James A. Feinstein

Pediatric complex chronic conditions classification system version 2: updated for ICD-10 and complex medical technology dependence and transplantation

BackgroundThe pediatric complex chronic conditions (CCC) classification system, developed in 2000, requires revision to accommodate the International Classification of Disease 10th Revision (ICD-10). To update the CCC classification system, we incorporated ICD-9 diagnostic codes that had been either omitted or incorrectly specified in the original system, and then translated between ICD-9 and ICD-10 using General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs). We further reviewed all codes in the ICD-9 and ICD-10 systems to include both diagnostic and procedural codes indicative of technology dependence or organ transplantation. We applied the provisional CCC version 2 (v2) system to death certificate information and 2 databases of health utilization, reviewed the resulting CCC classifications, and corrected any misclassifications. Finally, we evaluated performance of the CCC v2 system by assessing: 1) the stability of the system between ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes using data which included both ICD-9 codes and ICD-10 codes; 2) the year-to-year stability before and after ICD-10 implementation; and 3) the proportions of patients classified as having a CCC in both the v1 and v2 systems.ResultsThe CCC v2 classification system consists of diagnostic and procedural codes that incorporate a new neonatal CCC category as well as domains of complexity arising from technology dependence or organ transplantation. CCC v2 demonstrated close comparability between ICD-9 and ICD-10 and did not detect significant discontinuity in temporal trends of death in the United States. Compared to the original system, CCC v2 resulted in a 1.0% absolute (10% relative) increase in the number of patients identified as having a CCC in national hospitalization dataset, and a 0.4% absolute (24% relative) increase in a national emergency department dataset.ConclusionsThe updated CCC v2 system is comprehensive and multidimensional, and provides a necessary update to accommodate widespread implementation of ICD-10.

Effects of Corticosteroid on Henoch-Schönlein Purpura: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE. No consensus exists among general pediatricians or pediatric rheumatologists regarding whether corticosteroid therapy ameliorates the acute manifestations of Henoch-Schönlein purpura or mitigates renal injury. Therefore, we sought to synthesize the reported experimental and observational data regarding corticosteroid use. METHODS. We performed a meta-analysis based on a comprehensive review of the literature in the Medline database (1956 to January 2007) and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. On the basis of reported outcomes among patients with Henoch-Schönlein purpura who were treated at diagnosis with corticosteroids compared with patients treated with supportive care only, we calculated odds ratios for the resolution of abdominal pain, the need for surgical intervention secondary to severe pain or intussusception, the likelihood of Henoch-Schönlein purpura recurrence, and the development of transient or persistent renal disease. RESULTS. Of 201 articles retrieved from the initial literature search, 15 were eligible for inclusion. Corticosteroid treatment did not reduce the median time to resolution of abdominal pain but did significantly reduce the mean resolution time and increased the odds of resolution within 24 hours. Early corticosteroid treatment significantly reduced the odds of developing persistent renal disease. In addition, although the results were not statistically significant, the prospective data suggest reduced odds of both surgical intervention and recurrence. CONCLUSIONS. Corticosteroids, given early in the course of illness, seem to produce consistent benefits for several major clinically relevant Henoch-Schönlein purpura outcomes.

Management of Sleep Disorders in Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Review.

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are defined as a group of disorders caused by changes in early brain development, resulting in behavioral and cognitive alterations in sensory and motor systems, speech, and language. NDDs affect approximately 1–2% of the general population. Up to 80% of children with NDDs are reported to have disrupted sleep; subsequent deleterious effects on daytime behaviors, cognition, growth, and overall development of the child are commonly reported. Examples of NDDs discussed in this review include autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Rett syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Williams syndrome, and Smith‐Magenis syndrome. The etiology of sleep disorders in children with NDDs is largely heterogeneous and disease specific. The diagnosis and management of sleep disorders in this population are complex, and little high‐quality data exist to guide a consistent approach to therapy. Managing sleep disorders in children with NDDs is critical both for the child and for the family but is often frustrating due to the refractory nature of the problem. Sleep hygiene must be implemented as first‐line therapy; if sleep hygiene alone fails, it should be combined with pharmacologic management. The available evidence for the use of common pharmacologic interventions, such as iron supplementation and melatonin, as well as less common interventions, such as melatonin receptor agonists, clonidine, gabapentin, hypnotics, trazodone, and atypical antipsychotics is reviewed. Further, parents and caregivers should be provided with appropriate education on the nature of the sleep disorders and the expectation for modest pharmacologic benefit, at best. Additional data from well‐designed trials in children with NDDs are desperately needed to gain a better understanding of sleep pharmacotherapy including efficacy and safety implications. Until then, clinicians must rely on the limited available data, as well as clinical expertise, when managing sleep disorders in the population of children with NDDs.

Potential drug-drug interactions in infant, child, and adolescent patients in children's hospitals.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hospitalized infants, children, and adolescents are typically exposed to numerous distinct medications during inpatient admissions, increasing their risk of potential drug−drug interactions (PDDIs). We assessed the prevalence and characteristics of PDDI exposure of pediatric patients treated in children’s hospitals. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients <21 years old hospitalized in children’s hospitals throughout the United States. PDDIs were identified by using the MicroMedex DRUG-REAX system. We calculated the patients exposed to PDDIs, stratified according to the seriousness of the interaction; daily and cumulative counts of PDDI exposures; and characterization of the cited potential adverse effects. RESULTS: Of 498 956 hospitalizations in 2011, 49% were associated with ≥1 PDDI, with a “contraindicated” PDDI occurring in 5% of all hospitalizations, a “major” PDDI present in 41%, a “moderate” PDDI in 28%, and a “minor” PDDI in 11%. Opioids were involved in 25% of all PDDIs, followed by antiinfective agents (17%), neurologic agents (15%), gastrointestinal agents (13%), and cardiovascular agents (13%). One-half of all PDDI exposures were due to specific drug pairs occurring in ≤3% of patients per hospital day. The most common potential adverse drug events included additive respiratory depression (in 21% of PDDIs), bleeding risk (5%), QT interval prolongation (4%), reduced iron absorption/availability (4%), central nervous system depression (4%), hyperkalemia (3%), and altered diuretic effectiveness (3%). CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to PDDIs is common among hospitalized children. Empirical data are needed to determine the probability and magnitude of the actual harm for each specific PDDI, particularly for less common drug pairs.

Adverse Drug Event-Related Emergency Department Visits Associated With Complex Chronic Conditions

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Outpatient adverse drug events (ADEs) can result in serious outcomes requiring emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. The incidence and severity of ADEs in children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs), who often take multiple medications, is unknown. We sought to describe the characteristics of ADE-related ED visits, including association with CCC status; determine the implicated medications; and determine if CCC status increased the risk of ADE-related admission. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of ED visits by patients aged 0 to 18 years using a national sample. ADEs were identified by external cause of injury codes; cases with overdose, wrongful administration, self-harm, or diagnosis of malignancy were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test outcomes of having an ADE-related ED visit and of subsequent admission. All statistics accounted for the complex survey design. RESULTS: Of 144 million ED visits, 0.5% were associated with ADEs. Adjusting for age, gender, insurance type, day of week, and location of hospital, ADEs were associated with the presence of a CCC (odds ratio 4.76; 95% confidence interval: 4.45–5.10). The implicated medications differed significantly by CCC status. Adjusting for the same variables, ADEs were associated with subsequent inpatient admission (odds ratio 2.18; 95% confidence interval: 2.04–2.32) for all children; an interaction between ADE and CCC status was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: ED visits associated with ADEs were more likely to occur for children with CCCs, and the implicated drugs differed, but ADE-related admissions were not differentially affected by CCC status.

Prediction of Pediatric Death in the Year after Hospitalization: A Population-Level Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND The study of how the quality of pediatric end-of-life care varies across systems of health care delivery and financing is hampered by lack of methods to adjust for the probability of death in populations of ill children. OBJECTIVE To develop a prognostication models using administratively available data to predict the probability of in-hospital and 1-year postdischarge death. METHODS Retrospective cohort study of 0-21 year old patients admitted to Pennsylvania hospitals from 1994-2001 and followed for 1-year postdischarge mortality, assessing logistic regression models ability to predict in-hospital and 1-year postdischarge deaths. RESULTS Among 678,365 subjects there were 2,202 deaths that occurred during the hospitalization (0.32% of cohort) and 860 deaths that occurred 365 days or less after hospital discharge (0.13% of cohort). The model predicting hospitalization deaths exhibited a C statistic of 0.91, with sensitivity of 65.9% and specificity of 92.9% at the 99th percentile cutpoint; while the model predicting 1-year postdischarge deaths exhibited a C statistic of 0.92, with sensitivity of 56.1% and specificity of 98.4% at the 99th percentile cutpoint. CONCLUSIONS Population-level mortality prognostication of hospitalized children using administratively available data is feasible, assisting the comparison of health care services delivered to children with the highest probability of dying during and after a hospital admission.

Epidemiology of Polypharmacy and Potential Drug-Drug Interactions Among Pediatric Patients in ICUs of U.S. Children's Hospitals.

Objectives: Polypharmacy is common in hospitalized children in the United States and has been identified as a major risk factor for exposure to potential drug–drug interactions. Little is known about the characteristics and prevalence of exposure of pediatric patients to polypharmacy and potential drug–drug interactions in PICUs. Design: Retrospective cohort study using the Pediatric Health Information System database. Setting: Forty-two freestanding children’s hospitals throughout the United States. Patients: A total of 54,549 patients less than 18 years old cared for in PICUs in 2011. Patients in neonatal ICUs were not included. Measurements and Main Results: PICU patients were on average exposed to 10 distinct drugs each hospital day and to 20 drugs cumulatively during their hospitalization. Seventy-five percent of patients were exposed to greater than or equal to one potential drug–drug interaction regardless of severity level, 6% to greater than or equal to one contraindicated potential drug–drug interaction, 69% to greater than or equal to one major potential drug–drug interaction, 57% to greater than or equal to one moderate potential drug–drug interaction, 19% to greater than or equal to one minor potential drug–drug interaction. Potential drug–drug interaction exposures were significantly associated with specific diagnoses (p < 0.001), presence of complex chronic conditions (p < 0.001), increasing number of total distinct drugs used (p < 0.001), increasing length of stay in PICU (p < 0.001), and white race (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Many PICU patients are exposed to substantial polypharmacy and potential drug–drug interactions. Future research should identify the risk of adverse drug events following specific potential drug–drug interaction exposures, especially the risk of adverse drug events due to multiple potential drug–drug interaction exposures, and determine the probability and magnitude of the actual harm (if any) for each specific potential drug–drug interaction, especially for multiple potential drug–drug interaction exposures.

Tall Man lettering and potential prescription errors: a time series analysis of 42 children's hospitals in the USA over 9 years

Background Despite the widespread implementation of Tall Man lettering, little evidence exists regarding whether this technique has reduced drug errors due to look-alike sound-alike (LA-SA) drug names. This study evaluated rates of potential LA-SA drug errors in the drug management process through to the point of dispensing before and after implementation of Tall Man lettering in 2007. Methods We used detailed pharmacy data for paediatric inpatients (<21 years old) from 42 childrens hospitals in 2004–2012. After prespecifying a set of 8 potential LA-SA drug error patterns we searched within each hospitalisation for the occurrence of one of these patterns for a total of 12 LA-SA drug pairs deemed highly relevant to paediatric inpatients. To assess for potential change of error rates before and after Tall Man lettering implementation, we performed segmented regression analyses for each of 11 LA-SA drug pairs (because 1 pair had no detected potential errors) and for the overall total errors of all 11 LA-SA drug pairs. Results Among 1 676 700 hospitalisations, no statistically significant change was detected for either the intercept or the slope of LA-SA error rate for each of the 11 drug pairs or for the combined error rate. In a sensitivity analysis of the moving average of the potential error rate over the entire study period, no downward trend in potential LA-SA drug error rates was evident over any time period 2004 onwards. Conclusions Implementation of Tall Man lettering in 2007 was not associated with a reduction in the potential LA-SA error rate. Whether Tall Man lettering is effective in clinical practice warrants further study.

Outpatient Follow-Up Visits and Readmission in Medically Complex Children Enrolled in Medicaid

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between postdischarge outpatient follow-up and 30-day readmissions in Medicaid enrolled children with complex, chronic conditions. STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective cohort analysis of Colorado Medicaid recipients with complex, chronic conditions who were discharged from the hospital between 2006 and 2008. The primary outcome was readmission between 4 and 30 days after index hospital discharge. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the association between early postdischarge outpatient visits (≤ 3 days postdischarge) and readmission. We secondarily analyzed the relationship between any outpatient visit from 4 to 29 days of index discharge and readmission. RESULTS For the 2415 patients with complex, chronic conditions included in the analysis, the 4- to 30-day readmission rate was 6.3%. The odds of readmission was significantly greater for patients with ≥ 1 outpatient visit ≤ 3 days after discharge compared with patients without a visit ≤ 3 days after discharge (aOR 1.7 [1.1-2.4]). The odds of readmission were significantly lower for patients with ≥ 1 outpatient visit from 4 to 29 days after discharge compared with patients without such visits (aOR 0.5 [0.3-0.7]). Other factors associated with readmission included index hospital length of stay and number of complex, chronic conditions. CONCLUSIONS In medically complex children, there is a positive association between early postdischarge outpatient follow-up and readmission. There is an inverse association between later postdischarge outpatient follow-up and readmission. Outpatient follow-up occurring within 4-29 days after discharge may help to prevent 30-day readmissions. Additional research is needed to inform guidelines regarding longer term postdischarge outpatient follow-up in these children.

The depth, duration, and degree of outpatient pediatric polypharmacy in Colorado fee-for-service Medicaid patients†

Outpatient pediatric polypharmacy is poorly characterized. Identification of at‐risk populations has clinical implications for pharmacy case management programs. We described the degree of exposure to polypharmacy using parameters of depth (concurrent medication count) and duration, reported commonly dispensed medications and exposure to three example potential drug–drug interactions by different depths of polypharmacy, and determined patient characteristics associated with exposure to increased degrees (a function of depth and duration) of polypharmacy.