Maternal Age and Inadequate Prenatal Care in West Virginia: A Project WATCH Study.

Introduction: Adequate prenatal care (PNC) is essential to the overall health of mother and infant. Teen age and advanced maternal age (AMA) are known risk factors for poor birth outcomes. However, less is known about whether these age groups are associated with inadequate PNC.

Epidemiology of Hepatitis C infection in pregnancy: Patterns and trends in West Virginia using statewide surveillance data.

Background: The increasing rate of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been attributed to the substance use epidemic. There is limited data on the current rates of the paralleling HCV epidemic.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of maternal HCV infection in West Virginia (WV) and identify contributing factors.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in West Virginia.

Objective: To examine the rate of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevalence before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Analysis revealed that GDM prevalence was significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic (8.59 % vs 7.

Close Canine Contact: A Case of Infantile Pasteurella Meningitis.

This case report presents an interesting and rare cause of meningitis in young infants, . Not only is the organism unusual but the well appearance of the infant made this diagnosis surprising. The 2021 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clinical practice guidelines on well-appearing febrile infants brought a national guideline on the evaluation and management of fever in infants.

Prenatal care and infant outcomes of teenage births: a Project WATCH study.

Introduction: Infants of teenage births are known to have increased risk of poor infant outcomes. Adequate prenatal care (PNC) is essential to the overall health of infants and their birthing persons. While teenage births continue to be of concern in rural areas, little is known about the association between inadequate PNC and poor infant outcomes in teenage populations.

Prenatal substance use in the rural and Appalachian state: Project WATCH study 2020-2022.

Purpose: To examine the prevalence, patterns, and correlates of prenatal substance use in the rural Appalachian state of West Virginia (WV).

Methods: Population-based cohort (Project WATCH) of all women (N = 34,309) who gave birth between February 2020 and June 2022. A composite substance use variable included 9 categories: "no substance use," "opioids," "cannabis," "sedatives/hypnotics," "stimulants," "opioids and cannabis," "opioids and stimulants," "cannabis and stimulants," and "opioids, cannabis, and stimulants.

Substance Exposure and Adverse Neonatal Outcomes: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: To estimate the independent and combined effects of in utero exposures on birth outcomes in a rural population.

Study Design: The study used population-level data (2020-2022) from a state-wide surveillance tool (Working in Appalachia to identify at-risk infants, Critical congenital heart disease, and Hearing loss) in West Virginia. Outcomes included low birth weight, preterm birth, small for gestational age, and birth weight in grams.

Acute Ischemic Stroke in an Eight-Year-Old Male With Elevated Factor VIII Activity and SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies.

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a significant source of morbidity and mortality and is one of the top causes of death in the United States. Of these patients, most are elderly individuals, compared to a limited proportion of cases seen in pediatrics. AIS is classically associated with age-dependent atherosclerotic disease processes secondary to comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension.

Parosteal lipoma of the mandible: A case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Lipomata are soft-tissue mesenchymal neoplasms that are benign in nature and often asymptomatic. Lipomata commonly occur in the body, however, only 1%-5% are identified within the oral cavity, and lipomata with osseous metaplasia account for <1% of all lipomata.

Materials And Methods: A PubMed literature review designating search terms including "oral" and "parosteal lipoma" or "lipoma with osseous metaplasia" or "ossifying lipoma" or "osseous lipoma" was conducted.

Beriberi Neuropathy Mimicking Guillian-Barre Syndrome in a Teenager With Food Restriction: A Case Report.

Beriberi neuropathy (thiamine deficiency) and Guillian-Barre Syndrome (GBS) both can present with areflexia and progressive ascending weakness. A physical examination can be equivocal between the two. In cases where GBS is suspected clinically but initial work-up with cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) studies and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine are not diagnostic, nerve conduction study/electromyography (NCS/EMG) should be done to evaluate beriberi neuropathy.

Clinical and radiological assessment of rhinomaxillary syndrome in Hansen's disease.

Background More than four million people today live with Hansen's disease, and 200,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. Lifetime effects of Hansen's disease manifest as changes to bones of the face, hands and feet, resulting in physical impairment, secondary complications and facial changes that can be detrimental to quality of life, particularly among the elderly. Aims This study aimed to perform a detailed characterization of rhinomaxillary syndrome and its clinical manifestations in older persons treated in the past for Hansen's disease.

Elucidating the Relationship Between Maternal Diabetes and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A 2017-2018 Project WATCH Study in Rural Appalachia.

Background: Previous research indicated that diabetes during pregnancy results in a more permeable placenta. Based on this data, we hypothesized that women with maternal diabetes were more likely to have infants who developed neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the association between maternal diabetes and NAS in a cohort of women reporting substance use during pregnancy.

Slow to heal or slow to diagnose cancer?

There are around 8,500 new cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) diagnosed in the UK each year and the incidence appears to be increasing. Although surgical and non-surgical treatment options have improved significantly in the last few decades, five-year survival has not, with an average five-year survival of 56% in the UK. Providing patients have access, there are frequent opportunities for oral cancer screening by their general dental practitioner.

Postoperative CT findings of orthognathic surgery and its complications: A guide for radiologists.

Orthognathic surgery is the standard procedure to correct congenital, developmental, or acquired dentofacial deformities. The maxillomandibular relationship corrected by orthognathic surgery can improve facial esthetics, masticatory function, articulation, and breathing. The most common types of osteotomies include the combination of Le Fort I osteotomy, bilateral sagittal split mandibular ramus osteotomy, and genioplasty.

Persistent Vomiting and Weight Loss Leading to the Diagnosis of Barrett's Esophagus in an Adolescent.

Barrett's esophagus in children with peptic strictures has not been well characterized, and its prevalence is unknown. We report a case of peptic esophageal stricture with Barrett's esophagus in an adolescent patient who presented with dysphagia with recurrent episodes of vomiting and limited medical history. A 13-year-old male with mild intellectual disability was transferred to our facility due to a two-month history of dysphagia with recurrent episodes of vomiting and intolerance to both solids and liquids.

Prevalence of alcohol use in late pregnancy.

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in detrimental developmental complications. The objective of this study was to estimate the most recent PAE prevalence data for the state of West Virginia (WV) and associated factors.

Method: In all, 1830 newborn residual dried blood spots (DBS) in the WV Newborn Screening Repository were analyzed for phosphatidylethanol (PETH).

Live imaging the foreign body response in zebrafish reveals how dampening inflammation reduces fibrosis.

Implanting biomaterials in tissues leads to inflammation and a foreign body response (FBR), which can result in rejection. Here, we live image the FBR triggered by surgical suture implantation in a translucent zebrafish model and compare with an acute wound response. We observe inflammation extending from the suture margins, correlating with subsequent avascular and fibrotic encapsulation zones: sutures that induce more inflammation result in increased zones of avascularity and fibrosis.

Association between birth weight and childhood cardiovascular disease risk factors in West Virginia.

The reported associations between birth weight and childhood cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors have been inconsistent. In this study, we investigated the relationship between birth weight and CVD risk factors at 11 years of age. This study used longitudinally linked data from three cross-sectional datasets (N = 22,136) in West Virginia; analysis was restricted to children born full-term (N = 19,583).

Updating a Perinatal Risk Scoring System to Predict Infant Mortality.

Objective: The Birth Score Project (Project WATCH) began in the rural state of West Virginia (WV) in the United States in 1984. The project is intended to identify newborns with a greater risk of infant mortality. The primary objective of this study was to update the current Birth Score based on current literature and rigorous statistical methodology.

Association Between Breastfeeding and Childhood Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors.

Introduction The immediate benefits of breastfeeding are well-established but the long-term health benefits are less well-known. West Virginia (WV) has a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lower breastfeeding rates compared to national averages. There is a paucity of research examining the relationship between breastfeeding and subsequent childhood CVD risk factors, an issue of particular relevance in WV.

Capturing the statewide incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome in real time: the West Virginia experience.

Background: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is one of the consequences at birth affecting the newborn after discontinuation of prenatal drug exposure to mainly opioids. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of the problem in the state of West Virginia (WV) using a real-time statewide surveillance system.

Methods: Project WATCH is a surveillance tool that since 1998 collects data on all infants born in the state of WV.

Host-Biomaterial Interactions in Zebrafish.

Host-biomaterial interactions are critical determinants of the success or failure of an implant. However, detailed understanding of this process is limited due to a lack of dynamic tools for in vivo analyses. Here we characterize host-biomaterial interactions in zebrafish (), which are optically translucent and genetically tractable.

Implementing Universal Pulse Oximetry Screening in West Virginia: Findings from Year One.

Background: In March 2012 the West Virginia legislature passed a law that mandates birth hospitals to perform pulse oximetry screening for all well-babies in the newborn nursery to improve the detection of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). CCHD screening data collection began on September 1, 2012 at all 28 birthing hospitals. The purpose of this study was to review the first year of pulse oximetry screening outcomes and identify barriers to implementation and solutions to improve tracking and policy.