Paediatrics (RCH) - Research Publications

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    Intravenous chlorpromazine for acute paediatric migraine
    Lollgen, RMC ; Babl, FE ; Mackay, MT ; Hill, A ; Palmer, GM (WILEY, 2022-08)
    OBJECTIVE: In paediatric migraine, ibuprofen, acetaminophen and triptans are safe, effective therapies but there is scant paediatric data informing second-line emergency treatment. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of children diagnosed with migraine at a tertiary children's hospital ED. RESULTS: There were 207 children with migraine over a 1 year period. 46% received simple oral analgesia. 25% intravenous chlorpromazine, of whom 45% received further analgesia. CONCLUSIONS: While intravenous chlorpromazine as second-line agent was mostly safe, it had unclear efficacy given the requirement for further treatment and hospital admissions.
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    Status Epilepticus Australasian Registry for Children: A pilot prospective, observational, cohort study of paediatric status epilepticus
    Furyk, JS ; George, S ; Phillips, N ; Emeto, T ; Watt, K ; O'Brien, S ; Riney, K ; Wilson, C ; Hearps, SJC ; Borland, ML ; Dalziel, SR ; Babl, FE (WILEY, 2022-10)
    OBJECTIVE: Paediatric status epilepticus (SE) has potential for long-term sequelae. Existing data demonstrate delays to aspects of care. The objective of the present study was to examine the feasibility of collecting data on children with paediatric SE and describe current management strategies in pre-hospital and in-hospital settings. METHODS: A pilot, prospective, observational cohort study of children 4 weeks to 16 years of age with SE, in four EDs in Australia. Clinical details including medications administered, duration of seizure and short-term outcomes were collected. Follow up occurred by telephone at 1 month. RESULTS: We enrolled 167 children with SE. Mean age was 5.4 years (standard deviation [SD] 4.1), and 81 (49%) male. Median seizure duration was 10 min (interquartile range 7-30). Midazolam was the first medication administered in 87/100 (87%) instances, mean dose of 0.21 mg/kg (SD 0.13). The dose of midazolam was adequate in 30 (35%), high (>0.2 mg/kg) in 44 (51%) and low (<0.1 mg/kg) in 13 (15%). For second-line agents, levetiracetam was administered on 33/55 (60%) occasions, whereas phenytoin and phenobarbitone were administered on 11/55 (20%) occasions each. Mean dose of levetiracetam was 26.4 mg/kg (SD 13.5). One hundred and four (62%) patients were admitted to hospital, with 13 (8%) admitted to ICU and seven (4%) intubated. CONCLUSION: In children presenting with SE in Australia medical management differed from previous reports, with midazolam as the preferred benzodiazepine, and levetiracetam replacing phenytoin as the preferred second-line agent. This pilot study indicates the feasibility of a paediatric SE registry and its utility to understand and optimise practice.
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    International variation in evidence-based emergency department management of bronchiolitis: a retrospective cohort study
    Lirette, M-P ; Kuppermann, N ; Finkelstein, Y ; Zemek, R ; Plint, AC ; Florin, TA ; Babl, FE ; Dalziel, S ; Freedman, S ; Roland, D ; Lyttle, MD ; Schnadower, D ; Steele, D ; Fernandes, RM ; Stephens, D ; Kharbanda, A ; Johnson, DW ; Macias, C ; Benito, J ; Schuh, S ; Pediat, ERNPERN (BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2022-12)
    OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the international variation in the use of evidence-based management (EBM) in bronchiolitis. We hypothesised that management consistent with full-EBM practices is associated with the research network of care, adjusted for patient-level characteristics. Secondary objectives were to determine the association between full-EBM and (1) hospitalisation and (2) emergency department (ED) revisits resulting in hospitalisation within 21 days. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study. SETTING: 38 paediatric EDs belonging to the Paediatric Emergency Research Network in Canada, USA, Australia/New Zealand UK/Ireland and Spain/Portugal. PATIENTS: Otherwise healthy infants 2-11 months old diagnosed with bronchiolitis between 1 January 2013 and 31 December, 2013. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was management consistent with full-EBM, that is, no bronchodilators/corticosteroids/antibiotics, no chest radiography or laboratory testing. Secondary outcomes included hospitalisations during the index and subsequent ED visits. RESULTS: 1137/2356 (48.3%) infants received full-EBM (ranging from 13.2% in Spain/Portugal to 72.3% in UK/Ireland). Compared with the UK/Ireland, the adjusted ORs (aOR) of full-EBM receipt were lower in Spain/Portugal (aOR 0.08, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.29), Canada (aOR 0.13 (95% CI 0.06 to 0.31) and USA (aOR 0.16 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.35). EBM was less likely in infants with dehydration (aOR 0.49 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.71)), chest retractions (aOR 0.69 (95% CI 0.52 to 0.91)) and nasal flaring (aOR 0.69 (95% CI 0.52 to 0.92)). EBM was associated with reduced odds of hospitalisation at the index visit (aOR 0.77 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.98)) but not at revisits (aOR 1.17 (95% CI 0.74 to 1.85)). CONCLUSIONS: Infants with bronchiolitis frequently do not receive full-EBM ED management, particularly those outside of the UK/Ireland. Furthermore, there is marked variation in full-EBM between paediatric emergency networks, and full-EBM delivery is associated with lower likelihood of hospitalisation. Given the global bronchiolitis burden, international ED-focused deimplementation of non-indicated interventions to enhance EBM is needed.
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    Prevalence and predictors of poor outcome in children with febrile neutropaenia presenting to the emergency department
    Long, E ; Babl, FE ; Phillips, N ; Craig, S ; Zhang, M ; Kochar, A ; McCaskill, M ; Borland, ML ; Slavin, MA ; Phillips, R ; Lourenco, RDA ; Michinaud, F ; Thursky, KA ; Haeusler, G (WILEY, 2022-10)
    OBJECTIVE: Children with acquired neutropaenia due to cancer chemotherapy are at high risk of severe infection. The present study aims to describe the prevalence and predictors of poor outcomes in children with febrile neutropaenia (FN). METHODS: This is a multicentre, prospective observational study in tertiary Australian EDs. Cancer patients with FN were included. Fever was defined as a single temperature ≥38°C, and neutropaenia was defined as an absolute neutrophil count <1000/mm3 . The primary outcome was the ICU admission for organ support therapy (inotropic support, mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, extracorporeal life support). Secondary outcomes were: ICU admission, ICU length of stay (LOS) ≥3 days, proven or probable bacterial infection, hospital LOS ≥7 days and 28-day mortality. Initial vital signs, biomarkers (including lactate) and clinical sepsis scores, including Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and quick Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 were evaluated as predictors of poor outcomes. RESULTS: Between December 2016 and January 2018, 2124 episodes of fever in children with cancer were screened, 547 episodes in 334 children met inclusion criteria. Four episodes resulted in ICU admission for organ support therapy, nine episodes required ICU admission, ICU LOS was ≥3 days in four, hospital LOS was ≥7 days in 153 and two patients died within 28 days. Vital signs, blood tests and clinical sepsis scores, including Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome, quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment and quick Paediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2, performed poorly as predictors of these outcomes (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve <0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Very few patients with FN required ICU-level care. Vital signs, biomarkers and clinical sepsis scores for the prediction of poor outcomes are of limited utility in children with FN.
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    Review article: A primer for clinical researchers in the emergency department: Part XII. Sustainability of improvements in care: An introduction
    Ramsden, V ; Middleton, S ; McInnes, E ; Babl, FE ; Tavender, E (WILEY, 2022-10)
    Despite an increased focus on ways to improve implementation of evidence and de-implementation of practices with no known benefit, there is limited guidance on how to sustain these improvements. This review provides an introduction to sustainability of improvements in care and sustainability research, discussing how to support sustainability in practice and detailing a sustainability research agenda for the emergency medicine setting.
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    Sustainability of evidence-based practices in the management of infants with bronchiolitis in hospital settings - a PREDICT study protocol.
    Ramsden, V ; Babl, FE ; Dalziel, SR ; Middleton, S ; Oakley, E ; Haskell, L ; Lithgow, A ; Orsini, F ; Schembri, R ; Wallace, A ; Wilson, CL ; McInnes, E ; Wilson, PH ; Tavender, E (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2022-08-29)
    BACKGROUND: Understanding how and why de-implementation of low-value practices is sustained remains unclear. The Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International CollaboraTive (PREDICT) Bronchiolitis Knowledge Translation (KT) Study was a cluster randomised controlled trial conducted in 26 Australian and New Zealand hospitals (May-November 2017). Results showed targeted, theory-informed interventions (clinical leads, stakeholder meetings, train-the-trainer workshop, targeted educational package, audit/feedback) were effective at reducing use of five low-value practices for bronchiolitis (salbutamol, glucocorticoids, antibiotics, adrenaline and chest x-ray) by 14.1% in acute care settings. The primary aim of this study is to determine the sustainability (continued receipt of benefits) of these outcomes at intervention hospitals two-years after the removal of study supports. Secondary aims are to determine sustainability at one-year after removal of study support at intervention hospitals; improvements one-and-two years at control hospitals; and explore factors that influence sustainability at intervention hospitals and contribute to improvements at control hospitals. METHODS: A mixed-methods study design. The quantitative component is a retrospective medical record audit of bronchiolitis management within 24 hours of emergency department (ED) presentations at 26 Australian (n = 20) and New Zealand (n = 6) hospitals, which participated in the PREDICT Bronchiolitis KT Study. Data for a total of 1800 infants from intervention and control sites (up to 150 per site) will be collected to determine if improvements (i.e., no use of all five low-value practices) were sustained two- years (2019) post-trial (primary outcome; composite score); and a further 1800 infants from intervention and control sites will be collected to determine sustained improvements one- year (2018) post-trial (secondary outcome). An a priori definition of sustainability will be used. The qualitative component will consist of semi-structured interviews with three to five key emergency department and paediatric inpatient medical and nursing staff per site (total n = 78-130). Factors that may have contributed to sustaining outcomes and/or interventions will be explored and mapped to an established sustainability framework. DISCUSSION: This study will improve our understanding of the sustainability of evidence-based bronchiolitis management in infants. Results will also advance implementation science research by informing future de-implementation strategies to reduce low-value practices and sustain practice change in paediatric acute care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry No: ACTRN12621001287820.
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    Improving subacute management of post concussion symptoms: a pilot study of the Melbourne Paediatric Concussion Scale parent report.
    Davis, GA ; Rausa, VC ; Babl, FE ; Davies, K ; Takagi, M ; Crichton, A ; McKinlay, A ; Anderson, N ; Hearps, SJ ; Clarke, C ; Pugh, R ; Dunne, K ; Barnett, P ; Anderson, V (Future Medicine Ltd, 2022-05)
    AIM: To pilot a modification of the Post Concussion Symptom Inventory, the Melbourne Paediatric Concussion Scale (MPCS) and examine its clinical utility. MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 40 families of concussed children, aged 8-18 years, were recruited from the emergency department. Parent responses to the MPCS in the emergency department and 2-weeks post injury determined child symptomatic status. Association between MPCS symptom endorsement and symptomatic group status was examined. RESULTS: All additional MPCS items were endorsed by at least 25% of the parents of symptomatic children at 2 weeks. MPCS items were classified into nine symptom domains, with most falling in mood, neurological, autonomic and vestibular domains. CONCLUSION: The additional items and domain classifications in the MPCS have the potential to improve subacute diagnostic precision, monitoring of clinical recovery and identification of appropriate interventions post pediatric concussion.
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    Treatment patterns and frequency of key outcomes in acute severe asthma in children: a Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) multicentre cohort study
    Craig, S ; Powell, CVE ; Nixon, GM ; Oakley, E ; Hort, J ; Armstrong, DS ; Ranganathan, S ; Kochar, A ; Wilson, C ; George, S ; Phillips, N ; Furyk, J ; Lawton, B ; Borland, ML ; O'Brien, S ; Neutze, J ; Lithgow, A ; Mitchell, C ; Watkins, N ; Brannigan, D ; Wood, J ; Gray, C ; Hearps, S ; Ramage, E ; Williams, A ; Lew, J ; Jones, L ; Graudins, A ; Dalziel, S ; Babl, FE (BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2022-03)
    RATIONALE: Severe acute paediatric asthma may require treatment escalation beyond systemic corticosteroids, inhaled bronchodilators and low-flow oxygen. Current large asthma datasets report parenteral therapy only. OBJECTIVES: To identify the use and type of escalation of treatment in children presenting to hospital with acute severe asthma. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of children with an emergency department diagnosis of asthma or wheeze at 18 Australian and New Zealand hospitals. The main outcomes were use and type of escalation treatment (defined as any of intensive care unit admission, nebulised magnesium, respiratory support or parenteral bronchodilator treatment) and hospital length of stay (LOS). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 14 029 children (median age 3 (IQR 1-3) years; 62.9% male), 1020 (7.3%, 95% CI 6.9% to 7.7%) had treatment escalation. Children with treatment escalation had a longer LOS (44.2 hours, IQR 27.3-63.2 hours) than children without escalation 6.7 hours, IQR 3.5-16.3 hours; p<0.001). The most common treatment escalations were respiratory support alone (400; 2.9%, 95% CI 2.6% to 3.1%), parenteral bronchodilator treatment alone (380; 2.7%, 95% CI 2.5% to 3.0%) and both respiratory support and parenteral bronchodilator treatment (209; 1.5%, 95% CI 1.3% to 1.7%). Respiratory support was predominantly nasal high-flow therapy (99.0%). The most common intravenous medication regimens were: magnesium alone (50.4%), magnesium and aminophylline (24.6%) and magnesium and salbutamol (10.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, 7.3% children with acute severe asthma received some form of escalated treatment, with 4.2% receiving parenteral bronchodilators and 4.3% respiratory support. There is wide variation treatment escalation.
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    Review article: Developing the Australian and New Zealand Guideline for Mild to Moderate Head Injuries in Children: An adoption/adaption approach
    Tavender, E ; Ballard, DW ; Wilson, A ; Borland, ML ; Oakley, E ; Cotterell, E ; Wilson, CL ; Ring, J ; Dalziel, SR ; Babl, FE (WILEY, 2021-04)
    The Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) released the Australian and New Zealand Guideline for Mild to Moderate Head Injuries in Children in 2021. We describe innovative and practical methods used to develop this guideline. Informed by GRADE-ADOLOPMENT and ADAPTE frameworks, we adopted or adapted recommendations from multiple high-quality guidelines or developed de novo recommendations. A Guideline Steering Committee and a multidisciplinary Guideline Working Group of 25 key stakeholder representatives formulated the guideline scope and developed 33 clinical questions. We identified four relevant high-quality source guidelines; their recommendations were mapped to clinical questions. The choice of guideline recommendation, if more than one guideline addressed a question, was based on its appropriateness, currency of the literature, access to evidence, and relevance. Updated literature searches identified 440 new studies and key new evidence identified. The decision to develop adopted, adapted or de novo recommendations was based on the supporting evidence-base and its transferability to the local setting. The guideline underwent a 12-week consultation period. The final guideline consisted of 35 evidence-informed and 17 consensus-based recommendations and 19 practice points. An algorithm to inform imaging and observation decision-making was also developed. The resulting process was an efficient and rigorous way to develop a guideline based on existing high-quality guidelines from different settings.
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    Australian and New Zealand Guideline for Mild to Moderate Head Injuries in Children
    Babl, FE ; Tavender, E ; Ballard, DW ; Borland, ML ; Oakley, E ; Cotterell, E ; Halkidis, L ; Goergen, S ; Davis, GA ; Perry, D ; Anderson, V ; Barlow, KM ; Barnett, P ; Bennetts, S ; Bhamjee, R ; Cole, J ; Craven, J ; Haskell, L ; Lawton, B ; Lithgow, A ; Mullen, G ; O'Brien, S ; Paproth, M ; Wilson, CL ; Ring, J ; Wilson, A ; Leo, GSY ; Dalziel, SR (WILEY, 2021-04)
    OBJECTIVE: Children frequently present with head injuries to acute care settings. Although international paediatric clinical practice guidelines for head injuries exist, they do not address all considerations related to triage, imaging, observation versus admission, transfer, discharge and follow-up of mild to moderate head injuries relevant to the Australian and New Zealand context. The Paediatric Research in Emergency Departments International Collaborative (PREDICT) set out to develop an evidence-based, locally applicable, practical clinical guideline for the care of children with mild to moderate head injuries presenting to acute care settings. METHODS: A multidisciplinary Guideline Working Group (GWG) developed 33 questions in three key areas - triage, imaging and discharge of children with mild to moderate head injuries presenting to acute care settings. We identified existing high-quality guidelines and from these guidelines recommendations were mapped to clinical questions. Updated literature searches were undertaken, and key new evidence identified. Recommendations were created through either adoption, adaptation or development of de novo recommendations. The guideline was revised after a period of public consultation. RESULTS: The GWG developed 71 recommendations (evidence-informed = 35, consensus-based = 17, practice points = 19), relevant to the Australian and New Zealand setting. The guideline is presented as three documents: (i) a detailed Full Guideline summarising the evidence underlying each recommendation; (ii) a Guideline Summary; and (iii) a clinical Algorithm: Imaging and Observation Decision-making for Children with Head Injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The PREDICT Australian and New Zealand Guideline for Mild to Moderate Head Injuries in Children provides high-level evidence and practical guidance for front line clinicians.