A multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru / Una estrategia multimodal para mejorar la atención médica de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y fiebre en Perú / Uma estratégia multimodal para melhorar a prestação de serviços de saúde para pacientes pediátricos com câncer e febre no Peru

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. The DoTT (Decreasing Time to Therapy) project aimed to minimize the interval between fever onset and medical interventions for children with febrile neutropenia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of implementing the DoTT project on the hospital time to antibiotic (TTA) and patient time to arrival (PTA) at the hospital in children with febrile neutropenia admitted to the emergency department. Methods. The DoTT project was implemented at a Peruvian hospital and followed the World Health Organi‐ zation (WHO) multimodal improvement strategy model. Components included creating a healthcare delivery bundle and antibiotic selection pathways, training users of the bundle and pathways, monitoring patient outcomes and obtaining user feedback, encouraging use of the new system, and promoting the integration of DoTT into the institutional culture. Emergency room providers were trained in the care delivery for children with cancer and fever and taught to use the bundle and pathways. DoTT was promoted via pamphlets and posters, with a view to institutionalizing the concept and disseminating it to other hospital services. Results. Admission data for 129 eligible patients in our registry were analyzed. The TTA and PTA were compared before and after the DoTT intervention. The median TTA was 146 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 97–265 minutes) before the intervention in 99 patients, and 69 minutes (IQR 50–120 minutes) afterwards in 30 patients (p<0.01). The median PTA was reduced from 1483 minutes at baseline to 660 minutes after the intervention (p<0.01). Conclusions. Applying the WHO multimodal improvement strategy model to the care of children with febrile neutropenia arriving at the hospital had a positive impact on the PTA and TTA, thus potentially increasing the survival of these patients.

[RESUMEN]. Objetivo. El proyecto DoTT (Disminuyendo el tiempo a la terapia, sigla en inglés) busca minimizar el intervalo entre el inicio de la fiebre y las intervenciones médicas en la población infantil con neutropenia febril. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el efecto de la implementación del proyecto DoTT sobre el tiempo transcurrido desde el inicio de la fiebre hasta la llegada del paciente (TLP) al hospital y el tiempo transcurrido en el hospital hasta la administración del antibiótico (TAA) en niños con neutropenia febril ingresados en el servicio de urgencias. Métodos. El proyecto DoTT se puso en marcha en un hospital peruano, según el modelo de estrategia multimodal de mejora de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Entre sus componentes se encontraban crear un conjunto de servicios de atención de salud y de algoritmos para la selección de antibióticos; capacitar a los usuarios en la utilización del conjunto de servicios y de los algoritmos; realizar un seguimiento de los resultados de los pacientes y recabar la opinión de los usuarios; fomentar el uso del nuevo sistema; y promover la integración del proyecto en la cultura institucional. Se capacitó al personal de la sala de urgencias en la atención de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y fiebre, y en el uso del conjunto de servicios y de los algoritmos. Se informó sobre el proyecto DoTT mediante folletos y carteles, con vistas a institucionalizar el concepto y difundirlo a otros servicios hospitalarios. Resultados. Se analizaron los datos de ingreso de 129 pacientes de nuestro registro que cumplían con los requisitos. Se compararon el TAA y el TLP al hospital antes y después de la intervención con las pautas del proyecto DoTT. La mediana del TAA fue de 146 minutos (intervalo intercuartílico [II]: 97‐265 minutos) en 99 pacientes antes de la intervención y de 69 minutos (II: 50‐120 minutos) en 30 pacientes después de ella (p <0,01). La mediana del TLP disminuyó de 1 483 minutos en el momento de la evaluación inicial a 660 minutos después de la intervención (p <0,01). Conclusiones. La aplicación del modelo de estrategia multimodal de mejora de la OMS a la atención de la población infantil con neutropenia febril que acude al hospital tuvo un efecto positivo sobre el TLP y el TAA, lo que podría aumentar la supervivencia de estos pacientes.

[RESUMO]. Objetivo. O projeto DoTT (Redução do Tempo para o Tratamento, na sigla em inglês) tem como objetivo reduzir ao máximo o intervalo entre o início da febre e as intervenções médicas em crianças com neutropenia febril. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o efeito da implementação do projeto DoTT no tempo desde o início da febre até a chegada do paciente (TCP) ao hospital e no tempo no hospital até a administração de antibióticos (TAA) em crianças com neutropenia febril admitidas no departamento de emergência. Métodos. O projeto DoTT foi implementado em um hospital do Peru e seguiu o modelo de estratégia de melhoria multimodal da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Os componentes incluíram a criação de um pacote de prestação de serviços de saúde e de protocolos de seleção de antibióticos, o treinamento de usuários no pacote e nos protocolos de seleção, o monitoramento da evolução dos pacientes e obtenção de feedback dos usuários, o incentivo ao uso do novo sistema e a promoção da integração do DoTT à cultura institucional. Os profissionais do pronto socorro foram capacitados na prestação de cuidados a crianças com câncer e febre e no uso do pacote e dos protocolos de seleção. O DoTT foi divulgado por meio de panfletos e pôsteres, com o objetivo de institucionalizar o conceito e disseminá‐lo para outros serviços hospitalares. Resultados. Foram analisados os dados de internação de 129 pacientes elegíveis em nosso registro. O TAA e o TCP foram comparados antes e depois da intervenção DoTT. O TAA mediano era de 146 minutos (intervalo interquartil: 97‐265 minutos) antes da intervenção em 99 pacientes e de 69 minutos (intervalo interquartil: 50‐120 minutos) depois da intervenção em 30 pacientes (p < 0,01). O TCP mediano diminuiu de 1483 minutos na linha de base para 660 minutos após a intervenção (p < 0,01). Conclusão. A aplicação do modelo de estratégia multimodal de melhoria da OMS ao atendimento de crianças com neutropenia febril que chegam ao hospital teve um impacto positivo no TCP e no TAA, potencialmente aumentando a sobrevida desses pacientes.

Corrigendum to a multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru / Corrigendum a una estrategia multimodal para mejorar la atención médica de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y fiebre en Perú / Corrigendum a uma estratégia multimodal para melhorar a prestação de serviços de saúde para pacientes pediátricos com câncer e febre no Peru

[ABSTRACT]. The Pan American Journal of Public Health draws readers’ attention to an error in the following article, pointed out by the authors: Mendieta A, Rios Lopez L, Vargas Arteaga M, Maradiegue E, Delgadillo Arone W, Rueda Bazalar C, et al. A multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2023;47:e140. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.140 In page 4, figure 1 the word Lorem ipsum should be Vancomycin

[RESUMEN]. La Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública llama la atención a los lectores sobre un error en el siguiente artículo, señalado por los autores: Mendieta A, Rios Lopez L, Vargas Arteaga M, Maradiegue E, Delgadillo Arone W, Rueda Bazalar C, et al. A multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2023;47:e140. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.140

[RESUMO]. A Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública chama a atenção dos leitores para um erro no artigo a seguir, apontado pelos autores: Mendieta A, Rios Lopez L, Vargas Arteaga M, Maradiegue E, Delgadillo Arone W, Rueda Bazalar C, et al. A multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2023;47:e140. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.140

A multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru.

Objective: The DoTT (Decreasing Time to Therapy) project aimed to minimize the interval between fever onset and medical interventions for children with febrile neutropenia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of implementing the DoTT project on the hospital time to antibiotic (TTA) and patient time to arrival (PTA) at the hospital in children with febrile neutropenia admitted to the emergency department. Methods: The DoTT project was implemented at a Peruvian hospital and followed the World Health Organization (WHO) multimodal improvement strategy model. Components included creating a healthcare delivery bundle and antibiotic selection pathways, training users of the bundle and pathways, monitoring patient outcomes and obtaining user feedback, encouraging use of the new system, and promoting the integration of DoTT into the institutional culture. Emergency room providers were trained in the care delivery for children with cancer and fever and taught to use the bundle and pathways. DoTT was promoted via pamphlets and posters, with a view to institutionalizing the concept and disseminating it to other hospital services. Results: Admission data for 129 eligible patients in our registry were analyzed. The TTA and PTA were compared before and after the DoTT intervention. The median TTA was 146 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 97-265 minutes) before the intervention in 99 patients, and 69 minutes (IQR 50-120 minutes) afterwards in 30 patients (p < 0.01). The median PTA was reduced from 1 483 minutes at baseline to 660 minutes after the intervention (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Applying the WHO multimodal improvement strategy model to the care of children with febrile neutropenia arriving at the hospital had a positive impact on the PTA and TTA, thus potentially increasing the survival of these patients.

A multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru / Una estrategia multimodal para mejorar la atención médica de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y fiebre en Perú / Uma estratégia multimodal para melhorar a prestação de serviços de saúde para pacientes pediátricos com câncer e febre no Peru

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. The DoTT (Decreasing Time to Therapy) project aimed to minimize the interval between fever onset and medical interventions for children with febrile neutropenia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of implementing the DoTT project on the hospital time to antibiotic (TTA) and patient time to arrival (PTA) at the hospital in children with febrile neutropenia admitted to the emergency department. Methods. The DoTT project was implemented at a Peruvian hospital and followed the World Health Organi‐ zation (WHO) multimodal improvement strategy model. Components included creating a healthcare delivery bundle and antibiotic selection pathways, training users of the bundle and pathways, monitoring patient out‐ comes and obtaining user feedback, encouraging use of the new system, and promoting the integration of DoTT into the institutional culture. Emergency room providers were trained in the care delivery for children with cancer and fever and taught to use the bundle and pathways. DoTT was promoted via pamphlets and posters, with a view to institutionalizing the concept and disseminating it to other hospital services. Results. Admission data for 129 eligible patients in our registry were analyzed. The TTA and PTA were com‐ pared before and after the DoTT intervention. The median TTA was 146 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 97–265 minutes) before the intervention in 99 patients, and 69 minutes (IQR 50–120 minutes) afterwards in 30 patients (p<0.01). The median PTA was reduced from 1483 minutes at baseline to 660 minutes after the intervention (p<0.01). Conclusions. Applying the WHO multimodal improvement strategy model to the care of children with febrile neutropenia arriving at the hospital had a positive impact on the PTA and TTA, thus potentially increasing the survival of these patients. This article has been corrected https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.163

[RESUMEN]. Objetivo. El proyecto DoTT (Disminuyendo el tiempo a la terapia, sigla en inglés) busca minimizar el intervalo entre el inicio de la fiebre y las intervenciones médicas en la población infantil con neutropenia febril. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el efecto de la implementación del proyecto DoTT sobre el tiempo transcurrido desde el inicio de la fiebre hasta la llegada del paciente (TLP) al hospital y el tiempo transcurrido en el hospital hasta la administración del antibiótico (TAA) en niños con neutropenia febril ingresados en el servicio de urgencias. Métodos. El proyecto DoTT se puso en marcha en un hospital peruano, según el modelo de estrategia mul‐ timodal de mejora de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Entre sus componentes se encontraban crear un conjunto de servicios de atención de salud y de algoritmos para la selección de antibióticos; capacitar a los usuarios en la utilización del conjunto de servicios y de los algoritmos; realizar un seguimiento de los resultados de los pacientes y recabar la opinión de los usuarios; fomentar el uso del nuevo sistema; y promover la integración del proyecto en la cultura institucional. Se capacitó al personal de la sala de urgencias en la atención de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y fiebre, y en el uso del conjunto de servicios y de los algoritmos. Se informó sobre el proyecto DoTT mediante folletos y carteles, con vistas a institucionalizar el concepto y difundirlo a otros servicios hospitalarios. Resultados. Se analizaron los datos de ingreso de 129 pacientes de nuestro registro que cumplían con los requisitos. Se compararon el TAA y el TLP al hospital antes y después de la intervención con las pautas del proyecto DoTT. La mediana del TAA fue de 146 minutos (intervalo intercuartílico [II]: 97‐265 minutos) en 99 pacientes antes de la intervención y de 69 minutos (II: 50‐120 minutos) en 30 pacientes después de ella (p <0,01). La mediana del TLP disminuyó de 1 483 minutos en el momento de la evaluación inicial a 660 minutos después de la intervención (p <0,01). Conclusiones. La aplicación del modelo de estrategia multimodal de mejora de la OMS a la atención de la población infantil con neutropenia febril que acude al hospital tuvo un efecto positivo sobre el TLP y el TAA, lo que podría aumentar la supervivencia de estos pacientes. Este artículo ha sido corregido por https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.163

[RESUMO]. Objetivo. O projeto DoTT (Redução do Tempo para o Tratamento, na sigla em inglês) tem como objetivo reduzir ao máximo o intervalo entre o início da febre e as intervenções médicas em crianças com neutropenia febril. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o efeito da implementação do projeto DoTT no tempo desde o início da febre até a chegada do paciente (TCP) ao hospital e no tempo no hospital até a administração de antibióticos (TAA) em crianças com neutropenia febril admitidas no departamento de emergência. Métodos. O projeto DoTT foi implementado em um hospital do Peru e seguiu o modelo de estratégia de melhoria multimodal da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Os componentes incluíram a criação de um pacote de prestação de serviços de saúde e de protocolos de seleção de antibióticos, o treinamento de usuários no pacote e nos protocolos de seleção, o monitoramento da evolução dos pacientes e obtenção de feedback dos usuários, o incentivo ao uso do novo sistema e a promoção da integração do DoTT à cultura institucional. Os profissionais do pronto‐socorro foram capacitados na prestação de cuidados a crianças com câncer e febre e no uso do pacote e dos protocolos de seleção. O DoTT foi divulgado por meio de panfletos e pôsteres, com o objetivo de institucionalizar o conceito e disseminá‐lo para outros serviços hospitalares. Resultados. Foram analisados os dados de internação de 129 pacientes elegíveis em nosso registro. O TAA e o TCP foram comparados antes e depois da intervenção DoTT. O TAA mediano era de 146 minutos (inter‐ valo interquartil: 97‐265 minutos) antes da intervenção em 99 pacientes e de 69 minutos (intervalo interquartil: 50‐120 minutos) depois da intervenção em 30 pacientes (p < 0,01). O TCP mediano diminuiu de 1483 minutos na linha de base para 660 minutos após a intervenção (p < 0,01). Conclusão. A aplicação do modelo de estratégia multimodal de melhoria da OMS ao atendimento de crianças com neutropenia febril que chegam ao hospital teve um impacto positivo no TCP e no TAA, potencialmente aumentando a sobrevida desses pacientes. Este artigo foi corrigido https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.163

Global caregiver concerns of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in children with cancer: a cross-sectional mixed-methods study.

The objective of this study was to understand global caregiver concerns about SARS-CoV-2 vaccination for children with cancer and to provide healthcare providers with guidance to support parental decision-making. A co-designed cross-sectional mixed-methods survey was distributed to primary caregivers of children with cancer globally between April and May 2021 via several media. Caregivers were asked to rate the importance of vaccine-related questions and the median scores were ranked. Principal Component Analysis was conducted to identify underlying dimensions of caregiver concerns by World Bank income groups. Content analysis of free-text responses was conducted and triangulated with the quantitative findings. 627 caregivers from 22 countries responded to the survey with 5.3% (n = 67) responses from low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC). 184 caregivers (29%) provided free-text responses. Side effects and vaccine safety were caregivers' primary concerns in all countries. Questions related to logistics were of concern for caregivers in LMIC. A small minority of caregivers (n = 17) did not consider the survey questions important; free-text analysis identified these parents as vaccine hesitant, some of them quoting safety and side effects as main reasons for hesitancy. Healthcare providers and other community organizations globally need to provide tailored information about vaccine safety and effectiveness in pediatric oncology settings. Importantly, continued efforts are imperative to reduce global inequities in logistical access to vaccines, particularly in LMIC.

A multimodal strategy to improve health care for pediatric patients with cancer and fever in Peru / Una estrategia multimodal para mejorar la atención médica de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y fiebre en Perú / Uma estratégia multimodal para melhorar a prestação de serviços de saúde para pacientes pediátricos com câncer e febre no Peru

ABSTRACT Objective. The DoTT (Decreasing Time to Therapy) project aimed to minimize the interval between fever onset and medical interventions for children with febrile neutropenia. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of implementing the DoTT project on the hospital time to antibiotic (TTA) and patient time to arrival (PTA) at the hospital in children with febrile neutropenia admitted to the emergency department. Methods. The DoTT project was implemented at a Peruvian hospital and followed the World Health Organization (WHO) multimodal improvement strategy model. Components included creating a healthcare delivery bundle and antibiotic selection pathways, training users of the bundle and pathways, monitoring patient outcomes and obtaining user feedback, encouraging use of the new system, and promoting the integration of DoTT into the institutional culture. Emergency room providers were trained in the care delivery for children with cancer and fever and taught to use the bundle and pathways. DoTT was promoted via pamphlets and posters, with a view to institutionalizing the concept and disseminating it to other hospital services. Results. Admission data for 129 eligible patients in our registry were analyzed. The TTA and PTA were compared before and after the DoTT intervention. The median TTA was 146 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 97-265 minutes) before the intervention in 99 patients, and 69 minutes (IQR 50-120 minutes) afterwards in 30 patients (p < 0.01). The median PTA was reduced from 1 483 minutes at baseline to 660 minutes after the intervention (p < 0.01). Conclusions. Applying the WHO multimodal improvement strategy model to the care of children with febrile neutropenia arriving at the hospital had a positive impact on the PTA and TTA, thus potentially increasing the survival of these patients.

RESUMEN Objetivo. El proyecto DoTT (Disminuyendo el tiempo a la terapia, sigla en inglés) busca minimizar el intervalo entre el inicio de la fiebre y las intervenciones médicas en la población infantil con neutropenia febril. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el efecto de la implementación del proyecto DoTT sobre el tiempo transcurrido desde el inicio de la fiebre hasta la llegada del paciente (TLP) al hospital y el tiempo transcurrido en el hospital hasta la administración del antibiótico (TAA) en niños con neutropenia febril ingresados en el servicio de urgencias. Métodos. El proyecto DoTT se puso en marcha en un hospital peruano, según el modelo de estrategia multimodal de mejora de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Entre sus componentes se encontraban crear un conjunto de servicios de atención de salud y de algoritmos para la selección de antibióticos; capacitar a los usuarios en la utilización del conjunto de servicios y de los algoritmos; realizar un seguimiento de los resultados de los pacientes y recabar la opinión de los usuarios; fomentar el uso del nuevo sistema; y promover la integración del proyecto en la cultura institucional. Se capacitó al personal de la sala de urgencias en la atención de pacientes pediátricos con cáncer y fiebre, y en el uso del conjunto de servicios y de los algoritmos. Se informó sobre el proyecto DoTT mediante folletos y carteles, con vistas a institucionalizar el concepto y difundirlo a otros servicios hospitalarios. Resultados. Se analizaron los datos de ingreso de 129 pacientes de nuestro registro que cumplían con los requisitos. Se compararon el TAA y el TLP al hospital antes y después de la intervención con las pautas del proyecto DoTT. La mediana del TAA fue de 146 minutos (intervalo intercuartílico [II]: 97-265 minutos) en 99 pacientes antes de la intervención y de 69 minutos (II: 50-120 minutos) en 30 pacientes después de ella (p <0,01). La mediana del TLP disminuyó de 1 483 minutos en el momento de la evaluación inicial a 660 minutos después de la intervención (p <0,01). Conclusiones. La aplicación del modelo de estrategia multimodal de mejora de la OMS a la atención de la población infantil con neutropenia febril que acude al hospital tuvo un efecto positivo sobre el TLP y el TAA, lo que podría aumentar la supervivencia de estos pacientes.

RESUMO Objetivo. O projeto DoTT (Redução do Tempo para o Tratamento, na sigla em inglês) tem como objetivo reduzir ao máximo o intervalo entre o início da febre e as intervenções médicas em crianças com neutropenia febril. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o efeito da implementação do projeto DoTT no tempo desde o início da febre até a chegada do paciente (TCP) ao hospital e no tempo no hospital até a administração de antibióticos (TAA) em crianças com neutropenia febril admitidas no departamento de emergência. Métodos. O projeto DoTT foi implementado em um hospital do Peru e seguiu o modelo de estratégia de melhoria multimodal da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). Os componentes incluíram a criação de um pacote de prestação de serviços de saúde e de protocolos de seleção de antibióticos, o treinamento de usuários no pacote e nos protocolos de seleção, o monitoramento da evolução dos pacientes e obtenção de feedback dos usuários, o incentivo ao uso do novo sistema e a promoção da integração do DoTT à cultura institucional. Os profissionais do pronto-socorro foram capacitados na prestação de cuidados a crianças com câncer e febre e no uso do pacote e dos protocolos de seleção. O DoTT foi divulgado por meio de panfletos e pôsteres, com o objetivo de institucionalizar o conceito e disseminá-lo para outros serviços hospitalares. Resultados. Foram analisados os dados de internação de 129 pacientes elegíveis em nosso registro. O TAA e o TCP foram comparados antes e depois da intervenção DoTT. O TAA mediano era de 146 minutos (intervalo interquartil: 97-265 minutos) antes da intervenção em 99 pacientes e de 69 minutos (intervalo interquartil: 50-120 minutos) depois da intervenção em 30 pacientes (p < 0,01). O TCP mediano diminuiu de 1483 minutos na linha de base para 660 minutos após a intervenção (p < 0,01). Conclusão. A aplicação do modelo de estratégia multimodal de melhoria da OMS ao atendimento de crianças com neutropenia febril que chegam ao hospital teve um impacto positivo no TCP e no TAA, potencialmente aumentando a sobrevida desses pacientes.

High morbidity and mortality associated with primary bloodstream infections among pediatric patients with cancer at a Guatemalan tertiary referral hospital.

Infectious complications remain major contributors to adverse outcomes in patients treated for non-communicable disease, particularly in resource limited settings. We performed a 5-year retrospective study of primary bloodstream infections at a dedicated pediatric oncology center in Guatemala. Two hundred and twelve episodes occurring in 194 unique patients qualified for inclusion. Patients required intensive care unit admission in 55% of episodes and death occurred in 24% of episodes. Despite subspecialty support in infectious diseases, poor outcomes, including prolonged hospitalization and mortality, were frequent. Our findings suggest that investments in laboratory and clinical data collection are critical to understanding the contributors to poor outcomes and therefore to improving the quality of bloodstream infection management in resource limited settings.

The PRINCIPAL Network: A Model to Optimize Infection Care and Prevention in Pediatric Oncology in the Latin American Region.

PURPOSE: Children with cancer are at high risk for poor outcomes, and health care providers are often unfamiliar with best practices in infection care and prevention (IC&P) in this small and fragile population. Graduates of training courses in IC&P in immunocompromised hosts identified a need for a community that would enable members to share health care experiences, provide resources for continuing medical education, and foster collaborative research and quality improvement opportunities. We developed a Latin American network, Prevencionistas e Infectólogos para Cáncer Pediátrico en América Latina, to grow and sustain the expertise of the clinical workforce in IC&P. Here, we describe the network, how we built it, and its early outcomes. METHODS: We began by codesigning the mission, vision, objectives, and values. We then established the structure for leadership and network management to provide a functional uniformity and sustainability. Virtual meetings with network members and strategic in-person gatherings optimized the use of the time and resources of the network. RESULTS: The network has seen good participation by members and candidates for membership, who have provided feedback on case-based learning. Members have attended training sessions on quality improvement, research in human subjects, and IC&P in pediatric oncology at national and regional meetings and workshops. Network members have presented their work at regional and global meetings, and publications are beginning to emerge from this community. A direct effect of the Prevencionistas e Infectólogos para Cáncer Pediátrico en América Latina network has been the creation of a similar network for the Asia Pacific region, and a third network is being planned. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated the power of a discipline-specific network structure to facilitate sharing of evidence-based information that enhances the quality-of-care delivery in pediatric oncology.

Answers to common questions about COVID-19 vaccines in children with cancer.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in 2020 evolved into a global pandemic, and COVID-19 vaccines became rapidly available, including for pediatric patients. However, questions emerged that challenged vaccine acceptance and use. We aimed to answer these questions and give recommendations applicable for use in pediatric patients with cancer by healthcare professionals and the public. METHODS: A 12-member global COVID-19 Vaccine in Pediatric Oncology Working Group made up of physicians and nurses from all world regions met weekly from March to July 2021. We used a modified Delphi method to select the top questions. The Working Group, in four-member subgroups, answered assigned questions by providing brief recommendations, followed by a discussion of the rationale for each answer. All Working Group members voted on each recommendation using a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being complete agreement. A "pass" recommendation corresponded to an agreement ≥7.5. RESULTS: We selected 15 questions from 173 suggested questions. Based on existing published information, we generated answers for each question as recommendations. The overall average agreement for the 24 recommendations was 9.5 (95% CI 9.4-9.6). CONCLUSION: Top COVID-19 vaccine-related questions could be answered using available information. Reports on COVID-19 vaccination and related topics have been published at record speed, aided by available technology and the priority imposed by the pandemic; however, all efforts were made to incorporate emerging information throughout our project. Recommendations will be periodically updated on a dedicated website.

Global characteristics and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents with cancer (GRCCC): a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that children and adolescents with COVID-19 generally have mild disease. Children and adolescents with cancer, however, can have severe disease when infected with respiratory viruses. In this study, we aimed to understand the clinical course and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents with cancer. METHODS: We did a cohort study with data from 131 institutions in 45 countries. We created the Global Registry of COVID-19 in Childhood Cancer to capture de-identified data pertaining to laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections in children and adolescents (<19 years) with cancer or having received a haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. There were no centre-specific exclusion criteria. The registry was disseminated through professional networks through email and conferences and health-care providers were invited to submit all qualifying cases. Data for demographics, oncological diagnosis, clinical course, and cancer therapy details were collected. Primary outcomes were disease severity and modification to cancer-directed therapy. The registry remains open to data collection. FINDINGS: Of 1520 submitted episodes, 1500 patients were included in the study between April 15, 2020, and Feb 1, 2021. 1319 patients had complete 30-day follow-up. 259 (19·9%) of 1301 patients had a severe or critical infection, and 50 (3·8%) of 1319 died with the cause attributed to COVID-19 infection. Modifications to cancer-directed therapy occurred in 609 (55·8%) of 1092 patients receiving active oncological treatment. Multivariable analysis revealed several factors associated with severe or critical illness, including World Bank low-income or lower-middle-income (odds ratio [OR] 5·8 [95% CI 3·8-8·8]; p<0·0001) and upper-middle-income (1·6 [1·2-2·2]; p=0·0024) country status; age 15-18 years (1·6 [1·1-2·2]; p=0·013); absolute lymphocyte count of 300 or less cells per mm3 (2·5 [1·8-3·4]; p<0·0001), absolute neutrophil count of 500 or less cells per mm3 (1·8 [1·3-2·4]; p=0·0001), and intensive treatment (1·8 [1·3-2·3]; p=0·0005). Factors associated with treatment modification included upper-middle-income country status (OR 0·5 [95% CI 0·3-0·7]; p=0·0004), primary diagnosis of other haematological malignancies (0·5 [0·3-0·8]; p=0·0088), the presence of one of more COVID-19 symptoms at the time of presentation (1·8 [1·3-2·4]; p=0·0002), and the presence of one or more comorbidities (1·6 [1·1-2·3]; p=0·020). INTERPRETATION: In this global cohort of children and adolescents with cancer and COVID-19, severe and critical illness occurred in one fifth of patients and deaths occurred in a higher proportion than is reported in the literature in the general paediatric population. Additionally, we found that variables associated with treatment modification were not the same as those associated with greater disease severity. These data could inform clinical practice guidelines and raise awareness globally that children and adolescents with cancer are at high-risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness. FUNDING: American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities and the National Cancer Institute.

Survey of practices for the clinical management of febrile neutropenia in children in hematology-oncology units in Latin America.

The management of febrile neutropenia (FN) in pediatrics is evolving. Our objective was to describe current practices for the care of patients with FN in pediatric oncology centers in Latin America and identify areas for practice improvement. We used an online survey to enroll eligible healthcare providers who treat children with cancer in Latin America. The survey addressed respondents' characteristics, the environment of care, and FN care practices, including risk assessment, criteria for hospitalization, initial management of FN, evaluation, antibiotic administration, and discharge. From 220 surveys sent, we received 109 responses and selected 108 from 19 countries for analysis. Most (94%) respondents were working in specialized oncology centers, oncology units within a pediatric or general care hospital. The cohort included oncologists (42%) and infectious diseases physicians (30%). Most (67%) respondents had available guidelines; they used a risk-stratification scoring system (73%) for severe infection; and their guidelines had locally adapted risk stratification (34%) or published risk stratification (51%). The respondents used diverse FN definitions and concepts, including fever definitions, temperature-obtaining methods, neutropenia values for assigning risk, empiric antimicrobials administration, and length of hospitalization. Overall, we detected common practices aligning with standard published recommendations, as well as care variability. These findings can guide further evaluations of care resources and practices to prioritize interventions, and professional networks can be used for FN discussions and consensus in Latin America.

Development, Implementation, and Outcomes of a Global Infectious Disease Training Course.

BACKGROUND: Skilled healthcare professionals are critical for providing quality healthcare for children with cancer globally. Training curricula addressing the knowledge needs in infection care and prevention (ICP) in cancer are scarce. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: We implemented a 10-week blended course in ICP. The distance learning had four 2-week modules: Infectious Complications, Quality in Infection Care, Quality in Infection Prevention, and Sustainability, Research, and Dissemination. Each module had pre- and post-tests and weekly webinars. The 2-week in-person learning had lectures, group exercises, clinical observations, hospital and laboratory tours, and ended in an annual conference. An individual project developed during the distance learning was presented in the in-person workshop. Course attendance criteria were English language proficiency and participants' role in ICP at their institutions. PROGRAM EVALUATION AND RESULTS: Twenty-two students from 17 hospitals in 10 countries completed the course, developed a project, and answered surveys covering knowledge assessments and satisfaction, and 6-month course and 1-year project follow-ups. Pretest and post-test scores revealed knowledge improvement (P < .001). Participants rated the distance learning as outstanding (63%) or good (28%); and the in-person as outstanding (87%). In the follow-up survey, graduates felt more comfortable at managing infections and participated more in quality improvement and academics at their institutions. Seventeen participants (77%) took steps to implement their study projects, and 9 were successful. Collaboration and networking of trainees were notable outcomes. DISCUSSION: The ICP course is a resource to improve knowledge, engage graduates in network collaborations, and a reliable model to develop other thematic healthcare global training programs.

The Global COVID-19 Observatory and Resource Center for Childhood Cancer: A response for the pediatric oncology community by SIOP and St. Jude Global.

The COVID-19 pandemic quickly led to an abundance of publications and recommendations, despite a paucity of information on how COVID-19 affects children with cancer. This created a dire need for a trusted resource with curated information and a space for the pediatric oncology community to share experiences. The Global COVID-19 Observatory and Resource Center for Childhood Cancer was developed, launched, and maintained by the International Society of Pediatric Oncology and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The three components (Resource Library, Global Registry, and Collaboration Space) complement each other, establishing a mechanism to generate and transfer knowledge rapidly throughout the community.

Infection Prevention and Control Measures at the Children Hospital Lahore: A My Child Matters Collaborative Project.

PURPOSE: Infection prevention among children with cancer is a major challenge at Children Hospital Lahore (CHL), a public health care facility in Pakistan with 1,000 new pediatric cancer admissions annually. The objective has been to reduce infections through collaboration between CHL and the St Jude Children's Hospital Global Infectious Disease program via a grant by the Sanofi Espoir foundation through the My Child Matters program. The aim of the current study was to describe the effect of the collaborative improvement strategy on existing infection prevention and control (IPC) standards at CHL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our work was a prospective before-and-after study to improve IPC standards. We compared the WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework and four modules of the St Jude modified Infection Control Assessment Tool (ICAT) scores over a 3-year period. Our strategy included creating a multidisciplinary team of pediatric oncologists, infectious disease physicians, nurses, a microbiologist, and a data manager; engaging in monthly online IPC mentoring sessions with St Jude Children's Hospital Global Infectious Disease program and My Child Matters mentors; performing daily inpatient health care-associated infection surveillance rounds; and performing regular hand hygiene training and compliance audits. RESULTS: Baseline needs assessment showed health care-associated infections identified by positive blood cultures as 8.7 infections per 1,000 patient-days. Deficient hand hygiene supplies, health education measures, and bed sharing of neutropenic patients were identified as major challenges. Our hand hygiene facility level, per WHO scores, increased from Inadequate to Intermediate/Consolidation by the end of the 3-year implementation (122 v 352 WHO Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework scores). The sink:bed and hand sanitizer:bed ratios improved to 1:6 and 1:1, respectively. The ICAT general infection control module increased by 40% (45 v 78 ICAT scores) and hygiene compliance improved by 20%. CONCLUSION: Implementing a collaborative improvement strategy improved IPC standards in our center, which can be easily replicated in other pediatric oncology centers in lower- and middle-income countries.

Guidance Statement for the Management of Febrile Neutropenia in Pediatric Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy in Central America and the Caribbean.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to provide regionally appropriate, resource-conscious recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric patients with febrile neutropenia. METHODS: A multinational panel of Central American and Caribbean clinicians who deliver pediatric oncology care prioritized clinically important questions and then used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology to provide recommendations on the selected topics. RESULTS: Twenty-two questions and 2 definitions were included in the guideline, which was intended to establish minimum care standards for pediatric patients treated in regional centers. Of all the included studies, 6.9% were conducted in low- and middle-income countries, and no studies were performed in countries represented on the panel. CONCLUSION: The panel made recommendations on the basis of existing evidence but identified important gaps in knowledge from the region and from resource-limited settings that may affect the clinical applicability of these recommendations. These deficiencies suggest a research agenda that will enable future guidelines to be more responsive to the local context.

Prevalence and characteristics of acute respiratory virus infections in pediatric cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients with pediatric cancer have a higher risk of morbidity and mortality because of respiratory viral infections than other patient populations. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the causative viruses of respiratory infections and their burden among patients with pediatric cancer in Lebanon. STUDY DESIGN: Nasopharyngeal swabs along with clinical and demographic data were collected from patients with pediatric cancer presenting febrile episodes with upper respiratory tract symptoms. Total nucleic acid was extracted from specimens followed by the real-time PCR analysis targeting 14 respiratory viruses to estimate the frequency of infections. RESULTS: We obtained 89 nasopharyngeal swabs from patients with pediatric cancer (mean age, 5.8 ± 4.2 years). Real-time PCR confirmed viral infection in 77 swabs (86.5%). Among these, 151 respiratory viruses were detected. Several viruses cocirculated within the same period; respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the most common (45.45%), followed by parainfluenza virus (PIV; 26%), influenza type B (26%), human metapneumovirus (24.6%), and human coronavirus (HCoV; 24.6%). Coinfections were detected in 55% of the subjects, and most of them involved RSV with one or more other viruses. A strong correlation was found between PIV, Flu (influenza of any type), RSV, and HCoV with the incidence of coinfections. RSV was associated with lower respiratory tract infections, nasal congestion, bronchitis, and bacteremia. HCoV was associated with bronchiolitis; rhinovirus was associated with hospital admission. CONCLUSION: Patients with pediatric cancer have a high burden of respiratory viral infections and a high incidence of coinfections. Molecular diagnostics can improve management of febrile episodes and reduce antibiotic use.

Brown Recluse Spider Bites in Patients With Neutropenia: A Single-institution Experience.

Brown recluse spider bites can cause local and systemic signs, including rash, dermonecrosis, edema, hemolysis, and acute kidney failure. These are mostly attributed to sphingomyelinase D, the main toxin. To evaluate the severity of the disease in pediatric patients with and without neutropenia, we retrospectively reviewed records of patients treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital between 1970 and 2015 and identified 19 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Variables of interest included the type of underlying illness, presence of neutropenia, number of days of hospitalization, disease signs and outcome of the bite, and treatments administered. We used descriptive statistics to summarize the manifestations and severity of spider bites in patients with and without neutropenia. Six patients experienced pain from the bite, 11 had erythema, 7 developed edema, and 5 had fever. The response to spider bites in neutropenic patients was no milder than that in non-neutropenic individuals. Six patients developed systemic complications. Compared with non-neutropenic patients, neutropenic patients had antibiotics prescribed more often and experienced longer hospital stays. Spider bites do not seem to have a different clinical course in neutropenic patients. Therefore, a conservative approach may be best for these patients, with close monitoring and local wound care.

Measuring readiness for and satisfaction with a hand hygiene e-learning course among healthcare workers in a paediatric oncology centre in Guatemala City.

E-learning has been widely used in the infection control field and has been recommended for use in hand hygiene (HH) programs by the World Health Organization. Such strategies are effective and efficient for infection control, but factors such as learner readiness for this method should be determined to assure feasibility and suitability in low- to middle-income countries. We developed a tailored, e-learning, Spanish-language HH course based on the WHO guidelines for HH in healthcare settings for the pediatric cancer center in Guatemala City. We aimed to identify e-readiness factors that influenced HH course completion and evaluate HCWs' satisfaction. Pearson's chi-square test of independence was used to retrospectively compare e-readiness factors and course-completion status (completed, non-completed, and never-started). We surveyed 194 HCWs for e-readiness; 116 HCWs self-enrolled in the HH course, and 55 responded to the satisfaction survey. Most e-readiness factors were statistically significant between course-completion groups. Moreover, students were significantly more likely to complete the course if they had a computer with an Internet connection (P=0.001) and self-reported comfort with using a computer several times a week (p=0.001) and communicating through online technologies (p=0.001). Previous online course experience was not a significant factor (p=0.819). E-readiness score averages varied among HCWs, and mean scores for all e-readiness factors were significantly higher among medical doctors than among nurses. Nearly all respondents to the satisfaction survey agreed that e-learning was as effective as the traditional teaching method. Evaluating HCWs' e-readiness is essential while integrating technologies into educational programs in low- to middle-income countries.