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This cross-sectional analysis of 86,111 visits for sickle cell disease and vaso-occlusive episodes (VOE) in U.S. pediatric emergency departments between 2013 and 2023 shows increased use of NSAIDs, ketamine, and acetaminophen, with unchanged opioid use. Hospitals with a higher volume of VOE visits more frequently administered opioids. Vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs) are a hallmark of sickle cell disease (SCD), leading to frequent emergency department (ED) visits. Effective pain management is crucial, with guidelines recommending routine use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with opioids, and emerging evidence supporting ketamine use. However, these recommendations are based on low-certainty evidence, and the impact of these guidelines on analgesia use over time remains unclear. This study aimed to analyze trends in analgesia use over an 11-year period in pediatric SCD patients presenting to U.S. EDs with VOE and assess variations in treatment across hospitals. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Pediatric Health Information System covering 34 U.S. children's hospitals from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2023. The primary outcomes were the proportions of visits where opioids, NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and/or ketamine were administered on the first calendar day of the initial visit. Secondary outcomes included the co-administration of NSAIDs with opioids. Logistic and linear regression models were used to assess trends and hospital-level variations. A total of 86,111 ED visits for VOE were analyzed. Opioids were administered in 82 % of encounters, NSAIDs in 72 %, acetaminophen in 17 %, and ketamine in 1 %. Co-administration of NSAIDs with opioids occurred in 59 % of the visits. Among discharged patients, there was a positive trend for NSAID use (slope: 1.68 %/year, 95 % CI: 0.91 %, 2.45 %) and NSAID-opioid co-administration (slope: 1.03 %/year, 95 % CI: 0.37 %, 1.69 %) over time. Acetaminophen use also increased over the study period (slope: 0.99 %/year, 95 % CI: 0.80 %, 1.17 %). In hospitalized patients, there was a significant upward trend for acetaminophen (slope: 1.29 %/year, 95 % CI: 0.69 %, 1.89 %) and ketamine (slope: 0.36 %/year, 95 % CI: 0.27 %, 0.45 %), while opioid use remained unchanged. Significant hospital-level variations were observed, with larger hospitals more likely to administer opioids but less likely to co-administer NSAIDs with opioids compared to medium-volume hospitals. Over the past decade, the use of NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and ketamine has increased in the management of VOE in pediatric SCD patients, while opioid use remains consistent. The co-administration of NSAIDs and opioids has also increased, reflecting guideline adherence. Variations in analgesia practices across hospitals underscore the need for standardizing pain management strategies in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although characteristics of preventable hospitalizations for ambulatory care–sensitive conditions (ACSCs) have been described, less is known about patterns of emergency and other acute care utilization for ACSCs among children who are not hospitalized. We sought to describe patterns of utilization for ACSCs according to the initial site of care and to determine characteristics associated with seeking initial care in an acute care setting rather than in an office. A better understanding of the sequence of health care utilization for ACSCs may inform efforts to shift care for these common conditions to the medical home. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of pediatric encounters for ACSCs between 2017 and 2019 using data from the IBM Watson MarketScan Medicaid database. The database includes insurance claims for Medicaid‐insured children in 10 anonymized states. We assessed the initial sites of care for ACSC encounters, which were defined as either acute care settings (emergency or urgent care) or office‐based settings. We used generalized estimating equations clustered on patient to identify associations between encounter characteristics and the initial site of care. Results: Among 7,128,515 encounters for ACSCs, acute care settings were the initial site of care in 27.9%. Diagnoses with the greatest proportion of episodes presenting to acute care settings were urinary tract infection (52.0% of episodes) and pneumonia (44.6%). Encounters on the weekend (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 6.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.27–6.34 compared with weekday) and among children with capitated insurance (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.54–1.56 compared with fee for service) were associated with increased odds of seeking care first in an acute care setting. Conclusions: Acute care settings are the initial sites of care for more than one in four encounters for ACSCs among publicly insured children. Expanded access to primary care on weekends may shift care for ACSCs to the medical home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Detecting change in health status over time and ascertaining meaningful changes are critical elements when using health-related quality of life (HRQL) instruments to measure patient-centered outcomes. The PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease module, a disease specific HRQL instrument, has previously been shown to be valid and reliable. Our objectives were to determine the longitudinal validity of the PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease module and the change in HRQL that is meaningful to patients.Methods: An ancillary study was conducted utilizing a multi-center prospective trial design. Children ages 4-21 years with sickle cell disease admitted to the hospital for an acute painful vaso-oclusive crisis were eligible. Children completed HRQL assessments at three time points (in the Emergency Department, one week post-discharge, and at return to baseline (One to three months post-discharge). The primary outcome was change in HRQL score. Both distribution (effect size, standard error of measurement (SEM)) and anchor (global change assessment) based methods were used to determine the longitudinal validity and meaningful change in HRQL. Changes in HRQL meaningful to patients were identified by anchoring the change scores to the patient's perception of global improvement in pain.Results: Moderate effect sizes (0.20-0.80) were determined for all domains except the Communication I and Cognitive Fatigue domains. The value of 1 SEM varied from 3.8-14.6 across all domains. Over 50% of patients improved by at least 1 SEM in Total HRQL score. A HRQL change score of 7-10 in the pain domains represented minimal perceived improvement in HRQL and a HRQL change score of 18 or greater represented moderate to large improvement.Conclusions: The PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease Module is responsive to changes in HRQL in patients experiencing acute painful vaso-occlusive crises. The study data establish longitudinal validity and meaningful change parameters for the PedsQL™ Sickle Cell Disease Module.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (study identifier: NCT01197417 ). Date of registration: 08/30/2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chest compression (CC) quality deteriorates with time in adults, possibly because of rescuer fatigue. Little data exist on compression quality in children or on work done to perform compressions in general. We hypothesized that compression quality, work, and rescuer fatigue would differ in child versus adult manikin models., Methods: This was a prospective randomized crossover study of 45 in-hospital rescuers performing 10 minutes of single-rescuer continuous compressions on each manikin. An accelerometer recorded compression quality measures over 30-second epochs. Work and power were calculated from recorded force data. A modified visual analogue scale measured fatigue. Data were analyzed by using linear mixed-effects models and Cox regression analysis., Results: A total of 88 484 compression cycles were analyzed. Percent adequate CCs/epoch (rate ≥ 100/minute, depth ≥ 38 mm) fell over 10 minutes (child: from 85.1% to 24.6%, adult: from 86.3% to 35.3%; P = .15) and were <70% in both by 2 minutes. Peak work per compression cycle was 13.1 J in the child and 14.3 J in the adult (P = .06; difference, 1.2 J; 95% confidence interval, -0.05 to 2.5). Peak power output was 144.1 W in the child and 166.5 W in the adult (P < .001; difference, 22.4 W, 95% confidence interval, 9.8-35.0)., Conclusions: CC quality deteriorates similarly in child and adult manikin models. Peak work per compression cycle is comparable in both. Peak power output is analogous to that generated during intense exercise such as running. CC providers should switch every 2 minutes as recommended by current guidelines.