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Mauritz MD, von Both U, Dohna-Schwake C, Gille C, Hasan C, Huebner J, Hufnagel M, Knuf M, Liese JG, Renk H, Rudolph H, Schulze-Sturm U, Simon A, Stehling F, Tenenbaum T, Zernikow B. Clinical recommendations for the inpatient management of lower respiratory tract infections in children and adolescents with severe neurological impairment in Germany. Eur J Pediatr 2024; 183:987-999. [PMID: 38172444 PMCID: PMC10951000 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-023-05401-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Children and adolescents with severe neurological impairment (SNI) require specialized care due to their complex medical needs. In particular, these patients are often affected by severe and recurrent lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). These infections, including viral and bacterial etiology, pose a significant risk to these patients, often resulting in respiratory insufficiency and long-term impairments. Using expert consensus, we developed clinical recommendations on the management of LRTIs in children and adolescents with SNI. These recommendations emphasize comprehensive multidisciplinary care and antibiotic stewardship. Initial treatment should involve symptomatic care, including hydration, antipyretics, oxygen therapy, and respiratory support. In bacterial LRTIs, antibiotic therapy is initiated based on the severity of the infection, with aminopenicillin plus a beta-lactamase inhibitor recommended for community-acquired LRTIs and piperacillin-tazobactam for patients with chronic lung disease or tracheostomy. Ongoing management includes regular evaluations, adjustments to antibiotic therapy based on pathogen identification, and optimization of supportive care. Implementation of these recommendations aims to improve the diagnosis and treatment of LRTIs in children and adolescents with SNI. What is Known: • Children and adolescents with severe neurological impairment are particularly affected by severe and recurrent lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). • The indication and choice of antibiotic therapy for bacterial LRTI is often difficult because there are no evidence-based treatment recommendations for this heterogeneous but vulnerable patient population; the frequent overuse of broad-spectrum or reserve antibiotics in this patient population increases selection pressure for multidrug-resistant pathogens. What is New: • The proposed recommendations provide a crucial framework for focused diagnostics and treatment of LRTIs in children and adolescents with severe neurological impairment. • Along with recommendations for comprehensive and multidisciplinary therapy and antibiotic stewardship, ethical and palliative care aspects are taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian David Mauritz
- Paediatric Palliative Care Centre, Children's and Adolescents' Hospital, 45711, Datteln, Germany.
- Department of Children's, Pain Therapy and Pediatric Palliative Care, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine , Herdecke University, 58448, WittenWitten, Germany.
| | - Ulrich von Both
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU University Hospital, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Dohna-Schwake
- Department of Pediatrics I, Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine, and Pediatric Neurology, University Hospital Essen, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Gille
- Department of Neonatology, Heidelberg University Children's Hospital, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carola Hasan
- Paediatric Palliative Care Centre, Children's and Adolescents' Hospital, 45711, Datteln, Germany
- Department of Children's, Pain Therapy and Pediatric Palliative Care, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine , Herdecke University, 58448, WittenWitten, Germany
| | - Johannes Huebner
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Dr von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU University Hospital, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Hufnagel
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Medical Centre, University of Freiburg, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Markus Knuf
- Department for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Worms Clinic, 67550, Worms, Germany
| | - Johannes G Liese
- Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, 97080, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Hanna Renk
- University Children's Hospital Tuebingen, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Henriette Rudolph
- Department of Pediatrics, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ulf Schulze-Sturm
- University Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Arne Simon
- Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Homburg Saar, 66421, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Florian Stehling
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, University Children's Hospital Essen, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Tobias Tenenbaum
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Sana Klinikum Lichtenberg, Academic Teaching Hospital, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, 10365, Berlin, Germany
| | - Boris Zernikow
- Paediatric Palliative Care Centre, Children's and Adolescents' Hospital, 45711, Datteln, Germany
- Department of Children's, Pain Therapy and Pediatric Palliative Care, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine , Herdecke University, 58448, WittenWitten, Germany
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Nelson KE, Finlay M, Huang E, Chakravarti V, Feinstein JA, Diskin C, Thomson J, Mahant S, Widger K, Feudtner C, Cohen E. Clinical characteristics of children with severe neurologic impairment: A scoping review. J Hosp Med 2023; 18:65-77. [PMID: 36484088 PMCID: PMC9829450 DOI: 10.1002/jhm.13019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to extrapolate the clinical features of children with severe neurologic impairment (SNI) based on the functional characteristics and comorbidities described in published studies. METHODS Four databases were searched. We included studies that describe clinical features of a group of children with SNI (≥20 subjects <19 years of age with >1 neurologic diagnosis and severe functional limitation) using data from caregivers, medical charts, or prospective collection. Studies that were not written in English were excluded. We extracted data about functional characteristics, comorbidities, and study topics. RESULTS We included 102 studies, spanning 5 continents over 43 years, using 41 distinct terms for SNI. The terms SNI and neurologic impairment (NI) were used in 59 studies (58%). Most studies (n = 81, 79%) described ≥3 types of functional characteristics, such as technology assistance and motor impairment. Studies noted 59 comorbidities and surgeries across 10 categories. The most common comorbidities were related to feeding, nutrition, and the gastrointestinal system, which were described in 79 studies (77%). Most comorbidities (76%) were noted in <10 studies. Studies investigated seven clinical topics, with "Gastrointestinal reflux and feeding tubes" as the most common research focus (n = 57, 56%). The next most common topic, "Aspiration and respiratory issues," included 13 studies (13%). Most studies (n = 54, 53%) were retrospective cohorts or case series; there were no clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS Despite the breadth of described comorbidities, studies focused on a narrow set of clinical topics. Further research is required to understand the prevalence, clinical impact, and interaction of the multiple comorbidities that are common in children with SNI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Nelson
- Pediatric Advanced Care Team, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melissa Finlay
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Emma Huang
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vishakha Chakravarti
- Pediatric Advanced Care Team, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James A Feinstein
- Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science, University of Colorado and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Catherine Diskin
- Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joanna Thomson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Sanjay Mahant
- Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kimberley Widger
- Pediatric Advanced Care Team, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chris Feudtner
- The Justin Michael Ingerman Center for Palliative Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eyal Cohen
- Department of Paediatrics, Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science, University of Colorado and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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