Presenter Status
Fellow
Abstract Type
Research
Primary Mentor
Henry Puls
Start Date
2-5-2022 12:45 PM
End Date
2-5-2022 1:00 PM
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Description
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Background: “Apparent Life-Threatening Events” (ALTEs) have been associated with child physical abuse (CPA). In 2016, “Brief Resolved Unexplained Event” (BRUE) and development of its clinical guidelines and risk-stratification replaced ALTE. It is unknown if there is a similar association between BRUEs and CPA.
Objectives: To determine the rate of CPA in infants presenting with a BRUE, examine differences between infants with/without CPA, and examine rates of diagnostic testing used to detect CPA.
Methods/Design: This study was part of the BRUE Research and Quality Improvement Network, composed of 15 academic and community hospitals. Subjects were infants presenting with BRUE in emergency department or inpatient settings and followed from BRUE presentation through the first year of life. Primary outcome was CPA diagnosis at initial BRUE or subsequent presentations. Secondary outcomes were minor evidence of trauma and diagnostic testing used to detect CPA (head imaging, skeletal survey, and/or liver transaminases) at initial BRUE presentation. Chi-square tests assessed for differences.
Results: Of 2036 infants presenting with a BRUE, 7 (0.3%) were diagnosed with CPA, 5 of whom were diagnosed > 30 days after the index BRUE presentation. Only 1 (< 0.1%) infant was diagnosed at initial BRUE presentation. Infants diagnosed with CPA were more likely to exhibit color change (100% vs. 51.1%, p=0.01) and minor evidence of trauma (14.3% vs. 0.3%, p< 0.001) at initial BRUE presentation. There was no difference in CPA diagnosis by BRUE risk stratification. There were 7 (0.3%) infants with minor evidence of trauma—only 1 was diagnosed with CPA. Of all infants, 6.2% underwent head imaging, 7% skeletal survey, and 12.1% liver transaminases. Skeletal survey was more likely to be performed for minor evidence of trauma (42.9 vs. 6.9%, P < 0.001) or concerning social history (13.9% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.05). Head imaging was more often performed for minor evidence of trauma (71.4% vs. 6.0%; p< 0.001), family history of sudden unexplained death (10.2% vs. 6.3%; p= 0.047) or concerning social history (22.8% vs. 5.4%; p< 0.001).
Conclusions: There was a lower rate of CPA in infants at initial BRUE presentation (< 0.1%) than in infants with ALTE, although testing rates at initial BRUE presentation were also low. Minor evidence of trauma and concerning social history appeared to raise suspicion for and initiate diagnostic testing to detect CPA. Further research is warranted to systematically identify infants with BRUE at increased risk for CPA.
Additional Files
Rates of Physical Abuse Screening and Detection in Infants with Brief Resolved Unexplained Events.pdf (169 kB)Abstract
Included in
Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Medical Education Commons, Pediatrics Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons
Rates of Physical Abuse Screening and Detection in Infants with Brief Resolved Unexplained Events (BRUEs)
Watch recording of live presentation
Background: “Apparent Life-Threatening Events” (ALTEs) have been associated with child physical abuse (CPA). In 2016, “Brief Resolved Unexplained Event” (BRUE) and development of its clinical guidelines and risk-stratification replaced ALTE. It is unknown if there is a similar association between BRUEs and CPA.
Objectives: To determine the rate of CPA in infants presenting with a BRUE, examine differences between infants with/without CPA, and examine rates of diagnostic testing used to detect CPA.
Methods/Design: This study was part of the BRUE Research and Quality Improvement Network, composed of 15 academic and community hospitals. Subjects were infants presenting with BRUE in emergency department or inpatient settings and followed from BRUE presentation through the first year of life. Primary outcome was CPA diagnosis at initial BRUE or subsequent presentations. Secondary outcomes were minor evidence of trauma and diagnostic testing used to detect CPA (head imaging, skeletal survey, and/or liver transaminases) at initial BRUE presentation. Chi-square tests assessed for differences.
Results: Of 2036 infants presenting with a BRUE, 7 (0.3%) were diagnosed with CPA, 5 of whom were diagnosed > 30 days after the index BRUE presentation. Only 1 (< 0.1%) infant was diagnosed at initial BRUE presentation. Infants diagnosed with CPA were more likely to exhibit color change (100% vs. 51.1%, p=0.01) and minor evidence of trauma (14.3% vs. 0.3%, p< 0.001) at initial BRUE presentation. There was no difference in CPA diagnosis by BRUE risk stratification. There were 7 (0.3%) infants with minor evidence of trauma—only 1 was diagnosed with CPA. Of all infants, 6.2% underwent head imaging, 7% skeletal survey, and 12.1% liver transaminases. Skeletal survey was more likely to be performed for minor evidence of trauma (42.9 vs. 6.9%, P < 0.001) or concerning social history (13.9% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.05). Head imaging was more often performed for minor evidence of trauma (71.4% vs. 6.0%; p< 0.001), family history of sudden unexplained death (10.2% vs. 6.3%; p= 0.047) or concerning social history (22.8% vs. 5.4%; p< 0.001).
Conclusions: There was a lower rate of CPA in infants at initial BRUE presentation (< 0.1%) than in infants with ALTE, although testing rates at initial BRUE presentation were also low. Minor evidence of trauma and concerning social history appeared to raise suspicion for and initiate diagnostic testing to detect CPA. Further research is warranted to systematically identify infants with BRUE at increased risk for CPA.
