Susan L. Lukacs

Food Allergy Among Children in the United States

OBJECTIVES: The goals were to estimate the prevalence of food allergy and to describe trends in food allergy prevalence and health care use among US children. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of data on food allergy among children <18 years of age, as reported in the 1997–2007 National Health Interview Survey, 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1993–2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, and 1998–2006 National Hospital Discharge Survey, was performed. Reported food allergies, serum immunoglobulin E antibody levels for specific foods, ambulatory care visits, and hospitalizations were assessed. RESULTS: In 2007, 3.9% of US children <18 years of age had reported food allergy. The prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18% (z = 3.4; P < .01) from 1997 through 2007. In 2005–2006, serum immunoglobulin E antibodies to peanut were detectable for an estimated 9% of US children. Ambulatory care visits tripled between 1993 and 2006 (P < .01). From 2003 through 2006, an estimated average of 317000 food allergy-related, ambulatory care visits per year (95% confidence interval: 195000–438000 visits per year) to emergency and outpatient departments and physicians offices were reported. Hospitalizations with any recorded diagnoses related to food allergy also increased between 1998–2000 and 2004–2006, from an average of 2600 discharges per year to 9500 discharges per year (z = 3.4; P < .01), possibly because of increased use of food allergy V codes. CONCLUSION: Several national health surveys indicate that food allergy prevalence and/or awareness has increased among US children in recent years.

Antimicrobial Postexposure Prophylaxis for Anthrax: Adverse Events and Adherence

We collected data during postexposure antimicrobial prophylaxis campaigns and from a prophylaxis program evaluation 60 days after start of antimicrobial prophylaxis involving persons from six U.S. sites where Bacillus anthracis exposures occurred. Adverse events associated with antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent anthrax were commonly reported, but hospitalizations and serious adverse events as defined by Food and Drug Administration criteria were rare. Overall adherence during 60 days of antimicrobial prophylaxis was poor (44%), ranging from 21% of persons exposed in the Morgan postal facility in New York City to 64% of persons exposed at the Brentwood postal facility in Washington, D.C. Adherence was highest among participants in an investigational new drug protocol to receive additional antibiotics with or without anthrax vaccine—a likely surrogate for anthrax risk perception. Adherence of <60 days was not consistently associated with adverse events.

The Contribution of Preterm Birth to the Black–White Infant Mortality Gap, 1990 and 2000

OBJECTIVES We evaluated whether the decline of the racial disparity in preterm birth during the last decade was commensurate with a decline in the contribution of preterm birth to the infant mortality gap. METHODS We used linked files of 1990 and 2000 data on US infant births and deaths to partition the gap between Black and White infant mortality rates into differences in the (1) distribution of gestational age and (2) gestational age-specific mortality rates. RESULTS Between 1990 and 2000, the Black-White infant mortality rate ratio did not change significantly (2.3 vs 2.4). Excess deaths among preterm Black infants accounted for nearly 80% of the Black-White infant mortality gap in both 1990 and 2000. The narrowing racial disparity in the preterm birth rate was counterbalanced by greater mortality reductions in White than in Black preterm infants. Extremely preterm birth (<28 weeks) was 4 times higher in Black infants and accounted for more than half of the infant mortality gap. CONCLUSIONS Substantial reductions in the Black-White infant mortality gap will require improved prevention of extremely preterm birth among Black infants.

Trends in sepsis-related neonatal mortality in the United States, 1985-1998.

Background: In the United States, bacterial sepsis affects up to 32,000 live births annually. In the 1990s, intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) was recommended to prevent maternal-infant transmission of group B Streptococcus (GBS), a leading cause of sepsis occurring in the first week of life (early onset sepsis). Since IAP has been used, early onset GBS disease declined 70%; however, increased antibiotic use associated with IAP might lead to more severe or antimicrobial resistant etiologies of sepsis. To understand the influence of IAP on neonatal sepsis, in general, we evaluated neonatal mortality from sepsis before and after IAP recommendations were issued. Methods: Using the National Center for Health Statistics Linked Birth/Infant Death Datasets, we compared trends in sepsis-related early neonatal mortality (<7 days) and late neonatal mortality (7–27 days) among singleton United States births from 1985 through 1991 to 1995 through 1998 [data beyond 1998 not included because of International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10/ICD-9 coding differences]. We compared trends in mortality between the 2 time periods by estimating the average annual percent change in mortality using log linear regression and stratified by gestational age. Results: Combined early and late neonatal mortality from sepsis averaged 39.6/100,000 live births from 1985 through 1991 and 31.8/100,000 live births from 1995 through 1998. Early neonatal mortality from sepsis averaged 24.9/100,000 live births from 1985 through 1991 and 15.6 from 1995 through 1998; late neonatal mortality averaged 14.8/100,000 live births from 1985 through 1991 and 16.2 from 1995 through 1998. Early neonatal mortality declined more steeply after IAP recommendations were issued, 5.0% annually from 1995 through 1998 versus 3.0% annually from 1985 through 1991. Late neonatal mortality increased more from 1995 through 1998, 5.0% annually compared with 0.5% from 1985 through 1991. Conclusions: Lower mortality rates and greater declines in early neonatal mortality from sepsis during 1995–1998 indicate greater survival of infants beyond 7 days of life and suggest an association with GBS disease prevention efforts. Thus these findings provide some evidence for continuing IAP for GBS-colonized women. Our findings of apparent increasing trends in late neonatal mortality from sepsis necessitate follow-up with clinical studies.

Participation in activities outside of school hours in relation to problem behavior and social skills in middle childhood.

BACKGROUND Research has shown that participating in activities outside of school hours is associated with lower dropout rates, enhanced school performance, improved social skills, and reduced problem behaviors. However, most prior studies have been limited to small populations of older children (>12 years). This analysis focuses on children aged 6 to 11 to assess the potential association between participation in activities outside of school hours and behavior in middle childhood in a nationally representative survey. METHODS Estimates were based on 25,797 children from the 2003-2004 National Survey of Childrens Health. Outside of school activity was defined as participating in sports teams/lessons, clubs/organizations, or both at least once in the past year. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the differences in behavior problems and social skills adjusting for sociodemographic factors, among children classified by participation in outside of school activities. RESULTS Seventy-five percent of children participated in outside of school activities: 23% in sports, 16% in clubs, and 36% in both clubs and sports. Activity participation differed by gender, race/ethnicity, type of school, poverty status, family structure, household education, and school and community safety. Children participating in both sports and clubs had higher social skills index scores, but no significant difference in problem behavior scores compared with children who did not participate in any outside of school activity. CONCLUSION Children participating in both sports and clubs had greater social competence during middle childhood compared with children who did not participate in any outside of school activities.

Emergency Department Laboratory Evaluations of Fever Without Source in Children Aged 3 to 36 Months

OBJECTIVE: This article describes ordering of diagnostic tests, admission rates, and antibiotic administration among visits to US emergency departments (EDs) by children aged 3 to 36 months with fever without source (FWS). METHODS: The 2006–2008 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey–Emergency Department was used to identify visits by 3- to 36-month-old children with FWS. Percentages of visits that included a complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis, blood culture, radiograph, rapid influenza test, admission to hospital, and ceftriaxone and other antibiotic administration were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with ordering of a CBC and urinalysis. RESULTS: No tests were ordered in 58.6% of visits for FWS. CBCs were ordered in 20.5% of visits and urinalysis in 17.4% of visits. Even among girls with a temperature of ≥39°C, urinalysis was ordered in only 40.2% of visits. Ceftriaxone was given in 7.1% and other antibiotics in 18.3% of visits; 5.2% of the children at these visits were admitted to the hospital. In multivariate analysis, increased temperature, being female, and higher median income of the patients zip code were associated with increased odds of having a CBC and urinalysis ordered. Being 24 to 36 months of age was associated with lower odds of receiving both a CBC and a urinalysis. CONCLUSIONS: Most US emergency department visits for FWS among children aged 3 to 36 months, physicians do not order diagnostic tests. Being female, having a higher fever, and higher median income of the patients zip code were associated with ordering CBCs and urinalysis.

Clinical Sepsis in Neonates and Young Infants, United States, 1988-2006

OBJECTIVE To describe the burden and characteristics of clinical neonatal sepsis in the United States and evaluate incidence rates after the issuance of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) guidelines. STUDY DESIGN This is a cross-sectional study of hospitalizations of infants aged <3 months diagnosed with sepsis from the 1988-2006 National Hospital Discharge Survey. The National Hospital Discharge Survey collects data annually on inpatient discharges from a national probability sample of approximately 500 short-stay hospitals. We examined sepsis hospitalizations, defined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes, and compared sepsis hospitalization rates for 2 time periods after the issuance of IAP guidelines (1996-2001 and 2002-2006) with 1988-1995 using national natality data as the population denominator. We used Joinpoint (Surveillance Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland) regression to assess the average annual percent change (AAPC) in rates. RESULTS Between 1988 and 2006, there were more than 2.5 million sepsis-related hospitalizations in infants aged <3 months (112 000-146 000 annually). In 2006, the sepsis hospitalization rate was 30.8/1000 births. The rate was more than 3 times higher in preterm infants compared with term infants (85.4/1000 preterm births vs 23.1/1000 term births). The AAPC in sepsis hospitalization rate was -3.6% (95% CI, -5.1% to 2.0%) [corrected] for term infants during 1996-2002 and did not change significantly after issuance of the revised 2002 guidelines. For preterm infants, the AAPC was -1.2% (95% CI, -2.2% to -0.1%) [corrected] annually from 1988 to 2006. CONCLUSION Clinical neonatal sepsis declined in the post-IAP era, mirroring trends observed in group B streptococcal early-onset neonatal sepsis surveillance. Preterm infants were affected disproportionately and exhibited a modest but steady decline in sepsis hospitalization rate.

Functional difficulties and school limitations of children with epilepsy: Findings from the 2009–2010 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs

BACKGROUND Epilepsy is a common serious neurologic disorder in children. However, most studies of childrens functional difficulties and school limitations have used samples from tertiary care or other clinical settings. OBJECTIVE To compare functional difficulties and school limitations of a national sample of US children with special health care needs (CSHCN) with and without epilepsy. METHODS Data from the 2009-2010 National Survey of CSHCN for 31,897 children aged 6-17 years with and without epilepsy were analyzed for CSHCN in two groups: 1) CSHCN with selected comorbid conditions (intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, autism, or traumatic brain injury) and 2) CSHCN without these conditions. Functional difficulties and school limitations, adjusted for the effect of sociodemographic characteristics, were examined by epilepsy and comorbid conditions. RESULTS Three percent of CSHCN had epilepsy. Among CSHCN with epilepsy 53% had comorbid conditions. Overall CSHCN with epilepsy, both with and without comorbid conditions, had more functional difficulties than CSHCN without epilepsy. For example, after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics a higher percentage of children with epilepsy, compared to children without epilepsy, had difficulty with communication (with conditions: 53% vs. 37%, without conditions: 13% vs. 5%). Results for school limitations were similar. After adjustment, a higher percentage of children with epilepsy, compared to children without epilepsy, missed 11 + school days in the past year (with conditions: 36% vs. 18%, without conditions: 21% vs. 15%). CONCLUSION CSHCN with epilepsy, compared to CSHCN without epilepsy, were more likely to have functional difficulties and limitations in school attendance regardless of comorbid conditions.

Trends in the use of prescription antibiotics: NHANES 1999–2012

OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were: to examine trends in the use of prescription antibiotics overall and by population subgroups between 1999 and 2012; and to examine trends in the use of categories of antibiotics and individual antibiotics. METHODS Use of antibiotics was examined among 71 444 participants in the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 1999-2012). Use of an antibiotic in the past 30 days was the main outcome variable. Analyses of trends were conducted overall and separately by population subgroups (i.e. age, sex, race/Hispanic origin, health insurance status and respiratory conditions) across four time periods (1999-2002, 2003-06, 2007-10 and 2011-12). RESULTS The percentage of the US population that used a prescription antibiotic in the past 30 days significantly declined from 6.1% in 1999-2002 to 4.1% in 2011-12 (P < 0.001). Declines were also identified for five age groups (0-1 year, 6-11 years, 12-17 years, 18-39 years and 40-59 years), both sexes, non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black persons, persons with and without insurance and among those who currently had asthma. Significant declines were also observed for three categories of antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins and macrolide derivatives). Of the most common antibiotics prescribed, only amoxicillin use decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS Overall, there was a significant decline in the use of antibiotics between 1999-2002 and 2011-12. Due to concerns about antimicrobial resistance, it is important to continue monitoring the use of antibiotics.

National trends in emergency department use of urinalysis, complete blood count, and blood culture for fever without a source among children aged 2 to 24 months in the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 7 era.

Objectives The epidemiology of serious bacterial infections in children has changed since the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) in 2000. Whether emergency department (ED) physicians have changed diagnostic approaches to fever without a source (FWS) in response is unknown. We examine trends in rates of complete blood count (CBC), urinalysis (UA), and blood cultures among 2- to 24-month-old children with FWS since the introduction of PCV-7. Methods The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey–Emergency Department, 2001–2009, was used to identify visits to the ED by 2- to 24-month-old children with FWS. Rates of CBC, UA, neither CBC nor UA, and blood culture were tracked across time. Trends were identified using Joinpoint regression and bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions with year as the independent variables and ordering of each test as the dependent variables. Results In bivariate and multivariate analyses, CBC orders declined between 2004 and 2009 for visits by all children 2 to 24 months, children 2 to 11 months, and boys 2 to 24 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.88 per year [P < 0.01]; aOR, 0.88 [P < 0.05]; and aOR, 0.83 [P < 0.01], respectively). Between 2004 and 2009, ordering neither CBC nor UA increased among all children 2 to 24 months (aOR, 1.10; P < 0.05) and among boys (aOR, 1.16; P < 0.05). Orders for blood cultures declined across the time period in bivariate analysis, but not in multivariate analysis. Conclusions The rate of ordering a CBC for children in the 2- to 24-month age group presenting to the ED with FWS declined, a change coincident with the changing epidemiology of serious bacterial infection since the PCV-7 vaccine was introduced.