https://pedclerk.uchicago.edu/sites/pedclerk.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/Blood-2011-Neunert-4190-207%281%29.pdf

The American Society of Hematology 2011 evidence-based practice guideline for immune thrombocytopenia.

Generalized Linear Models (2nd ed.)

These guidelines have been replaced by British Guideline on the Management of Asthma. A national clinical guideline. Superseded By 2012 Revision Of 2008 Guideline: British Guideline on the Management of Asthma. Thorax 2008 May; 63(Suppl 4): 1–121.

/pdf/british-guideline-on-the-management-of-asthma-a-national-3q1wreyszl.pdf

British guideline on the management of asthma: A national clinical guideline

Epidemiology of urinary tract infections: Incidence, morbidity, and economic costs

OBJECTIVE: To revise the American Academy of Pediatrics practice parameter regarding the diagnosis and management of initial urinary tract infections (UTIs) in febrile infants and young children. METHODS: Analysis of the medical literature published since the last version of the guideline was supplemented by analysis of data provided by authors of recent publications. The strength of evidence supporting each recommendation and the strength of the recommendation were assessed and graded. RESULTS: Diagnosis is made on the basis of the presence of both pyuria and at least 50 000 colonies per mL of a single uropathogenic organism in an appropriately collected specimen of urine. After 7 to 14 days of antimicrobial treatment, close clinical follow-up monitoring should be maintained to permit prompt diagnosis and treatment of recurrent infections. Ultrasonography of the kidneys and bladder should be performed to detect anatomic abnormalities. Data from the most recent 6 studies do not support the use of antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent febrile recurrent UTI in infants without vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) or with grade I to IV VUR. Therefore, a voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is not recommended routinely after the first UTI; VCUG is indicated if renal and bladder ultrasonography reveals hydronephrosis, scarring, or other findings that would suggest either high-grade VUR or obstructive uropathy and in other atypical or complex clinical circumstances. VCUG should also be performed if there is a recurrence of a febrile UTI. The recommendations in this guideline do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of care; variations may be appropriate. Recommendations about antimicrobial prophylaxis and implications for performance of VCUG are based on currently available evidence. As with all American Academy of Pediatrics clinical guidelines, the recommendations will be reviewed routinely and incorporate new evidence, such as data from the Randomized Intervention for Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) study. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in this revision include criteria for the diagnosis of UTI and recommendations for imaging.

Urinary tract infection: clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and management of the initial UTI in febrile infants and children 2 to 24 months.

OBJECTIVES. We studied the association between immunization coverage for a cohort of 2-year-old children covered by a universal health insurance plan and pediatric provider and other health services characteristics. METHODS. We assembled a cohort of 101570 infants born in urban areas in Ontario, Canada, between July 1, 1997, and June 31, 1998. Children were considered to have up-to-date (UTD) immunization coverage if they had ≥5 immunizations by 2 years of age, ie, the recommended 3 doses and 1 booster of diphtheria-polio-tetanus-pertussis/Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine and 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Provider practice characteristics were derived from outpatient billing records, and 1996 census data were used to derive neighborhood income quintiles. The association between UTD immunization status and provider characteristics was assessed with multilevel regression models, controlling for patient characteristics. RESULTS. Overall, the rate of complete UTD immunization coverage was low (66.3%) despite a large number of primary care visits (median: 19 visits). Children whose usual provider had a low volume of pediatric primary care were less than one half as likely to be UTD. Other factors associated with not being UTD included very low continuity of care, low continuity of care, and usual provider in practice for CONCLUSIONS. Despite universal access to primary care services, rates of complete immunization coverage among 2-year-old children in Ontario are low. Because visit rates are high, primary care reform should include interventions directed at provider immunization practices to reduce missed opportunities.

Volume matters: physician practice characteristics and immunization coverage among young children insured through a universal health plan.

Objective To develop a comorbidity model for children that can be used with hospital discharge administrative databases. Design Retrospective study using administrative data obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database and the Deaths File to develop a logistic regression model. Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2test was used to examine model fit. The C statistic was used to assess model discrimination. Bootstrapping was used to determine the stability of regression coefficients. Setting We used linked administrative databases to compile 339 077 hospital discharge abstracts from April 1, 1991, through March 31, 2002. Participants Children between ages 1 and 14 years in Ontario, Canada. Main Outcome Measure Death within 1 year of hospital discharge. Results The 27-variable pediatric comorbidity model predicted 1-year mortality with a C statistic of 0.83 in the Ontario data set from which it was derived. The presence of brain cancer (odds ratio, 76.38 [95% confidence interval, 53.40-109.27]) at hospital admission was the strongest predictor, followed by diabetes insipidus (odds ratio, 39.23 [95% confidence interval, 20.75-74.17]). Conclusion Using clinical judgment and empirical modeling strategies, we were able to identify 27 diagnoses highly predictive of death for children between 1 and 14 years of age within 1 year of hospital discharge.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/articlepdf/204647/poa50112_293_299.pdf

Development of pediatric comorbidity prediction model.

Previous pediatric studies have failed to demonstrate a clear association between protease inhibitor (PI) therapy and abnormal glucose homeostasis in HIV-infected children. To define more precisely the impact of PI therapy on glucose homeostasis in this population, we performed the insulin-modified frequent-sampling iv glucose tolerance test on 33 PI-treated and 15 PI-naive HIV-infected children. Other investigations included fasting serum lipids; glucose, insulin, and C-peptide; single-slice abdominal computed tomography; and, in a subset of PI-treated children, an oral glucose tolerance test. There were no differences between the two groups with respect to fasting serum insulin or C-peptide, homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance, or quantitative insulin sensitivity check index. The mean insulin sensitivity index of PI-treated and PI-naive children was 6.93 +/- 6.37 and 10.58 +/- 12.93 x 10(-4)min(-1) [microU/ml](-1), respectively (P = 0.17). The mean disposition index for the two groups was 1840 +/- 1575 and 3708 +/- 3005 x 10(-4)min(-1) (P = 0.013), respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding variables using multiple regression analysis, the insulin sensitivity index and disposition index of PI-treated children were significantly lower than that of PI-naive children (P = 0.01 for both). In PI-treated but not PI-naive children, insulin sensitivity correlated inversely with visceral adipose tissue area (r = -0.43, P = 0.01) and visceral to sc adipose tissue ratio (r = -0.49, P = 0.004). Mildly impaired glucose tolerance was noted in four of 21 PI-treated subjects tested. Our results demonstrate not only that PI therapy reduces insulin sensitivity in HIV-infected children but also that it impairs the beta-cell response to this reduction in insulin sensitivity and, in a subset of children, leads to the development of impaired glucose tolerance. The presence of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and the significant correlation of reduced insulin sensitivity with increased visceral adipose tissue content suggest that PI-containing highly active antiretroviral therapy is associated with the emergence of early features of a metabolic syndrome-like phenotype.

/pdf/insulin-sensitivity-and-b-cell-function-in-protease-wn1bko1rrx.pdf

Insulin sensitivity and β-cell function in protease inhibitor-treated and -naive human immunodeficiency virus-infected children

Using Ontario healthcare administrative databases, over 228,000 children aged 0 to 9 years were identified as having asthma between 1994 and 1998 and followed until they turned 10 years old or the end of the study. The prevalence of childhood asthma increased by 35% during the study period. These children had a higher healthcare utilization and cost over $100 more per child per year than the general population, and contributed to over one third of the total Ontario Health Insurance Plan expenditures. Findings of this study revealed an enormous burden of illness to children with asthma and the healthcare system.

The Burden of Illness Experienced by Young Children Associated with Asthma : A Population-Based Cohort Study

Few studies have examined walking after neonatal arterial ischemic stroke and sinovenous thrombosis. We looked at the development of walking in a retrospective and consecutive cohort study of 88 term and near-term neonates. We used Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models to assess (1) sex, (2) stroke type (arterial ischemic stroke or sinovenous thrombosis), (3) number of cerebral hemispheres with infarction, and (4) presence of neonatal comorbidity as predictors of the probability over time of starting to walk independently. These variables were assessed as predictors of parent-reported gait normality using the chi-square test on 2 x 2 contingency tables. Seventy-five of 83 survivors (90.4%, 95% confidence interval = 81.9-95.7) walked with a median time of first steps at 13 months of age (95% confidence interval = 12-14). Only bilateral strokes were associated with a lower probability over time of initiating independent walking (hazard ratio = 0.41, P = .04). Parents reported normal gait for 58 of 75 walkers (77.3%, 95% confidence interval = 67.8-86.8). No variables predicted parent-reported gait normality. Our findings suggest that most survivors of neonatal arterial ischemic stroke and sinovenous thrombosis walk with a gait that appears normal to parents, but bilateral infarctions decrease the probability over time of starting to walk independently.

Paul T. Dick

Papers

Volume matters: physician practice characteristics and immunization coverage among young children insured through a universal health plan.

Development of pediatric comorbidity prediction model.

Insulin sensitivity and β-cell function in protease inhibitor-treated and -naive human immunodeficiency virus-infected children

The Burden of Illness Experienced by Young Children Associated with Asthma : A Population-Based Cohort Study

Independent walking after neonatal arterial ischemic stroke and sinovenous thrombosis