Faculty Bibliography

Background. It is still unclear whether prolonged duration of therapy (DOT) for VAT might be protective against progression to pneumonia. From a stewardship view, shortening DOT may help to contain emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in PICU. To this effect, we sought to compare clinical characteristics and outcomes in PICU patients with NLFGNR VAT treated with >7 days (prolonged course group, PCG) vs. <=7 days (short course group, SCG). Methods. This retrospective stewardship evaluation between January 2009 and July 2016 was conducted in a 12-bed PICU. Antibiotic choice and DOT were at the physicians' discretion. VAT was defined by signs and symptoms and positive sputum (>=moderate polymorphonuclear cells and >=moderate NLFGNR growth) without radiographic findings. Primary outcomes were rate of microbiologically documented or clinically suspected (CS) pulmonary infection recurrence and emergence of resistance (>=4 increase in minimal inhibitory concentration) or MDRO within 30 days of VAT treatment. Thirty-day readmission and in-hospital mortality were also assessed. Results. Fifty patients were included (PCG n = 27, SCG n = 23). Median age was 1.6 years (0-18.8), PIM2 score was 1 (0.1-82.8), 62% of patients had a tracheostomy at baseline, 70% had P. aeruginosa, and these were comparable between groups. More patients in PCG vs. SCG (44% vs. 13%, P = 0.03) had an admission diagnosis of respiratory failure. Mechanical ventilation (12.5 vs. 5 days, P < 0.01) and PICU stay (16 vs. 6 days, P < 0.01) were longer in PCG vs. SCG. Median DOT was 10 (8-30) in PCG vs. 6 days (3-7) in SCG, with beta-lactams as the common agents and no difference in combination therapy (33% vs. 13%, P = 0.1). Clinical response at the end of treatment was 89% in PCG and 100% in SCG, P = 0.2. Recurrence was 26% in PCG and 9% (all CS) in SCG, P = 0.2 at 17 days (1-29) and 9.5 days (4-15) P = 0.5, respectively. Emergence of resistance or MDRO occurred in 15% in PCG vs. 0% in SCG, P = 0.1. Readmission and in-hospital mortality were 7% vs. 9%, P = 0.9 and 7% vs. 0%, P = 0.5 in PCG and SCG, respectively. Conclusion. In this small cohort of PICU patients with NLFGNR VAT, there was no microbiologically documented recurrence and emergence of resistance or MDRO in SCG compared with PCG. Our findings suggest that short DOT may be considered for children who are less sick including those with a tracheostomy at baseline

BACKGROUND: Pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) within larger institutions have unique opportunities to develop programs specialized to the needs of the pediatric program. In January 2013, our institution established a formalized pediatric ASP utilizing the prospective audit and feedback process. In an effort to standardize therapy and improve quality of care, members of the ASP developed evidence-based guidelines for management of common inpatient pediatric infections. ASP members met periodically with faculty and house staff to discuss guidelines and ways to improve prescribing. METHODS: Provider adherence with clinical inpatient practice guidelines, frequency of interventions suggested by ASP, and acceptance of interventions by providers were elements used to measure process change. We measured outcome data by analyzing antimicrobial utilization (defined as days of therapy) and length of therapy. RESULTS: Over a period of 2 years, institutional ASP guidelines were applicable to nearly half (44%) of all antimicrobial orders. Interventions were performed on 30% of all antimicrobial orders, of which 89% were accepted. Total antimicrobial days of therapy and length of therapy decreased significantly when comparing pre- and post-ASP. Overall, the susceptibility profiles of common bacterial pathogens to antibiotics remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric ASPs within larger institutions have opportunities to create programs specific to the needs of the population they serve. We observed high rates of adherence by providers and a subsequent reduction in antibiotic utilization when implementing an audit feedback-based process.

Background. We have recently observed an increase in community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections among pediatric patients from Brooklyn hospitalized at a university-based teaching hospital in New York City. We performed a prospective study to determine the colonization prevalence of CA-MRSA among hospital admission, genome sequence strains causing infection and identified risk factors associated with CA-MRSA carriage in this population. Methods. Colonization data were obtained from routine infection control screening upon admission to the general pediatric and intensive care units. We used a questionnaire to identify risk factors for MRSA transmission. Additionally, single patient isolates of CA-MRSA were collected from the clinical microbiology laboratory. Medical record information was used to ascertain patient infection or colonization and to confirm community onset. Children from high-risk communities were identified via zip codes. Figure. Phylogenetic tree of clinical MRSA USA300 isolates from children living in high-risk zip codes (red), adult and pediatric patients at NYU Tisch Hospital (Blue), and USA300 Strains from around the United States (Green; Pfizer). Results. Children from the high-risk zip codes were 3 times as likely to be colonized with MRSA (9% versus 3% [p = 0.04]). No difference in methicillin-susceptible S. aureus colonization prevalence was observed between children from high-risk and low-risk communities. Likewise, the MRSA infection rate per 1000 patient days was 36 for children from high-risk zip codes, and 3.9 in children from low-risk zip codes (p < 0.0001). All isolates from patients in high risk zip codes analyzed to date belong to genotype USA300, the predominant CA-MRSA clone in the United States. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that these strains arose from expansion of an USA300 CAMRSA subclone. Potential risk factors for MRSA infection are being explored in conjunction with public health and community leaders. Conclusion. We identified a cluster of CA-MRSA strain USA300 among pediatric patients in a high risk Brooklyn community. Additional genomic comparisons and epidemiological data will be used to inform interventions and interrupt transmission. (Figure Presented)

BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is an opportunistic infection that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised pediatric hematology/oncology patients. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is the gold standard for prophylaxis. Intravenous (IV) pentamidine is the preferred second-line agent for PCP prophylaxis at our institution and is used first-line under certain circumstances. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of IV pentamidine for PCP prophylaxis in pediatric hematology/oncology patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of pediatric hematology/oncology patients (N=121) who received >/=1 dose of IV pentamidine between January 2009 and July 2014 was conducted. Electronic health records were reviewed to determine baseline characteristics, rate of breakthrough PCP infection, characteristics of IV pentamidine use, and adverse events. The follow-up period was 6 months after the last reported IV pentamidine dose or the last recorded clinic visit/hospital admission. RESULTS: No patients developed PCP during the entirety of their IV pentamidine course or during the follow-up period. Nineteen patients (16%) experienced adverse events and 5 of the 19 patients required discontinuation of IV pentamidine. CONCLUSIONS: IV pentamidine is a safe, tolerable, and effective agent for PCP prophylaxis in pediatric hematology/oncology patients and may be considered a reasonable therapeutic alternative when trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole cannot be used for PCP prophylaxis.

PURPOSE: Quality improvement (QI) bundles have been widely adopted to reduce surgical site infections (SSI). Improvement science suggests when organizations achieve high-reliability to QI processes, outcomes dramatically improve. However, measuring QI process compliance is poorly supported by electronic health record (EHR) systems. We developed a custom EHR tool to facilitate capture of process data for SSI prevention with the aim of increasing bundle compliance and reducing adverse events. METHODS: Ten SSI prevention bundle processes were linked to EHR data elements that were then aggregated into a snapshot display superimposed on weekly case-log reports. The data aggregation and user interface facilitated efficient review of all SSI bundle elements, providing an exact bundle compliance rate without random sampling or chart review. RESULTS: Nine months after implementation of our custom EHR tool, we observed centerline shifts in median SSI bundle compliance (46% to 72%). Additionally, as predicted by high reliability principles, we began to see a trend toward improvement in SSI rates (1.68 to 0.87 per 100 operations), but a discrete centerline shift was not detected. CONCLUSION: Simple informatics solutions can facilitate extraction of QI process data from the EHR without relying on adjunctive systems. Analyses of these data may drive reductions in adverse events. Pediatric surgical departments should consider leveraging the EHR to enhance bundle compliance as they implement QI strategies.

BACKGROUND: Central venous catheters are crucial devices in the care of hospitalized children, both in and out of critical care units, but the concomitant risk of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) affects 15,000 Americans annually. In 2012, CLABSI rates varied among units from 6.8/1,000 to 1.0/1,000 in a 109-bed children's service within NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC; New York City), a 1,069-bed tertiary care academic medical center. In response to variation in central line-related practices and infection prevention rates, a CLABSI Prevention Core Team began an effort to standardize central venous catheter (CVC) care across all pediatric units (ICU and non-ICU). Momentum in this quality improvement (QI) work was interrupted when Superstorm Sandy shuttered the flagship hospital, but the relatively decreased clinical load provided a "downtime" opportunity to address CLABSI prevention. METHODS: The first phase of the collaborative effort, Booster 1, Planning/Initial Phase: Development of a Pediatric Central Venous Catheter Working Group, was followed by Booster 2, Maintenance/Sustaining Phase: Transitioning for Sustainability and Adopting Model for Improvement. RESULTS: Data in the subsequent 21 months after the temporary closure of the facility (January 2013-September 2014) showed an increase in maintenance bundle reliability. The inpatient CLABSI rate for patients < 18 years decreased from an annual rate of 2.7/1,000 line days (2012) to 0.6/1,000 line days (2013) to 0.5/1,000 line days as of August 2014. There was a decrease in pediatric CLABSI events and no significant change in line days. CONCLUSIONS: Key elements contributing to initial success with evolving QI capacity and resources were likely multi-factorial, including staff and leadership engagement, culture change, consistent guidelines, and accountability by individuals and by our multidisciplinary core team.

We present the first case of pediatric intracranial M abscessus infection in a 16-month-old female with neurofibromatosis type-1. We describe a successful treatment regimen including excisional biopsy combined with high dose steroids and 16 weeks of triple antimicrobial therapy that resulted in clinical cure and an excellent neurologic outcome.