Objective To assess the impact of chronic conditions on children's emergency department (ED) use. Study design Retrospective analysis of 1 850 027 ED visits in 2010 by 3 250 383 children ages 1-21 ...years continuously enrolled in Medicaid from 10 states included in the Truven Marketscan Medicaid Database. The main outcome was the annual ED visit rate not resulting in hospitalization per 1000 enrollees. We compared rates by enrollees' characteristics, including type and number of chronic conditions, and medical technology (eg, gastrostomy, tracheostomy), using Poisson regression. To assess chronic conditions, we used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Chronic Condition Indicator system, assigning chronic conditions with ED visit rates ≥75th percentile as having the “highest” visit rates. Results The overall annual ED visit rate was 569 per 1000 enrollees. As the number of the children's chronic conditions increased from 0 to ≥3, visit rates increased by 180% (from 376 to 1053 per 1000 enrollees, P < .001). Rates were 174% higher in children assisted with vs without medical technology (1546 vs 565, P < .001). Sickle cell anemia, epilepsy, and asthma were among the chronic conditions associated with the highest ED visit rates (all ≥1003 per 1000 enrollees). Conclusions The highest ED visit rates resulting in discharge to home occurred in children with multiple chronic conditions, technology assistance, and specific conditions such as sickle cell anemia. Future studies should assess the preventability of ED visits in these populations and identify opportunities for reducing their ED use.
Background Persistent air leak (PAL; defined as air leak > 5 days) after major pulmonary resection is prevalent and associated with significant morbidity. This study examines an incompletely ...characterized treatment for the management of PAL, chemical pleurodesis. Methods A retrospective case-control study examining all isolated lobectomies and bilobectomies by thoracotomy was performed. The PALs (1997 to 2006) and controls (2002 to 2006) were identified from a prospective database. Incidence, risk factors, management, and outcome were defined. Results Over 9 years, 78 PALs were identified in 1,393 patients (5.6%). Controls consisted of 700 consecutive patients. Propensity score analysis matching case and controls showed no predictive risk factors for air leak using a logistic regression model. Univariate analysis demonstrated that female gender, smoking history, and forced vital capacity were predictive risk factors. Treatment of PAL consisted of observation (n = 33, 42.3%), pleurodesis (n = 41, 52.6%), Heimlich valve (n = 3, 3.8%), and reoperation (n = 1, 1.3%). Seventy-three patients (93.6%) required no further intervention. One patient required a muscle flap, one readmission for pneumothorax, and one empyema resulting in death. Sclerosis was successful in 40 of 41 patients (97.6%). Mean time to treatment was 8.4 ± 3.6 days, mean duration of air leak was 10.7 ± 4.5, and mean duration of air leak postsclerotherapy was 2.8 ± 2.2 days. Postoperative pneumonia occurred with increased frequency in PAL patients (6 of 45 13.3% vs 34 of 700 4.9%, p = 0.014). PAL was associated with increased length of stay (14.2 vs 7.1 days, p < 0.001) and time with chest tube (11.5 vs 3.4 days, p < 0.001). Conclusions Air leaks remain an important cause of morbidity. Pleurodesis is an effective option in management of PAL after major pulmonary resection.
Objective To compare the timing and magnitude of variation of pediatric readmission rates across race/ethnicity for selected chronic conditions: asthma, diabetes, seizures, migraines, and depression. ...Study design Retrospective analysis of hospitalizations at 48 children's hospitals in the 2013 Pediatric Health Information System database for children (ages 0-18 years) admitted for asthma (n = 36 910), seizure (n = 35 361), diabetes (n = 12 468), migraine (n = 5882), and depression (n = 5132). Generalized linear models with a random effect for hospital were used to compare the likelihood of readmission by patients' race/ethnicity, adjusting for severity of illness, age, payer, and medical complexity. Adjusted readmission rates were calculated by week over 1 year. Results Significant variation in adjusted readmission rates by race/ethnicity existed for conditions aside from depression. Disparities for diabetes and asthma emerged at 3 and 4 weeks, respectively; they remained divergent up to 1 year with the highest 1-year readmission rates in non-Hispanic blacks vs other race/ethnicities (diabetes: 21.7% vs 13.4%, P < .001; asthma: 21.4% vs 14.6%, P < .001). Disparities for migraines and seizure emerged at 6 and 7 weeks, respectively; they remained up to 1 year, with the highest 1-year readmission rates in non-Hispanic whites vs other race/ethnicities (migraine: 17.3% vs. 13.6%, P < .001; seizure: 23.9% vs 21.9%, P < .001). Conclusions Readmission disparities behave differently across chronic conditions. They emerge more quickly after discharge for children hospitalized with asthma or diabetes than for seizures or migraines. The highest readmission rates were not consistently observed for 1 particular race/ethnicity. Study findings can impact pediatric chronic disease management to improve care for children with these conditions.
Background There are few data to predict the benefit of pulmonary metastasectomy in patients with extrathoracic sarcoma. This study analyzes prognostic factors associated with improved outcomes. ...Methods Between June 2002 and December 2008, 97 patients underwent pulmonary resection for metastatic sarcoma at Massachusetts General Hospital. Eight patients were excluded because of lack of follow-up data. Analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival, log-rank test, and multivariate Cox model. Results Overall 5-year survival for the cohort was 50.1%. Patients who had multiple operations for recurrent pulmonary metastases had better 5-year survival compared with patients who had a single operation (69 versus 41%; p = 0.017). Median disease- free survival (DFS) for the reoperation group was 12.9 months compared with 9.1 months for the single-operation group ( p < 0.028). Patients with a disease-free interval (DFI) greater than 12 months from detection of primary sarcoma to pulmonary metastasectomy had improved survival compared with those whose DFI was less than 12 months ( p < 0.0001). Patients with bilateral metastasectomy had lower 5-year survival compared with metastasectomy for unilateral disease (22% versus 68% ; p < 0.0001). Two or more metastases were associated with poorer outcome compared with a single metastasis ( p = 0.0007). A positive resection margin portended worse survival compared with a negative resection margin (p = 0.004). Patients with lesions larger than 3 cm had decreased survival compared with patients with lesions smaller than 3 cm (p = 0.017) with no difference in median DFS. Histologic type, grade of tumor, and use of chemotherapy had no effect on survival. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with a DFI greater than 12 months ( p = 0.001), single-sided metastasis ( p = 0.001), negative margins (p = 0.002), and multiple operations ( p = 0.018) had better survival. Conclusions Pulmonary metastasectomy for sarcoma can be associated with prolonged survival. Tumor resectability, DFI, number of metastases, and laterality are important factors in determining patient selection for curative surgical intervention. Repeated pulmonary metastasectomy in select patients may improve survival despite recurrent disease.
Objective To test the hypothesis that children's hospitals with shorter length of stay (LOS) for hospitalized patients have higher all-cause readmission rates. Study design Longitudinal, ...retrospective cohort study of the Pediatric Health Information System of 183 616 admissions within 43 US children's hospitals for appendectomy, asthma, gastroenteritis, and seizure between July 2009 and June 2011. Admissions were stratified by medical complexity, based on whether patients had a complex chronic health condition, were neurologically impaired, or were assisted with medical technology. Outcome measures include LOS; all-cause readmission rates within 3, 7, 15, and 30 days; and the association between hospital-specific mean LOS and all-cause readmission rates as determined by linear regression. Results Mean LOS was <3 days for all patients across all conditions, except for appendectomy in complex patients (mean LOS 3.7 days, 95% CI 3.47-4.01). Condition-specific 3-, 7-, 15-, and 30-day all-cause readmission rates for noncomplex patients were all <5%. Condition-specific readmission rates for complex patients ranged from <1% at 3 days for seizures to 16% at 30 days for gastroenteritis. There was no linear association between hospital-specific, condition-specific mean LOS, stratified by medical complexity, and all-cause readmission rates at any time interval within 30 days (all P values ≥.10). Conclusion In children's hospitals, LOS is short and readmission rates are low for asthma, appendectomy, gastroenteritis, and seizure admissions. In the conditions studied, there is no association between shorter hospital-specific LOS and higher readmission rates within the LOS observed.
We studied the 3-year efficacy and safety results of a 4-year study evaluating fluocinolone acetonide (FA) intravitreal implants in eyes with persistent or recurrent diabetic macular edema (DME).
...Prospective, evaluator-masked, controlled, multicenter clinical trial.
We included 196 eyes with refractory DME.
Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive 0.59-mg FA implant (n = 127) or standard of care (SOC additional laser or observation; n = 69). The implant was inserted through a pars plana incision. Visits were scheduled on day 2, weeks 1, 3, 6, 12, and 26, and thereafter every 13 weeks through 3 years postimplantation.
The primary efficacy outcome was ≥15-letter improvement in visual acuity (VA) at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included resolution of macular retinal thickening and Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Score (DRSS). Safety measures included incidence of adverse events (AEs).
Overall, VA improved ≥3 lines in 16.8% of implanted eyes at 6 months (P=0.0012; SOC, 1.4%); in 16.4% at 1 year (P=0.1191; SOC, 8.1%); in 31.8% at 2 years (P=0.0016; SOC, 9.3%); and in 31.1% at 3 years (P=0.1566; SOC, 20.0%). The number of implanted eyes with no evidence of retinal thickening at the center of the macula was higher than SOC eyes at 6 months (P<0.0001), 1 year (P<0.0001; 72% vs 22%), 2 years (P=0.016), and 3 years (P=0.861). A higher rate of improvement and lower rate of decline in DRSS occurred in the implanted group versus the SOC group at 6 months (P=0.0006), 1 year (P=0.0016), 2 years (P=0.012), and 3 years (P=0.0207). Intraocular pressure (IOP) ≥30 mmHg was recorded in 61.4% of implanted eyes (SOC, 5.8%) at any time and 33.8% required surgery for ocular hypertension by 4 years. Of implanted phakic eyes, 91% (SOC, 20%) had cataract extraction by 4 years.
The FA intravitreal implant met the primary and secondary outcomes, with significantly improved VA and DRSS and reduced DME. The most common AEs included cataract progression and elevated IOP. The 0.59-mg FA intravitreal implant may be an effective treatment for eyes with persistent or recurrent DME.
Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Objective:
The study objective was to evaluate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of emergency department (ED) acute appendicitis presentation, management strategies, and patient outcomes.
...Summary Background Data:
Acute appendicitis is the most commonly performed emergency surgery in the United States and is unlikely to improve without medical or surgical intervention. Dramatic reductions in ED visits prompted concern that individuals with serious conditions, such as acute appendicitis, were deferring treatment for fear of contracting COVID-19.
Methods:
Patients from 146 hospitals with diagnosed appendicitis and arrival between March 2016 and May 2020 were selected. Electronic medical records data were retrospectively reviewed to retrieve patient data. Daily admissions were averaged from March 2016 through May 2019 and compared with March 2020. April-specific admissions were compared across the 5-year pre-COVID-19 period to April 2020 to identify differences in volume, demographics, disease severity, and outcomes.
Results:
Appendicitis patient admissions in 2020 decreased throughout March into April, with April experiencing the fewest admissions. April 2020 experienced a substantial decrease in patients who presented with appendicitis, dropping 25.4%, from an average of 2030 patients (2016–2019) to 1516 in 2020. An even greater decrease of 33.8% was observed in pediatric patients (age <18). Overall, 77% of the 146 hospitals experienced a reduction in appendicitis admissions. There were no differences between years in percent of patients treated nonoperatively (
P
=
0.493) incidence of shock (
P
=
0.95), mortality (
P
=
0.24), or need for postoperative procedures (
P
=
0.81).
Conclusions:
Acute appendicitis presentations decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, while overall management and patient outcomes did not differ from previous years. Further research is needed focusing on putative explanations for decreased hospital presentations unrelated to COVID-19 infection and possible implications for surgical management of uncomplicated acute appendicitis.
Keywords:
acute appendicitis, COVID-19, decreasing volumes, multicenter study
Objective The use of abdominal radiographs contributes to increased healthcare costs, radiation exposure, and potentially to misdiagnoses. We evaluated the association between abdominal radiograph ...performance and emergency department (ED) revisits with important alternate diagnosis among children with constipation. Study design Retrospective cohort study of children aged <18 years diagnosed with constipation at one of 23 EDs from 2004 to 2015. The primary exposure was abdominal radiograph performance. The primary outcome was a 3-day ED revisit with a clinically important alternate diagnosis. RAND/University of California, Los Angeles methodology was used to define whether the revisit was related to the index visit and due to a clinically important condition other than constipation. Regression analysis was performed to identify exposures independently related to the primary outcome. Results A total of 65.7% (185 439/282 225) of children with constipation had an index ED visit abdominal radiograph performed. Three-day revisits occurred in 3.7% (10 566/282 225) of children, and 0.28% (784/282 225) returned with a clinically important alternate related diagnosis. Appendicitis was the most common such revisit, accounting for 34.1% of all 3-day clinically important related revisits. Children who had an abdominal radiograph performed were more likely to have a 3-day revisit with a clinically important alternate related diagnosis (0.33% vs 0.17%; difference 0.17%; 95% CI 0.13-0.20). Following adjustment for covariates, abdominal radiograph performance was associated with a 3-day revisit with a clinically important alternate diagnosis (aOR: 1.39; 95% CI 1.15-1.67). Additional characteristics associated with the primary outcome included narcotic (aOR: 2.63) and antiemetic (aOR: 2.35) administration and underlying comorbidities (aOR: 2.52). Conclusions Among children diagnosed with constipation, abdominal radiograph performance is associated with an increased risk of a revisit with a clinically important alternate related diagnosis.
Objective To determine if household income is associated with hospitalization costs for severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Study design Retrospective cohort study of ...inpatient, nonrehabilitation hospitalizations at 43 freestanding children's hospitals for patients <19 years old with unintentional severe TBI and SCI from 2009-2012. Standardized cost of care for hospitalizations was modeled using mixed-effects methods, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, primary payer, presence of chronic medical condition, mechanism of injury, injury severity, distance from residence to hospital, and trauma center level. Main exposure was zip code level median annual household income. Results There were 1061 patients that met inclusion criteria, 833 with TBI only, 227 with SCI only, and 1 with TBI and SCI. Compared with those with the lowest-income zip codes, patients from the highest-income zip codes were more likely to be older, white (76.7% vs 50.4%), have private insurance (68.9% vs 27.9%), and live closer to the hospital (median distance 26.7 miles vs 81.2 miles). In adjusted models, there was no significant association between zip code level household income and hospitalization costs. Conclusions Children hospitalized with unintentional, severe TBI and SCI showed no difference in standardized hospital costs relative to a patient's home zip code level median annual household income. The association between household income and hospitalization costs may vary by primary diagnosis.
Objective To determine the association between institutional inpatient clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for bronchiolitis and the use of diagnostic tests and treatments. Study design A multicenter ...retrospective cohort study of infants aged 29 days to 24 months with a discharge diagnosis of bronchiolitis was conducted between July 2011 and June 2012. An electronic survey was sent to quality improvement leaders to determine the presence, duration, and method of CPG implementation at participating hospitals. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to perform bivariate comparisons between hospitals with CPGs and those without CPGs. Multivariable analysis was used to determine associations between CPG characteristics and the use of tests and treatments; analyses were clustered by hospital. Results The response rate to our electronic survey was 77% (33 of 43 hospitals). The majority (85%) had an institutional bronchiolitis CPG in place. Hospitals with a CPG had universal agreement regarding recommendations against routine tests and treatments. The presence of a CPG was not associated with significant reductions in the use of tests and treatments (eg, complete blood count, chest radiography, bronchodilator use, steroid and antibiotic use). A longer interval duration since CPG implementation and presence of an easily accessible online CPG document were associated with significant reductions in the performance of complete blood count and chest radiography and the use of corticosteroids. Other implementation factors demonstrated mixed results. Conclusion Most children's hospitals have an institutional bronchiolitis CPG in place. The content of these CPGs is largely uniform in practice recommendations against tests and treatments. The presence of institutional CPGs did not significantly reduce the ordering of tests and treatments. Online accessibility of a written CPG and prolonged duration of implementation reduce tests and treatments.
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