The ACTION VAD registry: A collective five-year experience.

Background: The Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION) began in 2018 as a collaborative learning health system committed to improving outcomes in pediatric heart failure, including children and adults with congenital heart disease, supported with ventricular assist devices (VADs). This report describes patient and device characteristics, and outcomes through 1-year post-implant.

Methods: The ACTION VAD registry report was created from data submitted to the ACTION learning network from April 2018 to June 2023.

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.

Formulation of Quality Improvement Methodology for Risk Mitigation in Congenital Cardiac Catheterization.

The C3PO collaborative, with a history of successful quality improvement (QI) initiatives, leveraged registry participants to develop a multi-center QI initiative to reduce adverse events (AEs) in congenital cardiac catheterization. A 32-person, interdisciplinary working group analyzed audited data for all congenital cardiac catheterization cases from 2014-2017. The primary outcome was the occurrence of any high-severity (level 3/4/5) AE.

Preferences for Inguinal Hernia Repair in Infants: A Survey of the Eastern Pediatric Surgery Network.

Introduction: Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (IHR) is being performed more frequently in children, but few studies have evaluated surgical practice patterns in infants. In this study, we surveyed pediatric surgeons within a regional consortium to assess current preferences for IHR strategy in infants. We hypothesized that early-career pediatric surgeons would prefer laparoscopic IHR over open IHR in this patient population.

Dysregulation of Airway and Systemic Interferon Responses Promote Asthma Exacerbations in Urban Children.

Background: Determining why some upper respiratory illnesses provoke asthma exacerbations remains an unmet need.

Objective: To identify transcriptome-wide gene expression changes associated with colds that progress to exacerbation.

Methods: 208 urban children (6-17 years) with exacerbation-prone asthma were prospectively monitored for up to two cold illnesses.

Does Palatoplasty Technique Impact Resolution of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction?

Objective: To determine whether palatoplasty technique affects the resolution of eustachian tube dysfunction and postoperative speech outcomes in children with cleft palate (CP).

Design: Retrospective cohort.

Setting: Multidisciplinary cleft and craniofacial clinic at a tertiary care center.

Prevention and Management of Infectious Complications in Pediatric Patients With Cancer: A Survey Assessment of Current Practices Across Children's Oncology Group Institutions.

Introduction: While clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for pediatric oncology infection prophylaxis and management exist, few data describe actual management occurring at pediatric oncology centers.

Methods: An electronic survey querying infection management practices in nontransplant pediatric oncology patients was iteratively created by the Children's Oncology Group (COG) Cancer Control and Supportive Care Infectious Diseases Subcommittee and sent to leaders at all COG institutions, limiting each site to one response to represent their institution.

Results: The response rate was 57% (129/227 institutions).

Impact of Locum Tenens Providers on Delivery of Pediatric Surgical Care.

Introduction: We sought to understand the impact of locum tenens surgeons on pediatric surgical care delivery.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Children's Hospital Association pediatric surgical practices. Anonymous electronic surveys were used to investigate locum tenens utilization, primary reason for use, limitations on clinical activities, and variations in practice standards or quality.

Rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms in children and adolescents with asthma: Longitudinal clustering analysis.

Background: Rhinoconjunctivitis phenotypes are conventionally described on the basis of symptom severity, duration and seasonality, and aeroallergen sensitization. It is not known whether these phenotypes fully reflect the patterns of symptoms seen at a population level.

Objective: We sought to identify phenotypes of rhinoconjunctivitis on the basis of symptom intensity and seasonality using an unbiased approach and to compare their characteristics.

Increasing and maintaining rates of standardized depression screening in youth with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in a pediatric rheumatology clinic.

Background: Depression adversely affects health outcomes in patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematous (cSLE). By identifying patients with depressive symptoms, we can intervene early with referrals to mental health resources and improve outcomes. The aim of our quality improvement project was to increase and maintain rates of standardized depression screening for youth with cSLE seen within our pediatric rheumatology clinic.

Laparoscopic Warshaw Procedure for Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasms in Children.

Background: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) arising in the body or tail of the pancreas can be amenable to laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with or without concomitant splenectomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for SPN using the Warshaw technique as a means to preserve spleens in children.

Methods: We reviewed our database of SPN patients 19 years and younger (January 2006-December 2023).

Comprehensive craniometry for sagittal synostosis.

Objective: Sagittal synostosis is the most common type of craniosynostosis, resulting in deformity with distinctive morphological characteristics. These include occipital narrowing, parietal narrowing, anteriorly shifted vertex with parietal depression, and exaggerated frontal bossing. The traditional cephalic index affords limited reliability in quantifying initial severity and correction.

Identifying Factors that Influence Pediatric Echo Lab Image Quality: Development and Validation of a New Assessment Tool.

No method of evaluating transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) image quality (IQ) has been validated. Furthermore, structural echo lab elements impacting IQ are unknown. We sought to develop and validate a TTE IQ grading tool and determine patient and echo lab features associated with IQ.

Over 100 Fontan Patients on Systemic Ventricular Assist Device Support: An ACTION Update.

As the Fontan population grows, understanding successful strategies for ventricular assist device (VAD) support of the failing Fontan circulation is needed. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with Fontan circulation and systemic VAD support in the Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION) registry. Competing outcomes and Kaplan-Meier estimated survival methods were used.

International Multicenter Cohort Study on Beta-Blocker-Free Treatment Strategies for Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia Patients.

Background: Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a rare, potentially life-threatening genetic heart disease. Nonselective beta-blockers (BBs) are highly effective in reducing CPVT-triggered arrhythmic events. However, some patients suffer from unacceptable BB side effects and might require strategies without a BB.

Prevalence and sequelae of asymptomatic Clostridioides difficile colonization in children with inflammatory bowel disease.

Colonization by Clostridioides difficile is common in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and complicates both the management of IBD and the diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI). There is a paucity of data on rates, risk factors, and outcomes associated with asymptomatic C.

Forty-eight-hour cold-stored whole blood in paediatric cardiac surgery: Implications for haemostasis and blood donor exposures.

Background And Objectives: Cold-stored whole blood (CS-WB) in paediatric cardiac surgery is making a resurgence, given its identified benefits compared to conventional blood component therapy (CT).

Study Design And Methods: A single-centre retrospective study was conducted from January 2018 to October 2018 by including children <18 years of age undergoing cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. ABO-compatible CS-WB from non-directed random donors was leukoreduced with platelet-sparing filters and compared with CT.

Response of the ductus arteriosus to acetaminophen or indomethacin in extremely low birth weight infants.

Objective: Acetaminophen and indomethacin are used for medical management of a patent ductus arteriosus. This study compared the efficacy of these agents in ELBW infants.

Study Design: This was a retrospective study of all courses of indomethacin and acetaminophen.

Adverse Events Following Vaccines: From Detection to Research Translation.

Vaccines are lifesaving interventions that reduce the morbidity and mortality of disease. Fortunately, serious adverse events with vaccination are uncommon, but they must promptly be recognized and evaluated to assess and clarify the safety of future administration, a process that the public must understand in order to feel safe in receiving vaccines. In this article, we provide a review of vaccine development, discuss the process by which safety is ensured, and describe key adverse events associated with their administration.

Spinal Anatomy Ultrasound in Young Infants With Implications for Lumbar Puncture.

Background: Lumbar puncture (LP) in young infants may challenge clinicians due to the infrequency of the procedure and anatomic variability. The use of ultrasound (US) to characterize young infant spinal anatomy prior to performing an LP may help determine the most favorable site for intervention.

Objectives: 1) Evaluate potential sites for LP in young infants with US at L2/L3 through L5/S1 to determine differences in needle insertion depth (NID), spinal canal width (SCW), and subarachnoid fluid width (SAW).

Pediatric Lateral Condyle Fractures With Elbow Dislocation: Revisiting the Song Classification of the Most Severe Injuries.

Introduction: Lateral condyle fractures are the second most common pediatric elbow fracture and are at risk for malunion, nonunion or avascular necrosis. The Song or Jakob classification guides management and risk of complications. However, many lateral condyle fractures have accompanying bony or soft tissue injuries, including elbow dislocations, which are not represented in the current Song or Jakob classification systems.

Diagnostic Test Characteristics of Ultrasound-Based Hydronephrosis for Chronic Kidney Disease in Children and Adolescents With Myelomeningocele: Results From the UMPIRE and NSBPR Cohort Studies.

Purpose: Renal ultrasounds are performed in patients with myelomeningocele to screen for markers of kidney health, including hydronephrosis. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of hydronephrosis to screen for low kidney function defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study using data from 2 cohorts of children and youth with myelomeningocele.