[Compliance with the PECARN and AEP guidelines in diagnostic approach of mild head trauma in patients younger than 24 months old]

Variability in the management and imaging use in paediatric minor head trauma in European emergency departments. A Research in European Pediatric Emergency Medicine study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to assess the variability in the management of paediatric MHT in European emergency departments (EDs).

METHODS

This was a multicentre retrospective study of children ≤18 years old with minor head trauma (MHT) (Glasgow Coma Scale ≥14) who presented to 15 European EDs between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 31. Data on clinical characteristics, imaging tests, and disposition of included patients were collected at each hospital over a 3-year period.

RESULTS

We included 11 212 patients. Skull radiography was performed in 3416 (30.5%) patients, range 0.4-92.3%. A computed tomography (CT) was obtained in 696 (6.2%) patients, range 1.6-42.8%. The rate of admission varied from 0 to 48.2%.

CONCLUSION

We found great variability in terms of the type of imaging and rate of CT scan obtained. Our study suggests opportunity for improvement in the area of paediatric head injury and the need for targeted individualised ED interventions to improve management of MHT.

Impact of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) guidelines on emergency department use of head computed tomography at a level I safety-net trauma center

PURPOSE

To evaluate whether the emergency department usage of head computed tomography (CT) on pediatric patients with minor head trauma changed after publication of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) head CT guidelines and to identify risk factors associated with performing head CT on patients without a PECARN guideline indication.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 484 patients 18 years of age or younger who presented to the emergency department with head injury and a total Glasgow Coma Scale score ≥ 14 between September 2005 and July 2014. Based on the guideline publication date of September 2009, the study cohort was stratified into pre-guideline and post-guideline groups. Head CT performance, indications, and findings were compared between study periods. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with performing a non-indicated head CT.

RESULTS

The rate of head CTs performed did not significantly change in the post-guideline period (96.6% vs. 95.7%, p = 0.63). There was no significant difference in the proportion of head CTs performed in patients with indications for head CT (100.0% vs. 100.0%) nor in patients without an indication for head CT (85.7% vs. 82.6%, p = 0.65) between the study periods. Females were significantly more likely to have a non-indicated head CT (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.67-4.45) performed.

CONCLUSIONS

Head CT ordering practices for pediatric patients with head injury did not change at a level I trauma center after publication of the PECARN head CT guidelines.

[Falls in less than one year-old infants: Management in the emergency department]

OBJECTIVES

A study was performed in order to describe injuries associated with falls in children aged <1 year who attended the emergency department. The approaches used were examined, as well as the factors associated with the greater use of these approaches, and the management of the patient.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a multicentre, descriptive and analytical study that included all patients aged <1 year who had experienced a fall for which they attended the emergency departments of one of 8 Spanish Hospitals belonging to the "Unintentional Paediatric Injury Working Group" of the Spanish Paediatric Society. A record was made of the data regarding the visit, circumstances before arrival at the hospital, injuries observed, and the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches used.

RESULTS

A total of 1022 patients had experienced falls, that is, 0.35% of the emergencies attended in the study hospitals (95% CI, 0,348-0,352). The most commonly affected part was the head (58%). Cranial radiography was ordered in 31.8% of cases, and was associated with the presence of bruising or signs of fracture on examination (P<.001), falls from heights >100cm (P<.001), and age <3 months (P=.004). Minor head injury was the most common finding (85.6%), followed by fractures, especially cranial fractures (7.1%), which were associated with bruising or signs of fracture on examination (P<.001), and age <3 months (P<.001). Six percent of the patients required admission to hospital. The risk factors for hospital admission in this group were falls from heights >50cm and age <3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Injuries after falls in infants aged <1 year are commonly due to head trauma and frequently require additional diagnostic tests.