Tissue-Engineered Heart Valves: A Call for Mechanistic Studies.

Heart valve disease carries a substantial risk of morbidity and mortality. Outcomes are significantly improved by valve replacement, but currently available mechanical and biological replacement valves are associated with complications of their own. Mechanical valves have a high rate of thromboembolism and require lifelong anticoagulation.

Insurance Coverage and Acute Care Revisits After Pediatric Ambulatory Tonsillectomy.

We investigated whether patterns of health insurance coverage were associated with 30-day all-cause acute care revisits after ambulatory tonsillectomy at a free-standing quaternary-care pediatric hospital. Insurance patterns were classified from past encounters as continuous private, continuous Medicaid, Medicaid-to-private change, or private-to-Medicaid change. Among 478/675 boys/girls (age 9 ± 4 years) selected for analysis, 148 (13%) had 30-day revisits, whereas 96 (8%) changed from Medicaid to private insurance, and 99 (9%) changed from private insurance to Medicaid.

Pediatric Playground-Related Injuries Treated in Hospital Emergency Departments in the United States.

This study analyzed pediatric playground-related injuries data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. An estimated 5 025 440 children <18 years were treated in US emergency departments for playground-related injuries during 1990-2012, averaging 218 497 children annually. The average patient age was 6.

Non-health care facility anticonvulsant medication errors in the United States.

Introduction: This study provides an epidemiological description of non-health care facility medication errors involving anticonvulsant drugs.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of National Poison Data System data was conducted on non-health care facility medication errors involving anticonvulsant drugs reported to US Poison Control Centers from 2000 through 2012.

Results: During the study period, 108,446 non-health care facility medication errors involving anticonvulsant pharmaceuticals were reported to US Poison Control Centers, averaging 8342 exposures annually.

Pediatric Cheerleading Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments in the United States.

This study investigates the epidemiology of cheerleading injuries to children in the United States. Data were analyzed from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for children 5 through 18 years of age treated in US emergency departments for cheerleading injuries from 1990 through 2012. An estimated 497 095 children ages 5 to 18 years were treated in US emergency departments for a cheerleading injury during the 23-year study period, averaging 21 613 injured children per year.

Streptococcal Pharyngitis and Appendicitis in Children.

Background: Several pathologies, including pharyngitis, are associated with abdominal pain that can mimic appendicitis. We sought to further understand the link between appendicitis-like symptoms and streptococcal (strep) pharyngitis.

Methods: All patients undergoing ultrasound imaging for appendicitis in our emergency department during 2013 were reviewed (n = 1572).

Traumatic Brain Injuries Associated With Consumer Products at Home Among US Children Younger Than 5 Years of Age.

This study investigated the epidemiology of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occurring to young children, associated with consumer products at home in the United States. Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were analyzed. There were an estimated 2 292 896 (95% CI = 1 707 891-2 877 900) children <5 years of age treated in US emergency departments for a TBI associated with a consumer product at home during 1991-2012, which equals an annual average of 104 223 (95% CI = 77 631-130 814) children.

Identification and Characterization of Adverse Drug Events in Primary Care.

The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize adverse drug events (ADEs) in a primary care setting using an electronic health record (EHR). This prospective, observational study enrolled patients with any medication change who were seen at an outpatient internal medicine clinic. Patients were evaluated for ADEs by EHR review and telephone interview.

Early Lactation and Infant Feeding Practices Differ by Maternal Gestational Diabetes History.

Background: Detailed data on lactation practices by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) history are lacking, precluding potential explanations and targets for interventions to improve lactation intensity and duration and, ultimately, long-term maternal and child health.

Objective: This study aimed to examine breastfeeding practices through 12 months postpartum by GDM history.

Methods: Women who delivered a singleton, liveborn infant at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus, OH), in 2011 completed a postal questionnaire to assess lactation and infant feeding practices and difficulties.

Hemodynamic Characterization of a Mouse Model for Investigating the Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Neotissue Formation in Tissue-Engineered Heart Valves.

Decellularized allograft heart valves have been used as tissue-engineered heart valve (TEHV) scaffolds with promising results; however, little is known about the cellular mechanisms underlying TEHV neotissue formation. To better understand this phenomenon, we developed a murine model of decellularized pulmonary heart valve transplantation using a hemodynamically unloaded heart transplant model. Furthermore, because the hemodynamics of blood flow through a heart valve may influence morphology and subsequent function, we describe a modified loaded heterotopic heart transplant model that led to an increase in blood flow through the pulmonary valve.