Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BACKGROUND: Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) are at increased risk for invasive abstract
pneumococcal disease; antibiotic prophylaxis significantly reduces this risk. We calculated
the proportion of children with SCA who received ≥300 days of antibiotic prophylaxis and
identified predictors of such receipt.
METHODS: Children aged 3 months to 5 years with SCA were identified by the presence of
3 or more Medicaid claims with a diagnosis of SCA within a calendar year (2005–2012)
in Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, South Carolina, and Texas. Receipt of antibiotics
was identified through claims for filled prescriptions. The outcome, receipt of ≥300 days
of antibiotics, was assessed annually by using varying classifications of antibiotics. By
using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations, we estimated the odds
of receiving ≥300 days of antibiotics, with potential predictors of age, sex, year, state, and
health services use.
RESULTS: A total of 2821 children contributed 5014 person-years. Overall, only 18% of
children received ≥300 days of antibiotics. Each additional sickle cell disease-related
outpatient visit (odds ratio = 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.02) and well-child visit
(odds ratio = 1.08, 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.13) was associated with incrementally
increased odds of receiving ≥300 days of antibiotics.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite national recommendations and proven lifesaving benefit, antibiotic
prophylaxis rates are low among children with SCA. Numerous health care encounters may
offer an opportunity for intervention; in addition, such interventions likely need to include
social factors that may affect the ability for a child to receive and adhere to antibiotic
prophylaxis.
aDepartment of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases and bChild Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) What’s Known on This Subject: Children with
Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan sickle cell anemia are at substantially increased risk
for invasive pneumococcal disease; daily antibiotic
Dr Reeves conducted the initial analyses, drafted the initial manuscript, and revised the
manuscript; Dr Tribble assisted with analyses, and reviewed and revised the manuscript;
prophylaxis until the age of 5 significantly reduces
Mr Madden performed the data collection, and reviewed the manuscript; Dr Freed conceptualized this risk.
and designed the study, and reviewed the manuscript; Dr Dombkowski conceptualized and What This Study Adds: We assessed rates and
designed the study, and reviewed and revised the manuscript; and all authors approved the final predictors of antibiotic prophylaxis among children
manuscript as submitted.
with sickle cell anemia. In doing so, our goal was
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-2182 to characterize opportunities for intervention to
Accepted for publication Dec 12, 2017 increase rates of antibiotic prophylaxis among this
Address correspondence to Sarah L. Reeves, PhD, Department of Pediatrics and Communicable
high-risk population.
Diseases, Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, University of Michigan, 300 N Ingalls St,
Room 6D19, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. E-mail: sleasure@med.umich.edu
PEDIATRICS (ISSN Numbers: Print, 0031-4005; Online, 1098-4275).
Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
TABLE 2 Annual Health Care Use Among Children Ages 3 Months to 5 Years With SCA (n = 5014 the proportion of children receiving
Person-Years) ≥300 days of antibiotics as compared
Type of Visit Mean No. Encounters (SD) Interquartile Range (25th, with the full study population in any
75th) year.
SCD-related inpatient 1.7 (1.8) 2 (0, 2)
SCD-related outpatient 13.2 (11.1) 11 (6, 17)
ED 3.8 (3.4) 4 (1, 5) Discussion
Well-child visits 1.6 (1.5) 2 (0, 2)
In this multistate analysis, receipt
Study consisted of 2281 individual children that could contribute multiple person-years to the study population. SCD, sickle
of antibiotic prophylaxis among
cell disease.
children with SCA was persistently
low, irrespective of year or state. We
Overall, children in the study as was each additional sickle cell
found that the majority of children
population had an annual mean of disease-related outpatient visit (OR =
with SCA do not receive ≥300 days of
1.7 SCD-related inpatient hospitali 1.01, 95% CI: 1.01–1.02). A child that
antibiotics within a year, even when
zations (SD = 1.8), 13.2 SCD-related was at the third quartile of sickle cell
broadened definitions of antibiotic
outpatient visits (SD = 11.1), disease-related outpatient visits (17
prophylaxis were considered. These
3.8 ED visits (SD = 3.4), and 1.6 annual visits) had 15% greater odds
findings are particularly troubling
well-child visits (SD = 1.5) (Table 2). of receiving ≥300 days of antibiotics
given the elevated risk and case
Bivariate analysis indicated that as a child in the first quartile of sickle
fatality rate of IPD among children
the number of sickle cell disease- cell disease-related outpatient visits
with SCA, even with the introduction
related outpatient visits (OR = 1.01, (6 visits). The odds of receiving ≥300
of the pneumococcal conjugate
P < .0001), well-child visits (OR = days of antibiotics did not differ in
vaccine.7,8,
25
The methods we applied
1.09, P = .0008), ED visits (OR = any year as compared with 2005
in this study establish a framework
1.05, P < .0001), state of residence (Table 3).
in which to assess the proportion
(ORs varied by state), and calendar of children adequately protected
year (ORs varied by year) were Sensitivity Analysis against IPD, providing an important
independently associated with first step toward identifying
A total of 286 person-years
receiving ≥300 days of antibiotics; (5.7%) had 0 fills for penicillin,
opportunities for improvement.
age (OR = 0.98, P = .67) and number erythromycin, or amoxicillin. Our findings indicate that a substantial
of sickle cell disease-related inpatient Furthermore, only 544 person- gap exists between use of prophylactic
visits were not associated (OR = years (10.8%) had pharmacy antibiotics among children with
1.02, P = .39). The final multivariable claims for fewer than 30 days’ SCA and NHLBI recommendations,
model indicated that the number of supply of penicillin, erythromycin, which indicate penicillin prophylaxis
sickle cell disease-related outpatient or amoxicillin. On exclusion of until age 5.10,11
Although the NHLBI
visits, well-child visits, and state of these children, there were 4470 guidelines indicate that oral penicillin
residence continued to be associated person-years (89.2%) in the is the most appropriate prophylaxis
with the outcome. Each additional restricted population; 20.1% of against IPD,11 we reasoned that it was
well-child visit was associated with these person-years had ≥300 days important to understand if children
incrementally increased odds of filled compared with 17.9% in the were protected with alternative
receiving ≥300 days of antibiotics full study population. There was no antibiotics because intervention
(OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.13), statistically significant difference in approaches to increase rates of
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.
FUNDING: Supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the Children's Health
Insurance Program Reauthorization Act Pediatric Quality Measures Program Centers of Excellence grant U18 HS020516.
POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.
References
1. Hassell KL. Population estimates of 4. Michlitsch J, Azimi M, Hoppe C, et al. 8. Sabarense AP, Lima GO, Silva LM, Viana
sickle cell disease in the U.S. Am J Prev Newborn screening for hemoglo MB. Characterization of mortality
Med. 2010;38(suppl 4):S512–S521 binopathies in California. Pediatr Blood in children with sickle cell disease
2. Berg AO; The Agency for Health Cancer. 2009;52(4):486–490 diagnosed through the Newborn
Care Policy and Research. Sickle Screening Program. J Pediatr (Rio J).
5. Stuart MJ, Nagel RL. Sickle-cell disease.
cell disease: screening, diagnosis, 2015;91(3):242–247
Lancet. 2004;364(9442):1343–1360
management, and counseling in 9. Gaston MH, Verter JI, Woods G, et al.
newborns and infants. J Am Board 6. Gladwin MT, Vichinsky E. Pulmonary Prophylaxis with oral penicillin in
Fam Pract. 1994;7(2):134–140 complications of sickle cell disease. children with sickle cell anemia.
N Engl J Med. 2008;359(21):2254–2265 A randomized trial. N Engl J Med.
3. Lorey FW, Arnopp J, Cunningham GC.
Distribution of hemoglobinopathy 7. Overturf GD, Powars D, Baraff LJ. 1986;314(25):1593–1599
variants by ethnicity in a Bacterial meningitis and septicemia 10. National Heart, Lung, and Blood
multiethnic state. Genet Epidemiol. in sickle cell disease. Am J Dis Child. Institute. The management of sickle
1996;13(5):501–512 1977;131(7):784–787 cell disease. 2002. Available at: www.
Updated Information & including high resolution figures, can be found at:
Services http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/3/e20172182
Supplementary Material Supplementary material can be found at:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/suppl/2018/02/01/peds.2
017-2182.DCSupplemental
References This article cites 36 articles, 6 of which you can access for free at:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/3/e20172182.full#re
f-list-1
Subspecialty Collections This article, along with others on similar topics, appears in the
following collection(s):
Hematology/Oncology
http://classic.pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/collection/hematolog
y:oncology_sub
Blood Disorders
http://classic.pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/collection/blood_diso
rders_sub
Infectious Disease
http://classic.pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/collection/infectious_
diseases_sub
Permissions & Licensing Information about reproducing this article in parts (figures, tables) or
in its entirety can be found online at:
https://shop.aap.org/licensing-permissions/
Reprints Information about ordering reprints can be found online:
http://classic.pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/reprints
Pediatrics is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly publication, it
has been published continuously since . Pediatrics is owned, published, and trademarked by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, Illinois,
60007. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print ISSN:
.
The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is
located on the World Wide Web at:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/3/e20172182
Pediatrics is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly publication, it
has been published continuously since . Pediatrics is owned, published, and trademarked by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, Illinois,
60007. Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print ISSN:
.