Long-term non-invasive ventilation therapies in children: a scoping review protocol

Feeding and Swallowing Outcomes in Children Who Use Long-Term Ventilation: A Scoping Review

The last two decades have seen increasing use of long-term ventilation (LTV) as an intervention in childhood. Children who use LTV have many risk factors for feeding and swallowing difficulties, including their underlying respiratory and/or neurological etiology, long hospitalizations, medical interventions, and limited exposure to oral feeding experiences. This review aimed to answer two questions: 1) 'What specific swallowing and feeding characteristics do these children experience?'; and 2) 'What impacts do these swallowing and feeding characteristics have on health status and quality of life?'. Texts were identified across bibliographic databases, reference lists, and grey literature. Studies were analyzed according to ventilation, feeding and swallowing, assessment and intervention, and quality of life parameters. Overall, 1919 papers were screened, with 31 papers included in the final data extraction process. A range of feeding and swallowing characteristics were observed, including oral secretion management difficulties, oral aversion, swallowing difficulties, and clinical signs of aspiration. Non-oral feeding was found to be the primary feeding method used. Little information on health status and quality of life was reported in scoping review texts. Children with LTV needs present with a range of feeding and swallowing concerns, and non-oral feeding is common. Further research is needed to understand the feeding and swallowing journey of this population. This will assist in future service planning and delivery, and in turn contribute to improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

Managing the deteriorating child with suspected group A Streptococcus infection

Group A Streptococcus bacteria can cause various pyogenic infections such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis, scarlet fever, impetigo, erysipelas, cellulitis and pneumonia. Most group A Streptococcus infections in children are mild and respond positively to treatment with antibiotics. However, some children develop severe infection accompanied by complications such as sepsis and will require urgent treatment, which may include non-invasive or invasive ventilation and the administration of fluids and vasoactive agents. In some instances, for example if there are no beds available in the paediatric intensive care unit, these interventions may be undertaken in a ward setting. This article gives an overview of group A Streptococcus infection, including two rare but severe complications, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and necrotising fasciitis. It uses a fictionalised case study to examine the management of the deteriorating child with suspected group A Streptococcus infection, including respiratory support, haemodynamic support and symptom management.

Symptom care approach to non-invasive ventilatory support in children with complex neural disability

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among pediatric patients with severe neurological disabilities such as cerebral palsy. Despite increasing use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in this group, there remains a lack of consensus about its role and indications. We aim to explore the indications, acceptability, and outcomes of a cohort of children with severe, complex neurological disability and SDB, managed with NIV.

METHODS

Data was retrospectively extracted on children with severe neurological disabilities (GMFCS V equivalent) initiated on NIV in Queensland over a 5-year period. Demographic, clinical, hospitalization, and polysomnography data was collected, as well as caregiver-reported side effects and NIV adherence.

RESULTS

Fourteen (median age 9.1 years; 6F) children were included, 8 with cerebral palsy and 6 with other complex neurological disabilities. Obstructive sleep apnea was the most common indication for NIV (n=12). The median (IQR) apnea-hypopnea index improved on NIV [Pre-NIV 21.3 (IQR 10.0-28.2) vs. Post-NIV 12.2 (IQR 2.8-15.2)], although this was not statistically significant. There was significant improvement in proportion of time spent with SpO₂<95% (22.2% Pre-NIV vs. 7.85% Post-NIV; p<0.05). Reported side effects were minimal. There was no reduction in hospital admissions in the 12 months post-NIV initiation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that NIV improves polysomnography parameters among children with severe neurological disability. Long-term outcomes and overall impact on quality of life remain unclear. Ethical issues and overall benefit must be considered before embarking on this mode of therapy.

Does non-invasive ventilation change metabolic markers in children with obstructive sleep apnoea? A systematic review and meta-analysis study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is not only common within paediatrics but is associated with critical childhood metabolic morbidity such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and glucose tolerance impairment. Increasing evidence suggests an association between childhood OSA and metabolic syndrome such as markers of cardiovascular disease, systemic hypertension, glucose intoleranceand increased lipid profile. Recent studies have targeted changes in metabolic markers in children using non-invasive ventilation (NIV) but no systematic reviews are available to summarise this emerging evidence. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide systematic synthesis of the evidence on the effect of NIV use on metabolic markers in children with OSA.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A systematic search of electronic databases and grey literature will include paediatric interventional studies (random controlled trials, cohort studies) with and without a comparison group. Two reviewers will independently undertake the two step process of title/abstract and full-text screening. Data will be extracted and assessed, with aggregate data being reported. When the data allow, meta-analysis will be performed.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

There are no ethical concerns with this systematic review, as data have previously been published. This review will inform clinicians taking care of children with OSA and obesity/metabolic syndrome about the potential effects of NIV therapies on metabolic markers and has the potential to change the approach to childhood OSA and obesity. Results of this systematic review will be submitted for dissemination in abstract and manuscript form.

Long-term Non-Invasive Ventilation in Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The use of long-term non-invasive ventilation (NIV) to treat sleep and breathing disorders in children has increased substantially in the last decade; however, less data exist about its use in infants. Given that infants have distinct sleep and breathing patterns when compared to older children, the outcomes of infants on long-term NIV may differ as well. The aim of this study is to systematically review the use and outcomes of long-term NIV in infants.

METHODS

Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, CINAHL (via EbscoHOST), PubMed, and Wiley Cochrane Library were systematically searched from January 1990 to July 2017. Studies on infants using long-term NIV outside of an acute care setting were included. Data were extracted on study design, population characteristics, and NIV outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 327 studies were full-text reviewed, with final inclusion of 60. Studies were distributed across airway (40%), neuromuscular (28%), central nervous system (10%), cardio-respiratory (2%), and multiple (20%) disease categories. Of the 18 airway studies reporting on NIV outcomes, 13 (72%) reported improvements in respiratory parameters. Of the 12 neuromuscular studies exclusively on spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA1), six (50%) reported decreased hospitalizations and nine (75%) reported on mortality outcomes. Risk of bias was moderate to serious, and quality of the evidence was low to very low for all studies. Most studies had an observational design with no control group, limiting the potential for a meta-analysis.

CONCLUSION

The outcomes reported in studies differed by the disease category being studied. Studies on airway conditions showed improvements in respiratory parameters for infants using NIV. Studies on neuromuscular disorder, which were almost exclusively on SMA1, reported decreased hospitalizations and prolonged survival. Overall, it appears that NIV is an effective long-term therapy for infants. However, the high risk of bias and low quality of the available evidence limited strong conclusions.