IMPORTANCE In early 2020, the United States declared a public health emergency in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and implemented a variety of social distancing measures. The association between the COVID-19 pandemic and the number of pediatric admissions is unclear. OBJECTIVE To determine the changes in patterns of pediatric admissions in 2020 compared with the prior decade. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cross-sectional study included 49 US hospitals contributing to the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. Inpatient admissions were transformed into time-series data, and ensemble forecasting models were generated to analyze admissions across a range of diagnoses in 2020 compared with previous years. The setting was inpatient admissions. All patients discharged between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2020, from an inpatient hospital encounter were included. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Number of hospital admissions by primary diagnosis for each encounter.

OBJECTIVES:To determine the changes in ICU admissions, ventilatory support, length of stay, and cost for patients with bronchiolitis in the United States. METHODS:Retrospective cross-sectional study of the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. All patients age ,2 years admitted with bronchiolitis and discharged between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019, were included. Outcomes included proportions of annual ICU admissions, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), noninvasive ventilation (NIV), and cost.RESULTS: Of 203 859 admissions for bronchiolitis, 39 442 (19.3%) were admitted to an ICU, 6751 (3.3%) received IMV, and 9983 (4.9%) received NIV. ICU admissions for bronchiolitis doubled from 11.7% in 2010 to 24.5% in 2019 (P , .001 for trend), whereas ICU admissions for all children in Pediatric Health Information Systems ,2 years of age increased from 16.0% to 21.1% during the same period (P , .001 for trend). Use of NIV increased sevenfold from 1.2% in 2010 to 9.5% in 2019 (P , .001 for trend). Use of IMV did not significantly change (3.3% in 2010 to 2.8% in 2019, P = .414 for trend). In mixed-effects multivariable logistic regression, discharge year was a significant predictor of NIV (odds ratio: 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-1.24) and ICU admission (odds ratio: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.09-1.09) but not IMV (odds ratio: 1.00; 95% CI: 1.00-1.00). CONCLUSIONS:The proportions of children with bronchiolitis admitted to an ICU and receiving NIV have substantially increased, whereas the proportion receiving IMV is unchanged over the past decade. Further study is needed to better understand the factors underlying these temporal patterns.WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: In the early part of the last decade, trends toward rising ICU admission proportion and noninvasive ventilation use were noted in patients with bronchiolitis. These trends were temporally associated with increased cost.WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: In this national database analysis, the ICU admission proportion in bronchiolitis doubled between 2010 and 2019, coupled with a sevenfold increase in the use of noninvasive ventilation. These changes were not associated with changes in the proportion of invasive mechanical ventilation.

ImportanceIncreasing evidence indicates that acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs frequently in children and young adults and is associated with poor short-term and long-term outcomes. Guidance is required to focus efforts related to expansion of pediatric AKI knowledge.ObjectiveTo develop expert-driven pediatric specific recommendations on needed AKI research, education, practice, and advocacy.Evidence ReviewAt the 26th Acute Disease Quality Initiative meeting conducted in November 2021 by 47 multiprofessional international experts in general pediatrics, nephrology, and critical care, the panel focused on 6 areas: (1) epidemiology; (2) diagnostics; (3) fluid overload; (4) kidney support therapies; (5) biology, pharmacology, and nutrition; and (6) education and advocacy. An objective scientific review and distillation of literature through September 2021 was performed of (1) epidemiology, (2) risk assessment and diagnosis, (3) fluid assessment, (4) kidney support and extracorporeal therapies, (5) pathobiology, nutrition, and pharmacology, and (6) education and advocacy. Using an established modified Delphi process based on existing data, workgroups derived consensus statements with recommendations.FindingsThe meeting developed 12 consensus statements and 29 research recommendations. Principal suggestions were to address gaps of knowledge by including data from varying socioeconomic groups, broadening definition of AKI phenotypes, adjudicating fluid balance by disease severity, integrating biopathology of child growth and development, and partnering with families and communities in AKI advocacy.Conclusions and RelevanceExisting evidence across observational study supports further efforts to increase knowledge related to AKI in childhood. Significant gaps of knowledge may be addressed by focused efforts.

Investigators should aim to use consistent criteria for defining AKI in future studies. Efforts should be taken to use actual measurements rather than estimated values of baseline serum creatinine whenever possible. Further study of the more recently proposed pathophysiologic factors contributing to cardiac surgery-associated AKI, such as circulating damage-associated molecular patterns, venous congestion, and genetic predisposition, are warranted.