Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatric Patients with Severe Neurological Impairments: Clinical Observations and Perspectives in a Palliative Care Unit

Abstract

Pediatric palliative care (PPC) patients with a severe neurologic impairment (SNI) suffer considerable morbidity and increased mortality from lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). The indication and choice of antibiotic therapy for bacterial LRTIs are often challenging given the lack of evidence-based treatment recommendations for this vulnerable patient population. We conducted an observational study before the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in an eight-bed pediatric palliative care inpatient unit. During two years of surveillance, we diagnosed and treated 33 cases of a bacterial LRTI in patients with an SNI; 5 patients were hospitalized with an LRTI more than once. Two patients died from complications due to LRTIs during hospitalization. Three patients (15%) were colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms. An initial antibiotic treatment failed in one-third of the cases; a successful therapy of the LRTI was achieved with broad-spectrum and extended-spectrum penicillins (n = 13; in combination with β-lactamase inhibitors for n = 5 cases), cephalosporins (n = 13: n = 4 second-generation and n = 9 third-generation cephalosporins; in combination with other substances for n = 5 cases), ciprofloxacin (n = 3), and meropenem plus vancomycin (n = 2) or meropenem (n = 1). A respiratory specimen was obtained in 66.7% of cases with P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae accounting for the majority of the detected species. In most cases, there was no definite confirmation that the LRTI was caused by the species detected. The diagnostics and treatment of bacterial LRTIs in PPC patients with an SNI are challenging. The lack of controlled studies and the heterogeneity of this population often necessitate an individual approach. This lack of controlled studies may partly be compensated by a set of diagnostic and antibiotic stewardship criteria.

Clinical characteristics of children with severe neurologic impairment: A scoping review

“…Gastroesophageal reflux and feeding tubes ( n = 57, 56%) was the most common topic, with subtopics of gastroesophageal reflux ( n = 7), 7,42–44,102–104 gastrostomy tube outcomes ( n = 24), 9,39,45,46,56–65,81–84,105–110 and antireflux procedures ( n = 26) 8,47–55,66–71,85,86,111–118 . Other topics included aspiration and respiratory issues ( n = 13, 13%) 72,73,87–93,119–122 ; symptoms, palliative care, and quality of life ( n = 12, 12%) 38,41,74–77,94–97,123,124 ; growth and endocrinology ( n = 10, 10%) 78,98,99,125–131 ; caregivers and care burden ( n = 7, 7%) 10,37,40,79,80,100,132 ; other ( n = 2, 2%) 101,133 ; and musculoskeletal ( n = 1, 1%) 134 . Most studies ( n = 54, 53%) were retrospective cohorts or case series (Supporting Information: eFigure ), with a median sample size of 48 patients (range 20–240).…”

Clinical recommendations for the inpatient management of lower respiratory tract infections in children and adolescents with severe neurological impairment in Germany

“…There is an increased prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria colonizing pediatric patients with SNI [ 26 , 27 ]. This colonization often causes uncertainty about whether a different antibiotic therapy (ABT) is required for LRTI treatment [ 28 , 29 ]. The excessive use of broad-spectrum or reserve antibiotics increases the selection pressure on MDR and is associated with acute adverse effects [ 30 ].…”