The Epidemiology and Outcome of Pericardial Effusion in Hospitalized Children: A National Database Analysis

OBJECTIVES

To describe the epidemiology of pericardial effusion in hospitalized children and evaluate risk factors associated with the drainage of pericardial effusion and hospital mortality.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective study of a national pediatric discharge database.

RESULTS

We analyzed hospitalized pediatric patients from the neonatal age through 20 years in the Kids' Inpatient Database 2016, extracting the cases of pericardial effusion. Of the 6 266 285 discharged patients recorded, 6417 (0.1%) were diagnosed with pericardial effusion, with the highest prevalence of 2153 patients in teens (13-20 years of age). Pericardial effusion was drained in 792 (12.3%), and the adjusted risk of pericardial drainage was statistically low with rheumatologic diagnosis (OR, 0.485; 95% CI, 0.358-0.657, P < .001). The overall mortality in children with pericardial effusion was 6.8% and 10.9% of those who required pericardial effusion drainage (P < .001). The adjusted risk of mortality was statistically high with solid organ tumor (OR, 1.538; 95% CI, 1.056-2.239, P = .025) and pericardial drainage (OR, 1.430; 95% CI, 1.067-1.915, P = .017) and low in all other age groups compared with neonates, those with cardiac structural diagnosis (OR, 0.322; 95% CI, 0.212-0.489, P < .001), and those with rheumatologic diagnosis (OR, 0.531; 95% CI, 0.334-0.846, P = .008).

CONCLUSION

The risk of mortality in hospitalized children with pericardial effusion was higher in younger children with solid organ tumors and those who required pericardial effusion drainage. In contrast, it was lower in older children with cardiac or rheumatologic diagnoses.

Assessment of social factors influencing hospitalization cost of US preterm newborns, 2016

Background and objective: Preterm newborn (PTN) care is costly in the US, and the preterm birth (PTB) rate has not seen substantial improvement. PTB remains a significant public health issue because of risks of adverse health outcomes and the associated economic burden. Assessing factors leading to high hospital cost is imperative in order to ease economic burden associated with PTB. Social factors influencing hospitalization cost for PTN have not been studied extensively. This study aims to examine the contributions of hospital type, race/ethnicity, and median household income quartile to the cost of the PTN's initial hospitalization after birth.Materials and methods: Data used in this study originated from the 2016 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) which provided the most recent national records of pediatric hospitalization in the US. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes P07.2x and P07.3x were used to identify birth gestational age (GA) in complete weeks. Q00-Q99 codes were used to identify congenital anomalies. Data records reflecting hospitalization of newborns without congenital anomalies were extracted to estimate total cost in 2016. Analysis of factors influencing total cost was performed on the subset of newborns that were in-born and with birth GA from 24 to 36 weeks. Total hospital cost was calculated by multiplying total charges and cost-to-charge ratios. Per-diem cost was calculated by dividing total hospital cost by length of stay. Linear regression modeling was performed using weighted data, and the best model was selected using the Akaike information criteria. Results: Hospitalization cost for PTNs, who constituted 7.6% of all studied newborns, comprised 45% of total newborn hospitalization cost. PTNs in freestanding children's hospitals had significantly higher total cost compared to non-children's teaching and non-teaching hospitals. The cost difference was GA-dependent. The latter two hospital types reported similar cost for PTNs. Although race/ethnicity and median household income quartile were related, the two covariates had independent effects on total hospitalization cost. A model built to assess the roles of covariates in the association between GA and total hospitalization cost found that all three covariates independently affected total cost when controlling for one another, with hospital type also showing an interaction effect with GA.Conclusions: Hospitalization cost is highly influenced by hospital type, race/ethnicity, and median household income quartile. The modifiable aspects of these factors may be further dissected and targeted in order to ease the burden of high hospitalization cost associated with PTB.

Comparison of operative outcomes between surgical gastrostomy and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in infants

PURPOSE

Safety profile of different gastrostomy procedures in small children has not been well studied. This study was conducted to investigate whether complication and mortality rates differ between surgical gastrostomy (G-tube) and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in infants and neonates.

METHODS

In this retrospective study utilizing the Kids' Inpatient Database, all infants who underwent either G-tube or PEG as a sole procedure were identified. Variables included age, gender, race, presence of neurological impairment, prematurity, complex chronic condition, and severity of illness/risk of mortality subclasses. Postoperative complication, reoperation, and mortality rates were compared between G-tube and PEG. A subgroup of neonates was also analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 1456 infants were identified (G-tube n=874, PEG n=582). In univariate analysis, the rates of adverse outcomes were not significantly different (G-tube vs PEG complication rate was 7.3% and 6.7%, p=0.65; mortality rate 1.3% and 0.7%, p=0.29, respectively). Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for complication were 1.07 (G-tube vs PEG, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.700-1.620) for overall infants and 1.19 (95% CI 0.601-2.350) for the neonatal subgroup. Similarly, adjusted ORs for mortality did not differ significantly both in infants (OR 1.749, 95% CI 0.532-5.755) and in the neonatal subgroup (OR 2.153, 95% CI 0.566-8.165).

CONCLUSIONS

When G-tube and PEG were performed as the only procedure throughout a hospitalization in infants and neonates, the two techniques had comparable risks of postoperative complications and mortalities.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Retrospective comparative study, Level III.

Operative volume and outcomes of cerebrovascular neurosurgery in children

OBJECTIVE The impact of procedural volume on the outcomes of cerebrovascular surgery in children has not been determined. In this study, the authors investigated the association of operative volume on the outcomes of cerebrovascular neurosurgery in pediatric patients. METHODS The authors performed a cohort study of all pediatric patients who underwent a cerebrovascular procedure between 2003 and 2012 and were registered in the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID). To control for confounding, the authors used multivariable regression models, propensity-score conditioning, and mixed-effects analysis to account for clustering at the hospital level. RESULTS During the study period, 1875 pediatric patients in the KID underwent cerebrovascular neurosurgery and met the inclusion criteria for the study; 204 patients (10.9%) underwent aneurysm clipping, 446 (23.8%) underwent coil insertion for an aneurysm, 827 (44.1%) underwent craniotomy for arteriovenous malformation resection, and 398 (21.2%) underwent bypass surgery for moyamoya disease. Mixed-effects multivariable regression analysis revealed that higher procedural volume was associated with fewer inpatient deaths (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.40-0.85), a lower rate of discharges to a facility (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0.82-0.92), and shorter length of stay (adjusted difference -0.22; 95% CI -0.32 to -0.12). The results in propensity-adjusted multivariable models were robust. CONCLUSIONS In a national all-payer cohort of pediatric patients who underwent a cerebrovascular procedure, the authors found that higher procedural volume was associated with fewer deaths, a lower rate of discharges to a facility, and decreased lengths of stay. Regionalization initiatives should include directing children with such rare pathologies to a center of excellence.

Hospitalizations at Nonfederal Facilities for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in American Indian and Alaska Native Children Younger than 5 Years of Age, 1997-2012

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate hospitalizations at nonfederal facilities for lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and to compare associated rates and risk factors in AI/AN children and white children.

STUDY DESIGN

We used Kids' Inpatient Database samples from 1997-2012 to identify discharges in non-Hispanic AI/AN and white children ages <5 years with a principal or secondary diagnosis code indicating LRTI. To address systematic underreporting and misclassification of race in administrative databases, population rates were estimated by deriving race- and year-specific denominators from hospital births.

RESULTS

During the study period, LRTI-associated discharge rates (per 1000) declined for white children (from 14.8 to 10.9; P < .001 for trend). For AI/AN children, rates varied widely by census region and were highest in the West, where they ranged from 38.6 in 1997 to 26.7 in 2012 (P = .35 for trend). Discharges in AI/AN children were associated with low household income, Medicaid insurance, and rural residence. In a case-cohort analysis of infants hospitalized with LRTI in 2012, discharge rates were higher for AI/AN infants than for white infants only in the West (72.8 vs 22.2; aOR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.8-3.4).

CONCLUSIONS

Among young children who use nonfederal hospitals, LRTI-associated hospitalizations occur at substantially higher rates for AI/AN children than for white children. These hospitalizations occur at rates that are particularly high for AI/AN infants in the West, where rates are comparable with those reported for Indian Health Service enrollees.

Assessment of variation in care and outcomes for pediatric appendicitis at children's and non-children's hospitals

BACKGROUND

Variation in care may indicate an opportunity for quality improvement and to decrease waste. Variation in appendicitis practice, resource use, and costs have not been well studied at non-children's hospitals (NCHs) where most children undergo care. The purpose of this study was to quantify variation in care for perforated pediatric appendicitis within and between children's hospitals (CHs) and NCH.

METHODS

Using the 2012 Kids' Inpatient Database, 11,216 children with perforated appendicitis were identified. Comparisons between CH and NCH were made in regard to operative approach (open versus laparoscopic), central line (CL) and total parenteral nutrition (PN) use, complication rates, length of stay (LOS), and total costs.

RESULTS

NCHs cared for 8051 patients (72%) with perforated appendicitis. CHs were more likely to perform a laparoscopy compared to NCHs (odds ratio (OR) 10.2, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 5.7-18.2), and to utilize CL or PN than NCHs (CL OR 2.4 (95% CI 1.5-3.8), PN OR 2.6 (95% CI 1.4-4.9)). Composite complication rates were lower at CH (OR 0.5 (95% CI 0.4-0.6)). While LOS was not different between CH and NCH in the fully adjusted model, costs were higher at CH (OR 6.8 (95% CI 3.9-12.2)). Low and high outliers could be identified for each variable and outcome of interest with no consistent performance regardless of CH or NCH status.

CONCLUSIONS

Variation in operative approach, resource use, complications, LOS, and costs exist in the management of pediatric perforated appendicitis with greatest variation observed at NCH. Future quality improvement efforts should be tailored for implementation at both CH and high-volume NCH.

The impact of children's hospital designation on outcomes in children with malrotation

BACKGROUND

The benefit of Ladd's procedure for malrotation at a Children's Hospital (CH) has not previously been established. Our aim was to characterize the potential variations in management and outcomes between CH and Non-Children's Hospitals (NCH) in the treatment of malrotation with Ladd's procedure.

METHODS

There were 2827 children identified with malrotation and complete information from the Kids' Inpatient Database (2003, 2006, 2009). Outcomes were compared between CH and NCH and evaluated with logistic and linear regressions. Additional propensity score matching was used to balance covariates between CH and NCH.

RESULTS

There were 2261 (80.0%) children with malrotation undergoing Ladd's procedures treated at CH; 566 (20.0%) were treated at NCH. In multivariate analysis, CH was associated with a 39% lower odds of resection (p=0.004), with no differences observed for mortality, morbidity and LOS. Comparison of a propensity score matched cohort confirmed these findings, as well as demonstrated no significant differences in associated costs.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of pediatric intestinal malrotation is managed at CH. While measured outcomes of mortality, morbidity, LOS, and costs were not different at NCH, CH was less likely to perform intestinal resection during Ladd's procedure.

Rising post-colectomy complications in children with ulcerative colitis despite stable colectomy rates in United States

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In children with ulcerative colitis, data on temporal colectomy trends and in-hospital post-colectomy complications are limited. Thus, we evaluated time trends in colectomy rates and post-colectomy complications in children with ulcerative colitis.

METHODS

We identified all children (≤18years) with a diagnosis code of ulcerative colitis (ICD-9: 556.X) and a procedure code of colectomy (ICD-9: 45.8 and 45.7) in the Kids' Inpatient Database for 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. The incidence of colectomies for pediatric ulcerative colitis was calculated and Poisson regression analysis was performed to evaluate the change in colectomy rates. In-hospital postoperative complication rates were assessed and predictors for postoperative complications were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

The annual colectomy rate in pediatric ulcerative colitis was 0.43 per 100,000person-years, which was stable throughout the study period (P>.05). Postoperative complications were experienced in 25%, with gastrointestinal (13%) and infectious (9.3%) being the most common. Postoperative complication rates increased significantly by an annual rate of 1.1% from 1997 to 2009 (P=.01). However, other independent predictors of postoperative complications were not identified. Patients with postoperative complications had significantly longer median length of stay (14.3days vs 8.2days; P<.001) and higher median hospital charges per patient (US $81,567 vs US $55,461; P<.001) compared to those without complications.

CONCLUSION

Colectomy rates across the United States in children with ulcerative colitis have remained stable between 1997 and 2009; however, in-hospital postoperative complication rates have increased.

Treatment of cerebral aneurysms in children: analysis of the Kids' Inpatient Database

OBJECT.: Endovascular coiling and surgical clipping are viable treatment options of cerebral aneurysms. Outcome data of these treatments in children are limited. The objective of this study was to determine hospital mortality and complication rates associated with surgical clipping and coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms in children, and to evaluate the trend of hospitals' use of these treatments.

METHODS

The authors identified a cohort of children admitted with the diagnoses of cerebral aneurysms and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage from the Kids' Inpatient Database for the years 1998 through 2009. Hospital-associated complications and in-hospital mortality were compared between the treatment groups and stratified by aneurysmal rupture status. A multivariate regression analysis was used to identify independent variables associated with in-hospital mortality. The Cochrane-Armitage test was used to assess the trend of hospital use of these operations.

RESULTS

A total of 1120 children were included in this analysis; 200 (18%) underwent aneurysmal clipping and 920 (82%) underwent endovascular coiling. Overall in-hospital mortality was higher in the surgical clipping group compared with the coil embolization group (6.09% vs 1.65%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.52, 95% CI 0.97-6.53, p = 0.05). The risk of postoperative stroke or hemorrhage was similar between the two treatment groups (p = 0.86). Pulmonary complications and systemic infection were higher in the surgical clipping population (p < 0.05). The rate of US hospitals' use of endovascular coiling has significantly increased over the years included in this study (p < 0.0001). Teaching hospitals were associated with a lower risk of death (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.03-0.46; p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although both treatments are valid, endovascular coiling was associated with fewer deaths and shorter hospital stays than clip placement. The trend of hospitals' use of coiling operations has increased in recent years.

The "weekend effect" in pediatric surgery - increased mortality for children undergoing urgent surgery during the weekend

BACKGROUND

For a number of pediatric and adult conditions, morbidity and mortality are increased when patients present to the hospital on a weekend compared to weekdays. The objective of this study was to compare pediatric surgical outcomes following weekend versus weekday procedures.

METHODS

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample and the Kids' Inpatient Database, we identified 439,457 pediatric (<18 years old) admissions from 1988 to 2010 that required a selected index surgical procedure (abscess drainage, appendectomy, inguinal hernia repair, open fracture reduction with internal fixation, or placement/revision of ventricular shunt) on the same day of admission. Outcome metrics were compared using logistic regression models that adjusted for patient and hospital characteristics as well as procedure performed.

RESULTS

Patient characteristics of those admitted on the weekend (n=112,064) and weekday (n=327,393) were similar, though patients admitted on the weekend were more likely to be coded as emergent (61% versus 53%). After multivariate adjustment and regression, patients undergoing a weekend procedure were more likely to die (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.21-2.20), receive a blood transfusion despite similar rates of intraoperative hemorrhage (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01-1.26), and suffer from procedural complications (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.14-1.74).

CONCLUSION

Pediatric patients undergoing common urgent surgical procedures during a weekend admission have a higher adjusted risk of death, blood transfusion, and procedural complications. While the exact etiology of these findings is not clear, the timing of surgical procedures should be considered in the context of systems-based deficiencies that may be detrimental to pediatric surgical care.

Pediatric inpatient hospital resource use for congenital heart defects

BACKGROUND

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) occur in approximately 8 per 1000 live births. Improvements in detection and treatment have increased survival. Few national estimates of the healthcare costs for infants, children and adolescents with CHDs are available.

METHODS

We estimated hospital costs for hospitalizations using pediatric (0-20 years) hospital discharge data from the 2009 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) for hospitalizations with CHD diagnoses. Estimates were up-weighted to be nationally representative. Mean costs were compared by demographic factors and presence of critical CHDs (CCHDs).

RESULTS

Up-weighting of the KID generated an estimated 4,461,615 pediatric hospitalizations nationwide, excluding normal newborn births. The 163,980 (3.7%) pediatric hospitalizations with CHDs accounted for approximately $5.6 billion in hospital costs, representing 15.1% of costs for all pediatric hospitalizations in 2009. Approximately 17% of CHD hospitalizations had a CCHD, but it varied by age: approximately 14% of hospitalizations of infants, 30% of hospitalizations of patients aged 1 to 10 years, and 25% of hospitalizations of patients aged 11 to 20 years. Mean costs of CHD hospitalizations were higher in infancy ($36,601) than at older ages and were higher for hospitalizations with a CCHD diagnosis ($52,899). Hospitalizations with CCHDs accounted for 26.7% of all costs for CHD hospitalizations, with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, coarctation of the aorta, and tetralogy of Fallot having the highest total costs.

CONCLUSION

Hospitalizations for children with CHDs have disproportionately high hospital costs compared with other pediatric hospitalizations, and the 17% of hospitalizations with CCHD diagnoses accounted for 27% of CHD hospital costs.

Childhood asthma hospitalizations in the United States, 2000-2009

OBJECTIVE

To examine temporal trends in the US incidence of childhood asthma hospitalizations, in-hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation use, and hospital charges between 2000 and 2009.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a serial, cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of children hospitalized with acute asthma. The Kids Inpatient Database was used to identify children aged <18 years with asthma by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 493.xx. Outcome measures were asthma hospitalization incidence, in-hospital mortality, mechanical ventilation use, and hospital charges. We examined temporal trends of each outcome, accounting for sampling weights. Hospital charges were adjusted for inflation to 2009 US dollars.

RESULTS

The 4 separate years (2000, 2003, 2006, and 2009) of national discharge data included a total of 592805 weighted discharges with asthma. Between 2000 and 2009, the rate of asthma hospitalization in US children decreased from 21.1 to 18.4 per 10000 person-years (13% decrease; Ptrend < .001). Mortality declined significantly after adjusting for confounders (OR for comparison of 2009 with 2000, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.17-0.79). In contrast, there was an increase in the use of mechanical ventilation (from 0.8% to 1.0%, a 28% increase; Ptrend < .001). Nationwide hospital charges also increased from $1.27 billion to $1.59 billion (26% increase; Ptrend < .001); this increase was driven by a rise in the geometric mean of hospital charges per discharge, from $5940 to $8410 (42% increase; Ptrend < .001).

CONCLUSION

Between 2000 and 2009, we found significant declines in asthma hospitalization and in-hospital mortality among US children. In contrast, mechanical ventilation use and hospital charges for asthma increased significantly over this same period.

National trends in augmentation cystoplasty in the 2000s and factors associated with patient outcomes

PURPOSE

Augmentation cystoplasty is a major surgery performed by pediatric urologists. We evaluated national estimates of children undergoing augmentation cystoplasty in the United States for trends during the 2000s, and analyzed patient and hospital factors associated with outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent augmentation cystoplasty registered in the 2000 to 2009 Kids' Inpatient Database were included. Estimates of total number of augmentation cystoplasties performed and patient and hospital characteristics were evaluated for trends. Hierarchical models were created to evaluate patient and hospital factors associated with length of stay, total hospital charges and odds of having a postoperative complication.

RESULTS

An estimated 792 augmentation cystoplasties were performed in 2000, which decreased to 595 in 2009 (p = 0.02). Length of stay decreased from 10.5 days in 2000 to 9.2 days in 2009 (p = 0.04). A total of 1,622 augmentation cystoplasties were included in the hierarchical models and 30% of patients had a complication identified. Patient factors associated with increased length of stay and increased odds of any complication included bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex diagnosis and older age. Pediatric hospitals had 31% greater total hospital charges (95% CI 7-55).

CONCLUSIONS

The estimated number of augmentation cystoplasties performed in children in the United States decreased by 25% in the 2000s, and mean length of stay decreased by 1 day. The cause of the decrease is multifactorial but could represent changing practice patterns in the United States. Of the patients 30% had a potential complication during hospitalization after augmentation cystoplasty. Older age and bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex diagnosis were associated with greater length of stay and increased odds of having any complication.

Characterizing peritoneal dialysis catheter use in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery

OBJECTIVE

Children who undergo cardiac surgery are at high risk for renal insufficiency and abdominal compartment syndrome. Peritoneal dialysis catheter (PDC) implantation is used in this population for abdominal decompression and access for dialysis. However, there is no consensus regarding PDC use, and the practice varies widely. This study was undertaken to assess associated factors, outcomes, and variability in the use of PDC in patients who have undergone cardiac surgery.

METHODS

The cohort was obtained from the Kids' Inpatient Database, years 2006 and 2009. Patients who underwent cardiac surgery were included and the subset that underwent PDC implantation during the same hospitalization was identified. Univariable and multivariable analyses assessed factors associated with PDC and survival.

RESULTS

A cohort of 28,259 patients underwent cardiac surgery, of whom 558 (2%) had PDCs placed. In the PDC group, 39.1% (n = 218) had acute renal failure whereas 3.5% or patients (n = 974) in the non-PDC group had acute renal failure. Among patients receiving PDC, mortality was 20.3% (n = 113; vs 3.4% overall mortality, n = 955). Excluding patients with acute renal failure, mortality remained 12% (n = 41) for the PDC group. Factors associated significantly with PDC placement in the overall cohort were younger age, greater surgical complexity, nonelective admission, hospital region, use of cardiopulmonary bypass, and acute renal failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients receiving PDC after cardiac surgery had 20% mortality, which remained 12% after excluding patients with acute renal failure. Given the variability in PDC use and poor outcomes, further research is needed to assess the possible benefit of earlier intervention for peritoneal access in this high-risk cohort.