Stratification of risk for emergent intracranial abnormalities in children with headaches: a Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) study protocol.

Introduction: Headache is a common chief complaint of children presenting to emergency departments (EDs). Approximately 0.5%-1% will have emergent intracranial abnormalities (EIAs) such as brain tumours or strokes.

Comparison of emergency care delivered to children and young adults with complex chronic conditions between pediatric and general emergency departments.

Objectives: Increasing attention is being paid to medically complex children and young adults, such as those with complex chronic conditions, because they are high consumers of inpatient hospital days and resources. However, little is known about where these children and young adults with complex chronic conditions seek emergency care and if the type of emergency department (ED) influences the likelihood of admission. The authors sought to generate nationwide estimates for ED use by children and young adults with complex chronic conditions and to evaluate if being of the age for transition to adult care significantly affects the site of care and likelihood of hospital admission.

Referral to the emergency department by a primary care provider predicts severity of illness.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess whether referral to a pediatric emergency department (PED) by a primary care provider was associated with greater severity of illness, as determined on the basis of clinical measures and increased resource utilization.

Methods: A retrospective study of data for 121 088 children who presented to a PED with abdominal pain, fever, or respiratory complaints during a 5-year period was performed. Demographic data, referral status, and proxy markers of illness severity were collected from the medical records and analyzed.