Executive Summary: The 2018 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference: Aligning the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Agenda to Reduce Health Outcome Gaps

Emergency care providers share a compelling interest in developing an effective patient‐centered, outcomes‐based research agenda that can decrease variability in pediatric outcomes. The 2018 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference “Aligning the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Agenda to Reduce Health Outcome Gaps (AEMCC)” aimed to fulfill this role. This conference convened major thought leaders and stakeholders to introduce a research, scholarship, and innovation agenda for pediatric emergency care specifically to reduce health outcome gaps. Planning committee and conference participants included emergency physicians, pediatric emergency physicians, pediatricians, and researchers with expertise in research dissemination and translation, as well as comparative effectiveness, in collaboration with patients, patient and family advocates from national advocacy organizations, and trainees. Topics that were explored and deliberated through subcommittee breakout sessions led by content experts included 1) pediatric emergency medical services research, 2) pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) research network collaboration, 3) PEM education for emergency medicine providers, 4) workforce development for PEM, and 5) enhancing collaboration across emergency departments (PEM practice in non–children’s hospitals). The work product of this conference is a research agenda that aims to identify areas of future research, innovation, and scholarship in PEM.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146868/1/acem13667.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146868/2/acem13667_am.pd

Operationalizing Appropriate Sepsis Definitions in Children Worldwide: Considerations for the Pediatric Sepsis Definition Taskforce

Sepsis is a leading cause of global mortality in children, yet definitions for pediatric sepsis are outdated and lack global applicability and validity. In adults, the Sepsis-3 Definition Taskforce queried databases from high-income countries to develop and validate the criteria. The merit of this definition has been widely acknowledged; however, important considerations about less-resourced and more diverse settings pose challenges to its use globally. To improve applicability and relevance globally, the Pediatric Sepsis Definition Taskforce sought to develop a conceptual framework and rationale of the critical aspects and context-specific factors that must be considered for the optimal operationalization of future pediatric sepsis definitions. It is important to address challenges in developing a set of pediatric sepsis criteria which capture manifestations of illnesses with vastly different etiologies and underlying mechanisms. Ideal criteria need to be unambiguous, and capable of adapting to the different contexts in which children with suspected infections are present around the globe. Additionally, criteria need to facilitate early recognition and timely escalation of treatment to prevent progression and limit life-threatening organ dysfunction. To address these challenges, locally adaptable solutions are required, which permit individualized care based on available resources and the pretest probability of sepsis. This should facilitate affordable diagnostics which support risk stratification and prediction of likely treatment responses, and solutions for locally relevant outcome measures. For this purpose, global collaborative databases need to be established, using minimum variable datasets from routinely collected data. In summary, a "Think globally, act locally" approach is required

Development and Validation of the Phoenix Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock

ImportanceThe Society of Critical Care Medicine Pediatric Sepsis Definition Task Force sought to develop and validate new clinical criteria for pediatric sepsis and septic shock using measures of organ dysfunction through a data-driven approach.ObjectiveTo derive and validate novel criteria for pediatric sepsis and septic shock across differently resourced settings.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsMulticenter, international, retrospective cohort study in 10 health systems in the US, Colombia, Bangladesh, China, and Kenya, 3 of which were used as external validation sites. Data were collected from emergency and inpatient encounters for children (aged &amp;amp;lt;18 years) from 2010 to 2019: 3 049 699 in the development (including derivation and internal validation) set and 581 317 in the external validation set.ExposureStacked regression models to predict mortality in children with suspected infection were derived and validated using the best-performing organ dysfunction subscores from 8 existing scores. The final model was then translated into an integer-based score used to establish binary criteria for sepsis and septic shock.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome for all analyses was in-hospital mortality. Model- and integer-based score performance measures included the area under the precision recall curve (AUPRC; primary) and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC; secondary). For binary criteria, primary performance measures were positive predictive value and sensitivity.ResultsAmong the 172 984 children with suspected infection in the first 24 hours (development set; 1.2% mortality), a 4-organ-system model performed best. The integer version of that model, the Phoenix Sepsis Score, had AUPRCs of 0.23 to 0.38 (95% CI range, 0.20-0.39) and AUROCs of 0.71 to 0.92 (95% CI range, 0.70-0.92) to predict mortality in the validation sets. Using a Phoenix Sepsis Score of 2 points or higher in children with suspected infection as criteria for sepsis and sepsis plus 1 or more cardiovascular point as criteria for septic shock resulted in a higher positive predictive value and higher or similar sensitivity compared with the 2005 International Pediatric Sepsis Consensus Conference (IPSCC) criteria across differently resourced settings.Conclusions and RelevanceThe novel Phoenix sepsis criteria, which were derived and validated using data from higher- and lower-resource settings, had improved performance for the diagnosis of pediatric sepsis and septic shock compared with the existing IPSCC criteria.</jats:sec

International Consensus Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock.

ImportanceSepsis is a leading cause of death among children worldwide. Current pediatric-specific criteria for sepsis were published in 2005 based on expert opinion. In 2016, the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) defined sepsis as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, but it excluded children.ObjectiveTo update and evaluate criteria for sepsis and septic shock in children.Evidence reviewThe Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) convened a task force of 35 pediatric experts in critical care, emergency medicine, infectious diseases, general pediatrics, nursing, public health, and neonatology from 6 continents. Using evidence from an international survey, systematic review and meta-analysis, and a new organ dysfunction score developed based on more than 3 million electronic health record encounters from 10 sites on 4 continents, a modified Delphi consensus process was employed to develop criteria.FindingsBased on survey data, most pediatric clinicians used sepsis to refer to infection with life-threatening organ dysfunction, which differed from prior pediatric sepsis criteria that used systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria, which have poor predictive properties, and included the redundant term, severe sepsis. The SCCM task force recommends that sepsis in children be identified by a Phoenix Sepsis Score of at least 2 points in children with suspected infection, which indicates potentially life-threatening dysfunction of the respiratory, cardiovascular, coagulation, and/or neurological systems. Children with a Phoenix Sepsis Score of at least 2 points had in-hospital mortality of 7.1% in higher-resource settings and 28.5% in lower-resource settings, more than 8 times that of children with suspected infection not meeting these criteria. Mortality was higher in children who had organ dysfunction in at least 1 of 4-respiratory, cardiovascular, coagulation, and/or neurological-organ systems that was not the primary site of infection. Septic shock was defined as children with sepsis who had cardiovascular dysfunction, indicated by at least 1 cardiovascular point in the Phoenix Sepsis Score, which included severe hypotension for age, blood lactate exceeding 5 mmol/L, or need for vasoactive medication. Children with septic shock had an in-hospital mortality rate of 10.8% and 33.5% in higher- and lower-resource settings, respectively.Conclusions and relevanceThe Phoenix sepsis criteria for sepsis and septic shock in children were derived and validated by the international SCCM Pediatric Sepsis Definition Task Force using a large international database and survey, systematic review and meta-analysis, and modified Delphi consensus approach. A Phoenix Sepsis Score of at least 2 identified potentially life-threatening organ dysfunction in children younger than 18 years with infection, and its use has the potential to improve clinical care, epidemiological assessment, and research in pediatric sepsis and septic shock around the world

Does attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder increase the risk of minor blunt head trauma in children?

PROBLEM: It is unclear if attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increases the risk of head trauma in children. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study of children with minor blunt head trauma. Guardians were queried, and medical records were reviewed as to whether the patient had previously been diagnosed with ADHD. Enrolled patients were categorized based on their mechanism of injury, with a comparison of those with motor vehicle collision (MVC) versus non-MVC mechanisms. FINDINGS: A total of 3410 (84%) enrolled children had ADHD status available, and 274 (8.0%; 95% confidence interval,&nbsp;CI: 7.1, 9.0%) had been diagnosed with ADHD. The mean age was 9.2 ± 3.5 years and 64% were males. Rates of ADHD for specific mechanisms of injury were: assaults: 23/131 (17.6%; 95% CI 11.5, 25.2%), automobile versus pedestrian 23/173 (13.3%; 95% CI: 8.6, 19.3%), bicycle crashes 26/148 (17.6%; 95% CI: 11.8, 24.7%), falls 107/1651 (6.5%; 95% 5.3, 7.8%), object struck head 31/421 (7.4%; 5.1, 10.3%), motorized vehicle crashes (e.g., motorcycle, motor scooter) 11/148 (7.4%; 3.8, 12.9%), and MVCs 46/704 (6.5%; 95% CI: 4.8, 8.6%). CONCLUSION: Children with ADHD appear to be at increased risk of head trauma from certain mechanisms of injury including assaults, auto versus pedestrian, and bicycle crashes but are not at an increased risk for falls

Pediatric Sepsis Definition-A Systematic Review Protocol by the Pediatric Sepsis Definition Taskforce

Objectives - Sepsis is responsible for a substantial proportion of global childhood morbidity and mortality. However, evidence demonstrates major inaccuracies in the use of the term "sepsis" in clinical practice, coding, and research. Current and previous definitions of sepsis have been developed using expert consensus but the specific criteria used to identify children with sepsis have not been rigorously evaluated. Therefore, as part of the Society of Critical Care Medicine's Pediatric Sepsis Definition Taskforce, we will conduct a systematic review to synthesize evidence on individual factors, clinical criteria, or illness severity scores that may be used to identify children with infection who have or are at high risk of developing sepsis-associated organ dysfunction and separately those factors, criteria, and scores that may be used to identify children with sepsis who are at high risk of progressing to multiple organ dysfunction or death. Data Sources - We will identify eligible studies by searching the following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Study Selection - We will include all randomized trials and cohort studies published between January 1, 2004, and March 16, 2020. Data Extraction - Data extraction will include information related to study characteristics, population characteristics, clinical criteria, and outcomes. Data Synthesis - We will calculate sensitivity and specificity of each criterion for predicting sepsis and conduct a meta-analysis if the data allow. We will also provide pooled estimates of overall hospital mortality. Conclusions - The potential risk factors, clinical criteria, and illness severity scores from this review which identify patients with infection who are at high risk of developing sepsis-associated organ dysfunction and/or progressing to multiple organ dysfunction or death will be used to inform the next steps of the Pediatric Sepsis Definition Taskforce

The 2018 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference: Aligning the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Agenda to Reduce Health Outcome Gaps.

Emergency care providers share a compelling interest in developing an effective patient‐centered, outcomes‐based research agenda that can decrease variability in pediatric outcomes. The 2018 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference “Aligning the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Agenda to Reduce Health Outcome Gaps (AEMCC)” aimed to fulfill this role. This conference convened major thought leaders and stakeholders to introduce a research, scholarship, and innovation agenda for pediatric emergency care specifically to reduce health outcome gaps. Planning committee and conference participants included emergency physicians, pediatric emergency physicians, pediatricians, and researchers with expertise in research dissemination and translation, as well as comparative effectiveness, in collaboration with patients, patient and family advocates from national advocacy organizations, and trainees. Topics that were explored and deliberated through subcommittee breakout sessions led by content experts included 1) pediatric emergency medical services research, 2) pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) research network collaboration, 3) PEM education for emergency medicine providers, 4) workforce development for PEM, and 5) enhancing collaboration across emergency departments (PEM practice in non–children’s hospitals). The work product of this conference is a research agenda that aims to identify areas of future research, innovation, and scholarship in PEM.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146868/1/acem13667.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146868/2/acem13667_am.pd

A Research Agenda to Advance Pediatric Emergency Care Through Enhanced Collaboration Across Emergency Departments

In 2018, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and the journal Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) convened a consensus conference entitled, â Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference: Aligning the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Agenda to Reduce Health Outcome Gaps.â This article is the product of the breakout session, â Emergency Department Collaborationâ Pediatric Emergency Medicine in Nonâ Children’s Hospitalâ ).This subcommittee consisting of emergency medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, and quality improvement (QI) experts, as well as a patient advocate, identified main outcome gaps in the care of children in the emergency departments (EDs) in the following areas: variations in pediatric care and outcomes, pediatric readiness, and gaps in knowledge translation. The goal for this session was to create a research agenda that facilitates collaboration and partnering of diverse stakeholders to develop a system of care across all ED settings with the aim of improving quality and increasing safe medical care for children. The following recommended research strategies emerged: explore the use of technology as well as collaborative networks for education, research, and advocacy to develop and implement patient care guidelines, pediatric knowledge generation and dissemination, and pediatric QI and prepare all EDs to care for the acutely ill and injured pediatric patients. In conclusion, collaboration between general EDs and academic pediatric centers on research, dissemination, and implementation of evidence into clinical practice is a solution to improving the quality of pediatric care across the continuum.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147050/1/acem13642-sup-0001-DataSupplementS1.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147050/2/acem13642.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147050/3/acem13642_am.pd

Validation of Prediction Rules for Computed Tomography Use in Children With Blunt Abdominal or Blunt Head Trauma: Protocol for a Prospective Multicenter Observational Cohort Study

BackgroundTraumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and intra-abdominal injuries (IAIs) are 2 leading causes of traumatic death and disability in children. To avoid missed or delayed diagnoses leading to increased morbidity, computed tomography (CT) is used liberally. However, the overuse of CT leads to inefficient care and radiation-induced malignancies. Therefore, to maximize precision and minimize the overuse of CT, the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) previously derived clinical prediction rules for identifying children at high risk and very low risk for IAIs undergoing acute intervention and clinically important TBIs after blunt trauma in large cohorts of children who are injured. ObjectiveThis study aimed to validate the IAI and age-based TBI clinical prediction rules for identifying children at high risk and very low risk for IAIs undergoing acute intervention and clinically important TBIs after blunt trauma. MethodsThis was a prospective 6-center observational study of children aged 24 hours for TBI, or hospital admission of ≥2 nights due to a TBI on CT). Prediction rule accuracy was assessed by measuring rule classification performance, using standard point and 95% CI estimates of the operational characteristics of each prediction rule (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic likelihood ratios). ResultsThe project was funded in 2016, and enrollment was completed on September 1, 2021. Data analyses are expected to be completed by December 2022, and the primary study results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2023. ConclusionsThis study will attempt to validate previously derived clinical prediction rules to accurately identify children at high and very low risk for clinically important IAIs and TBIs. Assuming successful validation, widespread implementation is then indicated, which will optimize the care of children who are injured by better aligning CT use with need. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR1-10.2196/4302

International Consensus Criteria for Pediatric Sepsis and Septic Shock

IMPORTANCE: Sepsis is a leading cause of death among children worldwide. Current pediatric-specific criteria for sepsis were published in 2005 based on expert opinion. In 2016, the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) defined sepsis as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, but it excluded children. OBJECTIVE: To update and evaluate criteria for sepsis and septic shock in children. EVIDENCE REVIEW: The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) convened a task force of 35 pediatric experts in critical care, emergency medicine, infectious diseases, general pediatrics, nursing, public health, and neonatology from 6 continents. Using evidence from an international survey, systematic review and meta-analysis, and a new organ dysfunction score developed based on more than 3 million electronic health record encounters from 10 sites on 4 continents, a modified Delphi consensus process was employed to develop criteria. FINDINGS: Based on survey data, most pediatric clinicians used sepsis to refer to infection with life-threatening organ dysfunction, which differed from prior pediatric sepsis criteria that used systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria, which have poor predictive properties, and included the redundant term, severe sepsis. The SCCM task force recommends that sepsis in children be identified by a Phoenix Sepsis Score of at least 2 points in children with suspected infection, which indicates potentially life-threatening dysfunction of the respiratory, cardiovascular, coagulation, and/or neurological systems. Children with a Phoenix Sepsis Score of at least 2 points had in-hospital mortality of 7.1% in higher-resource settings and 28.5% in lower-resource settings, more than 8 times that of children with suspected infection not meeting these criteria. Mortality was higher in children who had organ dysfunction in at least 1 of 4-respiratory, cardiovascular, coagulation, and/or neurological-organ systems that was not the primary site of infection. Septic shock was defined as children with sepsis who had cardiovascular dysfunction, indicated by at least 1 cardiovascular point in the Phoenix Sepsis Score, which included severe hypotension for age, blood lactate exceeding 5 mmol/L, or need for vasoactive medication. Children with septic shock had an in-hospital mortality rate of 10.8% and 33.5% in higher- and lower-resource settings, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The Phoenix sepsis criteria for sepsis and septic shock in children were derived and validated by the international SCCM Pediatric Sepsis Definition Task Force using a large international database and survey, systematic review and meta-analysis, and modified Delphi consensus approach. A Phoenix Sepsis Score of at least 2 identified potentially life-threatening organ dysfunction in children younger than 18 years with infection, and its use has the potential to improve clinical care, epidemiological assessment, and research in pediatric sepsis and septic shock around the world