Drug-Induced Hepatitis in an Adolescent During Concomitant Use of Azithromycin and Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate.

This case report describes a 14-year-old male with signs and symptoms of drug-induced hepatotoxicity after receiving azithromycin and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate. The patient was admitted to the hospital and a liver biopsy revealed findings suggestive of drug-induced hepatitis. In this patient, it is unclear whether 1 agent individually or a combination of azithromycin and lisdexamfetamine was the cause of hepatitis. Although hepatotoxicity has been reported with azithromycin and other macrolide antibiotics in adults, such a condition has yet to be reported in pediatrics. In light of this report, providers should be aware of a potentially rare reaction of acute hepatitis when combining azithromycin and lisdexamfetamine in pediatric patients.

Evaluation of Outcomes Before and After Implementation of a Standardized Postoperative Care Pathway in Pediatric Posterior Spinal Fusion Patients.

BACKGROUND: Standardized pathways decrease variability and improve outcomes and safety. PURPOSE: The article aims to evaluate outcomes of a standardized postoperative care pathway compared with individual surgeon preference. METHODS: A review of patients prestandardization and poststandardization was performed. Patients between the ages of 10-21 years with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (ICD-9 code 737.30) admitted to the hospital for posterior spinal fusion (CPT code 22630) were included in the study. The prestandardization group (25 patients) was enrolled from April 1, 2010, through March 30, 2011, and the poststandardization group (25 patients) from April 1, 2014, to March 30, 2015. Exclusion criteria were renal disease, epilepsy, neurological disorder, or postoperative complications that led to change in routine care including ileus or fever greater than 102 °F. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test, with significance set at p < .001. RESULTS: The length of stay (p = .0166), time to ambulation (p < .0001), patient-controlled analgesia use (p < .0001), and postoperative time to resumption of regular diet (p < .0001) were all significantly decreased in the poststandardization group. There were no complications or readmissions in either group. CONCLUSION: The standardized pathway resulted in shorter length of stay, decreased narcotic use, decreased time to regular diet, and decreased time to ambulation with no increase in complication rates.

Possible Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim-Induced Pancreatitis in a Complicated Adolescent Patient Posttraumatic Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple medications have been associated with pancreatitis, however, data in the pediatric population are scarce secondary to the nonspecific presentation and infrequent diagnosis. The aim of this report is to characterize drug-induced pancreatitis in an adolescent patient. CASE PRESENTATION: A 16-year-old African-American female presented with a surgical site infection 8 weeks after a motor vehicle accident with multiple traumas. Two weeks prior to the admission, the patient was hospitalized for a urinary tract infection (UTI) and was initiated on sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (TMP/SMX) daily for UTI prophylaxis. On day 13, the patient was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis with an amylase level of 187 units/L (normal = 30-110) and a lipase level of 987 units/L (normal = 23-208). TMP/SMX was discontinued, and pancreatic enzyme levels decreased but did not reach normal. The patient was asymptomatic at discharge. DISCUSSION: TMP/SMX was identified as the likely etiology of pancreatitis by the medical team. Evaluation with the Naranjo algorithm indicated a "possible" adverse drug reaction. CONCLUSION: Acute pancreatitis can have significant morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population but can go undiagnosed due to its lower incidence. Pediatric patients presenting with idiopathic abdominal pain should be evaluated for pancreatitis and drug therapy should be reviewed for potential causative agents.