Development, feasibility, and acceptability of the Family/Adolescent-Centered (FACE) Advance Care Planning intervention for adolescents with HIV.

Objectives: To develop, adapt, and ensure feasibility, acceptability, and safety of the Family/Adolescent-Centered (FACE) Advance Care Planning intervention.

Patients And Methods: Two-group, randomized, controlled trial in two hospital-based outpatient clinics in Washington, D.C.

Ollier disease.

Background: Ollier disease is a rare, nonfamilial disorder characterized by multiple enchondromatosis with an asymmetric distribution and areas of dysplastic cartilage. Clinical manifestations usually start with local pain, bone swelling, and palpable bony masses, often associated with bone deformity. Intracranial enchondromas arise from the skull base because of its cartilage embryological derivation.

Abacavir and metabolite pharmacokinetics in HIV-1-infected children and adolescents.

Objectives: Abacavir (ABC) oral clearance, adjusted for body size, is approximately 2 times higher for children than adults with a corresponding difference in dose regimens. However, there are limited data available in the adolescent population. The pharmacokinetics (PKs) of ABC and primary metabolites were determined in HIV-1-infected children and adolescents to evaluate age and patient characteristics as a basis for adjusting ABC dose regimens and to assess the influence of metabolite formation on PK parameters.

Ventricular dysfunction and number of non compacted segments in non compaction: non-independent predictors.

Background: Isolated ventricular noncompaction (IVNC) is characterized by multiple prominent trabeculations and deep intertrabecular recesses. Some reports prove that the chronic heart failure may occur in approximately half of the patients. In this report we investigate the correlation between the number of non compacted segments and entity of systolic dysfunction from the registry and subregistries of the SIEC.

Motion Index: a new parameter to evaluate the diastole by M-Mode imaging.

Aim: Heart failure with normal left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction is commonly understood as diastolic heart failure because this expression implies the presence of LV diastolic dysfunction diagnosed by specific echocardiographic findings, such as slow LV relaxation and increased LV stiffness. In this work the authors propose a new parameter named Motion Index, which is measurable by M-Mode technique and it is likely linked to diastolic dysfunction.

Methods: A patient population composed by 134 subjects was enrolled.

Who will speak for me? Improving end-of-life decision-making for adolescents with HIV and their families.

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to test the effectiveness of a model of family/adolescent-centered advance care planning for adolescents living with HIV and their families for increasing congruence and quality of communication while decreasing decisional conflict.

Patients And Methods: Ours was a 2-group, randomized, controlled trial in 2 hospital-based outpatient clinics in Washington and Memphis from 2006 to 2008. Participants (N = 38 dyads) included medically stable adolescents aged 14 to 21 years with HIV/AIDS and surrogates/families aged > or =21 years.

Detecting HIV associated neurocognitive disorders in adolescents: what is the best screening tool?

Purpose: To examine the ability of the HIV-Dementia Scale (HDS) and Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) to detect encephalopathy in adolescents living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Method: The study was based on chart review (N = 71) from 1999 to 2006, extracting data from psychological testing, disease classification, and demographic variables. HDS and MMSE scores were independent.

A system for respiratory motion detection using optical fibers embedded into textiles.

In this contribution, a first prototype for mobile respiratory motion detection using optical fibers embedded into textiles is presented. The developed system consists of a T-shirt with an integrated fiber sensor and a portable monitoring unit with a wireless communication link enabling the data analysis and visualization on a PC. A great effort is done worldwide to develop mobile solutions for health monitoring of vital signs for patients needing continuous medical care.

Magnetic resonance in isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium.

Unlabelled: Non-compaction of the ventricular myocardium (LCVM) is a rare disorder of myocardial morphogenesis usually diagnosed in paediatric age. The diagnosis was echocardiographically made on the basis of a reported spongeous/compacted ratio >2 in one or more segments of the left ventricle during the diastolic period. We aimed to test the diagnostic accuracy of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in distinguishing pathological left ventricular non-compaction.

Anticoagulant drugs in noncompaction: a mandatory therapy?

Background: Noncompaction of left ventricular myocardium is a rare congenital cardiomyopathy resulting from an incomplete myocardial morphogenesis that leads to the persistence of the embryonic myocardium. This condition is characterized by a thin compacted epicardial and an extremely thickened endocardial layer with prominent trabeculations and deep intertrabecular recesses. It is not clear, in noncompaction of myocardium, whether intertrabecular recesses could be responsible for thrombi formation and thromboembolic complications.

From the exam room to behind the wheel: can healthcare providers affect automobile morbidity and mortality in teens?

Despite clear evidence that motor-vehicle crashes are the leading cause of mortality and severe morbidity among adolescents and young adults, healthcare providers have not been fully engaged in efforts to reduce these rates. A new national awareness and effort to reduce motor-vehicle crashes provides an opportunity to engage healthcare providers and encourage them to play an active role in curbing crash rates. Indeed, research supports the notion that, when provided with adequate knowledge, training, and charting tools or electronic prompts, healthcare providers can increase their rates of screening, educating, and counseling youth and their parents about safe driving and that these efforts can be effective at increasing safety and reducing risk.

Sympathetic tone and ventricular tachycardia.

Background: The pathogenesis of idiopathic monomorphic ventricular tachycardia is not clear. We suppose that a lack of balance of the sympathetic system could be involved. Frequency domain analyses of the heart rate can be useful to understand autonomic system balance.

Neuromuscular disorders and non compaction: how much is the strength of the association and how can it be suspected?

In many reports Finsterer and Stöllberger reported a strong association between non compaction of the left ventricle and neuromuscular disorders. In the same report the authors described a neurological involvement in more than 50%. Recently we published our personal experience, about 21 paediatric patients: only 4 patients (19%) showed a neuromuscular disorder, and only 1 of them showed an increased plasmatic level of CK, and in particular of MM isoform, with a normal level of CK-MB.