Purpose: Consensus is lacking regarding the optimal antibiotic treatment for pediatric complicated appendicitis. This study determined the optimal first-line antibiotic treatment for pediatric patients with complicated appendicitis based on peritoneal fluid cultures. Methods: This retrospective study examined the cases of pediatric patients who underwent appendectomy for complicated appendicitis at our institution between 2013 and 2019. Peritoneal fluid specimens obtained during appendectomy were cultured for the presence of bacteria. Results: Eighty-six pediatric patients were diagnosed with complicated appendicitis.Of them, bacteria were identified in 54 peritoneal fluid samples. The major identified bacteria were Escherichia coli (n=36 [66.7%]), Bacteroides fragilis (n=28 [51.9%]), α-Streptococcus (n=25 [46.3%]), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=10 [18.5%]), Enterococcus avium (n=9 [16.7%]), γ-Streptococcus (n=9 [16.7%]), and Klebsiella oxytoca (n=6 [11.1%]). An antibiotic susceptibility analysis showed E. coli was inhibited by sulbactam/ampicillin in 43.8% of cases versus cefmetazole in 100% of cases. Tazobactam/piperacillin and meropenem inhibited the growth of 96.9-100% of the major identified bacteria. E. coli (100% vs. 84.6%) and P. aeruginosa (100% vs. 80.0%) were more susceptible to amikacin than gentamicin. Conclusion Tazobactam/piperacillin or meropenem is a reasonable first-line antibiotic treatment for pediatric complicated appendicitis. In the case of aminoglycoside use, amikacin is recommended.

Background: Mental assessment for patients in a palliative care unit with no regular psychiatrist tends to depend on subjective judgments by other health professionals. We introduced the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to screen major depression from patients in a palliative care unit and assessed the usefulness of the questionnaire. Methods: The subjects were all patients who were admitted to a palliative care unit. Each patient was asked to answer the PHQ-9 on admission and then was interviewed by a psychiatrist. When PHQ-9 score was of 10 points and above, the case was judged to be positive for depressive disorder. A psychiatrist diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5). Results: A total of 83 patients were hospitalized between January 2016 and October 2016. 50 patients completed PHQ-9 and psychiatrist’s interview. Nine cases were positive by PHQ-9 and diagnosed as depressive disorder by a psychiatrist. Seven cases were positive by the PHQ-9 but not diagnosed as depressive disorder. Although 34 cases were judged to be negative by the PHQ-9, 2 cases of them were diagnosed as depressive disorder. The sensitivity and specificity of the PHQ-9 were 81.8% and 82.1% respectively. Conclusion: We found that the PHQ-9 was useful screening test for depression even in palliative care settings.