Clinical Scorecard: Transthoracic Echocardiography Utilization in Pediatric Patients with Staphylococcus aureus Bacteraemia: A Retrospective Study Across Multiple Centers
At a Glance
Category
Detail
Condition
Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB)
Key Mechanisms
Risk of infective endocarditis (IE) associated with SAB, particularly in children with established risk factors.
Target Population
Children aged ≤18 years with SAB.
Care Setting
Multi-centre pediatric care across North West London hospitals.
Key Highlights
5.6% of children undergoing TTE were diagnosed with infective endocarditis.
All IE cases were in children with established risk factors.
TTE group had longer hospital stays compared to the no-TTE group (median 17 vs 4 days).
Embolic phenomena and persistent bacteraemia were significantly associated with IE.
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Consider TTE in children with SAB who have established risk factors for IE.
Management
Perform TTE when clinical features suggestive of IE are present.
Monitoring & Follow-up
Monitor for embolic phenomena, persistent bacteraemia, and other clinical signs indicative of IE.
Risks
Increased length of hospital stay and potential for unnecessary investigations in low-risk children.
Patient & Prescribing Data
Children diagnosed with SAB across six hospitals.
Risk-stratified approach to TTE may reduce unnecessary procedures in low-risk patients.
Clinical Best Practices
Utilize a risk-stratified approach for TTE in pediatric SAB cases.
Avoid TTE in children with structurally normal hearts and no established risk factors.
