THE LOWER AIRWAYSPediatric Respiratory Emergencies
Case 1
2M male3 day history of URTI associated with fever
(38.5)Onset of difficulty feeding, increased WOB
todayVitals - HR 160 RR 65 SpO2 90% on R/A T
37.9TT, indrawing, nasal flaring, diffuse crackles
and wheezes
Differential diagnosis of Wheeze
Infection (Bronchiolitis, pneumonia) Asthma Cystic Fibrosis CHF Foreign body Anaphylaxis Croup Epiglottis Vocal cord dysfunction GERD Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
You think he has bronchiolitis
What do you tell his parents about his illness and its natural history?
Bronchiolitis
Viral infection RSV, influenza, parainfluenza, echovirus,
rhinovirus, adenovirus Mycoplasm, Chlamydia
Children < 2 years, peak at 2 MOctober to MayContact/DropletPeak at 3-5 dResolves 2 weeks
Bronchiolitis
Inflammation of terminal and respiratory bronchioles Mucus plug + edema Airway narrowing Decrease compliance, increase resistance Atelectasis and overdistention
Bronchiolitis
Clinical presentation Wheeze, tachypnea, indrawing URT symptoms Fever Hypoxemia Apnea
What factors put children at increased risk of severe bronchiolitis?
History of Prematurity BPD CF Congenital heart disease Immunocompromised
Management
You start oxygen and encourage feedingWhen patient not feeding well you give 20
mL/kg bolusRT asks you if you want this child to be
treated with bronchodilators or steroids…What do you think?
Controversial
Many trials done to examine use of Epinephrine ß-adrenergics Steroids
IV PO Inhaled
Evidence for Epinephrine
Epinephrine vs. placebo or salbutamol5/8 showed short term improvement in
clinical scores1/8 showed fewer hospitalization1/8 showed shorter duration of
hospitalization
Evidence for Epinephrine
Hartling et al, 2003 Meta-analysis Epinephrine vs. bronchodilators or placebo RCT, infants<2 years, quantitative outcome 14 studies, 7 inpatient, 6 outpatient, 1 unknown Outpatient results
Epi better than placebo or other bronchodilators in short term (O2 saturation, RR, clinical score)
Evidence for Epinephrine
Cochrane Systematic Review14 RCT (1966-2003)Inpatient and outpatient treatmentEpinephrine vs. placebo - outpatient (3)
Improvement at 60 minutes (1/3studies) No difference in admission or O2 saturation
Epinephrine vs. Salbutamol - outpatient (4) O2 saturation, HR, RR improved at 60 minutes No difference in admission
13 RCT Bronchodilators vs. placebo or
ipatropium1/13 showed decreased admission4/13 showed some clinical improvement
Evidence for Bronchodilators
Evidence for Bronchodilators
Cochrane Systematic Review22 RCT (1966-2005)Bronchodilators vs. placeboNo difference in admission or duration of
hospitalizationMinor improvement in oximetry and
symptoms in outpatient treatment
Previous studies used larger doses of epinephrine Effect may not be due to alpha affects, but higher
delivery of ß-agonist
RCT comparing racemic epinephrine, racemic albuterol, normal saline in equivalent doses in mild/moderate bronchiolitis
N = 65 (23-albuterol, 17 epi, 25 NS)5mg of drug in 3 mL at 0 and 30 minutesClinical assessment pre and post3 rd dose at 60 minutes if RDAI >8 or O2
saturation < 90% R/AFinal assessment at either 60 or 90 minutes
Required admission/home oxygen 61% albuterol, 59% epinephrine, 64% NS
No difference in admission ratesNo difference in O2 saturation, RRß-agonist not useful in Rx bronchiolitis
“ß-agonists should not be used routinely in management of bronchiolitis” Level B
“A carefully monitored trial of alpha adrenergic or ß-adrenergic medications is an option…and continued only if there is a documented positive clinical response using objective means of evaluation” Level B
“…it would be more appropriate that a bronchodilator trial…use salbutamol rather than racemic epinephrine”
What about steroids?
Systematic reviewOral, IV and inhaled steroidsOral
6 RCT involving prednisone (1) prednisolone (2) Dexamethasone (2) Prednisolone and albuterol vs. Placebo and albuterol
Various outcomes (hospitalization, clinical score, length of stay, duration of ventilation)
1 found decreased rate of admission, 1 found increased rate of admission,1 found shorter duration of ventilation, 1 found improved clinical status
Felt data was inconclusive
IV 2 RCT Dexamethasone to placebo No benefit
Clinical score, admission, time to resolution, duration of oxygen therapy
Inhaled 6 RCT Mostly used budesonide Worse wheeze/cough at 12 months in 1 Increase readmission No benefit shown
Cochrance Systematic Review13 RCT No difference
RR O2 saturation Admission Length of stay Subsequent visits Readmission
Evidence for Steroids
RCT Comparing admission to hospital and RACS 4
hours after dose of dexamethasone (1mg/kg) versus placebo
January 2004 - April 2006N = 600 (305 dexamethasone, 295 placebo)Admission
39.7% in dex vs. 41% in placebo - no differenceRACS - sum of change in RDAI minus standardized
score for change in RR (negative value = good response) No difference
“Corticosteroid medications should not be used routinely in the management of bronchiolitis” Level B
CANBEST study RDBCT N=800 4 treatment arms Primary outcome
Hospital admission up to 7 days after enrollment Epi + Dex NNT 11.4 to prevent one hospitalization
Palivizumab
Humanized, mouse monoclonal anti-RSV antibody
Monthly X 5 months, 15 mg/kg IM Prevention of serious RSV lower
respiratory tract infection Children < 2 years Chronic lung disease of prematurity Premature ≤ 32 weeks Hemodynamically significant cyanotic or
acyanotic congenital heart disease
Any novel treatments?
Hypertonic saline
Mechanism incompletely understood Osmotic hydration Reduction of cross-linking Edema reduction
RCT, multicentre (KGH, VGH) comparing length of stay in admitted patients receiving treatment with 3% HS vs. NS
N=93 (47 - HS, 49 - NS)Doses q 2h X3, q4h X5, q6h until D/CAny other treatments mixed with
appropriate solution
Length of stay HS 2.6 days +/- 1.9 days NS 3.5 days +/- 2.9 days 26% reduction in LOS P = 0.05
RCT comparing epinephrine 1.5 mg in 4 mL NS vs. epinephrine 1.5 mg in 4 mL of HS
N = 53 (25 NS, 27 HS)Length of stay, change in clinical severityNS 4 +/- 1.9, HS 3 +/- 1.2, p < 0.05
Case 3
6 yo M with PMH of asthmaURTI X4 days, using blue pufferIncrease WOB todayHR 130, RR 35, 90% on R/AIndrawing, Audible wheezeDecreased breath sounds to RWheeze
How do you want to treat this child?
New therapies
Chest 2006 129(2)246-256RDBCTN=697 (age 11-79)Budesonide/Formoterol vs. budesonide +
terbutalineBudesonide/Formoterol as
maintenance/reliever 54% decrease in severe exacerbation 90% fewer hospitalizations/ED visits 77% fewer days with oral steroids
Evidence for Anti-cholinergics
NEJM 1998RDBCTAlbuterol vs. albuterol+ IB x 2 doseN=434 (2-18 years)IB
Decreased hospitalization (27 vs 36%, p = 0.05) Similar hospitalization rates in moderate exacerbation Markedly different rates in severe exacerbations
Evidence for Anti-cholinergics
32 studies, 16 pediatric10 studies - admission (1786 children)
Lower admission rate NNT =13, 7 if only severe exacerbations included
9 studies - spirometry 1 or 2 doses had FEV1 difference of 12.4% >2 doses had FEV1 difference of 16.3%
Evidence for Anti-cholinergics
Cochrane Systematic Review 2000 13 trialsMultiple doses decreased risk of admission
by 25%Single doses improved lung function at 60
and 120 minutes, but no admissionNNT= 12 to avoid 1 admission in kids with
either moderate or severe exacerbationNNT = 7 if severe exacerbations
Nebulizer vs. MDI/Spacer
RDBCT N = 168 (2m to 24 months) Nebulizer vs. Spacer Primary outcome
Admission rates Results
Controlled for difference in PIS Spacer group admitted less
5% vs. 20% p=0.05
Nebulizer vs. MDI/Spacer
RDBCT N=90 (5 -17 years) baseline FEV1 50-79% Treatment groups
6-10 puffs 2 puffs 0.15mg/kg nebulized
Primary outcome Improvement in % predicted FEV1
Results No significant difference in % predicted FEV1 between groups
Nebulizer or MDI/Spacer
Cochrane Systematic Review 2006 Beta agonist via wet nebulizer vs. spacer 25 outpatient trials N = 2066 children, 614 adultsMDI+spacer was equivalent to wet nebulizer
wrt hospital admission ratesMDI+spacer in kids
Decreased length of stay in ED
Continuous vs. Intermittent
Cochrane Systematic Review 2003 Continuous or near continuous (q 15 minutes
or >4 treatments/h) vs. intermittent nebulization
Continuous beneficial Decreased admission Most pronounced if severe exacerbation
Evidence for use of steroids
Cochrane Systematic Review 2001 Benefit of treatment within 1 hour of ED
presentation12 trialsN = 863Reduced admission rates, NNT = 8Most benefit
Not currently Rx with steroids Severe exacerbation
Oral steroids worked well for kids
Evidence for MgSO4
5 trialsIV MgSO4 at any dose vs. placebo in
patients < 18 y treated with beta-agonists and steroids
MgSO4 reduced hospitalizationNNT=4 for avoiding hospitalization
Evidence for MgSO4
Cochrane Systematic Review7 trials (5 adult, 2 pediatric)N= 665In severe subgroup
Improved PEFR, FEV1, admission rates Improvements not seen if all patients included
Evidence for MgSO4
Cochrane Systematic Review 2005 Inhaled MgSO46 trialsN=296 (2 pediatric)Heterogenous studies therefore difficult to
make definitive conclusionMgSO4 with beta-agonists showed benefit
Pulmonary function Admission rates In severe exacerbations
Evidence for IV Salbutamol
Cochrane Systematic Review 2001 IV salbutamol in addition to other Rx vs.
placebo15 trialsN=584No benefit
Pulmonary function Arterial gases Vital signs AE Clinical success
Other treatments
HelioxNIPPV
Case 3
5 M MaleCough, fever, decreased energy and intakeTachypnea, increased wobSpO2 90% on R/A, RR 60Crackles in RLLCXR
Consolidation in RLL
Epidemiology
4% of kids/y in U.S. Decreases with increasing age
< 2 years – 80% viral> 4 years – 40% viral
Clinical features
Cough, fever, CP, tachypnea, grunting (infants), increased wob (indrawing, seesaw)
Typical presentation - bacterial Rapid onset Fever, chills, chest pain, cough
Atypical presentation – viral Gradual onset Malaise, h/a, cough, fever (low-grade)
Significant overlap
Pneumonia bugs
Specific bugs
B. pertussis3 stages
Catarrhal phase• Coryza, cough lasting 1-2 weeks
Paroxysmal phase• Coughing fits associated with gagging, cyanosis• Whoop is uncommon in infants• Lasts ~ 4 weeks
Recovery• Cough improves over months
Treatment
Specific bugs
S. aureus Rapid and severe
C. trachomatis 50% of exposed will get conjunctivitis 5-20% pneumonia 2-19 weeks Rarely febrile or systemically unwell Staccatto cough
CXR in ambulatory setting
N = 522 (2M to 59M) Randomized to CXR or no CXR Primary outcome Results
Median 7 days to recovery in both groups CXR group
More diagnosed with pneumonia 60% vs. 52% treated with antibiotics More follow-up appts. No difference in consultation, admission, repeat CXR at 28 days
CXR
Bacterial Lobar or segmental consolidation
Viral and atypical bacterial Interstitial infiltrates Peribronchial thickening Atelectasis
Significant overlap Not useful in determining etiological agent
CXR
May want to avoid in mild acute LRTIUse if <5 and if fever >39 or toxic
Admission
SpO2<90-93%Young ageToxicImmunocompromisedRR>70 (infant), >50 (older children)Respiratory distressApnea/gruntingNot feeding or dehydratedSocial concerns
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Sarah McPherson and Jeremy Wojtowicz