Impact of Atopic Status on Clinical Presentation and Treatment Response in Pediatric Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

Background: Nearly 80% of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) have coexisting atopic disease, yet a subset do not. It is unclear if this lack of atopy impacts presentation or response to therapy.

Objectives: To characterize the presentation and response to therapy in atopic versus nonatopic pediatric patients with EoE.

Characteristics of Dog Bites in Arkansas.

Objective: Dog bite injuries are encountered frequently in emergency departments and can cause significant morbidity. The objective of this study was to explore the associations between the multiple variables at play during these occurrences (eg, the patient's age, the bite location, the bite severity, the dog's relationship with the patient, the breed of dog).

Methods: This two-institution study collected and analyzed dog bite data from Arkansas' only Level I trauma centers.

Pharmacotherapy of Sickle Cell Disease in Children.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a potentially devastating and life threatening condition that is caused by an autosomal recessive inherited hemoglobinopathy which results in vaso-occlusive phenomena and hemolysis. The severity of this disorder is widely variable, but overall mortality is increased and life expectancy decreased when compared to the general population. Care of patients with sickle cell disease is largely supportive.

Pan myeloid antigen-negative pediatric acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.

Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) is a relatively common type of acute myeloid leukemia in children. We describe two unusual cases of AMKL that by flow cytometry (FC) lacked expression of any commonly evaluated myeloid antigens. One case presented as a periorbital myeloid sarcoma and clinically was thought to be a solid tumor.

Standardization of case reviews (morbidity and mortality rounds) promotes patient safety.

The morbidity and mortality conference (M&M) is a long-standing practice in medicine. Originally created to identify errors and improve care, the primary focus of M&M has moved toward an emphasis on education of trainees. A structured format for the M&M conference can help the interdisciplinary team address causes of adverse patient outcomes and identify opportunities for systems improvement.

Pediatric snakebites: lessons learned from 114 cases.

Purpose: Evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of pediatric snakebite injuries are lacking because they occur infrequently in most centers.

Methods: We reviewed our experience treating snakebites from January 1995 through December 2005. Demographic (eg, age, sex, geographic location) and clinical information (eg, location of bite, species of snake, vital signs, laboratories, treatment, hospital length of stay) were obtained.

Racial disparities in the management of pediatric appenciditis.

Background: Our objective was to compare the racial differences in incidence and management of pediatric appendicitis.

Materials And Methods: Data for this study come from two large national hospital discharge databases from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) and the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID). Analysis was restricted to age less than 18 years with an ICD-9 diagnosis of either simple (540.

Comparison of radiolucent and fracture tables in the treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis.

A retrospective study was undertaken to see whether there was any difference in the time required and the accuracy of pin placement between slips pinned on a fracture table and those pinned on a radiolucent table. All patients were treated by single screw fixation of stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), 36 on a fracture table and 29 on a radiolucent table. Mean operating room time on the fracture table (63 minutes) was greater than that on the radiolucent table (51.

Expanding the donor pool: use of a donor heart having undergone recent cardiac surgery.

The current shortage of donor organs is a well-recognized global phenomenon. The goal of contemporary transplant practice is to optimize and expand the organ donor pool. Despite biologic and technologic advancements, the single most important limitation remains underutilization and non-recovery of potential organs.

Risk factors for febrile, presumed viral illness in the first ten weeks of life.

Objective: We attempted to identify demographic and environmental factors associated with development of febrile, presumed viral illness in infants < or = 10 weeks old.

Study Design: The study was conducted in a large, urban pediatric hospital and outpatient clinics. Infants < or = 10 weeks old admitted to the hospital for a febrile illness but discharged with a presumed viral illness as the cause of the fever (n = 106) were compared with afebrile infants who came for clinic appointments (n = 87).