Access Barriers in Testing for Sexually Transmitted Infections across Gender and Sexual Identities.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are steadily increasing in incidence. Marginalized communities across social categories (race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality) face the heaviest burden, including Black, indigenous, Latino, queer (gay, bisexual), transgender, and nonbinary populations. These disparities persist even when controlled for high-risk sexual behaviors.

Comparing Healthcare Needs in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants With NEC and Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation.

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) affect 6-8% of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. SIP has lower mortality than NEC, but with similar short-term morbidity in length of stay, growth failure, and supplemental oxygen requirements. Comparative long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes have not been clarified.

Factors associated with D-lactic acidosis in pediatric intestinal failure: A case-control study.

Background: D-lactic acidosis (DLA) is a serious complication of short bowel syndrome (SBS) in children with intestinal failure (IF). Malabsorbed carbohydrates are metabolized by bacteria in the intestine to D-lactate which can lead to metabolic acidosis and neurologic symptoms.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed in children ≤18 years old with SBS who had one of the following criteria: unexplained metabolic acidosis, neurologic signs or symptoms, history of antibiotic therapy for small bowel bacterial overgrowth, or high clinical suspicion of DLA.

Predictors of Mortality in Very Low Birth Weight Neonates With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

Background: Limited data exists regarding the mortality of very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This study aims to quantify and determine predictors of mortality in VLBW neonates with CDH.

Methods: This analysis of 829 U.

Hierarchical AI enables global interpretation of culture plates in the era of digital microbiology.

Full Laboratory Automation is revolutionizing work habits in an increasing number of clinical microbiology facilities worldwide, generating huge streams of digital images for interpretation. Contextually, deep learning architectures are leading to paradigm shifts in the way computers can assist with difficult visual interpretation tasks in several domains. At the crossroads of these epochal trends, we present a system able to tackle a core task in clinical microbiology, namely the global interpretation of diagnostic bacterial culture plates, including presumptive pathogen identification.

Association between neurodevelopmental outcomes and concomitant presence of NEC and IVH in extremely low birth weight infants.

Objective: To quantify the association between necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and neurodevelopmental disability (NDI) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Study Design: ELBW survivors born 2011-2017 and evaluated at 16-26 months corrected age in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) ELBW Follow-Up Project were included. Logistic regression determined the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of severe NDI in medical or surgical NEC compared to no NEC, stratified by severity of IVH.

Factors Associated With Chronic Intestinal Inflammation Resembling Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Pediatric Intestinal Failure: A Matched Case-Control Study.

Background And Aims: There is a subset of intestinal failure patients with associated chronic intestinal inflammation resembling inflammatory bowel disease. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with chronic intestinal inflammation in pediatric intestinal failure.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective case-control study of children <18 years old with intestinal failure.

Pediatric trauma mortality in India and the United States: A comparison and risk-adjusted analysis.

Background: There is a paucity of research comparing pediatric risk-adjusted trauma mortality between high-income and low- and middle-income countries. This limits identification of populations and injury patterns for targeted interventions. We aim to compare independent predictors of pediatric trauma mortality between India and the United States (US).

High Rate of Venous Thromboembolism in Severe Pediatric Intestinal Failure.

Objective: To quantify the rate of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with pediatric intestinal failure and identify associated risk factors.

Study Design: We performed a retrospective cohort study in pediatric patients (<21 years old) with severe pediatric intestinal failure (≥90 consecutive days of parenteral nutrition) secondary to short bowel syndrome who were treated from 2014 to 2021 at an interdisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation program. The primary outcome was the incidence of VTE.

Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Risk of Malignancy in Children with Thyroid Nodules.

It is uncertain whether the presence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) increases the risk of thyroid cancer in children with thyroid nodules. This study evaluated the association between AIT and thyroid cancer in pediatric patients with thyroid nodules. A cross-sectional study was performed of pediatric patients (<19 years old) with a thyroid nodule (≥1 cm) who underwent fine-needle aspiration in an academic pediatric thyroid center.

Impact of concomitant necrotizing enterocolitis on mortality in very low birth weight infants with intraventricular hemorrhage.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) on mortality in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH).

Study Design: Data were collected on VLBW infants born 2014-2018 at Vermont Oxford Network (VON) centers. NEC and IVH were categorized by severity.

Antibiotic Therapy for Culture-Proven Bacterial Overgrowth in Children With Intestinal Failure Results in Improved Symptoms and Growth.

Objectives: To evaluate symptoms, enteral tolerance, growth, and antibiotic regimens in pediatric intestinal failure (IF) patients after treated with antibiotic therapy for small bowel bacterial overgrowth (SBBO).

Methods: Single-center retrospective review of children 0-18 years with IF with endoscopic cultures demonstrating >10 5 CFU/mL from 2010 to 2017. Symptoms, enteral tolerance, growth, and antibiotic regimens were evaluated at the time of endoscopy and 6 months later.

Current outcomes of infants with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula: A multicenter analysis.

Objective: This study aims to quantify mortality rates and hospital lengths of stay (LOS) in neonates with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF), and to characterize the effects of birth weight (BW) and associated congenital anomalies upon these.

Methods: Data regarding patients with EA/TEF were prospectively collected (2013-2019) at 298 North American centers. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcome was LOS.

Morbidity associated with laparotomy-confirmed spontaneous intestinal perforation: A prospective multicenter analysis.

Background: Differences in morbidities between spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are unknown.

Methods: Prospectively collected multicenter data regarding very low birth weight (VLBW) infants 2015-2019 were analyzed. Diagnosis of SIP or NEC was laparotomy-confirmed in all patients.

Puberty and growth in patients with pediatric intestinal failure.

Background: Pediatric intestinal failure (PIF) affects nutrition, metabolism, and endocrine development, but its downstream impact on puberty is unknown.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of patients age >8 years with PIF managed at an intestinal rehabilitation program. Outcomes of interest were peak height velocity (PHV), age at PHV, and age at pubertal onset (Tanner stage 2).

Current State of Laboratory Automation in Clinical Microbiology Laboratory.

Background: Although it has been 30 years since the first automation systems were introduced in the microbiology laboratory, total laboratory automation (TLA) has only recently been recognized as a valuable component of the laboratory. A growing number of publications illustrate the potential impact of automation. TLA can improve standardization, increase laboratory efficiency, increase workplace safety, and reduce long-term costs.

Educating health professionals about COVID-19 with ECHO telementoring.

Background: When the COVID-19 pandemic began, primary care clinicians had almost no knowledge regarding best practices COVID-19 treatment. Project ECHO developed a COVID-19 Infectious Disease Office Hours (Office Hours) program to respond to the needs of clinicians seeking COVID-19 information.

Methods: This mixed-methods evaluation analyzed weekly post-session data and focus group results from the weekly Office Hours ECHO sessions during June 1, 2020- May 31, 2021.

Long-term assessment of bilirubin and transaminase trends in pediatric intestinal failure patients during the era of hepatoprotective parenteral nutrition.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize the relationship between hepatoprotective parenteral nutrition (PN) dependence and long-term serum liver tests in children with intestinal failure (IF).

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of children with severe IF (> 90 consecutive days of PN) who were followed from 2012 to 2019 at a multidisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation program. Patients were stratified into three groups based on level of PN dependence at most recent follow up: EN (achieved enteral autonomy), mixed (parenteral and enteral nutrition), and PN (> 75% of caloric intake from PN).

Benefits Derived from Full Laboratory Automation in Microbiology: a Tale of Four Laboratories.

Automation in clinical microbiology is starting to become more commonplace and reportedly offers several advantages over the manual laboratory. Most studies have reported on the rapid turnaround times for culture results, including times for identification of pathogens and their respective antimicrobial susceptibilities, but few have studied the benefits from a laboratory efficiency point of view. This is the first large, multicenter study in North America to report on the benefits derived from automation measured in full-time equivalents (FTE), FTE reallocation, productivity, cost per specimen, and cost avoidance.

Digital Image Analysis for the Detection of Group B from ChromID Strepto B Medium Using PhenoMatrix Algorithms.

Group B (GBS) can be found to colonize about 25% of all healthy, adult women and is the leading infectious cause of early neonatal morbidity and mortality in the United States. This study evaluated the clinical performance of PhenoMatrix (PM) chromogenic detection module (CDM) digital imaging software in detection of GBS from LIM broth plated on ChromID Strepto B chromogenic medium (ChromID) using the WASP automated processor. The performance of the PM CDM was compared to manual culture review of the digital images and molecular detection of GBS.

Diagnostic performance of two molecular assays for the detection of vaginitis in symptomatic women.

The three main causes of vaginitis are bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), and trichomoniasis (TV). Two multiplex assays are commercially available for detection of DNA from organisms associated with vaginitis: BD Affirm™ VPIII Microbial Identification Test (Affirm) and BD MAX™ Vaginal Panel (MAX VP). Here, the performance of MAX VP was compared to that of Affirm, which was considered the standard of care.