Temporal summation of pain in sickle cell disease: comparison of adolescents and young adults with chronic vs. infrequent pain.

Objective: This study examined the role of central sensitization in the experience of pain among adolescents and young adults with the most severe genotypes of sickle cell disease (SCD). We hypothesized that adolescents and young adults with chronic SCD pain would demonstrate a higher perceptual response to repeated stimulation of identical intensity (i.e.

Haves and have-nots: socioeconomic position improves accuracy of machine learning algorithms for predicting high-impact chronic pain.

Lower socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with increased risk of developing chronic pain, experiencing more severe pain, and suffering greater pain-related disability. However, SEP is a multidimensional construct; there is a dearth of research on which SEP features are most strongly associated with high-impact chronic pain, the relative importance of SEP predictive features compared to established chronic pain correlates, and whether the relative importance of SEP predictive features differs by race and sex. This study used 3 machine learning algorithms to address these questions among adults in the 2019 National Health Interview Survey.

Relationship functioning and impact of health coverage models for parents of childhood cancer patients: A systematic review.

The current systematic literature review aimed to summarize and evaluate existing literature regarding parental relationship functioning during and after childhood cancer, with an exploratory evaluation regarding the impact of national health coverage model (proxy for finances). This review used MEDLINE, PsychInfo, Embase, and CENTRAL search database. Articles were reviewed ( = 3060) against inclusion criteria, with 512 abstracts screened and 87 full-text retrieved and reviewed.

Psychosocial Assessment Tool 2.0 and Long-term Mental Health Outcomes in Childhood Cancer.

To identify childhood cancer patients and their families at the greatest risk for psychosocial difficulties, this study examined the predictive validity of the Psychosocial Assessment Tool 2.0 (PAT2.0) on caregiver and patient-reported mental health outcomes at 1-year follow-up.

New-onset diabetes in children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: an assessment of biomarkers and psychosocial risk factors at play in Mississippi.

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to an association between COVID-19 and pediatric diabetes. Studies have indicated the increased likelihood of children with COVID-19 infection developing diabetes. Our objective was to assess not only the increase in pediatric diabetes at our hospital and identify possible risk factors, but also to correlate the psychosocial changes resulting from the pandemic with new-onset diabetes.

Biobehavioral Predictors of Pain Intensity, Pain Interference, and Chronic Pain Episodes: A Prospective Cohort Study of African-American Adults.

Racial disparities in pain experiences are well-established, with African-American (AA) adults reporting higher rates of daily pain, increased pain severity, and greater pain-related interference compared to non-Hispanic Whites. However, the biobehavioral factors that predict the transition to chronic pain among AA adults are not well understood. This prospective cohort study provided a unique opportunity to evaluate predictors of chronic pain onset among 130 AA adults (81 women), ages 18 to 44, who did not report chronic pain at their baseline assessment and subsequently completed follow-up assessments at 6- and 12-months.

Physical activity, sitting time, and thermal quantitative sensory testing responses in African Americans.

Introduction: Prior research suggests that African Americans (AAs) have more frequent, intense, and debilitating pain and functional disability compared with non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Potential contributing factors to this disparity are physical activity and sedentary behavior, given that AAs are less physically active, and physical activity is associated with antinociception (whereas sedentary behavior is linked to pronociception). However, impact of these factors on pain processing has largely been unexplored in AAs, especially before chronic pain onset.

Adversity type and timing predict temporal summation of pain in African-American adults.

African Americans are disproportionately exposed to adversity across the lifespan, which includes both stressful and traumatic events. Adversity, in turn, is associated with alterations in pain responsiveness. Racial differences in pain responsiveness among healthy adults are well established.

Virtual Reality for Pediatric Oncology Port-A-Cath Access: A Pilot Effectiveness Study.

Port-a-cath procedures are among the most distressing aspects of pediatric cancer treatment. The current study aimed to examine the usability of virtual reality (VR) interventions for children undergoing chemotherapy port-access procedures. : Families ( = 20) of children with cancer, 4-17 years old ( = 8.

Longitudinal Predictors of Pain in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease.

Objective: Despite the identified pathophysiology of vaso-occlusive pain in sickle cell disease (SCD), predictors of pain in youth with SCD remain elusive. In this study, we measured changes in pain frequency, intensity, and interference over 1 year and examined biopsychosocial risk factors (SCD disease severity, age, female, depression, and sleep quality) as possible longitudinal predictors.

Methods: Medical history was obtained from retrospective chart review for 79 children with SCD (ages 2-18 years; 48.

Cognitive-Affective-Behavioral Pathways Linking Adversity and Discrimination to Daily Pain in African-American Adults.

The tendency to ruminate, magnify, and experience helplessness in the face of pain - known as pain catastrophizing - is a strong predictor of pain outcomes and is associated with adversity. The ability to maintain functioning despite adversity - referred to as resilience - also influences pain outcomes. Understanding the extent to which pain catastrophizing and resilience influence relations between adversity and daily pain in healthy African-American adults could improve pain risk assessment and mitigate racial disparities in the transition from acute to chronic pain.

Prevalence of raised body mass index in paediatric sickle cell disease.

Aim: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) have historically weighed less than their healthy peers. More recently, a retrospective chart review from six institutions in New England reported nearly one-quarter of children and adolescents with SCD had raised body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to examine rates of children with SCD with raised BMI in Mississippi compared to state and national norms and assess the correlation between haemoglobin and BMI.

Racial, Gender, and Neighborhood-Level Disparities in Pediatric Trauma Care.

Background: Disparities in trauma outcomes and care are well established for adults, but the extent to which similar disparities are observed in pediatric trauma patients requires further investigation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the unique contributions of social determinants (race, gender, insurance status, community distress, rurality/urbanicity) on trauma outcomes after controlling for specific injury-related risk factors.

Study Design: All pediatric (age < 18) trauma patients admitted to a single level 1 trauma center with a statewide, largely rural, catchment area from January 2010 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed (n = 14,398).

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Timing of Childhood Cancer Diagnoses.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the health care system in unprecedented ways. We reviewed the registry of new cancer patients who presented to the Children's of Mississippi Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and showed the average number of new pediatric cancer diagnoses dropped during the initial COVID-19 months and rose significantly in June 2020. We must encourage families to seek health care when needed and keep scheduled appointments for routine vaccinations and health maintenance as we know the long-term sequela of delaying health maintenance far outweighs risks at present.

Pain in long-term survivors of childhood cancer: A systematic review of the current state of knowledge and a call to action from the Children's Oncology Group.

Survivors of childhood cancer may be at risk of experiencing pain, and a systematic review would advance our understanding of pain in this population. The objective of this study was to describe: 1) the prevalence of pain in survivors of childhood cancer, 2) methods of pain measurement, 3) associations between pain and biopsychosocial factors, and 4) recommendations for future research. Data sources for the study were articles published from January 1990 to August 2019 identified in the PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science data bases.

Psychometric evaluation of the pediatric applied cognition scale in pediatric hematology/oncology.

Pediatric patients with hematology and oncology conditions often experience disease- and treatment-related neurocognitive deficits. Well-validated screening tools are critical for identifying patients experiencing cognitive impairments. The Pediatric Applied Cognition scale (PAC) Short Form, developed by the National Institutes of Health, assesses attention and memory concerns.

Longitudinal pain and pain interference in long-term survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Background: The objective of this study was to characterize the prevalence and risk of pain, pain interference, and recurrent pain in adult survivors of childhood cancer in comparison with siblings.

Methods: This study analyzed longitudinal data from survivors (n = 10,012; 48.7% female; median age, 31 years [range, 17-57 years]; median time since diagnosis, 23 years) and siblings (n = 3173) from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

The contribution of neurocognitive functions to academic and psychological outcomes in pediatric cancer: A latent profile analysis.

This study aimed to identify the impact of neurocognitive functioning on academic and psychological domains using a novel person-centered latent profile analysis approach. We further examined the contribution of identified risk factors (e.g.

Vestibular Rehabilitation for a Child With Posterior Fossa Syndrome: A Case Report.

Purpose: This case report assesses gaze stability, postural control, and balance pre- and post-physical therapy intervention, including vestibular rehabilitation, in a 4-year-old child with posterior fossa syndrome following gross total resection of a juvenile astrocytoma brain tumor.

Summary Of Key Points: The child in this case study had improved balance and gaze stability, as determined by the Pediatric Balance Scale and the Dynamic Visual Acuity test upon completion of the 10-week intervention. STATEMENT OF CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE:: This case provides preliminary support of the need for vestibular screening in children with a diagnosis of posterior fossa syndrome.

Physical Activity and Pain in Youth With Sickle Cell Disease.

Study objectives were to examine the relationships between physical activity, pain, and psychological distress in youth 8 to 17 years of age with sickle cell disease. Participants were 206 youth with sickle cell disease (M = 11.73 years, 54.

Daily Associations between Child and Parent Psychological Factors and Home Opioid Use in Youth with Sickle Cell Disease.

Background: Opioid analgesics are frequently used in the home setting to manage episodic pain in youth with sickle cell disease (SCD). Given the risk of adverse side effects, including constipation and sedation, understanding factors associated with at-home opioid use is important for maximizing pain relief while minimizing negative side effects.

Purpose: The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between individual psychological factors (pain catastrophizing and negative affect), caregiver psychological factors (catastrophizing about child's pain and caregiver negative affect), and home opioid use in youth with SCD.

Fatigue, Physical and Functional Mobility, and Obesity in Pediatric Cancer Survivors.

Background: Survivors of childhood cancer are prone to an increased risk of chronic issues such as cardiovascular disease, fatigue, weight-related problems, and emotional disturbances.

Objective: This study utilized the biopsychosocial model to examine the hypothesis that greater depression and lower mobility would be significantly associated with greater fatigue and higher body mass index in survivors of childhood cancer.

Methods: Data were analyzed for 144 children treated and followed up for an oncology condition at a southeastern academic medical center.

Emotion-Focused Avoidance Coping Mediates the Association Between Pain and Health-Related Quality of Life in Children With Sickle Cell Disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with pain and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Coping strategies influence pain but have not been evaluated as mediating the relation between pain and HRQOL in pediatric SCD. The current study examined whether pain-related coping mediates the association between pain and HRQOL in children and adolescents with SCD.

Impact of Race and Socioeconomic Status on Psychologic Outcomes in Childhood Cancer Patients and Caregivers.

Complex relationships between race and socioeconomic status have a poorly understood influence on psychologic outcomes in pediatric oncology. The Family Symptom Inventory was used to assess symptoms of depression and anxiety in pediatric patients with cancer and their caregivers. Separate hierarchical linear regression models examined the relationship between demographic variables, cancer characteristics, socioeconomic status, and access to care and patient or caregiver depression/anxiety.

Phantom Limb Pain in Pediatric Oncology.

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a prevalent problem for children and adolescents undergoing amputation due to cancer treatment. The symptoms are wide ranging from sharp to tingling. PLP in children typically lasts for a few minutes but can be almost constant and can be highly distressing.