Intranasal midazolam for procedural distress in children in the emergency department: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Intranasal (IN) midazolam is the most common anxiolytic for children in the emergency department (ED), but evidence of benefit is conflicting. We synthesized the evidence on IN midazolam for procedural distress in children undergoing ED painful procedures.

Methods: We included trials involving painful ED procedures in children 0-18 years involving IN midazolam.

No Association between SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Quality of Life 6- and 12-Months After Infection.

Objective: To assess the association between Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and long-term quality of life (QoL).

Methods: Prospective cohort study with 6- and 12-months follow-up conducted in 14 Canadian institutions. Children tested for SARS-CoV-2 between August 2020 and February 2022 were eligible.

Presentations and Outcomes Among Infants ≤90 Days With and Without SARS-CoV-2.

Objectives: To compare symptoms and outcomes among infants aged ≤90 days tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a broad, international sample of emergency departments (EDs).

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of infants aged 0 to 90 days with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infections tested using molecular approaches and with 14-day follow-up. The parent studies were conducted at 41 EDs in 10 countries (the global Pediatric Emergency Research Network; March 2020-June 2021) and 14 EDs across Canada (Pediatric Emergency Research Canada network; August 2020-February 2022).

Post-COVID-19 Condition in Children 6 and 12 Months After Infection.

Importance: There is a need to understand the long-term outcomes among children infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Objective: To quantify the prevalence of post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) among children tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric emergency departments (EDs).

Design, Setting, And Participants: Multicenter, prospective cohort study at 14 Canadian tertiary pediatric EDs that are members of the Pediatric Emergency Research Canada network with 90-day, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up.

National Survey on the Emergency Department Management of Febrile Infants 29 to 60 Days Old With an Abnormal Urinalysis.

Objectives: Recent clinical practice guidelines recommend that decisions regarding lumbar puncture (LP) for febrile infants older than 28 days should no longer be based on urinalysis results, but rather independently determined by inflammatory markers and sometimes guided by shared decision-making (SDM). This study sought to assess management decisions for febrile infants aged 29 to 60 days with an abnormal urinalysis.

Methods: A scenario-based survey was sent to emergency department physicians at all 15 Canadian tertiary pediatric centers.

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on the Association Between Laboratory Tests and Severe Outcomes Among Hospitalized Children.

Background: To assist clinicians with identifying children at risk of severe outcomes, we assessed the association between laboratory findings and severe outcomes among severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected children and determined if SARS-CoV-2 test result status modified the associations.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of participants tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection in 41 pediatric emergency departments in 10 countries. Participants were hospitalized, had laboratory testing performed, and completed 14-day follow-up.

Sedation and Analgesia for Reduction of Pediatric Ileocolic Intussusception.

Importance: Ileocolic intussusception is an important cause of intestinal obstruction in children. Reduction of ileocolic intussusception using air or fluid enema is the standard of care. This likely distressing procedure is usually performed without sedation or analgesia, but practice variation exists.

Inhaled nitrous oxide for painful procedures in children and youth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to synthesize indication-based evidence for NO for distress and pain in children.

Study Design: We included trials of NO in participants 0-21 years, reporting distress or pain for emergency department procedures. The primary outcome was procedural distress.

Optimal Dose of Intranasal Dexmedetomidine for Laceration Repair in Children: A Phase II Dose-Ranging Study.

Study Objective: To determine the optimal sedative dose of intranasal dexmedetomidine for children undergoing laceration repair.

Methods: This dose-ranging study employing the Bayesian Continual Reassessment Method enrolled children aged 0 to 10 years with a single laceration (<5 cm), requiring single-layer closure, who received topical anesthetic. Children were administered 1, 2, 3, or 4 mcg/kg intranasal dexmedetomidine.

Test characteristics of ultrasound for the diagnosis of peritonsillar abscess: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Distinguishing peritonsillar abscess (PTA) from peritonsillar cellulitis using clinical assessment is challenging as many features overlap for both conditions, and physical examination is only about 75% sensitive and 50% specific for diagnosing PTA. The primary objective of this systematic review was to determine the test characteristics of ultrasound for diagnosing PTA when compared to a reference standard of computed tomography or acquisition of pus via needle aspiration or incision and drainage.

Methods: This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy (PRISMA-DTA) guidelines.

Improving research personnel's hand hygiene adherence in the pediatric acute care setting during the COVID-19 pandemic: a quality improvement initiative.

Introduction: Hand hygiene is critical in preventing the spread of healthcare-associated infections. Routine hand hygiene surveillance and education are common for clinical staff in pediatric acute care settings. However, nonclinical staff, including research personnel, are often excluded from these programs and therefore represent a gap in ongoing infection control efforts.

Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2-Positive Youths Tested in Emergency Departments: The Global PERN-COVID-19 Study.

Importance: Severe outcomes among youths with SARS-CoV-2 infections are poorly characterized.

Objective: To estimate the proportion of children with severe outcomes within 14 days of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 in an emergency department (ED).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective cohort study with 14-day follow-up enrolled participants between March 2020 and June 2021.

Anxiolysis for laceration repair in children: a survey of pediatric emergency providers in Canada.

Objectives: Intranasal dexmedetomidine is a potentially effective anxiolytic but its role in pediatric laceration repair is only emerging. Future trials and clinical adoption of intranasal dexmedetomidine depend on understanding pediatric emergency providers' practice patterns surrounding anxiolysis and perceived barriers to intranasal dexmedetomidine for anxiolysis during suture repair in children. Our objectives were to characterize these parameters to inform future research and facilitate clinical adoption.

The physical examination is unreliable in determining the location of the distal fibular physis.

Objectives: Salter-Harris type 1 (SH1) fractures of the distal fibula are acute orthopedic injuries with tenderness over the physis without radiographic evidence of fracture. Our primary objective was to establish the accuracy of the physical examination performed by pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians in determining the location of the distal fibular physis compared to a criterion standard of ultrasound.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational study at an urban academic pediatric emergency department of a convenience sample of children aged 4 to 10 years old between March 2019 and March 2020.

Prevalence of Bacterial Meningitis Among Febrile Infants Aged 29-60 Days With Positive Urinalysis Results: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Fever in the first months of life remains one of the most common pediatric problems. Urinary tract infections are the most frequent serious bacterial infections in this population. All published guidelines and quality initiatives for febrile young infants recommend lumbar puncture (LP) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing on the basis of a positive urinalysis result to exclude bacterial meningitis as a cause.

Adaptive randomised controlled non-inferiority multicentre trial (the Ketodex Trial) on intranasal dexmedetomidine plus ketamine for procedural sedation in children: study protocol.

Introduction: Up to 40% of orthopaedic injuries in children require a closed reduction, almost always necessitating procedural sedation. Intravenous ketamine is the most commonly used sedative agent. However, intravenous insertion is painful and can be technically difficult in children.

Improving the diagnostic accuracy of appendicitis using a multidisciplinary pathway.

Background/purpose: Improvement opportunities exist in the accuracy and timeliness of the diagnosis of childhood appendicitis. The purpose of our study was to conduct a post-implementation audit of a diagnostic pathway for children with suspected appendicitis presenting to our pediatric emergency department.

Methods: We adopted a diagnostic pathway that utilized a validated risk of appendicitis stratification tool (Alvarado Score) with protocolized use of abdominal ultrasound for moderate risk patients.

Intranasal Dexmedetomidine for Procedural Distress in Children: A Systematic Review.

Context: Intranasal dexmedetomidine (IND) is an emerging agent for procedural distress in children.

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of IND for procedural distress in children.

Data Sources: We performed electronic searches of Medline (1946-2019), Embase (1980-2019), Google Scholar (2019), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (1981-2019), and Cochrane Central Register.

Bone fractures in children: is there an association with obesity?

Objective: To determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and odds of extremity bone fractures in children.

Study Design: This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted at 2 tertiary care pediatric emergency departments. A convenience sample of children 2-17 years of age with a nonpenetrating extremity injury was enrolled.

Commentaries on 'procalcitonin to initiate or discontinue antibiotics in acute respiratory tract infections' with a response from the review authors.

These are commentaries on a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Schuetz P, Müller B, Christ-Crain M, Stolz D, Tamm M, Bouadma L, Luyt CE, Wolff M, Chastre J, Tubach F, Kristoffersen KB, Burkhardt O, Welte T, Schroeder S, Nobre V, Wei L, Bhatnagar N, Bucher HC, Briel M. Procalcitonin to initiate or discontinue antibiotics in acute respiratory tract infections. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2012, Issue 9.