Outcome and complications of outpatient parenteral therapy in pediatric emergency utilizing only peripheral vascular access: A retrospective descriptive study

Article Figures & Data

Table 1

- Age and source of referral to the outpatient parenteral therapy unit.

Values are presented as numbers and percentages (%). PEC: pediatric emergency center

Table 2

- Clinical data for patients treated in the outpatient parenteral therapy unit.

Parameters	n (%)
Diagnosis
Rule out sepsis	789 (37.1)
Urinary tract infection	531 (25)
Lower respiratory tract infection	198 (9.3)
Dermatological conditions	93 (4.4)
Hematological and oncological	90 (4.2)
Abscess including dental abscess	78 (3.7)
Neurological conditions	70 (3.3)
GIT including salmonella infection	51 (2.4)
ENT (AOM, pharyngitis) infections	50 (2.4)
Lymphadenitis and infected cysts	46 (2.2)
Ophthalmological conditions	22 (1.0)
musculoskeletal and joints	5 (0.2)
Others	103 (4.8)
Total	2126 (100)
Duration of symptoms (days)
1-2	1533 (73.0)
3-4	366 (17.0)
5-10	193 (9.0)
≥11	19 (1.0)
Total	2111 (100)
Primary co-morbidities
Neurological and metabolic	171 (30.0)
Congenital anomalies	151 (27.0)
Hematology, oncology, and allergy	144 (26.0)
Renal and urologic disorders	46 (8.0)
Prematurity-related disorders	22 (4.0)
Others	28 (5.0)
Total	562 (100)
Length of stay in OPT unit (days)	n (%)	Total no. of days
1	1136 (54.5)	1136
2	366 (17.6)	732
3	533 (25.6)	1599
4	49 (2.3)	196
Grand total (days)		3663

Values are presented as numbers and percentages (%). GIT: gastro intestinal tract, ENT: ear, nose, and throat, AOM: acute otitis media, OPT: outpatient parenteral therapy

Table 3

- Laboratory workup prior treatment initiation in the outpatient parenteral therapy unit.

Parameters	n	Results
Cultures type, no growth
Blood	2038	1913 (94.0)
Urine	1675	1041 (62.2)
CSF	717	716 (99.9)
Others	89	51 (57.3)
High blood WBC
Neonates	280	19 (6.8)
Infants	1007	378 (37.5)
Older	1088	361 (33.2)
Low blood WBC
Neonates	280	20 (7.1)
Infants	1007	5 (0.5)
Older	1088	47 (4.3)
Uncentrifuged urine WBC, high (>10/HPF)	1312	595 (45.3)

Values are presented as numbers and precentages (%). WBC: white blood cell count, CSF: cerebrospinal fluid, HPF: high power field

Table 4

- Treatment in the outpatient parenteral therapy unit.

Parameters	n (%)
Antibiotics in the observation areas
Cephalosporins (ceftriaxone/cefotaxime/cefepime, cefuroxime)	1516 (75.0)
Amikacin/gentamycin	285 (14.0)
Clindamycin	170 (8.0)
Other antibiotics	83 (4.0)
IV antibiotics in OPT unit
Cephalosporins (ceftriaxone/cefotaxime/cefepime, cefuroxime)	1556 (75.0)
Amikacin/gentamycin	300 (14.0)
Clindamycin	164 (8.0)
Other antibiotics	52 (3.0)
Duration of stay in observation areas (hours)
≤24	2026 (96.5)
>24-48	33 (1.6)
>48	6 (0.3)
Duration of intravenous treatment in OPT unit (days)
≤2	1403 (68.0)
3-4	489 (24.0)
5-6	130 (6.0)
≥7	27 (1.0)
Total duration of IV and oral treatment in OPT unit (days)
≤2	1136 (55.0)
3-4	366 (18.0)
5-6	532 (26.0)
7-8	49 (2.0)

Values are presented as numbers and percentages (%). OPT: outpatient parental therapy, IV: intravenous

Table 5

- Primary outcomes in young infants and older age group.

Parameters	Age			P-values
Parameters	≤3 months	>3 months	Total	P-values
Total number	739 (34.8)	1387 (65.2)	2126 (100)
Cure rate	735 (99.5)	1377 (99.3)	2112 (99.3)	0.626
Vascular access complications rate	114 (15.4)	335 (24.2)	449 (21.1)	0.001