Publications by authors named "Catherine Sheils"
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess the link between indoor air pollution and respiratory issues in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) under 3 years old.
- It involved 1,011 participants, with over 40% exposed to indoor pollutants like tobacco smoke and gas stoves, revealing higher odds of emergency visits and antibiotic use associated with secondhand smoke exposure.
- While acute respiratory problems were related to indoor air pollution, chronic respiratory symptoms and rescue medication use showed no significant association.
Objectives: Our study examines if the disease severity profile of our Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) patient cohort adherent to long-term follow-up differs from patients lost to follow-up after discharge and examines factors associated with health care utilization.
Methods: Retrospective review identified CDH survivors born 2005-2019 with index repair at our institution. Primary outcome was long-term follow-up status: "active" or "inactive" according to clinic guidelines.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) among long-survivors of congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair.
Study Design: This is a single-center, retrospective cohort study of CDH survivors who underwent exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) at Boston Children's Hospital from January 2006 to June 2020. PH severity was assessed by echocardiogram at baseline and after exercise.
Article Synopsis
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is more common in premature infants and linked to increased outpatient health issues, especially with daycare attendance, prompting a study on the impact of other children in the household on these risks.
- A study involving 933 children with BPD revealed that each additional child in the household raises the risk for various respiratory-related health issues, such as hospital admissions and medication use, particularly when there are three or more children present.
- The findings suggest increased risks of adverse respiratory outcomes due to possible viral infections spreading among household members, indicating a need for strategies to reduce these risks.
Article Synopsis
- Premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) may face hypoxemia during flights, with a study aiming to find age-related pass rates in high altitude simulation testing (HAST).
- A retrospective analysis of HAST at Boston Children's Hospital revealed that pass rates improved significantly with age, reaching 85% by 24 months corrected gestational age (CGA).
- Factors such as postnatal corticosteroid use and ongoing respiratory support impacted the likelihood of passing HAST, indicating that children with BPD may need further evaluation before flying if they have these risk factors.
Objectives: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a birth defect associated with long-term morbidity. Our objective was to examine longitudinal change in Functional Status Scale (FSS) after hospital discharge in CDH survivors.
Design: Single-center retrospective cohort study.
Article Synopsis
- A standardized questionnaire was developed to assess respiratory control in preterm infants and children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) during outpatient visits, addressing the lack of valid tools for this purpose.
- Most caregivers (86.2%) reported feeling their child's symptoms were controlled, regardless of BPD severity or history of pulmonary hypertension, indicating broad perceived stability across the population.
- The questionnaire proved internally reliable and effectively differentiated between levels of symptom control, correlating with healthcare utilization metrics like emergency visits and hospital admissions, suggesting it may be useful for clinical and research applications.
Aim Of The Study: Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a known complication after congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) repair, which can require surgery and even extensive bowel resection causing short bowel syndrome (SBS). We investigate whether specific bowel rotation and fixation can be used as a predictor for SBO including volvulus.
Methods: A retrospective review of 256 CDH survivors following repair from 2003 to 2020 was performed.
Objective: To establish consensus practices among a panel of national experts for the discharge of premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) from the hospital to home.
Study Design: We conducted a Delphi study that included US neonatologists and pediatric pulmonologists from the Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Collaborative to establish consensus practices-defined as recommendations with at least 80% agreement-for infants with BPD being discharged from the hospital. Specifically, we evaluated recommendations for diagnostic tests to be completed around discharge, follow-up respiratory care, and family education.
Purpose: To determine the impact of amphotericin B supplementation to donor cornea preservation solutions on the rates of positive donor rim fungal cultures and postkeratoplasty fungal infections.
Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of cases undergoing corneal transplantations at a single tertiary referral center from 2016 to 2021. Patients undergoing corneal transplantations with and without amphotericin B supplementation to the storage media were reviewed for donor rim culture results and postoperative infection.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to determine if daycare attendance increases chronic respiratory issues and healthcare usage in children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
- It involved 341 preterm infants with BPD, assessing their health outcomes and daycare attendance using structured assessments.
- Results indicated that those in daycare had more emergency visits, steroid use, and respiratory issues, particularly severe cases attending between 6-12 months, suggesting daycare could be a significant risk factor for respiratory problems in these children.
Article Synopsis
- Preterm infants and children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are at higher risk for respiratory issues and acute care visits, prompting the need to identify risk factors, particularly in those with public insurance like Medicaid.
- A study with 470 subjects found that children on Medicaid had significantly higher rates of sick visits, emergency department visits, and respiratory admissions compared to those with employer-based insurance.
- These findings suggest that Medicaid coverage may be linked to increased healthcare utilization and complications, highlighting the necessity for further research on socioeconomic factors and environmental influences on health outcomes in this population.
Aim Of Study: Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is associated with lung hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension. Many patients receive care in specialty centers requiring air travel upon discharge and for subsequent follow-up care. Premature infants can experience significant hypoxia in flight, but this has not been studied in the CDH population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The long-term morbidity among children with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia who require tracheostomy (tBPD) relative to those without tracheostomy (sBPD) is not well characterized. We compared childhood lung function and neurodevelopmental outcomes in tBPD and sBPD.
Study Design: Retrospective case-control study of N = 49 tBPD and N = 280 sBPD subjects in Boston Children's Hospital Preterm Lung Patient Registry and medical record.
Blindness Secondary to Odontogenic Orbital Cellulitis During the COVID-19 Dental Shutdown.
Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg
September 2021
Introduction: Almost half of all school-age children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) have asthma-like symptoms and more suffer from lung function deficits. While air pollution and indoor respiratory irritants are known to affect high-risk populations of children, few studies have objectively evaluated environmental contributions to long-term respiratory morbidity in this population. This study aimed to examine the role of indoor environmental exposures on respiratory morbidity in children with BPD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Survivors of prematurity are at risk for abnormal childhood lung function. Few studies have addressed trajectories of lung function and risk factors for abnormal growth in childhood. This study aims to describe changes in lung function in a contemporary cohort of children born preterm followed longitudinally in pulmonary clinic for post-prematurity respiratory disease and to assess maternal and neonatal risk factors associated with decreased lung function trajectories.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a common respiratory condition among preterm infants, but there's limited outpatient data on their management and outcomes.
- Seven specialty clinics provided data for a study involving 413 preterm infants, with many having severe BPD; notably, over half of the subjects were nonwhite.
- The study found that management approaches varied by clinic, but severity of BPD did not influence the use of acute care services, highlighting the role of follow-up care in respiratory outcomes for these children.
Objectives: To determine if a home oxygen therapy (HOT) management strategy that includes analysis of recorded home oximetry (RHO) data, compared with standard monthly clinic visit assessments, reduces duration of HOT without harm in premature infants.
Methods: The RHO trial was an unmasked randomized clinical trial conducted in 9 US medical centers from November 2013 to December 2017, with follow-up to February 2019. Preterm infants with birth gestation ≤37 + 0/7 weeks, discharged on HOT, and attending their first pulmonary visit were enrolled.
Orbital Microscopic Polyangiitis With Secondary Angle Closure Due to Uveal Effusion.
Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg
April 2021
A 63 year-old man presented with 3 weeks of worsening, painless left-sided proptosis, ptosis, and diplopia. Examination of the affected eye revealed normal visual acuity, normal intraocular pressure in the presence of a shallow anterior chamber, grade 1 relative afferent pupillary defect, restricted motility in all directions of gaze, and 6 mm of proptosis. Ultrasound biomicroscopy revealed uveal effusions with anterior rotation of the ciliary body causing appositional angle closure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To analyze longitudinal trends of pulmonary function testing in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) followed in our multidisciplinary clinic.
Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of CDH patients born between 1991 and 2013. A linear mixed effects model was fitted to estimate the trends of percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEVpp), percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVCpp), and FEV/FVC over time.
Objective: To determine the natural history of pulmonary function for survivors of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).
Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of survivors of CDH born during 1991-2016 and followed at our institution. A generalized linear model was fitted to assess the longitudinal trends of ventilation (V), perfusion (Q), and V/Q mismatch.
Improved survival among preterm infants has led to an increase in diagnosis of chronic lung disease and infants discharged home from the NICU on supplemental oxygen. Despite this increased prevalence, no clearly defined guidelines for the management of home oxygen therapy (HOT) exist. This lack of consensus leads to significant variability in the duration of home oxygen therapy and a general paucity of evidence-based practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To compare measurements of papilledema using fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and Frisén score in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).
Design: Retrospective, noncomparative analysis of randomized controlled trial data.
Methods: The Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial (IIHTT) evaluated weight management and treatment with acetazolamide compared with placebo in patients with IIH and mild visual loss.