Association of diethylhexyl phthalate exposure with serum thyroid hormone levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Evidence suggests that diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) may disrupt thyroid hormone homeostasis by targeting multiple components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, potentially harming human health. However, the relationship between DEHP exposure and thyroid function remains debated. We performed a meta-analysis to clarify the association between DEHP exposure and thyroid function.

Internet-enhanced continuity of care reduces postoperative complications and improves outcomes in pediatric strabismus surgery.

Objective: To explore the application value of Internet Family Engagement Continuum of Care in strabismus ambulatory surgery and evaluate its impact on postoperative complications, children's quality of life, and parental satisfaction.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 257 children who underwent strabismus ambulatory surgery in our hospital from February 2022 to December 2023. The children were divided into a control group (n=149), which received routine nursing services and telephone follow-up, and an observation group (n=108), which received Internet Family Engagement Continuum of Care through a mobile medical platform.

Novel Missense DNA Variants in the IL2RG Gene Identified in Slovak X-linked Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease Patients: A Case Report.

X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency disease (X-SCID) is a form of inborn errors of immunity (IEI) associated with causal DNA variants of the gene. Patients with X-SCID are characterized by a combination of cellular and humoral immunodeficiencies associated with increased susceptibility to infections. The presented cases constituted two unrelated male patients from the Slovak population.

Hybrid care model: Combining telemedicine and office visits for diabetes management in older adults with type 1 diabetes.

Aims: To evaluate the use of hybrid (telehealth and in-person) care on visitation and glycaemia in older adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods: In this retrospective study, we examined clinical characteristics, number of visits (telehealth and in-person) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) metrics for older adults (≥65 years) with T1D from electronic health records during the pre-COVID-19 pandemic (March 1, 2019-March 1, 2020; in-person) and pandemic (September 1, 2020-August 31, 2021; hybrid) periods. Main outcomes were the number of visits and changes in glycaemic control (HbA1c), and in a sub-group of older adults using CGM, changes in CGM metrics between in-person and hybrid care.

Text messaging to improve connection between adolescents and their health care providers.

Objective: Adolescence marks a time of transition where teenagers are learning to advocate for themselves. In those with underlying chronic conditions such as adolescent dysautonomia, improving communication between clinic visits may improve connection with their health care provider which may aide management. Our aims were as follows: (1) to implement a text message platform to increase communication between adolescent patients and health care provider (HCP); (2) to evaluate its effect on quality of life (QoL), symptom burden, and patient engagement; and (3) to determine patient satisfaction with the platform.

Pediatric Health Assessment Tracker: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Obtain Weights Consistently and Appropriately in a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Introduction: Weight is vital for tracking fluid status and nutrition and assuring patients have accurate dosing weights in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Challenges in acquiring weights in critically ill patients include clinical instability, limited equipment, and lack of appropriate orders in the electronic medical record (EMR).

Methods: We implemented interventions that targeted EMR weight orders and actual collection of weights in the 42-bed PICU of a children's hospital.

Large-scale evaluation of outcomes after a genetic diagnosis in children with severe developmental disorders.

Purpose: We sought to evaluate outcomes for clinical management after a genetic diagnosis from the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study.

Methods: Individuals in the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study who had a pathogenic/likely pathogenic genotype in the DECIPHER database were selected for inclusion ( = 5010). Clinical notes from regional clinical genetics services notes were reviewed to assess predefined clinical outcomes relating to interventions, prenatal choices, and information provision.

Frequency and reasons that parents decline genetic testing for critically ill neonates.

Purpose: Current literature reports strong support among parents for genetic testing for ill neonates; yet, some parents decline this testing for unknown reasons. We aimed to document the proportion of parents who decline, describe their clinical and demographic characteristics, and categorize their rationales.

Methods: We reviewed medical records to collect and compare clinical and demographic information for patients whose parents consented to and declined recommended genetic testing.

Skeletal Maturity Might Not Be a Factor in Optimizing Outcomes in Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Introduction Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is rarely indicated in the skeletally immature population. In these instances, there is concern for implant survival compared to the traditional older population. There has been a steady rise in the use of THA in the pediatric population due to improvements in surgical techniques.

Psychometrics of Wearable Devices Measuring Physical Activity in Ambulant Children With Gait Abnormalities: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate psychometrics of wearable devices measuring physical activity (PA) in ambulant children with gait abnormalities due to neuromuscular conditions.

Data Sources: We searched PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus in March 2023.

Study Selection: We included studies if (1) participants were ambulatory children (2-19y) with gait abnormalities, (2) reliability and validity were analyzed, and (3) peer-reviewed studies in the English language and full-text were available.

Hemodynamic Evaluation of Intra-Aortic Dual-Balloon Pump Based on Fluid-Structure Interaction.

The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a widely-used mechanical circulatory support device that enhances hemodynamics in patients with heart conditions. Although the IABP is a common clinical tool, its effectiveness in enhancing outcomes for patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock remains disputed. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of intra-aortic dual-balloon pump (IADBP) and its impact on aortic hemodynamics compared with an IABP.

A 37-Year Retrospective Analysis Reveals a High Rate of Cutaneous Angiosarcoma of the Scalp in Okinawa, Japan.

Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare, aggressive malignancy originating from vascular or lymphatic endothelial cells. Despite its severity, little is known about its epidemiology, and no geographical regions have previously been identified as having an exceptionally high incidence. We retrospectively analyzed medical records spanning 37 years (1987-2023) in Okinawa, Japan, identifying 135 cases of AS that were used to calculate its incidence.

Emergency department utilization by youth before and after firearm injury.

Background: Emergency department (ED) visits may serve as opportunities for firearm injury prevention and intervention efforts. Our objective was to determine ED utilization by youth before and after firearm injury.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of ED encounters by youth (0-18 years old) with firearm injury from eight states using the 2019 State ED and Inpatient Databases.

Effects of Webcam Access to Preterm Infants in NICUs on Parental Psychological Strain.

Aim: To investigate whether webcam access for parents of infants in neonatal intensive care units influences parental postpartum depression and stress experiences.

Methods: Parents whose infants had a birth weight below 1500 g and who were admitted to one of the four participating tertiary care hospitals were eligible to participate in the study. The study followed the structure of a multi-centre cross-over pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

Therapeutic Errors Associated With Antithrombotic Medications Reported to United States Poison Centers.

The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics and trends of therapeutic errors in non-healthcare facility settings associated with antithrombotic medications reported to United States Poison Centers by analyzing data from the National Poison Data System from 2000 to 2021. There were 57 288 reported therapeutic error-related exposures involving antithrombotic medications as the primary substance. The rate of therapeutic errors increased by 590.

Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program: Understanding These Programs to Promote Advancements.

Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program together represent the largest healthcare coverage programs in the United States, providing benefits for approximately one in four residents and more than half of all children. Both programs are funded by a combination of federal and state dollars with more than 70% of beneficiaries enrolled in managed care plans. The size and scope of these programs underpin the importance of a working knowledge to understand healthcare delivery in the United States.

New Index Demonstrates Association between Social Vulnerability, Environmental Burden, and Kidney Failure Risk among Individuals with Glomerular Disease.

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Justice Index Social-Environmental Ranking (EJI-SER) combines a Social Vulnerability Module (SV) with an Environmental Burden Module (EB) to characterize cumulative environmental and social burden at the census tract level. This analysis evaluates the association between EJI-SER and kidney outcomes in glomerular disease (GD) patients.

Methods: Cure Glomerulopathy (CureGN) is an observational cohort study of adults and children with biopsy-proven GD.

Optimal doses of intranasal esketamine plus dexmedetomidine for sedating toddlers during transthoracic echocardiography: a prospective, double-blind, randomized trial.

Introduction: Esketamine has unique advantages in combination with dexmedetomidine for sedation in young children, owing to its sympathetic activity and mild respiratory depression. However, the optimal dose is yet to be determined. In this study, we compared the different doses of intranasal esketamine combined with dexmedetomidine for sedation during transthoracic echocardiography in toddlers.

Recurrent peripheral intravenous catheterization in neonates: A case series.

Neonatal peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) can be difficult to insert, often requiring multiple attempts, with each attempt causing pain and delaying treatment. The aim of this study was describe the clinical characteristics of neonates requiring multiple PIVCs during hospitalization. A secondary case series of neonates requiring three or more PIVCs during their admission were identified from a cohort admitted to an Australian Neonatal Unit between October 2020 and February 2021.

Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Pembrolizumab in a Patient With Xeroderma Pigmentosum.

A 5-year-old male with xeroderma pigmentosum from Honduras presented with a rapidly growing mass on the left post-auricular neck, associated with left-sided hearing loss. MRI revealed a large mass with invasion of the external auditory canal, temporal bone, and metastasis to lymph nodes. Biopsy confirmed moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Multicenter Retrospective Analysis of Pediatric Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: Treatment Practices and Outcomes Prior to Pediatric American Thyroid Association Guidelines Implementation.

Background: Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is the most common pediatric thyroid malignancy, with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) representing 90% of the cases. In 2015, the American Thyroid Association (ATA) developed management guidelines for pediatric DTC.

Procedure: Patients less than 21 years of age diagnosed with DTC between 2000 and 2015 at Texas Children's Hospital, Seattle Children's Hospital, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Children's Hospital Colorado, and Nationwide Children's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate treatment practices before the implementation of the ATA guidelines.

Connecting Language Abilities and Social Competence in Children: A Meta-Analytic Review.

Research examining relations between language skills and social competence has yielded mixed findings. Three meta-analyses investigated links between language skills (overall, receptive, and expressive) and social competence in 2- to 12-year-old children. Data from 130 studies representing 62,120 children (M age at language assessment = 4.

A Retrospective Review of Oral N-Acetylcysteine for Habit-Driven Cutaneous Disorders.

Oral N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has shown efficacy for debilitating habit-driven and neuropsychiatric disorders in small, mostly adult studies. We retrospectively evaluated the therapeutic use and safety of oral NAC in 93 children from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. This study supports the use of oral NAC for habit-driven skin, hair, and nail abnormalities in pediatric patients.