bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Length of Stay for Common Pediatric Conditions: Teaching Versus Nonteaching Hospitals
Authors: Srivastava Rajendu , Homer Charles J. 
Published: August 2004

Objective. Pediatric teaching hospitals provide particular expertise in caring for children with complex or severe illnesses, yet most patients within teaching hospitals have common pediatric conditions. No study has determined whether children with common conditions remain hospitalized at teaching institutions longer than at nonteaching institutions. The objective of this study was to compare length of stay (LOS) for common pediatric conditions between teaching and nonteaching hospitals.Methods. This study uses Massachusetts’s hospital data for all discharged children ages 0 to 17 years for 1995 and 1996. Discharges were included when the principal diagnosis indicated asthma, bacterial pneumonia, convulsions, dehydration, failure to thrive, gastroenteritis, or urinary tract infections. Hospitals were classified as either teaching or nonteaching using the 1995–1996 American Hospital Association Guide. Children were identified as having a chronic condition when any discharge diagnosis was 1 of those on a previously published catalog of chronic childhood illnesses. The analysis tested the association of hospital type with LOS, controlling for chronic conditions, insurance type, age, race, diagnosis, mortality, and disposition using multivariate linear regression.Results. Of 17 890 discharges for a common pediatric condition during the study period, 52.3% were from teaching hospitals. Twelve percent of common condition discharges also had a chronic disease diagnosis; 75.1% of these were discharged from a teaching hospital. LOS from nonteaching hospitals was shorter than from teaching hospitals (2.42 days vs 3.20 days). Although LOS for stays with a chronic diagnosis were longer than those without (4.75 days vs 2.56 days), controlling for chronic illness and other covariates did not eliminate the difference between LOS for nonteaching hospitals versus teaching hospitals (1.65 days vs 2.23 days).Conclusion. Pediatric patients with common conditions have a shorter LOS in nonteaching hospitals than those admitted to teaching hospitals by a little more than half a day. These results are unchanged when accounting for chronic conditions despite the expected results of preferential admissions to teaching hospitals for this group of patients. Additional studies should better characterize differences in patient populations, describe differences in processes, and identify differences in patient experience and outcomes to understand better the potential benefits of treating children with specific conditions at particular types of hospitals.
Prevalence of Serious Bacterial Infections in Febrile Infants With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection
Authors: Titus M. Olivia , Wright Seth W. 
Published: August 2004

Objective. Neonates with fever generally undergo a full, invasive septic evaluation to exclude serious bacterial infection (SBI). The risk of SBI in febrile older infants and children with documented respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has been found to be negligible. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SBI in febrile infants who were younger than 8 weeks and had documented RSV infection and to compare the risk of SBI with control subjects who were febrile and RSV-negative.Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study of infants who were age 8 weeks or less and presented with documented fever to the emergency department at an urban children’s hospital in October through April during a 4-year period. RSV-positive cases were gender- and age-matched to febrile RSV-negative control subjects. Clinical characteristics and the rate of SBI were compared between the 2 groups.Results. A total of 174 previously healthy infants with fever and a positive RSV antigen test were identified and matched with 174 previously healthy infants with fever and a negative RSV test. Infants with RSV infection were more likely to present with upper respiratory infection symptoms, increased work of breathing, and apnea. Overall, 2 patients in the RSV group had SBI (both with urinary tract infections), compared with 22 in the control group (relative risk: 0.009), 17 of which were urinary tract infections.Conclusions. The risk of SBI in febrile infants with RSV infection seems to be very low, particularly in comparison with a control group of RSV-negative infants. These data suggest that full septic evaluations are not necessary in nontoxic-appearing infants with a positive RSV test. It seems to be prudent to examine the urine in these infants, as there is a clinically relevant rate of urinary tract infection.
Sequelae of Severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Infancy and Early Childhood Among Alaska Native Children
Authors: Singleton Rosalyn J. , Redding Greg J. , Lewis Toby C. , Martinez Patricia , Bulkow Lisa , Morray Barbara , Peters Helen , Gove James , Jones Carol , Stamey David , Talkington Deborah F. , DeMain Jeffrey , Bernert John T. , Butler Jay C. 
Published: August 2004

Objective. In 1993–1996, we conducted a nested case-control study to determine risk factors for hospitalization with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection among Alaska Native infants and young children. In the current study, we returned to former RSV case-patients and their control subjects during 1999–2001 to determine whether children who are hospitalized with RSV at &lt;2 years of age are more likely to develop chronic respiratory conditions.
Methods. For each former RSV case-patient and control subject from remote villages in southwest Alaska, we reviewed medical records, interviewed parents, performed physical examinations and spirometry, collected sera, and analyzed chest radiographs. Case-patients were identified through surveillance for RSV hospitalization, and matched control subjects without lower respiratory infection (LRI)-related hospitalization were identified.
Results. Hospitalization for RSV infection was associated with a significant increase in wheezing, LRIs, and asthma diagnosis during the first 4 years of life. The association decreased with age and was no longer significant by 5 years of age. However, hospitalization for RSV infection was associated with increased respiratory symptoms and increased chronic productive cough at 5 to 8 years of age. Children who were hospitalized with RSV were not more likely at follow-up to have allergies, eczema, or a positive family history of asthma.
Conclusions. Severe RSV infection in infancy may produce airway injury, which is manifested in chronic productive cough with or without wheezing and recurrent LRIs. Although the association of RSV infection with wheezing seems to be transient, children remain at higher risk for chronic productive cough at 5 to 8 years of age. RSV prevention modalities may prevent sequelae that occur early and later in childhood.
Resuscitation of Newborn Infants With 21% or 100% Oxygen: Follow-Up at 18 to 24 Months
Authors: Saugstad Ola D. , Ramji Siddarth , Irani Simin F. , El-Meneza Safaa , Hernandez Emil A. , Vento Maximo , Talvik Tiina , Solberg Rønnaug , Rootwelt Terje , Aalen Odd O. 
Published: August 2004

Objective. To follow-up children who had been resuscitated at birth with either 21% or 100% oxygen (O2).
Methods. A multicenter study with 10 participating centers recruited 609 infants to the Resair 2 study where resuscitation was performed with either 21% or 100% O2. A follow-up between ages 18 and 24 months was performed. However, during follow-up registration, it was found that 18 infants had been enrolled twice in the original Resair 2 study with different registration numbers, leaving 591 enrolled in the Resair 2 study and 410 enrolled in the 7 centers participating in the follow-up. Of these 410 infants, 79 died (76 in the neonatal and 3 in the postneonatal period). Furthermore, for 8 infants informed consent was not obtained, leaving 323 eligible for follow-up. Of these, 213 infants (66%) were followed-up: 91 (62%) had been resuscitated with 21% O2, and 122 (69%) with 100% O2. At a median age of 22 and 20 months (not significant) in the 21% and 100% groups, respectively, a simple questionnaire was filled out and neurologic assessment was performed in addition to measuring anthropometric data.
Results. There were no significant differences in weight, height, or head circumference between the 2 groups. Cerebral palsy developed in 10% and 7%, respectively, in the 2 groups (not significant). In total, 11 cases (12%) in the 21% versus 11 cases (9%) in the 100% O2 group (odds ratio: 1.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.57–3.36) developed cerebral palsy and/or mental or other delay. Furthermore, it was concluded that 14 (15%) in the 21% group and 12 (10%) in the 100% group were not normal (odds ratio: 1.67, 95% confidence interval: 0.73–3.80).
Conclusions. There were no significant differences in somatic growth or neurologic handicap at an age of 18 to 24 months in infants resuscitated with either 21% or 100% O2 at birth. Based on these data, resuscitation with ambient air seems to be safe, at least in most cases. More studies are needed to settle this issue.
Learning, Cognitive, and Attentional Problems in Adolescents Born Small for Gestational Age
Authors: O’Keeffe Michael J. , O’Callaghan Michael , Williams Gail M. , Najman Jake M. , Bor William 
Published: August 2004

Objective. To determine whether the presence, severity, or symmetry of growth restriction in term infants is an independent risk factor for learning, cognitive, and attentional problems in adolescence.Methods. A total of 7388 term infants have been followed prospectively since birth. At 14 years, 5059 mothers completed a Child Behavior Checklist and provided information on their child’s school progress. A total of 5051 adolescents completed a Youth Self Report, with 3703 also undergoing psychometric testing with Ravens Progressive Matrices and Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) reading subtest. Outcomes were compared on the basis of birth weight groups and measures of body symmetry and were adjusted for the level of social risk at birth.Results. Adolescents who were born small for gestational age (SGA), when compared with their appropriately grown counterparts (&gt;10th percentile), were more likely to experience learning difficulties, with a higher prevalence in those of birth weight ≤3rd percentile. Girls of birth weight ≤3rd percentile were more likely to have attentional problems and low WRAT reading scores. There was no significant difference in Ravens IQ or mean WRAT reading scores between SGA and non-SGA groups. There was no association between body symmetry and any of the outcomes studied.Conclusions. SGA status seems to have only modest independent effects on learning, cognition, and attention in adolescence. Severity but not symmetry of growth restriction predicted learning difficulties.
Children’s Health Insurance Status and Emergency Department Utilization in the United States
Authors: Luo Xuemei , Liu Gordon , Frush Karen , Hey Lloyd A. 
Published: August 2004

Objectives. Emergency department (ED) overcrowding has become a national problem. Children account for nearly 25% of overall ED visits. It has been reported that uninsured and publicly insured children are likely to visit the ED for urgent and nonurgent problems, yet it remains unclear to what extent health insurance status would influence children’s overall ED utilization or ED utilization for nonurgent problems at the national level after controlling for other confounding factors. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of health insurance status on children’s overall ED utilization and children’s ED utilization for nonurgent problems among the general pediatric population in the United States.Methods. Secondary analysis of the household component of the 1997 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey on 10 193 children younger than 18 years. The main outcome measures were annual overall ED utilization and ED utilization for nonurgent problems.Results. During 1997, 10.8% of children were uninsured for the entire year. A total of 17.5% of children were publicly insured the entire year, whereas 55.3% of children held private insurance the entire year. There were also 16.5% of children who were insured only part of the year. Without adjusting for covariates, publicly insured children were more likely to have an ED visit during the year than both privately insured children (unadjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.55) and uninsured children (unadjusted OR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.1–1.95). The difference between publicly insured and privately insured children (adjusted OR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.70–1.16) and between publicly insured and uninsured children (adjusted OR: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.84–1.49) became insignificant after controlling for covariates. With or without adjustments for covariates, there was no significant difference in the likelihood of having an ED visit between privately insured and uninsured children. Similar to the utilization pattern of overall ED visits, publicly insured children were more likely to have a nonurgent ED visit than both privately insured (unadjusted OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.36–2.53) and uninsured children (unadjusted OR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.15–2.84). Both differences disappeared after controlling for covariates. There was no significant difference in the likelihood of nonurgent ED visits between privately insured and uninsured children with or without adjustments for covariates.Conclusions. Health insurance status was not associated with children’s overall ED use or children’s ED use for nonurgent problems at the national level. Our findings suggest that policy efforts in an attempt to relieve ED overcrowding conditions should look for measures beyond solely making changes in health insurance coverage for children.
The Natural Course of Infantile Pompe’s Disease: 20 Original Cases Compared With 133 Cases From the Literature
Authors: van den Hout Hannerieke M. P. , Hop Wim , van Diggelen Otto P. , Smeitink Jan A. M. , Smit G. Peter A. , Poll-The Bwee-Tien T. , Bakker Henk D. , Loonen M. Christa B. , de Klerk Johannis B. C. , Reuser Arnold J. J. , van der Ploeg Ans T. 
Published: August 2004

Objective. Infantile Pompe’s disease is a lethal cardiac and muscular disorder. Current developments toward enzyme replacement therapy are promising. The aim of our study is to delineate the natural course of the disease to verify endpoints of clinical studies.Methods. A total of 20 infantile patients diagnosed by the collaborative Dutch centers and 133 cases reported in literature were included in the study. Information on clinical history, physical examination, and diagnostic parameters was collected.Results. The course of Pompe’s disease is essentially the same in the Dutch and the general patient population. Symptoms start at a median age of 1.6 months in both groups. The median age of death is 7.7 and 6 months, respectively. Five percent of the Dutch patients and 8% of all reported patients survive beyond 1 year of age. Only 2 patients from literature became older than 18 months. A progressive cardiac hypertrophy is characteristic for infantile Pompe’s disease. The diastolic thickness of the left ventricular posterior wall and cardiac weight at autopsy increase significantly with age. Motor development is severely delayed and major developmental milestones are generally not achieved. For the Dutch patient group, growth deviates significantly from normal despite start of nasogastric tube feeding. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, or creatine kinase-myocardial band isoenzyme are typically elevated, although aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase increase significantly with age. The patients have fully deleterious mutations. Acid α-glucosidase activity is severely deficient.Conclusions. Survival, decrease of the diastolic thickness of the left ventricular posterior wall, and achievement of major motor milestones are valid endpoints for therapeutic studies of infantile Pompe’s disease. Mutation analysis and measurement of the α-glucosidase activity should be part of the enrollment program.
Cadaver-Donor Renal Transplantation of Children in Israel (1990–2001): Racial Disparities in Health Care Delivery?
Authors: Drukker Alfred , Feinstein Sofia , Rinat Choni , Rotem-Braun Anat , Frishberg Yaacov 
Published: August 2004

Objective. To evaluate the allocation and outcome of cadaver-donor renal transplantation (CDRTx) among Jewish and Arab children in Israel.
Methods. Data on CDRTxs in patients who had end-stage renal failure (ESRF), were younger than 18 years, and were on dialysis treatment were obtained for the 11-year period of January 1990 to December 2000 from the Israeli Dialysis and Transplant Registry, supplemented by 10 years of follow-up (January 1991–December 2000) from our own center.
Results. The Israeli Dialysis and Transplant Registry data show that 64 of 130 available cadaver-donor kidneys (CDKs) were allocated to Jewish patients (49.2%) and 66 of 130 were allocated to Arab children (50.8%): Moslem, Druze, or Christian. The Jew/Arab patient ratio for a waiting time of &lt;1 year was 0.97 and for 1 to 2 years was 1.45, whereas that ratio was 0.6 for 2 to 4 years and 2.0 for &gt;4 years. The mean renal transplant score (RTx score), reflecting the urgency of the need for RTx of an ESRF patient, was identical for Jew and Arab: 4.93 and 4.96. Our own center data refer to 69 dialysis (47 Arabs and 22 Jews) and 4 predialysis patients younger than 18 years who underwent 78 RTxs. Eighteen Arab and 14 Jewish children from our center received 20 and 15 CDRTxs in Israel, with a mean waiting time of 29.6 and 25.4 months for Jew and Arab, respectively (ratio: 1.16). In our center, the outcome (after 7 years) of graft survival and function was not different between Jewish and Arab RTx recipients.
Conclusions. Allocation of CDRTxs between young Jewish and Arab ESRF patients on dialysis did not differ and was associated with comparable waiting times, identical RTx scores, and similar long-term outcome. This is a remarkable finding, certainly in the face of the unequal race allocation of RTxs in the United States as well as the long unstable local (Middle East) political situation.
Randomized Trial of Prolonged Low-Dose Versus Conventional-Dose Indomethacin for Treating Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Very Low Birth Weight Infants
Authors: Lee Jiun , Rajadurai Victor Samuel , Tan Keng Wee , Wong Keng Yean , Wong Ee Hwee , Leong Joy Yoke Ngan 
Published: August 2004

Objective. Indomethacin is used for closing the patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants. Prolonged low-dose indomethacin given over 6 days could potentially improve closure rates because ductal constriction is maintained long enough for more effective anatomic closure. We compared the efficacy of this regimen to conventional dosing in a cohort of very low birth weight infants.
Methods. In a 2-arm clinical trial, 140 infants were randomized to either conventional dose (0.2 mg/kg/dose every 12 hours for 3 doses) or prolonged low-dose indomethacin (0.1 mg/kg/dose daily for 6 doses). The primary outcome measure was ductal closure rate, and the secondary outcomes were the need for a second course of treatment, surgical ligation rates, and side effects.
Results. Ductal closure after 1 course of indomethacin was similar between the 2 groups: 68% for the conventional dose group and 72% for the prolonged low dose (mean difference −4%; 95% confidence interval: −19% to 11%). The incidence of transient oliguria was higher in the conventional dose group, 31% versus 9%. There was a trend toward more necrotizing enterocolitis in the prolonged low-dose group, 7.0% versus 1.4%.
Conclusions. There was no difference in efficacy between the 2 dosing regimens. In view of this and with its higher incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, we do not recommend using prolonged low-dose indomethacin for closing the patent ductus arteriosus in very low birth weight infants.
Impact of the Rapid Diagnosis of Influenza on Physician Decision-Making and Patient Management in the Pediatric Emergency Department: Results of a Randomized, Prospective, Controlled Trial
Authors: Bonner Aleta B. , Monroe Kathy W. , Talley Lynya I. , Klasner Ann E. , Kimberlin David W. 
Published: August 2004

Objective. To determine the impact of the rapid diagnosis of influenza on physician decision-making and patient management, including laboratory tests and radiographs ordered, patient charges associated with these tests, antibiotics/antivirals prescribed, and length of time to patient discharge from the emergency department.
Methods. Patients aged 2 months to 21 years presenting to an urban children’s teaching hospital emergency department were screened for fever and cough, coryza, myalgias, headache, and/or malaise. After obtaining informed consent, patients were randomized to 1 of 2 groups: 1) physician receives (physician aware of) the rapid influenza test result; or 2) physician does not receive (physician unaware of) the result. For patients in the physician aware group, nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained, immediately tested with the FluOIA test for influenza A and B, and the result was placed on the chart before patient evaluation by the attending physician. For the physician unaware group, nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained, stored according to manufacturer’s directions, and tested within 24 hours. Results for the physician unaware group were not disclosed to the treating physicians at any time. The 2 resultant influenza-positive groups (aware and unaware) were compared for laboratory and radiograph studies and their associated patient charges, antibiotic/antiviral prescriptions, and length of stay in the emergency department.
Results. A total of 418 patients were enrolled, and 391 completed the study. Of these, 202 tested positive for influenza. Comparison of the 96 influenza-positive patients whose physician was aware of the result with the 106 influenza-positive patients whose physician was unaware of the result revealed significant reductions among the former group in: 1) numbers of complete blood counts, blood cultures, urinalyses, urine cultures, and chest radiographs performed; 2) charges associated with these tests; 3) antibiotics prescribed; and 4) length of stay in the emergency department. The number of influenza-positive patients who received prescriptions for antiviral drugs was significantly higher among those whose physician was aware of the result.
Conclusions. Physician awareness of a rapid diagnosis of influenza in the pediatric emergency department significantly reduced the number of laboratory tests and radiographs ordered and their associated charges, decreased antibiotic use, increased antiviral use, and decreased length of time to discharge.