Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus: comparison of diagnosis and treatment in the community and at a specialty clinic.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to examine whether pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus were appropriately diagnosed in the community and to determine subsequent rates of unwarranted use of antibiotic treatment for tics and obsessive-compulsive symptoms without the identification of an infection.


METHODS
The design was a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study of 176 children and adolescents who were evaluated in a specialty program for tics, Tourette's disorder, and related problems. Previously published diagnostic criteria were used to establish the diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus in our clinic.


RESULTS
Subjects were significantly less likely to receive a diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus at the specialty clinic than in the community. In the community, subjects were significantly more likely to be treated with antibiotics or immunosuppressant medication if they received a diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus. Of the 27 subjects with a community diagnosis of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus who were treated with antibiotics, 22 (82%) were treated without laboratory evidence of an infection; 2 were treated with immunomodulatory medications.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results support our hypothesis that pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus are frequently diagnosed in the community without the application of all working diagnostic criteria. This phenomenon has resulted in unwarranted use of antibiotic treatment for tics/obsessive-compulsive disorder without evidence of laboratory infection.
Gabbay
Vilma
V
Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA. vilma.gabbay@nyumc.org
Coffey
Barbara J
BJ
Babb
James S
JS
Meyer
Laura
L
Wachtel
Carly
C
Anam
Seeba
S
Rabinovitz
Beth
B
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020274:Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013981:Tic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents