Dale W. Steele

Capnography during sedation/analgesia in the pediatric emergency department

OBJECTIVE To measure changes in end-tidal carbon dioxide levels (ETCO2) during sedation/analgesia in pediatric patients and to describe ETCO2 changes associated with different sedation strategies. METHODS This was a prospective, observational patient series in an urban pediatric emergency department (PED). Participants included 106 children with a mean age of 6.8 years. (range 1.2-16.6 years). Sedation/analgesia was given for fracture reduction (55%), laceration repair (37%), abscess incision and drainage (4%), and lumbar puncture (LP) (4%). Medications included fentanyl, morphine, ketamine, and midazolam. Continuous ETCO2 waveforms were recorded via a Capnogard ETCO2 Monitor. Oxygen saturation was recorded using a Nelcor N-200 pulse oximeter. Recording began prior to sedation and continued until the patient was awake or when it was necessary to remove the patient from the monitor for further medical care. Each record was analyzed for peak ETCO2 and averaged over five consecutive breaths, before and after the administration of medications. The main outcome measure was the change in ETCO2 levels. RESULTS The mean increase in ETCO2 was 6.7 mmHg (P is included in, 0.00001; range: +0.16 to +22.3). ETCO2 increased by 3.2 mmHg (95% CI = 2.2-4.2) for midazolam alone, 5.4 mmHg (95% CI = 4.5-6.4) for midazolam and ketamine, and 8.8 mmHg (95% CI = 7.4-10.2) for midazolam and opiate. Two patients had transient SpO2 desaturations below 93%, which corrected with stimulation. CONCLUSIONS Commonly used agents for pediatric sedation result in significant increases in ETCO2. ETCO2 is a useful adjunct in assessing ventilation and may serve as an objective research tool for assessing different sedation strategies.

Effect of Antibiotic Pretreatment on Cerebrospinal Fluid Profiles of Children With Bacterial Meningitis

OBJECTIVE. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of antibiotic administration before lumbar puncture on cerebrospinal fluid profiles in children with bacterial meningitis. METHODS. We reviewed the medical records of all children (1 month to 18 years of age) with bacterial meningitis who presented to 20 pediatric emergency departments between 2001 and 2004. Bacterial meningitis was defined by positive cerebrospinal fluid culture results for a bacterial pathogen or cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis with positive blood culture and/or cerebrospinal fluid latex agglutination results. Probable bacterial meningitis was defined as positive cerebrospinal fluid Gram stain results with negative results of bacterial cultures of blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Antibiotic pretreatment was defined as any antibiotic administered within 72 hours before the lumbar puncture. RESULTS. We identified 231 patients with bacterial meningitis and another 14 with probable bacterial meningitis. Of those 245 patients, 85 (35%) had received antibiotic pretreatment. After adjustment for patient age, duration and severity of illness at presentation, and bacterial pathogen, longer duration of antibiotic pretreatment was not significantly associated with cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count, cerebrospinal fluid absolute neutrophil count. However, antibiotic pretreatment was significantly associated with higher cerebrospinal fluid glucose and lower cerebrospinal fluid protein levels. Although these effects became apparent earlier, patients with ≥12 hours of pretreatment, compared with patients who either were not pretreated or were pretreated for <12 hours, had significantly higher median cerebrospinal fluid glucose levels (48 mg/dL vs 29 mg/dL) and lower median cerebrospinal fluid protein levels (121 vs 178 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS. In patients with bacterial meningitis, antibiotic pretreatment is associated with higher cerebrospinal fluid glucose levels and lower cerebrospinal fluid protein levels, although pretreatment does not modify cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell count or absolute neutrophil count results.

Oral Mechanical Bowel Preparation for Colorectal Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Oral mechanical bowel preparation is often used before elective colorectal surgery to reduce postoperative complications. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to synthesize the evidence on the comparative effectiveness and safety of oral mechanical bowel preparation versus no preparation or enema. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, and CINAHL without any language restrictions (last search on September 6, 2013). We also searched the US Food and Drug Administration Web site and ClinicalTrials.gov and supplemented our searches by asking technical experts and perusing reference lists. STUDY SELECTION: We included English-language, full-text reports of randomized clinical trials and nonrandomized comparative studies of patients undergoing elective colon or rectal surgery. For adverse events we also included single-group cohort studies of at least 200 participants. INTERVENTIONS: Interventions included oral mechanical bowel preparation, oral mechanical bowel preparation plus enema, enema only, and no oral mechanical bowel preparation or enema. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anastomotic leakage, all-cause mortality, wound infection, peritonitis/intra-abdominal abscess, reoperation, surgical site infection, quality of life, length of stay, and adverse events were measured. We synthesized results across studies qualitatively and with Bayesian random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: A total of 18 randomized clinical trials, 7 nonrandomized comparative studies, and 6 single-group cohorts were included. In meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials, the credibility intervals of the summary OR included the null value of 1.0 for comparisons of oral mechanical bowel preparation and either no oral preparation or enema for overall mortality, anastomotic leakage, wound infection, peritonitis, surgical site infection, and reoperation. These results were robust to extensive sensitivity analyses. Evidence on adverse events was sparse. LIMITATIONS: The study was limited by weaknesses in the underlying evidence, such as incomplete reporting of relevant information, exclusion of non-English and relevant unpublished studies, and possible missed indexing of nonrandomized studies. CONCLUSIONS: Our results could not exclude modest beneficial or harmful effects of oral mechanical bowel preparation compared with no preparation or enema.

Intranasal ketamine for procedural sedation in pediatric laceration repair: a preliminary report.

Objective The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of 3 doses of intranasal ketamine (INK) for sedation of children from 1 to 7 years old requiring laceration repair. Methods This was a randomized, prospective, double-blind trial of children requiring sedation for laceration repair. Patients with simple lacerations were randomized by age to receive 3, 6, or 9 mg/kg INK. Adequacy and efficacy of sedation were measured with the Ramsay sedation score and the Observational Scale of Behavioral Distress–Revised. Serum ketamine and norketamine levels were drawn during the procedure. Sedation duration and adverse events were recorded. Results Of the 12 patients enrolled, 3 patients achieved adequate sedation, all at the 9-mg/kg dose. The study was suspended at that time as per predetermined criteria. Conclusions Nine milligrams of INK per kilogram produced a significantly higher proportion of successful sedations than the 3- and 6-mg/kg doses.

Are pediatric emergency medicine training programs meeting their goals and objectives? A self-assessment of individuals completing fellowship training in 1993

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the overall training experience of those individuals completing fellowships in pediatric emergency medicine. Specific attention was given to the technical skills portion of training as set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics Curriculum Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine. We surveyed those individuals completing their second year of fellowship training in pediatric emergency medicine. The questionnaire incorporated a self-assessment of the technical skills portion of the Subcommittee on Pediatric Emergency Medicines most recent curriculum statement. It also contained several questions designed to evaluate the overall training experience. Eighty percent of respondents completing the self-assessment questionnaire rated their overall experience as favorable, whereas those who rated it unfavorable stressed a lack of training in research and teaching. Ninety-two percent of respondents felt they had a good clinical experience, but 80% expressed a need for further training in administration, 74% in research, and 46% in teaching. Although the majority claimed to be comfortable with most technical skills, several skills, including lifesaving procedures such as external pacing, peritoneal lavage, pericardiocentesis, shunt tap, airway foreign body removal, and needle cricothyrotomy, posed a significant degree of discomfort.

The use of local anesthetic techniques for closed forearm fracture reduction in children: a survey of academic pediatric emergency departments.

Background: Although local anesthetic techniques (hematoma blocks, nerve blocks, intravenous regional anesthesia) for forearm fracture reduction are well described and commonly used in adults, it is unclear how often these techniques are used in children. Objective: To characterize the use of local anesthesia for pediatric closed forearm fracture reduction by pediatric and orthopedic physicians practicing in teaching hospitals in Canada and the United States. Methods: An on-line survey targeting physicians practicing in hospitals with pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowships in Canada and the United States was sent to the PEM fellowship director and orthopedic department head at each hospital. Results: Sixty-three orthopedic surgeons and 69 PEM physicians were invited to participate in the survey, and 63% responded of all invited participants. All respondents routinely use sedation for forearm fracture reduction. Local anesthesia is used by 78% of respondents (55% rarely, 28% sometimes, and 17% frequently). Hematoma blocks are used by 92% of respondents who use local anesthesia; 20% use Bier blocks, and 2% use cubital blocks. Among respondents who never use local anesthesia, all believe that sufficient analgesia is obtained from procedural sedation alone, and 35% believe that local anesthesia is ineffective. Conclusions: Local anesthetic techniques are used only occasionally by those surveyed. More studies examining the use of local anesthesia for forearm fractures in children are necessary to evaluate the need for more widespread use.

Varicella: pediatric genital/rectal vesicular lesions of unclear origin.

Three children who presented with localized vesicular rash in the diaper area were found to have primary varicella-zoster infections. Primary varicella can closely mimic genital herpes simplex virus (HSV 1 or 2), which may be an indicator of sexual abuse. To avoid unfounded investigation for sexual abuse, primary varicella-zoster infection must be included in the differential diagnosis. Direct fluorescent antibody testing is a sensitive and specific diagnostic test that can be used to distinguish HSV 1 or 2 from varicella-zoster.

Emergency Department Visits Resulting From Intentional Injury In and Out of School

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have reported concerning numbers of injuries to children in the school setting. The objective was to understand temporal and demographic trends in intentional injuries in the school setting and to compare these with intentional injuries outside the school setting. METHODS: Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System–All Injury Program from 2001 to 2008 were analyzed to assess emergency department visits (EDVs) after an intentional injury. RESULTS: There were an estimated 7 397 301 total EDVs due to injuries sustained at school from 2001 to 2008. Of these, an estimated 736 014 (10%) were reported as intentional (range: 8.5%–10.7% for the study time period). The overall risk of an EDV after an intentional injury in school was 2.33 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.93–2.82) when compared with an EDV after an intentional injury outside the school setting. For intentional injury–related EDVs originating in the school setting, multivariate regression identified several demographic risk factors: 10- to 14-year-old (odds ratio [OR]: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.10–2.27) and 15- to 19-year-old (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.01–2.82) age group, black (OR: 4.14; 95% CI: 2.94–5.83) and American Indian (OR: 2.48; 95% CI: 2.06–2.99) race, and Hispanic ethnicity (OR: 3.67; 95% CI: 2.02–6.69). The odds of hospitalization resulting from intentional injury–related EDV compared with unintentional injury–related EDVs was 2.01 (95% CI: 1.50–2.69) in the school setting. These odds were found to be 5.85 (95% CI: 4.76–7.19) in the outside school setting. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest a need for additional prevention strategies addressing school-based intentional injuries.

Practice Variation in Acute Bronchiolitis: A Pediatric Emergency Research Networks Study

This global bronchiolitis study illustrates frequent lack of use and large variation in administration of EBSTs in infants hospitalized from EDs. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Studies characterizing hospitalizations in bronchiolitis did not identify patients receiving evidence-based supportive therapies (EBSTs). We aimed to evaluate intersite and internetwork variation in receipt of ≥1 EBSTs during the hospital management of infants diagnosed with bronchiolitis in 38 emergency departments of pediatric emergency research networks in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. We hypothesized that there would be significant variation, adjusted for patient characteristics. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of previously healthy infants aged <12 months with bronchiolitis. Our primary outcome was that hospitalization occurred with EBST (ie, parenteral fluids, oxygen, or airway support). RESULTS: Out of 3725 participants, 1466 (39%) were hospitalized, and 1023 out of 1466 participants (69.8%) received EBST. The use of EBST varied by site (P < .001; range 6%–99%, median 23%), but not by network (P = .2). Significant multivariable predictors and their odds ratios (ORs) were as follows: age (0.9), oxygen saturation (1.3), apnea (3.4), dehydration (3.2), nasal flaring and/or grunting (2.4), poor feeding (2.1), chest retractions (1.9), and respiratory rate (1.2). The use of pharmacotherapy and radiography varied by network and site (P < .001), with respective intersite ranges 2% to 79% and 1.6% to 81%. Compared with Australia and New Zealand, the multivariable OR for the use of pharmacotherapy in Spain and Portugal was 22.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.5–111), use in Canada was 11.5 (95% CI: 3.7–36), use in the United States was 6.8 (95% CI: 2.3–19.8), and use in the United Kingdom was 1.4 (95% CI: 0.4–4.2). Compared with United Kingdom, OR for radiography use in the United States was 4.9 (95% CI 2.0–12.2), use in Canada was 4.9 (95% CI 1.9–12.6), use in Spain and Portugal was 2.4 (95% CI 0.6–9.8), and use in Australia and New Zealand was 1.8 (95% CI 0.7–4.7). CONCLUSIONS: More than 30% of infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis received no EBST. The hospital site was a source of variation in all study outcomes, and the network also predicted the use of pharmacotherapy and radiography.

Effectiveness of Tympanostomy Tubes for Otitis Media: A Meta-analysis

This article presents a systematic review of the effectiveness of tympanostomy tubes in children with chronic serous otitis media and recurrent acute otitis media, as well as their associated adverse events. CONTEXT: Tympanostomy tube placement is the most common ambulatory surgery performed on children in the United States. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to synthesize evidence for the effectiveness of tympanostomy tubes in children with chronic otitis media with effusion and recurrent acute otitis media. DATA SOURCES: Searches were conducted in Medline, the Cochrane Central Trials Registry and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. STUDY SELECTION: Abstracts and full-text articles were independently screened by 2 investigators. DATA EXTRACTION: A total of 147 articles were included. When feasible, random effects network meta-analyses were performed. RESULTS: Children with chronic otitis media with effusion treated with tympanostomy tubes compared with watchful waiting had a net decrease in mean hearing threshold of 9.1 dB (95% credible interval: −14.0 to −3.4) at 1 to 3 months and 0.0 (95% credible interval: −4.0 to 3.4) by 12 to 24 months. Children with recurrent acute otitis media may have fewer episodes after placement of tympanostomy tubes. Associated adverse events are poorly defined and reported. LIMITATIONS: Sparse evidence is available, applicable only to otherwise healthy children. CONCLUSIONS: Tympanostomy tubes improve hearing at 1 to 3 months compared with watchful waiting, with no evidence of benefit by 12 to 24 months. Children with recurrent acute otitis media may have fewer episodes after tympanostomy tube placement, but the evidence base is severely limited. The benefits of tympanostomy tubes must be weighed against a variety of associated adverse events.