Changes in the incidence and bacterial aetiology of paediatric parapneumonic pleural effusions/empyema in Germany, 2010–2017: a nationwide surveillance study

ObjectivesParapneumonic pleural effusions/empyema (PPE/PE) are severe complications of community-acquired pneumonia. We investigated the bacterial aetiology and incidence of paediatric PPE/PE in Germany after the introduction of universal pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) immunization for infants.MethodsChildren <18 years of age hospitalized with pneumonia-associated PPE/PE necessitating pleural drainage or persisting >7 days were reported to the German Surveillance Unit for Rare Diseases in Childhood between October 2010 and June 2017. All bacteria detected in blood or pleural fluid (by culture/PCR) were included, with serotyping for Streptococcus pneumoniae.ResultsThe median age of all 1447 PPE/PE patients was 5 years (interquartile range 3–10). In 488 of the 1447 children with PPE/PE (34%), 541 bacteria (>40 species) were detected. Aerobic gram-positive cocci accounted for 469 of 541 bacteria detected (87%); these were most frequently Streptococcus pneumoniae (41%), Streptococcus pyogenes (19%) and Staphylococcus aureus (6%). Serotype 3 accounted for 45% of 78 serotyped S. pneumoniae strains. Annual PPE/PE incidence varied between 14 (95%CI 12–16) and 18 (95%CI 16–21) PPE/PE per million children. Incidence of S. pneumoniae PPE/PE decreased from 3.5 (95%CI 2.5–4.6) per million children in 2010/11 to 1.5 (95%CI 0.9–2.4) in 2013/14 (p 0.002), followed by a re-increase to 2.2 (95%CI 1.5–3.2) by 2016/17 (p 0.205).ConclusionsIn the era of widespread PCV immunization, cases of paediatric PPE/PE were still caused mainly by S. pneumoniae and, increasingly, by S. pyogenes. The re-increase in the incidence of PPE/PE overall and in S. pneumoniae-associated PPE/PE indicates ongoing changes in the bacterial aetiology and requires further surveillance.     

The value of ultrafast computed tomography in the investigation of pediatric chest disease

Ultrafast computed tomography (CT) can be performed in almost all children with little or no sedation. The benefit has to be balanced against financial cost and radiation dose. Since observing a steady increase in numbers of scans performed, we analyzed the contribution to management of 106 pediatric chest CT scans performed over a 12-month period. Forty-eight of 106 yielded a positive diagnosis and a further 43/106 provided clearly useful information. CT was most useful in children with chronic productive cough (21/48 scans showed bronchiectasis) and suspected interstitial lung disease. It was least useful in the preoperative assessment of empyema complicating community-acquired pneumonia (0/11 scans giving information that changed management). We conclude that the increased ease of performance of chest CT in children has not led to a large number of inappropriate requests. In the large majority of cases, diagnostically useful information was provided. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1998; 26:389–395. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Intravenous and Intracavitary Use of Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasound in the Evaluation and Management of Complicated Pediatric Pneumonia

Pediatric pneumonia can be complicated by necrotizing pneumonia or a parapneumonic effusion either in the form of an empyema or a clear effusion. Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography represent well‐established modalities for evaluation of complicated pediatric pneumonia. Contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was recently introduced and is gaining increasing acceptance in pediatric imaging. In this case series, we present our initial experience with both intravenous and intracavitary use of CEUS in children with complicated pneumonia. Intravenous CEUS accurately and confidently showed necrotizing pneumonia and delineated pleural effusions, whereas intracavitary CEUS accurately identified the chest catheter location and patency and showed the presence of loculations, suggesting the use of fibrinolytics.     

循证护理干预模式在结核性脓胸手术患者中的应用研究

目的探讨循证护理干预模式对结核性脓胸手术患者的临床效果。方法选取106例结核性脓胸手术患者,按照临床试验数字随机方法分为对照组与观察组各53例。对照组采用常规护理模式进行干预,观察组在此基础上采用循证护理模式,观察并比较2组手术患者干预后的疗效、并发症发生情况以及护理满意度。结果 2组患者经干预后效果显著,观察组有效率为88.68%,显著高于对照组的64.15%(P0.05);干预后,观察组在正确服药、饮食与锻炼以及规律随访等方面的遵医行为显著优于对照组(P0.05);观察组患者护理后总体满意度显著高于对照组P0.05)。结论循证护理干预模式应用在结核性脓胸手术患者中效果显著,能提高手术患者出院后的服药依从性,并能提升患者的护理满意度,值得临床推广使用。     

改良纤维板剥脱术对慢性结核性脓胸患者围手术期临床指标、肺功能及术后并发症的影响

目的探讨改良纤维板剥脱术对慢性结核性脓胸患者围手术期临床指标、肺功能及术后并发症的影响。方法选取慢性结核性脓胸患者140例,采用随机数字表法分为对照组(70例)和试验组(70例),分别常规纤维板剥脱术和改良纤维板剥脱术治疗。比较两组患者围手术期临床指标,术后肺活量(VC)和最大通气量(MVV)增加量及术后胸腔再次感染率等。结果两组患者手术时间、术中出血量、术后24 h引流量、引流管放置时间及住院时间等围手术期临床指标比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05);试验组患者治疗后VC和MVV增加量均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);两组患者术后胸腔再次感染率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论改良纤维板剥脱术治疗慢性结核性脓胸患者可有效改善肺功能,且未对围手术期临床指标及术后并发症产生明显影响,具有临床应用价值。     

Pediatric parapneumonic empyema, Spain

Pediatric parapneumonic empyema (PPE) has been increasing in several countries including Spain. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major PPE pathogen; however, antimicrobial pretreatment before pleural fluid (PF) sampling frequently results in negative diagnostic cultures, thus greatly underestimating the contribution of pneumococci, especially pneumococci susceptible to antimicrobial agents, to PPE. The study aim was to identify the serotypes and genotypes that cause PPE by using molecular diagnostics and relate these data to disease incidence and severity. A total of 208 children with PPE were prospectively enrolled; blood and PF samples were collected. Pneumococci were detected in 79% of culture-positive and 84% of culture-negative samples. All pneumococci were genotyped by multilocus sequence typing. Serotypes were determined for 111 PPE cases; 48% were serotype 1, of 3 major genotypes previously circulating in Spain. Variance in patient complication rates was statistically significant by serotype. The recent PPE increase is principally due to nonvaccine serotypes, especially the highly invasive serotype 1.     

Complication of warfarin therapy presenting as empyema

A number of risk indices have been formulated in an attempt to predict risk of a major hemorrhage in an individual on warfarin therapy. No single index to date is able to reliably predict this risk in an individual patient. Although most warfarin related hemorrhages are gastrointestinal or intracranial in origin this case represents a particularly rare entity of a major hemorrhage presenting as an encysted empyema. To the best of our knowledge this has never before been described.