Pediatric Drug-Associated Pancreatitis Reveals Concomitant Risk Factors and Poor Reliability of Causality Scoring: Report From INSPPIRE.

Objectives: Drug-associated acute pancreatitis (DAP) studies typically focus on single acute pancreatitis (AP) cases. We aimed to analyze the (1) characteristics, (2) co-risk factors, and (3) reliability of the Naranjo scoring system for DAP using INSPPIRE-2 (the INternational Study group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In search for a cuRE-2) cohort study of acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) in children.

Methods: Data were obtained from ARP group with ≥1 episode of DAP and CP group with medication exposure ± DAP.

Hyperkalemia in a Hemolyzed Sample in Pediatric Patients: Repeat or Do Not Repeat?

Objective: The aim of the study is to analyze whether repeat testing is necessary in healthy children presenting to a pediatric emergency department (ED) who are found to have hyperkalemia on a hemolyzed specimen.

Methods: A 5-year retrospective analysis of pediatric ED patients found to have elevated potassium values on laboratory testing of a sample reported to be hemolyzed. All patients aged 0 to 17 years who had an elevated potassium level after an intravenous draw resulted from a serum sample that was reported as hemolyzed during an ED visit were included in the study.

Analysis of INSPPIRE-2 Cohort: Risk Factors and Disease Burden in Children With Acute Recurrent or Chronic Pancreatitis.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate risk factors and disease burden in pediatric acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP).

Methods: Data were obtained from INternational Study group of Pediatric Pancreatitis: In search for a cuRE-2 (INSPPIRE-2), the largest multi-center prospective cohort study in pediatric patients with ARP or CP.

Results: Of 689 children, 365 had ARP (53%), 324 had CP (47%).

Assessing Competence With a Task Trainer: Validity Evidence for Novel Tracheostomy Care Skills Assessment Tool.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to develop a caregiver and healthcare provider assessment tool to evaluate essential tracheostomy skills using a simulated task trainer.

Methods: Three tracheostomy skill checklists were developed: closed suctioning, open suctioning, and tracheostomy change. Checklist items were developed based on institutional guidelines and a literature review.

T cell-intrinsic role for Nod2 in protection against Th17-mediated uveitis.

Mutations in nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2) cause Blau syndrome, an inflammatory disorder characterized by uveitis. The antimicrobial functions of Nod2 are well-established, yet the cellular mechanisms by which dysregulated Nod2 causes uveitis remain unknown. Here, we report a non-conventional, T cell-intrinsic function for Nod2 in suppression of Th17 immunity and experimental uveitis.

Optimizing Analgesic Use During Infant Lumbar Puncture in the Emergency Department.

Introduction: Lumbar puncture (LP) for the collection of cerebrospinal fluid is an important diagnostic tool for the evaluation of febrile or ill-appearing infants. This invasive procedure is painful for patients; inadequate analgesia may have lasting effects. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends analgesia during all LP procedures, and oral sucrose alone does not offer sufficient analgesia.

Molecularly Targeted Therapy for Neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor encountered in childhood and accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer-related deaths. Although there has been significant improvement in the outcomes for patients with high-risk disease, the therapy needed to achieve a cure is quite toxic and for those that do experience a disease recurrence, the prognosis is very dismal. Given this, there is a tremendous need for novel therapies for children with high-risk neuroblastoma and the molecular discoveries over recent years provide hope for developing new, less toxic, and potentially more efficacious treatments.

Streptococcus constellatus Tubo-ovarian Abscess in a Non-Sexually Active Adolescent Female.

Tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) in non-sexually active female adolescents is a rare presentation to the pediatric emergency department. In the following case, bilateral TOA secondary to Streptococcus constellatus was diagnosed in a 13-year-old virginal female. The patient was seen 4 months before presentation for interventional radiology-guided drainage and antibiotic treatment for an intra-abdominal abscess due to suspected appendiceal rupture.

Phase I trial of low-dose interleukin 2 therapy in patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Background: Low dose IL-2 can restore the function of T and NK cells from Wiskott-Aldrich (WAS) patients. However, the safety of in vivo IL-2 in WAS is unknown.

Objectives: A phase-I study to assess safety of low dose IL-2 in WAS.

Metabolomics analysis identifies novel plasma biomarkers of cystic fibrosis pulmonary exacerbation.

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is characterized by infection, inflammation, lung function decline, and intermittent pulmonary exacerbations. However, the link between pulmonary exacerbation and lung disease progression remains unclear. Global metabolomic profiling can provide novel mechanistic insight into a disease process in addition to putative biomarkers for future study.

Seasonal variation in penicillin susceptibility and invasive pneumococcal disease.

We evaluated prospectively laboratory surveillance data from Massachusetts to investigate whether seasonal variation in invasive pneumococcal disease is associated with the proportion of penicillin-susceptible isolates. The proportion of penicillin-susceptible isolates associated with invasive pneumococcal disease varied by season, with proportions highest in the winter and lowest in the summer, and rates of invasive disease were highest in the autumn and winter seasons and lowest in the summer.