Respiratory virus testing and clinical outcomes among children hospitalized with pneumonia.

2022

693-701

06/2022

1553-5606

BACKGROUND: Despite the increased availability of diagnostic tests for respiratory viruses, their clinical utility for children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE: To identify patterns of respiratory virus testing across children's hospitals prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine whether hospital-level rates of viral testing were associated with clinical outcomes.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Multicenter retrospective cohort study of children hospitalized for CAP at 19 children's hospitals in the United States from 2010-2019.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Using a novel method to identify the performance of viral testing, we assessed time trends in the use of viral tests, both overall and stratified by testing method. Adjusted proportions of encounters with viral testing were compared across hospitals and were correlated with length of stay, antibiotic and oseltamivir use, and performance of ancillary laboratory testing.

RESULTS: There were 46,038 hospitalizations for non-severe CAP among children without complex chronic conditions. The proportion with viral testing increased from 38.8% to 44.2% during the study period (p < .001). Molecular testing increased (27.2% to 40.0%, p < .001) and antigen testing decreased (33.2% to 7.8%, p < .001). Hospital-specific adjusted proportions of testing ranged from 10.0% to 83.5% and were not associated with length of stay, antibiotic use, or antiviral use. Hospitals that performed more viral testing did not have lower rates of ancillary laboratory testing.

CONCLUSIONS: Viral testing practices varied widely across children's hospitals and were not associated with clinically important process or outcome measures. Viral testing may not influence clinical management for many children hospitalized with CAP.

10.1002/jhm.12902

J Hosp Med

35747928

Post-COVID-19 Conditions Among Children 90 Days After SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

2022

e2223253

07/2022

2574-3805

Importance: Little is known about the risk factors for, and the risk of, developing post-COVID-19 conditions (PCCs) among children.

Objectives: To estimate the proportion of SARS-CoV-2-positive children with PCCs 90 days after a positive test result, to compare this proportion with SARS-CoV-2-negative children, and to assess factors associated with PCCs.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective cohort study, conducted in 36 emergency departments (EDs) in 8 countries between March 7, 2020, and January 20, 2021, included 1884 SARS-CoV-2-positive children who completed 90-day follow-up; 1686 of these children were frequency matched by hospitalization status, country, and recruitment date with 1701 SARS-CoV-2-negative controls.

Exposure: SARS-CoV-2 detected via nucleic acid testing.

Main Outcomes and Measures: Post-COVID-19 conditions, defined as any persistent, new, or recurrent health problems reported in the 90-day follow-up survey.

Results: Of 8642 enrolled children, 2368 (27.4%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive, among whom 2365 (99.9%) had index ED visit disposition data available; among the 1884 children (79.7%) who completed follow-up, the median age was 3 years (IQR, 0-10 years) and 994 (52.8%) were boys. A total of 110 SARS-CoV-2-positive children (5.8%; 95% CI, 4.8%-7.0%) reported PCCs, including 44 of 447 children (9.8%; 95% CI, 7.4%-13.0%) hospitalized during the acute illness and 66 of 1437 children (4.6%; 95% CI, 3.6%-5.8%) not hospitalized during the acute illness (difference, 5.3%; 95% CI, 2.5%-8.5%). Among SARS-CoV-2-positive children, the most common symptom was fatigue or weakness (21 [1.1%]). Characteristics associated with reporting at least 1 PCC at 90 days included being hospitalized 48 hours or more compared with no hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.67 [95% CI, 1.63-4.38]); having 4 or more symptoms reported at the index ED visit compared with 1 to 3 symptoms (4-6 symptoms: aOR, 2.35 [95% CI, 1.28-4.31]; ≥7 symptoms: aOR, 4.59 [95% CI, 2.50-8.44]); and being 14 years of age or older compared with younger than 1 year (aOR, 2.67 [95% CI, 1.43-4.99]). SARS-CoV-2-positive children were more likely to report PCCs at 90 days compared with those who tested negative, both among those who were not hospitalized (55 of 1295 [4.2%; 95% CI, 3.2%-5.5%] vs 35 of 1321 [2.7%; 95% CI, 1.9%-3.7%]; difference, 1.6% [95% CI, 0.2%-3.0%]) and those who were hospitalized (40 of 391 [10.2%; 95% CI, 7.4%-13.7%] vs 19 of 380 [5.0%; 95% CI, 3.0%-7.7%]; difference, 5.2% [95% CI, 1.5%-9.1%]). In addition, SARS-CoV-2 positivity was associated with reporting PCCs 90 days after the index ED visit (aOR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.14-2.35]), specifically systemic health problems (eg, fatigue, weakness, fever; aOR, 2.44 [95% CI, 1.19-5.00]).

Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with reporting PCCs at 90 days in children. Guidance and follow-up are particularly necessary for hospitalized children who have numerous acute symptoms and are older.

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.23253

JAMA Netw Open

35867061

Antibiotics and outcomes of CF pulmonary exacerbations in children infected with MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

2022

08/2022

1873-5010

BACKGROUND: Limited data exist to inform antibiotic selection among people with cystic fibrosis (CF) with airway infection by multiple CF-related microorganisms. This study aimed to determine among children with CF co-infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) if the addition of anti-MRSA antibiotics to antipseudomonal antibiotic treatment for pulmonary exacerbations (PEx) would be associated with improved clinical outcomes compared with antipseudomonal antibiotics alone.

METHODS: Retrospective cohort study using data from the CF Foundation Patient Registry-Pediatric Health Information System linked dataset. The odds of returning to baseline lung function and having a subsequent PEx requiring intravenous antibiotics were compared between PEx treated with anti-MRSA and antipseudomonal antibiotics and those treated with antipseudomonal antibiotics alone, adjusting for confounding by indication using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

RESULTS: 943 children with CF co-infected with MRSA and Pa contributed 2,989 PEx for analysis. Of these, 2,331 (78%) PEx were treated with both anti-MRSA and antipseudomonal antibiotics and 658 (22%) PEx were treated with antipseudomonal antibiotics alone. Compared with PEx treated with antipseudomonal antibiotics alone, the addition of anti-MRSA antibiotics to antipseudomonal antibiotic therapy was not associated with a higher odds of returning to ≥90% or ≥100% of baseline lung function or a lower odds of future PEx requiring intravenous antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS: Children with CF co-infected with MRSA and Pa may not benefit from the addition of anti-MRSA antibiotics for PEx treatment. Prospective studies evaluating optimal antibiotic selection strategies for PEx treatment are needed to optimize clinical outcomes following PEx treatment.

10.1016/j.jcf.2022.08.001

J Cyst Fibros

35945130

Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2-Positive Youths Tested in Emergency Departments: The Global PERN-COVID-19 Study.

2022

e2142322

2022 01 04

2574-3805

<p><strong>Importance: </strong>Severe outcomes among youths with SARS-CoV-2 infections are poorly characterized.</p>

<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To estimate the proportion of children with severe outcomes within 14 days of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 in an emergency department (ED).</p>

<p><strong>Design, Setting, and Participants: </strong>This prospective cohort study with 14-day follow-up enrolled participants between March 2020 and June 2021. Participants were youths aged younger than 18 years who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection at one of 41 EDs across 10 countries including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Italy, New Zealand, Paraguay, Singapore, Spain, and the United States. Statistical analysis was performed from September to October 2021.</p>

<p><strong>Exposures: </strong>Acute SARS-CoV-2 infection was determined by nucleic acid (eg, polymerase chain reaction) testing.</p>

<p><strong>Main Outcomes and Measures: </strong>Severe outcomes, a composite measure defined as intensive interventions during hospitalization (eg, inotropic support, positive pressure ventilation), diagnoses indicating severe organ impairment, or death.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 3222 enrolled youths who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 3221 (&gt;99.9%) had index visit outcome data available, 2007 (62.3%) were from the United States, 1694 (52.6%) were male, and 484 (15.0%) had a self-reported chronic illness; the median (IQR) age was 3 (0-10) years. After 14 days of follow-up, 735 children (22.8% [95% CI, 21.4%-24.3%]) were hospitalized, 107 (3.3% [95% CI, 2.7%-4.0%]) had severe outcomes, and 4 children (0.12% [95% CI, 0.03%-0.32%]) died. Characteristics associated with severe outcomes included being aged 5 to 18 years (age 5 to &lt;10 years vs &lt;1 year: odds ratio [OR], 1.60 [95% CI, 1.09-2.34]; age 10 to &lt;18 years vs &lt;1 year: OR, 2.39 [95% CI 1.38-4.14]), having a self-reported chronic illness (OR, 2.34 [95% CI, 1.59-3.44]), prior episode of pneumonia (OR, 3.15 [95% CI, 1.83-5.42]), symptoms starting 4 to 7 days prior to seeking ED care (vs starting 0-3 days before seeking care: OR, 2.22 [95% CI, 1.29-3.82]), and country (eg, Canada vs US: OR, 0.11 [95% CI, 0.05-0.23]; Costa Rica vs US: OR, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.05-2.96]; Spain vs US: OR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.27-0.98]). Among a subgroup of 2510 participants discharged home from the ED after initial testing and who had complete follow-up, 50 (2.0%; 95% CI, 1.5%-2.6%) were eventually hospitalized and 12 (0.5%; 95% CI, 0.3%-0.8%) had severe outcomes. Compared with hospitalized SARS-CoV-2-negative youths, the risk of severe outcomes was higher among hospitalized SARS-CoV-2-positive youths (risk difference, 3.9%; 95% CI, 1.1%-6.9%).</p>

<p><strong>Conclusions and Relevance: </strong>In this study, approximately 3% of SARS-CoV-2-positive youths tested in EDs experienced severe outcomes within 2 weeks of their ED visit. Among children discharged home from the ED, the risk was much lower. Risk factors such as age, underlying chronic illness, and symptom duration may be useful to consider when making clinical care decisions.</p>

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.42322

JAMA Netw Open

35015063

Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Testing and Treatment Among Children With Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

2021

760-763

2021 Jul

2154-1671

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>To describe testing and treatment practices for () among children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. We included children 3 months to 18 years old hospitalized with CAP between 2012 and 2018 and excluded children who were transferred from another hospital and those with complex chronic conditions. We examined the proportion of patients receiving testing and macrolide therapy at the hospital level and trends in testing and macrolide prescription over time. At the patient level, we examined differences in demographics, illness severity (eg, blood gas, chest tube placement), and outcomes (eg, ICU admission, length of stay, readmission) among patients with and without testing.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Among 103 977 children hospitalized with CAP, 17.3% underwent testing and 31.1% received macrolides. We found no correlation between testing and macrolide treatment at the hospital level ( = 0.05; = .11). Patients tested for were more likely to have blood gas analysis (15.8% vs 12.8%; &lt; .1), chest tube placement (1.4% vs 0.8%; &lt; .1), and ICU admission (3.1% vs 1.4%; &lt; .1). testing increased (from 15.8% to 18.6%; &lt; .001), and macrolide prescription decreased (from 40.9% to 20.6%; &lt; .001) between 2012 and 2018.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Nearly one-third of hospitalized children with CAP received macrolide antibiotics, although macrolide prescription decreased over time. Clinicians were more likely to perform testing in children with severe illness, and testing and macrolide treatment were not correlated at the hospital level.</p>

10.1542/hpeds.2020-005215

Hosp Pediatr

34583319

Short- Versus Prolonged-Duration Antibiotics for Outpatient Pneumonia in Children.

2021

2021 Mar 18

1097-6833

<p><strong>OBJECTIVE: </strong>To identify practice patterns in the duration of prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of ambulatory children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to compare the frequency of adverse clinical outcomes between children prescribed short- versus prolonged-duration antibiotics.</p>

<p><strong>STUDY DESIGN: </strong>We performed a retrospective cohort study from 2010-2016 using the IBM Watson MarketScan Medicaid Database, a claims database of publicly-insured patients from 11 states. We included children 1-18 years old with outpatient CAP who filled a prescription for oral antibiotics (N = 121,846 encounters). We used multivariable logistic regression to determine associations beween the duration of prescribed antibiotics (5-9 days vs 10-14 days) and subsequent hospitalizations, new antibiotic prescriptions, and acute care visits. Outcomes were measured during the 14 days following the end of the dispensed antibiotic course.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The most commonly prescribed duration of antibiotics was 10 days (82.8% of prescriptions), and 10.5% of patients received short-duration therapy. During the follow-up period, 0.2% of patients were hospitalized, 6.2% filled a new antibiotic prescription, and 5.1% had an acute care visit. Compared with the prolonged-duration group, the adjusted odds ratios for hospitalization, new antibiotic prescriptions, and acute care visits in the short-duration group were 1.16 (95% CI: 0.80-1.66), 0.93 (95% CI: 0.85-1.01), and 1.06 (95% CI: 0.98-1.15), respectively.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Most children treated for CAP as outpatients are prescribed at least 10 days of antibiotic therapy. Among pediatric outpatients with CAP, no significant differences were found in rates of adverse clinical outcomes between patients prescribed short- versus prolonged-duration antibiotics.</p>

10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.03.017

J Pediatr

33745996

Antibiotic Choice and Clinical Outcomes in Ambulatory Children with Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

2020

2020 Oct 09

1097-6833

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES: </strong>To describe antibiotic prescribing patterns in ambulatory children with community acquired pneumonia, and to assess the relationship between antibiotic selection and clinical outcomes.</p>

<p><strong>STUDY DESIGN: </strong>This was a retrospective cohort study of ambulatory Medicaid-enrolled children 0-18 years of age diagnosed with CAP from 2010-2016. The exposure was antibiotic class: narrow-spectrum (aminopenicillins), broad-spectrum (amoxicillin/clavulanate and cephalosporins), macrolide monotherapy, macrolides with narrow-spectrum antibiotics, or macrolides with broad-spectrum antibiotics. The associations between antibiotic selection and the outcomes of subsequent hospitalization and development of severe pneumonia (chest drainage procedure, intensive care admission, mechanical ventilation) were assessed, controlling for measures of illness severity.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Among 252,177 outpatient pneumonia visits, macrolide monotherapy was used in 43.2%, narrow-spectrum antibiotics in 26.1%, and broad-spectrum antibiotics in 24.7%. A total of 1488 children (0.59%) were subsequently hospitalized and 117 (0.05%) developed severe pneumonia. Compared with children receiving narrow-spectrum antibiotics, the odds of subsequent hospitalization were higher in children receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics (aOR=1.34 [95%CI 1.17-1.52]) and lower in children receiving macrolide monotherapy (aOR=0.64 [95%CI 0.55-0.73]) and macrolides with narrow-spectrum antibiotics (aOR=0.62 [95%CI 0.39-0.97]). Children receiving macrolide monotherapy had lower odds of developing severe pneumonia than children receiving narrow-spectrum antibiotics (aOR=0.56, 95%CI 0.33-0.93). However, the absolute risk difference was &lt;0.5% for all analyses.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Macrolides are the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for ambulatory children with CAP. Subsequent hospitalization and severe pneumonia are rare. Future efforts should focus on reducing broad-spectrum and macrolide antibiotic prescribing.</p>

10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.10.005

J Pediatr

33045236

Predictors of Bacteremia in Children Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

2019

2019 Sep 13

2154-1671

<p><strong>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: </strong>The yield of blood cultures in children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is low. Characteristics of children at increased risk of bacteremia remain largely unknown.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study of children aged 3 months to 18 years hospitalized with CAP in 6 children's hospitals from 2007 to 2011. We excluded children with complex chronic conditions and children without blood cultures performed at admission. Clinical, laboratory, microbiologic, and radiologic data were assessed to identify predictors of bacteremia.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>Among 7509 children hospitalized with CAP, 2568 (34.2%) had blood cultures performed on the first day of hospitalization. The median age was 3 years. Sixty-five children with blood cultures performed had bacteremia (2.5%), and 11 children (0.4%) had bacteremia with a penicillin-nonsusceptible pathogen. The prevalence of bacteremia was increased in children with a white blood cell count &gt;20 × 10 cells per µL (5.4%; 95% confidence interval 3.5%-8.1%) and in children with definite radiographic pneumonia (3.3%; 95% confidence interval 2.4%-4.4%); however, the prevalence of penicillin-nonsusceptible bacteremia was below 1% even in the presence of individual predictors. Among children hospitalized outside of the ICU, the prevalence of contaminated blood cultures exceeded the prevalence of penicillin-nonsusceptible bacteremia.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Although the prevalence of bacteremia is marginally higher among children with leukocytosis or radiographic pneumonia, the rates remain low, and penicillin-nonsusceptible bacteremia is rare even in the presence of these predictors. Blood cultures should not be obtained in children hospitalized with CAP in a non-ICU setting.</p>

10.1542/hpeds.2019-0149

Hosp Pediatr

31519736

Utility of Blood Culture Among Children Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

2017

2017 Aug 23

1098-4275

<p><strong>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: </strong>National guidelines recommend blood cultures for children hospitalized with presumed bacterial community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) that is moderate or severe. We sought to determine the prevalence of bacteremia and characterize the microbiology and penicillin-susceptibility patterns of positive blood culture results among children hospitalized with CAP.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study of children hospitalized with CAP in 6 children's hospitals from 2007 to 2011. We included children 3 months to 18 years of age with discharge diagnosis codes for CAP using a previously validated algorithm. We excluded children with complex chronic conditions. We reviewed microbiologic data and classified positive blood culture detections as pathogens or contaminants. Antibiotic-susceptibility patterns were assessed for all pathogens.</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>A total of 7509 children hospitalized with CAP were included over the 5-year study period. Overall, 34% of the children hospitalized with CAP had a blood culture performed; 65 (2.5% of patients with blood cultures; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0%-3.2%) grew a pathogen. Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for 78% of all detected pathogens. Among detected pathogens, 50 (82%) were susceptible to penicillin. Eleven children demonstrated growth of an organism nonsusceptible to penicillin, representing 0.43% (95% CI: 0.23%-0.77%) of children with blood cultures obtained and 0.15% (95% CI: 0.08%-0.26%) of all children hospitalized with CAP.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Among children without comorbidities hospitalized with CAP in a non-ICU setting, the rate of bacteremia was low, and isolated pathogens were usually susceptible to penicillin. Blood cultures may not be needed for most children hospitalized with CAP.</p>

10.1542/peds.2017-1013

Pediatrics

28835382