Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater: what normalisation for improved understanding of epidemic trends?

SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification in wastewater has emerged as a relevant additional means to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the concentration can be affected by black water dilution factors or movements of the sewer shed population, leading to misinterpretation of measurement results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of different indicators to accurately interpret SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.

Early-Onset Schizophrenia in a paediatric population of French psychiatric and medico-social care centres: A cross sectional study.

Background: Early-Onset Schizophrenia (EOS) is rare but severe mental health disorder in children and adolescents. Diagnosis of schizophrenia before the age of 18 years remains complex and challenging, especially in young children. In France, there are no recent reliable epidemiological data about the prevalence of EOS.

QTc Prolongation and Risk of Torsades de Pointes in Hospitalized Pediatric Oncology Patients.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of torsades de pointes and to identify risk factors associated with QTc prolongation of ≥500 milliseconds in hospitalized pediatric oncology patients. A QTc prolongation of ≥500 milliseconds is associated with higher mortality in hospitalized adults but has not been demonstrated in pediatrics.

Study Design: A single-center, retrospective review of all hospitalized oncology patients ≤21 years of age was performed from 2014 to 2016.

Echocardiographic surveillance in children after tetralogy of Fallot repair: Adherence to guidelines?

Background: Longitudinal clinical surveillance by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an established practice in children with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Non-Invasive Imaging Guidelines recommends a list of reporting elements that should be addressed during routine TTE in this population. In this study, we assessed the adherence to these recommendations.

Subcutaneous and Intravenous Treprostinil Pharmacokinetics in Children With Pulmonary Vascular Disease.

This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics of intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) treprostinil in pediatric patients with pulmonary vascular disease, and compared them with existing adult data from a similar cohort. Blood samples were collected from pediatric patients receiving steady-state IV or SC treprostinil and were assessed for plasma treprostinil concentration using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Forty participants, 15 receiving IV and 25 receiving SC treprostinil, were included in the analysis.

Disparities in Health Care-Associated Infections in the NICU.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine multilevel risk factors for health care-associated infection (HAI) among very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with a focus on race/ethnicity and its association with variation in infection across hospitals.

Study Design: This is a population-based cohort study of 20,692 VLBW infants born between 2011 and 2015 in the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative.

Results: Risk-adjusted infection rates varied widely across neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), ranging from 0 to 24.

Younger age remains a risk factor for prolonged length of stay after bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis.

Objective: This study sets out to determine the influence of age at the time of surgery as a risk factor for post-operative length of stay after bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis.

Methods: All patients undergoing a Glenn procedure between January 2010 and July 2015 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Demographic data were examined.

Extended cardiac ambulatory rhythm monitoring in adults with congenital heart disease: Arrhythmia detection and impact of extended monitoring.

Background: Arrhythmias are a leading cause of death in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). While 24-48-hour monitors are often used to assess arrhythmia burden, extended continuous ambulatory rhythm monitors (ECAM) can record 2 weeks of data. The utility of this device and the arrhythmia burden identified beyond 48-hour monitoring have not been evaluated in the ACHD population.

Long-term surveillance biopsy: Is it necessary after pediatric heart transplant?

Due to limited and conflicting data in pediatric patients, long-term routine surveillance endomyocardial biopsy (RSB) in pediatric heart transplant (HT) remains controversial. We sought to characterize the rate of positive RSB and determine factors associated with RSB-detected rejection. Records of patients transplanted at a single institution from 1995 to 2015 with >2 year of post-HT biopsy data were reviewed for RSB-detected rejections occurring >2 year post-HT.

Usefulness of Asymmetric Dimethylarginine to Predict Outcomes After Heart Transplantation.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is a key mediator of vascular homeostasis and an independent predictor of the development of accelerated cardiac allograft vasculopathy after heart transplantation. However, its association with clinical outcomes in heart transplant recipients has not been described. Plasma levels of ADMA were assayed within 8 weeks following transplantation (baseline) using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Postoperative feeding problems in patients with tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary atresia, and major aortopulmonary collaterals undergoing unifocalisation surgery.

Background: Patients with tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary atresia, and major aortopulmonary collaterals are at risk for prolonged hospitalisation after unifocalisation. Feeding problems after congenital heart surgery are associated with longer hospital stay. We sought to determine the impact of baseline, intra-operative, and postoperative factors on the need for feeding tube use at the time of discharge.

Right ventricular stroke work correlates with outcomes in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressures (PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Optimizing treatment strategies and timing for transplant remains challenging. Thus, a quantitative measure to predict disease progression would be greatly beneficial in treatment planning.

Passive Nocturnal Physiologic Monitoring Enables Early Detection of Exacerbations in Children with Asthma. A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Rationale: Asthma management depends on prompt identification of symptoms, which challenges both patients and providers. In asthma, a misapprehension of health between exacerbations can compromise compliance. Thus, there is a need for a tool that permits objective longitudinal monitoring without increasing the burden of patient compliance.

Data sharing and reanalysis of randomized controlled trials in leading biomedical journals with a full data sharing policy: survey of studies published in and .

Objectives: To explore the effectiveness of data sharing by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in journals with a full data sharing policy and to describe potential difficulties encountered in the process of performing reanalyses of the primary outcomes.

Design: Survey of published RCTs.

Setting: PubMed/Medline.

ACIST-FFR Study (Assessment of Catheter-Based Interrogation and Standard Techniques for Fractional Flow Reserve Measurement).

Background: Measurement of fractional flow reserve (FFR) to guide coronary revascularization lags despite robust supportive data, partly because of the handling characteristics of traditional coronary pressure wires. An optical pressure-monitoring microcatheter, which can be advanced over a traditional coronary guidewire, facilitates FFR assessment but may underestimate pressure wire-derived FFR.

Methods And Results: In this prospective, multicenter trial, 169 patients underwent FFR assessment with a pressure wire alone and with a pressure microcatheter over the pressure wire.

Comparative clinical trial of the variability factors of the exposure indices used for the drug monitoring of two tacrolimus formulations in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Several studies found differences in tacrolimus whole blood trough levels (C0) or area-under-the curve (AUC) between the twice-daily (Tac-BID) and once-daily (Tac-OD) formulations given to kidney transplant recipients at equal doses. As C0 is widely used as a surrogate of the AUC for individual dose adjustment, this study investigated the correlation and proportionality between C0 and the 24h-AUC, depending on the formulation, time post-transplantation, pharmacogenetics traits and other individual characteristics.

Methods: 45 adult kidney transplant recipients were randomized to receive either Tac OD or Tac BID.

Cognition and quality of life in clinically isolated syndrome patients starting a disease modifying therapy in the QUALICIS study may not predict treatment response at one year.

Cognition and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are early involved in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of QUALICIS study was to monitor cognition and HRQoL prospectively in a cohort of clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) patients starting a treatment with subcutaneous beta-1b interferon as a first disease modifying treatment (DMT), and to assess their correlation with the clinical outcome 6years later. Relapse history, EDSS and yearly standardized brain MRI data were also collected.

Impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae among children attending group daycare in southeastern France.

Regular surveys of pneumococcal nasopharyngeal carriage have been conducted among children attending daycare centers in Southeastern France from 1999 to 2012. We compared carriage rate, susceptibility patterns and serotype distribution in 2012, following implementation of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, with findings from 5 previous surveys. Carriage rate was stable, antibiotic susceptibility improved and only serotype 19A persisted among vaccine-types.

Antiseptic mouthwashes could worsen xerostomia in patients taking polypharmacy.

Objective: Polypharmacy is a common cause of xerostomia. This study aimed to investigate whether xerostomia could be an adverse drug event of mouthwashes, when they are used for longer than 2 weeks by patients taking polypharmacy.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 120 hospitalized patients (60 middle-aged and 60 elderly patients), taking polypharmacy (≥4 drugs daily) and at risk of drug-induced xerostomia.

Core needle versus standard needle for endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy of solid pancreatic masses: a randomized crossover study.

Background And Study Aims: A new core biopsy needle for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided sampling has recently been developed. The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to compare this needle with a standard needle in patients with solid pancreatic masses.

Patients And Methods: Consecutive patients with solid pancreatic masses referred to 17 centers for EUS-guided sampling were included.

The mini mental state examination at the time of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders diagnosis, according to age, education, gender and place of residence: a cross-sectional study among the French National Alzheimer database.

The Aim Of This Study: was firstly to describe the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) score upon initial diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders among the French population, according to age. Secondly, education, gender and place of residence were studied as factors potentially associated with delayed Alzheimer's disease diagnosis.

Design: we conducted a cross sectional analysis of the French National Alzheimer database (BNA).

Mild cognitive impairment and anti-Alzheimer disease medications: A cross sectional study of the French National Alzheimer Databank (BNA).

Unlike Alzheimer's disease (AD), there are no drugs approved for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The objective of this study was to evaluate real world prescriptions of anti-AD medications in patients with MCI in France and to determine characteristics associated with treatment. A cross sectional study of the French National Alzheimer Databank (BNA) was conducted.

Treatment of refractory chronic cluster headache by chronic occipital nerve stimulation.

Background: Greater occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) has been recently proposed to treat severe chronic cluster headache patients (CCH) refractory to medical treatment. We report the results of a French multidisciplinary cohort study.

Methods: Thirteen CCH patients were operated and data were collected prospectively.