Sara A. Schutzman

Clinical indicators of intracranial injury in head-injured infants.

Objectives. 1) To determine whether clinical signs of brain injury are sensitive indicators of intracranial injury (ICI) in head-injured infants. 2) To determine whether radiographic imaging of otherwise asymptomatic infants with scalp hematoma is a useful means of detecting cases of ICI. 3) To determine whether head-injured infants without signs of brain injury or scalp hematoma may be safely managed without radiographic imaging. Methods. We performed a 1-year prospective study of all infants younger than 2 years of age presenting to a pediatric emergency department with head trauma. Data were collected on historical features, physical findings, radiographic findings, and hospital course. Follow-up telephone calls were made 2 weeks after discharge to assess for any late deterioration. Results. Of 608 study subjects, 30 (5%) had ICI; 12/92 (13%) infants 0 to 2 months of age had ICI, compared with 13/224 (6%) infants 3 to 11 months of age, and 5/292 (2%) infants 12 months of age or older. Only 16/30 (52%) subjects with ICI had at least one of the following clinical symptoms or signs of brain injury: loss of consciousness, history of behavior change, seizures, emesis, depressed mental status, irritability, bulging fontanel, focal neurologic findings, or vital signs indicating increased intracranial pressure. Of the 14 asymptomatic subjects with ICI, 13 (93%) had significant scalp hematoma. Among subjects who had head computed tomography, significant scalp hematoma had an odds ratio of 2.78 (95% confidence interval: 1.15,6.70) for association with ICI. A total of 265 subjects (43%) were asymptomatic and had no significant scalp hematoma. None (95% confidence interval: 0,1.2%) required specific therapy or had any subsequent clinical deterioration. Conclusions. Clinical signs of brain injury are insensitive indicators of ICI in infants. A substantial fraction of infants with ICI will be detected through radiographic imaging of otherwise asymptomatic infants with significant scalp hematomas. Asymptomatic infants older than 3 months of age who have no significant scalp hematoma may be safely managed without radiographic imaging.

Occult Intracranial Injury in Infants

STUDY OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to determine whether clinical symptoms and signs of brain injury are sensitive indicators of intracranial injury (ICI) in infants admitted with head trauma, (2) to describe the clinical characteristics of infants who have ICI in the absence of symptoms and signs of brain injury, and (3) to determine the clinical significance of those ICIs diagnosed in asymptomatic infants. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of all infants younger than 2 years of age admitted to a tertiary care pediatric hospital with acute ICI during a 6(1/2)-year period. Infants were considered symptomatic if they had loss of consciousness, history of behavior change, seizures, vomiting, bulging fontanel, retinal hemorrhages, abnormal neurologic examination, depressed mental status, or irritability. All others were considered to have occult ICI. RESULTS Of 101 infants studied, 19 (19%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 12%, 28%) had occult ICI. Fourteen of 52 (27%) infants younger than 6 months of age had occult ICI, compared with 5 of 34 (15%) infants 6 months to 1 year, and none of 15 (0%) infants older than 1 year. Eighteen (95%) infants with occult ICI had scalp contusion or hematoma, and 18 (95%) had skull fracture. Nine (47%) infants with occult ICI received therapy for the ICI. No infants with occult ICI (0%) (95% CI 0, 14%) required surgery or medical management for increased intracranial pressure. Only 1 subject (5%) with occult ICI had any late symptoms or complications: a brief, self-limited convulsion. CONCLUSION We found that 19 of 101 ICIs in infants admitted with head trauma were clinically occult. All 19 occult ICIs occurred in infants younger than 12 months of age, and 18 of 19 had skull fractures. None experienced serious neurologic deterioration or required surgical intervention. Physicians cannot depend on the absence of clinical signs of brain injury to exclude ICI in infants younger than 1 year of age.

Clinical significance of scalp abnormalities in asymptomatic head-injured infants.

Objectives 1) To identify clinical features indicating a high risk of skull fracture (SF) and associated intracranial injury (ICI) in asymptomatic head-injured infants. 2) To develop a clinical decision rule to determine which asymptomatic head-injured infants require head imaging. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of all asymptomatic head-injured infants 0–24 months of age presenting to the emergency department of an urban children’s hospital. Infants were considered asymptomatic if they had no clinical signs of brain injury, or of basilar or depressed SF. Among subjects who had head imaging, we assessed the utility of age, scalp hematoma size, and scalp hematoma location for predicting SF and ICI. Results Of 422 study patients, 45 (11%) were diagnosed with SF and 13 (3%) with ICI. In the 172 subjects who had head imaging, there was a stepwise relationship between hematoma size and likelihood of SF. Parietal and temporal hematomas were highly associated with SF; frontal hematomas were not. There was a trend toward higher rates of SF in younger patients. Both large scalp hematoma and parietal hematoma were associated with ICI. Using these data, we developed a clinical decision rule to determine which asymptomatic infants need head imaging. In our study population, this rule has a sensitivity of 0.98 and specificity of 0.49 for SF, and it detects all 13 cases of ICI. The clinical rule calls for imaging in 146/422 (35%) study subjects. Conclusions Among asymptomatic head-injured infants, the risk of SF and associated ICI is correlated with scalp hematoma size, hematoma location, and weakly with patient age. We propose a clinical decision rule that could identify most cases of SF and ICI while not requiring head imaging for most patients. This decision rule should be validated in other study populations.

Infants with isolated skull fracture: what are their clinical characteristics, and do they require hospitalization?

STUDY OBJECTIVE We sought to identify the historical factors and physical examination findings typical of infants who have sustained isolated skull fracture (ISF)--in the absence of associated intracranial injury--after head trauma. We also assessed the risk of clinical deterioration (and therefore the need for inpatient observation) in infants with ISF. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients younger than 2 years admitted to a tertiary care pediatric hospital with a diagnosis of ISF over a 3-year period. RESULTS During the study period, 101 infants with radiographically proven ISF were admitted to the hospital. Falls were the most common reported mechanism of injury (n = 90 [89%]). Many falls involved short distances: 18 patients (18%) fell less than 3 feet. Nonaccidental trauma was suspected in only 10 patients (10%). Seventy-two patients (71%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 61%, 79%) had at least one of the clinical signs considered potential indicators of serious head injury: initial loss of consciousness, seizures, vomiting, lethargy, irritability, depressed mental status, and focal neurologic findings. In 97 patients (96%; 95% CI, 89%, 98%), local findings of head injury (palpable fracture, soft-tissue swelling, or signs of basilar skull fracture) were noted on physical examination. None of the patients (0%; 95% CI, 0%, 3%) demonstrated clinical decline during hospitalization. All were neurologically normal on discharge. CONCLUSION A diagnosis of ISF should be considered even in infants with minor mechanisms of head injury who appear well. However, infants with ISF rarely present without local signs of head injury on physical examination. If no other specific clinical concerns necessitate hospital admission, infants with ISF who have reliable caretakers may be considered for discharge home.

Comparison of oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate and intramuscular meperidine, promethazine, and chlorpromazine for conscious sedation of children undergoing laceration repair

STUDY OBJECTIVE To compare oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) with IM meperidine, promethazine, and chlorpromazine (MPC) for conscious sedation of children. METHODS This prospective, randomized, single-blinded study involved a convenience sample of 40 children, 3 to 8 years of age, who presented to an urban pediatric emergency department and required laceration repair. Patients were premedicated with either OTFC (10 to 15 micrograms/kg) and a mock injection or intramuscular MPC (2 mg/kg meperidine, .5 mg/kg promethazine, and .5 mg/kg chlorpromazine) followed by a placebo lozenge. RESULTS Both OTFC and MPC caused significant reductions in activity scores at 15 to 75 minutes after medication administration. Although the MPC group was more sedated, there was no difference between groups in Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) scores during the laceration repair or in the suturing physicians assessment of sedation quality (rated excellent or good for 75% and 69% of OTFC and MPC groups, respectively). Two children (both in the OTFC group) had oxygen saturation levels of less than 95% but required only transient supplemental oxygen. Other adverse events were common but not serious; they differed between groups in type but not number, with vomiting in 45% of the OTFC group and prolonged somnolence in 37% of the MPC group. Mean time to discharge was 99 minutes, with no difference between groups. CONCLUSIONS Both medications reduced activity significantly. Although MPC caused deeper sedation, the medications had comparable effects on patient behavior during the repair and yielded comparable ratings of physician satisfaction. Large numbers of nonserious adverse events occurred in both groups.

Epidural hematomas in children

STUDY OBJECTIVE To describe the presentation, management, and outcome of children with traumatic epidural hematoma. DESIGN Retrospective chart review. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS Fifty-three children diagnosed with traumatic epidural hematoma on computed tomography scan who were treated at Childrens Hospital in Boston between 1980 and 1990. MAIN RESULTS Twenty-four of 53 children developed an epidural hematoma after a fall of less than 5 ft. At the time of diagnosis, 51 of 53 children had one or more symptoms of vomiting, headache, or lethargy. Twenty-six patients were alert, 21 were responsive to verbal or painful stimuli, and five were unresponsive or posturing. Twenty-one (40%) had acute neurologic deterioration before surgery; however, 20 (38%) were alert with normal vital signs and neurologic examinations at diagnosis. All patients survived, and at the time of discharge 45 had normal examinations and eight had neurologic abnormalities; at follow-up only four of these eight had persistent (although mild) abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS Although often dramatic in presentation, epidural hematoma may occur after relatively minor head trauma and in alert children with nonfocal neurologic examinations. In our study, incidence of neurologic sequelae increased if abnormal neurologic examination or depressed mental status was present at diagnosis. The outcome of children in this study is improved from that of previous studies, perhaps due to increased use of computed tomography and higher incidence of low- or moderate-impact trauma in this series.

Oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate for premedication of children undergoing laceration repair

STUDY OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of two doses of oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) for premedication of children undergoing laceration repair. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, nonblinded study. SETTING Urban pediatric emergency department. PARTICIPANTS Thirty children aged 2 to 8 years requiring laceration repair. INTERVENTIONS Premedication with either 10 to 15 micrograms/kg or 15 to 20 micrograms/kg of OTFC. RESULTS Activity score, vital signs, oxygen saturation, and pain scores were recorded before and after administration of OTFC. Activity scores decreased significantly 15 to 60 minutes after OTFC. The physician suturing the wound rated the childs sedation/pain control as excellent or good in 83% of patients. Vital signs changes were not clinically remarkable. Oxygen saturations remained at 95% or more except in one child who experienced a transient decrease to 91%. Adverse effects were not serious but included vomiting in 20% of the lower-dose group and 47% of the higher-dose group. There were no significant differences between dose groups for activity or pain score changes, physician assessment, discharge times, or adverse events. CONCLUSION Both doses of OTFC reduced activity with comparable efficacy, with no serious vital signs changes. However, the higher-dose group had a greater number (P = NS) of adverse effects.

Neuroimaging for Pediatric Head Trauma: Do Patient and Hospital Characteristics Influence Who Gets Imaged?

OBJECTIVES The objective was to identify patient, provider, and hospital characteristics associated with the use of neuroimaging in the evaluation of head trauma in children. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of children (< or =19 years of age) with head injuries from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. NHAMCS collects data on approximately 25,000 visits annually to 600 randomly selected hospital emergency and outpatient departments. This study examined visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) between 2002 and 2006. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze characteristics associated with neuroimaging in children with head injuries. RESULTS There were 50,835 pediatric visits in the 5-year sample, of which 1,256 (2.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2% to 2.7%) were for head injury. Among these, 39% (95% CI = 34% to 43%) underwent evaluation with neuroimaging. In multivariable analyses, factors associated with neuroimaging included white race (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.02 to 2.1), older age (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.5), presentation to a general hospital (vs. a pediatric hospital, OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.1 to 5.3), more emergent triage status (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.8), admission or transfer (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.4 to 5.3), and treatment by an attending physician (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.1 to 3.7). The effect of race was mitigated at the pediatric hospitals compared to at the general hospitals (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In this study, patient race, age, and hospital-specific characteristics were associated with the frequency of neuroimaging in the evaluation of children with closed head injuries. Based on these results, focusing quality improvement initiatives on physicians at general hospitals may be an effective approach to decreasing rates of neuroimaging after pediatric head trauma.

A Comparison of Intranasal Sufentanil and Midazolam to Intramuscular Meperidine, Promethazine, and Chlorpromazine for Conscious Sedation in Children

STUDY OBJECTIVE To compare intranasal sufentanil and midazolam (IN-SM) with intramuscular meperidine, promethazine, and chlorpromazine (IM-MPC) for sedation in children. DESIGN Single-blind, randomized, controlled study. SETTING Urban childrens emergency department. PARTICIPANTS A convenience sample of children aged 1 to 4 years requiring suturing. INTERVENTIONS IN-SM or IM-MPC. RESULTS Vital signs, O2 saturation, and anxiety and pain scores were recorded. A 6-point scale was used to assess response to medication, and a 12-point recovery score was used to determine readiness for discharge. Both groups were similar in age and sex distribution. There were no significant adverse effects in either group. Patients tolerated the IN regimen better than the IM regimen. Behavioral scores were lower during repair than at baseline within each group; however, they were not different between groups. Time to discharge was longer and recovery scores were lower (worse) among the IM-MPC group. CONCLUSION IN-SM is as effective as IM-MPC for sedation in children.

Isolated Skull Fractures: Trends in Management in US Pediatric Emergency Departments

STUDY OBJECTIVE Previous studies have suggested that children with isolated skull fractures are at low risk of requiring neurosurgical intervention, suggesting that admission to the hospital may not be necessary in many instances. We seek to evaluate current practice for children presenting to the emergency department (ED) for isolated skull fractures in US childrens hospitals. METHODS We conducted a retrospective multicenter cross-sectional study of children younger 19 years with a diagnosis of isolated skull fracture who were evaluated in the ED from 2005 to 2011, using the Pediatric Health Information System database. The primary outcome measure was the rate of hospital admission. Secondary outcomes were any neurosurgical procedure during hospitalization, repeated neuroimaging, duration of hospitalization, and cost of care. RESULTS We identified 3,915 patients with isolated skull fractures, of whom 60% were male patients; 78% were hospitalized. Of hospitalized children, 85% were discharged within 1 day and 95% were discharged within 2 days. During hospitalization, 47 patients received repeated computed tomography imaging and 1 child required a neurosurgical procedure. Hospital costs were more than triple for hospitalized patients compared with patients discharged from the ED (