The Texas Children's Hospital Pediatric Advanced Warning Score as a predictor of clinical deterioration in hospitalized infants and children: a modification of the PEWS tool.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Texas Children's Hospital Pediatric Advanced Warning Score (PAWS) instrument as an indicator of clinical deterioration in infants and children.

Design And Methods: A retrospective chart review of 150 infants and children was performed.

Results: The overall Cronbach's alpha score was 0.

Lipid profiles of pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among adults in the United States. CVD pathology, including abnormal lipid levels, may begin in childhood. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors have increased risk of abnormal lipid levels, but there is limited information in children post-HSCT.

Children's coping strategies for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Purpose/objectives: To identify anticipatory, acute, and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) frequency and coping strategies used among pediatric patients with cancer.

Design: Prospective, cohort design.

Setting: A pediatric teaching hospital in the southern United States.

Sickness behavior clustering in children with cancer.

Despite knowing that pediatric cancer patients experience multiple concurrent symptoms, most research focuses on individual symptoms. This study is a secondary data analysis from previous research evaluating symptom clusters and carnitine plasma levels in 67 children and adolescents aged between 7 and 18 years, before and after receiving ifosfamide, doxorubicin, or cisplatin chemotherapy. In preparation for cluster analysis, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, depression, and performance status symptoms were rated in categories of none, mild, moderate, or severe.

Nausea and vomiting perspectives among children receiving moderate to highly emetogenic chemotherapy treatment.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) are common adverse effects, but occurrences among pediatric oncology patients are not well documented.

Objective: The primary aim was to describe anticipatory, acute, and delayed CINV among children with cancer from the child's, caregiver's, and nurse's perspective. A secondary aim evaluates the correlation of CINV among the child's, caregiver's, and nurse's perspectives.

Carnitine plasma levels and fatigue in children/adolescents receiving cisplatin, ifosfamide, or doxorubicin.

Fatigue is the most frequent symptom experienced by children/adolescents with cancer. One mechanism contributing to cancer-related fatigue involves abnormalities in adenosine triphosphate synthesis caused by carnitine deficiency. The purpose of this study was to examine fatigue and carnitine in children/adolescents before and after ifosfamide, cisplatin, or doxorubicin chemotherapy.

Reducing central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections in children with cancer.

Purpose/objectives: To determine whether a comprehensive educational program influenced the incidence of hub colonization of central venous catheters (CVCs) and bloodstream infection rates in children with cancer, to identify risk factors related to infection rates, and to determine the impact of an educational program on nurses' knowledge of CVC care for children with cancer.

Design: Prospective, longitudinal.

Setting: Pediatric cancer center in a large children's hospital in the southwestern United States.

Interface pressure comparison of healthy premature infants with various neonatal bed surfaces.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine interface pressure between the occiput of healthy premature infants and 5 different bed surfaces used in special care nurseries.

Subjects: Thirteen healthy premature infants comprised the convenience sample enrolled 1 to 3 weeks prior to discharge.

Design: A quasi-experimental design was used with the dependent variable being the interface pressures obtained under the occiput and the independent variables as the bed surfaces.

Longitudinal evaluation of fine motor skills in children with leukemia.

Background: Improved survival for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) has allowed investigators to focus on the adverse or side effects of treatment and to develop interventions that promote cure while decreasing the long-term effects of therapy. Although much attention has been given to the significant neurocognitive sequelae that can occur after ALL therapy, limited investigation is found addressing fine motor function in these children and motor function that may contribute to neurocognitive deficits in ALL survivors.

Methods: Fine motor and sensory-perceptual performances were examined in 82 children with ALL within 6-months of diagnosis and annually for 2 years (year 1 and year 2, respectively) during therapy.

Practice patterns of SGO members for stage IIIA endometrial cancer.

Objective: The purpose of surgical staging is to better determine prognosis and treatment. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIIA endometrial cancer is a heterogenous disease, and adjuvant therapy is not well-defined. The aim of this study was to survey the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) members and fellows about their approach to the treatment of patients with stage IIIA endometrial cancer.

A phase II evaluation of weekly paclitaxel plus carboplatin in advanced urothelial cancer.

This Phase II trial was designed to evaluate the overall objective response rate, complete response rate, efficacy, and safety of weekly paclitaxel (Taxol) and carboplatin (Paraplatin) in the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma. Thirty-three patients with measurable, unresectable, stage III-IV carcinoma of the urothelium were enrolled. Paclitaxel (135 mg/m2) and carboplatin (AUC=2) were given by intravenous (IV) infusion weekly x 6 followed by two weeks rest.

Phase II randomized trial of weekly paclitaxel with or without estramustine phosphate in progressive, metastatic, hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

This study was conducted to determine the similarity of response rates and safety produced by weekly paclitaxel with or without oral estramustine in patients with metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Between December 1998 and December 1999, 163 patients were randomized to receive 28-day cycles of paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 on days 2, 9, and 16 plus estramustine 280 mg orally 3 times a day on days 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17, or to receive paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 alone on days 1, 8, and 15. Objective response was defined as a > oe = 50% decrease in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) maintained for 4 weeks with stable or improved performance status.

Laparoscopic training and practice in gynecologic oncology among Society of Gynecologic Oncologists members and fellows-in-training.

Objective: To determine the proportion of Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) members performing laparoscopic procedures and to determine SGO members' and fellows' opinions regarding indications for and the adequacy of training in laparoscopy.

Methods: Surveys were mailed to SGO members and fellows-in-training in December 2002. Anonymous responses were collected by mail or through a Web site.

Phase II multicenter trial of a weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin regimen in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Purpose: To determine the activity of weekly paclitaxel plus carboplatin as first-line therapy in patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC) by assessing response rate, survival, and safety.

Patients And Methods: One hundred patients with ABC received paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2) (group 1, n = 20) and carboplatin area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 2. Paclitaxel was subsequently reduced to 100 mg/m(2) (group 2, n = 80) because of toxicity.