Use of Gabapentin in Posterior Spinal Fusion is Associated With Decreased Postoperative Pain and Opioid Use in Children and Adolescents.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine associations of gabapentin use with inpatient postoperative daily pain scores and opioid use in children undergoing PSF for AIS.

Summary Of Background Data: Gabapentin use in posterior spinal fusion (PSF) postoperative pain management for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is increasingly common in order to decrease opioid use and improve pain control, though there is conflicting data on dosing and effectiveness to support this practice in real world settings.

The Association Between Adjuvant Pain Medication Use and Outcomes Following Pediatric Spinal Fusion.

Study Design: A comparative effectiveness database study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe variation in use of adjuvant therapies for managing postoperative pain in in patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and determine association between use of these therapies and patient outcomes.

Summary Of Background Data: Variation in postoperative pain management for children undergoing PSF for AIS likely impacts outcomes.

Results of phase II levetiracetam trial following acute head injury in children at risk for posttraumatic epilepsy.

Posttraumatic seizures develop in up to 20% of children following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Children ages 6-17 years with one or more risk factors for the development of posttraumatic epilepsy, including presence of intracranial hemorrhage, depressed skull fracture, penetrating injury, or occurrence of posttraumatic seizure were recruited into this phase II study. Treatment subjects received levetiracetam 55 mg/kg/day, b.

Results of phase 2 safety and feasibility study of treatment with levetiracetam for prevention of posttraumatic epilepsy.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of treatment with levetiracetam and determine the trough levels of levetiracetam in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who are at high risk for posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE).

Design: Open-label, nonrandomized phase 2 study with 2 arms comparing levetiracetam treatment vs observation.

Setting: Two level 1 trauma centers.

Cerebral MRI abnormalities associated with vigabatrin therapy.

Purpose: Investigate whether patients on vigabatrin demonstrated new-onset and reversible T(2)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities.

Methods: MRI of patients treated during vigabatrin therapy was reviewed, following detection of new basal ganglia, thalamus, and corpus callosum hyperintensities in an infant treated for infantile spasms. Patients were assessed for age at time of MRI, diagnosis, duration, and dose, MRI findings pre-, on, and postvigabatrin, concomitant medications, and clinical correlation.

The pediatric neurotransmitter disorders.

The pediatric neurotransmitter disorders represent an enlarging group of neurological syndromes characterized by abnormalities of neurotransmitter synthesis and breakdown. The disorders of dopamine and serotonin synthesis are aromatic amino acid decarboxylase deficiency, tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency, and disorders of tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis. Amino acid decarboxylase, tyrosine hydroxylase, sepiapterin reductase, and guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase (Segawa disease) deficiencies do not feature elevated serum phenylalanine and require cerebrospinal fluid analysis for diagnosis.