Etiology and Laboratory Abnormalities in Bacterial Meningitis in Neonates and Young Infants.

We conducted a retrospective review of electronic medical records of all cases of bacterial meningitis in neonates and young infants at our institution from 2004 to 2014. Fifty-six cases were identified. The most common causative organism was group B streptococcus, followed by Escherichia coli and then Listeria monocytogenes. Forty-four of the 56 patients in the study had abnormalities of the blood white blood cell (WBC) count. The most common WBC count abnormalities were leukopenia and elevation of the immature to total (I:T) neutrophil ratio. Six patients in the case series lacked cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. Overall, just 3 of the 56 patients had normal WBC count with differential, CSF WBC count, and urinalysis. Only 1 of the 56 patients was well appearing with all normal lab studies. Our study indicates that bacterial meningitis may occur without CSF pleocytosis but very infrequently occurs with all normal lab studies and well appearance.

High flow nasal cannula use outside of the ICU; factors associated with failure.

OBJECTIVES: High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) use is increasing in pediatrics. Few studies exist examining the safety of HFNC use outside the intensive care unit (ICU). This study aimed to characterize patient qualities associated with failure of HFNC use outside the ICU. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review of patients placed on HFNC outside the ICU from September 2011 to July 2013 was completed. Failure was defined as intubation or cardiopulmonary arrest. Two-sample tests and binary logistic regression determined significant factors associated with failed HFNC administration, both unadjusted and adjusted for hospital. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-one patients met inclusion criteria, with 192 receiving treatment for a primary respiratory diagnosis (83%). Fourteen (6%) progressed to HFNC failure; 12 transferred to the ICU and were intubated, two with congenital heart disease suffered cardiopulmonary arrest on the floor. Two-sample tests revealed failure patients were more likely to have a cardiac history (P = 0.026), history of intubation (P = 0.040), and require higher fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2 ) (median 100%; 25th-75th 60-100%; P = <0.001). Hospital adjusted logistic regression further demonstrated failure patients were more likely to be treated with higher FiO2 (OR: 38.3; 95% CI: 4.0-366.3; P = 0.002), and less likely to have a diagnosis of bronchiolitis (OR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-0.9; P = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: High FiO2 requirements, history of intubation, and cardiac co-morbidity are associative predictors of HFNC failure. Bronchiolitis patients may be treated with HFNC outside of the ICU with lower odds of failure. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:806-812. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Impact of a rapid respiratory panel test on patient outcomes.

CONTEXT: Evolution of polymerase chain reaction testing for infectious pathogens has occurred concurrent with a focus on value-based medicine. OBJECTIVE: To determine if implementation of the FilmArray rapid respiratory panel (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, Utah) (hereafter RRP), with a shorter time to the test result and expanded panel, results in different outcomes for children admitted to the hospital with an acute respiratory tract illness. DESIGN: Patient outcomes were compared before implementation of the RRP (November 1, 2011, to January 31, 2012) versus after implementation of the RRP (November 1, 2012, to January 31, 2013). The study included inpatients 3 months or older with an acute respiratory tract illness, most admitted through the emergency department. Testing before RRP implementation used batched polymerase chain reaction analysis for respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A and B, with additional testing for parainfluenza 1 through 3 in approximately 11% of patients and for human metapneumovirus in less than 1% of patients. The RRP tested for respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1 through 4, human metapneumovirus, adenovirus, rhinovirus/enterovirus, and coronavirus NL62. RESULTS: The pre-RRP group had 365 patients, and the post-RRP group had 771 patients. After RRP implementation, the mean time to the test result was shorter (383 minutes versus 1119 minutes, P < .001), and the percentage of patients with a result in the emergency department was greater (51.6% versus 13.4%, P < .001). There was no difference in whether antibiotics were prescribed, but the duration of antibiotic use was shorter after RRP implementation (P = .003) and was dependent on receiving test results within 4 hours. If the test result was positive, the inpatient length of stay (P = .03) and the time in isolation (P = .03) were decreased after RRP implementation compared with before RRP implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The RRP decreases the duration of antibiotic use, the length of inpatient stay, and the time in isolation.

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of central nervous system herpes simplex virus infection in neonates and young infants.

We reviewed the characteristics of infants <3 months of age with central nervous system herpes simplex virus infection at our institution. Twenty-six cases were identified. The age range was 4-73 days. Most infants presented with fever, seizure activity and skin lesions. The blood herpes simplex virus polymerase chain reaction was positive in 91% of patients tested. Suppressive oral acyclovir therapy was likely helpful in preventing disease recurrence.

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of disseminated herpes simplex virus infection in neonates.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Disseminated herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is the most fulminant type of neonatal HSV infection and has the highest mortality. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for patient survival. We describe the clinical presentation, laboratory characteristics, and outcomes of neonates with disseminated HSV infection at our institution. METHODS: A retrospective review of electronic medical records from 2006 to 2013 was performed. Only neonates with disseminated HSV infection, confirmed by using polymerase chain reaction or viral culture results, were included. RESULTS: Twenty-two cases were identified; the age range was 1 to 14 days. The majority of patients did not have a maternal history of HSV or a history of maternal fever at delivery. Eleven of the patients were delivered by cesarean delivery, and 3 of these patients did not have prolonged rupture of membranes. Neonatal fever, the most common historical characteristic, was present in only one-half of the patients. Pneumonia and respiratory distress were present in one-half of the patients. Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were elevated in most, but not all, patients. The blood HSV polymerase chain reaction was positive in all patients tested. Of the 22 study patients, 16 survived and 6 died. The majority of the patients who died had respiratory disease and a delay in the initiation of acyclovir therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Disseminated HSV infection in neonates can be challenging to diagnose and is associated with high mortality. Clinicians must strongly consider this diagnosis, test the blood for HSV polymerase chain reaction, and initiate early treatment in the appropriate clinical scenarios.