Diagnostic testing for serious bacterial infections in infants aged 90 days or younger with bronchiolitis.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the different laboratory tests that are performed on young infants aged 90 days or younger with bronchiolitis and to identify historical and clinical predictors of infants on whom laboratory tests are performed. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study whereby information was obtained by retrospective review of medical records from November through March 1992 to 1995 of all infants with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis. SETTING: Urban pediatric emergency department. PATIENTS: Two hundred eleven consecutive infants aged 90 days or younger (median age, 54 days) with 216 episodes of bronchiolitis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Historical and clinical data on each infant in addition to laboratory data that included a white blood cell count, urinalysis, and blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid cultures. RESULTS: Two or more laboratory tests (not including chest radiographs) were obtained in 48% of all infants and 78% of febrile infants. Of the 91 infants with a history of a temperature of 38.0 degrees C or more or temperature on presentation of 38.0 degrees C or more, white blood cell counts were obtained in 77%, blood cultures in 75%, urinalyses in 53%, urine cultures in 60%, and analyses-cultures of cerebrospinal fluid in 47%. Febrile infants were 10 times more likely to get at least 2 laboratory tests than afebrile infants (P<.01). All 6 studies were done in 42 (58%) of 72 febrile infants compared with 7 (16%) of 43 afebrile infants (P<.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified a history of a temperature of 38.0 degrees C or more or temperature on presentation of 38.0 degrees C or more (odds ratio [OR] 10.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.8%-21.0%; P<.001), oxygen saturation less than 92% on presentation (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 1.9%-12.1%; P<.01), and history of apnea (OR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.02-0.35; P<.001) as significant clinical predictors of whether laboratory studies were obtained. History of preterm gestation, aged younger than 28 days, previous antibiotic use, and presence of otitis media were not associated with obtainment of laboratory studies. No cases of bacteremia, urinary tract infection, or meningitis were found among all infants with bronchiolitis who had blood, urine, and/or cerebrospinal fluid cultures. CONCLUSION: There is wide variability in the diagnostic testing of infants aged 90 days or younger with bronchiolitis. The risks of bacteremia, urinary tract infection, and meningitis in infants with bronchiolitis seems to be low. History or a documented temperature of 38.0 degrees C or more; oxygen saturation of less than 92%, and history of apnea were associated with laboratory testing for bacterial infections.     

Bacteremia in feverish children presenting to the emergency department: a retrospective study and literature review

Aim: To evaluate the incidence of bacteremia, and the isolated pathogens, in well‐appearing children with fever without source (FWS) presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED), after pneumococcal conjucate vaccine ‐ 7 valent (PCV‐7) widespread introduction in the Veneto region of north‐eastern Italy, and to review the main literature contributions on the subject. Methods: Blood cultures performed at the PED of Padova from 1 June 2006 to 31 January 2009 in febrile children aged 1–36 months were retrospectively retrieved. Medical records of previously healthy well‐appearing children with FWS were identified and reviewed. Results: The study finally included 392 patients. Bacteremia rate was 0.34% (95% CI 0–1) in the age group 3–36 months and 2% (95% CI 0–4.7) in infants 1–3 months. No Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated. The literature review identified 10 relevant studies carried out in the USA and Spain showing an overall bacteremia rate <1% for feverish children aged 3–36 months, with values <0.5% in settings with high PCV‐7 coverage. Conclusion: Overall bacteremia rate is currently <0.5% in well‐appearing children aged 3–36 months with FWS attending the PED in areas with PCV‐7 widespread vaccination and is sufficiently low to preclude laboratory testing in favour of close follow‐up. Further research is needed to evaluate a more conservative approach in infants 2–3 months of age.     

Applying outpatient protocols in febrile infants 1-28 days of age: can the threshold be lowered?

The purpose of this study was to determine the applicability of two accepted outpatient management protocols for the febrile infant 1-2 months of age (Boston and Philadelphia protocols) in febrile infants 1-28 days of age. We retrospectively reviewed charts of patients 1-28 days of age with a temperature greater than or equal to 38.0 degrees C. Criteria from each of the above-cited management protocols were applied to the patients to determine their applicability in screening for serious bacterial infection (SBI). An SBI was defined as bacterial growth in cultures from blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), stool, or any aspirated fluid. Overall, 372 febrile infants were included in the study. Ages ranged from 1 to 28 days of age. The mean age was 15 days. SBI occurred in 45 patients (12%). The mean age of the patients with an SBI was 13 days. Thirty-two infants (8.6%) had a urinary tract infection; 12 (3.2%), bacteremia; five (1.3%), bacterial meningitis; three (0.8%), cellulitis; one (0.3%), septic arthritis; one (0.3%), bacterial gastroenteritis; and one (0.3%), pneumonia. Ten infants had more than one SBI. Of 372 patients, 231 (62%) met the Boston's laboratory low-risk criteria; eight (3.5%) would have been sent home with an SBI with these criteria. Philadelphia's laboratory low-risk criteria would have been met by 186 patients (50%); six (3.2%) would have been sent home with an SBI with these criteria. The negative predictive value of both the Boston and Philadelphia protocols for excluding an SBI was 97%. We conclude that current management protocols for febrile infants 1-2 months of age when applied to febrile infants 1 to 28 days of age would allow 3% of febrile infants less than 28 days of age to be sent home with an SBI. Current guidelines recommending admitting all febrile infants less than 28 days of age should be followed until the outcome of those 3% of febrile infants with an SBI treated as outpatients can be determined.     

Comparison of temple temperatures with rectal temperatures in children under two years of age

We assessed the agreement between rectal and noninvasive temporal artery temperature measurements in infants and children. We also evaluated the temple thermometer as a screening tool for rectal fever in this age group. Finally, we compared the performance of parents with that of nurses in using the temple thermometer. The 95% limits of agreement between the difference in rectal and average temple temperature were -1.03 and +1.52 degrees C. Mean temple temperatures obtained by parents and by nurses were similar (95% limits of agreement, -0.6 degrees C to +0.7 degrees C). A maximum temple temperature cutoff of 37.2 degrees C (99.0 degrees F) distinguished children with rectal fever of > or =38.0 degrees C with 91% sensitivity and 53% specificity. A cutoff of 37.8 degrees C (100.0 degrees F) distinguished moderate rectal fevers (> or =38.5 degrees C) with 97% sensitivity and 84% specificity. A cutoff of 38.3 degrees C (101.0 degrees F) distinguished a high rectal fever (> or =39.0 degrees C) with a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 95%. In conclusion, temple temperatures do not reliably predict rectal temperatures, but the temple thermometer can be used as an effective screen for clinically important rectal fever in children 3-24 months old. The findings do not support use of temple temperatures to screen young infants for rectal fever > or =38.0 degrees C. Temperatures obtained by parents were comparable to those obtained by nurses.     

Acetaminophen prophylaxis of adverse reactions following vaccination of infants with diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus toxoids-polio vaccine

The effect of acetaminophen on reducing the frequency and severity of adverse reactions following diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus toxoids-polio vaccine was studied in a randomized clinical trial involving 519 vaccinations in 383 infants 2 to 6 months of age and 70 infants 18 months of age. Significantly fewer local and systemic reactions were reported in acetaminophen-treated infants at 2 to 6 months of age. Acetaminophen also reduced the incidence of fever greater than 38.0 degrees C from 44% to 27%. Only 0.9% of acetaminophen-treated infants had overall behavioral changes rated as severe by parents compared to 13% of the placebo group. Infants vaccinated at 18 months of age had higher rates of systemic and local reactions than younger infants. Acetaminophen did not result in significant reductions in reaction rates after the booster at 18 months. We conclude that acetaminophen administered at the time of primary vaccination with diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus toxoids-polio can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of common adverse reactions.     

Comparison of ear to rectal temperature measurements in infants and toddlers.

The purpose of this study was to compare arterial heat balance ear temperature measurements to rectal temperatures in infants and children and to determine the ability of the ear thermometer being tested to detect fever. From 12/95 to 2/96, 1,175 pairs of ear and rectal temperature measurements were prospectively obtained from 140 infants and toddlers. The mean rectal temperature was 37.58 degrees C (sd = 0.68) and the mean ear temperature was 37.60 degrees C (sd = 0.85). However, at the low end of the rectal temperature scale, ear temperatures tended to be higher, and at the high end of the rectal temperature scale, ear temperatures tended to be lower. There were 292 readings with a rectal temperature > or = 38.0 degrees C and in 204 (70%) the ear temperature was also > or = 38.0 degrees C. A retrospective analysis of 53 children who became febrile in hospital (ear or rectal temperature > or = 38.0 degrees C) showed that fever was detected first by rectal measurement in seven, by ear measurement in 31 (59%), and by both in 15 (28%). These data indicate that, on the average, rectal and ear temperature measurements are not different. Fever that developed in children after hospitalization was more likely to be first detected by ear than by rectal measurement.     

Test characteristics of the urine Gram stain in infants <or= 60 days of age with fever

OBJECTIVE: The utility of the Gram stain for the preliminary diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI) in infants or= 38.0 degrees C presenting to a pediatric emergency department during 2 consecutive winter seasons. Single pathogen growth of >or= 10(4) cfu/mL from a catheterized specimen and >or= 10(3) cfu/mL from a suprapubic specimen was considered positive. A positive Gram stain was defined as the identification of any organisms. Urinalysis was tested for the presence of nitrites and for leukocyte esterase (LE). Urine microscopy was analyzed for white blood cells per high power field (WBC/hpf). RESULTS: Fourteen of 246 patients were excluded; 11 because no Gram stain was completed. Of the remaining 232 patients, Gram stain had a sensitivity of 85.2% (95% CI 71.9-98.6%), a specificity of 99.0% (95% CI 97.7-100%), a likelihood ratio for a positive test of 87.3 (95% CI 21.8-349.9), and a likelihood ratio for a negative test of 0.15 (95% CI 0.06-0.37). There were 193 specimens for which a Gram stain and a complete UA and microscopy were completed and compared. Urine microscopy had a lower sensitivity and specificity than Gram stain for both >or= 5 WBC/hpf and >or= 10 WBC/hpf. In addition to the Gram stain, a dipstick negative for nitrites and LE had a low negative likelihood ratio (0.16), useful for decreasing the likelihood of a UTI. CONCLUSIONS: The Gram stain has excellent test characteristics for the preliminary diagnosis of a UTI in febrile infants. Patient disposition and therapy will likely change if clinical protocols and guidelines use the Gram stain rather than urine microscopy for preliminary diagnosis of UTI in infants.     

Test characteristics of the respiratory syncytial virus enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay in febrile infants < or = 60 days of age

The test characteristics of rapid tests for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants may differ from older children secondary to a lower likelihood of previous illness with RSV. Our main goal was to establish the test characteristics of the RSV Abbott Testpack (TP) enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (EIA) in febrile infants < or = 60 days of age. Our secondary goal was to determine the likelihood of RSV given a particular clinical syndrome and a negative or positive EIA. A prospective sample of infants with a temperature > or = 38.0 degrees C was evaluated during 2 successive RSV seasons. Conventional tissue and shell vial viral cultures were utilized as the reference standard. The RSV Abbott Testpack EIA had a sensitivity of 75% (95% CI 60-90%), a specificity of 98% (95% CI 96-100%), a positive predictive value of 89% (95% CI 77-100%), a negative predictive value of 95% (95% CI 91-98%), a likelihood ratio for a positive test of 35.5 (95% CI 11.4-110.7), and a likelihood ratio for a negative test of 0.26 (95% CI 0.14-0.47). Even with a negative EIA, patients with lower and upper respiratory tract illness still had a 22.3% and 5.5% chance of harboring RSV, respectively. The RSV Abbott Testpack is a useful diagnostic tool in the detection of RSV in febrile infants but has limitations. During months typically associated with RSV disease, a positive RSV TP indicates a high likelihood of illness, but clinicians should be wary of false negatives.     

Utility of sepsis evaluation in infants 90 days of age or younger with fever and clinical bronchiolitis

OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical utility of obtaining blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid for bacterial culture among febrile infants <90 days of age with clinical bronchiolitis. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review from 1995 to 2000. SETTING: Urban emergency department of a tertiary children's hospital. PARTICIPANTS: All infants <90 days of age presenting with fever and clinical bronchiolitis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Result of the cultures of blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid. RESULTS: Of 3051 (11%) febrile infants, 329 met criteria for clinical bronchiolitis. Blood for culture was obtained from 309 (94%), urine for culture was obtained from 273 (83%) and cerebrospinal fluid for culture was obtained from 200 (61%). One hundred eighty-seven (57%) infants had all 3 specimens sent for culture. No cases of bacteremia [0%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0, 1.1%] or meningitis (0%; 95% CI 0, 1.8%) occurred among these infants. However, 6 infants (2%; 95% CI 0.8, 5.7%), all male, had a culture of urine consistent with infection (4 Escherichia coli, 1 Staphylococcus aureus, 1 viridans streptococci). CONCLUSION: The risk of bacteremia or meningitis among infants <90 days with fever and bronchiolitis is low in this age group. The risk of urinary tract infection in this age group is also low, but not negligible, at 2%.     

Clinical signs of pneumonia in infants under 2 months

To determine clinical signs that can predict pneumonia (confirmed by radiography) in infants under 2 months of age, 101 infants with pneumonia and 150 with an upper respiratory infection (but not pneumonia) were studied. Ten infants with pneumonia and 15 with an upper respiratory infection did not have the cough and/or difficult (or rapid) breathing that are recommended as 'entry criteria' by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The remaining infants met WHO entry criteria; in them sensitivity and specificity of respiratory rate > or = 60/min and/or severe chest indrawing to diagnose pneumonia was 85% and 97% respectively. Addition of four non-specific signs (stopped feeding well, looked sick, temperature < or = 38 degrees C, and abdominal distension) to respiratory rate > or = 60/min and/or chest indrawing for case identification resulted in a 7% gain in sensitivity but 22% loss of specificity. Addition of nasal flaring improved the sensitivity by 6% without loss of specificity. However, the non-specific signs were the only clue to diagnosis in five infants weighing < or = 2500 g. At age < 7 days, a weight < or = 2500 g and cyanosis were associated with significantly higher risk of mortality. These findings support the use of a respiratory rate > or = 60/min and/or chest indrawing for identification of pneumonia, and suggest addition of nasal flaring to the criteria for case identification in infants under 2 months with cough and/or difficult or rapid breathing.     

Management of children with fever without localizing signs of an infection]

The management of infants and young children with fever without source (FWS) is a difficult challenge for pediatricians. Of 100 children with FWS, ten to 20 will have a serious bacterial infection (SBI) and 4 to 5% bacteriemia. Because no single aspect of the medical history, physical examination and laboratory parameters can reliably identify a child at increased risk for SBI, most management strategies now focus on identifying infants that are less likely to have SBI. The negative predictive value for 'low-risk criteria' SBI is close to 100%. Therefore, if it is possible to carry out a daily clinical examination, antibiotic treatment can be withheld from these children. For children who do not fulfill the low-risk criteria, antibiotics must be administered until the results of blood and urine samples and possibly CSF cultures have been obtained.     

Sterile cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis in young infants with urinary tract infection

BACKGROUND: During the first 3 months of life febrile infants are subjected to sepsis workup, which includes evaluation for urinary tract infection (UTI) and meningitis. We investigated the existence of concomitant meningeal inflammation in infants younger than 90 days old affected with UTI. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of all infants younger than 90 days old, who were hospitalized for UTI from January, 1990, to January, 2001. For the diagnosis of sterile cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis, the child's age, the CSF total white blood cell (WBC) count and the CSF absolute neutrophil count were taken into consideration. CSF pleocytosis was defined as the presence of > or = 35, > or = 21 and > or = 15 WBC/mm3 of CSF during the first, second and third month of life, respectively. The CSF Gram-stained smear, latex agglutination test and bacterial culture were negative. RESULTS: Sterile CSF pleocytosis was found in 15 (12.8%) of 117 infants with UTI who had had a lumbar puncture included in their initial laboratory evaluation. The 15 infants had a median age +/- semiinterquartile range of 40 +/- 25 days (range, 4 to 75 days). In these infants the median CSF WBC count +/- semiinterquartile range was 55 +/- 125/mm3 (range, 21 to 1,270/mm3). CONCLUSIONS: Sterile CSF pleocytosis was found in 12.8% of infants younger than 90 days old with UTI. The pathogenesis of this meningeal inflammation is not fully understood. Although bacterial infection of the subarachnoid space, with low bacterial seeding, cannot be excluded, at least in some cases, it is possible that CSF pleocytosis in some of the infants with UTI is mainly caused by the endotoxin of Gram-negative or other inflammation-inducing molecules of Gram-positive urine pathogens.     

Potential bacteremia in pediatric practice.

The potential consequences of bacteremia are considerable in all infants but particularly in those from 3 to 24 months of age with temperatures of 38.3 degrees C or more. Physicians have been advised to scrutinize these patients carefully with a variety of diagnostic tests and to treat their conditions vigorously if bacteremia is seriously considered or proved. We undertook to determine how often primary care pediatric practitioners encounter such patients "at risk" for bacteremia. Among the practices of nine pediatricians in Monroe County, New York, involving 220 practice days throughout 1977 and 4,151 patient visits, we found 145 instances of potential bacteremia. Depending, then, on the season of the year, practitioners may face this diagnostic and management dilemma as often as once each day. Therefore, laboratory means for determining those infants at highest risk for bacteremia or for rapidly diagnosing bacteremia will need to be readily available to practitioners.     

Influence of clinical status on the association between plasma total and unbound bilirubin and death or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in extremely low birth weight infants

Objectives: To assess the influence of clinical status on the association between total plasma bilirubin and unbound bilirubin on death or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18–22 months corrected age in extremely low birth weight infants. Method: Total plasma bilirubin and unbound bilirubin were measured in 1101 extremely low birth weight infants at 5 ± 1 days of age. Clinical criteria were used to classify infants as clinically stable or unstable. Survivors were examined at 18–22 months corrected age by certified examiners. Outcome variables were death or neurodevelopmental impairment, death or cerebral palsy, death or hearing loss, and death prior to follow‐up. For all outcomes, the interaction between bilirubin variables and clinical status was assessed in logistic regression analyses adjusted for multiple risk factors. Results: Regardless of clinical status, an increasing level of unbound bilirubin was associated with higher rates of death or neurodevelopmental impairment, death or cerebral palsy, death or hearing loss and death before follow‐up. Total plasma bilirubin values were directly associated with death or neurodevelopmental impairment, death or cerebral palsy, death or hearing loss, and death before follow‐up in unstable infants, but not in stable infants. An inverse association between total plasma bilirubin and death or cerebral palsy was found in stable infants. Conclusions: In extremely low birth weight infants, clinical status at 5 days of age affects the association between total plasma bilirubin and death or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18–22 months of corrected age. An increasing level of UB is associated a higher risk of death or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes regardless of clinical status. Increasing levels of total plasma bilirubin are directly associated with increasing risk of death or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in unstable, but not in stable infants.     

New standards for neutral thermal environment of healthy very low birthweight infants in week one of life.

It is generally accepted that low birthweight infants should be nursed at thermal neutral temperature--the environment in which oxygen consumption is at a minimum. Low birthweight infants do not, however, always show an increase in oxygen consumption at a temperature outside the neutral range, but react with a change in body temperature. We redefined therefore the neutral temperature for these infants as ''the ambient temperature at which the core temperature of the infant at rest is between 36.7 and 37.3 degrees C and the core and mean skin temperatures are changing less than 0.2 and 0.3 degrees C/hour respectively''. Using this definition, new guidelines of the neutral temperature have been made for healthy infants of 29-34 weeks'' gestation. The neutral temperature during the first week of life is dependent on gestational age and postnatal age, whereas after the first week it depends on body weight and postnatal age. Using this definition and the guidelines, the appropriate environmental temperature for the individual patient can be chosen.     

Children hospitalized early and increased risk for future serious injury

OBJECTIVE: To determine if infants hospitalized for any reason before 90 days of age are at increased risk for future serious injury. SETTING: Washington State. METHODS: A population based retrospective cohort study, using data from Washington State birth and death certificates linked to a statewide hospital discharge database for the years 1989 through 1997. Participants included healthy full term infants born in Washington State between 1989 and 1995. A total of 29,466 infants hospitalized <90 days of age (early hospitalization) were compared to 29,750 randomly selected infants not hospitalized early. The primary outcome was an injury resulting in hospitalization or death between 3-24 months. RESULTS: Among infants hospitalized early, 76/10,000 had a subsequent serious injury before age 2, compared with 47/ 10,000 infants without an early hospitalization (relative risk (RR) 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3 to 2.0). In a multivariate model including maternal age and parity, the adjusted RR for serious injury associated with early hospitalization was 1.5 (95% CI 1.2 to 1.8). Infants hospitalized early were three times as likely to be hospitalized between 3-24 months of age for intentional injury compared with infants not hospitalized early (RR 3.3; 95% CI 1.1 to 10.1). CONCLUSIONS: Infants hospitalized in the first three months of life for any reason were 50% more likely to have a subsequent serious injury compared with infants not hospitalized early and were also at increased risk of intentional injury. This identifiable group of infants might be suitable for targeted childhood injury prevention programs including those involving prenatal and postnatal visits.     

Coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections in a neonatal intensive care unit: In vivo response to cloxacillin

BACKGROUND

Following the introduction of cloxacillin and gentamicin as the first line of treatment for possible late-onset sepsis (LOS) in the authors’ neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), it was subsequently noted that very low birth weight (VLBW) infants improved clinically, despite subsequently positive blood cultures for oxacillin-resistant, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CONS). The results of the management of VLBW infants with CONS sepsis during one calendar year, based on clinical rather than laboratory findings, are presented.

METHODS

VLBW infants with LOS were identified through the neonatal database, and the charts of those with CONS were reviewed for antibiotic usage, antibiotic resistance pattern, clearance of CONS from the blood and NICU discharge status. Oxacillin sensitivity was determined by the presence of the mecA gene.

RESULTS

From January 1 to December 31, 2002, 27 VLBW infants, treated in the authors’ NICU for LOS due to CONS, were identified. The mean age of LOS infants with CONS was 15 days (median 12 days; range three to 54 days), the mean birth weight (± SD) was 904±247 g, and the mean gestational age at birth (± SD) was 27±2 weeks. All infants were started on cloxacillin and gentamicin, and improved clinically over the first 48 h. Six isolates were sensitive to cloxacillin. Twenty-three infants grew oxacillin-resistant CONS, eight of whom had persistence of CONS on repeat culture secondary to central lines. Two infants grew two strains of CONS. Eighteen of 22 infants (82%) with in vitro oxacillin-resistant CONS had clearance of bacteremia with cloxacillin and gentamicin. Ten infants (37%) received vancomycin, based on the authors’ guidelines. There were no cases of prolonged bacteremia requiring rifampicin. Three infants died, but none of the deaths could be attributed to CONS.

DISCUSSION

The authors describe clinical improvement with clearance of CONS using cloxacillin and gentamicin, despite laboratory results suggesting oxacillin resistance. The authors’ unit policy was based on clinical response and permitted the continuation of cloxacillin, provided that a repeat blood culture was negative. Vancomycin use was suggested for clinical deterioration or persistence of CONS. These results question the in vitro tests of resistance. Clearance of oxacillin-resistant CONS from the blood points to in vivo sensitivity, while the laboratory testing suggests in vitro resistance. The absence of subsequent positive blood cultures for CONS confirms clearance of this organism.

CONCLUSION

It was demonstrated that cloxacillin (150 mg/kg/day dose), along with gentamicin, can clear CONS from the blood within 48 h. The relationship between in vivo and in vitro sensitivities also needs to be further studied both in the laboratory and in a prospective trial.     

Standardization of the Alberta infant motor scale in full-term Greek infants: Preliminary results

Background

The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a norm-referenced test that assesses the spontaneous motor performance of infants from birth through independent walking (0-18 months). This scale has been utilized for clinical and research purposes in various countries, however, whether the initial standardization in Canadian infants is also representative of other countries' populations has been questioned.

Aim

To assess whether the AIMS needs new reference values for Greek infants.

Methods

A cohort of 424 healthy full-term infants (250 boys and 174 girls), aged between 7 days and 18 months, derived from various areas of the Prefecture of Attica and from all socio-economic classes to ensure a true representation, was studied. The AIMS-scores of Greek infants were compared with the norm-referenced values of the original Canadian population reported by Piper and Darrah.

Results

The mean AIMS-scores did not differ significantly between Greek and Canadian infants at any age level from birth to 18 months, except for the 2-<3 month of age when higher scores were observed in Greek infants (p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in AIMS-values corresponding to the 5th and 90th percentile between Greek and Canadian infants. Inter-rater reliability was excellent in our study population [ICC: 0.99 (95% CI: 0.99-0.99)].

Conclusion

In healthy full-term Greek infants, gross motor maturity assessed by the AIMS during the first 18 months of age, seems to follow a similar course to that of Canadian infants.