Gillian A M Tarr1, Linda Chui2, Bonita E Lee3, Xiao-Li Pang2, Samina Ali3,4, Alberto Nettel-Aguirre5, Otto G Vanderkooi6, Byron M Berenger7,8, James Dickinson9, Phillip I Tarr10, Steven Drews2, Judy MacDonald11, Kelly Kim1, Stephen B Freedman12. 1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, University of Alberta and Alberta Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Alberta, Canada. 2. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta and Alberta Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Alberta, Canada. 3. Department of Pediatrics, Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada. 4. Department of Emergency Medicine, Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada. 5. Departments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 6. Departments of Pediatrics, Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Community Health Sciences, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Alberta, Canada. 7. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 8. Alberta Provincial Laboratory for Public Health, Alberta, Canada. 9. Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 10. Department of Pediatrics, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, Missouri. 11. Alberta Health Services and Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 12. Sections of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The ability to identify bacterial pathogens that necessitate specific clinical management or public health action in children with acute gastroenteritis is crucial to patient care and public health. However, existing stool-testing guidelines offer inconsistent recommendations, and their performance characteristics are unknown. We evaluated 6 leading gastroenteritis guidelines (eg, those of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Infectious Disease Society of America) that recommend when to test children's stool for bacterial enteropathogens. METHODS: Via 2 emergency departments in Alberta, Canada, we enrolled 2447 children <18 years old who presented with ≥3 episodes of diarrhea and/or vomiting in a 24-hour period. All participants were tested for 9 bacterial enteropathogens: Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157, other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, enterotoxigenic E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia. Patient data gathered at the index visit were used to determine whether guidelines would recommend testing. Sensitivity and specificity to recommend testing for children with bacterial enteropathogens were calculated for each guideline. RESULTS: Outcome data were available for 2391 (97.7%) participants, and 6% (144/2391) of participants tested positive for a bacterial enteropathogen. Guideline sensitivity ranged from 25.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18.7-33.0%) to 66.9% (95% CI 59.3-74.6%), and varied for individual pathogens. Guideline specificity for all bacterial enteropathogens ranged from 63.6% (95% CI 61.6-65.6%) to 96.5% (95% CI 95.7-97.2%). CONCLUSIONS: No guideline provided optimally balanced performance. The most sensitive guidelines missed one-third of cases and would drastically increase testing volumes. The most specific guidelines missed almost 75% of cases.
BACKGROUND: The ability to identify bacterial pathogens that necessitate specific clinical management or public health action in children with acute gastroenteritis is crucial to patient care and public health. However, existing stool-testing guidelines offer inconsistent recommendations, and their performance characteristics are unknown. We evaluated 6 leading gastroenteritis guidelines (eg, those of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Infectious Disease Society of America) that recommend when to test children's stool for bacterial enteropathogens. METHODS: Via 2 emergency departments in Alberta, Canada, we enrolled 2447 children <18 years old who presented with ≥3 episodes of diarrhea and/or vomiting in a 24-hour period. All participants were tested for 9 bacterial enteropathogens: Aeromonas, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157, other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, enterotoxigenic E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia. Patient data gathered at the index visit were used to determine whether guidelines would recommend testing. Sensitivity and specificity to recommend testing for children with bacterial enteropathogens were calculated for each guideline. RESULTS: Outcome data were available for 2391 (97.7%) participants, and 6% (144/2391) of participants tested positive for a bacterial enteropathogen. Guideline sensitivity ranged from 25.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18.7-33.0%) to 66.9% (95% CI 59.3-74.6%), and varied for individual pathogens. Guideline specificity for all bacterial enteropathogens ranged from 63.6% (95% CI 61.6-65.6%) to 96.5% (95% CI 95.7-97.2%). CONCLUSIONS: No guideline provided optimally balanced performance. The most sensitive guidelines missed one-third of cases and would drastically increase testing volumes. The most specific guidelines missed almost 75% of cases.
Authors: Stephen B Freedman; Jianling Xie; Alberto Nettel-Aguirre; Bonita Lee; Linda Chui; Xiao-Li Pang; Ran Zhuo; Brendon Parsons; James A Dickinson; Otto G Vanderkooi; Samina Ali; Lara Osterreicher; Karen Lowerison; Phillip I Tarr Journal: Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2017-07-14
Authors: Christina M Surawicz; Lawrence J Brandt; David G Binion; Ashwin N Ananthakrishnan; Scott R Curry; Peter H Gilligan; Lynne V McFarland; Mark Mellow; Brian S Zuckerbraun Journal: Am J Gastroenterol Date: 2013-02-26 Impact factor: 10.864
Authors: Deborah A Adams; Kimberly R Thomas; Ruth Ann Jajosky; Loretta Foster; Gitangali Baroi; Pearl Sharp; Diana H Onweh; Alan W Schley; Willie J Anderson Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2017-08-11 Impact factor: 17.586
Authors: John T Brooks; Evangeline G Sowers; Joy G Wells; Katherine D Greene; Patricia M Griffin; Robert M Hoekstra; Nancy A Strockbine Journal: J Infect Dis Date: 2005-09-14 Impact factor: 5.226
Authors: Daniel C Payne; Jan Vinjé; Peter G Szilagyi; Kathryn M Edwards; Mary Allen Staat; Geoffrey A Weinberg; Caroline B Hall; James Chappell; David I Bernstein; Aaron T Curns; Mary Wikswo; S Hannah Shirley; Aron J Hall; Benjamin Lopman; Umesh D Parashar Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2013-03-21 Impact factor: 91.245