Background— Thrombosis, usually considered a serious but rare complication of pediatric cardiac surgery, has not been a major clinical and/or research focus in the past. Methods and Results— We noted 444 thrombi (66% occlusive, 60% symptomatic) in 171 of 1542 surgeries (11%). Factors associated with increased odds of thrombosis were age <31 days (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; P =0.002), baseline oxygen saturation <85% (OR, 2.0; P =0.001), previous thrombosis (OR, 2.6; P =0.001), heart transplantation (OR, 4.1; P <0.001), use of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (OR, 1.9 P =0.01), longer cumulative time with central lines (OR, 1.2 per 5-day equivalent; P <0.001), and postoperative use of extracorporeal support (OR, 5.2; P <0.001). Serious complications of thrombosis occurred with 64 of 444 thrombi (14%) in 47 of 171 patients (28%), and were associated with thrombus location (intrathoracic, 45%; extrathoracic arterial, 19%; extrathoracic venous, 8%; P <0.001), symptomatic thrombi (OR, 8.0; P =0.02), and partially/fully occluding thrombi (OR, 14.3; P =0.001); indwelling access line in vessel (versus no access line) was associated with lower risk of serious complications (OR, 0.4; P =0.05). Thrombosis was associated with longer intensive care unit (+10.0 days; P <0.001) and hospital stay (+15.2 days; P <0.001); higher odds of cardiac arrest (OR, 4.9; P <0.001), catheter reintervention (OR, 3.3; P =0.002), and reoperation (OR, 2.5; P =0.003); and increased mortality (OR, 5.1; P <0.001). Long-term outcome assessment was possible for 316 thrombi in 129 patients. Of those, 197 (62%) had resolved at the last follow-up. Factors associated with increased odds of thrombus resolution were location (intrathoracic, 75%; extrathoracic arterial, 89%; extrathoracic venous, 60%; P <0.001), nonocclusive thrombi (OR, 2.2; P =0.01), older age at surgery (OR, 1.2 per year; P =0.04), higher white blood cell count (OR, 1.1/10 9 cells per 1 mL; P =0.002), and lower fibrinogen (OR, 1.4/g/L; P =0.02) after surgery. Conclusions— Thrombosis affects a high proportion of children undergoing cardiac surgery and is associated with suboptimal outcomes. Increased awareness and effective prevention and detection strategies are needed.

OBJECTIVE: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common serious bacterial infection in infants. To use resources optimally, factors contributing to costs through length of stay (LOS) must be identifi ed. This study sought to identify clinical and health system factors associated with long LOS in infants with UTI. METHODS:Using a case-control design, we included infants <6 months old hospitalized with UTI. Cases had LOS ≥96 hours; controls had LOS <96 hours. Clinical and health system variables were extracted from medical records. Cases and controls were compared by using comparative statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS:Cases (n = 71) and controls (n = 71) did not differ by gender; cases were more likely to be younger (4.2 vs 7.1 weeks, P = .04), born preterm (13% vs 3%, P = .03), have known genitourinary disease (17% vs 4%, P = .01), an ultrasound (85% vs 68%, P = .02) or voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) (61% vs 34%, P = .001) ordered, longer wait for VCUG (53 vs 27 hours, P = .002), consult requested (54% vs 10%, P < .001), and longer duration of intravenous (IV) antibiotics (125 vs 62 hours, P < .001). Multiple logistic regression demonstrated that cases were more likely to be premature (odds ratio [OR] 7.6), have known genitourinary disease (OR 7.3), and have VCUG ordered in the hospital (OR 4.5). CONCLUSIONS:Infants who are older, are born full term, have no genitourinary disease, receive shorter courses of IV antibiotics, and do not have a VCUG ordered have shorter stays and may be eligible for a short-stay unit. Earlier transition to oral antibiotics and delayed ordering of a VCUG may decrease LOS. Predictors of Long Length of Stay in Infants Hospitalized With Urinary Tract Infection (Continued on last page)Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common serious bacterial infection in young infants.1 Approximately 7% of girls and 2% of boys will have a UTI by 6 years of age.2 Although most UTIs can be managed effectively on an outpatient basis, infants are often hospitalized for treatment.3 UTI accounts for ∼8% of infant infectious disease hospitalizations and ∼2% of all pediatric hospitalizations.4,5 Although rates and duration of hospitalization for UTI have remained fairly constant over the past decade, hospital costs have risen by ∼34% and continue to impose a signifi cant fi nancial burden on the health care system. 5To use health care resources optimally and reduce costs wherever possible, it is important to identify factors contributing to costs through hospitalization. Previous studies using a large administrative database have investigated selected factors contributing to length of stay (LOS) for UTI and found that children who were younger, were hospitalized at an institution without clinical practice guidelines, www.hospitalpediatrics.org or received initial empiric antibiotic therapy to which the uropathogen was not susceptible had greater LOS.6,7 We sought to identify additional clinical and health system factors associated with long LOS in infants hospita...

No abstract

BACKGROUND: Simulation is an effective tool in medical education. The extent and manner in which simulation is used within Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) courses across Canada is currently unknown. In order to improve NRP education, current practices must be better understood. OBJECTIVES: To characterize current practices and use of simulation in NRP courses across Canada. DESIGN/METHODS: A REDCap survey, consisting of questions about instructor demographics, practices in NRP instruction and use of simulation, was developed and distributed to all NRP instructors across Canada. Simple statistics were used to tabulate responses and the chi-squared test was used to assess differences in simulation use between different types of instructors. RESULTS: Five hundred sixty nine of 1390 (40.9%) NRP instructors completed the survey. Participants included 88 (15.5%) physicians, 74 (13.0%) respiratory therapists, 345 (60.6%) registered nurses and 28 (4.9%) nurse practitioners. Two hundred fifty eight (45.4%) worked in institutions providing Level III care. Overall, 560 (98.4%) respondents used simulation, of which only 176 (31.4%) reported using high-technology simulation. Only 180 (31.6%) instructors who used simulation reported having received formal training in high-technology simulation. When asked about the role of simulation in NRP instruction, 545 (95.8%) agreed or strongly agreed that simulation is a valuable educational tool in NRP instruction, but only 219 (39.1%) felt comfortable using high-technology simulation. There was no difference in use of high-technology simulation between physician and non-physician instructors (I2 0.90, p=0.34). Of the instructors who used high-technology simulation, 160 (90.9%) and 134 (76.1%) had learners and instructors, respectively, from multiple healthcare disciplines present in some or all sessions. There was a non-significant trend towards higher use of interprofessional learners among physician instructors (I2 3.8, p=0.052). An impressive 554 (98.9%) debriefed after some or all simulation sessions, with only 295 (51.8%) instructors having received formal training in debriefing techniques. CONCLUSION: Almost all NRP instructors use simulation and feel that it is valuable, though few have received formal training and feel comfortable using high-technology simulation. Most simulation use is low-technology, in keeping with the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) recommendations, though the optimal methods of use of simulation in NRP instruction are not known. The majority of instructors debrief with learners, as recommended by the CPS, though only half have had training in debriefing. The results of this study support further investigation into the optimal type of simulation in NRP teaching and more formal education in simulation and debriefing for NRP instructors.

No abstract