Leukopenia, neutropenia, and procalcitonin levels in young febrile infants with invasive bacterial infections.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Serum procalcitonin (PCT) is a highly accurate biomarker for stratifying the risk of invasive bacterial infections (IBIs) in febrile infants ≤60 days old. However, PCT is unavailable in some settings. We explored the association of leukopenia and neutropenia with IBIs in non-critically ill febrile infants ≤60 days old, with and without PCT. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a prospective observational cohort consisting of 7407 non-critically ill infants ≤60 days old with temperatures ≥38°C. We focused on the risk of IBIs in patients with leukopenia (white blood cell [WBC] count <5000 cells/µL) or neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] <1000 cells/µL), categorized to extremes of lower values, and the impact of PCT on these associations. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of IBIs. RESULTS: Final analysis included 6865 infants with complete data; 45% (3098) had PCT data available. Of the 6865, a total of 111 (1.6%) had bacteremia without bacterial meningitis, 18 (0.3%) had bacterial meningitis without bacteremia, and 19 (0.3%) had both bacteremia and bacterial meningitis. IBI was present in four of 20 (20%) infants with WBC counts ≤2500 cells/µL and four of 311 (1.3%) with ANC <1000 cells/µL. In multivariable logistic regression analysis not including PCT, a WBC count <2500 cells/µL was significantly associated with IBI (OR 13.48, 95% CI 2.92-45.35). However, no patients with leukopenia or neutropenia and PCT ≤0.5 ng/mL had IBIs. CONCLUSIONS: Leukopenia ≤2500 cells/µL in febrile infants ≤60 days old is associated with IBIs. However, in the presence of normal PCT levels, no patients with leukopenia had IBIs. While this suggests leukopenia ≤2500 cells/µL is a risk factor for IBIs in non-critically ill young febrile infants only when PCT is unavailable or elevated, the overall low frequency of leukopenia in this cohort warrants caution in interpretation, with future validation required.

Research Priorities for Pediatric Emergency Care to Address Disparities by Race, Ethnicity, and Language.

Importance: Health care disparities are well-documented among children based on race, ethnicity, and language for care. An agenda that outlines research priorities for disparities in pediatric emergency care (PEC) is lacking. Objective: To investigate research priorities for disparities in PEC among medical personnel, researchers, and health care-affiliated community organizations. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this survey study, a modified Delphi approach was used to investigate research priorities for disparities in PEC. An initial list of research priorities was developed by a group of experienced PEC investigators in 2021. Partners iteratively assessed the list through 2 rounds of electronic surveys using Likert-type responses in late 2021 and early 2022. Priorities were defined as achieving consensus if they received a score of highest priority or priority by at least 60% of respondents. Asynchronous engagement of participants via online web-conferencing platforms and email correspondence with electronic survey administration was used. Partners were individuals and groups involved in PEC. Participants represented interest groups, research and medical personnel organizations, health care partners, and laypersons with roles in community and family hospital advisory councils. Participants were largely from the US, with input from international PEC research networks. Outcome: Consensus agenda of research priorities to identify and address health care disparities in PEC. Results: PEC investigators generated an initial list of 27 potential priorities. Surveys were completed by 38 of 47 partners (80.6%) and 30 of 38 partners (81.1%) in rounds 1 and 2, respectively. Among 30 respondents who completed both rounds, there were 7 family or community partners and 23 medical or research partners, including 4 international PEC research networks. A total of 12 research priorities achieved the predetermined consensus threshold: (1) systematic efforts to reduce disparities; (2) race, ethnicity, and language data collection and reporting; (3) recognizing and mitigating clinician implicit bias; (4) mental health disparities; (5) social determinants of health; (6) language and literacy; (7) acute pain-management disparities; (8) quality of care equity metrics; (9) shared decision-making; (10) patient experience; (11) triage and acuity score assignment; and (12) inclusive research participation. Conclusions and Relevance: These results suggest a research priority agenda that may be used as a guide for investigators, research networks, organizations, and funding agencies to engage in and support high-priority disparities research topics in PEC.

Radiographic pneumonia in young febrile infants presenting to the emergency department: secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The lack of evidence-based criteria to guide chest radiograph (CXR) use in young febrile infants results in variation in its use with resultant suboptimal quality of care. We sought to describe the features associated with radiographic pneumonias in young febrile infants. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study in 18 emergency departments (EDs) in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network from 2016 to 2019. Febrile (≥38°C) infants aged ≤60 days who received CXRs were included. CXR reports were categorised as 'no', 'possible' or 'definite' pneumonia. We compared demographics, clinical signs and laboratory tests among infants with and without pneumonias. RESULTS: Of 2612 infants, 568 (21.7%) had CXRs performed; 19 (3.3%) had definite and 34 (6%) had possible pneumonias. Patients with definite (4/19, 21.1%) or possible (11/34, 32.4%) pneumonias more frequently presented with respiratory distress compared with those without (77/515, 15.0%) pneumonias (adjusted OR 2.17; 95% CI 1.04 to 4.51). There were no differences in temperature or HR in infants with and without radiographic pneumonias. The median serum procalcitonin (PCT) level was higher in the definite (0.7 ng/mL (IQR 0.1, 1.5)) vs no pneumonia (0.1 ng/mL (IQR 0.1, 0.3)) groups, as was the median absolute neutrophil count (ANC) (definite, 5.8 K/mcL (IQR 3.9, 6.9) vs no pneumonia, 3.1 K/mcL (IQR 1.9, 5.3)). No infants with pneumonia had bacteraemia. Viral detection was frequent (no pneumonia (309/422, 73.2%), definite pneumonia (11/16, 68.8%), possible pneumonia (25/29, 86.2%)). Respiratory syncytial virus was the predominant pathogen in the pneumonia groups and rhinovirus in infants without pneumonias. CONCLUSIONS: Radiographic pneumonias were uncommon in febrile infants. Viral detection was common. Pneumonia was associated with respiratory distress, but few other factors. Although ANC and PCT levels were elevated in infants with definite pneumonias, further work is necessary to evaluate the role of blood biomarkers in infant pneumonias.

"I Don't Want My Child to Be a Guinea Pig": Reasons for Non-Participation in a Parental Tobacco Cessation Trial in the Pediatric Emergency Department Setting.

(1) Background: Pediatric emergency department (PED) settings are opportune venues in which to recruit parental smokers into tobacco cessation interventions. However, the barriers associated with parents' participation in PED-based cessation trials are unknown. The objective was to explore parents' reasons for non-participation in a PED-based tobacco cessation trial. (2) Methods: We employed the framework method and conducted a qualitative data analysis of parental smokers who were eligible to participate in a PED-based tobacco cessation trial and did not choose to participate (n = 371). (3) Results: Two main themes emerged about reasons for non-participation: (a) Not interested in participating in a research study, and (b) concerns specific to the study. Parents had various reasons for not participating in the cessation trial including not being interested in quitting, parents' health and well-being, parents' beliefs about research, and time required for the study and follow-up visits. (4) Conclusion: General disinterest and specific study-related concerns were touted as reasons for non-participation in a PED-based tobacco cessation trial. Given the potential reductions in tobacco-related morbidity to both parents and children that tobacco control interventions can facilitate, future tobacco interventions should consider alterations in study design and recruitment strategies to encourage all eligible parental smokers to participate.

Risk of Bacteremia in Febrile Children and Young Adults With Sickle Cell Disease in a Multicenter Emergency Department Cohort.

Importance: Bacteremia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children and young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), but among those presenting to the emergency department (ED) with fever, the absolute risk of, risk factors associated with, and outcomes of bacteremia are poorly defined. Objective: To obtain contemporary data on the absolute risk of, risk factors associated with, and outcomes associated with bacteremia in children and young adults with SCD presenting to the ED with fever. Design, Setting, and Participants: A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted of individuals with SCD younger than 22 years (young adults) presenting to EDs within the Pediatric Health Information Systems database from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021, with fever (identified by diagnostic codes for fever or the collection of blood samples for cultures and intravenous antibiotic administration). Data analysis was performed from May 17 to December 15, 2022. Main Outcomes and Measures: The risk of bacteremia (defined by diagnostic coding) was identified in these children and young adults, and univariate analyses and multivariable regression were used to examine patient-level factors and bacteremia. Results: A total of 35 548 encounters representing 11 181 individual patients from 36 hospitals were evaluated. The median age of the cohort was 6.17 (IQR, 2.36-12.11) years and 52.9% were male. Bacteremia was present in 405 encounters (1.1%, 95% CI, 1.05%-1.26%). A history of bacteremia, osteomyelitis, stroke, central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), central venous catheter, or apheresis was associated with the diagnosis of bacteremia, while age, sex, hemoglobin SC genotype, and race and ethnicity were not. In the multivariable analysis, individuals with a history of bacteremia (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.01-1.83), CLABSI (OR, 6.39; 95% CI, 3.02-13.52), and apheresis (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.22-2.55) had higher odds of bacteremia. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this large cohort study suggest that bacteremia in children and young adults with SCD presenting with fever is rare. A history of invasive bacterial infection, CLABSI, or a central line appears to be associated with bacteremia, while age and SCD genotype are not.

Hyperhydration to Improve Kidney Outcomes in Children with Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli Infection: a multinational embedded cluster crossover randomized trial (the HIKO STEC trial).

BACKGROUND: Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections affect children and adults worldwide, and treatment remain solely supportive. Up to 15-20% of children infected by high-risk STEC (i.e., E. coli that produce Shiga toxin 2) develop hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and kidney failure (i.e., hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)), over half of whom require acute dialysis and 3% die. Although no therapy is widely accepted as being able to prevent the development of HUS and its complications, several observational studies suggest that intravascular volume expansion (hyperhydration) may prevent end organ damage. A randomized trial is needed to confirm or refute this hypothesis. METHODS: We will conduct a pragmatic, embedded, cluster-randomized, crossover trial in 26 pediatric institutions to determine if hyperhydration, compared to conservative fluid management, improves outcomes in 1040 children with high-risk STEC infections. The primary outcome is major adverse kidney events within 30 days (MAKE30), a composite measure that includes death, initiation of new renal replacement therapy, or persistent kidney dysfunction. Secondary outcomes include life-threatening, extrarenal complications, and development of HUS. Pathway eligible children will be treated per institutional allocation to each pathway. In the hyperhydration pathway, all eligible children are hospitalized and administered 200% maintenance balanced crystalloid fluids up to targets of 10% weight gain and 20% reduction in hematocrit. Sites in the conservative fluid management pathway manage children as in- or outpatients, based on clinician preference, with the pathway focused on close laboratory monitoring, and maintenance of euvolemia. Based on historical data, we estimate that 10% of children in our conservative fluid management pathway will experience the primary outcome. With 26 clusters enrolling a mean of 40 patients each with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.11, we will have 90% power to detect a 5% absolute risk reduction. DISCUSSION: HUS is a devastating illness with no treatment options. This pragmatic study will determine if hyperhydration can reduce morbidity associated with HUS in children with high-risk STEC infection. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05219110 . Registered on February 1, 2022.

Trends and Variation in Pediatric Anaphylaxis Care From 2016 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: Variation in the use of treatments and hospitalization for anaphylaxis would suggest a lack of consensus in therapeutic approach. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate trends and practice variation in the emergency department (ED) care of children with anaphylaxis in a large US cohort. METHODS: We conducted a 48-site retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric Health Information System from January 2016 through September 2022. Children younger than 18 years with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis were included. Care trends were assessed using negative binomial regression modeling. Rates of medication use, hospitalizations, and revisits were reported as medians with interquartile ranges (IQRs). RESULTS: There were 42,909 ED visits for anaphylaxis, with a 4.2% per-year increase in visit incidence (95% CI, 1.8-6.7) during the study period. The median hospitalization rate was 3.5% (IQR, 2.2-6.0), and the 3-day ED revisit rate was 0.6% (IQR, 0.4-0.9). The hospital-level median use of therapies included intramuscular epinephrine (55.3%; IQR, 50.1-59.9), systemic steroids (73.8%; IQR, 63.9-81.4), antihistamines (59.9%; IQR, 53.5-65.5), H2-receptor antagonists (56.8%; IQR, 42.3-66.2), bronchodilators (15.1%; IQR, 12.5-17.0), inhaled epinephrine (1.1%; IQR, 0.6-1.9), and fluid boluses (19.8%; IQR, 11.3-29.3). Severe reactions requiring intensive care unit admission (1.5%; IQR, 0.8-2.2), vasopressors (0.3%; IQR, 0.0-0.6), and intubation (0.2%; IQR, 0.0-0.3) were rare. CONCLUSIONS: ED visits for anaphylaxis increased during the study period, but hospitalization rates were low. Substantial variation exists between EDs regarding the use of anaphylaxis therapies, supporting the need for future research to evaluate the efficacy of these medications.

Serious Bacterial Infections in Young Febrile Infants With Positive Urinalysis Results.

It is unknown whether febrile infants 29 to 60 days old with positive urinalysis results require routine lumbar punctures for evaluation of bacterial meningitis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis in febrile infants ≤60 days of age with positive urinalysis (UA) results. METHODS: Secondary analysis of a prospective observational study of noncritical febrile infants ≤60 days between 2011 and 2019 conducted in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network emergency departments. Participants had temperatures ≥38°C and were evaluated with blood cultures and had UAs available for analysis. We report the prevalence of bacteremia and bacterial meningitis in those with and without positive UA results. RESULTS: Among 7180 infants, 1090 (15.2%) had positive UA results. The risk of bacteremia was higher in those with positive versus negative UA results (63/1090 [5.8%] vs 69/6090 [1.1%], difference 4.7% [3.3% to 6.1%]). There was no difference in the prevalence of bacterial meningitis in infants ≤28 days of age with positive versus negative UA results (∼1% in both groups). However, among 697 infants aged 29 to 60 days with positive UA results, there were no cases of bacterial meningitis in comparison to 9 of 4153 with negative UA results (0.2%, difference -0.2% [-0.4% to -0.1%]). In addition, there were no cases of bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis in the 148 infants ≤60 days of age with positive UA results who had the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network low-risk blood thresholds of absolute neutrophil count <4 × 103 cells/mm3 and procalcitonin <0.5 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Among noncritical febrile infants ≤60 days of age with positive UA results, there were no cases of bacterial meningitis in those aged 29 to 60 days and no cases of bacteremia and/or bacterial meningitis in any low-risk infants based on low-risk blood thresholds in both months of life. These findings can guide lumbar puncture use and other clinical decision making.

Assessment of Temporal Patterns and Patient Factors Associated With Oseltamivir Administration in Children Hospitalized With Influenza, 2007-2020.

Importance: Oseltamivir therapy is recommended for all pediatric inpatients with influenza, particularly those with high-risk conditions, although data regarding its uptake and benefits are limited. Objective: To describe temporal patterns and independent patient factors associated with the use of oseltamivir and explore patterns in resource use and patient outcomes among children hospitalized with influenza. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at 36 tertiary pediatric hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information System in the US. A total of 70 473 children younger than 18 years who were hospitalized with influenza between October 1, 2007, and March 31, 2020, were included. Exposures: Hospitalization with a diagnosis of influenza. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the use of oseltamivir, which was described by influenza season and by hospital. Patient factors associated with oseltamivir use were assessed using multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression models. Secondary outcomes were resource use (including antibiotic medications, chest radiography, supplemental oxygen, positive pressure ventilation, central venous catheter, and intensive care unit [ICU]) and patient outcomes (length of stay, late ICU transfer, 7-day hospital readmission, use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and in-hospital mortality), which were described as percentages per influenza season. Results: Among 70 473 children hospitalized with influenza, the median (IQR) age was 3.65 (1.05-8.26) years; 30 750 patients (43.6%) were female, and 39 715 (56.4%) were male. Overall, 16 559 patients (23.5%) were Black, 36 184 (51.3%) were White, 14 133 (20.1%) were of other races (including 694 American Indian or Alaska Native [1.0%], 2216 Asian [3.0%], 372 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander [0.5%], and 10 850 other races [15.4%]), and 3597 (5.1%) were of unknown race. A total of 47 071 patients (66.8%) received oseltamivir, increasing from a low of 20.2% in the 2007-2008 influenza season to a high of 77.9% in the 2017-2018 season. Use by hospital ranged from 43.2% to 79.7% over the entire study period and from 56.5% to 90.1% in final influenza season studied (2019-2020). Factors associated with increased oseltamivir use included the presence of a complex chronic condition (odds ratio [OR], 1.42; 95% CI, 1.36-1.47), a history of asthma (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.23-1.38), and early severe illness (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.13-1.25). Children younger than 2 years (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.77-0.85) and children aged 2 to 5 years (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.79-0.88) had lower odds of receiving oseltamivir. From the beginning (2007-2008) to the end (2019-2020) of the study period, the use of antibiotic medications (from 74.4% to 60.1%) and chest radiography (from 59.2% to 51.7%) decreased, whereas the use of oxygen (from 33.6% to 29.3%), positive pressure ventilation (from 10.8% to 7.9%), and central venous catheters (from 2.5% to 1.0%) did not meaningfully change. Patient outcomes, including length of stay (median [IQR], 3 [2-5] days for all seasons), readmissions within 7 days (from 4.0% to 3.4%), use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (from 0.5% to 0.5%), and in-hospital mortality (from 1.1% to 0.8%), were stable from the beginning to the end of the study period. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of children hospitalized with influenza, the use of oseltamivir increased over time, particularly among patients with high-risk conditions, but with wide institutional variation. Patient outcomes remained largely unchanged. Further work is needed to evaluate the impact of oseltamivir therapy in this population.

Association of Early Oseltamivir With Improved Outcomes in Hospitalized Children With Influenza, 2007-2020.

Importance: Oseltamivir is recommended for all children hospitalized with influenza, despite limited evidence supporting its use in the inpatient setting. Objective: To determine whether early oseltamivir use is associated with improved outcomes in children hospitalized with influenza. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter retrospective study included 55 799 children younger than 18 years who were hospitalized with influenza from October 1, 2007, to March 31, 2020, in 36 tertiary care pediatric hospitals who participate in the Pediatric Health Information System database. Data were analyzed from January 2021 to March 2022. Exposures: Early oseltamivir treatment, defined as use of oseltamivir on hospital day 0 or 1. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was hospital length of stay (LOS) in calendar days. Secondary outcomes included 7-day hospital readmission, late (hospital day 2 or later) intensive care unit (ICU) transfer, and a composite outcome of in-hospital death or use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) based on propensity scoring was used to address confounding by indication. Mixed-effects models were used to compare outcomes between children who did and did not receive early oseltamivir treatment. Outcomes were also compared within high-risk subgroups based on age, presence of a complex chronic condition, early critical illness, and history of asthma. Results: The analysis included 55 799 encounters from 36 hospitals. The median (IQR) age of the cohort was 3.61 years (1.03-8.27); 56% were male, and 44% were female. A total of 33 207 patients (59.5%) received early oseltamivir. In propensity score-weighted models, we found that children treated with early oseltamivir had shorter LOS (median 3 vs 4 days; IPTW model ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.52-0.53) and lower odds of all-cause 7-day hospital readmission (3.5% vs 4.8%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.66-0.77), late ICU transfer (2.4% vs 5.5%; aOR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.37-0.46), and the composite outcome of death or ECMO use (0.9% vs 1.4%; aOR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.54-0.73). Conclusions and Relevance: Early use of oseltamivir in hospitalized children was associated with shorter hospital stay and lower odds of 7-day readmission, ICU transfer, ECMO use, and death. These findings support the current recommendations for oseltamivir use in children hospitalized with influenza.

Comprehensiveness of Testing Among Herpes Simplex Virus Infected Infants: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Despite clear testing recommendations for herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in infants, few data exist on the comprehensiveness of HSV testing in practice. In a 23-center study of 112 infants with confirmed HSV disease, less than one-fifth had all recommended testing performed, highlighting the need for increased awareness of and adherence to testing recommendations for this vulnerable population.

Omphalitis and Concurrent Serious Bacterial Infection.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the clinical presentation, prevalence of concurrent serious bacterial infection (SBI), and outcomes among infants with omphalitis. METHODS: Within the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Collaborative Research Committee, 28 sites reviewed records of infants ≤90 days of age with omphalitis seen in the emergency department from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2017. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, treatment, and outcome data were summarized. RESULTS: Among 566 infants (median age 16 days), 537 (95%) were well-appearing, 64 (11%) had fever at home or in the emergency department, and 143 (25%) had reported fussiness or poor feeding. Blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid cultures were collected in 472 (83%), 326 (58%), and 222 (39%) infants, respectively. Pathogens grew in 1.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3%-2.5%) of blood, 0.9% (95% CI, 0.2%-2.7%) of urine, and 0.9% (95% CI, 0.1%-3.2%) of cerebrospinal fluid cultures. Cultures from the site of infection were obtained in 320 (57%) infants, with 85% (95% CI, 80%-88%) growing a pathogen, most commonly methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (62%), followed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (11%) and Escherichia coli (10%). Four hundred ninety-eight (88%) were hospitalized, 81 (16%) to an ICU. Twelve (2.1% [95% CI, 1.1%-3.7%]) had sepsis or shock, and 2 (0.4% [95% CI, 0.0%-1.3%]) had severe cellulitis or necrotizing soft tissue infection. There was 1 death. Serious complications occurred only in infants aged <28 days. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter cohort, mild, localized disease was typical of omphalitis. SBI and adverse outcomes were uncommon. Depending on age, routine testing for SBI is likely unnecessary in most afebrile, well-appearing infants with omphalitis.

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physicians' Perspectives on Emergency Care of Children With Medical Complexity: A Multi-institution Mixed-Methods Assessment.

OBJECTIVE: Children with medical complexity (CMC) compose 1% of the pediatric population but account for 20% of pediatric emergency department (ED) visits. Previous descriptions of challenges and interventions to ensure quality of care are limited. Our objective was to elicit pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians' perspectives on challenges and opportunities for improvement of emergency care of CMC, with a focus on emergency information forms (EIFs). METHODS: We conducted a web-based survey of PEM physicians participating the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine Survey listserv. The survey was designed using an expert panel, and subsequently piloted and revised to an 18-item survey. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-one of 495 respondents (30%) completed the survey. Most respondents (62.9%) reported caring for >10 CMC per month. Whereas overall medical fragility and time constraints were major contributors to the challenges of caring for CMC in the ED, communication with known providers and shared care plans were identified as particularly helpful. Most respondents did not report routine use of EIFs. Anticipated emergencies/action plan was deemed the most important component of EIFs. CONCLUSIONS: Most PEM physicians view the care for CMC in the ED as challenging despite practicing in high-resource environments. Further research is needed to develop and implement strategies to improve care of CMC in the ED. Understanding experiences of providers in general ED settings is also an important next step given that 80% of CMC present for emergency care outside of major children's hospitals.

Going viral: A scoping review of the current state and impact of online research dissemination in emergency medicine.

BACKGROUND: The use of free open-access medical education (FOAM) and other online knowledge dissemination methods has increased over the past decade. However, the role and impact of these tools in the knowledge translation continuum are poorly understood, potentially limiting the ability of knowledge generators to fully harness and exploit their potential. Here, we aim to comprehensively map and synthesize the literature describing the use of online tools for the dissemination of emergency medicine research. METHODS: Using scoping review methodology, we searched the traditional literature via PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, SCOPUS, and the gray literature for publications exploring online methods to disseminate new research findings. We synthesized the results and constructed a conceptual model of current research dissemination methods. RESULTS: We included 79 out of 655 unique abstracts and articles identified in our search, 62 of which were from the traditional literature. We describe six primary domains: integration with traditional literature, measurement of dissemination, online organizations and communities of practice, professional development, quality assurance tools and techniques, and advantages and disadvantages of FOAM. For each domain we present an exemplar article and prevailing gaps in knowledge. Finally, we propose a current conceptual framework for dissemination of new research findings that describes both traditional and novel methods of dissemination. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive review of the literature and current dissemination framework will empower researchers, research networks, and granting organizations to maximize their use of FOAM and other online methods to disseminate new knowledge as well as provide clinicians a better understanding of the tools and methods by which to access and implement new research findings.

Derivation of the Pediatric Acute Gastroenteritis Risk Score to Predict Moderate-to-Severe Acute Gastroenteritis.

OBJECTIVES: Although most acute gastroenteritis (AGE) episodes in children rapidly self-resolve, some children go on to experience more significant and prolonged illness. We sought to develop a prognostic score to identify children at risk of experiencing moderate-to-severe disease after an index emergency department (ED) visit. METHODS: Data were collected from a cohort of children 3 to 48 months of age diagnosed with AGE in 16 North American pediatric EDs. Moderate-to-severe AGE was defined as a Modified Vesikari Scale (MVS) score ≥9 during the 14-day post-ED visit. A clinical prognostic model was derived using multivariable logistic regression and converted into a simple risk score. The model's accuracy was assessed for moderate-to-severe AGE and several secondary outcomes. RESULTS: After their index ED visit, 19% (336/1770) of participants developed moderate-to-severe AGE. Patient age, number of vomiting episodes, dehydration status, prior ED visits, and intravenous rehydration were associated with MVS ≥9 in multivariable regression. Calibration of the prognostic model was strong with a P value of 0.77 by the Hosmer-Lemenshow goodness-of-fit test, and discrimination was moderate with an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.68 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-0.72). Similarly, the model was shown to have good calibration when fit to the secondary outcomes of subsequent ED revisit, intravenous rehydration, or hospitalization within 72 hours after the index visit. CONCLUSIONS: After external validation, this new risk score may provide clinicians with accurate prognostic insight into the likely disease course of children with AGE, informing disposition decisions, anticipatory guidance, and follow-up care.

Pathogen-Specific Effects of Probiotics in Children With Acute Gastroenteritis Seeking Emergency Care: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown if probiotics exert pathogen-specific effects in children with diarrhea secondary to acute gastroenteritis. METHODS: Analysis of patient-level data from 2 multicenter randomized, placebo controlled trials conducted in pediatric emergency departments in Canada and the United States. Participants were 3-48 months with >3 diarrheal episodes in the preceding 24 hours and were symptomatic for <72 hours and <7 days in the Canadian and US studies, respectively. Participants received either placebo or a probiotic preparation (Canada-Lactobacillus rhamnosus R0011/Lactobacillus helveticus R0052; US-L. rhamnosus GG). The primary outcome was post-intervention moderate-to-severe disease (ie, ≥9 on the Modified Vesikari Scale [MVS] score). RESULTS: Pathogens were identified in specimens from 59.3% of children (928/1565). No pathogen groups were less likely to experience an MVS score ≥9 based on treatment allocation (test for interaction = 0.35). No differences between groups were identified for adenovirus (adjusted relative risk [aRR]: 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .62, 3.23), norovirus (aRR: 0.98; 95% CI: .56, 1.74), rotavirus (aRR: 0.86; 95% CI: .43, 1.71) or bacteria (aRR: 1.19; 95% CI: .41, 3.43). At pathogen-group and among individual pathogens there were no differences in diarrhea duration or the total number of diarrheal stools between treatment groups, regardless of intervention allocation or among probiotic sub-groups. Among adenovirus-infected children, those administered the L. rhamnosus R0011/L. helveticus R0052 product experienced fewer diarrheal episodes (aRR: 0.65; 95% CI: .47, .90). CONCLUSIONS: Neither probiotic product resulted in less severe disease compared to placebo across a range of the most common etiologic pathogens. The preponderance of evidence does not support the notion that there are pathogen specific benefits associated with probiotic use in children with acute gastroenteritis. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT01773967 and NCT01853124.

Oral Ondansetron Administration in Children Seeking Emergency Department Care for Acute Gastroenteritis: A Patient-Level Propensity-Matched Analysis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore oral ondansetron usage and impact on outcomes in clinical practice. METHODS: This observational study was a planned secondary analysis of 2 trials conducted in 10 US and 6 Canadian institutions between 2014 and 2017. Children 3 to 48 months old with gastroenteritis and ≥3 episodes of vomiting in the 24 hours preceding emergency department (ED) presentation were included. Oral ondansetron was administered at the discretion of the provider. The principal outcomes were intravenous fluid administration and hospitalization at the index visit and during the subsequent 72 hours and diarrhea and vomiting frequency during the 24 hours following the ED visit. RESULTS: In total, 794 children were included. The median age was 16.0 months (interquartile range 10.0 to 26.0), and 50.1% (398/794) received oral ondansetron. In propensity-adjusted analysis (n=528), children administered oral ondansetron were less likely to receive intravenous fluids at the index visit (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29 to 0.88). There were no differences in the frequencies of intravenous fluid administration within the first 72 hours (aOR 0.65; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.10) or hospitalization at the index visit (aOR 0.31; 95% CI 0.09 to 1.10) or the subsequent 72 hours (aOR 0.52; 95% CI 0.21 to 1.28). Episodes of vomiting (aRR 0.86; 95% CI 0.63 to 1.19) and diarrhea (aRR 1.11; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.32) during the 24 hours following ED discharge also did not differ. CONCLUSION: Among preschool-aged children with gastroenteritis seeking ED care, oral ondansetron administration was associated with a reduction in index ED visit intravenous fluid administration; it was not associated with intravenous fluids administered within 72 hours, hospitalization, or vomiting and diarrhea in the 24 hours following discharge.