Clinical Practice Guideline by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA): 2023 Guideline on Diagnosis and Management of Acute Bacterial Arthritis in Pediatrics.

This clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of acute bacterial arthritis (ABA) in children was developed by a multidisciplinary panel representing the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). This guideline is intended for use by healthcare professionals who care for children with ABA, including specialists in pediatric infectious diseases and orthopedics. The panel's recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of ABA are based upon evidence derived from topic-specific systematic literature reviews. Summarized below are the recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of ABA in children. The panel followed a systematic process used in the development of other IDSA and PIDS clinical practice guidelines, which included a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of the evidence and strength of recommendation using the GRADE approach (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) (see Figure 1). A detailed description of background, methods, evidence summary and rationale that support each recommendation, and knowledge gaps can be found online in the full text.

Pediatric appendicitis in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic: A retrospective chart review.

Aim: Conduct a time trend analysis that describes 2 groups of patients admitted to a large tertiary children's hospital that presented with appendicitis and determine if there was an increase in complicated appendicitis when compared between 2 time periods before and during the early coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all children presenting to a single-center site with appendicitis between March 23 and August 31, 2020, in the Central Texas region. We compared 507 patients presenting with appendicitis from the non-COVID-19 era in 2019 with n = 249 to patients presenting during the COVID time period with n = 258. All patients with appendicitis within those time periods were reviewed with analysis of various characteristics in regard to presentation, diagnosis of uncomplicated versus complicated appendicitis, and management outcomes. Results: There were no significant demographic differences or change in the number of appendicitis cases noted between the 2 time periods of comparison. There was no significant difference in rates of complicated appendicitis or presentation time following symptom onset between the 2 eras. There was no significant difference in intraoperative or postoperative complications. There was a statistically significant increase in the use of computed tomography (CT) scans (P-value = 0.004) with patients 1.81 times more likely to have a CT scan in the pandemic era after adjusting for patient-level factors. The effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 status on outcomes was not part of the data analysis. Conclusion: Our study is the largest to date examining appendicitis complications in the era of COVID. In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we found no delay in presentation in children presenting to the emergency department and no increase in complicated appendicitis. We did identify an increase in the use of CT scans for definitive diagnosis of appendicitis noted in the pandemic era. Although COVID-19 status was not studied, the finding of increased CT use for a definitive diagnosis of appendicitis was a distinctive finding of this study showing a change in practice in pediatric emergency medicine.

Evaluation of a Pediatric Early Warning Score as a Predictor of Occult Invasive Bacterial Infection in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study were to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Pediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) to predict occult invasive bacterial infection (IBI) in well-appearing pediatric emergency department (PED) patients without known risk factors for bacterial infection and to compare PEWS to heart rate (HR) and Emergency Severity Index (ESI). METHODS: We performed a retrospective case-control analysis of febrile PED patients aged 60 days to 18 years over a 2-year period. Subjects were excluded if they were ill appearing, admitted to an intensive care unit, or had a known high-risk condition. Cases of occult IBI were included if they had a noncontaminant positive culture other than an isolated positive urine culture. Two febrile control subjects were identified for each case. Odds ratios and receiver operating characteristic curves were evaluated to determine performance characteristics of PEWS at triage and disposition, age-adjusted HR at triage and disposition, and ESI at triage. RESULTS: Compared with 178 controls, 89 cases had higher disposition PEWS, higher disposition HR, lower ESI, and higher rate of hospital admission. Disposition PEWS ≥3 (odds ratio, 2.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-6.18), disposition HR > 99th percentile, and ESI demonstrated increased odds of occult IBI. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for disposition PEWS (0.56) was similar to triage PEWS (0.54), triage HR (0.54), disposition HR (0.58), and ESI (0.65). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with PEWS ≥3 at PED disposition have increased odds of occult IBI; however, PEWS has poor discriminative ability at all cutoffs. We cannot recommend PEWS used in isolation to predict occult IBI.

Clinical Practice Guideline by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America: 2021 Guideline on Diagnosis and Management of Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis in Pediatrics.

This clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO) in children was developed by a multidisciplinary panel representing Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). This guideline is intended for use by healthcare professionals who care for children with AHO, including specialists in pediatric infectious diseases, orthopedics, emergency care physicians, hospitalists, and any clinicians and healthcare providers caring for these patients. The panel's recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of AHO are based upon evidence derived from topic-specific systematic literature reviews. Summarized below are the recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of AHO in children. The panel followed a systematic process used in the development of other IDSA and PIDS clinical practice guidelines, which included a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of the evidence and strength of recommendation using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. A detailed description of background, methods, evidence summary and rationale that support each recommendation, and knowledge gaps can be found online in the full text.

Global health on the front lines: an innovative medical student elective combining education and service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: An innovative medical student elective combined student-directed, faculty-supported online learning with COVID-19 response field placements. This study evaluated students' experience in the course, the curriculum content and format, and its short-term impact on students' knowledge and attitudes around COVID-19. METHODS: Students responded to discussion board prompts throughout the course and submitted pre-/post-course reflections. Pre-/post-course questionnaires assessed pandemic knowledge and attitudes using 4-point Likert scales. Authors collected aggregate data on enrollment, discussion posts, field placements, and scholarly work resulting from course activities. After the elective, authors conducted a focus group with a convenience sample of 6 participants. Institutional elective evaluation data was included in analysis. Authors analyzed questionnaire data with summary statistics and paired t-tests comparing knowledge and attitudes before and after the elective. Reflection pieces, discussion posts, and focus group data were analyzed using content analysis with a phenomenological approach. RESULTS: Twenty-seven students enrolled. Each student posted an average of 2.4 original discussion posts and 3.1 responses. Mean knowledge score increased from 43.8 to 60.8% (p <  0.001) between pre- and post-course questionnaires. Knowledge self-assessment also increased (2.4 vs. 3.5 on Likert scale, p <  0.0001), and students reported increased engagement in the pandemic response (2.7 vs. 3.6, p <  0.0001). Students reported increased fluency in discussing the pandemic and increased appreciation for the field of public health. There was no difference in students' level of anxiety about the pandemic after course participation (3.0 vs. 3.1, p = 0.53). Twelve students (44.4%) completed the institutional evaluation. All rated the course "very good" or "excellent." Students favorably reviewed the field placements, suggested readings, self-directed research, and learning from peers. They suggested more clearly defined expectations and improved balance between volunteer and educational hours. CONCLUSIONS: The elective was well-received by students, achieved stated objectives, and garnered public attention. Course leadership should monitor students' time commitment closely in service-learning settings to ensure appropriate balance of service and education. Student engagement in a disaster response is insufficient to address anxiety related to the disaster; future course iterations should include a focus on self-care during times of crisis. This educational innovation could serve as a model for medical schools globally.

Essentials of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Part 7: Careers in PEM.

This article is the last in a 7-part series that aims to comprehensively describe the current state and future directions of pediatric emergency medicine fellowship training from the essential requirements to considerations for successfully administering and managing a program to the careers that may be anticipated on program completion. This article focuses on the many career paths as educators, researchers, advocates, innovators, consultants, administrators, and leaders available to pediatric emergency medicine physicians, in both clinical and nonclinical realms, and how fellows and junior faculty can enrich and prolong their careers through diversification.

A randomized trial of Plasma-Lyte A and 0.9 % sodium chloride in acute pediatric gastroenteritis.

BACKGROUND: Compare the efficacy and safety of Plasma-Lyte A (PLA) versus 0.9 % sodium chloride (NaCl) intravenous (IV) fluid replacement in children with moderate to severe dehydration secondary to acute gastroenteritis (AGE). METHODS: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study conducted at eight pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in the US and Canada (NCT#01234883). The primary outcome measure was serum bicarbonate level at 4 h. Secondary outcomes included safety and tolerability. The hypothesis was that PLA would be superior to 0.9 % NaCl in improvement of 4-h bicarbonate. Patients (n = 100) aged ≥6 months to <11 years with AGE-induced moderate-to-severe dehydration were enrolled. Patients with a baseline bicarbonate level ≤22 mEq/L formed the modified intent to treat (mITT) group. RESULTS: At baseline, the treatment groups were comparable except that the PLA group was older. At hour 4, the PLA group had greater increases in serum bicarbonate from baseline than did the 0.9 % NaCl group (mean ± SD at 4 h: 18 ± 3.74 vs 18.0 ± 3.67; change from baseline of 1.6 and 0.0, respectively; P = .004). Both treatment groups received similar fluid volumes. The PLA group had less abdominal pain and better dehydration scores at hour 2 (both P = .03) but not at hour 4 (P = 0.15 and 0.08, respectively). No patient experienced clinically relevant worsening of laboratory findings or physical examination, and hospital admission rates were similar. One patient in each treatment group developed hyponatremia. Four patients developed hyperkalemia (PLA:1, 0.9 % NaCl:3). CONCLUSION: In comparison with 0.9 % NaCl, PLA for rehydration in children with AGE was well tolerated and led to more rapid improvement in serum bicarbonate and dehydration score. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT#01234883 (Registration Date: November 3, 2010).

A randomized clinical trial of recombinant human hyaluronidase-facilitated subcutaneous versus intravenous rehydration in mild to moderately dehydrated children in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: Alternative treatment of dehydration is needed when intravenous (IV) or oral rehydration therapy fails. Subcutaneous (SC) hydration facilitated by recombinant human hyaluronidase offers an alternative treatment for dehydration. This clinical trial is the first to compare recombinant human hyaluronidase-facilitated SC (rHFSC) rehydration with standard IV rehydration for use in dehydrated children. OBJECTIVE: This Phase IV noninferiority trial evaluated whether rHFSC fluid administration can be given safely and effectively, with volumes similar to those delivered intravenously, to children who have mild to moderate dehydration. METHODS: The study included mild to moderately dehydrated children (Gorelick dehydration score) aged 1 month to 10 years. They were randomized to receive 20 mL/kg of isotonic fluids using rHFSC or IV therapy over 1 hour and then as needed until clinically rehydrated. The primary outcome was total volume of fluid administered (emergency department [ED] plus inpatient hospitalization). Secondary outcomes included mean volume infused in the ED alone, postinfusion dehydration scores and weight changes, line placement success and time, safety, and provider and parent/guardian questionnaire. RESULTS: 148 patients (mean age, 2.3 [1.91] years]; white, 53.4%; black, 31.8%) were enrolled in the intention-to-treat population (73 rHFSC; 75 IV). The primary outcome, mean total volume infused, was 365.0 (324.6) mL in the rHFSC group over 3.1 hours versus 455.8 (597.4) mL in the IV group over 6.6 hours (P = 0.51). The secondary outcome of mean volume infused in the ED alone was 334.3 (226.40) mL in the rHFSC group versus 299.6 (252.33) mL in the IV group (P = 0.03). Dehydration scores and weight changes postinfusion were similar. Successful line placement occurred in all 73 rHFSC-treated patients and 59 of 75 (78.7%) IV-treated patients (P < 0.0001). All IV failures occurred in patients aged <3 years; rHFSC rescue was successful in all patients in whom it was attempted. Both treatments were well tolerated. Clinicians rated fluid administration as easy to perform in 94.5% (69 of 73) of the rHFSC group versus 65.3% (49 of 75) of the IV group (P < 0.001). Parents/caregivers were satisfied or very satisfied with fluid administration in 94.5% (69 of 73) of rHFSC-treated patients and 73.3% (55 of 75) of IV-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: In mild to moderately dehydrated children, rHFSC was inferior to IV hydration for the primary outcome measure. However, rHFSC was noninferior in the ED phase of hydration. Additional benefits of rHFSC included time and success of line placement, ease of use, and satisfaction. SC hydration facilitated with recombinant human hyaluronidase represents a reasonable addition to the treatment options for children who have mild to moderate dehydration, especially those with difficult IV access. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00773175.

Needle aspiration for the etiologic diagnosis of children with cellulitis in the era of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

OBJECTIVE: Cellulitis is a common problem in children but determining the causative agent is difficult. One tool used to identify the etiology is needle aspiration. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of needle aspiration in pediatric patients with cellulitis in the era of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). METHODS: This was a prospective descriptive study conducted in the emergency department of a tertiary care children's hospital. A convenience sample of healthy children, 0 to 18 years old, with cellulitis were enrolled. A standard cellulitis aspiration technique was performed. RESULTS: Twenty patients were enrolled and had cultures obtained. The etiologic agent was determined in 15% (3/20) of patients. The positive cultures were all MRSA. CONCLUSIONS: Although needle aspiration of cellulitis was of low yield, the only pathogens isolated in this study were CA-MRSA. Empiric antibiotics for cellulitis should include coverage for MRSA. In circumstances in which bacterial etiology and antibiotic susceptibility knowledge would be critical, needle aspiration should be considered.

Nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonization among mothers of term and late preterm previously healthy neonates with community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections.

We enrolled 35 case neonates with community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infection and their mothers and 19 control mother-neonate pairs. We obtained neonatal and maternal anterior nasal cultures, and clinical isolates. S. aureus nasal colonization was greater in case than control pairs. Neonates were more often infected with their nasal strain than their mother's nasal strain.

Recombinant human hyaluronidase-enabled subcutaneous pediatric rehydration.

OBJECTIVES: The Increased Flow Utilizing Subcutaneously-Enabled (INFUSE)-Pediatric Rehydration Study was designed to assess efficacy, safety, and clinical utility of recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20)-facilitated subcutaneous rehydration in children 2 months to 10 years of age. METHODS: Patients with mild/moderate dehydration requiring parenteral treatment in US emergency departments were eligible for this phase IV, multicenter, single-arm study. They received subcutaneous injection of 1 mL rHuPH20 (150 U), followed by subcutaneous infusion of 20 mL/kg isotonic fluid over the first hour. Subcutaneous rehydration was continued as needed for up to 72 hours. Rehydration was deemed successful if it was attributed by the investigator primarily to subcutaneous fluid infusion and the child was discharged without requiring an alternative method of rehydration. RESULTS: Efficacy was evaluated in 51 patients (mean age: 1.9 years; mean weight: 11.2 kg). Initial subcutaneous catheter placement was achieved with 1 attempt for 46/51 (90.2%) of patients. Rehydration was successful for 43/51 (84.3%) of patients. Five patients (9.8%) were hospitalized but deemed to be rehydrated primarily through subcutaneous therapy, for a total of 48/51 (94.1%) of patients. No treatment-related systemic adverse events were reported, but 1 serious adverse event occurred (cellulitis at infusion site). Investigators found the procedure easy to perform for 96% of patients (49/51 patients), and 90% of parents (43/48 parents) were satisfied or very satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: rHuPH20-facilitated subcutaneous hydration seems to be safe and effective for young children with mild/moderate dehydration. Subcutaneous access is achieved easily, and the procedure is well accepted by clinicians and parents.

Escherichia coli--infected cephalohematoma in an infant.

This report describes a 1-month-old female with bacteremia and meningitis complicated by an infected cephalohematoma that resulted from hematogenous seeding. This report serves as a reminder that, although occurring rarely, inflammation overlying a cephalohematoma in an infant with bacteremia can indicate focal infection that requires incision and drainage for resolution.

Pantoea agglomerans, a plant pathogen causing human disease.

We present 53 pediatric cases of Pantoea agglomerans infections cultured from normally sterile sites in patients seen at a children's hospital over 6 years. Isolates included 23 from the bloodstream, 14 from abscesses, 10 from joints/bones, 4 from the urinary tract, and 1 each from the peritoneum and the thorax. P. agglomerans was most associated with penetrating trauma by vegetative material and catheter-related bacteremia.

Multicentre surveillance of the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of macrolide resistance among pharyngeal isolates of group A streptococci in the USA.

OBJECTIVES: Rates of macrolide resistance in group A streptococci (GAS) were reported to be low in the US in the 1990s. However, we documented an unexpectedly high rate of macrolide resistance among GAS in Pittsburgh, PA, in 2001 and 2002. In an effort to define the current prevalence of macrolide-resistant GAS in the US, a multicentre surveillance project was initiated. METHODS: Between October 2002 and May 2003, 50 pharyngeal GAS isolates per month were requested from each of the nine participating sites representing a wide geographical distribution. Standard susceptibility testing was performed and the macrolide resistance phenotype was assessed using double-disc diffusion testing. Monthly and annual rates of macrolide resistance were calculated for each site. An adjusted overall rate of macrolide resistance was determined to account for differences in the numbers of GAS isolates sent from each centre. RESULTS: Overall, 171 of the 2797 collected isolates of GAS (6.1%) were resistant to erythromycin. The adjusted overall resistance rate was 5.2%. Rates of macrolide resistance varied by site (range 3.0-8.7%) and also by month (<2% to >10%). The M phenotype of macrolide resistance accounted for >60% of all macrolide-resistant isolates recovered in this study. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest an increasing prevalence and broad geographical distribution of macrolide-resistant GAS in the US, indicating the need for ongoing local and national longitudinal surveillance to define the extent of this problem.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis for febrile children who have cardiac lesions and undergo urinary catheterization in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To prevent bacterial endocarditis (BE) in those at risk, the American Heart Association recommends antibiotics for patients who have a known urinary tract infection and are about to undergo urinary catheterization (UC). In young children who have cardiac lesions and undergo UC for fever without a source, the problem with prophylaxis only in the presence of infected urine is that the presence of urinary tract infection is unknown before testing. This study was conducted to determine the cost-effectiveness of BE prophylaxis before UC in febrile children aged 0-24 months with moderate-risk cardiac lesions. METHODS: We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of BE prophylaxis compared with no prophylaxis from the societal perspective. Clinical outcomes were based on BE incidence and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Probabilities were derived from the medical literature. Costs were derived from national and local sources in US dollars for the reference year 2000, using a discount rate of 3%. RESULTS: On the basis of the analysis, prophylaxis prevents 7 BE cases per 1 million children treated. When antibiotic-associated deaths were included, the no-prophylaxis strategy was more effective and less costly than the prophylaxis strategy. When antibiotic-associated deaths were excluded, amoxicillin cost 10 million dollars per QALY gained and 70 million dollars per case prevented. For vancomycin, it was 13 million dollars per QALY gained and 95 million dollars per case prevented. The results were robust to variations in the prophylactic efficacy of antibiotics, incidence of bacteremia after UC, incidence of BE after bacteremia, and costs associated with BE prophylaxis and treatment. CONCLUSION: In the emergency department, BE prophylaxis before UC in febrile children who are aged 0 to 24 months and have moderate-risk cardiac lesions is not a cost-effective use of health care resources.