Clinical burden of acute respiratory infections in children < 5 years in the emergency room: results from the first season (2023/24) of the RISE study - Scorecard - MDSpire
Advertisement
Clinical burden of acute respiratory infections in children < 5 years in the emergency room: results from the first season (2023/24) of the RISE study
Clinical Scorecard: Impact of Acute Respiratory Infections on Pediatric Emergency Room Visits for Children Under 5: Findings from the Initial Season (2023/24) of the RISE Study
At a Glance
Category
Detail
Condition
Acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children under 5 years
Key Mechanisms
Viral pathogens including RSV, Rhinovirus, and Influenza cause URTI and LRTI; seasonal peaks in winter
Target Population
Children younger than 60 months presenting with ARI symptoms in an emergency room
Care Setting
Pediatric emergency room of a tertiary medical center in Berlin
Key Highlights
RSV infections contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years.
Multiplex-PCR testing in the ER setting enables pathogen-specific diagnosis of URTI and LRTI.
Physician antibiotic prescription decisions are influenced by respiratory panel test results and clinical course.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Use nasopharyngeal multiplex real-time PCR panels for rapid identification of respiratory pathogens in children with ARI.
Perform additional laboratory diagnostics such as CRP and white blood cell count to support clinical assessment.
Management
Base antibiotic prescription decisions on respiratory pathogen test results and clinical symptoms to avoid unnecessary antibiotic use.
Monitor illness duration and symptom severity to guide treatment and hospitalization decisions.
Monitoring & Follow-up
Follow up with caregivers 30 days post-ER visit to assess clinical course and outcomes.
Use standardized questionnaires and quality of life assessments for comprehensive patient monitoring.
Risks
High morbidity and mortality associated with RSV infections in young children.
Potential overuse of antibiotics if viral etiology is not confirmed.
Patient & Prescribing Data
Children under 5 years presenting with ARI symptoms in the ER
Physician antibiotic prescribing is adjusted based on multiplex-PCR respiratory panel results and clinical progression, aiming to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use.
Clinical Best Practices
Enroll children with acute URTI or LRTI symptoms ≤7 days duration for accurate surveillance.
Separate data collection personnel from treating physicians to avoid bias in clinical management.
Offer multilingual study materials to accommodate diverse patient populations.
Use multiplex-PCR testing routinely in ER to identify viral pathogens and guide management.
Collect follow-up data to evaluate long-term outcomes and quality of life.
