Joel S. Tieder

Variation in Care of the Febrile Young Infant <90 Days in US Pediatric Emergency Departments

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Variation in patient care or outcomes may indicate an opportunity to improve quality of care. We evaluated the variation in testing, treatment, hospitalization rates, and outcomes of febrile young infants in US pediatric emergency departments (EDs). METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of infants <90 days of age with a diagnosis code of fever who were evaluated in 1 of 37 pediatric EDs between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2013. We assessed patient- and hospital-level variation in testing, treatment, and disposition for patients in 3 distinct age groups: ≤28, 29 to 56, and 57 to 89 days. We also compared interhospital variation for 3-day revisits and revisits resulting in hospitalization. RESULTS: We identified 35 070 ED visits that met inclusion criteria. The proportion of patients who underwent comprehensive evaluation, defined as urine, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid testing, decreased with increasing patient age: 72.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 71.0–73.0) of neonates ≤28 days, 49.0% (95% CI, 48.2–49.8) of infants 29 to 56 days, and 13.1% (95% CI, 12.5–13.6) of infants 57 to 89 days. Significant interhospital variation was demonstrated in testing, treatment, and hospitalization rates overall and across all 3 age groups, with little interhospital variation in outcomes. Hospitalization rate in the overall cohort did not correlate with 3-day revisits (R2 = 0.10, P = .06) or revisits resulting in hospitalization (R2 = 0.08, P = .09). CONCLUSIONS: Substantial patient- and hospital-level variation was observed in the ED management of the febrile young infant, without concomitant differences in outcomes. Strategies to understand and address the modifiable sources of variation are needed.

Comparative Effectiveness of Intravenous vs Oral Antibiotics for Postdischarge Treatment of Acute Osteomyelitis in Children

IMPORTANCE Postdischarge treatment of acute osteomyelitis in children requires weeks of antibiotic therapy, which can be administered orally or intravenously via a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). The catheters carry a risk for serious complications, but limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of oral therapy. OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness and adverse outcomes of postdischarge antibiotic therapy administered via the PICC or the oral route. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We performed a retrospective cohort study comparing PICC and oral therapy for the treatment of acute osteomyelitis. Among children hospitalized from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2012, at 36 participating childrens hospitals, we used discharge codes to identify potentially eligible participants. Results of medical record review confirmed eligibility and defined treatment group allocation and study outcomes. We used within- and across-hospital propensity score-based full matching to adjust for confounding by indication. INTERVENTIONS Postdischarge administration of antibiotics via the PICC or the oral route. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was treatment failure. Secondary outcomes included adverse drug reaction, PICC line complication, and a composite of all 3 end points. RESULTS Among 2060 children and adolescents (hereinafter referred to as children) with osteomyelitis, 1005 received oral antibiotics at discharge, whereas 1055 received PICC-administered antibiotics. The proportion of children treated via the PICC route varied across hospitals from 0 to 100%. In the across-hospital (risk difference, 0.3% [95% CI, -0.1% to 2.5%]) and within-hospital (risk difference, 0.6% [95% CI, -0.2% to 3.0%]) matched analyses, children treated with antibiotics via the oral route (reference group) did not experience more treatment failures than those treated with antibiotics via the PICC route. Rates of adverse drug reaction were low (<4% in both groups) but slightly greater in the PICC group in across-hospital (risk difference, 1.7% [95% CI, 0.1%-3.3%]) and within-hospital (risk difference, 2.1% [95% CI, 0.3%-3.8%]) matched analyses. Among the children in the PICC group, 158 (15.0%) had a PICC complication that required an emergency department visit (n = 96), a rehospitalization (n = 38), or both (n = 24). As a result, the PICC group had a much higher risk of requiring a return visit to the emergency department or for hospitalization for any adverse outcome in across-hospital (risk difference, 14.6% [95% CI, 11.3%-17.9%]) and within-hospital (risk difference, 14.0% [95% CI, 10.5%-17.6%]) matched analyses. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Given the magnitude and seriousness of PICC complications, clinicians should reconsider the practice of treating otherwise healthy children with acute osteomyelitis with prolonged intravenous antibiotics after hospital discharge when an equally effective oral alternative exists.

Variation in Quality of Tonsillectomy Perioperative Care and Revisit Rates in Children’s Hospitals

OBJECTIVE: To describe the quality of care for routine tonsillectomy at US children’s hospitals. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of low-risk children undergoing same-day tonsillectomy between 2004 and 2010 at 36 US children’s hospitals that submit data to the Pediatric Health Information System Database. We assessed quality of care by measuring evidence-based processes suggested by national guidelines, perioperative dexamethasone and no antibiotic use, and outcomes, 30-day tonsillectomy-related revisits to hospital. RESULTS: Of 139 715 children who underwent same-day tonsillectomy, 10 868 (7.8%) had a 30-day revisit to hospital. There was significant variability in the administration of dexamethasone (median 76.2%, range 0.3%–98.8%) and antibiotics (median 16.3%, range 2.7%–92.6%) across hospitals. The most common reasons for revisits were bleeding (3.0%) and vomiting and dehydration (2.2%). Older age (10–18 vs 1–3 years) was associated with a greater standardized risk of revisits for bleeding and a lower standardized risk of revisits for vomiting and dehydration. After standardizing for differences in patients and year of surgery, there was significant variability (P < .001) across hospitals in total revisits (median 7.8%, range 3.0%–12.6%), revisits for bleeding (median 3.0%, range 1.0%–8.8%), and revisits for vomiting and dehydration (median 1.9%, range 0.3%–4.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Substantial variation exists in the quality of care for routine tonsillectomy across US children’s hospitals as measured by perioperative dexamethasone and antibiotic use and revisits to hospital. These data on evidence-based processes and relevant patient outcomes should be useful for hospitals’ tonsillectomy quality improvement efforts.

Accuracy of Administrative Billing Codes to Detect Urinary Tract Infection Hospitalizations

BACKGROUND: Hospital billing data are frequently used for quality measures and research, but the accuracy of the use of discharge codes to identify urinary tract infections (UTIs) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision (ICD-9) discharge codes to identify children hospitalized with UTIs. METHODS: This multicenter study conducted in 5 childrens hospitals included children aged 3 days to 18 years who had been admitted to the hospital, undergone a urinalysis or urine culture, and discharged from the hospital. Data were obtained from the pediatric health information system database and medical record review. With the use of 2 gold-standard methods, the positive predictive value (PPV) was calculated for individual and combined UTI codes and for common UTI identification strategies. PPV was measured for all groupings for which the UTI code was the principal discharge diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 833 patients in the study. The PPV was 50.3% with the use of the gold standard of laboratory-confirmed UTIs but increased to 85% with provider confirmation. Restriction of the study cohort to patients with a principle diagnosis of UTI improved the PPV for laboratory-confirmed UTI (61.2%) and provider-confirmed UTI (93.2%), as well as the ability to benchmark performance. Other common identification strategies did not markedly affect the PPV. CONCLUSIONS: ICD-9 codes can be used to identify patients with UTIs but are most accurate when UTI is the principal discharge diagnosis. The identification strategies reported in this study can be used to improve the accuracy and applicability of benchmarking measures.

Variation in inpatient resource utilization and management of apparent life-threatening events.

OBJECTIVE To report national variations in diagnostic approaches to apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs) and resource utilization. STUDY DESIGN Using the Pediatric Health Information System, we studied children who were age 3 days to 5 months at admission and were discharged with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code potentially identifiable as ALTE. Multiple analysis of variance was used to determine whether the variances in adjusted charges, length of stay (LOS), and diagnostic studies were hospital-related after controlling for other covariates. Logistic regression was used to study the association of readmission rates with discharge diagnosis and specific diagnostic studies. RESULTS The study group comprised 12,067 patients, with a mean LOS of 4.4 days (standard deviation +/- 5.6 days) and mean adjusted charges of

Pediatric hospital adherence to the standard of care for acute gastroenteritis

15,567 (

Prevalence of bacteremia in hospitalized pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

28,510) per admission. The mean in-hospital mortality rate was 0.56% (n = 68), and the rate of 30-day readmission was 2.5%. The most common discharge diagnoses were gastroesophageal reflux 36.9% (48.3%) and lower respiratory tract infection 30.8% (46.2%). Mean LOS, total adjusted charges, and use of diagnostic studies varied considerably across hospitals, and hospital-level differences were a significant contributor to the variance of these outcomes after controlling for covariates (P < .001). There was an increased likelihood of readmission for patients discharged with a diagnosis of cardiovascular disorders (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30 to 2.16) and gastroesophageal reflux (OR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.69) compared with other discharge diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS There is considerable hospital-based variation in care for patients hospitalized for conditions potentially identifiable as ALTE, particularly in the evaluation and diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux, which may contribute to adverse clinical and financial outcomes. An evidence-based national standard of care for ALTE is needed, as are multi-institutional initiatives to study different diagnostic and management strategies and their effect on patient outcomes.

Variation in resource use and readmission for diabetic ketoacidosis in children's hospitals

BACKGROUND: Adherence to published care guidelines for the management of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of AGE guideline adherence with outcomes and resource use at pediatric hospitals. DESIGN/METHODS: We studied children aged 6 months to 6 years with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9) discharge code indicative of AGE and without comorbid conditions in the emergency department, observation setting, or hospital. Laboratory studies, antiemetic use, and antibiotic use were evaluated, and the length of stay, mean adjusted total charges, and readmission proportion were documented. Multiple analysis of variance determined if the variance of adjusted charges, length of stay, and diagnostic studies were hospital-related. A regression analysis determined the association between guideline adherence and outcomes. RESULTS: There were a total of 188873 patients; 174594 (92.4%) were not admitted, and 14279 (7.6%) were admitted. There was substantial variation in resource use among hospitals. The mean adjusted total charge for all patients was

Comparative Effectiveness of Empiric Antibiotics for Community-Acquired Pneumonia

863 (SD: 1336). The mean adjusted total charge for nonadmitted patients was

Brief Resolved Unexplained Events (Formerly Apparent Life-Threatening Events) and Evaluation of Lower-Risk Infants

591 (SD: 636). Individual hospitals contributed to the variance of mean length of stay, total adjusted charges, and use of diagnostic studies after controlling for covariates (P < .001). Guideline adherence was associated with a mean decrease in the average adjusted cost (