Pediatric emergency medicine: Optimizing risk assessment and safety netting in children with infectious diseases

Introduction In the introduction, the importance of good quality pediatric emergency care is explained. Acute illnesses in children differ among countries and settings. Regarding our population of the ED at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 1) we still observe mortality, although rare, 2) 45% of children with medical (non-trauma) complaints suffer from infectious diseases and 3) the number of revisits is high. As the main focus in research in pediatric emergency medicine has been on the development of good quality guidelines, we aimed to improve early recognition and treatment (aim 1), the implementation and use of guidelines (aim 2) and the discharge process after the ED visit (aim 3). How to (early) recognize and treat patients at risk for serious infections or a complicated disease course (in developed low-prevalence) countries- decision making at the ED (aim 1) In order to answer these research questions, the importance of early recognition of serious infections in general is addressed in chapter 2: ‘Malpractice in pediatric emergency care in the Netherlands- what can we learn?’ Nineteen malpractice lawsuits are described, of which 16 were acknowledged. Important lessons learned are: 1) Pediatricians need to be awareIn this thesis we aimed to improve risk assessment and safety netting at the Emergency Department (ED) in children with infectious diseases. We focus on: 1. Early recognition and treatment of a vulnerable population of children at the ED 2. Optimizing the implementation and use of guidelines and clinical decision support 3. Improving the process of discharge from the E

Implementation of clinical decision support in young children with acute gastroenteritis: a randomized controlled trial at the emergency department

textabstractAcute gastroenteritis (AGE) is one of the most frequent reasons for young children to visit emergency departments (EDs). We aimed to evaluate (1) feasibility of a nurse-guided clinical decision support system for rehydration treatment in children with AGE and (2) the impact on diagnostics, treatment, and costs compared with usual care by attending physician. A randomized controlled trial was performed in 222 children, aged 1 month to 5 years at the ED of the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children’s hospital in The Netherlands ( 2010–2012). Outcome included (1) feasibility, measured by compliance of the nurses, and (2) length of stay (LOS) at the ED, the number of diagnostic tests, treatment, follow-up, and costs. Due to failure of post-ED weight measurement, we could not evaluate weight difference as measure for dehydration. Patient characteristics were comparable between the intervention (N = 113) and the usual care group (N = 109). Implementation of the clinical decision support system proved a high compliance rate. The standardized use of oral ORS (oral rehydration solution) significantly increased from 52 to 65%(RR2.2, 95%CI 1.09–4.31 p < 0.05). We observed no differences in other outcome measures. Conclusion: Implementation of nurse-guided clinical decision support system on rehydration treatment in children with AGE showed high compliance and increase standardized use of ORS, without differences in other outcome measures.(Table presented.

Characteristics of revisits of children at risk for serious infections in pediatric emergency care

In this study, we aimed to identify characteristics of (unscheduled) revisits and its optimal time frame after Emergency Department (ED) discharge. Children with fever, dyspnea, or vomiting/diarrhea (1 month–16 years) who attended the ED of Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam (2010–2013), the Netherlands, were prospectively included. Three days after ED discharge, we applied standardized telephonic questionnaires on disease course and revisits. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent characteristics of revisits. Young age, parental concern, and alarming signs and symptoms (chest wall retractions, ill appearance, clinical signs of dehydration, and tachypnea) were associated with revisits (n = 527) in children at risk for serious infections discharged from the ED (n = 1765). Children revisited the ED within a median of 2 days (IQR 1.0–3.0), but this was proven to be shorter in children with vomiting/diarrhea (1.0 day (IQR 1.0–2.0)) compared to children with fever or dyspnea (2.0 (IQR 1.0–3.0)). Conclusion: Young age, parental concern, and alarming signs and symptoms (chest wall retractions, ill appearance, clinical signs of dehydration, and tachypnea) were associated with emergency health care revisits in children with fever, dyspnea, and vomiting/diarrhea. These characteristics could help to define targeted review of children during post-discharge period. We observed a disease specific and differential timing of control revisits after ED discharge.(Table presented.

CDK19 is disrupted in a female patient with bilateral congenital retinal folds, microcephaly and mild mental retardation

Microcephaly, mental retardation and congenital retinal folds along with other systemic features have previously been reported as a separate clinical entity. The sporadic nature of the syndrome and lack of clear inheritance patterns pointed to a genetic heterogeneity. Here, we report a genetic analysis of a female patient with microcephaly, congenital bilateral falciform retinal folds, nystagmus, and mental retardation. Karyotyping revealed a de novo pericentric inversion in chromosome 6 with breakpoints in 6p12.1 and 6q21. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis narrowed down the region around the breakpoints, and the breakpoint at 6q21 was found to disrupt the CDK19 gene. CDK19 was found to be expressed in a diverse range of tissues including fetal eye and fetal brain. Quantitative PCR of the CDK19 transcript from Epstein–Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines of the patient revealed ~50% reduction in the transcript (p = 0.02), suggesting haploinsufficiency of the gene. cdk8, the closest orthologue of human CDK19 in Drosophila has been shown to play a major role in eye development. Conditional knock-down of Drosophila cdk8 in multiple dendrite (md) neurons resulted in 35% reduced dendritic branching and altered morphology of the dendritic arbour, which appeared to be due in part to a loss of small higher order branches. In addition, Cdk8 mutant md neurons showed diminished dendritic fields revealing an important role of the CDK19 orthologue in the developing nervous system of Drosophila. This is the first time the CDK19 gene, a component of the mediator co-activator complex, has been linked to a human disease

[Alarm symptoms of meningitis in children with fever].

A 15-year-old girl presented with fever and pain in her legs. A viral infection was suspected, but within 24 hours she became confused and developed meningeal signs, based on which she was diagnosed as having meningitis. Within a few hours a 6-month-old boy developed fever, a grey colour, bulging fontanel, cold hands and feet, and was groaning. He too appeared to have meningitis. It is important to recognize this serious infection in children with fever, since delay of diagnosis and treatment may result in serious complications. Recognition is difficult because of non-specific symptoms on presentation and a lack of alarm symptoms early in the course of the disease. Alarm symptoms of serious infection in children are cyanosis, rapid breathing, decreased capillary refill, petechial rash, meningeal signs, leg pain and decreased consciousness. If serious infection is uncertain in a child with fever, parents should be advised on the potential course of the disease, the alarm symptoms and the need to seek medical help in time

How to Predict Oral Rehydration Failure in Children With Gastroenteritis

textabstractOBJECTIVES:: Oral rehydration is the standard in most current guidelines for young children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Failure of oral rehydration can complicate the disease course, leading to morbidity due to severe dehydration. We aimed to identify prognostic factors of oral rehydration failure in children with AGE. METHODS:: Design A prospective, observational study.Setting Emergency department (ED), Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2010- 2012.Patients 802 previously healthy children, aged 1 month-5 years with AGE.Outcome Failure of oral rehydration was defined by secondary rehydration by a nasogastric tube, or hospitalisation or revisit for dehydration within 72?hours after initial ED visit. RESULTS:: We observed 167 (21%) failures of oral rehydration in a population of 802 children with AGE (median 1.03 years old, IQR 0.4–2.1; 60% male). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors for failure of oral rehydration were a higher Manchester Triage Urgency (MTS) level, abnormal capillary refill time (CRT) and a higher clinical dehydration scale (CDS) score. CONCLUSION:: Early recognition of young children with AGE at risk of fai