Oral Lichen Planus: Clinical Presentation, Demographic Characteristics, and Risk Factors in a Retrospective Study of 186 Polish Patients.

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic, recurrent mucocutaneous inflammatory disease that develops due to a disturbed immunological response triggered by endogenous and exogenous factors. To evaluate clinical presentation, demographic characteristics, and risk factors in a cohort of Polish patients with oral lichen planus (OLP). Medical records of 186 patients with OLP referred to the student outpatient clinic in Poznań University of Medical Sciences from 2013 to 2023 were analyzed in order to establish clinical presentation, patient's demographic characteristics, and risk factors for OLP.

Scoping it Out: The Use of Laparoscopy After Penetrating Trauma in Stable Children.

Introduction: In stable children with penetrating abdominal trauma, literature regarding the use of laparoscopy (LAP) remains limited. Given increasing evidence in favor of LAP for selective adult trauma patients, we reviewed contemporary practices and outcomes in pediatric trauma patients.

Methods: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Trauma Quality Programs data was utilized to identify children (<18 years) from 2016 to 2021 with a penetrating abdominal injury who underwent surgery within 24 h of admission.

Evaluating the Benefits of Ventriculostomy Compared to Intracranial Pressure Monitoring for Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: In this study, we compared outcomes between intracranial pressure monitoring (ICP) only versus ventriculostomy (VT) using a nationwide database of pediatric trauma patients.

Methods: Pediatric patients (<18 years) with severe blunt TBI who underwent ICP monitoring with or without VT were identified from the 2017-2021 ACS Trauma Quality Programs. We excluded patients who experienced death or craniotomy/craniectomy within 48 h.

Two-center analysis of cannabis on venous thromboembolism risk after traumatic injury: A matched analysis.

Background: Conflicting evidence exists evaluating associations between cannabis (THC) and post-traumatic DVT.

Methods: Retrospective analysis (2014-2023) of patients ≥15yrs from two Level I trauma centers with robust VTE surveillance and prophylaxis protocols. Multivariable hierarchical regression assessed the association between THC and DVT risk.

Effect of Early vs Late Inguinal Hernia Repair on Serious Adverse Event Rates in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Inguinal hernia repair in preterm infants is common and is associated with considerable morbidity. Whether the inguinal hernia should be repaired prior to or after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit is controversial.

Objective: To evaluate the safety of early vs late surgical repair for preterm infants with an inguinal hernia.

Lessons for the next pandemic: analysis of the timing and outcomes including post-discharge decannulation rates for tracheostomy in severe COVID-19 respiratory failure.

Purpose: COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure frequently require prolonged ventilatory support that would typically warrant early tracheostomy. There has been significant debate on timing, outcomes, and safety of these procedures. The purpose of this study was to determine the epidemiological, hospital, and post-discharge outcomes of this cohort, based on early (ET) versus late (LT) tracheostomy.

To the point: Utility of laparoscopy for operative management of stabbing abdominal trauma.

Background: Algorithms for managing penetrating abdominal trauma are conflicting or vague regarding the role of laparoscopy. We hypothesized that laparoscopy is underutilized among hemodynamically stable patients with abdominal stab wounds.

Methods: Trauma Quality Improvement Program data (2016-2019) were used to identify stable (SBP ≥110 and GCS ≥13) patients ≥16yrs with stab wounds and an abdominal procedure within 24hr of admission.

A Window of Opportunity: Understanding Pediatric Falls Using Area Deprivation Index.

Introduction: The purpose of our study is to assess neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage (NSD) as a risk factor for window falls (WF) in children.

Methods: A single institution retrospective review was performed of patients ≤18 years old with fall injuries treated at a Level I trauma center between 2018 and 2021. Demographic, injury, and NSD characteristics which were collected from a trauma registry were analyzed and compared between WF versus non-window falls.

Modified Brain Injury Guidelines for preinjury anticoagulation in traumatic brain injury: An opportunity to reduce health care resource utilization.

Introduction: The Brain Injury Guidelines (BIG) stratify patients by traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity to provide management recommendations to reduce health care resource burden but mandates that patients on anticoagulation (AC) are allocated to the most severe tertile (BIG 3). We sought to analyze TBI patients on AC therapy using a modified BIG model to determine if this population can offer further opportunity for safe reductions in health care resource utilization.

Methods: Patients 55 years or older on AC with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) from two centers were retrospectively stratified into BIG 1 to 3 risk groups using modified BIG criteria excluding AC as a criterion.

Firearm Assaults in Communities: The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown.

Background: Firearm violence has increased nationwide, with recent surges linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. We measured traumatic assault trends at our urban Level I trauma center and assessed rates of firearm violence over time and pre/post local COVID-19 lockdown based on levels of socioeconomic disadvantage.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review (2016-2022) of assault patients 16 years and older.

Up and over: Consequences of raising the United States-Mexico border wall height.

Objectives: San Diego County's geographic location lends a unique demographic of migrant patients injured by falls at the United States-Mexico border. To prevent migrant crossings, a 2017 Executive Order allocated funds to increase the southern California border wall height from 10 ft to 30 ft, which was completed in December 2019. We hypothesized that the elevated border wall height is associated with increased major trauma, resource utilization, and health care costs.

Financial vulnerability of trauma centers: A national analysis.

Objective: Trauma centers function as an essential safeguard in the United States health care system. However, there has been minimal study of their financial health or vulnerability. We sought to perform a nationwide analysis of trauma centers using detailed financial data and a recently developed Financial Vulnerability Score (FVS) metric.

Ballistic Facial Trauma Reconstruction: Incidence and Practice Patterns in the Civilian Population.

Background: Management of nonfatal ballistic facial trauma is well described in the literature for wounds secondary to military combat. However, there is little literature describing such management in civilian practice. We aimed to describe nonmilitary patients with recent nonfatal facial injuries from ballistic trauma using the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development patient database.

Pediatric penetrating thoracic trauma: Examining the impact of trauma center designation and penetrating trauma volume on outcomes.

Introduction: We analyzed the impact of treating center designation and case volume of penetrating trauma on outcomes after pediatric penetrating thoracic injuries (PTI).

Methods: PTI patients <18 years were identified from the National Trauma Data Bank (2013-2016). Centers were categorized by type (Pediatric or Adult) and designation status (Level I, Level II, and other).

Evaluating pediatric car safety compliance in motor vehicle collisions: Identifying high-risk groups for improper restraint usage.

Purpose: To identify patient factors associated with improper restraint usage and worse trauma outcomes for pediatric patients involved in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs).

Methods: Retrospective study performed at a Level I pediatric trauma center for patients (≤18 yr) evaluated after MVC between 2008 and 2018. The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) was used to measure neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage (NSD) levels based on the patient's home address.

Financial Vulnerability of American College of Surgeons-Verified Trauma Centers: A Statewide Analysis.

Background: Although trauma centers represent an integral part of healthcare in the US, characterization of their financial vulnerability has not been reported. We sought to characterize the financial health and vulnerability among California trauma centers and identify factors associated with high and low vulnerability.

Study Design: The RAND Hospital Data financial dataset was used to evaluate all American College of Surgeons (ACS)-verified trauma centers in California.

Why Trauma Care is Not Expensive: Detailed Analysis of Actual Costs and Cost Differences of Patient Cohorts.

Background: Trauma patients are resource intensive, requiring a variety of medical and procedural interventions during hospitalization. These expenses often label trauma care as "high cost" based on gross hospital charges. We hypothesized that a financial metric built on actual costs and clinically relevant trauma patient cohorts would demonstrate a lower true cost of trauma care than the standardly reported gross hospital charges.

Reading the signs in penetrating cervical vascular injuries: Analysis of hard/soft signs and initial management from a nationwide vascular trauma database.

Background: Algorithms for management of penetrating cervical vascular injuries (PCVIs) commonly call for immediate surgery with "hard signs" and imaging before intervention with "soft signs." We sought to analyze the association between initial examination and subsequent evaluation and management approaches.

Methods: Analysis of PCVIs from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Prospective Observational Vascular Injury Treatment vascular injury registry from 25 US trauma centers was performed.

Integrating traffic safety data with area deprivation index: A method to better understand the causes of pediatric pedestrian versus automobile collisions.

Background: The purpose of this study was to identify clinical and traffic factors that influence pediatric pedestrian versus automobile collisions (P-ACs) with an emphasis on health care disparities.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed of pediatric (18 years or younger) P-ACs treated at a Level I pediatric trauma center from 2008 to 2018. Demographic, clinical, and traffic scene data were analyzed.

The where, when, and why of surgical rib fixation: Utilization patterns, outcomes, and readmissions.

Introduction: There has been increasing use of surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF), but most literature demonstrate outcomes of single centers during the index hospitalization. We sought to analyze statewide patterns and longer-term outcomes after SSRF.

Methods: Adult patients with >1 rib fracture in the 2016-2018 California Office of Statewide Health Planning Database were identified.

International Waist Circumference Percentile Cutoffs for Central Obesity in Children and Adolescents Aged 6 to 18 Years.

Context: No universal waist circumference (WC) percentile cutoffs used have been proposed for screening central obesity in children and adolescents.

Objective: To develop international WC percentile cutoffs for children and adolescents with normal weight based on data from 8 countries in different global regions and to examine the relation with cardiovascular risk.

Design And Setting: We used pooled data on WC in 113,453 children and adolescents (males 50.

Impact of the 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics Guideline on Hypertension Prevalence Compared With the Fourth Report in an International Cohort.

In 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated the clinical practice guideline for high blood pressure (BP) in the pediatric population. In this study, we compared the difference in prevalence of elevated and hypertensive BP values defined by the 2017 AAP guideline and the 2004 Fourth Report and estimated the cardiovascular risk associated with the reclassification of BP status defined by the AAP guideline. A total of 47 200 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years from 6 countries (China, India, Iran, Korea, Poland, and Tunisia) were included in this study.

Body mass index percentiles and elevated blood pressure among children and adolescents.

It is well established that obesity is associated with an increased risk of elevated and high blood pressure (BP) in children and adolescents. However, it is uncertain whether there is an increase in the risk of elevated and high BP associated with an increase of body mass index (BMI) among children and adolescents whose BMI is in the accepted normal range. Data were available for 58 899 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years from seven national cross-sectional surveys in China, India, Iran, Korea, Poland, Tunisia, and the United States.