Publications by authors named "Lorch S"

Objective: To examine the correlations between pairs of maternal, infant, and maternal-infant dyad quality measures to provide a comprehensive assessment of perinatal care.

Study Design: In a retrospective cohort study using birth and fetal death certificates linked to hospital discharge data from Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina (2016-2018), we examined correlations between pairs of maternal, infant, and maternal-infant dyad quality measures. Maternal quality measures included nulliparous term singleton vertex (NTSV) cesarean birth, non-transfusion severe maternal morbidity (SMM), and a composite maternal outcome.

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Objective: To investigate individual-, hospital-, and community-level factors associated with sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) among infants born preterm.

Study Design: The following linked dataset from 5 states (California, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina) from 2005 through 2020 was used: (1) infant birth and death certificates; (2) maternal and infant birth hospitalization discharge records; (3) birthing hospital data from the American Hospital Association; and (4) community-level data from the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI).) Multivariable models were used to assess the independent association between these multilevel factors and SUID, adjusting for several maternal and infant characteristics.

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Objectives: To describe common pulmonary vasodilators (PV), exposure timing, and characteristics associated to their use in very preterm (VP) infants.

Study Design: Observational study of VP infants discharged from U.S.

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Infant mortality (IM), or death prior to the first birthday, is a key public health metric that increases with neighborhood structural inequities. However, neighborhood exposures shift as communities undergo gentrification, a pattern of neighborhood change defined by increasing affluence (in wealth, education, and housing costs). Gentrification has inconsistent associations with infant health outcomes like IM, which may be due to differing relationships between its composite measures and such outcomes.

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Objectives: To examine the association of novel furosemide versus thiazide diuretic exposure with changes in serum sodium, potassium, and chloride levels among infants with grade 2/3 bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of infants admitted to a level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with grade 2/3 BPD. We measured within-subject change in serum sodium, potassium, and chloride before and after diuretic initiation using multivariable regression to adjust for differences in dosing and clinical covariates.

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Purpose: We examined the association between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and severe maternal morbidity (SMM) during delivery and up to 1-year postpartum.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort study across 3 states, we computed adjusted relative risks (aRR) for SMM comparing individuals with IDA versus those without, using modified Poisson regression models.

Results: Among 2459,106 individuals, 10.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to determine how late preterm antenatal steroids impact respiratory issues in newborns, focusing on the mode of delivery and the timing of the delivery (gestational age).
  • It analyzed data from the ALPS Trial, involving 2,825 expectant mothers with singleton pregnancies at high risk for late preterm birth, comparing respiratory outcomes based on steroid usage.
  • Results showed that the risk of respiratory morbidity is significantly higher for cesarean deliveries compared to vaginal deliveries, and varies depending on the week of gestation when the delivery occurs, indicating that antenatal steroids may have different effects based on these factors.
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Preterm birth rates among Black individuals continue to be inequitably high in the USA. Black immigrants appear to have a preterm birth advantage over US-born counterparts. This national cross-sectional study of singleton non-Hispanic Black individuals in the USA from 2011 to 2018 aimed to investigate if the Black immigrant preterm birth advantage varied geographically and how this advantage associated with county-level social drivers of health.

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Objective: To examine if the annual patient volume of infants born very preterm (VPT, gestational age <32 weeks) at a hospital is associated with neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Study Design: We performed an observational, secondary data analysis using a 20-year panel of birth certificates linked to hospital discharge abstracts, including transfers in California, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina from 1996 through 2015. The study included all in-hospital VPT deliveries (n = 208 261).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study examines how racial and socioeconomic disparities affect pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions and mortality rates in children on Medicaid across 23 U.S. states from 2007 to 2014.
  • - Findings reveal that children from more vulnerable socioeconomic backgrounds have higher PICU mortality rates, and Black children have greater odds of both PICU admission and mortality compared to White children.
  • - The research indicates that significant variations exist across states regarding mortality odds for Black children, emphasizing ongoing disparities in health outcomes despite insurance coverage.
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Objective: To evaluate whether community factors that differentially affect the health of pregnant people contribute to geographic differences in infant mortality across the US.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study sought to characterize the association of a novel composite measure of county-level maternal structural vulnerabilities, the Maternal Vulnerability Index (MVI), with risk of infant death. We evaluated 11 456 232 singleton infants born at 22 0 of 7 through 44 6 of 7 weeks' gestation from 2012 to 2014.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study evaluated the Person-Centered Care in Fetal Care Centers (PCC-FCC) Scale by gathering feedback from 247 participants who received care at a U.S. Fetal Care Center between 2017 and 2021, using online questionnaires that included both quantitative and qualitative data.
  • - Findings indicated that most participants perceived high levels of person-centered care, especially in care coordination, respect, and education; however, 8% had low scores, and nearly 38% provided negative feedback mainly related to setting expectations, maternal health preparation, and psychosocial support.
  • - The results highlighted the need for improvements in certain areas of care and emphasized the importance of studying diverse patient populations in future research to address insurance
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Timely identification of fetal conditions enables comprehensive evaluation, counseling, postnatal planning, and prenatal treatments. This study assessed the existing evidence on how social determinants of health (SDOH) influence diagnosis timing of fetal conditions appropriate for care in fetal care centers (FCCs). Eligible studies were conducted in the U.

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Objective: To examine the association of admission NICU strain with neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Study Design: 2008-2021 South Carolina cohort using linked vital statistics and discharge data of 22-44 weeks GA infants, born at hospitals with ≥ level 2 unit and ≥5 births of infants <34 weeks GA/year. The exposure was tertiles of admission NICU strain, defined as the sum of infants <44 weeks GA with a congenital anomaly plus all infants born <33 weeks GA at midnight on the day of birth.

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Objectives: To quantify the association of ambient air pollution (particulate matter, PM) exposure with medically attended acute respiratory illness among infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Study Design: Single center, retrospective cohort study of preterm infants with BPD in Metropolitan Philadelphia. Multivariable logistic regression quantified associations of annual mean PM exposure (per μg/m) at the census block group level with medically attended acute respiratory illness, defined as emergency department (ED) visits or hospital readmissions within a year after first hospital discharge adjusting for age at neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge, year, sex, race, insurance, BPD severity, and census tract deprivation.

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Objective: To understand the characteristics of infants admitted to US NICUs.

Study Design: 2006-2014 linked birth certificate and hospital discharge data for potentially viable deliveries in Pennsylvania and South Carolina were used. NICU admissions were identified using revenue codes.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study was conducted to explore racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity (SMM) not just during childbirth, but also before and after, including up to a year postpartum.
  • Researchers analyzed data from over 2.5 million individuals across three states, focusing on non-transfusion SMM and total SMM per 10,000 cases, categorized by race, ethnicity, maternal education, and insurance type.
  • The results highlighted that 1.4% experienced non-transfusion SMM and 2.5% had any SMM, indicating significant disparities beyond just the intrapartum period, particularly affecting Black individuals.
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Background And Objectives: Aicardi Goutières syndrome (AGS) is type I interferonopathy characterized by severe neurologic impairment. Although many children with AGS demonstrate motor and expressive language deficits, the magnitude of receptive language impairment is uncharacterized. We sought to characterize cognitive function in AGS-affected children using assessment tools with reduced dependence on motor abilities and compare cognitive testing outcomes with overall severity and parental assessment of adaptive behavior.

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Objective: To elicit expert consensus on quality indicators for the hospital-based care of opioid-exposed infants.

Methods: We used the ExpertLens online platform to conduct a 3-round modified Delphi panel. Expert panelists included health care providers, parents in recovery, quality experts, and public health experts.

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