Lisa Amir

Does the pediatric advanced life support course improve knowledge of pediatric resuscitation

Objective To determine whether the pediatric advanced life support (PALS) course contributes to the knowledge required by health care providers for pediatric resuscitation and whether differences in achievement exist between professional groups. Methods Physicians, nurses, and paramedics from across Israel who registered for PALS were administered a standardized test both before and on completion of the course. Pretest and posttest results were compared by statistical analysis. A score of 80 or higher was considered a passing grade. Results Paired pretest and posttest results were available for 370 participants (72.5%): 128 physicians, 158 nurses, and 84 paramedics. The percentage of participants who passed the course was 83.5% for the entire cohort, 85.9% for physicians, 78.5% for nurses, and 89.3% for paramedics. Physicians and paramedics had higher pretest and posttest scores than nurses. There was a significant improvement in mean posttest scores compared with pretest scores for the entire group (86.6 ± 9.8 vs 78.0 ± 12.7, P < 0.001) and when results were stratified by profession. A significantly greater proportion of participants passed the posttest than the pretest both for the entire cohort (83.5% vs 61.9%, P < 0.0001) and by profession. Conclusions The pediatric advanced life support course significantly increases immediate short-term knowledge of pediatric resuscitation for all professional groups. This finding supports the use of PALS as an educational tool. Further studies are required to determine the effect of PALS on actual performance and outcome of resuscitation.

The severity of injury in children resulting from acts against civilian populations.

Objective:To characterize the injuries to children by acts against civilian populations (AACP). Summary Background Data:Only 2 articles have focused on the spectrum and severity of injuries to children by AACP. Methods:A retrospective case study of children 0 to 18 years old who were entered into the Israel National Trauma Registry as a result of AACP between September 29, 2000, and June 30, 2002. Results:A total of 158 children were hospitalized for injuries caused by AACP, accounting for 1.4% of all hospitalized injured children but for 10.9% of all in-hospital deaths for trauma. Explosions injured 114 (72.2%); shootings, 34 (21.5%); and other mechanisms such as stoning or stabbing, 10 (6.3%). Older children were injured by explosions more frequently than younger children (86.1% of 15- to 18-year-olds, 73.7% of 10- to 14-year-olds, 63.2% of 0- to 9-year-olds, P = 0.02). A higher percentage of children injured by explosions rather than by shootings were severely or critically injured (33.9% versus 18.8%, P = 0.10). The most frequently injured body regions were extremities (62.8%), head/face (47.3%), chest and abdomen (37.2%), and brain (18.2%). More than 1 body region was injured in 63.0%. Children injured by explosions as compared with shootings had a lower incidence of abdominal trauma (14.9% versus 20.6%), a similar incidence of chest trauma (16.7% versus 14.7%), but a higher incidence of extremity trauma (65.8% versus 53.0%). There were 7 in-hospital deaths, 6 due to severe head injury and 1 due to severe abdominal trauma; 6 of the 7 deaths were caused by explosions, and all but 1 occurred in children 15 to 18 years old. Conclusions:AACP cause significant morbidity and mortality in children, especially adolescents. Injury severity is significantly higher among children who are injured by explosions rather than by shootings.

The Validity of the Uriscreen Test for Early Detection of Urinary Tract Infection in Children

Objective. To determine the validity of the Uriscreen, a rapid diagnostic test based on the detection of urine catalase for the early detection of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children, compared with standard urinalysis and dipstick tests. Study Design. Cross-sectional study. Study Population. Children 1 month to 17 years of age who presented to the emergency department of a pediatric tertiary care center between March and November of 1996 with symptoms suggestive of UTI. Methods. Urine specimens obtained from a random sample of 121 patients were evaluated simultaneously for possible UTI by Uriscreen (catalase test), urinalysis (microscopic pyuria), dipstick (leukocyte esterase and nitrite), and quantitative urine culture. All specimens were collected by one of three sterile techniques (midstream void technique, bladder catheterization, or suprapubic aspiration), as appropriate for age, and tested immediately. Using the quantitative urine culture as the gold standard (reference test), the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of all the screening tests were determined and compared. Age, sex, temperature, presenting symptoms, and method of urine collection were recorded for each participant. Results. Of the 121 patients, 35 (28.9%) had positive culture results: 30 girls (85.7%) and 5 boys (14.3%). Compared with urinalysis and dipstick tests, Uriscreen had the highest sensitivity (100% vs 88.6% and 97.1%, respectively) and the highest negative predictive value (100% vs 95% and 98.6%, respectively), but the poorest specificity (68.6% vs 88.4% and 82.5%, respectively) and positive predictive value (56.4% vs 75.6% and 69.4%, respectively). Conclusions. The clinical use of Uriscreen for the presumptive diagnosis of UTI in children is limited and not significantly superior to urinalysis or the dipstick test. However, because of its 100% sensitivity and negative predictive value and its ease of use, rapidity, and low cost, it is recommended highly for ruling out the diagnosis of UTI. In laboratories, a negative Uriscreen result may prevent the need for performing expensive urine cultures.

Role of diagnosis-specific information sheets in parents' understanding of emergency department discharge instructions.

Objectives To investigate the contribution of diagnosis-specific information sheets at discharge from the emergency department on parental understanding of the discharge instructions. Methods The study group consisted of a convenience sample of parents of children discharged home from the emergency department of an urban tertiary care pediatric facility (n=95). At discharge by the physician, all were given a disease-specific information sheet to accompany the physicians discharge instructions. Thereafter, the parents were asked to complete the same 13-item questionnaire used in our previous study, covering demographics, level of anxiety, and quality of physicians explanation, in addition to a description, in their own words, of their childs diagnosis and treatment instruction and an indication of their preferred auxiliary method of delivery of information. The findings were compared with the study group in the first phase study (n=287) who did not receive the disease-specific information sheet. The BMDP statistical package was used for the analysis. Results No statistically significant differences between the two groups in age, sex, and education, level of anxiety before or after the emergency department visit, or time of day were observed. Full understanding of the diagnosis was noted in 73% of the parents who received the information sheet and 72% of the parents in our previous study who did not. Corresponding rates of understanding of the treatment instructions were 92% and 82%. On statistical analysis, the distribution of the diagnosis-specific information sheet significantly improved parental understanding of the treatment instructions (P=0.025), but not of the diagnosis (P=0.54). Conclusions Although overall parental understanding of emergency department discharge instructions is good, understanding of the treatment instructions can be further improved with the use of diagnosis-specific information sheets.

Validity of the quick-read C-reactive protein test in the prediction of bacterial pneumonia in the pediatric emergency department.

Background C-reactive protein (CRP) values are clinically useful in differentiating viral from bacterial illnesses in children, but the regular test is impractical in the emergency department (ED) setting. Objective To investigate the validity and feasibility of the 2-min bedside Quick Read (QR)-CRP test in the prediction of bacterial pneumonia in children in the ED. Methods Fifty randomly selected children aged 4 days to 17 years, who presented to a pediatric ED with symptoms and signs of pneumonia over a 6-month period, were prospectively studied. The diagnosis of bacterial/viral pneumonia was based on clinical and radiological findings. CRP was measured in leftover blood (0.2 ml) using the QR-CRP kit. Clinical and laboratory data were statistically analyzed against CRP values for ability to predict bacterial pneumonia. Results Thirty-six patients (72%) were diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia and 14 (28%) with viral pneumonia; mean CRP levels were 121.3±122 and 27.2±26 mg/l, respectively (P=0.007). Significantly higher CRP levels were associated with bacterial than with viral pneumonia in the patients who presented before 96 h of symptom onset (P=0.013–0.028), but not in those who presented later. On receiver operating characteristics analysis, CRP was a better indicator of a chest radiograph picture of bacterial pneumonia (area under the curve=0.79) than absolute neutrophil count (0.78) or white blood cell count (0.73). Combining all three parameters yielded an area of 0.865. Conclusion The QR-CRP test seems to be an useful predictor of bacterial pneumonia in children, especially those with a shorter illness duration, and is feasible for use in the ED.

The quick-read C-reactive protein test for the prediction of bacterial gastroenteritis in the pediatric emergency department.

Objective: To determine the clinical usefulness of the bedside Quick-Read (QR) C-reactive protein (CRP) test for predicting bacterial gastroenteritis in the pediatric emergency department. Study design: We tested for CRP in 44 children who presented to the emergency department with gastroenteritis and underwent blood tests and stool culture. C-reactive protein was measured in leftover blood or serum (0.2 mL) using the immunoturbidimetric QR-CRP test kit. Background and outcome data were collected from the files. Pearson correlation, analysis of variance, and logistic regression were used to determine the diagnostic ability of CRP. Results: Stool culture was positive for bacteria in 8 patients. High CRP levels correlated with a greater likelihood of a positive culture; the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.9427. The CRP values of 95 mg/L or higher had a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 91.7% for predicting culture-confirmed bacterial gastroenteritis. Conclusions: The QR-CRP test seems to be a useful predictor of bacterial gastroenteritis in children. It is amenable for use in the emergency department, making it a promising tool for infection control and for aiding physicians in decisions regarding antibiotic treatment. The CRP levels of 95 mg/L or higher during the first 48 hours are suggestive of bacterial disease.

Acute appendicitis after a blunt perineal trauma: an illustrative case.

Acute appendicitis after abdominal trauma, although rare, has been described in the past. We herein report, for the first time, a case of acute appendicitis after a blunt trauma to the perineum in a boy. Clinicians taking care of children with injuries to the abdomen or perineal area should be aware of the possibility that they can develop posttraumatic acute appendicitis.