Antibiotic use in children before, during and after hospitalisation

Purpose To investigate ambulatory antibiotic use in children during 1 year before and 1 year after in-hospital antibiotic exposure compared to children from the general population that had not received antibiotics in-hospital. Methods Explorative data-linkage cohort study from Norway of children aged 3 months to 17 years. One group had received antibiotics in-Hospital (H+), and one group had not received antibiotics in-hospital (H-). The H+ group was recruited during admission in 2017. Using the Norwegian Population Registry, 10 children from the H- group were matched with one child from the H+ group according to county of residence, age and sex. We used the Norwegian Prescription Database to register antibiotic use 1 year before and 1 year after the month of hospitalisation. Results Of 187 children in the H+ group, 83 (44%) received antibiotics before hospitalisation compared to 288/1870 (15%) in the H- group, relative risk (RR) 2.88 (95% confidence interval 2.38–3.49). After hospitalisation, 86 (46%) received antibiotics in the H+ group compared to 311 (17%) in the H- group, RR 2.77 (2.30–3.33). Comorbidity-adjusted RR was 2.30 (1.84–2.86) before and 2.25 (1.81–2.79) after hospitalisation. RR after hospitalisation was 2.55 (1.99–3.26) in children 3 months-2 years, 4.03 (2.84–5.71) in children 3–12 years and 2.07 (1.33–3.20) in children 13–17 years. Conclusions Children exposed to antibiotics in-hospital had two to three times higher risk of receiving antibiotics in ambulatory care both before and after hospitalisation. The link between in-hospital and ambulatory antibiotic exposure should be emphasised in future antibiotic stewardship programs.publishedVersio

Are infants exposed to antimicrobials during the first 3 months of life at increased risk of recurrent use? An explorative data-linkage study

Objectives: To investigate whether infants exposed to antimicrobials in hospital during the first 3 months of life had an increased risk of ambulatory antimicrobial use during the following year compared with infants not exposed to antimicrobials during the first 3 months of life. Methods: Norwegian cohort study of infants less than 3 months consisting of one group exposed to antimicrobials recruited during hospitalization and one group not exposed to antimicrobials. Ten unexposed infants were matched with one exposed infant according to county of residence, birth year and month, and sex. The Norwegian Prescription Database was applied to register antimicrobial use from the month after discharge and 1 year onward. We defined comorbidity based on antimicrobials prescribed as reimbursable prescriptions due to underlying diseases. Results: Of 95 infants exposed to antimicrobials during the first 3 months of life, 23% had recurrent use compared with 14% use in 950 unexposed infants [relative risk (RR) = 1.7 (95% CI = 1.1–2.5) and comorbidity-adjusted RR = 1.4 (95% CI = 0.9–2.2)]. The recurrence use rate in exposed term infants (≥37 weeks, n = 70) was 27% compared with 12% in their unexposed matches [RR 2.3 = (95% CI = 1.4–3.7) and comorbidity-adjusted RR = 1.9 (95% CI = 1.2–3.2). Of 25 exposed preterm infants, 3 (12%) had recurrent use. The total antimicrobial prescription rate was 674/1000 in the exposed group and 244/1000 in the unexposed group [incidence rate ratio = 2.8 (95% CI = 1.6–4.9)]. Conclusions: Infants exposed to antimicrobials during the first 3 months of life had an increased risk of recurrent use during the following year. This increased risk also appeared in term infants without infection-related comorbidity.publishedVersio

Application of Neonatologist Performed Echocardiography in the assessment and management of neonatal heart failure unrelated to congenital heart disease

Neonatal heart failure (HF) is a progressive disease caused by cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular abnormalities. The most common cause of neonatal HF is structural congenital heart disease, while neonatal cardiomyopathy represents the most common cause of HF in infants with a structurally normal heart. Neonatal cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases manifesting with various morphological and functional phenotypes that affect the heart muscle and alter cardiac performance at, or soon after birth. The clinical presentation of neonates with cardiomyopathy is varied, as are the possible causes of the condition and the severity of disease presentation. Echocardiography is the selected method of choice for diagnostic evaluation, follow-up and analysis of treatment results for cardiomyopathies in neonates. Advances in neonatal echocardiography now permit a more comprehensive assessment of cardiac performance that could not be previously achieved with conventional imaging. In this review, we discuss the current and emerging echocardiographic techniques that aid in the correct diagnostic and pathophysiological assessment of some of the most common etiologies of HF that occur in neonates with a structurally normal heart and acquired cardiomyopathy and we provide recommendations for using these techniques to optimize the management of neonate with HF

The in-motion-app for remote general movement assessment : a multi-site observational study

Objectives To determine whether videos taken by parents of their infants' spontaneous movements were in accordance with required standards in the In-Motion-App, and whether the videos could be remotely scored by a trained General Movement Assessment (GMA) observer. Additionally, to assess the feasibility of using home-based video recordings for automated tracking of spontaneous movements, and to examine parents' perceptions and experiences of taking videos in their homes. Design The study was a multi-centre prospective observational study. Setting Parents/families of high-risk infants in tertiary care follow-up programmes in Norway, Denmark and Belgium. Methods Parents/families were asked to video record their baby in accordance with the In-Motion standards which were based on published GMA criteria and criteria covering lighting and stability of smartphone. Videos were evaluated as GMA 'scorable' or 'non-scorable' based on predefined criteria. The accuracy of a 7-point body tracker software was compared with manually annotated body key points. Parents were surveyed about the In-Motion-App information and clarity. Participants The sample comprised 86 parents/families of high-risk infants. Results The 86 parent/families returned 130 videos, and 121 (96%) of them were in accordance with the requirements for GMA assessment. The 7-point body tracker software detected more than 80% of body key point positions correctly. Most families found the instructions for filming their baby easy to follow, and more than 90% reported that they did not become more worried about their child's development through using the instructions. Conclusions This study reveals that a short instructional video enabled parents to video record their infant's spontaneous movements in compliance with the standards required for remote GMA. Further, an accurate automated body point software detecting infant body landmarks in smartphone videos will facilitate clinical and research use soon. Home-based video recordings could be performed without worrying parents about their child's development

Associations between unit workloads and outcomes of first extubation attempts in extremely premature infants below a gestational age of 26 weeks

Objective: The objective was to explore whether high workloads in neonatal intensive care units were associated with short-term respiratory outcomes of extremely premature (EP) infants born <26 weeks of gestational age. Methods: This was a population-based study using data from the Norwegian Neonatal Network supplemented by data extracted from the medical records of EP infants <26 weeks GA born from 2013 to 2018. To describe the unit workloads, measurements of daily patient volume and unit acuity at each NICU were used. The effect of weekend and summer holiday was also explored. Results: We analyzed 316 first planned extubation attempts. There were no associations between unit workloads and the duration of mechanical ventilation until each infant’s first extubation or the outcomes of these attempts. Additionally, there were no weekend or summer holiday effects on the outcomes explored. Workloads did not affect the causes of reintubation for infants who failed their first extubation attempt. Conclusion: Our finding that there was no association between the organizational factors explored and short-term respiratory outcomes can be interpreted as indicating resilience in Norwegian neonatal intensive care units.publishedVersio

Recommendations for neonatologist performed echocardiography in Europe: Consensus Statement endorsed by European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR) and European Society for Neonatology (ESN)

Contains fulltext : 171351.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access

Myocardial function in premature infants: a longitudinal observational study

Objectives Gestational and chronological age may have an impact on myocardial function. We studied the longitudinal changes of the atrioventricular tissue Doppler velocities in premature infants through the neonatal transitional period and at expected term and explored the reproducibility of the measurements. Design Prospective, observational and longitudinal cohort study. Setting Two-centre study, from a secondary and a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit. Participants 55 infants (29 males) with gestational age 31–35 weeks and birth weight 1127–2836 grams. Primary and secondary outcome measures Pulsed-wave atrioventricular left, septum and right ventricular annulus tissue Doppler systolic (S′), early diastolic (E′) and late diastolic (A′) velocities measured by repeated echocardiographic examinations days 1, 2 and 3 and at expected term. Results All velocities increased significantly from the neonatal period to expected term (p<0.001). We found a significant correlation between gestational age and right-sided S′, E′ and A′ on day 1 (Pearson correlation 0.32–0.46, p<0.05), for S′ in all three walls and septal E′ and A′ on day 2 (Pearson correlation 0.27–0.49, p<0.05). There was a moderate linear correlation between left ventricle end-diastolic length and septal and right S′ at term and for septal E′ and A′ at day 1 (Pearson correlation 0.30–0.56, p<0.05). We found no correlation between heart rate and tissue Doppler velocities when controlling for the effect of fusion. Continuous positive airway pressure showed moderate effect where as persistence of the ductus arteriosus showed no effect on the tissue Doppler velocities. The E′/A′ relationship was consistently reversed throughout the study with frequently fused diastolic tissue velocity signals. Conclusions Pulsed-wave atrioventricular annulus tissue Doppler velocities were related to gestational age, postnatal age and ventricular size. Right ventricle velocities showed more pronounced increase with postnatal maturation than left ventricle velocities. The degree of E′/A′ fusion influenced the diastolic tissue Doppler velocities and should be reported if present

Potential for More Rational Use of Antibiotics in Hospitalized Children in a Country with Low Resistance-Data from Eight Point Prevalence Surveys

Abstract BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is low in Norway, but to prevent an increase the Norwegian Government has launched a National Strategy including a 30% reduction of broad-spectrum antibiotics (BSA) in hospitals within 2020. BSA are defined as second- and third-generation cephalosporins, carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam and quinolones. There are no recent studies of antibiotic use in Norwegian hospitalized children. AIM OF THE STUDY: To describe the use of antibiotics with emphasis on BSA in Norwegian hospitalized children and neonates in order to detect possibilities for optimization. METHODS: Data were extracted from eight national point prevalence surveys of systemic antibiotic prescriptions in Norwegian hospitals between 2015 and 2017. The choices of antibiotics were compared with the empirical recommendations given in available Norwegian guidelines. In total, 1323 prescriptions were issued for 937 patients. RESULTS: Twenty-four percent of pediatric inpatients were given antibiotics. Adherence to guidelines was 48%, and 30% (95% CI 27%-33%) of all patients on antibiotics received BSA. We identified only small variations in use of BSA between hospitals. One third of the patients on antibiotic therapy received prophylaxis whereof 13% where given BSA. In 30% of prescriptions with BSA, no microbiological sample was obtained prior to treatment. CONCLUSION: This study reveals an excess of prescriptions with BSA in relation to the low resistance rate in Norway. Our findings reveal areas for improvement that can be useful in the forthcoming antibiotic stewardship programs in Norwegian pediatric department

Inter-rater reliability of the Silverman and Andersen index-a measure of respiratory distress in preterm infants.

BackgroundThere are various methods of respiratory support available to optimize respiratory function in preterm infants. Respiratory scoring tools might provide information on which method to choose and the level and duration of support needed. Before implementing a respiratory scoring tool in our clinical practice, we aimed to test the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Silverman and Andersen index (SA index) among neonatologists and nurses when applied to preterm infants on respiratory support. We also examined the association between the SA index and the electrical activity of the diaphragm (Edi signals).MethodsThis was a multicenter study including three newborn intensive care units in Norway. Four neonatologists and 10 nurses applied the SA index when assessing 80 videos of 44 preterm infants on High Flow Nasal Cannula, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist. The inter- and intra-rater reliability for the sum scores were measured by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and Kendall's W was used to assess the degree of agreement for each item. We quantified the association between the Edi signals and the SA index scores by the Spearman's correlation coefficient.ResultsWe found poor inter-rater reliability with an ICC for absolute agreement of 0.34 (95% CI: 0.20 to 0.53). There was fair agreement measuring each item separately for upper chest movements (Kendall's W 0.30), and moderate for lower chest movements (0.43) and xiphoid retractions (0.44). Expiratory grunting showed substantial agreement (0.67). The intra-rater reliability was good (ICC for absolute agreement 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.84). We found a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.468, p = 0.028) between the maximum inspiratory diaphragm activity (Edi peak) and the mean inspiratory SA index scores.ConclusionOur study showed poor inter-rater and good intra-rater reliability of the SA index when nurses and neonatologists assessed videos of preterm infants on various types of respiratory support. Edi peak and SA index had a moderate positive correlation. Formal training might be essential to improve the inter-rater reliability.Trial registrationRegistered 26th June 2017, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03199898

Neonatal transitional support with intact umbilical cord in assisted vaginal deliveries: A quality-improvement cohort study

Background Deferring cord clamping has proven benefits for both term and preterm infants, and recent studies have demonstrated better cardio-respiratory stability if clamping is based on the infant’s physiology, and whether the infant has breathed. Nevertheless, current guidelines for neonatal resuscitation still recommend early cord clamping (ECC) for compromised babies, unless equipment and competent personnel to resuscitate the baby are available at the mother’s bedside. The objective of this quality improvement cohort study was to evaluate whether implementing a new delivery room protocol involving mobile resuscitation equipment (LifeStart™) reduced the prevalence of ECC in assisted vaginal deliveries. Methods Data on cord clamping and transitional care were collected 8 months before and 8 months after implementing the new protocol. The Model for Improvement was applied to identify drivers and obstacles to practice change. Statistical Process Control analysis was used to demonstrate signals of improvement, and whether these changes were sustainable. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the impact of the new protocol on the primary outcome, adjusted for possible confounders. Results Overall prevalence of ECC dropped from 13 to 1% (P < 0.01), with a 98% relative risk reduction for infants needing transitional support on a resuscitation table (adjusted OR 0.02, P < 0.001). Mean cord clamping time increased by 43% (p < 0.001). Although fewer infants were placed directly on mothers’ chest (n = 43 [42%] vs n = 69 [75.0%], P < 0.001), there were no significant differences in needs for immediate transitional care or transfers to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A pattern of improvement was seen already before the intervention, especially after mandatory educational sessions and cross-professional simulation training. Conclusions A new delivery-room protocol involving mobile resuscitation equipment successfully eliminated early cord clamping in assisted vaginal deliveries of term and near-term infants. A systematic approach, like the Model for Improvement, seemed crucial for both achieving and sustaining the desired results