Abstract Objective To evaluate the performance of risk stratification protocols for febrile neutropenia specific to the pediatric population. Methods Retrospective study of a cohort of pediatric patients undergoing cancer treatment with episodes of neutropenia due to chemotherapy and fever, treated at the emergency department of a tertiary cancer hospital from January 2015 to June 2017. Patients who were bone marrow transplant recipients and patients with neutropenia due to causes other than chemotherapy were excluded. Six protocols were applied to all patients: Rackoff, Alexander, Santolaya, Rondinelli, Ammann 2003, and Ammann 2010. The following outcomes were assessed: microbiological infection, death, ICU admission, and need for more than two antibiotics. The performance of each protocol was analyzed for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Results This study evaluated 199 episodes of febrile neutropenia in 118 patients. Microbiological infection was identified in 70 samples from 45 distinct episodes (22.6%), 30 patients used more than two antibiotics during treatment (15%), eight required ICU admission (4%), and one patient died (0.8%). Three protocols achieved high sensitivity indices and NPV regarding the outcomes of death and ICU admission: Alexander, Rackoff, and Ammann 2010; however, Rackoff showed higher sensitivity (0.82) and NPV (0.9) in relation to the microbiological infection outcome. Conclusion The Rackoff risk rating showed the best performance in relation to microbiological infection, death, and ICU admission, making it eligible for prospective evaluation.

The aim of this article is to compare number of attendances to pediatric emergencies and hospital admissions, considering a period time in which measures of social distancing and restriction or urban mobility were in course, with the same period in previous years to the pandemic. We performed a case-series study in two pediatric emergencies and hospital admission between 16th March and 16th April 2020 (first month of social distancing in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil). Data were compared with the same period, in the two previous years, using Analysis of variance (ANOVA). A p value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.  The number of attendances in the Unit A and B, respectively, were 6.579 and 1.538 in 2018; 5.750 and 1.430 in 2019 and 1.762 and 375 in 2020. The number of hospital admissions in the Unit A and B, respectively, were 823 and 199 in 2018; of 721 and 188 in 2019; and 325 and 135 in 2020. In both units, there was a statistically significant reduction of attendances and hospitals admissions when 2020 year was compared with the two previous years (p>0.0001). Relative percentage of acute respiratory diseases and influenza-like illness was 36.7%, 36.5% and 29.2%, respectively in 2018, 2019 and 2020 in the Unit A; and 25.9%, 24.2% and 24.5%, respectively for the same years, in the Unit B. We concluded that there was a statistically significant reduction of attendances and hospitals admissions in the pediatric emergencies evaluated, being the results attributed to social distancing and restriction of urban mobility during the period studied.

O objetivo deste artigo foi comparar o número de atendimentos em emergências pediátricas e internações hospitalares, considerando um período de tempo no qual vigoravam medidas de distanciamento social e restrição de mobilidade urbana, com o mesmo período em anos anteriores à pandemia da COVID-19. Realizamos um estudo de uma série de casos de atendimentos em duas emergências pediátricas e internações hospitalares entre 16 de março e 16 de abril de 2020 (primeiro mês de distanciamento social no Estado do Rio de Janeiro). Os dados foram comparados com o mesmo período dos dois anos anteriores, através de análise de variância (ANOVA). Um valor de p <0.05 foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. O número de atendimentos nas unidades A e B, respectivamente, foi de 6.579 e 1.538 em 2018; de 5.750 e 1.430 em 2019 e 1.762 e 375 em 2020. O número de internações nas unidades A e B, respectivamente, foi de 823 e 199 em 2018; de 721 e 188 em 2019; e 325 e 135 em 2020. Houve redução estatisticamente significativa de atendimentos e internações quando o ano de 2020 foi comparado com os anos anteriores nas duas unidades (p<0.0001). O percentual relativo de atendimentos de doenças respiratórias agudas e síndromes gripais foi de 36,7%, 36,5% e 29,2%, respectivamente em 2018, 2019 e 2020 na Unidade A; e 25,9%, 24,2% e 24,5%, respectivamente aos mesmos anos na Unidade B. Concluímos que houve redução estatisticamente significativa no número de atendimentos e internações nas emergências pediátricas avaliadas, sendo o resultado atribuído ao distanciamento social e restrição de mobilidade urbana no período avaliado.

RESUMO OBJETIVO: Este estudo visou a avaliar os preditores e resultados associados às infecções por bactérias gram-negativas multirresistentes (BGN-MR) em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica oncológica (UTIP). MÉTODOS: Foram coletados dados com relação a todos os episódios de infecção por BGN que ocorreram em uma UTIP entre janeiro de 2009 e dezembro de 2012. As infecções por BGN foram divididas em dois grupos para comparação: 1) infecções atribuídas a BGN-MR e 2) infecções atribuídas a BGN não multirresistente. As variáveis de interesse incluíram idade, sexo, presença de tumor sólido ou malignidade hematológica, câncer, uso de cateter venoso central, infecção anterior por Pseudomonas aeruginosa, infecção hospitalar, neutropenia nos sete dias anteriores, duração da neutropenia, tempo de internação antes da UTI, duração da internação na UTI e uso de quaisquer dos seguintes nos 30 dias anteriores: agentes antimicrobianos, corticosteroides, quimioterapia ou radioterapia. Outras variáveis incluíram: tratamento antimicrobiano inicial adequado, tratamento antimicrobiano definitivo inadequado, duração do uso de antibióticos adequados, tempo de início da terapia antibiótica adequada, mortalidade em sete dias e mortalidade em 30 dias. RESULTADOS: As análises de regressão logística multivariada mostraram relações significativas entre as BGN-MR e as doenças hematológicas (razão de chance (RC) 5,262; intervalo de confiança de 95% (IC de 95%) 1,282-21,594; p = 0,021) e infecções hospitalares (RC 18,360; IC de 95% 1,778-189,560; p = 0,015). Houve diferenças significativas entre os pacientes com BGN-MR e BGN não MR com relação às seguintes variáveis: recebimento de terapia antibiótica empírica inicial inadequada, tempo para início do tratamento antibiótico adequado e recebimento de terapia antibiótica inadequada. CONCLUSÕES: A malignidade hematológica e a infecção hospitalar foram significativamente associadas à infecção por BGN-MR nessa amostra de pacientes pediátricos oncológicos.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at evaluating the predictors and outcomes associated with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial (MDR-GNB) infections in an oncology pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHODS: Data were collected relating to all episodes of GNB infection that occurred in a PICU between January of 2009 and December of 2012. GNB infections were divided into two groups for comparison: (1) infections attributed to MDR-GNB and (2) infections attributed to non-MDR-GNB. Variables of interest included age, gender, presence of solid tumor or hematologic disease, cancer status, central venous catheter use, previous Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, healthcare-associated infection, neutropenia in the preceding 7 days, duration of neutropenia, length of hospital stay before ICU admission, length of ICU stay, and the use of any of the following in the previous 30 days: antimicrobial agents, corticosteroids, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Other variables included initial appropriate antimicrobial treatment, definitive inadequate antimicrobial treatment, duration of appropriate antibiotic use, time to initiate adequate antibiotic therapy, and the 7- and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed significant relationships between MDR-GNB and hematologic diseases (odds ratio [OR] 5.262; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.282-21.594; p = 0.021) and healthcare-associated infection (OR 18.360; 95% CI 1.778-189.560; p = 0.015). There were significant differences between MDR-GNB and non-MDR-GNB patients for the following variables: inadequate initial empirical antibiotic therapy, time to initiate adequate antibiotic treatment, and inappropriate antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Hematologic malignancy and healthcare-associated infection were significantly associated with MDR-GNB infection in this sample of pediatric oncology patients.