR metrics. Cold debriefing has led to higher quality CPR and improved patient outcomes. The impact of hot debriefing (HD) on CPR quality and patient outcomes is unknown. We sought to evaluate the association of HD on CPR quality and patient outcomes. Methods: Retrospective cohort of in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCA), 0 to 18yo with complete quantitative CC metrics in the pediRES-Q database (1/2018 - 3/2021). We investigated exposure to HD, defined as hospital HD rate &gt;50% in the 12 months prior to the CPR event, with AHA compliant CPR (CC fraction (CCF) ≥0.80, CC rate (CCR) 100-120/min, and CC depth (CCD) &lt;1yo ≥3.4 cm, 1-8yo ≥4.4 cm, &gt;8yo 4.5≥6.6 cm). HD vs. non-HD events by CPR quality were compared via Chi-square or Wilcoxon rank sum tests and stratified by age. For index events, we evaluated return of circulation (ROC), survival to hospital discharge (SHD) and favorable neurologic outcome (Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score of 1, 2, or no change from baseline). Multivariable logistic regressions with a Generalized Estimating Equation method, adjusted for age group, arrest duration, initial rhythm, illness category, and site clustering. Results: We evaluated 515 IHCA events stratified by HD exposure (221 w and 294 wo) and age. Across age ranges, there was no difference in CCD or CCF between groups. Median CCR was lower in HD exposure groups: &lt;1yo, 110 vs 117 (p &lt;0.001), 1-8yo, 110 vs 117 (p &lt;0.001) and 8-&lt;18yo, 110 vs 115 (p =0.003). There was no difference in compliance with a composite of CCF + CCR + CCD. The composite CCR + CCF had increased compliance in the HD exposure groups: &lt;1yo, 37% (34 of 92) vs 21% (21 of 102) (p = 0.02), 1-8yo, 38% (27 of 72) vs 23% (26 of 111) (p = 0.05) and 8-&lt;18yo, 42% (24 of 57) vs 25% (20 of 81) (p = 0.04). To assess patient outcomes, we evaluated 917 index arrests (255 w HD exposure and 662 wo). On multivariable analysis, no significant difference was found for ROC, SHD or favorable neurologic outcome by HD exposure. Conclusion: Pediatric IHCA events with HD exposure demonstrated improved CPR metrics for CCR and CCF. No association was identified for patient level outcomes.

Limbic pathway vulnerability associates with neurologic outcome in children after cardiac arrest

AimTo analyze whether brain connectivity sequences including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) identify vulnerable brain regions and networks associated with neurologic outcome after pediatric cardiac arrest. MethodsChildren aged 2 d-17 y with cardiac arrest were enrolled in one of 2 parent studies at a single center. Clinically indicated brain MRI with DTI and rsfMRI and performed within 2 weeks after arrest were analyzed. Tract-wise fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial, radial, and mean diffusivity assessed DTI, and functional connectivity strength (FCS) assessed rsfMRI between outcome groups. Unfavorable neurologic outcome was defined as Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score 4–6 or change > 1 between 6 months after arrest vs baseline. ResultsAmong children with DTI (n = 28), 57% had unfavorable outcome. Mean, radial, axial diffusivity and FA of varying direction of magnitude in the limbic tracts, including the right cingulum parolfactory, left cingulum parahippocampal, corpus callosum forceps major, and corpus callosum forceps minor tracts, were associated with unfavorable neurologic outcome (p < 0.05). Among children with rsfMRI (n = 12), 67% had unfavorable outcome. Decreased FCS in the ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, insula, precentral gyrus, anterior cingulate, and inferior parietal lobule were correlated regionally with unfavorable neurologic outcome (p < 0.05 Family-Wise Error corrected). ConclusionDecreased multimodal connectivity measures of paralimbic tracts were associated with unfavorable neurologic outcome after pediatric cardiac arrest. Longitudinal analysis correlating brain connectivity sequences with long term neuropsychological outcomes to identify the impact of pediatric cardiac arrest in vulnerable brain networks over time appears warranted.

Association of Blood-Based Brain Injury Biomarker Concentrations With Outcomes After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest

Families and clinicians have limited validated tools available to assist in estimating long-term outcomes early after pediatric cardiac arrest. Blood-based brain-specific biomarkers may be helpful tools to aid in outcome assessment. To analyze the association of blood-based brain injury biomarker concentrations with outcomes 1 year after pediatric cardiac arrest. The Personalizing Outcomes After Child Cardiac Arrest multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted in pediatric intensive care units at 14 academic referral centers in the US between May 16, 2017, and August 19, 2020, with the primary investigators blinded to 1-year outcomes. The study included 120 children aged 48 hours to 17 years who were resuscitated after cardiac arrest, had pre-cardiac arrest Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category scores of 1 to 3 points, and were admitted to an intensive care unit after cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest. The primary outcome was an unfavorable outcome (death or survival with a Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, third edition, score of <70 points) at 1 year after cardiac arrest. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal esterase L1 (UCH-L1), neurofilament light (NfL), and tau concentrations were measured in blood samples from days 1 to 3 after cardiac arrest. Multivariate logistic regression and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analyses were performed to examine the association of each biomarker with outcomes on days 1 to 3. Among 120 children with primary outcome data available, the median (IQR) age was 1.0 (0-8.5) year; 71 children (59.2%) were male. A total of 5 children (4.2%) were Asian, 19 (15.8%) were Black, 81 (67.5%) were White, and 15 (12.5%) were of unknown race; among 110 children with data on ethnicity, 11 (10.0%) were Hispanic, and 99 (90.0%) were non-Hispanic. Overall, 70 children (58.3%) had a favorable outcome, and 50 children (41.7%) had an unfavorable outcome, including 43 deaths. On days 1 to 3 after cardiac arrest, concentrations of all 4 measured biomarkers were higher in children with an unfavorable vs a favorable outcome at 1 year. After covariate adjustment, NfL concentrations on day 1 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.91; 95% CI, 1.82-19.19), day 2 (aOR, 11.88; 95% CI, 3.82-36.92), and day 3 (aOR, 10.22; 95% CI, 3.14-33.33); UCH-L1 concentrations on day 2 (aOR, 11.27; 95% CI, 3.00-42.36) and day 3 (aOR, 7.56; 95% CI, 2.11-27.09); GFAP concentrations on day 2 (aOR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.19-4.48) and day 3 (aOR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.19-4.03); and tau concentrations on day 1 (aOR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.14-5.25), day 2 (aOR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.31-3.97), and day 3 (aOR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.16-3.57) were associated with an unfavorable outcome. The AUROC models were significantly higher with vs without the addition of NfL on day 2 (AUROC, 0.932 [95% CI, 0.877-0.987] vs 0.871 [95% CI, 0.793-0.949]; P = .02) and day 3 (AUROC, 0.921 [95% CI, 0.857-0.986] vs 0.870 [95% CI, 0.786-0.953]; P = .03). In this cohort study, blood-based brain injury biomarkers, especially NfL, were associated with an unfavorable outcome at 1 year after pediatric cardiac arrest. Additional evaluation of the accuracy of the association between biomarkers and neurodevelopmental outcomes beyond 1 year is needed.

Association Between Quantitative Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Neuroimaging and Outcome After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest.

Diffusion MRI can quantify the extent of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury after cardiac arrest. Our objective was to determine the association between the adult-derived threshold of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) <650 × 10-6 mm2/s in >10% of brain tissue and an unfavorable outcome after pediatric cardiac arrest. Since ADC decreases exponentially as a function of increasing age, we determined the association between (1) having >10% of brain tissue below a novel age-dependent ADC threshold, and (2) age-normalized whole-brain mean ADC and unfavorable outcome. This was a retrospective study of patients aged ≤18 years who had cardiac arrest and a clinically obtained brain MRI within 7 days. The primary outcome was unfavorable neurologic status at hospital discharge based on the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category score. ADC images were extracted from 3-direction diffusion imaging. We determined whether each patient had >10% of voxels with an ADC below prespecified thresholds. We computed the whole-brain mean ADC for each patient. One hundred thirty-four patients were analyzed. Patients with ADC <650 × 10-6 mm2/s in >10% of voxels had 15 times higher odds (95% CI 5-65) of an unfavorable outcome compared with patients with ADC <650 × 10-6 mm2/s (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC] 0.72 [95% CI 0.63-0.80]). These ADC criteria had a sensitivity and specificity of 0.49 and 0.94, respectively, and positive and negative predictive values of 0.93 and 0.52, respectively, for an unfavorable outcome. The age-dependent ADC threshold that yielded optimal sensitivity and specificity for unfavorable outcomes was <300 × 10-6 mm2/s below each patient's predicted whole-brain mean ADC. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for this ADC threshold were 0.53, 0.96, 0.96, and 0.54, respectively (odds ratio [OR] 26.4 [95% CI 7.5-168.3]; AUROC 0.74 [95% CI 0.66-0.83]). Lower age-normalized whole-brain mean ADC was also associated with an unfavorable outcome (OR 0.42 [0.24-0.64], AUROC 0.76 [95% CI 0.66-0.82]). Quantitative diffusion thresholds on MRI within 7 days after cardiac arrest were associated with an unfavorable outcome in children. The age-independent ADC threshold was highly specific for predicting an unfavorable outcome. However, the specificity and sensitivity increased when using age-dependent ADC thresholds. Age-dependent ADC thresholds may improve prognostic accuracy and require further investigation in larger cohorts. This study provides Class III evidence that quantitative diffusion-weighted imaging within 7 days postarrest can predict an unfavorable clinical outcome in children.

An exploratory assessment of the management of pediatric traumatic brain injury in three centers in Africa.

PurposeTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Hospital care practices of pediatric TBI patients in LMICs are unknown. Our objective was to report on hospital management and outcomes of children with TBI in three centers in LMICs.MethodsWe completed a secondary analysis of a prospective observational study in children (<18 years) over a 4-week period. Outcome was determined by Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) score; an unfavorable score was defined as PCPC > 2 or an increase of two points from baseline. Data were compared using Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum tests.ResultsFifty-six children presented with TBI (age 0–17 y), most commonly due to falls (43%, n = 24). Emergency department Glasgow Coma Scale scores were ≤ 8 in 21% (n = 12). Head computed tomography was performed in 79% (n = 44) of patients. Forty (71%) children were admitted to the hospital, 25 (63%) of whom were treated for suspected intracranial hypertension. Intracranial pressure monitoring was unavailable. Five (9%, n = 5) children died and 10 (28%, n = 36) inpatient survivors had a newly diagnosed unfavorable outcome on discharge.ConclusionInpatient management and monitoring capability of pediatric TBI patients in 3 LMIC-based tertiary hospitals was varied. Results support the need for prospective studies to inform development of evidence-based TBI management guidelines tailored to the unique needs and resources in LMICs.