United States Children's Hospitals Research Articles

Hospitalization and Mortality Due to Infection Among Children and Adolescents With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the United States.

We aimed to determine the frequency and types of infections in hospitalized children with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE), and to identify risk factors for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. We conducted a retrospective study of youth aged 2 to 21 years using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for SLE assigned during admission to a hospital participating in the Pediatric Health Information System, a database of United States children's hospitals, from 2009 to 2021. Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to identify risk factors for ICU admission and mortality among children hospitalized with infection. We identified 8588 children with cSLE and ≥ 1 hospitalization. Among this cohort, there were 26,269 hospitalizations, of which 13% had codes for infections, a proportion that increased over time (P = 0.04). Bacterial pneumonia was the most common hospitalized infection. In-hospital mortality occurred in 0.4% (n = 103) of cSLE hospitalizations for any indication and 2% of hospitalizations for infection (n = 60). The highest mortality rates occurred with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (21%) and other fungal infections (21%). Lupus nephritis (LN) and endstage renal disease (ESRD) were associated with increased odds of ICU admission (odds ratio [OR] 1.47 [95% CI 1.2-1.8] and OR 2.40 [95% CI 1.7-3.4]) among children admitted for serious infection. ESRD was associated with higher mortality (OR 2.34 [95% CI 1.1-4.9]). Hospitalizations with ICD codes for infection comprised a small proportion of cSLE admissions but accounted for the majority of mortality. The proportion of hospitalizations for infection increased over time. LN and ESRD were risk factors for poor outcomes.

Current Trends in Invasive Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Very Low Birth Weight Infants in United States Children's Hospitals, 2016-2021

To describe the current practices in invasive patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure (surgical ligation or transcatheter occlusion) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants and changes in patient characteristics and outcomes from 2016 to 2021 among US children's hospitals. We evaluated a retrospective cohort of VLBW infants (birth weight 400-1499 g and gestational age 22-31weeks) who had invasive PDA closure within 6months of age from 2016 to 2021 in children's hospitals in the Pediatric Health Information System. Changes in patient characteristics and outcomes over time were evaluated using generalized linear models and generalized linear mixed models. 2418 VLBW infants (1182 surgical ligation; 1236 transcatheter occlusion) from 42 hospitals were included. The proportion of infants receiving transcatheter occlusion increased from 17.2% in 2016 to 84.4% in 2021 (P<.001). In 2021, 28/42 (67%) hospitals had performed transcatheter occlusion in > 80% of their VLBW infants needing invasive PDA closure, compared with only 2/42 (5%) in 2016. Although median postmenstrual age (PMA) at PDA closure did not change for the overall cohort, PMA at transcatheter occlusion decreased from 38weeks in 2016 to 31weeks by 2020, P<.001. Among those infants not intubated prior to PDA closure, extubation within 3days postprocedure increased over time (yearly adjusted odds ratios of 1.26 [1.08-1.48]). Length of stay and mortality did not change over time. We report rapid adoption of transcatheter occlusion for PDA among VLBW infants in US children's hospitals over time. Transcatheter occlusions were performed at younger PMA over time.

Decreased Incidence of Hirschsprung-Associated Enterocolitis During COVID-19 Across United States Children's Hospitals

BackgroundThe Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic provided a natural experiment to study the effect of social distancing on the risk of developing Hirschsprung's Associated Enterocolitis (HAEC). MethodsUsing the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS), a retrospective cohort study of children (<18 years) with Hirschsprung's Disease (HSCR) across 47 United States children's hospitals was performed. The primary outcome was HAEC admissions per 10,000 patient-days. The exposure (COVID-19) was defined as April 2020–December 2021. The unexposed (historical control) period was April 2018–December 2019. Secondary outcomes included sepsis, bowel perforation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, mortality, and length of stay. ResultsOverall, we included 5707 patients with HSCR during the study period. There were 984 and 834 HAEC admissions during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, respectively (2.6 vs. 1.9 HAEC admissions per 10,000 patient-days, incident rate ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.74 [0.67, 0.81], p < 0.001). Compared to pre-pandemic, those with HAEC during the pandemic were younger (median [IQR]: 566 [162, 1430] days pandemic vs. 746 [259, 1609] days pre-pandemic, p < 0.001) and more likely to live in the lowest quartile of median household income zip codes (24% pandemic vs. 19% pre-pandemic, p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in rates of sepsis (6.1% pandemic vs. 6.1% pre-pandemic, p > 0.9), bowel perforation (1.3% pandemic vs. 1.2% pre-pandemic, p = 0.8), ICU admissions (9.6% pandemic vs. 12% pre-pandemic, p = 0.2), mortality (0.5% pandemic vs. 0.6% pre-pandemic, p = 0.8), or length of stay (median [interquartile range]: 4 [(Pastor et al., 2009; Gosain and Brinkman, 2015) 2,112,11 days pandemic vs. 5 [(Pastor et al., 2009; Tang et al., 2020) 2,102,10 days pre-pandemic, p = 0.4). ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic was associated with significantly decreased incidence of HAEC admissions across US children's hospitals. Possible etiologies such as social distancing should be explored. Level of evidenceII.

Hospitalizations at United States Children's Hospitals and Severity of Illness by Neighborhood Child Opportunity Index

To describe the association between neighborhood opportunity measured by the Child Opportunity Index 2.0 (COI) and patterns of hospital admissions and disease severity among children admitted to US pediatric hospitals. Retrospective, cross-sectional study of 773 743 encounters for children <18years of age admitted to US children's hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information System database 7/2020-12/2021. The proportion of children from each COI quintile was inversely related to the degree of neighborhood opportunity. The difference between the proportion of patients from Very Low COI and Very High COI ranged from +32.0% (type 2 diabetes mellitus with complications) to -14.1% (mood disorders). The most common principal diagnoses were acute bronchiolitis, respiratory failure/insufficiency, chemotherapy, and asthma. Of the 45 diagnoses which occurred in ≥0.5% of the cohort, 22, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, asthma, and sleep apnea had higher odds of occurring in lower COI tiers in multivariable analysis. Ten diagnoses, including mood disorders, neutropenia, and suicide and intentional self-inflicted injury had lower odds of occurring in the lower COI tiers. The proportion of patients needing critical care and who died increased, as neighborhood opportunity decreased. Pediatric hospital admission diagnoses and severity of illness are disproportionately distributed across the range of neighborhood opportunity, and these differences persist after adjustment for factors including race/ethnicity and payor status, suggesting that these patterns in admissions reflect disparities in neighborhood resources and differential access to care.

Standardized perioperative care reduces colorectal surgical site infection in children: A Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium multicenter analysis

PurposeSurgical site infection (SSI) remains a significant source of patient morbidity and resource utilization in children undergoing colorectal surgery. We examined the utility of a protocolized perioperative care bundle in reducing SSI in pediatric patients undergoing colorectal surgery. MethodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study of patients ≤18 years of age undergoing colorectal surgery at ten United States children's hospitals. Using a perioperative care protocol comprising eight elements, or “colon bundle”, we divided patients into low (1–4 elements) or high (5–8 elements) compliance cohorts. Procedures involving colorectal repair or anastomosis with abdominal closure were included. Demographics and clinical outcomes were compared between low and high compliance cohorts. Compliance was compared with a retrospective cohort. The primary outcome was superficial SSI incidence at 30 days. ResultsThree hundred and thirty-six patients were included in our analysis: 138 from the low compliance cohort and 198 from the high compliance cohort. Age and gender were similar between groups. Preoperative diagnosis was similar except for more patients in the high compliance cohort having inflammatory bowel disease (18.2% versus 5.8%, p<0.01). The most common procedure performed was small bowel to colorectal anastomosis. Wound classification and procedure acuity were similar between groups. Superficial SSI at 30 days occurred less frequently among the high compliance compared to the low compliance cohort (4% versus 9.7%, p = 0.036). Median postoperative length of stay and 30-day rates of readmission, reoperation, intra-abdominal abscess and anastomotic leak requiring operation were not significantly different between groups. None of the individual colon bundle elements were independently protective against superficial SSI. ConclusionStandardization of perioperative care is associated with a reduction in superficial SSI in pediatric colorectal surgery. Expansion of standardized protocols for children undergoing colorectal surgery may improve outcomes and decrease perioperative morbidity. Type of StudyClinical Research Paper Level of EvidenceLevel II

Factors Associated With Severe Illness in Patients Aged

To describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related pediatric hospitalizations during a period of B.1.617.2 (Δ) variant predominance and to determine age-specific factors associated with severe illness. We abstracted data from medical charts to conduct a cross-sectional study of patients aged <21 years hospitalized at 6 United States children's hospitals from July to August 2021 for COVID-19 or with an incidental positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test. Among patients with COVID-19, we assessed factors associated with severe illness by calculating age-stratified prevalence ratios (PR). We defined severe illness as receiving high-flow nasal cannula, positive airway pressure, or invasive mechanical ventilation. Of 947 hospitalized patients, 759 (80.1%) had COVID-19, of whom 287 (37.8%) had severe illness. Factors associated with severe illness included coinfection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (PR 3.64) and bacteria (PR 1.88) in infants; RSV coinfection in patients aged 1 to 4 years (PR 1.96); and obesity in patients aged 5 to 11 (PR 2.20) and 12 to 17 years (PR 2.48). Having ≥2 underlying medical conditions was associated with severe illness in patients aged <1 (PR 1.82), 5 to 11 (PR 3.72), and 12 to 17 years (PR 3.19). Among patients hospitalized for COVID-19, factors associated with severe illness included RSV coinfection in those aged <5 years, obesity in those aged 5 to 17 years, and other underlying conditions for all age groups <18 years. These findings can inform pediatric practice, risk communication, and prevention strategies, including vaccination against COVID-19.

Mortality During Readmission Among Children in United States Children's Hospitals

To identify demographic, clinical, and hospital factors associated with mortality on readmission within 180days following an inpatient hospitalization. We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 33 US children's hospitals in the Pediatric Health Information System from January 2010 to June 2020. Our primary outcome was death during readmission within 180days of an index hospitalization among children aged 0-18years. Illness severity during the index hospitalization was defined according to the All Patient-Refined Diagnosis-Related Group-categorized illness severity (ie, minor, moderate, or major/extreme). We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify factors during the index hospitalization associated with mortality during readmission. Among 2 677 111 children discharged, 337 385 (12.6%) were readmitted within 180days of the index hospitalization and 2913 (0.8%) died during readmission. More than one-quarter (26.2%) of deaths among children who were readmitted and died occurred within 10days after discharge from the index hospitalization. Factors independently associated with mortality during readmission included multiple complex chronic conditions, index admissions lasting >7days, moderate or severe/extreme illness during the index hospitalization, and public insurance. Children whose race was reported as Black had greater odds of mortality during readmission compared with children of other races. Among hospitalized children, several demographic and clinical factors present during index hospitalizations were associated with mortality during readmission. Greater odds of mortality during readmission among children whose race was reported as Black likely reflects disparities in social determinants of health and clinical care. Interventions to reduce mortality during readmission may target high-risk populations in the period immediately following discharge.

Who's doing the LP?

Pediatricians who completed their training a few decades ago likely recall devoting a lot of time to the performance of procedures—often while sleep-deprived and frequently with minimal supervision. Although this arrangement may not have been ideal for children, it probably produced skilled technicians. Lumbar puncture was the archetypical example of such procedures. Over the ensuing years, a host of factors have shaped this experience significantly. Changes in disease incidence and evidence-based modification of procedural indications are clearly impactful. Additionally, education-focused changes in duty hours have reduced the potential exposure of trainees to a declining number of procedures. Finally, practice changes such as more robust attending presence, along with the ready availability of advanced practice providers, may further decrease the opportunities for trainees to perform lumbar punctures and similar procedures. Although many have speculated on the impact of these changes on the resident experience, good data have been difficult to obtain. In this volume of The Journal, Geanacopoulos et al from Boston examine data from 29 US children's hospitals over the decade spanning 2009 to 2019. Their data are complicated but seem to suggest that the average graduating pediatric resident today may have performed half or fewer lumbar punctures than colleagues from a decade ago. The authors are careful to avoid conclusions regarding competence in their report. How many procedures constitute “competence?” Are there ways of achieving or assessing competence beyond actual performance? How should programs, or certifying bodies, insure competence? These are questions clinical educators will need to confront in the coming years. Data such as those in this report will help to inform their discussions. Article page 87 ▸ Declines in the Number of Lumbar Punctures Performed at United States Children's Hospitals, 2009-2019The Journal of PediatricsVol. 231PreviewTo evaluate trends in lumbar puncture (LP) performance among US children's hospitals to assess how these trends may impact pediatric resident trainee exposure to LP. Full-Text PDF

The association between diuretic class exposures and enteral electrolyte use in infants developing grade 2 or 3 bronchopulmonary dysplasia in United States children's hospitals.

To evaluate the association between chronic diuretic exposures and enteral electrolyte use in infants developing severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD). Retrospective longitudinal cohort study in infants admitted to United States children's hospitals. We identified diuretic exposures and measured enteral NaCl and KCl use during pre-defined exposure risk-interval days. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to model the association between diuretic exposures and electrolyte use. We identified 442,341 subject-days in 3252 infants. All common diuretic classes and class combinations were associated with increased NaCl and KCl use. Thiazide monotherapy was associated with greater electrolyte use than loop monotherapy. The addition of potassium-sparing diuretics was associated with a limited reduction in KCl use compared to thiazide monotherapy. Chronic diuretic exposures are associated with increased NaCl and KCl use. Presumptions about the relative impact of different diuretic classes on electrolyte derangements may be inaccurate and require further study.

Variation in Pediatric Palliative Care Allocation Among Critically Ill Children in the United States.

The objectives are as follows: 1) estimate palliative care consult rates and trends among critically ill children and 2) characterize which children receive palliative care consults, including those meeting previously proposed ICU-specific palliative care screening criteria. Retrospective cohort. Fifty-two United States children's hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. Hospitalized children with nonneonatal ICU admissions from 2007 to 2018. The primary outcome was palliative care consultation, as identified by the palliative care International Classification of Disease code. Patient characteristics and outcomes were compared between those with and without palliative care. We used a mixed-effects multivariable model to estimate the independent association between the palliative care and patient characteristics accounting for institution and subject clustering. Hospitalizations were categorized into three mutually exclusive groups for comparative analyses: 1) meeting ICU-specific palliative care criteria, 2) presence of a complex chronic condition not in ICU-specific palliative care criteria, or 3) not meeting ICU-specific palliative care or complex chronic condition criteria. Rates and trends of palliative care consultation were estimated including variation among institutions and variation among subcategories of ICU-specific palliative care criteria. The study cohort included 740,890 subjects with 1,024,666 hospitalizations. About 1.36% of hospitalizations had a palliative care consultation. Palliative care consult was independently associated with older age, female sex, government insurance, inhospital mortality, and ICU-specific palliative care or complex chronic condition criteria. Among the hospitalizations, 30% met ICU-specific palliative care criteria, 40% complex chronic condition criteria, and 30% neither. ICU-specific palliative care patients received more mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, had longer hospital and ICU lengths of stay, and had higher inhospital mortality (p < 0.001). Palliative care utilization increased over the study period with considerable variation between the institutions especially in the ICU-specific palliative care cohort and its subgroups. Palliative care consultation for critically ill children in the United States is low. Palliative care utilization is increasing but considerable variation exists across institutions, suggesting inequity in palliative care allocation among this vulnerable population. Future studies should evaluate factors influencing allocation of palliative care among critically ill children in the United States and the drivers of differences between the institutional practices.

Declines in the Number of Lumbar Punctures Performed at United States Children's Hospitals, 2009-2019

To evaluate trends in lumbar puncture (LP) performance among US children's hospitals to assess how these trends may impact pediatric resident trainee exposure to LP. We quantified LPs for emergency department (ED) and inpatient encounters at 29 US children's hospitals from 2009 to 2019. LP was defined by either a LP procedure code or cerebrospinal fluid culture billing code. Temporal trends and hospital variation in LP were assessed using logistic regression analysis. A total of 215 030 LPs were performed during the study period (0.8% of all encounters). Twenty six thousand and five hundred twenty three and 16 696 LPs were performed in the 2009 and 2018 academic years, respectively (overall 37.1% reduction, per-year OR, 0.935; 95% CI, 0.922-0.948; P<.001), and the rate of LP decreased from 10.9 per 1000 hospital encounters to 6.0 per 1000 hospital encounters over the same period. LP rates have declined across US children's hospitals over the past decade, potentially resulting in reduced clinical exposure for pediatric resident trainees. Improved procedural simulation during residency may augment the clinical experience.

Turner Syndrome with Y Chromosome: Spontaneous Thelarche, Menarche, and Risk of Malignancy.

Girls with Turner syndrome with Y-chromosome material (TS+Y) are assumed to have nonfunctional gonads with increased tumor risk, therefore prophylactic gonadectomy is recommended at diagnosis. In this study we aimed to determine rates of spontaneous thelarche (ST) and spontaneous menarche (SM), and prevalence of gonadal tumor and malignancy in girls with TS+Y, to further inform discussions about gonadectomy. Retrospective review of clinical and pathology data. Multicenter study involving 4 United States children's hospitals. Patients included those with a genetically proven diagnosis of TS+Y and phenotypically female genitourinary exam. Demographic characteristics, pubertal development, and gonadal pathology data were abstracted from clinical records. Data for ST were analyzed for patients aged 13years and older and SM for patients older than 15years. ST, SM, prevalence of gonadal tumor, and malignancy. Forty-four patients met inclusion criteria. Nineteen patients were 13years or older; 8/19 (42%) had ST and reached Tanner stages 2-4 and 2 (11%) had normal ovarian pathology. Nineteen patients were 15years or older; 2/19 (11%) had SM. Thirty-seven patients underwent gonadectomy; 35 had available pathology results. Gonadoblastoma was identified in 35/7 patients (19%), 1 in situ germ cell neoplasia, and 1 dysgerminoma (3%). One patient with bilateral gonadoblastoma had ST and SM. In this multicenter cohort, 42% of girls with TS+Y entered puberty spontaneously and 11% had SM, supportive of gonadal function. Risk of tumor was similar to previous reports. To achieve informed decision-making, discussions about gonadectomy should incorporate potential for gonadal function and tumor risk.

Association of perioperative red blood cell transfusion with postoperative venous thromboembolism in pediatric patients: A propensity score matched analysis.

To examine the association between perioperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pediatric surgical patients. Retrospective cohort study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project Pediatric, a validated registry of 118 United States children's hospitals. Patients under 19 years of age undergoing a surgical procedure between 2012 and 2017 were included, with the main exposure being RBC transfusion in the perioperative period (48 hours prior to operation to 72 hours after operation). The primary 30-day outcome of interest was a postoperative VTE requiring therapy. Risk-adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated using multiple logistic regression. Subgroup analyses were performed across multiple surgical specialties. Sensitivity analyses were performed after (a) imputation for missing variables and (b) propensity score matching. During the study years, 482867 pediatric patients (56.7% male; median age, 6 years [interquartile range, 1-12 years]) underwent an operation. Of these, 30879 (6.4%) received at least one perioperative RBC transfusion. Postoperative VTE requiring therapy occurred in 618 patients (0.13%). After adjustment for multiple risk factors, perioperative RBC transfusion was associated with an increased risk of VTE (aOR 2.4; 95% CI, 1.9-3.0). The increased VTE risk persisted after imputation of missing demographic and clinical data as well as after 1:1 propensity score matching (29811 matched pairs, aOR 2.2; 95% CI, 1.7-2.8). Perioperative RBC transfusion is associated with an increased, albeit still very low, risk of postoperative VTE in pediatric patients. Patients receiving blood in the perioperative period may benefit from additional monitoring or VTE prophylaxis.

Neurologic and Functional Morbidity in Critically Ill Children With Bronchiolitis.

Neurologic and functional morbidity occurs in ~30% of PICU survivors, and young children may be at particular risk. Bronchiolitis is a common indication for PICU admission among children less than 2 years old. Two single-center studies suggest that greater than 10-25% of critical bronchiolitis survivors have neurologic and functional morbidity but those estimates are 20 years old. We aimed to estimate the burden of neurologic and functional morbidity among more recent bronchiolitis patients using two large, multicenter databases. Analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System and the Virtual Pediatric databases. Forty-eight U.S. children's hospitals (Pediatric Health Information System) and 40 international (mostly United States) children's hospitals (Virtual Pediatric Systems). Previously healthy PICU patients less than 2 years old admitted with bronchiolitis between 2009 and 2015 who survived and did not require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. None. Neurologic and functional morbidity was defined as a Pediatric Overall Performance Category greater than 1 at PICU discharge (Virtual Pediatric Systems subjects), or a subsequent hospital encounter involving developmental delay, feeding tubes, MRI of the brain, neurologist evaluation, or rehabilitation services (Pediatric Health Information System subjects). Among 3,751 Virtual Pediatric Systems subjects and 9,516 Pediatric Health Information System subjects, ~20% of patients received mechanical ventilation. Evidence of neurologic and functional morbidity was present at PICU discharge in 707 Virtual Pediatric Systems subjects (18.6%) and more chronically in 1,104 Pediatric Health Information System subjects (11.6%). In both cohorts, neurologic and functional morbidity was more common in subjects receiving mechanical ventilation (27.5% vs 16.5% in Virtual Pediatric Systems; 14.5% vs 11.1% in Pediatric Health Information System; both p < 0.001). In multivariate models also including demographics, use of mechanical ventilation was the only variable that was associated with increased neurologic and functional morbidity in both cohorts. In two large, multicenter databases, neurologic and functional morbidity was common among previously healthy children admitted to the PICU with bronchiolitis. Prospective studies are needed to measure neurologic and functional outcomes using more precise metrics. Identification of modifiable risk factors may subsequently lead to improved outcomes from this common PICU condition.

Use of Carbapenems, Polymyxins, and Tigecycline in United States Children's Hospitals, 2010-2014.

We characterized use of the carbapenems, polymyxins, and tigecycline in United States children’s hospitals between 2010 and 2014. We found substantial variability in use across hospitals and overall decreased use over time. Most polymyxin and tigecycline use occurred in cystic fibrosis patients, and appendectomy was a common indication for carbapenem therapy.

Variation in Surgical Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Outpatient Pediatric Urological Procedures at United States Children’s Hospitals

Guidelines recommend surgical antibiotic prophylaxis for clean-contaminated procedures but none for clean procedures. The purpose of this study was to describe variations in surgical antibiotic prophylaxis for outpatient urological procedures at United States children's hospitals. Using the PHIS (Pediatric Health Information System®) database we performed a retrospective cohort study of patients younger than 18 years who underwent clean and/or clean-contaminated outpatient urological procedures from 2012 to 2014. We excluded those with concurrent nonurological procedures or an abscess/infected wound. We compared perioperative antibiotic charges for clean vs clean-contaminated procedures using a multilevel logistic regression model with a random effect for hospital. We also examined whether hospitals that were guideline compliant for clean procedures, defined as no surgical antibiotic prophylaxis, were also compliant for clean-contaminated procedures using the Pearson correlation coefficient. We examined hospital level variation in antibiotic rates using the coefficient of variation. A total of 131,256 patients with a median age of 34 months at 39 hospitals met study inclusion criteria. Patients undergoing clean procedures were 14% less likely to receive guideline compliant surgical antibiotic prophylaxis than patients undergoing clean-contaminated procedures (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.84-0.88, p <0.0001). Hospitals that used antibiotics appropriately for clean-contaminated procedures were more likely to use antibiotics inappropriately for clean procedures (r = 0.7, p = 0.01). Greater variation was seen for hospital level compliance with surgical antibiotic prophylaxis for clean-contaminated procedures (range 9.8% to 97.8%, coefficient of variation 0.36) than for clean procedures (range 35.0% to 98.2%, coefficient of variation 0.20). Hospitals that used surgical antibiotic prophylaxis appropriately for clean-contaminated procedures were likely to use surgical antibiotic prophylaxis inappropriately for clean procedures. More variation was seen in hospital level guideline compliance for clean-contaminated procedures.

Antibiotic Use for Children with Pneumonia: Sustained Adoption of National Guidelines at United States Children's Hospitals

Antibiotic Use for Children with Pneumonia: Sustained Adoption of National Guidelines at United States Children's Hospitals

Trends in infective endocarditis hospitalisations at United States children's hospitals from 2003 to 2014: impact of the 2007 American Heart Association antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines.

National organisations in several countries have recently released more restrictive guidelines for infective endocarditis prophylaxis, including the American Heart Association 2007 guidelines. Initial studies demonstrated no change in infective endocarditis rates over time; however, a recent United Kingdom study suggested an increase; current paediatric trends are unknown. Children (5 years of age. Interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate rates over time indexed to total hospitalisations. A total of 841 cases were identified. The median age was 13 years (interquartile range 9-15 years). In the pre-guideline period, there was a slight increase in the rate of infective endocarditis by 0.13 cases/10,000 hospitalisations per semi-annual period. In the post-guideline period, the rate of infective endocarditis increased by 0.12 cases/10,000 hospitalisations per semi-annual period. There was no significant difference in the rate of change in the pre- versus post-guidelines period (p=0.895). Secondary analyses in children >5 years of age with CHD and in children hospitalised with any type of infective endocarditis at any age revealed similar results. We found no significant change in infective endocarditis hospitalisation rates associated with revised prophylaxis guidelines over 11 years across 29 United States children's hospitals.

Neonatal Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist and Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment at United States Children's Hospitals

To determine treatment frequency and duration of histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA)/proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use among infants hospitalized within US children's hospital neonatal intensive care units and evaluate diagnoses/demographic factors associated with use. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of neonatal intensive care unit infants admitted to 43 US children's hospitals within the Pediatric Health Information System database between January 2006 and March 2013 to determine H2RA/PPI treatment frequency, timing/duration of treatment, factors associated with use, percent of infants remaining on treatment at discharge, and interhospital prescribing variation. We used a modified Poisson regression to calculate the adjusted probability of infants ever receiving H2RAs/PPIs in relation to diagnosis, gestation, and sex. Of the 122 002 infants evaluated, 23.8% (n=28 989) ever received an H2RA or PPI; 19.0% received H2RAs (n=23 187), and 10.5% (n=12 823) received PPIs. Extremely preterm infants and term infants were the most likely to receive H2RA and PPI treatment. Infants with gastroesophageal reflux disease (relative risk [RR]=3.13) and congenital heart disease (RR=2.41) had the highest H2RA/PPI treatment probabilities followed by those with an ear, nose, and throat diagnosis (RR=2.34; P<.05). The majority of treated infants remained treated at discharge. Despite limited evidence and increasing safety concerns, H2RAs/PPIs are frequently prescribed to extremely preterm neonates and those with congenital anomalies and continued through discharge. Our findings support the need for innovative studies to examine the comparative effectiveness and safety of H2RA/PPIs vs no treatment in these high-risk neonatal populations.

Variation and Trends in Anaphylaxis Care in United States Children's Hospitals.

We sought to determine the extent of variation in treatment of children with anaphylaxis. We identified children 1 month to 18 years of age presenting with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis to one of the 35 pediatric hospitals included in the Pediatric Health Information System between January 1, 2009, and September 30, 2013. We evaluated the variation in use of β2 agonists, glucocorticoids, histamine-1 (H1) antagonists, histamine-2 (H2) antagonists, inhaled epinephrine, intravenous fluids, and oxygen. We assessed whether variation exists in the rates of hospitalization and 3-day emergency department (ED) revisits and whether a temporal trend exists in the ED visit rate for anaphylaxis. Among 10,351 children with anaphylaxis, the hospital-level median use of common anaphylaxis therapies varied for β2 agonists (22%, interquartile range [IQR] = 16%-26%), glucocorticoids (71%, IQR = 65%-76%), H1 blockers (60%, IQR = 57%-65%), H2 blockers (53%, IQR = 36%-64%), inhaled epinephrine (2.2%, IQR = 1.3%-3.5%), intravenous fluids (26%, IQR = 13%-41%), and oxygen (2.6%, IQR = 0.8%-4.1%). Hospitalization rates ranged from 12% to 95%, with a median rate of 41%. Anaphylaxis diagnoses rose from 5.7 to 11.7 patients per 10,000 ED visits between 2009 and 2013 (p < 0.001 for trend). There is substantial variability in the use of common therapies and hospitalization rates for children cared for in U.S. children's hospitals. Additionally, ED visits for children with anaphylaxis are increasing at U.S. children's hospitals. These findings highlight the need for research defining optimal care for anaphylaxis.